protest as they laid Mom on the couch. Bernie prayed these were professionals and that they didn’t have any evil intent.
They seemed to be alright because they left Mom unmolested on the couch. Now they turned to her and they stood around her in a circle. One of them rubbed his head.
“Damn she nailed Brutus.” The guy talking chuckled and the guy rubbing his head swatted at him. “Not my fault you’re slow, old man.” Bernie figured that must be Brutus.
“An alarm went off, we need to roll. Everyone make sure you’ve got all your gear on you.” The guy who seemed to be in charge was giving out instructions. They all patted themselves down and sounded off an affirmative one at a time.
The guys looked familiar and when she realized who they were dread filled her stomach. These were the mercenaries her pa hired. They ran some kind of security firm now but in her mind they would always be mercenaries. Never had she met them, her pa never introduced his daughters to anyone. He was too embarrassed that he had daughters and not sons. No, she’d just seen them when they’d talked to her pa at the store or in one of his other businesses where she’d worked.
She hadn’t expected her pa to come right out and attack the leaders of another planet just to get her back so he could get mere coins for her. None of the men who’d showed interest had any real money. Picking a fight with Glendar and his family was a dumb move for her pa to make. Two of the mercs knelt down to grab her by her shoulders and her ankles. They picked her up swinging her between them like the kill from a hunt. It made her dizzy and she found herself trying to keep the contents of her stomach intact.
They carried her out to a small space ship. It was a carrier made for a dozen people and their gear. They were used for the things her planet used large vans or caravans of animals for. These mercs were pulling down some big scores to afford all the best of everything. Her pa had done them no favors pulling them into this. Glendar would want blood, Bernie was sure of it. They laid her in the back on a bench seat and strapped her in which turned out to be a good thing when the driver floored it and she started to roll.
The crew was talking and most of it sounded like the buzzing of insects but she heard the two guys nearest her worrying over the job.
“Just seems like something is off. That Smith guy isn’t trustworthy. Funny she turned up cooking of all things in one of the nicest houses on the planet.” The blond guy said.
“I know man, but he’s given us a lot of business and while a few jobs have been iffy, they’ve always checked out.” The guy answering looked like he was a ginger.
“Just saying I hope Cash checks this one out real careful before he turns the girl over. She don’t look like no criminal.”
“Cash ain’t nobody’s fool. He’ll check it all out and if it ain’t good, he’ll fix things.”
Oh God, Bernie sincerely hoped what she was hearing was true.
Chapter 6
Got to Find Her
How could everything go from damn near perfect to lousy in mere hours? He’d answered his com and his mom had been in hysterics screaming that Bernie was gone. Seeing no way to make any sense out of things from at the office, he’d left his assistant in charge and headed to his mom’s house. The ragged edges of the door that had been violently removed from its hinges began the story of what had transpired there.
Hurrying to his mom he pulled her into his arms and just held her firmly and with all the love he had for her. Thank the goddess at least she hadn’t been harmed. Before they’d even had a chance to talk, Razar and Lista came in with shocked looks on their faces.
“What happened?” Razar asked.
“I don’t know yet but Bernie is gone. Come on, Mom, let’s sit down and we can talk.” Glendar pulled her down by him and he gently rubbed her back. “It’s okay Mom. We’ll fix this just you wait and
They seemed to be alright because they left Mom unmolested on the couch. Now they turned to her and they stood around her in a circle. One of them rubbed his head.
“Damn she nailed Brutus.” The guy talking chuckled and the guy rubbing his head swatted at him. “Not my fault you’re slow, old man.” Bernie figured that must be Brutus.
“An alarm went off, we need to roll. Everyone make sure you’ve got all your gear on you.” The guy who seemed to be in charge was giving out instructions. They all patted themselves down and sounded off an affirmative one at a time.
The guys looked familiar and when she realized who they were dread filled her stomach. These were the mercenaries her pa hired. They ran some kind of security firm now but in her mind they would always be mercenaries. Never had she met them, her pa never introduced his daughters to anyone. He was too embarrassed that he had daughters and not sons. No, she’d just seen them when they’d talked to her pa at the store or in one of his other businesses where she’d worked.
She hadn’t expected her pa to come right out and attack the leaders of another planet just to get her back so he could get mere coins for her. None of the men who’d showed interest had any real money. Picking a fight with Glendar and his family was a dumb move for her pa to make. Two of the mercs knelt down to grab her by her shoulders and her ankles. They picked her up swinging her between them like the kill from a hunt. It made her dizzy and she found herself trying to keep the contents of her stomach intact.
They carried her out to a small space ship. It was a carrier made for a dozen people and their gear. They were used for the things her planet used large vans or caravans of animals for. These mercs were pulling down some big scores to afford all the best of everything. Her pa had done them no favors pulling them into this. Glendar would want blood, Bernie was sure of it. They laid her in the back on a bench seat and strapped her in which turned out to be a good thing when the driver floored it and she started to roll.
The crew was talking and most of it sounded like the buzzing of insects but she heard the two guys nearest her worrying over the job.
“Just seems like something is off. That Smith guy isn’t trustworthy. Funny she turned up cooking of all things in one of the nicest houses on the planet.” The blond guy said.
“I know man, but he’s given us a lot of business and while a few jobs have been iffy, they’ve always checked out.” The guy answering looked like he was a ginger.
“Just saying I hope Cash checks this one out real careful before he turns the girl over. She don’t look like no criminal.”
“Cash ain’t nobody’s fool. He’ll check it all out and if it ain’t good, he’ll fix things.”
Oh God, Bernie sincerely hoped what she was hearing was true.
Chapter 6
Got to Find Her
How could everything go from damn near perfect to lousy in mere hours? He’d answered his com and his mom had been in hysterics screaming that Bernie was gone. Seeing no way to make any sense out of things from at the office, he’d left his assistant in charge and headed to his mom’s house. The ragged edges of the door that had been violently removed from its hinges began the story of what had transpired there.
Hurrying to his mom he pulled her into his arms and just held her firmly and with all the love he had for her. Thank the goddess at least she hadn’t been harmed. Before they’d even had a chance to talk, Razar and Lista came in with shocked looks on their faces.
“What happened?” Razar asked.
“I don’t know yet but Bernie is gone. Come on, Mom, let’s sit down and we can talk.” Glendar pulled her down by him and he gently rubbed her back. “It’s okay Mom. We’ll fix this just you wait and
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