“Uh, could you maybe put the gun down? I told you before, mate, I don’t want any trouble. I’m here to help you.”

I smirked. “Really? I find that a little hard to believe. One, you’re human. What can you possibly do that would help me? And two, more importantly, I saw you in that meeting with Roth. You’re part of Talon.”

“Not anymore.”

I faltered and gave him an incredulous look. “Not anymore? What do you mean?”

“I mean, I left, mate. I’m out. Went rogue, dropped off the grid, gone AWOL, whatever you want to call it.”

“How?”

“I’ve been planning this a long time,” the kid explained, a flash of anger and resentment crossing his narrow face. “If you wanna lower the gun, and not make me so bloody nervous, I’ll tell you everything. Including some things about you that you might not know.”

Sighing, I dropped my arm. “Fine,” I muttered, and he relaxed. I did not need this right now, having some strange human show up on my doorstep like a lost cat, but if the kid really had gotten out of Talon, it could be worth listening to him. He might know what Talon was up to, if they had any more plans involving me and another Viper. I’d managed to avoid Stealth so far, but that wouldn’t last. She was still out there, looking for me. The least I could do was hear him out. “Although,” I warned, with one last jab of the pistol, “if Talon unexpectedly shows up while we’re talking, you’re going to be the first one I shoot. Just so you know.”

He paled, but nodded. “Fair enough. Though if the bastards do show, it might be better to shoot me.” Resting bony elbows on his knees, he sighed, sounding suddenly tired, and far older than I first took him for. “I think…I might actually rather be dead than go back.”

Shoving the gun into the waistband of my jeans, I stepped farther into the room. “Who are you?” I asked, pausing at the foot of the bed, watching him. “How’d you find me?”

“My name is Wesley,” the human said, leaning back in the chair. “Wesley Higgins, or just Wes, if you like. Not that it matters, I officially don’t exist in any system anymore. And there’s no need to introduce yourself, Agent Cobalt. I already know who you are. I know a lot of things about you, actually.”

“Do you, now?” I said in a flat, dangerous voice. “And what exactly do you want for this information? Is the deal I give you everything I have, or you go back to Talon to turn me in?”