Page 52 of Hidden By the Convicts
A hand clamped over Teagen’s mouth from behind, sending her heart racing. She couldn’t scream or even kick as he locked an arm around her chest.
“Quiet,” Bowen whispered in her ear. Slowly, he let her go and led her behind him and then he called over to the prisoner. “Release him, Ren.”
“Tell him to drop the pruners first.” The other prisoner looked so much like Bowen, like they could be brothers, except their eyes were different shades of blue.
Teagen had her hands on Bowen’s lower back, afraid to let go.
“Drop them, Harlis,” Bowen ordered.
As soon as Harlis dropped the pruners, Ren shoved Harlis away from him. The anger in the newcomer’s face sent a shiver down Teagen’s spine. “I’m guessing this is the missing woman.”
“Who is this guy, and how did he get past my chemical spray?” Harlis asked.
Blue eyes locked on Harlis. “That dispenser of yours could be taken apart by a child.”
“No, it couldn’t.”
“Don’t take it personally, Harlis,” Bowen said, his voice neutral, as if he was trying to calm both men. “This is Ren Satterley. An engineer in West Side. The guy I called in to fix the harvesters three weeks back.” Bowen stepped forward, holding his hand up behind him, telling Teagen to stay where she was.
“You’re supposed to be over at the maintenance area, Ren. Not in the greenhouse.”
“I already looked at the harvesters. Three of them, not five. Someone fixed numbers three and four. That’s why I’m here. I thought Gavin would know where I could find you. I want answers.”
“Answers?”
“I went out to the north field, found harvester three. I stopped it and inspected it. I haven’t seen an engine jury-rigged like that in a long time. Good work, but not something you could do.” Ren leaned to the side until his bright blue eyes found Teagen. She’d been peering out from behind Bowen. “No one in East Side has that skill. I’m guessing it was her doing. The missing female.”
Bowen drew her to stand beside him. “You’re fine,” he whispered in her ear. “Ren won’t turn you over to the guards.”
“Why are you so sure of that?” Ren asked.
“Because you owe me, Satterley. For what happened on Barlis. I lost my entire family.”
“I’ve told you a thousand times, I was framed. Fuck, you’ll never believe me. I guess The Company never lied to you before and you believe everything they tell you.”
Bowen shifted and looked at Teagen. The pain in his face gutted her.
“He’s just trying to protect me, Mr. Satterley,” she said, facing the engineer. “I’ve been hiding from the guards for the past few weeks, but Bowen wasn’t going to make his quota, so I repaired two of the harvesters at night, taking parts from the other harvesters. Each harvester was missing vital but different parts. We’re lucky they didn’t take the same parts from all the harvesters or I wouldn’t have been able to scavenge what I needed.”
“Stealing parts, even from vital equipment, isn’t new on Narkos. Prisoners and guards take what they need for trade. I’ll requisition the new parts and a lock for the engine compartments. I’m guessing you can install them.”
“I can. I was a mechanic. On Argus,” Teagen said.
“What about Teagen?” Bowen asked, looking scared. She’d never seen him look so pale. “I want your word that you won’t turn her in.”
“Why are you even asking him, Bowen?” Harlis spoke up as he picked up the pruners again. “We can just get rid of him.”
Teagen closed her eyes and took a deep breath when she realized Harlis wasn’t joking. She couldn’t believe it had come to this. “You’re not killing another man over me.”
“Why not?” Harlis said. “Gavin’s right. I’m going to spend the rest of my life here, anyway. Dresden doesn’t let chemists leave. If I have to kill to keep you safe, Teagen, I won’t lose sleep over it.”
“But I would. You’re not a killer, Harlis,” she said, easing past Bowen and walking in a wide path past the engineer to reach Harlis.
She took the pruners from him and slipped her arms around his waist. It took a moment, but he finally sighed and bent his head down to her. “This isn’t the way,” she whispered.
“Is this the kid you took into your unit, Bowen?” Ren asked.
“Yes.”
