Page 21 of Obsessed

The cockpit's even more revealing. A small plant sits dead in its pot by the controls - some attempt at companionship, maybe? A string of good luck charms hangs from the ceiling, well-worn from nervous handling.

Moving deeper into the ship, I stumble over debris and catch myself against a sealed container. It's the only thing that seems completely undamaged, secured with multiple locks. The cargo he's so worried about.

The container hums beneath my palm, warm and alive.

My fingers trace the complex locking mechanism, and my scientific curiosity wars with my conscience.

"This is wrong," I whisper to myself, but don't move my hand. "He trusted you enough to stay here. To... to be with you."

But can I trust him? And why all the secrecy? A simple delivery wouldn't need this level of security. And if it's just cargo, why not use my comm system to call for transport? There's so many easy, affordable options for getting off this planet. And he chose none of them.

The questions pile up like the specimens in my lab, begging to be cataloged and understood.

My other hand hovers over the first lock. One quick peek...

"No." I jerk back, wrapping my arms around myself. "You're better than this, Alice."

The ship's emergency lights flicker as if agreeing with me. I pick my way back through the debris, careful not to disturb anything else. The morning air hits my face as I emerge, and I take deep breaths to clear my head.

"Focus on work," I tell myself, adjusting my pack and heading toward the jungle's edge. "Plants don't keep secrets."

But I only make it a few steps before stopping. There's something important in those crates. At least it's important to somebody. And it's important enough for pirates to blast his ship out of orbit to try and get it.

My stomach churns. What if it's something dangerous? Or illegal? Or worse - both? I'm harboring someone I barely know, someone who crashed here under suspicious circumstances.

The jungle looms ahead, its familiar purple canopy suddenly feeling oppressive rather than welcoming. My boots sink slightly into the moist soil as I shift my weight, uncertain.

A breeze carries the sweet scent of nectar from the carnivorous vines I've been studying. They're beautiful butdeadly - just like everything else on this planet. Just like, perhaps, the secrets in that ship.

I glance back one more time. The twisted metal catches the morning light, and something cold settles in my chest. What have I gotten myself into?

My boots crunch against the cold ground as I march back to the ship. The morning sun catches on the twisted hull, but I barely notice. My heart pounds against my ribs with each step.

"No more secrets," I mutter, climbing through the broken cargo hold door. "Not after last night."

The emergency lights flicker as I make my way to the secured container. It still hums beneath my fingers when I touch it, almost like it's alive. The complex locking mechanism mocks me with its sleek, impenetrable surface.

"Come on, you stupid thing." I tug at the first lock, but it doesn't budge. "There has to be a way."

My eyes scan the debris-strewn hold. Tools and spare parts litter the floor, scattered from the crash. Behind an overturned storage bin, something long and metal catches my eye.

"Perfect." I grab the crowbar, testing its weight in my hands. The cold steel sends a shiver down my spine, but I grip it tighter. "Sorry, Davrik, but you don't get to sweep me off my feet and then keep playing strange and mysterious courier."

The container's seam looks vulnerable where it meets the lid. I position the crowbar, hands trembling slightly. The metal creaks as I apply pressure.

Just a little more force and-

A low, threatening sound freezes me in place.

CHAPTER 12

DAVRIK

The morning sun hits my face as I step outside. In my peripheral, I see movement - Alice, but she's not heading into the jungle. She's walking straight for my ship. My stomach twists as I watch her slip inside.

"Damn it."

I follow, my footsteps silent from years of practice. The cargo hold door is open, and there she is, crowbar in hand, reaching for one of my crates. The metal gleams in the dim light as she positions it against the edge.

---