searched my ship. Tell me, Legatus Reynolds, have you found anything to indicate I’ve been anything but truthful with you?”
“It’s what I haven’t found, what I can’t see, that bothers me.” He frowned and stared into her eyes. “Just so we’re clear, if I discover you’ve lied to me, that you’ve broken the law, I will take you in. You will be charged with the crimes you’ve committed, and you will be sentenced accordingly.”
She lifted a brow. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything else. You do have your duty. But as you could see from your very thorough examination, I’ve got nothing to hide.”
“We shall see about that.” He spun on his heel and exited her room.
Ava watched him leave. The strength in her legs gave, and she collapsed to sit on the dressing table. She sucked in a deep breath and stared at the door. Sentenced accordingly equaled one thing for what she’d done.
Execution.
***
Ava stepped onto the ramp and glanced down. Seth leaned against the fuselage, his arms crossed, watching her with the same intensity with which he’d just made love.
She’d changed into freighter pants and a fitted top. Not because she was concerned about modesty. Something told her the Regulator wouldn’t let her wear what she’d had on earlier. She’d never done anything to appease a man, but for some reason she’d done it for him. Though she’d adjusted her clothing, she couldn’t change where she was going, or what she needed to do. As she eyed the stubborn expression on Seth’s face, she knew it would be a problem.
Meeting the Rebel leader and conducting the necessary business would be tricky. The only way to talk to him would be to pull him onto the dance floor and discuss moving the shipment under the cover of the blast music. With the Regulator dogging her heels, she might not even get a chance to do that. If Seth recognized her Underground contact, things could get ugly.
For everyone.
She checked the weapon on her hip. Set to stun, it could be changed at a moment’s notice. The last thing she wanted to do was shoot him. If he got between her and her mission to her people, she’d squeeze the trigger.
She walked past him without a single word spoken. As expected, he fell into step next to her. She exited the hanger and turned to the right, heading into the bowels of New Xiera Port’s infamous Blue District, a Nexian mini-city.
Few places in the galaxy were as dangerous, or in her case, as safe. This was Rebel territory. She glanced sideways at the Regulator, who had been smart enough to know to leave his uniform in his room. Still, the military haircut, the way he carried himself, screamed law enforcement. Well, that and the fact his laser was set to kill. Illegal for the average citizen, the norm for law enforcement.
“You’re set to kill.”
“We’re going into a dangerous neighborhood.”
“And you’re going to draw the danger to us unless you switch your weapon over to stun.”
Seth flipped it to stun with his thumb, as casually as he breathed. Ava nodded but kept her eyes ahead, taking in everything in her surroundings. She’d learned a long time ago to always be aware of what and who was around.
To her left, three drug dealers dressed as beggars sold high-credit, low quality euphoric buzz drugs to a well-dressed businessman who pretended to give them a handout. He didn’t appear to be doing anything wrong, but the slight shake of his hands, his weakening high, the tell-tale golden halo in his eyes and bruising around his mouth, told her he was a buzz junkie. He’d resorted to the cheap, street version made in back-room labs with anything but natural materials. An extremely dangerous, highly addictive substance.
Not her business. If he wanted to kill himself with the crap, by all means, he didn’t need her help. She was more interested in saving those who couldn’t save themselves, those who never had a choice to live their lives the way they wanted
“It’s what I haven’t found, what I can’t see, that bothers me.” He frowned and stared into her eyes. “Just so we’re clear, if I discover you’ve lied to me, that you’ve broken the law, I will take you in. You will be charged with the crimes you’ve committed, and you will be sentenced accordingly.”
She lifted a brow. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything else. You do have your duty. But as you could see from your very thorough examination, I’ve got nothing to hide.”
“We shall see about that.” He spun on his heel and exited her room.
Ava watched him leave. The strength in her legs gave, and she collapsed to sit on the dressing table. She sucked in a deep breath and stared at the door. Sentenced accordingly equaled one thing for what she’d done.
Execution.
***
Ava stepped onto the ramp and glanced down. Seth leaned against the fuselage, his arms crossed, watching her with the same intensity with which he’d just made love.
She’d changed into freighter pants and a fitted top. Not because she was concerned about modesty. Something told her the Regulator wouldn’t let her wear what she’d had on earlier. She’d never done anything to appease a man, but for some reason she’d done it for him. Though she’d adjusted her clothing, she couldn’t change where she was going, or what she needed to do. As she eyed the stubborn expression on Seth’s face, she knew it would be a problem.
Meeting the Rebel leader and conducting the necessary business would be tricky. The only way to talk to him would be to pull him onto the dance floor and discuss moving the shipment under the cover of the blast music. With the Regulator dogging her heels, she might not even get a chance to do that. If Seth recognized her Underground contact, things could get ugly.
For everyone.
She checked the weapon on her hip. Set to stun, it could be changed at a moment’s notice. The last thing she wanted to do was shoot him. If he got between her and her mission to her people, she’d squeeze the trigger.
She walked past him without a single word spoken. As expected, he fell into step next to her. She exited the hanger and turned to the right, heading into the bowels of New Xiera Port’s infamous Blue District, a Nexian mini-city.
Few places in the galaxy were as dangerous, or in her case, as safe. This was Rebel territory. She glanced sideways at the Regulator, who had been smart enough to know to leave his uniform in his room. Still, the military haircut, the way he carried himself, screamed law enforcement. Well, that and the fact his laser was set to kill. Illegal for the average citizen, the norm for law enforcement.
“You’re set to kill.”
“We’re going into a dangerous neighborhood.”
“And you’re going to draw the danger to us unless you switch your weapon over to stun.”
Seth flipped it to stun with his thumb, as casually as he breathed. Ava nodded but kept her eyes ahead, taking in everything in her surroundings. She’d learned a long time ago to always be aware of what and who was around.
To her left, three drug dealers dressed as beggars sold high-credit, low quality euphoric buzz drugs to a well-dressed businessman who pretended to give them a handout. He didn’t appear to be doing anything wrong, but the slight shake of his hands, his weakening high, the tell-tale golden halo in his eyes and bruising around his mouth, told her he was a buzz junkie. He’d resorted to the cheap, street version made in back-room labs with anything but natural materials. An extremely dangerous, highly addictive substance.
Not her business. If he wanted to kill himself with the crap, by all means, he didn’t need her help. She was more interested in saving those who couldn’t save themselves, those who never had a choice to live their lives the way they wanted
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