“How many cities are in this part of the District? How many people might be getting contaminated water?” Amina asked.
Mara collected her test results and samples, boxing and labeling them for evidence. “Good news,” she said with a grim smile. “The air is ok to breathe. It’s nasty, but it’s a harmless byproduct.”
Katlin said, “the soil is contaminated though, so don’t eat anything you might see.”
Shuddering, Amina wrapped her arms around herself. Her eyes met Kindel’s. He was looking at her with a thoughtful expression, and she averted her eyes quickly.
“Okay, team,” he said, “first light we’ll head back out in the scout shuttle, and Sari will scout ahead as we planned. We have to know what we’re up against.”
They disbursed for the night for their personal time. Amina was just entering her room when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She startled and whirled around to find Kindel behind her.
“May I talk to you in private?”
“Of course, Captain.” She moved toward her bunk room, but he reached out and touched her elbow.
“I would like us to be uninterrupted if that’s possible,” he said with a funny quirk of his lip. “Please come with me.”
He led her to his quarters, and she shifted nervously as she entered his personal space. She realized it was a two-room suite, as they stood in a sitting room separate from the sleeping space. Still, it was his, masculine but tasteful with boxy side tables beside leather club chairs, cozy two-person sofas, open-backed glass shelves and bold, colorful art displayed on the walls. A spiciness permeated the space, and she recognized it as his personal scent. She tried to distract herself from the flash of memories invoked by fingering his collection of glittering stones and agate. He seemed content to watch her as she moved around the room, touching his personal things. When she felt she had herself under reasonable control, she faced him. The silence between them was filled with emotion, and she could hear their breaths.
He cleared his throat. “It’s been brought to my attention that I’ve hurt your feelings.”
She felt her skin heat and turned her face away to hide her blush. She was going to kill Gem.
He stepped forward, closing the gap she had left between them, and placed his hands on her shoulders. His eyes implored her. “I don’t know what I did, or said, but you must know I would never knowingly hurt you.”
She scoffed before she could catch it, and confusion filled his eyes. His hands on her shoulders shifted, sliding down to her upper arms, so he was holding her still and studying her face.
“Don’t you know me, yet? How I feel –” he inhaled a shuddery breath. “Please, tell me what it is. I would give everything to make it right.”
She stared at him, as her mind raced. If she told him, he would know she loved him, and then she’d have to leave because she could never deal with the shame. How could she live if she didn’t get to see him, to be with him, even if it was just as a member of his squad, as his friend?
“If I could tell you, I would.”
Pain etched his face. “I don’t understand. How can I make it right if you don’t tell me?”
“Can’t we continue as we are, as friends?”
His eyes closed, and he groaned. “Do friends yearn to feel the other’s hand in theirs? Do friends lie awake at night, remembering the feel of the other’s pulse or the sound of a quickened breath? Do friends ignite from the nearness of the other’s lips? I don’t want to be your friend, Amina.” He lifted her chin and lowered his lips to hers in a sweet, soft caress.
Sensation coursed through her, and she reached for him running her hands over his chest to his shoulders, into his hair, her eyes pleading as he kissed her again, gently brushing her bottom lip.
He stepped back and took her hands in his. “Does this mean you could forgive me?”
She could barely think, still whirling from his light, sweet kisses. “Yes.”
“Thank you. I don’t want problems with the squad. Gem was ready to stun me.” He chuckled.
Wait. What? And he still didn’t say he loved her. Disappointment made her hollow, and she turned away. “Goodnight, Kindel. We have a busy day tomorrow.”
She closed the door to her bunkroom and leaned back against it, emotions warring for dominance. He kissed her, his eyes alight with passion, and it was wonderful. He spoke so passionately, said the most poetic, moving words, but she wanted his heart. She wanted to know that she was special, and she still doubted how true his feelings were or how lasting they would prove to be. It would hurt like a mortal wound to let down her guard and give herself freely only to have him tire of her. Her heart was crafted for forever.
“Amina?” she heard Gem say, and the lamp flipped on. Her friend looked her over. “So, you want to talk about it?”
She sighed as she sank onto her bunk. “He’s amazing. He said the most beautiful words to me. He’s attracted to me, he wants me, and that feels wonderful. It’s tempting to just let go and stop holding back my heart, but he still hasn’t said he loves me. Why doesn’t he make a declaration?”
“He’s a man, and they’re obtuse sometimes. Maybe he’s still at the beginning emotionally, where you were months ago. I was worried he was playing with your heart, but it’s become clear he’s serious, even if he doesn’t know it yet. I think he may just need time, so don’t push him away.”
“I’m terrified he’ll see that I love him already, and it will scare him or disgust him.”
Gem snorted. “I don’t think that’s possible. He’s got the hots for you.”
“I thought you couldn’t read him.”
“I had a little chat with him earlier, and he was horrified that you were upset with him. It had to be a very strong emotion to crack his mask.” Gem tossed her a spunky grin. “You could outright ask if he loves you.”
She groaned. “I don’t have the courage. What if he said no?”
“You would know and stop all this emotional torture. What do you want to do?”
“I’m not ready to show him my love, but I won’t push him away. I’ll see if a little more time will catch his heart.”
Chapter 17
The next morning, they were in the air before the sun was fully awake. There was a hum of excitement and anticipation as Sari landed the scout shuttle under the crags by the pond. Their mission was beginning in earnest, and time was running out for Fiona Jorgensen. Amina felt apprehension gnaw at her when she thought of possibly facing Rhys. Focus on right now. Worry about that when it comes.
Kindel gave Sari last-minute instructions, and she took off to scout closer. They weren’t going to be there long enough to camp if things went well and they were able to get Fiona and get out, so there was a lag of time when they explored or worked-out their nerves waiting on Sari to return.
He had been watching her all morning, not being subtle with his smiles or his lingering glances. He kept touching her, either lightly on the arm or brushing her fingers or touching her elbow. It had her buzzing with heat, and she was desperately trying to maintain a neutral expression and not melt into a bubbly mess.
When the others were occupied, Kindel laced his fingers with hers and said, “come with me.” He began to pull her further into the scrubby trees that surrounded the pond. Just holding his hand had her simmering, and she began to panic. Once they were fully out of sight, he stopped and pulled her into a light embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her.
He eyes were dark with emotion. “You’re so beautiful.” He shifted to hold her waist with one hand while he trailed his other hand along her temple, into her hair, lifting it away from her face, tucking it behind her shoulder. He gazed at her with awe, as if she were the most beautiful sight he’d ever beheld, as he gently traced the side of her face, her jawline, her lips. Her body trembled with sensation, and she closed her eyes, melting into his touch.
“Kindel, I,” …love you. Her eyes popped open in panic. She had to breath
e, had to escape the heat in his eyes. “I can’t. Please, let me go.”
His face clouded over with concern and confusion. “What is it?” His hand at her waist dropped to her wrist, his thumb caressing her palm. “What’s wrong?”
“I just need some space. I’m going back to the others.” She turned from him.
He was letting her go, letting her hand slip away when she heard him groan. The next second, he was swinging her around to face him, his eyes so dark with longing it seared her. He gathered her close and kissed her slow and sweet, his lips softly teasing, tasting hers. She slid her hands over his chest and began to kiss him back, hesitantly matching his caress. He moaned and gently tilted her chin to deepen his kiss. He took his time delving into her mouth, pulling back to linger on her lips only to deepen his kiss again, until she was combusting, exploding, and she clutched at his shirt as she blazed.
He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers as they both fought to catch their breath. His voice rasped, “don’t you understand? You’ve captured me, and I can’t believe you don’t feel the same. You’re trembling with it.” He looked down into her face, his eyes pained. “So why do you keep running away?”
This time when she pulled back, he let her go. She managed a shaky whisper, “wanting isn’t enough. I need your heart.”
“You have it, Amina. Please, let me love you.”
His wrist-comm crackled. “I’m coming in,” Sari’s voice echoed.
“Blast it!” Looking at her, he ground out, “we aren’t done with this conversation.” Then he marched back toward the pond.
She stood trembling but slowly came alive, like dawn rising in her chest. She laughed and twirled with joy. “He loves me! He loves me!”
Sari was at the scout shuttle by the time Amina returned. She was stretching out her back and saying, “the warehouse is huge! There’s no way I could’ve missed it. There are thirty-two outside doors with guards posted.”
Kindel asked, “could you see in at all?”
Sari shook her head. “Not without me being seen. There’s no cover close to the building. But this is interesting, there was a line of people at the front entrance. The guards were scanning them and then letting them inside.”
“His customers?” asked Katlin.
Sari shrugged. “Probably. They looked like bums all dressed in rags.”
Glancing at Kindel, Amina wondered what he was thinking. He was rubbing his chin and pacing. “To get in, we have to be a Smithe goon or a Collax customer. We’re going to break into two teams and, disguised, get invited into the warehouse. Gem, I want you to be the leader of one group while I’m the leader of the other.”
Sari frowned. “That’s taking a risk, not knowing what we’re walking into.”
“Gem’s Ability of telepathy will allow her to communicate with me without having wrist comms. If we’re scanned, we’ll have to go in without them. We’ll get into the building and follow the lead of the other drug addicts until we can get a clear view of the interior. I’m hoping it’s going to be one open room.”
Mara said, “be sure you don’t make physical contact with the drug if you see it or are handed it. Don’t drink anything.”
“Once we’re inside, we’ll break into groups. Gem’s group will find Mrs. Jorgensen. Guards will be on the lookout, so if the need arises steal a uniform.”
Katlin laughed. “Sounds like fun, knock them out and steal their clothes!”
Kindel grinned. “The important thing is to get Fiona and get out.”
“What about you?” Amina asked, feeling slightly ill that she’d have no idea what Kindel was doing.
An almost sweet smile crossed his face. “My team will be working on arresting Smithe. Remember,” he said looking at her, “I’ll be in touch through Gem.”
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Part of her wanted to face Rhys and tell him just what she thought of him.
Gem asked, “what do we do once we have Mrs. Jorgensen?”
“Get out and get to safety. Return to the scout shuttle.” His gaze focused on Amina for a moment. “Communicate with headquarters immediately when she’s free, so they’ll know the ransom demand can be ignored. As Mara said, her husband will probably pay if he doesn’t know she’s safe, and we’re cutting this real close.”
“How long do we have?” Sari asked.
“A few hours. Sari, take the scout shuttle back to the Sunstar-3 and gather bed sheets. We’re going to make some rags.”
Amina dressed quickly in her costume covering her ship suit, knee-high boots, and utility belt. She made sure her laser was securely in her holster. She tucked two ration bars into her utility belt pouch with her knife and her location laser light.
“Nothing like dressing in rags for the self-esteem.” Sari sighed.
“Just imagine you’re going to a costume party,” replied Gem.
“We’re moving out!” Kindel ordered.
Chapter 18
The warehouse was as big as Sari said. The walls were cracked and peeling. Some windows were broken and some were roughly boarded up. A ‘condemned’ sign hung on rusty, chained garage doors.
“Cozy,” Gem said.
Katlin asked, “Do you want me to go in first in case there’s a language problem?”
Kindel nodded. “Good idea, Katlin. Gem, Amina, you go ahead, too.”
Kindel gestured for them to be quiet. They did as he said, none of them knowing what they would encounter at the door. The guard posted at the entrance held a laser shooter in one hand, and a comm unit sat at his hip. He was letting everyone pass through. When Katlin approached, he simply looked her over and grunted for her to pass. Amina let out a breath. Gem was next. As she moved to pass by, the guard snaked out his free hand and grasped her jaw.
Turning her face roughly, his lips spread into a ghastly grin. “Lovely. I might keep you for company. And as drugged as you are,” he laughed, and Amina’s skin crawled.
She didn’t know how Gem stood still through his crude talk, but Gem had to find a way to react without drawing attention to the whole team. He put his laser in his holster and began to reach under her rags. Amina’s gut clenched. With a reaction time of seconds, Gem unholstered her own laser shooter and jammed it in his crotch.
She snarled into his face. “I suggest you stop before I blow off your potential for a family.” His hand stilled instantly. Amina saw shock in his eyes. “Now, buddy. How about you tell me and my friends here where the woman hostage is held.”
His eyes widened, and he studied Gem’s face closely, then his eyeballs rolled over to Amina, and he studied her. Interesting reaction.
At his reluctance, Kindel pulled his laser and aimed at his head. “Answer the lady.”
The henchman looked at Kindel then back at Amina. “Second floor.”
“Take a nap, Grunge.” Kindel stunned him, and he slumped unconscious to the ground.
They all tuned to Gem. “I’m fine,” she said with a wave. “Let’s get her.”
Kindel motioned for Gem’s team to move forward while he dragged the man’s body out of sight and traded clothes with him. “If anyone sees him, they’ll assume he’s one of the addicts.”
When she got inside, she saw the addicts were lined up working assembly lines. The warehouse was a factory. She looked up and around. It was a giant rectangle with an open center all the way to the metal roof rafters. The center, bottom floor of the warehouse was covered by a grid of assembly line tables. Following the line of people, Amina saw they were building weapons, enough to start a revolution.
Several stairways on the bottom floor led to a metal mesh walkway that ran along the face of the second floor. Gem nodded at her and Katlin, and they headed for the line of people slowly wandering up the stairs.
“Don’t look at anyone else,” Katlin said. “Try to look spaced out.”
Amina wasn’t sure it mattered. There were only a couple of guards on the bottom floor. The addicts seemed unaware of their
surroundings and were practically sleepwalking. “Do you feel Kindel’s mind?”
“Yes,” Gem hissed. “Focus.”
When they reached the second floor it was almost stomach wrenching. There were rooms all along the corridor, one right after the other.
Gem’s mind pushed thoughts on Katlin and Amina, both. “No more talking, Kindel’s orders. Just open your minds and think to me. Don’t use your natural shield, Katlin. Amina, just be you.”
“Ha, ha.” Amina thought at her.
“We’re going to stun a guard. I’ll steal the clothes, no, Katlin, you’re bigger, you steal the clothes. Katlin, you act like you’ve taken me and Amina into custody. We’ll take out another guard, and so on.”
“I follow.” Katlin and Amina thought.
“Let’s go.”
Her first steps out of the line had Amina’s heart racing. If they’d get caught, it’d be now. They crept up to a guard, and Gem pulled and fired before he could react. Amina got a mental ‘hold’ on him and levitated his pants down his legs and his jacket off his back. Katlin shuffled into them over her layers of ship suit and rags and rolled the legs of the pants. She looked like a clown playing dress up. Maybe if they moved fast enough, no one would notice.
Gem and Amina stood in front of Katlin as they kept moving down the corridor. They spied another guard and Katlin sauntered up to him and batted her eyes. They were in trouble now.
“You got something in your eye?” The guard asked her.
“I’ve got two addicts refusing to work their shift. I need help putting them in a cell.”
The guard had a thick, black beard. As his yellow eyes slid over them, a suggestive smile slowly spread under all the hair. His slimy leer paused on Amina, and his eyes narrowed. “Follow me.” He swung around on his heel and marched back through a door.
Katlin played along far enough to let him lead them in and open a cell. The doors were solid metal except for a barred door-wide window at the top. The room was dark with a single bulb suspended from the ceiling and a metallic smell. “I’ll take it from here,” she mumbled in a deep voice, trying to dismiss him.
Sunstar: Amina's story a YA scifi romance (Peacekeepers Book 1) Page 11