“Overseer, pardon the interruption. The human said she had an appointment.”
Cuttles looked up from his breakfast.
“Good morning, boss,” she greeted the Topus cheerfully.
Riley walked in confidently, without an invitation, and took a seat across from Cuttles. She leaned back in the chair and casually crossed her legs. She had to keep a straight face as she watched Cuttles eat. He dipped a tentacle into a large bowl and fished out a writhing black worm. The sight of him shoving the squirming maggots into his beak, and the resulting squish, was enough to turn her stomach.
“You are rather early,” Cuttles spoke between bites.
“It’s a brand-new day.”
“You said you had ideas. You have till I’m finished here.”
“I understand, you’re very busy,” Riley replied. “One question. How much are you willing to invest in my image?”
“Image?”
“Yes.” Riley smiled at his perplexed expression. “As you said, my novelty will wane. That’s inevitable. What we must do is force feed the demand, while it lasts.” Riley got up and sashayed toward the desk. “On my world, there is a myth about something called a siren. It is said that once a man hears her call, he’s instantly enslaved.”
“This little act may work on others, but not on me, human. I don’t find you appealing.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I think you’re very interested in me.” Riley circled around Cuttles’ back. “Every man has something he loves. For you it’s profit,” Riley whispered as she leaned in. “I share that interest. I also have a standard of living I like to maintain, and enjoy a smidge of adulation.”
While she was behind Cuttles, Riley casually pulled one of the explosive disks from her cleavage and palmed it.
“That is true,” the Overseer conceded with a warbling chuckle. “Continue.”
Like the night before, Cuttles knew she was working him over. But by the time he figured out what she was truly up to, it would be too late.
“I’ll need clothes, and my own entourage of guards,” Riley said as she took a seat atop his desk.
“More guards?” Cuttles asked incredulously. “I’d think you’d want less.”
“I’m small. We don’t want me to get abducted again. More importantly, they will make sure that I’m noticed wherever I travel. It’s all about the image I present. We’ll lure in everyone, but especially the big fish. This is where I’ll need some of that tech savvy your people possess. We learn who’s worth our time. We find their passion, and I use it to tweak my persona.”
Riley leaned back as she summarized her ploy. She propped her hands on the far edge of the desk, then slipped the disk beneath the desktop.
I have an hour, she noted after depressing the sensor.
“You want me to spy on my patrons?”
“Yes, but let’s call it selective marketing. We’re tailoring a product for a select few. We’re just giving the house an advantage.” Riley shrugged.
“It won’t work. Some of my best clients don’t like to get their hands dirty. That means no profit from the coliseum match.”
“There’s a way around that. You let your handpicked clients designate a champion or something. We could even arrange it so there’s a final scene where the client gets to be the hero that saves me. You’re a smart man.”
The gleam in the Overseer’s eyes told her he was buying her load of bullshit.
“I think I get the idea,” Cuttles replied.
“I’m going to need one of those handy little bands so I can get around. Maybe Hoda can assist me with that since you have things to do. I like that girl. You were right, she’s got a wicked tongue.” Riley smiled conspiratorially at Cuttles, who chuckled again. “I’d like to scout out my guards, since I know what I’m looking for. I’ll also need to get my wardrobe together.”
“Fine. I’ll contact Hoda to assist you with what you need. Be back onstage by the end of lunch.”
Riley hopped down from his desk.
“Sounds good, boss.”
Cuttles nodded in dismissal. Riley plastered a smile on her face till she exited the office.
Part one down, Riley sighed.
The weight of what she’d just done was heavier than Riley anticipated. When the bomb in Cuttles’ office went off, people would be hurt, and some might die. Riley hadn’t deluded herself. She just refused to dwell on it. But now, there was no ignoring the repercussions of what she’d set in motion. She felt no better than Aculus, trading a few lives against many.
May Jesus have mercy on my soul.