I stuff the bag in a side pouch of my pack and keep going.
“Stop!” A voice growls.
I run faster.
But the bullet that punches into the ground near Radar and stirs up the dirt by my boots makes me hunker forward, lift my hands, and freeze.
Radar is promptly between my legs, barking at whoever is behind me.
He can scan me. He knows what I have and what I don’t.
I slowly turn to face him. Others in the market have hidden in their booths. A few men look ready to fight. Some merchants slowly grab guns.
But now I know he doesn’t want me. He wanted the palladium, or he wouldn’t havethreatenedme with a shot. He would’ve simply killed me and taken what he wanted off of my body. I’ve seen it happen.
The hum of patrol ships approaching is a wonderful sound and distracts him. The moment he looks away, I turn and run. Radar stays with me. Gunfire lances through the shops.
We dart behind splintering booths and sprint toward the shipyard. The Myndrous Shifter charges after us. I knock over a cart behind us and run with everything I can muster.
When we get at the shipyard, I find the gates closed. He’s almost on top of us.
I growl in frustration and eye the top of the gate. I think we can make it.
“Radar, load up!”
I drop to a knee before the gates. He jumps onto my back and up to the top of the metal doors. I take a running step, plant a foot on the door and use it to get my hands over the top edge. Radar bites my backpack and helps pull me up and over.
He jumps into the shipyard as I snag my bag on a protruding bolt and fall. A pounding wave thumps through the right side ofmy body. Radar bites my bag and starts dragging me toward the pod. I stumble upright and run past the office.
Marge peeks outside.
“Lock the door!” I shout at her as a man’s hand grabs the top of the gate and turns into furry claws.
She sees him and pulls the door shut.
Fuck, fuck. Fuck!
I race to the pod, tug the handle on the hatch, and get Radar inside before the hatch is all the way open.
The Myndrous is gaining on us as the hatch closes, and I bring the pod online. My shaking hands move quickly as I ignite the thrusters and slam the throttle forward.
“Come on!” I pray as the engines blaze hotter and start lifting us into the sky.
This time, he lands on the pod, digs his claws in, and tries to punch his way through the glass. I slam on the engine brakes and bank hard, throwing us into a sharp turn away from the market, but still he doesn’t fall. So I pull the one maneuver I hate most, get us up to speed, and barrel roll until we’re upside down. He slips off, hangs by a claw, swipes at the pod, misses, and falls.
He lands hard but soon gets up and runs off. Patrol ships race after him with flashing red and blue lights.
Radar pants beside me as I right the pod again.
I scratch his head. “We made it.”
I fly us out of town. The fuel light blinks on, and I know we don’t have many options left. We need somewhere safe to stay that has food, shelter, and a promise of a better life...a place of hope.
I bring up the GPS for the closest Alien Bride Race complex and enter the coordinates. I engage autopilot, and it conserves enough fuel to get us there.
Taking off my backpack, I free the food bag. Inside are a variety of fruits, veggies, jerky, and bread. I feed Radar. But I can’t bring myself to eat.
I need a way out. We need a different life. I’m just not sure that ABR can give that to me.
