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“I know the odds,” Solgre said, cutting off Tasha. “I’ll only agree to this if precautions are taken. You won’t take a direct route. In fact, take as long as possible.”
Kien stared down at Solgre. “You don’t have that type of time.”
“How much longer do you think you have until the disease progresses to the last stage,” Phate asked Solgre.
Solgre closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes, making a point to catch Kien and Phate’s gaze. “Three weeks.”
Kien and Phate instantly began yelling in their language. Phate was off the couch, pointed at Solgre, saying things Tasha couldn’t understand. Kien turned his back and slammed an open palm on Tasha’s wall. The picture hanging there crashed to the floor.
Phate put up his hands and took some steadying breaths. “We’ll take three days.”
Solgre lifted his chin. Despite being sick, he was still in charge. Tasha recognized defiance. “A week.”
“But—” Phate started.
“That’s a precaution I’m not bending on,” Solgre said. “You can’t lead anyone back toHalo One.”
Tasha’s heart dropped. Two days she could do, but a week?
“My boutique. It-it would be hard leaving that long.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, hating to disappoint them. “Maybe I could bring my laptop with me. It wouldn’t be the same. I would be working most of the time, getting my inventory together. I guess if Nisha helped Wilma?”
A quick glance at Nisha and Tasha knew her best friend wasn’t really taking any of this too seriously. Nisha looked like the only thing she was missing was a bowl of popcorn in her hand.
“Tasha has responsibilities. I wouldn’t want to put any more stress on her than we already have.” Solgre turned Kien’s way. “Kien, you and Nisha will go.”
“Wait just a God damn minute!” Nisha sprung from her chair. She stabbed a finger in Solgre’s direction. “This isnotmy problem. This sounds more like an alien’s people problem.”
“Nisha,” Tasha begged. “I know you can take the time off from work. Your boss is your God father.Please.”
Nisha shook her head vehemently. “Oh, hell no. I’m not going anywhere with him.” Then she glared at Kien. “Why are you smirking? You don’t want to spend a week alone with me either.”
Kien widened his stance, placing his hands behind his back. “I don’t have a choice. Solgre is my captain. He’s given me a direct order and I must do what he says.”
Solgre and Phate exchanged a look Tasha couldn’t quite understand.
“Yes, as his captain, he has to obey me,” Solgre added.
Nishahumphedand shook her head again. “Well, he’s no captain of mine, so the answer is still no. Ask one of the girls you’ve gone on a date with. I’m sure one of them would jump at the chance to be alone with you.” She pat her chest. “Not I!”
“Nisha,” Tasha said, trying to bring some reason into the conversation.
Nisha crossed her arms and leaned heavily on one leg. “Tasha.”
Tasha knew she needed to beg. “Please help them out. You know I would go if I could, but Solgre’s right. Me leaving right now would only stress me out even more than I already am. I have ordering to do and shipments coming in.”
Nisha closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. “Tasha, you know I can’t stand him.”
Kien unfolded from his military style stance and leaned a brood shoulder against the wall. “And the feeling is mutual, but we need you to cooperate.”
Nisha let out a soft scream then buried her face in her hands. “A whole entire week? Really? Can we shorten it to like four or five days or something?”
“We can most certainly try. The quicker the better,” Kien said.
“No,” Solgre replied with that authoritative voice.
Nisha lifted her head and grumbled under her breath. “I was saving my vacation time to go to the Mikonos Islands.”
“We’re sorry for disrupting your plans. If there was another option, we would gladly investigate it, but there’s not,” Phate said.
