Page 66 of Healing Creek
Chapter Thirty
TheAbundance
EarthAllianceBetaSector
2210.203
Grace walked with purpose to Mercury’s command center. It felt good to be back on theAbundance. They’d just completed their first skip using the skipdrive to skim them across space. Grace never thought the ship that had been her prison could become so much like home, but it had. The ship had become a beehive of activity. When word spread amongst the Arena Dogs on Haven that Mercury had plans for a direct attack on Roma, many had asked if they could come along. He’d had no trouble recruiting enough fighters to take on the research base. Many more were learning to take over the less specialized jobs on the ship.
Neri had agreed to come at Creek’s request. She was learning to work with him on the ship’s security team. Grace wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Watching them together made it clear they were close. But why hadn’t they become a couple, and would that change now that Creek was at full strength again? No, she loved him and she believed he loved her, too. The fact that he hadn’t made a formal declaration didn’t mean a thing.
She stepped up to the door and it slid open. Several sets of Arena Dog eyes turned her way. Mercury stood first, but the others followed his example.
“Grace. Is everything okay?”
She stepped in and let the door slide closed behind her. “I need to talk to you.” She wanted to shift her gaze to the other Arena Dogs, but she kept her eyes on their leader. “It’s important.”
Mercury turned to the others. “Give us the room.”
A chorus of barks that seemed to be agreement rose up around the room and the men headed through the door behind her. Jupiter was last in line and he stopped at her side. “Should I get Creek?”
Since she’d kept her gaze on Mercury’s face, she wasn’t sure who the question had been aimed at. Mercury raised an eyebrow. He was leaving it up to her.
“That’s fine.” She’d needed to take action on her own, but she wasn’t opposed to having his support.
Jupiter moved away and she heard the gentle swoosh of the door open and close.
“Should we wait?” Mercury waved an arm toward the table.
“That’s not necessary,” she said, but moved to sit for the sake of easing the tension in the room.
Mercury settled into an oversize chair. “What can I do for you, Grace.”
“It’s time to call my family.”
“Ah.” He settled more fully into his seat as if he’d expected something more dire. If he knew her family he might not be so relaxed.
“I want to contact my brother David. He has a very fast ship. If there’s a chance he can get to Jenny more quickly, I think we should let him.” She hoped he wouldn’t be insulted. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the Arena Dogs to free Jenny, she just worried every minute that Jenny might be dead before they could reach her.
“You’ve been very patient,” said Mercury. “I know you’re worried about her.”
She released the breath she was holding. “Thank you for understanding.”
“My concern is that we don’t want this communication to alert Roma to our plans.”
Her hands were in her lap and she twisted them together and reminded herself to stay calm. “David’s ship is very advanced. I’m sure it’s capable of receiving the most secure transmission we can send.” She hesitated only a moment. “I think it’s worth the risk. We can find out where his ship is located before we divulge the coordinates for the compound where she’s being held.”
Mercury’s head tilted. “I see you’ve thought this through. You believe your brother is capable of freeing Jennifer from Roma’s grasp?”
“I think he can get Alliance Enforcer assistance. They have no reason not to help her and my family is influential. I know Roma is powerful, but in this situation, I think the Alliance would bend to David’s demand that they do their job.”
Mercury frowned. He had no reason to trust the Enforcers.
The door to the room slid open and Creek and Samantha stepped in. Creek was at Grace’s side in an instant. “What’s wrong?”
She laid a hand over the one he laid on her shoulder, but before she could answer, Mercury spoke.
“Grace needs to speak with her family. Can we make that happen,Courra?”
