The Broken Cage (Solstice 31 Saga Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Elkin said. “My code wouldn't work. With the power off, it will get cold in there, soon.”
    Worthington sighed and looked at Hume. “I'll take care of it, Elkin.”
    “Ensign Weston is still trapped in the dock, as well,” Tyrrell added.
    “We’ll systematically search the ship for anyone injured. As of right now, we have fourteen people unaccounted for. Mind the hatch lights. If a hatch light is not green, do not open it. Split up and search. Beary, you and Cook go see what you can do about getting Weston out. Dr. Shaw, go with Elkin down to see about getting the reactor online. Doctor, Elkin's life is the priority. She WILL live. Do you understand?”
    “Yes, sir,” Dr. Shaw acknowledged.
    “We’ll meet back here in thirty minutes. Hume, you’re with me.” Worthington walked out and people fanned out.
    They checked every compartment they passed, as they headed for airlock number three. It took longer than they thought because they discovered five dead in the mess hall. All were dragged into the corridor, the task made easier by the lighter gravity.
    When they got to airlock number three, they found Bowen trying to pry off the control panel with a fine instrument that was completely wrong for the job.
    Worthington tapped the heel of his flashlight on the airlock window and Bowen looked up.
    And, she started yelling.
    They could not hear her because the viewport material was four inches thick.
    “Tyrrell, this is Jimbo.”
    “Jimbo, go,” he replied.
    “Can you patch me through to Dr. Bowen?”
    “I can. Are you sure you want me to, sir?” Jimbo heard the smile in Tyrrell's voice.
    Everyone in the world the man knew is dead and he is amused?
    “Do it,” Worthington said.
    She screamed at him; so, instead of speaking, he opened the control panel and held his hand over the outer door’s control.
    She stopped.
    Worthington barely whispered, knowing it was a menacing tone when sent directly to a HUD.
    “Over 2,000 of my friends were just murdered.” He let that sink in. “I’m not going to stand for any shit from you. Do. You. Understand?”
    She fumed. She drew in a deep breath, for what looked like another tirade.
    “DO YOU?” Worthington yelled, losing patience.
    Hume turned her back to the scene and moved away, a bit. The implication being, there would be no witnesses.
    Bowen deflated and looked slightly fearful.
    Worthington slammed the control panel closed and entered the access code to unlock the hatch. It slid open.
    “Go to the forward briefing room and wait there for orders.” Worthington turned, to resume searching.
    “You wait one second, you bastard! You can't just order—” She didn't finish because, in a flash, Jim had a handful of her hair and, as she cursed him, he dragged her down the corridor.
    He dumped her onto the pile of broken, bloody bodies and held her face a few inches from them. “These people were my friends.” He pushed her face closer, until her nose almost touched a woman’s broken eye socket. The eye was gone. “Her name was Donna Welsh. I had breakfast with her this morning. She and Ken Nichols were talking about getting married.” He aimed her face at Ken. “She asked me to marry them.”
    He pushed Bowen away, throwing her into the bulkhead because of the lighter gravity. “Go to the forward briefing room and wait there for orders.”
    He turned and searched the next compartment. Hume waited for Bowen to move toward the briefing room. She didn't say a word, as she followed Worthington.
    ***
    In thirty minutes, everyone waited in the briefing room, except for Dr. Shaw, Elkin, and Greg Ibenez. They were all in the reactor room.
    Cook put on a pressure suit and went outside, around to the damaged section where Weston was trapped. He took another pressure suit with him, for Weston. He quickly cycled through the airlock and had Weston freed, and to the briefing room, on time.
    “Status?” Worthington called out.
    His command staff responded first.
    Cook was