Page 39 of Escape Clause

“Don’t worry,” Blakk said. “We’ll get him.”

But could they capture him soon enough before he or one of the crazies he’d motivated tried to hurt Hope?

Blakk left, and Krogan tried contacting her again. No answer. He told himself not to panic.Maybe she’s in the kitchen cooking with Don Juan, not paying attention to the comm unit. Or she’s having trouble accessing the comm unit.He’d shown her how, but maybe he hadn’t explained it well enough.

He paced. If anything happened to her, he wouldn’t be able to stand it. Stervak intended him to feel pain. He’d succeeded. Wherewasshe? Why wasn’t she checking in?

Vorgol popped into his office. “What’s going on? I spotted Blakk charging down the hall like his pants were on fire.”

“Stervak is trying to whip up sentiment against me.”

“When is he not?”

“He threatened Hope. He’s telling people I need to feel their pain,” he said and laid out what Stervak hadsaid. “He didn’t threaten any of the other Cosmic Mates brides directly but contact the couples and have them remain inside until the situation is under control.”

“Better safe than sorry,” Vorgol agreed. “What should we do about the ship arriving with the second group of Cosmic Mates brides? There’s a hundred this time.”

“When does it land?” The arrival of more humans would further enflame Stervak.

“Tomorrow.”

“Fizzak!” He paced. “I don’t want to put these women in any jeopardy. Stervak didn’t threaten anybody but me and Hope, but that doesn’t mean one of his followers might not extend the threat,” he said, thinking through the problem.

“If I turn the ship around, I’ll be caving to extortion, which will increase the likelihood of future incidents. They’ll pull this crap when the next ship comes. And it dashes the dreams of the men anxiously awaiting brides. Stervak has no right to interfere in their lives.”

“It will impact recruitment, too,” Vorgol said. “People will wonder if we’ll follow through. They need to be able to rely on us.”

Krogan rubbed his chin. “Did you publicize the arrival date of the ship?”

“No.”

“Reroute the ship to a spaceport outside the city. Contact the men and inform them of the change in venue and impress upon them the need for discretion and prudence. Have them retrieve their brides and lie low until we resolve this. Get Blakk to increase security at the spaceport.”

“I’m on it!” Vorgol said.

Krogan messaged Hope again. Still no answer. She hadn’t mentioned going anywhere—but they hadn’t done much talking. What if she’d left the apartment, and one of Stervak’s minions spotted her? Stervak had beamed his malicious message everywhere. Other than him, his human wife was probably the most recognizable person on all of Caradonia.

He wouldn’t be able to concentrate until he reassured himself she was fine. He’d vap home to check on her and then return to work.

Chapter Eighteen

What a day! The sun was setting by the time she managed to get back to the penthouse. A quick favor for a friend had turned into a marathon. Larth had been gone for hours, leaving her stuck at the booth because she couldn’t leave it unattended when she’d promised to watch it.

Not that anybody needed to. The cozi had been deserted, the customers seeming to vanish not long after Larth had left. The other vendors were perplexed. It wasn’t until Larth returned that they’d learned what had happened. People couldn’tgetto the cozi—or anywhere else.

Thugs denouncing her husband had blocked access to vaporators, including the one at the pod center. Larth had gotten there okay, but when he tried to leave, protestors had refused to let him board the transport. He’d had to walk a long distance before he’d found an unoccupied vaporator.

“Am I going to be able to get home?” she’d asked, alarmed.

“You can now. Security forces are standing guard outside the vaporator down the street. I’m sorry. If I had had any idea this would happen, I would never have left you here alone.”

“It’s all right. You needed to see your wife. She’s okay?”

“She’s holding her own.”

Saying her goodbyes, she hurried out of the cozi. To her relief, there were two guards stationed beside the vaporator. “Good evening, Hope Bennett,” one of them greeted her.

She’d never met him before. “You know who I am?”

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