Page 135 of Homebound
Minutes ticked by in painful wait, excruciatingly long. Cold air started to chill their underdressed bodies.
Without warning, Simon jumped down in front of them from above. They screamed in instinctive fright. The Sakka’s scream abruptly cut off when Simon reached for his head with both hands and in one efficient motion twisted it hard, breaking his neck with a crunch of bones. The Sakka’s body fell on its side, leaning against Ruby.
Dumbfounded, Gemma stared at Simon.
“Why?” she croaked.
“He’s served his purpose.” He reached for Ruby.
Galvanized, Gemma fell on top of her friend.
“No! Please, Simon, not Ruby.” Under her body, she could feel the older woman tremble.
“You promised!” Ruby cried out, tearful and scared.
“Shh, Ruby,” Gemma smoothed her gray windblown hair. “What did he promise you?”
“A passage to Meeus. Or was it a lie? You lied, didn’t you?” Her voice broke. “You lied…”
“I’m sorry Ruby. I’m so sorry,” Gemma whispered, heartbroken.
Ruby looked up at her from her curled up position beneath Gemma’s body. “You want to know the irony? He didn’t have to bribe me. I would've let you out for free. You’ve been such a good friend to me, Gemma. I’ll treasure it always.”
Slowly, Simon lowered to his haunches next to them. Ruby’s bony work-roughened fingers clutched desperately at Gemma’s overcoat, seeking an illusion of protection. Simon’s heavy braid slid down his thick arm. He was huge up close. She’d known his size, of course. She’d explored this body in each delicious detail, loved every alien inch of him. She’d come to find his large body comforting.
But right nowbigdidn’t equalsafe. If he wanted to kill Ruby, there was nothing Gemma could do to physically stop him.
But instead of reaching for Ruby with murderous intent, Simon lifted the Sakka’s limp arm, pushed the sleeve of his overcoat up, and with a well-aimed slash of sharp nails split the skin of the inner elbow to reveal raw flesh. Sticking two fingers inside the tissues, mindless of the bloody mess he was making, Simon poked around until he located and pulled out a small oblique microchip covered in gore. Wiping it on the Sakka’s coat, he held it for Gemma and Ruby to see.
“This is the passage.”
Ruby closed her mouth with a snap.
Surprised, Gemma asked, “How did you know he had it?”
“In prison, you listen. You learn things.”
“You’ve known it since when?”
“I’ve known it for a long time. I had wanted to use it for myself.”
“Why didn’t you?” Gemma asked, bewildered.
“At first, I couldn't, because of my stasis. And then I met you.” He fell silent, staring at everything and nothing at once.
“Gemma, I want you to take it.” He extended the chip to her. His fingers were smeared with the Sakka’s blood, nail beds ringed with it. “It’s been selfish of me to hold on to the secret. I’ve long decided to give it to you, but I stalled. I didn’t want to let you go. It nearly killed you.”
She made no move to take the chip. Seeing her reluctance, Simon gently took her hand and pressed the chip into her palm, folding her fingers closed around it.
“A passenger shuttle leaves Earth for Meeus every six months. One will be departing in three days. You will have a safe and comfortable flight. You need to go. To be with your kind.”
Gemma’s concussed brain was working hard to come up with something to say. “What about us? Butan?”
He gave a single shake of his head. “I will make that trip alone.”
He would, too. He would take off in that deathtrap of a ship and steer it through the stars. Alone.
Not bloody likely.
