Page 25 of Courting Mayhem

“Your fathers need a good beating,” Derek snapped and starting opening lockers.

“What are you looking for?”

“A hazmat suit in my size.”

“There isn’t one.” Grabbing the tool kit, I opened the outer door and stepped inside.

Encased in his battle armor, Derek followed me.

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you.”

“You know how to fix incinerators?”

“I know how to fix a lot of things,” Derek replied.

“Fine.” With one tap on my gauntlet, I purged the toxic air, then opened the interior access hatch. Ugh! Thick black gunk encrusted the incinerator walls.

“Are those eight-inch acrylonitrile pipes?”

“Yes.”

“That’s the problem. A ship this size needs twelve-inch piping,” Derek said.

“I’ve told my fathers that, but they didn’t want to invest in a refitting.”

“Which leaves you doing all the dirty work,” Derek snarled.

I let out a sigh. “They don’t mind the stench. I do.” I picked up the plumbing snake and fed it into the pipe. “Stand back, it’s gonna get messy.”

Derek gently moved me out of the way. “I’ll do it.”

“You do realize it’s gonna spit nasty shit everywhere?”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Partners share tasks. Partners also trust each other.”

“I might love the Magic Kingdom, but I don’t believe in fairy tales and happy endings. I’m not lowering my shields.”

“I’m a patient man.”

“You’ll be toes-up before I change my mind.” I started the snake. It made an awful grinding noise.

“After we catch Vrax, we are upgrading the incinerator,” Derek said mentally.

“It’s not your ship or decision to make.”

Derek announced arrogantly, “This ship now belongs to the Coletti Empire.”

“The hell it does.”

Gallons of smelly black sludge spewed out of the pipe.

“Ugh.” I wipe the crap off my helmet and a giggle escaped me. Derek’s fancy armor was coated in the nasty stuff.

“Sonovabitch!” He tapped his bracelet. His armor glowed briefly as it decontaminated. The muck turned to a fine power and fell off.

“I’ve got to get me some of that armor.”

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