Page 32 of Alien's Love Child

"Sir!" One of the officers rushes up from the cargo hold. "They're calling everyone in."

"Stay put." Waxan jabs a finger at me. "We're not done here. We have your registration codes. If this ship moves one inch, you'll all be in prison by dinner."

The officers sprint down the ramp. Through the viewport, I watch their cruisers lift off, emergency lights painting the rain red and blue.

My legs give out. I grab the nearest wall, my fingers finding the grooves between panels.

"Jesse?" Rena's voice sounds far away. "Jesse, what was that?"

I sit stunned, my only hope left that this snake of a bounty hunter was slick enough to get out of this one too.

CHAPTER 12

DAVIN

Iwatch Jesse's red hair disappear through the window, my chest tightening. The catwalk creaks under my boots as I shift position, peering down at the scene below. Xander sits in a metal chair, gesturing animatedly to the crime boss.

"The dispersal system is nearly perfect," Xander says. "Once it's weaponized, you'll be able to target specific genetic markers. Anything from weeding to pest control to-"

"Pest control," the boss chuckles. "I like the sound of that."

My finger traces the trigger of my rifle. From this angle, it'd be clean – one shot through that brilliant mind of his. The Alliance's bounty specified alive, but right now, dead seems more appealing. The less people who know about this weapon, the better.

I adjust my scope, centering it on Xander's temple. The scientist keeps talking, explaining complex terms to simple criminals who probably can't spell 'genocide.' The irony would be funny if it weren't so dangerous.

"You really think you can pull this off?" The boss's skepticism mirrors my own thoughts.

"Please." Xander pushes his glasses up his nose. "I know what I'm doing. I just needed more time to perfect it. Something my contacts were offering me, but I like yours much better."

My jaw clenches. The bounty's not worth it – not if the Alliance gets their hands on this. They'd use it just as readily as these thugs. Sometimes the right thing means walking away empty-handed.

I steady my breathing, preparing for the shot. Three guards, all armed. I'll have about two seconds after taking out Xander before they pinpoint my location. The window Jesse used is fifteen feet behind me. Doable.

A guard shifts, blocking my shot. I curse under my breath, waiting for him to move. Below, Xander continues outlining his plans for mass murder, wrapped in the sterile language of science.

One of the guards sneezes, echoing through the warehouse, followed by a sharp intake of breath. Our eyes lock. His hand drops to his weapon.

"Shit."

I roll left as bullets spark against the catwalk's metal railing. The whole structure shudders under my feet as I sprint toward the far end. More shots ping around me, forcing me to zigzag.

"Up there! Don't let him escape!"

My boots thunder across the grating. A bullet grazes my shoulder, burning through fabric and skin. The pain barely registers – I've had worse during basic training.

"Get Xander out of here!" the boss bellows.

Below, chairs scrape against concrete. I risk a glance down to see them shoving Xander toward a side door. One of the guards slams his palm against a red button on the wall. An alarm wails through the warehouse.

"Really?" I mutter, vaulting over a stack of crates. "Like this wasn't complicated enough."

Heavy boots pound up metal stairs at both ends of the catwalk. More guards pour in through the main entrance, their weapons trained upward. I'm running out of options and space.

"Surround him!"

The catwalk trembles as bodies converge from both directions. I count eight new guards, plus the original three. Not great odds, even for me.

A bullet whizzes past my ear. I duck behind a support beam. The old saying from my drill sergeant rings in my head: "When outnumbered, change the rules of engagement."

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