By Andra Marquardt

Zaivar tapped the message icon on the holographic display.

“Hey, Zai,” Sarea’s high voice said in the recording. “I’ve another chase for you. For real this time.”

Zai rolled his eyes and flicked the message away. How many times had he followed a lead only to find out her info was wrong or at least out of date? Three? Four?

He couldn’t get too angry with her, though. All the times he’d bloodvoiced her thoughts, he only detected sincerity. Plus, she did help him catch a serial killer, which resulted in making a name for himself as a huntsman. And she was quite attractive even though he only saw her as a useful acquaintance.

Zai stared out the viewscreen at the gray of hyperspace. Why not give her another chance? He was bored anyway.

He punched new coordinates into navigation and sent her a message.

***

“Zai! Over here!”

Zai looked around the crowded cafe and spotted Sarea waving at him from the far corner.

He plastered on his most disarming smile and wove his way around the other patrons.

She stood, nearly a foot taller than him, and gave him a hug, almost swallowing him in her embrace.

He pulled away so he could breathe again and sat across from her. “So, what do you have?”

“Come, now, Zai. No catching up? Just give you the chase and off you go?”

“I’m grateful, of course. And if this pans, you’ll get your fee.”

The light went out of her eyes as she nodded and pulled the data disk from her sleeve.

He slid the disk into his pad. The chase was… a child?

“What is this?”

“Don’t let his age fool ya. Stole a governor’s wife’s sapphire necklace so quick, they never noticed until they got home. If not for street cams, he’d a gotten away with it.”

“Why do you need me? The locals could handle it. Or the governor’s people.” Then again, the reward was impressive.

“Gering’s slippery. Managed to slink off-world to Nacharan. And the governor don’t want anyone to know he got snookered by a kid.”

Nacharan was notorious for criminal enterprise, no questions asked.

Zai scrolled through the data, already knowing the perfect fence. He was well known among criminals, so perhaps Gering also knew him.

The data said he took a merchant ship to Nacharan a week ago. If Zai left now, he’d get there almost a day before the ship arrived. A day to catch the boy before he sold the necklace.

Zai bloodvoiced Sarea’s mind. She wanted him to believe her, so she’d made extra sure the data were accurate this time.

He slid his pad into his pocket. “I’ll do it.”

***

Three days later, Zai sat in front of a café watching the fence’s jewelry shop across the street.

The merchant ship had docked two days ago, but so far Gering was a no-show.

Shivering from the cool, fall air, Zai took a sip of his still-steaming tea.

He figured Gering was casing the place, but Zai didn’t fear being discovered. With his small frame and unimpressive features, people rarely noticed him.

A figure sneaked out of an alley toward the jewelry store.

Zai sat up and stretched out his thoughts. It was the boy all right.

Gering froze and looked right at him.

Zai dropped his cup, spilling the remaining tea.

He’s a bloodvoicer!

Gering took off back down the garbage-filled alley.

Zai ran after him. He caught up to Gering, grabbed him, and pinned his arms to his sides.

The boy yelled and kicked, but Zai held on, wincing every time the boy’s sharp heels hit his shins.

Gering soon relaxed and sniffed. “I can’t go back.”

Zai bloodvoiced his mind.

He didn’t intend to run. He was exhausted. And starving.

Zai set Gering down and turned him around.

Gering’s face was gaunt, and his body shook. Likely from the cold, because his coat was full of holes.

Zai stared at Gering, uncertain. He’d caught his chase, and he could certainly use the reward. Yet, he also saw a bit of himself in those sunken eyes.

Lost to a family who couldn’t understand him. Hiding a gift most people feared.

“Where’s the necklace?”

Defiance lit in Gering’s eyes, and suddenly Zai felt him clawing around in his head.

Zai smiled and slapped aside Gering’s telepathic intrusion. The boy had strength—perhaps even stronger than Zai—but he was undisciplined. Zai sifted through his mind to find out where Gering hid the necklace. He smiled and pulled it from Gering’s coat pocket.

Gering collapsed onto the ground and wept.

Zai dropped the necklace in his jacket and sat in front of him.

Then a truly terrible idea occurred to him.

It went against everything he believed in, and yet…

“Look at me, Gering.”

The boy sniffed as he looked up and wiped snot onto his sleeve. Zai tried not to shudder at the yellow slime drying on his already filthy coat.

“I have to return the necklace. You know that, right?”

Gering stared at him.

“If I promise not to turn you in, you’ll have to do something for me.”

Gering’s eyes narrowed.

Zai hesitated. Did he really want to tie himself to this child? Possibly for years?

“I could use another bloodvoicer to help me catch chases. You’re small enough. Who’d notice a kid lurking around and reading minds?”

Gering smiled. “You’ll train me to be a huntsman like you?”

A partner. A kid partner. It was so wrong.

And yet, right at the same time. Together they’d catch a lot more chases, make a lot more money, and he could finally talk about his gift with someone else. Even if Gering was just a kid.

As for Sarea’s fee, he’d make it up to her somehow.

Zai stood and held out a hand. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andra Marquardt reads almost every genre imaginable but loves to write science fiction and fantasy. She also writes a blog that focuses mostly on culture and religion. Her day job is a registered land surveyor in North Dakota. She’s been married for over 25 years and has a young son and yellow lab, both of whom love to keep her on her toes (sometimes literally).

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