Supremacy's Outlaw: A Space Opera Thriller Series (Insurgency Saga Book 3) by T.E. Bakutis (top 100 books of all time checklist .TXT) 📗

Bharat, about Elena Ryke, and about torture nanos. Jan left out the part about him killing a bunch of Truthers in an old warehouse. He also skimmed over Emiko and Kinsley’s involvement, though leaving them unmentioned was out of the question. Rafe had likely told Esparza everything he knew already.

Esparza nodded approvingly when Jan finished, then popped a bite of steak into his mouth. Jan took the opportunity to slice another piece as well. It was very good steak. He hadn’t enjoyed a juicy steak in five years, and if this was to be his last meal, he’d made the right choice.

“What you’ve just shared sheds light on a number of matters that troubled me,” Esparza said. “I appreciate that.”

Jan swallowed and smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”

“You see,” Esparza said, “I, too, have encountered the Golden Widow. She and the Advanced commando who purchased you from Tantalus killed seven of my best soldiers.”

Jan made himself look appropriately shocked. “I’m sorry to hear that. When did this happen?” So that was what those Truthers had been doing at the warehouse where they lost Rafe. Cleanup duty, after Fatima and Bharat slaughtered the place.

Yet why would Fatima help Bharat, a man who’d been sent there specifically to hunt her down? Did Fatima have Bharat prisoner? More unanswered questions to not give a fuck about until Jan escaped Esparza’s crazy castle.

“The incident occurred two nights ago,” Esparza said, “in Star’s Landing. That’s where we were reunited with Rafe. Afterward, once the CSD put their bounty on you, I tasked Rafe to bring you here. Couldn’t have you being recaptured.”

Jan smiled and glanced in Rafe’s direction. Had Rafe told them about Jan’s plan to rescue Bharat? Was Esparza just toying with him before he ordered his men to come in and shoot Jan dead? It was almost impossible to believe that Rafe had kept his mouth shut about that whole thing, but if he had—

“It was through Rafe we learned the Advanced had brought you back,” Esparza said, “though I did not know their reasons until now. It may not surprise you to know that I, too, would be interested in the data disc Senator Tarack asked you to retrieve. It could make a real difference here.”

“Oh?” Jan asked. “Do you know what’s on it?” Jan certainly did not.

“It contains incriminating information on many sitting Ceto senators,” Esparza said. “That information could be quite useful to us as we guide them toward a course where we don’t roll over, play dead, and let the Supremacy fuck us to death.”

Rafe coughed as he choked on a bit of kav stalk. Jan set down his latest bite and frowned Esparza’s way. “You think the Advanced are planning something new?”

“Those vatborn monstrosities are always planning something,” Esparza said. “I plan to stop them. If you manage to retrieve the disc, will you be able to deliver it to me?”

Jan made himself visibly think about that. “I have already promised that disc to Senator Tarack. And, later, to Elena Ryke.”

“You did,” Esparza agreed.

“Fuck them both. So long as you can keep me safe from Ryke’s aggression, it’s yours. I’d prefer to put my skills to use for our people, not theirs.”

Esparza smiled. “Let’s hope you get the chance. Thank you for answering my questions, and for helping me clarify matters that caused me some concern. I’ll leave you to your dinner.”

“Sir,” Jan said, standing at the same time Esparza did, “I want to help. I despise the way our government rolled over. I fought the Supremacy and went to prison for it, and for what?”

What Jan wanted was to get out of here as fast as possible, but if Esparza really was planning to do something violent and suicidal, it’d be nice to know where not to be when that violent action exploded violently. It also wouldn’t hurt to remind Esparza that Jan was just as much a blind zealot as Rafe.

“Oh, you will help,” Esparza said, “when I need you. For now, trust that I have matters well in hand.” Esparza leaned forward, resting both flat hands on the table. “What I need is for you to remain here, safe from the CSD, until I’m ready for our next move. I need you to get me that disc.”

Pushing further would only raise suspicion. Jan nodded and sat back down. “Then I’ll let you get back to it, sir. Thank you for the dinner and for safe haven.”

“Don’t get too comfortable.” Esparza chuckled as the doors behind him opened. “You’ll be out in the thick of it soon enough.” He marched out as the doors closed.

Silence followed. Jan went back to his steak. Esparza was planning something big, and Jan was stuck here in the middle of it, trying to blend in with a bunch of zealous whack jobs. Honestly, being fucked over all the time was exhausting.

“Hey, Jan,” Rafe started, but Jan silenced him with a raised hand. He didn’t need Rafe blurting sensitive questions where Esparza’s army of listening devices could hear them.

“I’m eating,” Jan said. “You should too.”

“Oh.” Rafe looked down at what remained of his kav stalks. “Sure, mate. Be a while until we can get food this good again.”

And what did Rafe mean by that? Did Rafe know what Esparza was planning? Jan didn’t dare ask, not here, and honestly, none of this was his business or his problem. He needed to escape, find his crew, and lie very low until a few less people were trying to murder him.

Jan took his time with his meal. He had no reason not to. The same soldier who had escorted them