“I like the sound of that,” murmured Aria. “I’m so thirsty, Jack. Can you get me some water?”
“Of course,” replied Jack. “That’s the anesthetic making your mouth dry.” He poured some water into a little plastic cup and brought it to her. The pirate held her head up and gently helped her sip the water.
“Mmm,” said Aria, “that’s so much better. I’m sleepy again, Jack. I think I’m going to get some more rest. I love you so much. Did you know that? My gosh, I really mean it. I love youso much.”
Jack stroked her hair. “I’m glad, Aria. So glad. I love you so much, too. Get as much rest as you need.”
Aria lay her head down again and was asleep within seconds. Jack sat down and just looked at her. He was so lucky—she wassobeautiful. She was like an angel, lying there and sleeping. Just…perfection.
His loving watch was interrupted by a warning beep from the comm device in his ear.
“Jack.” It was his sister’s voice. “I’m sending people to you. You need to come to my officeright now.”
It felt as if ice water was rushing down his spine. He carefully got up and left Aria’s room, closing the door softly behind him before breaking into a run.
“Madeline, what the hell’s going on?” he said, gripping a corner as he turned toward the main elevator bank.
“I’m not sure yet,” came the tense reply. “A ship just popped out of warp and is heading toward the planet at a very high speed. Where are you?”
Jack looked up. “White zone elevators.”
“Okay. Come up to the fiftieth floor. I’ll have people there to escort you.”
The elevator door slid open, and Jack stepped in and punched the button for the fiftieth floor. “Talk to me, Madeline. What kind of ship? Where’s theMaracaibo? Someone needs to send them a warning!”
“Military ship, Jack—capital class. It’s fuckingmassive. And we can’t raise theMaracaibo.”
“What do you mean, can’t raise it?” The elevator made a rapid ascent.
“It’s not there, Jack. TheMaracaibohas disappeared from our scanners.”
“Son of a bitch!” grated the pirate as the doors opened. Four operatives in tactical gear waited for him. “Which way?”
“Follow us, sir,” said one of the operatives, and they all took off at a run. Within a few moments, Jack burst into Madeline’s main office, while the operatives took up positions at the door. His sister waved at him, urging him to join her at her desk. Her assistant, Cornelius, stood behind her.
“Holy hell, Madeline,” said Jack as he ran across the carpet of her office, rounding the corner of her massive desk. “What’s goingon?”
His sister gestured at the screen that unfolded upward from the surface of the desk. “You know what I know, Jack,” she said. “We’re just getting hailed. Encrypted stream, direct to me.”
“Where the hell’s my ship, Madeline?”
“I don’t know. We lost the signal at the same time as this monster ship appeared.”
“They continue to hail us, Ms. Marx,” observed Cornelius.
“Dammit,” swore the redhead then keyed open the channel.
She gasped. So did Jack.
On the screen was one of the most notorious faces in the galaxy. His frost-white hair was trimmed short, and his powerful features were set in grim determination. The man’s rainwater-blue eyes glittered as he regarded them.
“Do you know who I am?” the man asked brusquely.
It can’t be.He’s supposed to be dead. Jack’s mouth was dry, and he tried to keep his face neutral as he looked at the face of the most notorious killer the galaxy had ever known.
Enoch Angelus, the Pilgrim of Hate. Leader of the Onin Rebellion. Missing, presumed dead, but clearly very much alive.
“Yes,” said Madeline, “we know who you are.”
“Good. That saves time. I’ve come for my daughter Aria. Be prepared to surrender her immediately or face total destruction.”
The adventure will conclude inHouse Divided,book three ofThe Pleasure House of Tarma.
