Page 68 of Healing Creek
Her mother’s face appeared next to David’s. “Grace! Did you say he kidnapped you? My God, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Her throat felt tight as she thought about telling her mother that one of her other daughters was in trouble. “Mom, it’s Jennifer.” Helen Hobbs, the woman who looked short next to David and wore her silver hair in an artful bun, frowned. Skeptical. It made Grace recall that she’d tried to convince her parents that Jenny was in trouble before she’d decided to take a walk by herself on Silviana. She straightened her spine and glanced at Creek. His gaze, the pride in his eyes, gave her strength.
She met her mother’s gaze on the monitor. “Roma has Jenny. St. Germain kidnapped me on their orders. They were using threats against me to make Jenny work for them. She found Aunt Danika’s lab notes, Mom. She was already doing some preliminary research when Roma found out and took her prisoner.
The color left her mother’s face. “That’s not possible. Danika encrypted everything.”
“We’re talking about Jenny, Mom.”
“So determined, that one.” There was pride in her mother’s voice and her look was far away. Then she shook it off. “Grace are you sure? You have to understand it all sounds a bit fantastical.”
She looked a Creek but kept her face carefully blank. “I’m very sure.”
Creek stepped into the camera’s range and stood at her side. “Your daughter speaks true.” The growl in his voice was mild but convincing.
Her mother and David both leaned back with wide eyes.
Grace couldn’t help but feel a bit of satisfaction at their reactions. She looked over to Samantha who’d moved to another workstation. Samantha looked up and met her gaze. “It is hard to say if they could get there any sooner. We’re a little closer.”
“Can we give them nearby coordinates where we can meet after we have Jenny?”
Samantha nodded then leaned over the console putting her head together with the officer at the workstation.
“David, we know where Jenny is being held. We’re going after her. We’re sending you rendezvous coordinates where you can meet us. We’ll bring Jenny to you when it’s safe. One condition.” Grace shook off another wave of dizziness. “One condition. You have to keep the Enforcers out of this. My friends are not on good terms with the Alliance authorities.”
She waited for David’s nod before she signaled Samantha.
Her mother edged closer to the camera. “Grace, are you sure you’re okay?”
She understood her mother’s meaning, but she didn’t have time to explain that she would be okay…when the medi-bots returned to normal levels in her system.
“I’ll be okay when Jenny is safe. See you soon.” She put a hand on Torres’s shoulder. “End transmission.”
Chapter Thirty-One
RomaResearchFacility,PlanetAB-93289
Earth Alliance Beta Sector
2210.205
They gathered in the shuttle bay. Feeona’s ship, theHawley, looked oversized next to theAbundance’s one small shuttle. Creek surveyed the Arena Dogs standing in the circle. Mercury’s pack were all present. Feeona stood next to Jupiter. Samantha and Knock had remained on the bridge to oversee things from there. He didn’t know where Carnage’s mate was. She seemed shy and reclusive, but surviving years in the pleasure houses could do that. The other five Dogs with them were each handpicked for the mission. They were all good fighters. Grace stood at Creek’s left; her hand in his felt familiar and right.
Mercury stood confident at the center. “According to the Resistance’s intel, ten guards provide security. The only others in residence are the Roma scientist and Jennifer. We go in at the darkest point of the night to provide good cover.”
Feeona had already explained that the planet, AB-93289, was a primitive colony world with only a single agrarian township in the temperate zone and the lab deep in jungle near the equator. There was only one satellite in orbit, and it was a signal booster with no sensors or telemetry for monitoring incoming vessels.
Mercury clicked on a projection of the Roma facility, the lab, a barracks, and a landing site. “Less than half of the guards should be on roving patrols and one of those will be at the field adjacent to the dormitories.” He pointed to the landing site. “Creek and Saturn, you’ll take out the guard there then rejoin your respective teams. Alert us immediately if you encounter any additional resistance.”
Creek barked his understanding.
Mercury explained that the other team would take the dormitory and their team would take the lab. It was expected to be most heavily guarded. “Since we’re expecting Jennifer’s family will eventually be reporting the kidnapping to the Alliance Enforcers, we go with non-lethal force as much as possible. When they come in after to investigate, we want nothing to lead them to direct their attention to us. The Alliance might not be on our side, but so far, they aren’t actively hunting us. Let’s keep it that way.”
As the Dogs all confirmed their assignments and started packing their gear, Creek turned to Grace. Her pale hair begged to be stroked and her eyes shone with affection. He never thought he’d have so much to love—and so much to lose. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay behind?”
Her lips tipped in a smile. “At least you’ve stopped trying to order me.” She laid her free hand over his heart and the besotted organ beat faster. “I’m sure. You might need me to convince Jenny that you’re there to help and that I’m safe. You’ll need her cooperation at some point. I already promised to stay on the ship with Feeona until you give the all clear.”
“And you’ll leave with her if anything goes wrong.”
