Page 49 of Rescued By the Convicts
“Twelve,” Ivan insisted. “They must have added since you were last here. I was here right before my squad deployed to Markov 4. We’ll have to split up, starting with the private rings and then moving on to the public ones, but I’m betting he won’t go into the public areas. Stick to anywhere you see his private guards.”
Reece drummed his fingers against his thigh, growing impatient. He may not have been here in a while, but he knew how private security worked. That’s all he did up until the day he killed Crimshaw. Reece pointed to himself for this level and then inward and then pointed for Ivan to head outward toward the public rings.
“Fine,” Ivan said. “But if you find her, grab her and get off the station, anywhere you can. I’ll find you.”
How the hell did Ivan think he’d find them without a meeting point? Reece signed, but Ivan wasn’t paying attention. Reece grabbed Ivan by his shirt and shoved him against the bulkhead to get his attention. He signed again. C412.
Ivan nodded. “C412. Got it. I’m not sure what’s there, but it’s as good as any place to meet. Good luck, Reece. And be careful.”
Reece headed down the corridor, moderating his pace and stance. He needed to blend in as much as possible. The lights continued flickering. Reece finally recognized the pattern. It was a basic code taught to soldiers during their first year of training, one he’d learned though he’d never entered the military. He hadn’t qualified because he couldn’t read. He’d learned their code out of spite, hoping to use it against them somehow one day. D372. If that was indeed Jayce sending the message, he wanted them to go to D372. Reece turned to sign to Ivan, but he’d already disappeared down the corridor.
* * *
MELINA
Namir draggedMelina through the station’s private and very empty corridors of the inner rings. Few people moved through the inner rings of Little Horse, and those who did willingly ignored the actions of their peers, expecting the same discretion in return.
The only guards in these corridors wore Namir’s colors, black and red. None of them cared that he pulled her along by a leash or that she was naked. Then again, it wasn’t the first time he’d dragged her through here with nothing on. Usually, she let her mind wander, but not today. The guards had been beating Ivan when Namir dragged her away. And Jayce had disappeared, but his state of mind was in question. Would he do something dangerous, or did he have a plan?
As for Zev. . . Her heart reeled and yet despite all the evidence against him, she couldn’t accept that he would betray her like this. Namir yanked on the leash, giving her evidence to the contrary.
Melina hastened her step to avoid being choked further. Namir placed his hand against the ID plate and the door to his private rooms opened. Nothing had changed since she’d last been here. Nervousness crawled through her as he tied the end of the leash to the hook above the bed’s headboard. He’d left her hands untied. Arrogant. Overconfident.
When he walked off into the bathroom, she quickly unhooked the collar from her neck and scurried to the door. She waved her hand over the plate, but the door didn’t budge. The room, despite all the posh furnishings, offered nothing for her to attack Namir. All heavy items were bolted to the floor, standard practice in a space station in the event of the loss of gravity.
Melina quickly sifted through his drawers when the bathroom door opened.
“Did I tell you to move from that bed?”
“I don’t belong to you anymore,” she said, as she yanked a shirt out of a drawer and wrapped her hand as Reece had shown her. Then she bounced on her legs, made herself a moving target.Distract. Keep moving. Punch him in the balls. Reece’s signs flashed through her head even as Namir grabbed for her. She slid out of his reach, barely.
Namir’s face twisted in rage. She’d only get one shot at this. With her right hand, Melina punched toward his face. He blocked her attempt to knee him in the balls.
She grabbed the leather leash and wrapped it around Namir’s neck. That enraged him enough to fight through the pain and crawl to the door where he pulled his way up. His hand was so close to the access plate.
This time Melina punched him in the throat, long enough to daze him and grab his hand to slap against the ID panel.
The door swung open!
Behind her, Namir shouted into his comm, alerting his guards. Naked and terrified, Melina ran as fast as she could. The sound of running feet echoed down the empty corridor, getting louder. Terror kept her moving. Randomly, she slammed her hand against access plates until a door finally opened.
She slammed into a hard body, a man wearing the black and red uniform of Namir’s guard. His hands locked onto her arms.
“Zev!”
He looked shocked, then mad. His eyes darted both directions of the corridor. To the left, freedom. To the right, Namir.
Zev pulled her into the corridor and headed right, toward Namir’s quarters. Melina pulled against him.
“Please, Zev. Don’t take me back there!”
When he failed to respond, she fisted her hand and swung. He caught her wrist and wrestled it behind her just as three guards turned the corner.
“Tell Namir we have her.” Zev wore a black shirt, black pants, and boots, nothing red, but the guards recognized him as one of them, as part of Namir’s organization.
The guard nodded and opened a channel. “Sir, we have her.”
“Bring the whore to me, immediately,” Namir’s voice boomed over the comm.
