by Cathy Pegau
* * *
“Load ’er up!” Keegan’s call to Natalia and Ria was accompanied by his arm circling above his head. Natalia heard him only because she had just dumped a load of ore into the hauler. Ria was coming in with another bucketful from the conveyor.
Keegan palmed the comm and spoke into it—presumably to tell Celine they were headed up. She’d have to limit the ore that rode the conveyor so it wouldn’t jam the works. Natalia parked her loader off to the side and secured it for the next shift.
Ria pulled up beside Natalia’s vehicle, and the three walked to the cab of the hauler. Natalia rolled her shoulders to ease the stiffness. She swiped her forearm across her forehead and massaged the back of her sweaty, keracite-grimed neck. All she wanted was a hot bath and a glass of whisky, but she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stay awake for both.
“You ride shotgun,” Keegan told Natalia.
“Sweet.” Ria climbed the bar ladder. She squeezed into the narrow backseat. “I get a nap all the way up.”
“You wish.” Her father tossed her a data pad from where he stood outside the pilot’s door. “Figure out how much we loaded and what our fuel consumption will be going fifty kph.”
Ria grumbled but got to work.
“Hauler’s a little fickle on start-up,” he said to Natalia across the front seat. “Even if it ran fine the shift before, it’s always a good idea to give her a once-over before you start.”
Keegan showed her how to call up diagnostics on the hauler’s onboard screen. Some readings were critical to have in the green, like fuel flow, engine heat sensors and brakes. Others could be yellow as long as they wouldn’t damage the vehicle or risk the miners’ safety until they were repaired. Anything in the red meant the hauler was down until repaired then signed off by a supervisor. On-the-spot mech work was a big help to circumvent that procedure and avoid delays and hassles.
“I’ve fiddled with an engine or two in my time,” Natalia assured him.
They made a visual inspection of the outside of the hauler then returned to the cab. Keegan took the pilot’s seat, and Natalia climbed into the passenger side. “I’ll drive the first bit then you can take over, yeah?”
“Sounds good.” Natalia settled into the old leather seat but stayed alert, watching as the headlights revealed the tunnel several meters at a time.
Keegan gave her pointers as they drove. Natalia responded with grunts of understanding or questions, depending on which was appropriate. They passed at least a dozen played-out or abandoned shafts on their way to the surface. Rubble filled the mouths of some, making them difficult to distinguish from undisturbed sections of the tunnel. The only indication there had been a hole in the mountain was a dusty sign with the shaft designation number. Other shafts were still accessible, probably too close to an aquifer to be safely collapsed. Red warning lights flanked those openings, and a web of sensors would sound an alarm if anything larger than a rat broke the beams.
All seemed intact as Keegan guided the hauler topside. When it was her turn to drive, she would pay closer attention to the shafts on that side of the tunnel to see if there was anything unusual.
Was whatever the Reyeses were doing going on in Tunnel Four? Did it require cooperation on the part of the pirqs? Having too many mouths to keep shut usually resulted in someone spilling secrets along the line. Or did the pirqs actually know anything?
Natalia glanced at Keegan. Was he involved in something illegal or dangerous or both?
As if feeling her eyes on him, Keegan glanced at her. “Ready to give it a go?”
“Sure.”
He worked the controls to bring the hauler to a shuddering stop. The Beast let out a sigh when he applied the safety brake. Natalia turned to ask Ria how the calculations were coming, but the young woman was folded up on the backseat snoring softly, hard hat over her eyes and the data pad balanced on her chest.
Natalia and Keegan got out and crossed in front of the idling hauler. Beyond the bright headlights, it was absolute blackness. The red beams could be seen only when they were practically on top of the marked shafts. They weren’t meant to warn miners away from the shafts, just to be aware they were closed.
She climbed into the driver’s seat, buckled up and ran through the controls.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Keegan said.
Natalia nodded and put the hauler into gear. The rest of the trip up to the surface was uneventful, and she had to remind herself that whatever was going on in the tunnels was not going to be covered in flashing lights and signs. Patience was the key to most undercover jobs. Patience and maintaining whatever guise fit the case. But how many days in the void, and how many nights sleeping two meters away from Gennie, would it take to find what she was looking for?
Chapter Eight
Gennie stood at the bottom of the office stairs, watching Natalia maneuver the gigantic hauler at the mouth of the tunnel. The growl of the engine vibrated into Gennie’s chest. She could imagine how loud it was inside the cab. Hopefully the ear protection Mac had given Natalia had worked.
A sense of relief had washed over Gennie when the headlights then the nose of the hauler had finally emerged from Tunnel Four. Her entire being relaxed upon knowing Natalia was back, safe and sound. Working in the office had been frustrating, culminating in a headache that refused to be knocked back with any meds she threw at it. The stress of searching for information would have explained the unrelenting pain, but it was more than that. She’d been worried about Natalia being down there, in the void.
Floodlights kept the site bright as day despite the sun having set an hour before, illuminating the interior of the cab. Keegan leaned over from the passenger seat to give Natalia instructions. She nodded, alternately focusing on the control panel and the hauler bed as she swung into position. With a squeal and a grind, the bed rose and the tailgate opened to dump the day shift’s production of keracite ore into the bin below the ramp.
The concentration on Natalia’s face made Gennie smile. No matter what the task, she realized, Natalia Hallowell had the determination to get it done and done right. There was no “good enough” for her, only complete success. Gennie had the feeling failure was not an option for the CMA agent.
After the last of the black ore tumbled into the bin, Natalia lowered the bed and powered down the engine to a low idle. Relative silence surrounded Tunnel Four. The day shift had all come up and signed out some fifteen minutes before, headed to The Hole for a beer or two if the chatter was any indication. The swing shift was on its way down; their hauler driver waited by the tunnel to bring the vehicle back into the void.
Mac and the swing-shift boss were in the office, going over shift notes. Gennie had considered waiting inside to see if they would reveal anything useful, but Mac summarily dismissed her. Not wanting to make waves, she went. They probably wouldn’t say anything in her presence worth hearing anyway.
The driver’s-side door opened, and Natalia jumped down. She swept the blue hard hat off her head and wiped her brow, leaving a streak of black across her forehead. Her hair had loosened from its tail and tendrils framed her face. Natalia spoke with Keegan and a young woman who’d climbed out of the back of the cab, her free hand moving to emphasize whatever she was saying. Halfway to the site buildings, Natalia looked up and her eyes locked on Gennie.
A pang of need rippled through Gennie’s body. Natalia was sweaty, her hair disheveled, dusted with grime, and Gennie wanted her. Wanted to take her into a shower stall at the rooming house and soap her from head to toe. Wanted slick skin against slick skin and moans echoing off the tile.
Gennie gave herself a mental kick. No sense dwelling on that unlikely event. She would have to live with the frustration of looking but not touching.
At least she hoped she’d be able to live with it. Having Natalia so damn close all the time made Gennie
acutely aware of how long it had been since she’d been with someone. Self-satisfaction wasn’t nearly as gratifying as a good tumble.
“Hey there. What’s up?”
Finn’s voice snatched her attention from Natalia. Gennie looked at him, still feeling Natalia’s eyes on her. What did Natalia see, aside from the person who had tied and sedated her? A drug dealer’s underling? Something worse? Gennie was afraid she knew the answer. “Hey. Just waiting for Natalia. I thought you’d gone to The Hole.”
Finn shrugged. “I wanted to make sure you were coming.” His dusky cheeks turned a charming shade of pink. “The two of you. To meet the others and celebrate your first day on the job.”
“That sounds fun,” Gennie said. He was a good-looking young man, and it was flattering that he was trying so damn hard to attract her. She wasn’t interested in him, but she didn’t want to alienate Finn in case he had information they needed.
Natalia, Keegan and the other woman came toward them. Natalia appeared relaxed, but her cheek twitched when she looked at Finn. Jealous? The thought made Gennie smile. Maybe Natalia was having as hard a time as Gennie keeping her frustrations at bay. Nice to know it wasn’t just her.
“How’d it go?” Gennie asked.
Natalia gestured toward Keegan. “Ask him.”
“She didn’t hit anything, so that’s better than most,” Keegan said.
The younger woman nudged Keegan. “She did great and you know it, Da.”
Father and daughter. That explained the resemblance.
Keegan shrugged. “All right for a first day.” He walked toward the lean-to and the board. “I’ll turn your tags. Go have a drink for me. See you in the morning.”
The young woman’s brow creased with concern. “You okay?”
“Fine,” he said, waving her off. “Just tired. Don’t stay out too late.”
“He’s more worried about Ma than he lets on,” she said quietly. With almost a visible shake, her demeanor changed and she smiled up at Gennie. “I’m Ria. You and Natalia coming to The Hole?”
Natalia and Gennie exchanged glances. It was a great opportunity to get in with their new coworkers or hear a little gossip that might help their search.
“Yeah, we’re coming,” Gennie said.
* * *
Music throbbed in her chest, and sweat and beer odors assaulted her nose when Natalia opened the door to The Hole. The room took up half of the building’s footprint, the other side being a restaurant/meeting hall with its own access.
Bodies crowded the bar and sat or stood shoulder to shoulder around the dozen tables to the left. Natalia recognized a few of the day-shift crew, laughing and drinking. Almost everyone in The Hole had come straight from their shift from the tunnels, but no one seemed to care about the condition of their clothes or the smudges on their faces. These were hardworking pirqs who took pride in the skills and a job well done, and let it show. Cleaning up was for Worship Day.
“Let’s dance,” Finn said from behind her.
Natalia turned to see him grab Gennie’s hand and lead her toward the dance floor on the right. A few other couples gyrated to the pounding music.
Gennie glanced over her shoulder, her dark eyes meeting Natalia’s. Her face was unreadable, but the shot of jealousy that zinged through Natalia’s gut was plain as pulser fire. The way Finn clutched her hand and dragged her off, like he’d claimed her, had Natalia’s jaws clenched.
She’s going willingly. To make nice with the crew.
That didn’t make Natalia feel better.
“Noob buys!” Ria shouted. She took Natalia’s arm and pulled her toward the table of their shift-mates.
The Tunnel Four crew cheered and waved over the server. Natalia had no choice but to act unconcerned about Gennie while playing up the convivial atmosphere with her coworkers. Across from her, Celine the conveyor worker smoked her cheroot, her gaze flitting between Natalia and the dance floor behind her.
Not your girl, my ass, her expression said.
Natalia focused on sorting through a handful of cred chits to pay for the next round, avoiding Celine’s smirk and ignoring the heat climbing up her neck. If the conveyor operator could see it so clearly, surely Gennie could. Natalia would have to make a greater effort to control herself.
Someone thrust a couple of chairs at her and Ria. Everyone moved so they could squeeze in. The pirqs were playing a drinking game with two bright red dice that Natalia recognized as Bluff. She and her friends had played a non-alcoholic version during her childhood.
The music changed from one fast-paced tune to another. Beer, whisky and gava—a distilled liquor that reminded Natalia of hydraulic fluid—flowed. Three different conversations were going at her table, but none regarding work. She divulged enough personal information, when asked, to be friendly, but kept it vague otherwise.
It would take a few more rounds of alcohol, and possibly a few more evenings at The Hole, to loosen the pirqs before they’d reveal anything of value. Two empty tumblers sat at Natalia’s elbow and she held another, taking minute sips as the laughter rang around her and the dice rattled. She had to keep a clear head if she was going to catch a lead. Questions about general operations yielded nothing new, and it was a little soon to ask about other activities in the tunnels that could make them suspicious. Best to just be “one of the boys” and work her way up to it. Hopefully that wouldn’t take too long. Gennie was anxious to get away from the Reyeses, and Natalia had to head back to Pandalus to face the inquiry board in less than a week.
To face Garces and his smirk.
Whisky-fueled anger flared unexpectedly, and Natalia’s hand tightened around the glass. She tossed back the last centi of liquid, forcing herself to relax as it burned into her stomach. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about her supervisor and his peculiar attitude toward her suspension.
“You all right?” Gennie’s voice grazed her right ear and her fingers slid over Natalia’s shoulder, coming to rest above her collarbone. Heat from Gennie’s palm sank into Natalia’s shoulder and spread into her chest.
Natalia turned her head just enough to see the other woman from the corner of her eye. Another few centis, and their lips would have touched. The idea put all sorts of inappropriate images in her head. “I’m good. How was dancing?”
What was with the hands and proximity?
“Fun. You should try it.” Gennie straightened. She’d shed her jacket somewhere along the line. Sweat glistened on her forehead and damp tendrils framed her face. She reached for a full glass of beer on the table, her hand still on Natalia’s shoulder. A friend touching a friend. Her eyes held Natalia’s as she drank.
“I don’t dance.” Lie. She enjoyed dancing and had taken lessons in classic, as well as modern forms, as part of her physical training.
Something sparkled deep in Gennie’s dark eyes. “I bet you have some natural moves.”
An electric shimmer traveled up Natalia’s spine. Damn the void, she should not be thinking about Gennie that way, but it was hard not to, considering how they’d met and what she was implying.
Before Natalia could respond, Finn came up behind Gennie and removed the beer from her hand. “Come on,” he said, gripping her wrist. “This is my favorite song.”
She tried to pull out of his grasp, but he held fast.
“No, thanks. I need a break.” Gennie gave him a polite smile, though her fingers flexed into Natalia’s shoulder. A reaction to Finn? A signal to Natalia? Hard to say. Natalia studied the man more closely.
His eyes shined with an odd, feverish quality and his grin became almost manic. Was he on something? He tugged her toward the dance floor. “You’re the best dancer out there. I need a good partner.”
Natalia shot up out of her chair and faced him, her anger at Garces finding an outlet at last. “She said no.
Now let go.” She kept her tone low and even, quietly projecting the ire running through her.
Judging from the way Finn narrowed his eyes, he heard it. He released Gennie.
“You have no say with her,” he said, chin down and shoulders hunched, ready to fight. The friendly man they’d met the day before was gone. “She’s of her own mind.”
Natalia stepped closer, putting them almost nose to nose. “That she is. And she said no. Call it a night and get yourself sobered up.”
“Natalia.” Gennie gave her sleeve a light tug. “Let it go.”
Natalia ignored her. So did Finn.
“You two ain’t a thing,” he said. “So I suggest you step back.” He pushed Natalia’s sternum with the tips of his fingers. Not hard, not even enough to move her. But it was enough to torque her past the point of reason.
Natalia felt the crunch of teeth on teeth beneath his cheek when her left hook connected with his jaw. Caught off guard, Finn flew sideways into the man sitting at the next table. Adrenaline numbed the pain in her hand—that would come for both her knuckles and his face soon enough. Everything was numbed except the searing anger flowing through her.
Gennie yanked Natalia back; it took half a second to realize she was on her way to hit Finn again.
The man at the other table stood, his own meaty fists clenched. “What the hell?” he roared.
A few patrons watched them, likely wondering how far it would go and whether it was worth joining in. Bar fights were a popular form of pirq entertainment. Most of the rest of the room had no idea what was happening, or didn’t care.
Natalia kept the angry man in sight, to her right, as she loomed over Finn. Glaring at her, he rose on one elbow but stayed on the ground. Smart move.
“Touch her or me again,” Natalia said, sinking her fingernails into her palms, “and next time you won’t get up.” She addressed the other man. “My apologies for disturbing your evening. Drinks on me for your trouble.” She dug into a pocket for some loose creds and tossed them on the man’s table.