9
Earth’s morning arrived, and Cade couldn’t completely contain his excitement at meeting with Colette. It made no sense. After all, she’d chosen Jaspar to seduce, meaning the best he could hope for was admiring from afar, but that reminder didn’t stem his enthusiasm.
Jaspar, on the other hand, appeared reticent. “I think it would be prudent if one of us remained aboard monitoring.”
“Beta is capable of doing that,” Cade noted.
“It seems somewhat irresponsible for us both, though, to be on the surface. What if something happens?”
“Like?”
“I don’t know. What if we’re attacked, captured?” Jaspar exclaimed. “Who would help us escape? Beta can only do so much independently.”
“You think the meeting with Colette is a trap, that she’d betray us?” Cade asked before quirking his lips and adding, “Were you that bad at intercourse?”
“No!” Jaspar huffed with clear indignation. “However, it is common sense to not deploy all assets at once and to keep something in reserve. In this case, one of us.”
“If you want to meet with her alone, just say so,” Cade growled. “But before you get to fornicating, please remember our mission.”
Jaspar recoiled. “That’s not why I’m suggesting it. As a matter of fact, I was going to propose you be the one to attend while I monitor.”
“Me?” Cade couldn’t help asking in surprise. “Why? I would have thought, considering what happened, that you’d be eager to see Colette.”
“I am, and that’s a problem,” Jaspar grumbled. “I am here on an important task and should not have allowed myself to be distracted. I can only hope my inappropriate action doesn’t affect our mission.”
“It shouldn’t be an issue if you pleasured her properly,” Cade drawled, to which Jaspar turned an impressive shade of purple.
“She achieved culmination, and that is all I will say on the matter. Are you ready to meet with her?”
“Yes. I’m just waiting for Beta to advise as to when she’s available in her office location.”
As if mentioning her summoned, Beta said, “I cannot locate the human.”
“What?” Cade and Jaspar both exclaimed in startlement.
“Not long past Earth’s dawn, the subject prepared herself for departure. I recorded her contacting a service requesting transportation. Shortly thereafter, she embarked in a vehicle for travel, however, never arrived at her destination.”
“Yet,” Cade interjected. “Could be she had another meeting to attend first or an errand to complete.”
“Her instructions to the transport service indicated she wished to be brought to her office.”
“As Cade stated, could be she changed her mind. Where is the vehicle now?”
“Unknown.”
“What do you mean unknown?” Jaspar repeated with a frown.
“I ceased monitoring it when I shifted focus on her arrival point.”
“Why would you do that?” Cade blurted.
“I can only split my focus in so many directions.” Beta sounded almost defensive.
“What else are you watching that’s more important?” Jaspar raked fingers through his hair.
“Long-range sensors are currently focused on three anomalies in this star system. Two of my three short-range scanners are busy deflecting debris in orbit—of which there is much.” Definitely disapproval in that last bit. “That leaves me only one scanner to monitor the human, and at the time, since the target appeared secure, my programming deemed the best use of it to be looking ahead at the arrival point to ensure no one laid an ambush.”
“And now she’s gone.” Cade rubbed his jaw. “Any theories on what could have happened?”
