Bacoj earlier. Nevertheless, he hurried from food vendor to food vendor, checking in with those hawking souvenirs as well. As he’d feared, none of those he questioned remembered encountering Bacoj. He was about ready to give up and plan a search pattern—plus place a call to local enforcement—when a Dantovonian hop-crawled close to speak to the Kalquorians.
“I take it you’re hunting for your friend?”
“Have you seen him?” Japohn asked. Since information rarely came cheap in Ler, he calculated the amount of credits he possessed as the Dantovonian looked him up and down with a shrewd air.
“I think he found trouble. He appeared the worse for wear. Unconscious, in fact. The Adrafs he was with carried him to their shuttle and left with him.”
As fear draped in fury burst through Japohn, Vax gaped at the Dantovonian. “Adrafs? What would Bacoj be doing with Adrafs?”
“I recognized them. I’ve noted them in the area before, doing business for their boss.”
“What kind of business?” Japohn had a very bad feeling about the situation.
“The kind we don’t talk about if we want to stay alive.” The Dantovonian smirked. “Unless we agree on a price to make the danger worth my while. Oh, their boss is also the type who pays local enforcement well, so I doubt they’ll be of much help to you. I’m probably your only chance to recover your friend.”
Japohn couldn’t imagine why any crime boss would want to kidnap Bacoj, unless it was to sell him on the black market for slave labor. However, snatching a Kalquorian for that sort of trade tended to be too dangerous for even Dantovonian kingpins. Only Bi’isils bought Kalquorian slaves. Those who wanted to live long didn’t dare chance the double jeopardy of dealing with both races at once.
It didn’t matter why Bacoj had been taken. The important thing was bringing him back safe and sound. Japohn typed a figure on his handheld and showed it to the witness. “I’ll pay for information.”
“That amount won’t buy my sympathy, Kalquorian.”
He’d figured as much, but Dantovonians lived to haggle. He upped the amount, trying not to show his impatience as the seconds slipped by.
The Dantovonian snorted at the new offer and turned away.
“Wait! Add this to it.” Vax had copied Japohn, typing an amount and showing it to their sole contact.
Japohn’s heart sank, noting it was what Vax had bragged he and Bacoj had won at Grav Grab, plus more. It was too late to insist on caution, however. The vendor extended his handheld toward Vax.
“Send it to this account.”
Vax was about to type when Japohn stopped him. “Not without information. You get what I offered you now and the rest when you tell us what we want to know.”
The Dantovonian smirked, no doubt trusting the reputation of Kalquorians. “Fine. Your friend was taken by Bek’s henchmen. He’s got a network of sex shops over on the edge of the northwest sector.” He rattled off a list of names. Though Japohn hadn’t frequented any of those establishments, his stomach churned because he’d heard of them. No one left employment alive from such places without a lot of scars to show for it.
Vax gaped at the Dantovonian. “This Bek—he wants to sell Bacoj for sex?”
“Could be. The shops are legit, but some of Bek’s clientele goes for more action than the usual fare.”
“Torture. Killing during the act.” Japohn snarled, showing his fangs.
The Dantovonian eyed him with caution. “You never heard it from me. Money?”
Japohn nodded. Vax, pale as death, transferred his credits to the witness’s account.
Japohn led his companion away as the Dantovonian hop-crawled off. He glanced around, checking to determine if anyone had been spying on the transaction. Those who made their living in Ler kept their distance when a transaction was occurring. Minding one’s business on Dantovon was practically the planet’s religion, almost as much so as making money.
As he hurried to find a place with even fewer bystanders, Japohn reflected on the information. It was grim, but it didn’t quite add up. No crime boss worth his salt would attempt to add a healthy, strong Kalquorian to his fuck-and-snuff stable. It was far too risky to life, limb, and liberty.
Besides, Japohn had heard of Bek. That particular crime lord had been working in Ler for decades. He was slime and should have been dismembered for his many offenses years ago, but he was no fool. He wouldn’t abduct a man like Bacoj for his shops. Wherever the Dramok had been taken, it wouldn’t be a place