Danger Money Read Online Free PDF Page B

hand down and heading for the door.
    "No, that's not why," I said.
    He turned and looked at me.
    "I won't say I didn't deserve this," I motioned to my chest. "I just want to know that, well, that he did too."
    "The crew thinks so, isn't that enough?"
    "No."
    "Well then, what do you think?" And he left.
    "I don't think, that's the problem." I whispered.
    "You can say that again!" Said Rieselle from behind me.
    She walked around the table and helped me up.
    "They didn't give me any blood, did they?" I felt pretty light headed.
    "Nope, so be careful. You're going to be a little weak for the next few days."
    "Great, I guess I really outdid myself this time!"
    She gave me a kiss, "Yep. Now come on, you have a shuttle to catch."
    I groaned tail dragging as we headed out the door. "Holt's gonna bitch all the way back!" I looked at her, "Where's Azelett?"
    "In her cabin I guess. She's pretty upset and blames herself."
    "Great," I sighed. "Tell her I'm sorry okay? Explain things to her. I don't think she knows yet."
    "I'll tell her you're sorry. But the rest is up to you."
    "Good enough I guess."
    She led me down to the shuttle lock. This ship was too small to have any kind of a bay.
    "See ya' later!" And she gave me a quick buss.
    "Bye," I grumbled.
    I got in, sat down, and strapped in. The pilot looked back from up front and waved back, I nodded and closed my eyes trying to sleep. Or at least fake it. It was about a ten minute wait, then Holt showed up. He closed the lock and told the pilot to go, then closed the cabin door and sat across from me.
    And waited.
    For once I didn't open my mouth. Of course I'd never been skinned before either. Usually it was small stuff, like stealing the Captain's coffee mug. Or breaking some bully's arm. Just proving I was somebody special, somebody above the rules. Somebody better than the rest.
    Sometimes I even believed it too.
    "Nothing to say?" He said eventually.
    "Why did you put me on that ship?" I asked him eyes still closed. I knew Holt, I could judge him by his smell I knew him so well. Sometimes I thought I liked him. I had stopped hating him years ago.
    "It was convenient."
    I opened an eye and looked at him, "Bullshit."
    "It was in the right place at the right time."
    "This corporation owns hundreds of ships. Anyone of them could have been sent." Suspicion dawned, but then I'm a very suspicious person by nature.
    "You used me? Didn't you?"
    "Why would we do that?" He looked surprised.
    "If not the company, than somebody," I closed my eye. "Anyone who knows my file, knows I would get into a confrontation with that idiot. Maybe you got used too."
    I could hear him pausing and considering it. The idea had merit, even if I was making it up.
    "You're still in trouble though," he resumed.
    "I expected as much."
    "No visitor's for a month."
    "Make it a week," I sighed, "I learned my lesson."
    "This isn't negotiable," he warned.
    "I won't go back then," I said opening my eyes and looking down at the floor. I meant it too.
    "You don't have that option."
    I looked up and stared him in the eye. "There are always options."
    "Okay," he said after a minute, getting my point. He looked away, "Two weeks."
    "Ten days."
    "Fine, ten days."
    I had nothing more to say so I leaned back and closed my eyes. I could smell the sweat on Holt, I had really made him nervous that time. I was surprised that I didn't smell any fear though. Maybe I had underestimated him. True it was a veiled threat, but it was a threat all the same.

 
    3
     
     
    The rest of the ride back was quiet, I didn't debrief beyond my initial report to Rieselle anymore, just filed one word reports now-a-days. 'Succeeded' was all I felt they needed to know. If they wanted the gory details they could either ask my team or watch the newscasts.
    We docked at the Palace some four hours later. I felt better for the rest, and despite being sore I dumped the sling on the shuttle. I walked out through the shuttle's lock, past the first set of airlock