Captive

by Cheryl Brooks

  Perhaps she was ashamed. Klara had never gotten that impression, but as secretive as her mother had been…

  Oh, hell. I give up.

  “Sure, Moe,” she said. “Go ahead and buy breakfast for us. I’m game. I haven’t eaten in a restaurant in so long, I don’t even remember what it feels like. Sticking our necks out like that will probably get us all killed, but what the hell do we care?”

  Temfilk shook his head. “I can’t remember ever eating breakfast in a restaurant. I won’t know how to act.” Clearly, in his eyes at least, the prospect of going out for breakfast was worth the risk.

  Moe grinned as he got to his feet. “It’s pretty easy. Just tell them what you want and wait for them to bring it to you. Then you sit there and eat it. And pay for it, of course.”

  “Sit?” Temfilk gasped. “You mean we won’t have to eat on the run?”

  “Nope,” Moe replied. “Although if running is important to your digestion, I suppose we could get carryout or take away or whatever they call it around here.”

  Temfilk put up a hand. “No. If we’re gonna do it, I want the complete restaurant experience. Let’s go find a bank.”

  “One thing for sure,” Nexbit said. “We’ll be quite safe. No one will ever think to look for us anywhere near a bank or a restaurant.” One craggy brow rose. “Unless they think we’re planning a robbery.”

  “Hmm…” said Moe. “I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I should go to the bank alone.”

  “No way!” Klara’s outburst surprised even herself, but her instincts told her the message must’ve come straight from her heart. “I’m not letting you out of my sight. Not now. Not ever.”

  Chapter 10

  If it hadn’t been for the snard, Moe would’ve been convinced that Klara loved him too much to let him, as she’d put it, out of her sight. But of course, in any relationship with a Zetithian male, the snard effect couldn’t be discounted. Still, it probably didn’t pay to get too serious too soon.

  He held out a hand. “Why, Klara,” he said lightly, hoping to add a touch of levity to the situation. “I didn’t think you cared.”

  Ignoring his outstretched hand, she rose from the floor, her eyes narrowed with obvious annoyance. “You know what I mean. If you’re our only hope of ever getting off this planet—”

  He slapped a hand over his heart in mock dismay. “Are you saying you don’t trust me to come back for you? You wound me, Klara. You truly do.”

  A slight tilt of her head revealed her uncertainty. “I–I trust you. I just”—she paused to suck in a breath—“don’t think you should go anywhere alone and unprotected.” Her tone gained conviction as she went on. “Don’t forget what you said about Pelarus seeing you as his competition.”

  “You actually believe I’m right about that?” he asked, pleased yet doubtful.

  “I hate to admit it, but you probably are.” Her tight-lipped smile demonstrated how much that admission cost her. “You’re conspicuous enough as it is, and with the locals willing to do almost anything if it means an extra credit or two, you can bet someone will report your whereabouts to Pelarus. The way they were taking bets on that fight you were in, I’m amazed we actually got out of the bar without interference.”

  “Speaking of which, how did you get me out of there?” Moe asked. With a glance at Nexbit, he added, “You could probably carry me for a little while, but I’m guessing you can’t morph into a speeder. At least, not one that actually works.”

  “No, I can’t,” Nexbit said with apparent regret. “We had a speeder.”

  “Note his use of the past tense,” Temfilk said, grumbling. “It was in the shed attached to the back of our hideout, which was where those cursed Nedwuts started the fire. Must’ve figured they could catch us more easily on foot. It’s probably nothing but ashes now.”

  Klara groaned. “When I think what it took to keep that thing running, it makes me want to blast those creeps even more.”

  “We’re really gonna miss that speeder, even if it was nothing but a patched-up hunk of junk.” Temfilk let out a mournful sigh. “It’s a long, hot walk to the market.”

  Moe grinned. “Well, unless somebody stole mine, which is a definite possibility, it’s still sitting outside that bar.”

  Temfilk leaped to his feet and raised his hands over his head, pressing his palms together as though in prayer. “Thanks be to Leon! That’s the first good news I’ve heard all morning.” Grabbing Moe’s hand, he gave it a vigorous shake. “I knew you’d be an asset to the team. I just knew it!”

  “Left it locked down tight?” Nexbit said hopefully.

  “Sure did,” Moe replied as he extricated himself from the Norludian’s grasp. “Although Nevid might’ve stolen that along with the ship. I made the mistake of adding him to the security list, and you all know where trusting him got me. I really should’ve known better. His betrayal is just one more thing to piss me off.”

  Except he wasn’t pissed off. He was actually more irritated than angry, which was surprising given the gravity of their predicament. He couldn’t even attribute this new attitude to the fun and games he and Klara had enjoyed during the night because his anger had been gradually dissipating ever since…

  To be honest, he wasn’t sure exactly when the change began, but it had to be since Klara had captured him, and he’d been plenty ticked off at her in the beginning.

  Maybe it started when she hissed at me.

  The second time, perhaps. The first time had been right before she shot him. He didn’t think that one should count. Not unless he had some deep, underlying desire to be gunned down by a woman in a dark cloak. Even if she was a gorgeous Zetithian with incredible neon-blue, dark-rimmed eyes and a fascinating orange streak in her curly black hair.

  No. That couldn’t possibly be it.

  He’d never been hung up on a woman in his life. Except maybe the crush he’d had on Althea while they were growing up, and he wasn’t the only one of his brothers to feel that way about her. That Larry had always been her favorite caused a tiny bit of friction between them, but he didn’t think—

  “Don’t go dwelling on that now,” Temfilk advised. “It’ll only make you mad and you’ll wind up in another fight. We don’t have time for that. You must think positively.”

  How anyone in Temfilk’s position could find the slightest reason for optimism was nothing short of amazing. Although it probably did explain why he was still alive.

  “You’re right,” Moe finally said. “I’ll do my best to hold a good thought.”

  Good thoughts were easy enough to come by. One whiff of Klara, and he’d be feeling better in no time. Her scent was soothing and stimulating at the same time. Unfortunately, she must not have been feeling much in the way of desire because his “indicator” was currently quite flaccid.

  Damn.

  Any show of arousal would’ve been inconvenient anyway. He didn’t particularly like the idea of walking into a bank with an erection big enough to pass for a concealed weapon. The plan was to make a legal withdrawal, not rob the bank.

  Fortunately, Nevid couldn’t get to his funds. That was one security clearance he’d had the good sense not to grant his pilot.

  “Okay,” Moe said. “Bank first, breakfast second. After that, we’ll move on to the next phase of the plan.”

  “Which is?” Nexbit prompted. “In all the excitement, I’ve…forgotten.”

  “You’re going to morph into Pelarus and then we’re gonna rob him blind.” Temfilk chortled. “This is gonna be so much fun!”

  “We still need to keep a low profile,” Moe reminded him. “I only stunned those Nedwuts that were after us last night. They’re probably still looking for us.”

  Nexbit shook his head and frowned. “Should’ve killed them, Moe. They’ll never leave us alone.”

  “Maybe not, but if you can morph into Pelarus, you can call them off.”

  Nexbit’s pale, thin-lipped mouth stretched into a toothy grin. “Why the devil didn�
�t we ever think of doing that before?”

  “Because we’ve been at this too long,” Klara said bitterly. “We needed someone with fresh ideas.”

  Temfilk beamed. “You’re our new hero, Moe. Now, if you and the boss can figure out how to team up for life, everything will be perfect.”

  Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, Klara looked positively stricken. “I don’t think—”

  “First things first,” Moe said with a firm nod. “Survival first, happily-ever-after second.”

  Unless they could get a private room for the night. With a ship of his own docked at the spaceport, Moe hadn’t bothered to check into one of the local hotels. Granted, the hotels on Haedus were a bit on the seedy side, but they were bound to be an improvement over their current digs.

  Moe couldn’t think of a better use for his money.

  Now all he had to do was get the bank to hand it over to him.

  Crouched in the shadows near the market square, Moe stared at his new cohorts aghast. “You said you’d never seen the inside of a bank in this town. Are you saying you’ve never seen the outside of one, either?”

  “Never needed to,” Klara replied, somewhat sheepishly. “We only took what we needed, so nobody ever bothered to raise much of a fuss. If we’d taken to robbing banks, we would’ve been hunted down long ago.”

  “I see your point, but the layout of the town…” Moe shook his head, still having a hard time believing what he was hearing. “I mean, you knew where the bar was and how to get me out of there. Surely you would know—”

  “There’s a world of difference between a bar and a bank,” Temfilk insisted with a slap of a flippered foot. “Besides, you have to remember how things are with us. We don’t ever stroll down the middle of the street, taking in the sights. We’re always hiding or running.”

  Or walking. The trek into town had indeed been long, hot, and dusty, particularly in light of the required secrecy and a strong headwind. Klara’s gang traveled slowly, scurrying from one hiding place to another, ensuring that they hadn’t been seen before moving on once more.

  Even after reaching the town, a speeder ride hadn’t proven to be an option. Left unattended, Moe’s speeder had already been hauled off to who knew where, and the bartender had been less than helpful in determining its whereabouts. He’d actually laughed when Moe suggested that the theft be reported to the police. Apparently, there was no police force beyond Pelarus’s thugs, which meant that Moe’s only hope was to spot the vehicle and steal it back. Provided, of course, that the lock hadn’t been reprogrammed.

  Yet another reason to despise this hellhole of a planet.

  In the wake of that encounter, Klara had explained that anyone with legitimate power or wealth had left Haedus long ago, leaving it in control of various gangs and warlords. Pelarus had somehow managed to absorb this particular region—the only one with a spaceport and therefore the most valuable—into his own territory. In Moe’s opinion, even a corrupt elected government was better than what amounted to a dictatorship, and only a true low-life would hire Nedwuts to do his dirty work.

  “This whole planet could stand a good, old-fashioned revolution,” Moe remarked. “Even a dying world deserves a little law and order.”

  “You planning to be the next big boss here?” Despite his perpetually neutral expression, Nexbit actually sounded rather hopeful.

  “Me?” Moe snorted a laugh. “Dunno why you’d think that. Right now, I have no resources and the only people I know are you guys.”

  “I’m pretty sure the criminal element would back you,” Temfilk said, tapping his chin reflectively. “After all, they’re the ones facing trial by combat.”

  “Trial by combat?” Moe exclaimed. “Seriously? I thought that gladiator stuff was only for sport.”

  “It is,” Temfilk replied. “But after spending time in the dungeons, most guys jump at the chance to get out. Even if it means killing someone else.”

  Clearly, Moe needed more information about this peculiar form of justice. “How many fights do you have to win before you can go free?”

  “Three,” Nexbit said. “From what I’ve heard, hardly anyone gets that far.”

  No wonder Klara’s gang worked so hard at going undetected. Interestingly enough, Klara hadn’t said a word. She was also avoiding his gaze.

  “You’re awfully quiet, Klara,” he observed. “Surely you have an opinion.”

  Her eyes finally met his with more than a trace of alarm. “Don’t do it, Moe. Please don’t do it.”

  “Come on now, boss,” Temfilk drawled. “You were gonna sell him as a gladiator, and he wouldn’t have been the first. Why so squeamish all the sudden?”

  If looks could kill, the Norludian would’ve at least been losing blood. “Because we want to get away from here,” she growled. “Sticking around to reform the government wasn’t part of the plan.”

  “Not a bad idea, though,” Temfilk said. “Think about it. You could consort with the big boss, and it would be Moe instead of You-Know-Who.” He tilted his head, peering at her. “You’ve always wanted to bring Pelarus down. This could be your best chance.”

  “You’re talking like this crazy idea would actually work,” Klara retorted. “We’d be more likely to end up dead than living in the palace. Besides, running a city takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Not to mention knowledge.” She waved a finger back and forth between them. “You and I didn’t exactly graduate from college.”

  “Book learning?” Temfilk spat on the ground. “We don’t need that crap. We’ve got street smarts, which is much better for running things. We know how these people think. What motivates them. How to get them to cooperate. We know all they really want is decent food and housing with the safety and freedom to enjoy them.”

  Klara stared at Temfilk as though seeing him for the first time. “Sounds more like you want to be the big boss.”

  “I’d be a damn sight better at it than Pelarus,” Temfilk declared. “Hiring Nedwuts and making people—most of them probably innocent—fight to the death. It’s–it’s barbaric.”

  “Yes, it is,” Moe said. “And when our revolution succeeds, you’ve got my vote. But right now, we have other priorities.”

  Nexbit rubbed his belly. “Yeah. Like breakfast. Can’t start a revolution on an empty stomach.”

  Moe figured hunger was the most powerful motivator for change. And right now, he was pretty hungry. “Let’s find a bank and go from there. If we don’t find one and can’t buy food, we’ll steal it. Then we’ll start a revolution.”

  Klara didn’t want to do anything of the kind. Not if it meant risking Moe’s life. She couldn’t explain how she knew it, but she was quite certain that if Moe were to die, her own death wouldn’t be long in coming. Without him, she would dwindle away to nothing, not caring whether she lived or died. Having his children might make a difference. At least then she would have something left to live for.

  She shook her head, realizing how foreign such thoughts were to her nature. She’d fought long and hard to keep on living. Meeting up with Moe couldn’t have changed her that much. Keeping her gang safe had been her top priority for years. The need to ensure Moe’s safety surpassed that in a few days. The more time she spent with him, the more she needed him.

  This revelation bugged her quite a bit. She hadn’t lost a gang member yet, so she couldn’t vouch for how she would actually feel, but if losing Nexbit or Temfilk would be like losing a limb, losing Moe would be life-threatening.

  She didn’t even want him going into a bank alone. Nexbit would simply have to morph into some stranger and go with him. The trouble was she wasn’t even willing to trust Nexbit with his safety, and she’d trusted her own to him a hundred times over.

  Finding a mate had never been important to her. In many ways, she’d always viewed having strong ties to one person as detrimental, affecting her judgment in ways that could be dangerous to both parties.

  That was what living on Haedus Nine did to a person, al
tering their perspective and making them do anything to survive. Happiness wasn’t a factor and couldn’t be considered as such.

  She was about to wave them on to the next hiding place when Moe did the unthinkable. He actually walked straight out into the street and asked a passerby where the nearest bank was located.

  Her jaw dropped at his audacity. To openly announce his intentions was foolhardy. But that was what people did on other worlds. If she ever actually left Haedus, she would have some serious adjustments to make. She’d been a ghost for too long.

  She closed her eyes, remembering how it was when her mother was alive. They’d lived in a small house on the outskirts of town. Nothing fancy, of course, but it was home. They hadn’t been in hiding then, possibly because Pelarus hadn’t been quite as powerful as he was now. Hiding out had only seemed necessary after her mother was killed.

  Ten years… How did we ever manage to last that long?

  Moe returned with the news that there was a bank on the corner, two blocks to the east.

  She gaped at him again. “That guy told you what you wanted to know… Just like that?”

  “Why wouldn’t he?” Moe shrugged. “It was a simple enough question. Even Haedusians are basically decent folks when you give them the chance.”

  Klara was still smarting from having to admit she and her pals had no idea which building was a bank. “Simple, huh?”

  “Yes, it is,” he said. “And another thing.” He leaned closer. “I got the distinct impression he knew I was with you. Knew you were nearby. He even looked over this way and sort of winked.”

  “I didn’t know Haedusians could wink,” Temfilk remarked. “Never seen one do it.”

  Moe appeared to ignore this, fixing her with a speculative gaze that made her rather uneasy. “I’ve been thinking about the whole revolution thing. I think you should be the one to start it.”