Beneath the Fallen City

by Jamie A. Waters

  Her eyes widened, surprised at the news. “Arlisia is Corsin’s sister?”

  “Yeah, I thought you knew.”

  When Kayla shook her head, Jinx shrugged. “Well, when Corsin brought her here, Arlisia sort of developed this hero-worship mentality about Carl. You know how some ruin rats are around traders. At first, I think he was flattered and thought it was cute when Arlisia would trail him. But it got a little intense. He screwed up and ended up fooling around with her. Carl immediately regretted it and tried to call things off with Arlisia.”

  Kayla knew exactly what she was talking about. She'd seen quite a few ruin rats fall all over themselves in an effort to get into a trader's good graces. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in Carl that he'd gone along with it. At least he realized his mistake and tried to put a stop to it though. “Did that cause problems with Corsin?”

  “Yeah, some. After Carl told her he wasn't interested, she freaked out and was pretty miserable around here for awhile. But after a few weeks, it started getting a bit better. Then, when Carl started telling Xantham and Cruncher to track your movements, she lost it again.”

  Kayla jerked her head in surprise. “He was tracking me? For how long?”

  Jinx grinned. “The past few months. We’d all heard about you. Carl was wondering if you’d be a good fit for the team. He had Xantham hack into your coms a few times, but you kept finding out. That impressed the hell outta’ both Carl and Xantham. Most scavengers don’t have a lot of tech skills. But then he had Cruncher manually install a sniffer directly into Leo’s system a few weeks back, figuring you didn’t handle the system coms. It was pretty risky, but he didn’t think you’d find that one.”

  Kayla swallowed, not sure how she felt about the news. She knew Carl had been watching Leo's camp but she didn't realize she was the reason. It seemed Leo was right. She wasn't good at staying under the radar. “We found it. But not until a few days ago.”

  “Yeah, I heard about that. Pretty awesome work routing it to that awful sound clip.”

  Kayla shrugged and managed a small smile. “Not really. It looked like it had been on there for weeks. Our techs didn’t catch it.”

  Jinx nodded, looking proud. “Xantham designed it. He’s good at what he does. Carl had him capture your transmissions. He started tracking your movements and Leo’s financials. When he realized how much you were scavenging right under his nose, he decided to be more aggressive in recruiting you.”

  “But why is Arlisia upset if I’m just a recruit?”

  Jinx was thoughtful for a moment. “At first, I think it was because Carl was focused on something other than her. But then she overheard Cruncher and Carl talking about the run-in they had with you over at Sector 12. Cruncher made some comment about how you were the most skilled ruin rat he had ever seen and Carl told him you were also the best looking one. It pissed Arlisia off.”

  “Look,” Jinx continued. “We’re a small crew. You can’t sneeze in here without someone knowing the color of your snot. It sounds like the boss is probably into you. You seem like you can handle yourself, so play him or not. It’s up to you. You know the risks. I hope you don’t judge Arlisia too harshly. She’s normally a sweet girl, just a little confused.”

  Kayla nodded. “I get it. Thanks.”

  Jinx gave her a dismissive wave and turned back to her equipment. “No problem. If you’re looking for Corsin, I think he’s either in the com room or in the crew’s quarters.”

  Still mulling over her conversation with Jinx, Kayla headed back toward the communications room. Carl and Xantham were leaning over the desk studying some readouts on a monitor. Xantham had an earpiece on but lowered it when she entered the room.

  “Damn girl, you’re a sight for sore eyes.”

  “That she is,” Carl agreed, his eyes warming. He stepped away from Xantham and motioned for her to come closer. “We’re still monitoring Ramiro’s chatter.”

  “Oh?” She moved to peek over Xantham’s shoulder.

  Xantham tapped on the screen. “Yeah. He’s been trying to get into our system for the past two days. He hasn’t been able to do it yet but he’s persistent. I imagine he’s pretty pissed off about it.”

  “Xantham’s been doing an excellent job at keeping him out.”

  “Shit, Boss,” he said and grinned at Carl's compliment. “I could do this with my eyes closed.”

  Although Kayla was appreciative of their efforts, she felt a pang of guilt at being the one responsible for the heightened security. Although, she reasoned, it was Carl's own fault for contacting OmniLab. If he'd left things alone, they wouldn't be in this situation. Xantham didn't have anything to do with it, though, and she didn't like having anyone else take care of her problems. “Anything I can do to help?”

  Carl shook his head. “Xantham has this under control. But I still need to speak with you in my office if you have a few minutes.”

  She gave a half-hearted shrug. There were worse things than being alone with a gorgeous specimen of a man.

  * * * *

  Carl slipped his hand around her waist to lead her toward his office. Once inside, he enabled the privacy divider and then pulled out the bottle of scotch and two glasses. She raised her eyebrows as he poured her a glass and handed it to her.

  “What’s this for? I managed to get through today injury free so far.”

  He smiled. “I just thought you’d enjoy it.”

  Far be it for her to refuse his generosity. She picked up the glass and took a sip. Deciding to take the opportunity to explore, she wandered around his office. It was surprisingly neat and organized with a few Old World artifacts on display. She recognized some items from previous scavenges but others were unfamiliar.

  A strange vase on one shelf caught her attention. She studied the lines of it, admiring the way it had been painted. It was simple, but extraordinarily beautiful.

  Carl approached her and gestured to the item. “Do you like it?”

  “Yeah. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It almost seems to change colors when you move past it.”

  “That’s one of my favorites. I purchased it from Warig. One of his scavengers found it. I had to have it.”

  “It’s beautiful.” She took another sip, moving away to continue her exploration. She paused at a small red button on the wall. Curious, she pressed it and a panel slid open. It would have been handy if she'd known about it the other day.

  “You have another entrance to your private quarters through your office?” she asked as she looked inside.

  “Yes. It’s convenient and I enjoy my privacy.”

  Kayla remained at the doorway and glanced around the room. It was almost as neat as his office. There were a few personal touches, but not many. Based on his office and bedroom area, she figured he was a man who enjoyed simplicity and beauty.

  Finished with her brief tour, she turned around to face him. “So what did you want to talk to me about?”

  “A few things.” He took the empty glass from her and refilled her drink before handing it back to her. “Mainly, I wanted to see how you were doing.”

  Kayla sat down on the edge of his desk and twirled the scotch around, trying to figure him out. Perhaps it was paranoia, but she wasn't used to such scrutiny. “What do you mean?”

  “I know it was a difficult decision for you to join. I hope you’re not regretting it.”

  “Nope, I don’t believe in regrets.”

  “No?”

  She took another sip. “It’s our mistakes that make us who we are.”

  He regarded her for a long moment. “You continue to surprise me, Kayla.”

  She shrugged. “I get that a lot. It’s usually not meant in a good way either.”

  He laughed and refilled her glass. Kayla eyed it skeptically. “I thought you warned me against drinking too much of this.”

  “I did,” he admitted. “It definitely sneaks up on you. But I didn’t think you backed away from a challenge either.” />
  There was a mischievous glint in his eye and she couldn't help but smile in response. This playful side of him was appealing. “What are you up to, Carl?”

  He didn’t reply. Instead, he took a long drink and put his empty glass on the desk. She laughed in delight. “All right then.”

  She drank down the scotch and put her empty glass on the desk next to his. He refilled the glasses and moved hers toward her.

  Kayla watched him toss back his drink before she grinned and did the same, wincing slightly as the liquid burned her throat. She put her empty glass next to his, tapping for a refill. She was beginning to understand what he meant about it sneaking up on you. There was a pleasant warmth in her belly and her limbs were feeling much more fluid.

  “You’re right, you know,” she admitted after he poured another round.

  “Oh?”

  Feeling bolder than usual, she sauntered over to him. She ran her fingers up his chest and wound her arms around his neck. “I’ve never been known to back away from a challenge.”

  Carl’s hands slipped around her waist and he raised an eyebrow at her. “I’ve noticed.”

  “So is this why you lured me into your office?”

  “In part.” He reached up to caress her face, his touch sending little shockwaves through her. “But I also wanted to talk to you.”

  Talking seemed highly overrated. She was enjoying the euphoric sensation brought on by his touch. Letting her body mold to his, she gave him a teasing smile. “I’m not in the mood to talk right now.”

  Desire flashed in his eyes but he shook his head as though trying to clear it. “I’m not either, but I think it’s important.”

  She trailed small kisses up his chest and smiled inwardly when she felt his grip tighten on her hips. The problem with this trader was that he liked to talk too much. It seemed like every time she turned around, he tried to have another discussion. She could tell by his body's response that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. He needed to learn how to live in the moment.

  “You know, OmniLab is investigating the issue with Ramiro. It’s likely they’ll remove him as a trader.”

  “Mmhmm.” She ran her fingers along his arms, feeling him tremble when she lightly scratched him with her nails.

  He took a ragged breath. “They need to know everything that happened.”

  “That’s nice.” She reached up and tugged out his ponytail. Running her fingers through his hair, she demanded, “I want you to kiss me.”

  “Kayla, I don’t think you realize how irresistible you are.”

  “Then show me.”

  His mouth crushed hers as his tongue thrust forcefully into her mouth, sweeping against her own. When his hands slid upward from her hips to work their way under her shirt, she purred in approval. He cupped her breast and rubbed his thumb against her nipple. It hardened in response and she whimpered, wanting more.

  With a curse, he broke their kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, he took a deep breath and groaned. “Kayla, I want you so badly right now. But not like this.”

  She blinked up at him in confusion. Of all the things she expected, that wasn't one of them. “Why not?”

  “Because you’ve had too much to drink. I can’t take advantage of you like that. I think we should just talk.”

  “Then let me take advantage of you,” she insisted and kissed his neck. “I want you, Carl.”

  With a pained expression, he unwound her hands. “I know you think you do. But that’s the alcohol talking. Wait until you’re sober.”

  A small giggle bubbled out of her. Go figure. A trader being noble. She touched the ends of his dark hair and decided she liked it much better down. In fact, she was hard-pressed to find something about him she didn't like. Except for him wanting to talk. She could definitely do without the conversation. “I feel pretty good right now though.”

  “I’m sure you do.”

  Kayla frowned when he eased her into a chair, taking the seat beside her. He took her hand in his and began drawing small circles across her palm. “I’m worried about Ramiro, sweetheart. I don’t want him to hurt you. I need you to be honest with me and tell me what happened.”

  She stared down at their entwined hands, remembering another time when someone else used to do the same thing. Her chest tightened and she tried to push away the memories. “I told you already. That son of a bitch stole my damn data cube and I got it back.”

  He gave her an encouraging nod. “But you didn’t tell me how Pretz was involved.”

  The sound of his name sliced through her heart. Guilt and loss rushed over her and she took a ragged breath. Her emotions were too close to the surface and she was having trouble keeping them in check. She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “I don’t talk about Pretz.”

  “Why not?”

  Because it was my fault! she wanted to scream. She blinked back tears, knowing she was responsible for what happened to him. Carl lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

  “What happened, Kayla?”

  She felt her emotional walls crumble at the compassion in his eyes. With that one look, he was offering her a chance at redemption. She choked on a sob, unable to hold in the words. “It was my fault. He died because of me.”

  There was a long pause. When he finally spoke, there was no judgment in his tone. Instead, his voice was gentle. “What do you mean?”

  Kayla clenched her eyes shut, remembering the weeks before he died. “Pretz wanted me to try to join Ramiro’s crew, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t like Ramiro. He and Vex were…cruel. Pretz said he treated all ruin rats like that, but he would treat me differently if I were part of the crew.”

  They had argued about it. Pretz had the same hero-worship mentality as Arlisia when it came to traders. He'd been blind to Ramiro's faults and only saw the possibilities afforded by working for OmniLab.

  “Pretz was waiting for me aboveground when I found the cube. He was thrilled when he saw it. He was sure Ramiro would make me an offer to join in exchange for the cube. I didn’t think it was a good idea but Pretz called him anyway. Ramiro and Vex showed up and demanded the data cube.”

  She hiccupped and rubbed her arms, wishing she could erase the painful memory. “Ramiro told Pretz that women like me were only good for one thing and not worth joining a trader’s crew. He said if I played nice with him though, he’d give me a finder’s fee and other special perks. When I told him no, he said that since we were in his sector, he could take anything he wanted, including me. He grabbed me and pushed me to the ground and ripped my clothes. I fought him, but he’s a big bastard. Veridian tried to stop him but Vex broke his arm and dislocated his shoulder.”

  “Jesus, Kayla. How did you get away?”

  “Pretz,” she said softly. “Ramiro was on top of me and Pretz grabbed him and fought him off. He told us to run so we did. Later that day, we heard that Pretz had an accident in the pits.”

  She couldn't stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks. “We knew it was a lie, but no one would believe us over an OmniLab trader. That bastard killed Pretz. He told us to run and we did. I didn’t know they would kill him.”

  Lowering her voice to a whisper, she spoke the words that had been haunting her for over a year. “I loved him and Ramiro killed him because of me.”

  “Shhh,” Carl hushed her and pulled her onto his lap. Burying her face in his chest, she let go of the emotions she had suppressed for so long. His hands stroked her hair and she was dimly aware of his voice murmuring soothing words.

  Lost in her grief, Carl's comforting presence wrapped around her until her sobs subsided and she fell into a troubled sleep.

  Chapter Seven

  Kayla woke up disoriented and confused. She rubbed her eyes and wondered if the scotch had something to do with it. She was still dressed in Jinx’s clothes and she recognized Carl’s private quarters. With horror, she remembered what she told Carl. Shame and embarrassment flooded through her and she dropped her head in
her hands.

  Not only did she practically throw herself at him, she'd turned into a blubbering idiot and poured her heart out. Feeling raw and wanting to escape, she stood up and crossed the darkened room toward Carl’s office. His light was on and she could hear two low voices talking. She paused outside the door, not willing to face anyone until she got her emotions under control.

  “That’s some nasty business if Ramiro tried to force himself on Kayla and killed that poor kid.”

  Kayla started, recognizing Cruncher's voice. Shame quickly turned to anger when she realized they were discussing her. This was exactly why she didn't discuss her personal life. She should have known better than to trust a trader with her secrets.

  “It fits,” Carl was saying. “It explains why Pretz was in a cleared sector that day. It also explains why Ramiro’s determined to get rid of Kayla and Veridian. When OmniLab finds out what he did and how he killed one of his employees, they’ll strip his status and freeze his assets.”

  Kayla didn’t want to hear anymore. Backing away, she stumbled to the other door leading out to the hallway. She grabbed her UV gear out of the sanitation machine and pulled it on.

  Veridian was just coming out of the crew’s quarters when he spotted her.

  “Kayla? You okay?”

  She put one hand against the wall to steady herself and managed to nod. “Yeah. I… I can’t talk about it right now, V.”

  Concern etched his face. He bent down to look at her closely. “You’re acting strange. What’s wrong?”

  She couldn't deal with his scrutiny. She shook her head, trying to blink back the tears that threatened. “Screw this,” she said angrily as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I hate crying. I’m out of here.” She pushed away from the wall and took off down the hallway, intent on escaping.

  * * * *

  “What did you do to her?” Veridian stormed into his office, looking furious. “I just saw Kayla and she was crying. Kayla doesn’t cry! She gets pissed off, yells, hits, and throws things. But she doesn’t cry.”