Page 69 of Stealing Mercury
“We’ll see who lives longest. Today you live, but we’ll take the hunter’s ship and leave you here to anticipate the day I do come for you. Anticipation—isn’t that what you called it when you taught us to drag out an arena match for the amusement of the fans?”
Drake’s grin confused Mercury. Drake had to realize Mercury had led them away from their ship while Carn and Lo dealt with whatever men they’d left behind. With Mercury’s speed he’d make it to the ship hours before they could get back.
“Do you think because I have no plan to kill you now that you have no reason to fear me?”
“That’s not it at all.” Drake smirked. “But do you honestly think I didn’t plan for something like this? Did you forget who oversaw your training? Who lashed the lessons into your back when you failed?”
Adrenalin flooded Mercury’s body as his muscles twitched. Of course Drake had set a trap, but Lo would keep Samantha safe. He had to trust in that.
“I have a message for our girl,” said Drake. “In case you do get off this rock.” Drake’s smirk widened into a full smile, but his hands remained still, held out to the sides. “Tell her to take good care of you. We want you in good shape when she’s ready to sell you back to us. After spending all that money, Owens will want to make sure he turns a profit off your sorry hide. He’ll triple the cost for the privilege to hunt you down.”
Mercury ignored the man. He only wanted to return to Samantha and leave the whip-master and his boasts behind. The surge of strength as his muscles readied for the run back made him restless to move now. “We’ll leave enough supplies for you to survive. I wouldn’t want you to die out here before Owens can find you. I don’t suppose he’ll be happy that you let us escape in one of his ships. Enjoy whatever life you have left…”
Drake’s smirk faded, no doubt disappointed that Mercury didn’t respond to his taunt. “Oh, I plan to enjoy it and maybe, when Sam stumbles into my men, I’ll enjoy her too.”
Mercury let his rage power the blow he struck against Drake’s body. Watched the man fall, curling his arms around his vulnerable belly.
Drake sputtered and held out one hand as if to stop Mercury from attacking. “Wait.” He spit out blood. “You don’t have time for this. Unless you don’t care about Sam after all.”
Mercury crouched down and snarled. “Don’t even speak her name.”
“Wait. Let me...” Drake moaned as he tried to move. “There’s a receiver on my belt. Take a look. We’ve been tracking you.”
Mercury hesitated. If they’d been tracking them all day, they’d know exactly where the others were. He took the small device with a colorful screen and blinking lights.
In the center, a red and a green dot flashed close together. That had to be him and Drake. One more green dot flashed with two more red dots. That had to be Lo and Carn with whatever man had been left to guard the ship. Half a dozen more green dots moved toward Carn and Lo... and Samantha.
His rage spiked and his vision clouded. He was on Drake before the rage cleared. Holding back his strength, he tapped the man on the head and watched his eyes roll back and his body go limp.
It was little salve to his thirst for vengeance, but for now it would have to be enough.
He leaped to his feet and headed back toward the others.
Chapter Twenty
TheKestrel,PlanetG-45987
EarthAlliance Beta Sector - Gollerra Border
2210.168
“Let me in, you overblown excuse for a security protocol.” Samantha adjusted the algorithm on her hastily compiled hack program, then leaned back in the pilot’s chair to watch it run.
When they’d reached the area where Drake and Resler had made camp, Lo and Carn had quickly located the sleek Raptor class transport vessel and the man left on guard. He’d been sitting on the ship’s entry ramp, not exactly subtle. Carn had taken the man out with a single throw of a fist-sized stone. The big bear of a guy had quite an arm on him.
A flash of movement on one of the view screens caught Samantha’s eye. She swiveled, putting her full attention on the exterior views. There. A shadow at the edge of one of the screens. It could be nothing. Or one of the men who knew this ship. Knew the vid coverage.
Carn had taken the unconscious guard to the Roma campsite and Lo had gone to patrol the woods. Neither would have a reason to skirt the visual sensor arrays, even if they knew where they were. If the hunters were back, what did that mean for Mercury? Lo? She couldn’t think about that now. They were safe. They had to be.
She jumped to her feet and spun in a circle. She needed a weapon. Until she could complete the security hack, she couldn’t get the ship on her side. It would let them in without a fuss.
“Where would they keep weapons?” In the cargo-hold? In their sleep cabins? On their hips, definitely. There’d be no need to stow any in a pilot’s station, but she quickly searched every bin and locker. Her gaze jerked back to the hack.
Still running. “Damn it.”
Samantha sprinted down the corridor, eyes searching every square meter as she flew past. Smooth walls everywhere. Then a turnoff opened up and she slung herself around the corner. She spotted the four steps down to a slightly lower compartment and jumped, landing at the bottom. Hope spiked her energy levels as she saw the neatly labeled doors along both sides of the hallway. They had to be the crew cabins. She slammed her palm against the sensor next to the first door. It stubbornly remained closed.
Samantha doubled over, hands on her knees, and panted to catch her breath. “Emergency response!”
