Page 13 of Hunter's Moon

“Take this,” I said. “You might need it.”

Lina hesitated, her hands shaking slightly as she reached for the weapon. “I’ve never used one of these before.”

“Point and shoot,” I said, demonstrating the grip. “Try not to hit me.”

She managed a weak smile at that. “I’ll do my best.”

We continued down the corridor, moving as stealthily as we could. The pain in my body had faded to a dull throb, my Vinduthi healing already kicking in. But I knew I was far from peak condition.

As we approached an intersection, I held up a hand, signaling Lina to stop. Voices drifted from around the corner:

“...heard there was a firefight in sector seven...”

“Doesn’t matter. We’ve got orders to secure the human female at all costs.”

“What’s so special about her anyway?”

“Above our pay grade, mate. But word is, she’s got information on some secret planet. Spice, they say. Enough to make the Trefter Syndicate the most powerful outfit in the galaxy.”

“Shit, really? No wonder the Obsidian Dawn’s after her too.”

I glanced at Lina, who looked as confused as I felt. What the hell had she gotten mixed up in?

Before I could ponder it further, footsteps echoed down the hall. They were coming our way.

“Get ready,” I whispered to Lina. “Remember, point and shoot.”

As the first guard rounded the corner, I opened fire. The rifle’s energy bolts tore through his chest, dropping him before he could even cry out.

But there were more behind him. A lot more.

“Run!” I shouted, pushing Lina ahead of me as I laid down covering fire.

Energy bolts whizzed past us as we sprinted down the corridor. I could hear the guards shouting, their heavy footfalls not far behind.

We burst through a set of double doors into a large storage area. Crates and containers were stacked high, creating a maze-like environment.

“This way,” I said, pulling Lina behind a stack of crates just as our pursuers entered the room.

“Find them!” a shrill voice shouted. “They can’t have gone far!”

I peeked around the corner, counting at least eight guards spreading out to search the area. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“Lina,” I whispered, turning to face her. “I need you to create a distraction. Can you do that?”

Her grip tightened on the sidearm. “What do you want me to do?”

“When I give the signal, start shooting. Aim high, over their heads. Just keep them busy while I flank them.”

“Okay,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I can do that.”

I reached out, cupping her face with my free hand. Her skin was soft, warm.

I forgot about the danger we were in, lost in the depths of her eyes.

“Be careful,” I said, surprised by the intensity of my own words.

She leaned into my touch, just for a second. “You too.”

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