Nobody can fully say you "may never be paid", but reading on here makes that a good possibility.

Why not "insist" on pre-pay for the search, and see how fast you are no longer needed to do it.

IMHO only a fool or someone who wants to work for nothing, and pay their copy cost besides,

would ever do the work they are requesting you to do.  Wanna bet some will bite on their request, and in 3 months will be posting on here about non-payment issue?