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12
NIKATHY
My father had to have known that this was inevitable. His entire life, he had been flaunting his wealth and status under the Patrol's nose. Sooner or later, it was going to catch up to him. I told myself it was merely a coincidence that the attack came in the wake of his death. The Patrol was going to have the last laugh, as they had so many times before.
Shoving aside the sickening feeling in my gut, I left the broadcasting station and went back out to the street. I was weary and out of breath, but I couldn't stop now. I had to keep moving.
I took one last glance at our beloved city before turning to go. By this time tomorrow, the whole thing might be reduced to dust along with all of the people who built it. That possibility only filled me with more determination.
I passed through the lower part of the city, unnerved by its ghost town atmosphere. My message had reached the outer limits. That was a good sign.
Finally, I reached the front gate of the estate and made my way inside, closing it behind me. Only after the gate was closed did I spot the truck parked in front of the main house. The commander was unloading a large object from the vehicle, and Rhiannon sat on the step, supervising his work and reminding him to be careful.
I rushed forward, coming to a halt at the bottom of the grand entrance steps. "What do you think you're doing? Why aren't you back at the Hive?"
Rhiannon scowled at me. "If you were trying to pass me off on them, it didn't work."
"Pass you off? I don't know what you're talking about. I sent you there to help them!"
She snorted. "Yes, yes. I heard. You wanted me to help with their busy work, right? Maybe sweep their floors or scrub their toilets while the real men played war? Was that it?"
I scratched my head in confusion. I caught a sheepish look from the commander and suddenly I understood. I growled low in my chest, knowing I would have to deal with him later.
"I'm sorry you felt that way. But will you please tell me exactly what you're doing now?"
She looked from the enormous weapon to me for a fraction of a second before returning her attention elsewhere. "I am saving your city. Now if you don't mind, please step aside so we have room to work."
I took a step back without really thinking about it, and then I grew flustered, realizing that I had given in to her demands so easily.
"How can I help?" I asked, trying to regain my footing.
She flicked a loose strand of hair out of her face and rolled her eyes at me. "Here." She dug in her pocket and pulled out a list, tossing the crumpled thing to me. "I need those things, or at least something like them. You're a smuggler. You know where to find things and how to get them to the right place, right?"
Now she was looking straight at me, a challenge.
I scanned the list hurriedly, making note of which items I could easily acquire, and those which would be a bit more difficult. "Let me see what I can do."
She rolled her eyes, but she wasted no more time concerning herself with me. I raced down the stairs and turned around to ask her a question, but she was already scooting herself up beside one of the large weapons arrayed in front of the house, and pointing something out to the commander.
Her eyes were intent, and despite her weakened legs, she moved swiftly from one thing to the next. She was so consumed with the task before her, she didn't even realize how stunning she looked, and there was something terribly alluring about it. She was so self-assured. Her courage in the face of her worst enemy was commendable. I felt foolish for not believing her before, but now I could see that she was the expert she claimed to be, and I felt an unexpected rush of lust wash over me.
I had always liked dangerous women, to be sure, but this was different. Rhiannon wasn't the type of dangerous woman who might stab you in a dark alley to take whatever was in your pockets. She was witty and clever, and dangerous on a whole new scale. I got the feeling that if she truly wanted to destroy a man, she could. Whether she did it by programming a missile or by staring daggers straight through his heart, it was sure to be fatal. She was tantalizing, and when this was all over, I meant to pay another visit to her room.
"Nikathy!" she shouted, rousing me from my thoughts. "Go!"
I scanned the list again, forcing myself to concentrate on the items, rather than the smooth way her delicate hand had written out the tiny letters. Some of this stuff was going to be impossible to get. Unless you were me. I grinned. I knew exactly what to do.
I hurried to the back, where my personal transport sat parked. I jumped in and fired up the engines, whipping around and waving to Rhiannon as I squealed out through the gate and made a sharp turn onto the main road leading into the city.
Up above, the sky had grown dark, and the glimmer of dozens of ships bouncing around made it impossible to tell them apart from the stars. They were ready. The Patrol was almost here.
