Mercenary Abduction (Alien Abduction) (9 page)

he had to move through the atmosphere shielding the planet, he’d have to drop it. Darned ship couldn’t handle the heat and structural stress of breaking free and invisibility at the same time.
Perhaps I should
go shopping for a new ship.
His gambling skills could use the exercise.

Ignoring his passengers, he headed for the bridge at a pace just short of a jog. The ease of their

escape tickled his gut. Something told him they’d not seen the last of what the planet That-Didn’t-Exist could throw at them. The Obsidian’s biggest marketplace and most infamous of cities didn’t get its

reputation by letting anyone snub her.

Locking himself in to the commanding seat in case things got rough, Makl took manual control –

because hands on meant he could blame it on equipment failure if things went wrong – and barked out

commands. Olivia entered with Ifruum who immediately sat in the secondary seat and took over the

sensors looking for incoming craft or missiles. Given they both had a vested interest in not blowing up, Makl let the fuzzy male work with only part of his attention on him.

“Where to next?” Olivia asked, as she wandered the tight space, gaze darting from electronic

panel to panel, not missing a thing, he’d wager.

“I’ll let you know as soon as we get out of here.”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” she replied coolly.

“Excuse me?” Makl aimed a stare at her. “We’re on my ship now, human. It goes where I say it

goes.”

“For now.”

“Are you threatening mutiny?” He couldn’t help the surprise in his tone.

A smirk followed her shrug. “Depends on if I like where we’re going.”

“You are going where you promised, or have you already forgotten? We had a deal. I help you

escape and you come with me to help with something.”

“That was before I knew you were a cold-blooded killer.”

“We met over a corpse, how did you not figure that out? I told you I did assassinations for a

living.”

“That’s a job for money. You killed those guards in cold blood.”

“Um, what’s the difference?”

“You could have left them alone.”

Ifruum choked.

So did Makl. “I killed someone who would have done the same to me. Who would have murdered

you without a second thought.”

“One of them was unconscious when you did it! How was he dangerous?”

“He would have woken up. Maybe when we were sneaking back out. Maybe he would have seen

or heard something as we went by and shot blindly, hurting or killing us. It’s just smart to not leave any of the enemy alive.”

“Psycho.”

The unexpected compliment took him aback. “You think?” Makl preened. “Would you mind

repeating that to my cousin when you meet him?”

“You’re out of your mind. And who says I’m meeting your cousin?”

“You did when you promised to give me aid.”

“Doing what?” She eyed him with suspicion.

“I thought you didn’t care so long as it didn’t involve body parts.” He enjoyed how her lips pursed

at his reminder. Point for him. Now, he needed to concentrate. Motors finally all online, he turned his attention to the jump from planetside to space.

But she wasn’t about to let up. “I made that promise under duress when I thought we couldn’t

escape.”

“What? You lied to me?” How totally sexy of her.

“Not exactly. I totally meant it at the time. But a girl has the right to change her mind, especially since the situation has evolved.”

“It has. We’re no longer stuck in a cell. You are on my ship. You go where I say.” For a good

spanking if she kept this arguing up.

“Oh just tell her what she wants to know and save yourself the aggravation. Trust me. She’s worse

than a dog with a bone when she gets going.”

Tell her why he needed her? If it were for any other reason, Makl wouldn’t hesitate, but honestly –

which he hated – Makl didn’t want to say the words aloud. He didn’t want to hear the derision. Yet, he didn’t have a choice. He’d have to admit what he needed Olivia for eventually. Time to bite the

embarrassment bullet. “You really want to know? Fine. My cousin and his wife need a nanny.”

Ifruum laughed first. “You want her to be a babysitter?” He howled, literally like the canine

breeds of Wulfgor. Hopefully, he didn’t ululate the galactic units while he slept like those smelly

bastards. Or smell moldy like they did after a light rainfall. It took several revolutions to forget that stench.

“A nanny? You have got to be joking,” she muttered.

Makl almost ducked his head in embarrassment, but an Aressotle warrior never admitted to

shame. “No joke. The family requires a human female to act as a nanny for Tren’s child.”

“Why doesn’t he take care of the thing himself?”

“He and his wife have been trying, along with others, but the child is possessed of mighty lungs

and they cannot seem to make him stop using them.”

“That’s because babies cry.”

“Aha. I shall have to let them know. See. You’re helping already.”

She stared at him and muttered something that sounded like “nuts” under her breath. “Sorry,

purple, but that is the extent of my knowledge. I know nothing else of babies.”

“Neither do they, apparently. However, having tried a variety of options, they seem to think a

human female will instinctively know what to do with one.”

“No way.” She shook her head.

“Who said you had a choice? We made a deal.”

“Well, unmake it. Ask me to do something else. You need money? I’ve got plenty. How about I

pay you for the rescue?”

If she’d offered him sex, he might have considered it. But credits? Add to that, she crossed her

arms, defiant and unbending.

Ha. He could beat her at that game. “No deal. I need a human.”

“Then get another.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Children,” Ifruum interjected, “must we squabble right now?”

Makl’s dark look went well with her growled, “Stay out of it.”

“Oh, I wasn’t planning to stop your little fight. As a matter of fact, I look forward to it, but I

thought you’d like to postpone it to deal with the squadron of flyers coming at us now. However, if you’d rather ignore the fact they’re arming their weapons to continue your little spat, then don’t let me stop you.”

His one ship against the miniature armada rising from the planet and its surrounding satellites? Not

odds he’d take. Makl’s curses matched hers for inventiveness. “This is what happens when you pair up

with barbarians.”

“Don’t blame me for this, purple. I’m not the one leaving a trail of bodies, pissing aliens off.”

“Think they’ll mention it in the news?” he asked sending the ship in to a series of loops and swirls

to evade the enemy’s missile fire. Olivia stumbled in to the free chair and strapped in. Her fingers tapped at the console.

“Weapons system arming,” announced a computerized voice.

“What are you doing?” he barked as he sent them into a sudden dive, leaving behind a ball of fire

as two flyers nicked each other and exploded.

“What’s it look like I’m doing? I’m going to shoot those bastards so we can escape.”

To his surprise, she appeared to know her weapons system. While he armed the shields and

coaxed the engine – she prepped the exterior mounted guns. Then proceeded to cackle as she took aim and fired.

After the third explosion, he couldn’t resist taunting her. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll kill someone?

I’ll bet not all of those ships are manned by computers.”

She didn’t look up from her screen. “Space fights are different.”

“Only because you can’t see the carnage.”

“Yup.”

“Hypocrite.”

“Galactic Moron.”

Makl held in a grin as they bantered, especially since despite their juvenile repartee, she used the

weapons with great efficiency, giving them the time needed for the engines to finish cycling. The monocle over his eye flashed coordinates and specs to star systems he could jump to. He chose a safe one that would bring them to the halfway mark and his waiting cousin. The engines reached the desired power

level and they gained speed, enough to shoot off into the wide galaxy, losing their ardent pursuers.

Olivia let out a groan. “Aw. And just when I was about to beat my last high score.”

She compared their escape to a video game? Did she have to be so deliciously delightful? If he’d

not already found her fascinating before, her murderous quirk, which she didn’t seem to realize, totally turned him on.

Danger averted, he decided it was high time he did something about it. He unbuckled and snagged

the unsuspecting human before she could look up from her weapons console.

“Hey! Put me down.”

“No.” He settled her more firmly over his shoulder and clamped his arm over her thighs.

She pounded at his back. “I said put me down.”

“That would still be a no.”

“Ifruum, make him put me down,” she begged her friend who watched with evident amusement.

“Nah. He’s not intending to hurt you, just make you keep your word.”

“But I don’t want to be a nanny.” Makl could hear the pout in her tone.

“Should have thought of that before.”

“What do you mean?”

“He has a point. A promise is a promise.”

“But he’s a thief and a murderer. He probably lies all the time.”

“Yes. He does. And so do you. But in some things, like when someone helps save your life, you

have to keep your word. We might be hucksters, but we’re not completely without honor.”

Finally, the carpet said something Makl could agree with.

“You suck.”

The expression Olivia used made little sense, but Makl understood the tone. She gave in with a

loud sigh and let herself lie limply over his shoulder.

“I’ll keep an eye for pursuit,” Ifruum commented as they left.

So would Makl, remotely, while he
talked
to his cousin’s new nanny – whether she wanted to or not.

*

Some friend. Ifruum threw her under the bus – a vehicle she could barely recall except for the fact

it was an orangey/yellow. Earth and the life she’d led there were probably at least fifteen or more years ago. It was hard to tell with the measure of time out in space so different.

Speaking of different, nice ship. For the first time since they’d gotten on board, and left in all

haste, the brief space battle an exciting video game cut short, she’d not had a chance to really note her surroundings. Now, though, holy crap. Talk about luxurious. Cream-colored walls, beige carpeting that buried the feet, and soft, hidden lighting, what a far cry from the usual vessels she traveled in. Most of the time, she and Ifruum ended up stuck on ships that dared them to take their lives in hand every time a small meteor hit.

She decided to get the conversation going. “Nice digs.”

“Are you speaking of my buttocks? I perform calisthenics daily in order to stay in top form.”

A giggle snuck out. She couldn’t help it. Makl so loved himself. And yet, he did it in a way she

couldn’t help but think was cute. “Not your ass, dumdum.” Even if those globes of tungsten were hot! “I meant your ship. It’s really nice. Who did you steal it from?”

“What makes you think I didn’t buy it? I assure you, I have the funds.”

“I figured you did, what with the killing and stealing you claim to do. But, people like us don’t pay for things like this.” She waved her hand even if he couldn’t see her, carrying her as he still was like a fleshy scarf. “So, spill.”

“I met an alien who thought he was good at a certain game of chance.”

“You didn’t perhaps let him win a few times to enforce this belief?”

“Maybe. I was down to my last credit and a promise of a free assassination on a being of his

choice when my luck turned. What do you know, I won the ship.”

“How nice to hear of a gracious loser.”

“Oh no. He didn’t want to give it to me. Claimed I cheated. So I killed him and took it anyway. I

thought it was rather generous I only took what he owed me, especially given how much I usually charge for a job. His heirs, though, didn’t take it too well.”

“Are you really that cold?” She reared up, for some reason wanting to see his eyes when he

answered. To her surprise, he let her slide down.

“If by cold you mean emotionally detached when it comes to my work, then yes. I am a mercenary.

We couldn’t do our job if everything affected us.”

“But the guy who owned this ship wasn’t a job. You just killed him for something you wanted.”

“Oh, I had other reasons, but this one is the nicest of them.” He shot her an enigmatic smile. “Now,

enough about me. It’s time we cleared some things up about you. I am taking you to be a nanny. How long you keep that position is frankly up to you. I am just doing this as a favor to my cousin and aunt.”

“A favor to your cousin and aunt? I wouldn’t have thought family was important to a killer.”

“Everything a warrior does is to bring glory to his name and fame to his family.”

“Then why did you choose the mercenary path instead of one of honor and duty for your country?”

Makl frowned. “I don’t understand your point. If the country or my home planet were attacked, I

would return with due haste. All Aressotle warriors would. No one dares invade, though. We have a

reputation for being merciless. So while we wait for someone stupid enough to challenge, we pursue

other endeavors. I chose the mercenary route, with a few extra skills. The more dangerous the job, the more honor I bring.”

“Lying and stealing aren’t honorable!”

He shrugged. “In your culture, perhaps. In mine, I am just following in the footsteps of my

forefathers. Besides, what do you know of honor? Did you not flout yourself as a virgin to bilk a rich patron out of his hard earned credits?”