One Breath, One Bullet(The Borders War book 1) (15 page)

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Authors: S. A. McAuley

BOOK: One Breath, One Bullet(The Borders War book 1)

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“This way,” Ryder said. He stood waiting for AJ in a doorway. “You’ll need to change into your uniform.”

“Uniform?” AJ hadn’t been provided with any uniform. He owned no clothes except those he wore and a similar outfit of rags stored down in the tiny cave he shared with his siblings in the labyrinth.
Why didn’t Landon warn me?

“They’re in here,” Ryder explained. “The agency always sends a load in various sizes ready for the workers who turn up. They won’t give them to you before you get here in case you sell them and don’t show up to do the actual job.”

AJ nodded in understanding and relief as he hurried after Ryder. The crowded room he entered was filled with waiters and waitresses, many lab rats like himself, changing into their neat black and white uniforms. Across the far side of the room, AJ caught the hint of a flicker of red and he watched as one of the young men put a familiar-looking red collar round his neck.

“We’d better make haste,” Ryder said. “The rest of the guests will be arriving any moment.” He pointed AJ towards a spare hook on the wall and AJ hurried to change into a pair of snug black pants and a crisp white shirt. The fit wasn’t perfect, but the same could be said for his regular clothes. They would do for the night. He hung up his tatty clothes and patted the pocket with the collar inside. He still wasn’t sure if he wanted to put it on or not. Maybe he could return later once he had made up his mind.

“Don’t leave anything valuable with your clothes,” Ryder whispered. “Have you got your credit band on?”

AJ showed his wrist and the band he never removed. Everyone in their world had one and the thin metal strap showed immediately how many credits they had at any given time. By aligning two bands together, transactions could take place with just a few clicks of a button. AJ would no sooner have taken the credit band off than he would have hacked off his own arm.

On the opposite side of the changing room he saw another collar, this one blue, round the neck of a waitress. He scanned the room and counted four collared staff members altogether. As well as the waiter with the red collar, there were three waitresses, one wearing blue and two wearing red. No men wore a blue collar and he couldn’t see any silver collars at all.

AJ felt the collar in his pocket. If it were as valuable as Landon said, and AJ had no reason to doubt him, he couldn’t leave it in the changing room. But could he put it on and offer himself to the guests? If he were to put the strip of fabric round his neck he would be the only man with a blue collar at the party. He would stand out from the rest. Should any homosexual men present be looking to pay for sexual favours he would be the only man offering them.

The decision made, he grabbed the collar from his pocket and quickly fastened it round his neck before he could change his mind.

When he looked up again he saw Ryder watching him carefully. AJ glared at him, daring him to say anything about the collar. Ryder remained silent, but AJ thought he caught a hint of disapproval in his eyes. He forced himself not to care. He hadn’t come here to make friends. He had only come to the party to earn the credits for the pharmacist. Ryder could think what the hell he liked.

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About the Author

Sam sleeps little, reads a lot. Happiest in a foreign country. Twitchy when not mentally in motion. Send her a picture and a song and she’s bound to write a story about it. And yes, that’s an invitation.