Page 60 of Rescued By the Convicts
“I wanted to know if the doctor had anything for a headache, but I can come back. Clearly, you’re overrun.”
“Oh, thank you for being understanding,” the woman said.
“What happened here?” Melina asked, unable to stop herself as she fought the urge to jump in and start treating patients. Revealing her identity as a doctor unnecessarily might raise too many questions, especially if Namir had shared her bio along with her picture.
“You saw the security alerts about the escaped convicts on the station, right? They’ve been attacking guards everywhere.”
The woman hadn’t recognized Melina as one of the criminals. “Everywhere? You mean they haven’t tried to leave the station? Why?”
“I heard they’re trying to kill Baccula’s Chief of Exports. He has a private residence here. Fortunately, he contacted his private security firm and they’re sending reinforcements. The Station Manager was about to call The Company to request troops, but Namir’s private force is closer. His security force will be here within a few hours.”
Damn! That would make escape impossible. Melina needed to find her men, and they needed to get off the station before Namir’s reinforcements arrived.
“Good luck. I’ll go rest, to see if I can knock out this headache the old-fashioned way.”
“Feel better!” the woman called out as Melina exited the med-center.
For the next few hours, Melina wandered the station, ducking into stores and restaurants when security passed by. No one bothered her, but she began growing anxious when she couldn’t find any of her men. Soon, the shopping and dining establishments would shut-down for the night, leaving her no place to go but the safe house she couldn’t get into.
* * *
IVAN
Jayce pinnedIvan’s arms behind him. “Let me the fuck go, Jayce!” Ivan had only split Zev’s lip and needed the chance to do real damage.
“You’re attracting attention,” Jayce whispered with a smile even as a group of shoppers walked by at a fast clip, giving them a wide berth.
The station guard across the corridor eyed the three of them as he spoke into his wrist comm.
“We need to get out of here. Now,” Jayce said as he released Ivan.
“After I kill him.” Ivan knew Jayce was right, but all he cared about at that moment was burying his fists in Zev’s face.
Jayce stepped into Ivan’s path, placing himself between the two men. “He said he has Melina in a safe house. He wouldn’t do that if he were working for Namir.”
“And you believe him?”
“I don’t know what I believe, but we have to check it out. Or do you want to leave her there with him alone if he does have her?”
Of all times for Jayce to get his head screwed on straight. . . Ivan pushed his way past Jayce. “Lead, Winfield.”
“I see we’re no longer on a first name basis,” Zev said as he wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
“That’s reserved for unit and friends,” Ivan said as he and Jayce followed Zev.
“Melina thinks I’m still part of the unit. She’s sure you won’t have an issue with what I did.”
“You turned her over to Namir, asshole. That’s a capital offense as far as I’m concerned.”
“We don’t have time for your anger issues, Ivan. Namir will have this station locked down soon enough if it isn’t already.”
“Not quite,” Jayce said.
“What do you know?” Ivan asked.
“Not out here in the open.”
Ivan let Jayce go ahead of him, both to watch his back and to help resist the temptation of pummeling Zev who didn’t appear the least bit sorry for handing Melina over to Namir. Jayce was right. If Zev had Melina, they had to cooperate. Ivan hadn’t quite figured out the man’s end-game, but right now his goal was finding and securing Melina.
