Page 57 of Swipe Right for Stardust

“I’m saying it wasn’t natural. The timing was too perfect, right as the leaders were crossing. And did you see how quickly that storm came up in the crystal desert?”

“You think someone sabotaged the race?”

“I don’t know, but?—”

They noticed my presence then and quickly changed the subject, moving away with forced casualness.

I frowned, their words echoing in my mind. Sabotage? It seemed far-fetched, and yet...

Flashes of memory assaulted me. The convenient equipment malfunctions. The suspiciously aggressive plant life in the bioluminescent jungle. The sudden, violent shifts in the shape-changing tundra.

At the time, I’d written them off as part of the challenge. But now, a darker possibility emerged.

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. If someone had deliberately put Vanessa in danger...

A familiar figure caught my eye, snapping me out of my brooding thoughts. Klix, the small, wiry alien with his distinctive glowing blue patterns, hurried through a nearby corridor. His usual cheerful demeanor was gone, replaced by a nervous energy that set my teeth on edge.

Without conscious thought, I followed him. My footsteps were silent on the station’s deck as I trailed behind, keeping a discreet distance.

Klix led me to a secluded maintenance area, well away from the more populated sections of the station. As I drew closer, I heard raised voices.

“—can’t keep this up, Caelan!” Klix’s agitated tone carried clearly. “The plans nearly fell apart. There were too many close calls.”

“Lower your voice,” Caelan hissed. “Everything worked out in the end, didn’t it?”

“But at what cost? We could have seriously hurt someone!”

“You knew the risks when you agreed to help me. It’s too late to back out now.”

A wave of anger washed over me as the pieces began to fall into place. Caelan and Klix... they were behind the sabotage?

I stepped back, my mind racing. I needed to find Vanessa, to make sure she was safe. And then we needed to expose this conspiracy before anyone else got hurt.

I stood frozen in place, my mind racing with the implications of what I’d just overheard. Caelan and Klix, sabotaging the show? The urge to confront them immediately surged through me, but I forced myself to stop. Acting rashly could put everyone in danger.

My first instinct was to gather more evidence. With my scientific background, I knew the importance of having concrete proof before making accusations. But time was of the essence. If the saboteurs realized they’d been discovered, they might take drastic action.

Vanessa’s face flashed in my mind, and a cold dread settled in my gut. Was she safe? Were any of the contestants truly safe with these two running unchecked?

I needed to find her. Now.

My feet carried me swiftly through the station’s corridors, my eyes scanning every face I passed. The common areas were a blur of activity, contestants and crew members mingling in excited clusters. But no sign of Vanessa.

I pushed through the doors to the grand atrium. The cavernous space stretched out before me, filled with glittering decorations and the buzz of conversation. But still, no flash of auburn hair, no sound of her laughter.

Frustration and worry gnawed at me as I circled the room. How had I become so dependent on her presence in such a short time?

The truth was as clear as any natural law.

Without Vanessa by my side, I felt off-balance, incomplete.

I’d always prided myself on my self-sufficiency, my ability to face any challenge alone. But now, faced with this conspiracy, I longed for her quick mind and unwavering support.

Just as despair began to set in, the atrium doors slid open. And there she was.

Vanessa stepped into the room, her eyes wide at the spectacle around her. Relief crashed over me in a dizzying wave. I crossed the room in long strides, barely registering the curious glances from the other contestants.

As I reached her, Vanessa’s face lit up with a smile. But her expression quickly shifted to concern as she read the urgency in my eyes.

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