“I don’t think so. You’ll tell them”—Tannis nodded toward his guard—“to stand down, or you won’t be in the air unless you flap those pretty wings again.”
He appeared puzzled. Yeah, he obviously wasn’t all there. That was maybe another side effect of the Meridian treatment: killed off the brain cells. A mixture of emotions washed over her, mainly regret mingled with relief—she really hadn’t wanted to have a crush on him. She’d turned to go when she caught a slight movement of his head and heard the rasp of a weapon as the guard beside her drew his laser pistol.
Bastard. Did he think she was an idiot?
Blasters drawn, Skylar and Daisy emerged from the ship side by side.
Tannis glanced from the guard with the laser pistol—the other three hadn’t drawn their weapons yet—to Skylar and Daisy. She smirked. “I think my guns are bigger than yours.”
Callum frowned. “What’s the problem? I’ve employed you. Are you incapable of taking simple orders?”
Someone sniggered behind her. She guessed it was Daisy. She’d had enough. They were out of here.
“Keep them covered,” she said and stepped back. She kept moving backward, not taking her eyes off Callum until she reached the ramp of the ship. He was still frowning. Obviously, it hadn’t occurred to him that not everyone was willing to blindly follow his every command. This would be a good learning process.
“I don’t go anywhere without my bodyguards.”
Tannis paused as he spoke, but no way was she letting four heavily armed men on board El Cazador. She’d seen Skylar in action, so she knew what the soldiers trained by the Corps were capable of, and four of them might be able to take the ship. She wouldn’t risk it. “Then I guess we’ll see you around. Or not.”
She made herself turn and walk away, but it was hard. She wanted to do this job so much each step was a torment, but something told her if she showed any weakness, he would walk all over her. Too used to getting his own way, he had to realize that everybody on board El Cazador put themselves under her command.
“Wait.”
She’d reached the top of the ramp and was about to step between Skylar and Daisy when he spoke again. She turned slowly.
“For some strange, godforsaken reason I trust you.”
“That’s sweet of you. So?”
He said nothing out loud, but the guard holstered his weapon.
“Sir, the colonel said—”
Again, Callum didn’t speak, but the guard shut up abruptly and stepped back.
“Would you reassure my guard and tell them you’re not going to shoot me? You’re not, are you, Captain?”
“Well, I’m not, but then I’m not the one with a blaster aimed at your chest. Then again, I suppose they can always patch you up.”
He gave a smile that creased the corners of his eyes. “I’d prefer it not to come to that. And if we’re going, I suggest we leave. I made sure there was a window, but any minute now, I’m guessing the space around this planet will be locked down so tight a fly won’t get through.”
He was giving in. Tannis kept her expression deliberately deadpan, but inside she buzzed with excitement.
“Let’s go.”
…
Well that hadn’t gone as planned. The thought flickered through his mind as he stepped between the pair who still held their blasters pointed in his direction. He gave them a quick sideways glance. Skylar he knew, and he could have blasted her with brain power, but that would have still left the other. Though on closer inspection, she didn’t look much of a threat despite the weapon in her hand. What she did look was…green. He’d never seen anyone quite that green before. Skin, hair, eyes. Shades of green from palest grass to deep emerald. She wasn’t tall, but she held the huge blaster with an easy confidence and her finger rested on the trigger.
It occurred to him, not for the first time, that perhaps he was actually making a huge mistake.
Goddamn right, you’re making a mistake. The colonel’s words echoed in his mind, and he grinned. Mistake or not, it felt good.
Of course, once they had him on board, they could murder him—the only person to successfully destroy one of the Collective was actually a member of this crew—or, more likely, hold him for ransom. But he didn’t think they would—while the majority of the jobs they took on skirted the boundaries of “legal” they had a reputation for honesty and integrity.
I’m closing down all links, he told the colonel. I’ll be in touch if I need you.
Good luck.