by Aubrey Ross
Her mother pushed open the door, hesitating in the archway. “You have a visitor.”
“I know Father told you I’m not to see anyone. So, why are we having this conversation?” The only person she wanted to see was locked in the detention center.
“Your hostility is only making an awkward situation worse.” Disappointment filled her mother’s eyes. “I’ve never seen you behave like this.”
She narrowed her gaze and raised her chin, unwilling to pretend, even with her mother. “I’m through being his puppet. He’s not trying to protect me. This is about control.”
Janice didn’t argue. Her mother avoided conflict like the plague. “Elaine VinDerley is waiting in the drawing room. Shall I send her away?”
Why would Ashton’s mother be here? Danette’s heart gave a little flutter.
“What does she want?”
“She wants to speak with you. I told her you weren’t seeing anyone, but she insisted I ask.”
Danette hadn’t been allowed to speak with anyone without her father present. “Send her up.”
“I think it would be better if you came down.”
Danette crossed her arms over her chest and blew out an exasperated breath. Stubbornness urged her to refuse while curiosity cautioned her to bend.
“Fine.”
She followed her mother down the front stairs, one of the guards trailing in their wake. When he attempted to enter the drawing room, her mother stopped him with a disapproving look.
Elaine rose from the sofa and hurried across the room. “I’m so glad you agreed to see me. I need your help.” She pulled Danette into a surprisingly tight hug and whispered in her ear, “If you want out of here, play along.”
“What can I do for you, Mrs. VinDerley?”
The picture of elegant composure, Elaine took her by the hand and led her to the sofa. “I know this is painful for you, but I don’t know where else to turn. Ashton hasn’t been the same since he returned.”
Danette waited for a clue. Elaine had urged her to play along, so what was the strategy?
“Elaine mentioned that he is refusing to press charges,” Janice said. “I told her you said the same thing and it gave us an idea. Were you coerced into saying those things?”
“Of course she was,” Elaine said emphatically. “What other explanation could there be? I think they threatened Ashton to make Danette cooperate and threatened Danette so Ashton would make his ridiculous claims.” She looked at Danette, her brow arched meaningfully. “Am I right, Danette? Did they threaten you?”
Brushing her hair off her forehead, Danette tried to figure out what Elaine wanted from her. How would this get her away from the guards?
“Oh Danette.” Her mother sat down on her other side and tenderly rubbed her back. “You’re safe, darling. They can’t touch you ever again.”
She nearly laughed at the irony. It was the thought of Korbin never being able to touch her again that frightened her the most.
“I don’t think either of them believes it,” Elaine went on. “That’s why they’re acting so out of character. Danette hasn’t seen Ashton since his return. I’d like to bring the two together. If they see each other face-to-face, they might understand that it’s really over; that those horrible rebels can’t hurt them now.”
“Can you bring Ashton here?” Janice asked.
“That’s out of the question. He’s being positively unreasonable. He refuses to say or do anything that will incriminate his captors.” Elaine paused, eyes narrowed in concentration. “I can send Danette to him, but she’d have to go alone. If he realized what we intended, he would refuse or even take off.”
Elaine wanted to send her to Ashton, without her armed escort. “I’d love to see Ashton, Mrs. VinDerley, but Father would never allow it.”
“She’s right. The guards have orders to follow her if she sets foot outside the house. Not even my word would keep them from doing so.”
“They don’t have orders to follow me.” Elaine held up her hooded cloak. “The navpanel in my shuttle is programmed with his current location. All you have to do is walk out the door.”
* * * * *
By the time Danette reached Ashton’s apartment complex her stomach was tied in knots. Why had Elaine VinDerley arranged for her escape? Why should a grown woman need to escape from her father? The situation was intolerable. She would find a way to be self-sufficient, even if it meant leaving Halley Prime.
Ashton met her at the door with a secretive smile. “The other guests have already arrived.” He stepped back and ushered her inside.
Other guests? She followed him across the foyer and paused in the archway leading to a spacious living room. Danette’s apprehension mounted as she saw the other “guests”. Was this a hostage reunion? What was Palmer doing here?
Her gaze shifted to Corry and she spoke the question out loud. “What is she doing here? There’s a warrant out for her arrest.”
“Ashton disabled the surveillance on the roof and brought her in through his private entrance.” Palmer chuckled. “She’s been explaining the principles driving their rebellion.”
“Revolution,” Corry spontaneously corrected him.
The rooftop entrance was activated by a palm scanner and there was no surveillance in the penthouse corridors. Had Corry been with Ashton this entire time? If the heat arcing between them was any indication, it was a distinct possibility.
“I’m willing to listen,” Palmer said. “Are you?”
“You were the one cheering when Major Caperelli blasted her way off Borrelly. What brought about this sudden change of heart?” Dazed and wary, Danette sat in a chair facing Corry as Ashton joined the rebel on the sofa.
“I’m not ready to enlist,” Palmer stressed. “I just want to understand what is really going on. What makes a mother hunt down her own son and why did the rebels risk so much?”
“Those are two very different questions,” Corry said softly.
“Is it really that bad?” Danette asked.
For three and a half hours Corry explained. She started with the horrible choices her father had been forced to make and worked her way through countless examples of injustice.
“Father completed the prototype and thought the council might be willing to barter,” Corry continued. “It infuriated him that the leaders needed an incentive to do their jobs, but nothing else had worked.”
Danette scooted to the edge of her chair. “This prototype, was it a teleportation device?”
“Why do you ask?”
“My parents had a horrible argument the night before your father died. Father went on and on about some sort of transportation device. He said it would revolutionize short-range travel and he couldn’t figure out how to develop the device without compromising the treaty they were working to finalize. Mother accused him of stealing the technology. I’d never seen Father so angry.”
“I know nothing about a treaty, but your mother was right. My father was murdered when he refused to turn over his prototype.” Frustration sharpened Corry’s tone.
“I’m so sorry.” Danette looked at Ashton. “This treaty affects everyone. Why would the council… I don’t understand.”
“This is another example of their indifference.” Corry drew Danette’s attention back to her. “We’re expected to pay taxes and obey their laws, but we have no input into how our government is run.”
“Taxation without representation,” Ashton said thoughtfully. “A war was fought on my mother’s homeworld over these same principles.”
“Is that what you want to see happen?” Danette shot Corry a challenging glare. “You want to rip the coalition apart?”
“Not unless they leave us no other choice,” Corry answered.
“I’m open to reforms, but I’m opposed to separation.” Danette eased back in her chair and crossed her legs. “We’re all descendants of Shardrake. We should remain together.”
Corry fidgeted as silence expanded within the room. “
We have to get Korbin out of that detention center.”
“It might work to our advantage to leave him in custody.” Ashton’s gaze lit with calculation and cunning. “Any reform movement needs a focal point. Korbin can be ours.”
“I’ll flood the social networks, rally support,” Palmer said, joining the conversation. “It’s probably better if we keep Corry out of this. We don’t want to belittle the principles by making this into a personal vendetta.”
“It is personal,” she objected. “My life has been—”
“This can’t be about you,” Palmer cut her off. “Korbin will be a sort of figurehead for the cause, but this has to be a cause, not retribution.”
“Is Korbin safe in custody?” Corry persisted, and Danette’s heart lurched. The question had crossed her mind more than once in the past few days. “Isn’t it possible another ‘accident’ could be arranged?”
“The detention center is under continual surveillance,” Ashton reassured her. “I’ll file a report indicating our fear for Korbin’s safety and request permission to randomly review the video record. Considering the suspicious way in which your father died they’ll have no choice but to agree.”
“Video files can be altered,” Danette’s pointed out, her gaze averted from everyone.
“If they wanted him dead, he’d be dead. They’ve had plenty of opportunity.” Ashton stood and rubbed the back of his neck, his movements tense and anxious.
Palmer stood as well, facing Ashton. “I’ll report to you once a day. We need to organize protests and inundate the council with demands for reorganization. We’ll speak in a voice so loud they won’t be able to ignore us.”
Ashton smiled. “This is a good start. But make sure everyone understands the protests must be non-violent. I really don’t want to start a war.” Ashton saw Palmer to the door.
“I can’t go back there,” Danette said softly when Ashton returned. “I’m not sure why you guys are helping me, but I’m never going to allow my father to control my life again.”
“That’s why we’re helping you,” he assured. “There’s a commuter shuttle on the roof next to my schooner. On the pilot’s seat you’ll find a security code. The destination is already programmed into the navpanel.”
Tears blurred her vision as the full import of what they’d done unfurled. She would be free. For the first time in years, she would be free. “And what will I find when I arrive at this mysterious destination?”
“An apartment building with a vacant flat. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s furnished and should provide everything you need to live independently. A close friend owns the building and your expenses are covered. No one will question your arrival. You can stay as long as you like. Oh, I almost forgot. Our engagement is off.”
* * * * *
Danette spent the next three days savoring her freedom yet aching for her Master. What good was a life of her own if the person she longed to share it with was locked in a cage? She watched demonstrations and protests spread like wildfire. Palmer had mobilized the university students with amazing speed.
On the fourth day, Ashton left a message asking her to return to his apartment. He was waiting on the roof when she arrived.
“I’m getting good at harboring fugitives.” He smiled and scanned open the door.
“How serious are you and Corry?” she asked as they headed down the corridor.
“Very serious.” He shot her a sidelong glance. “What’s going on between you and Korbin?”
“Nothing at the moment,” she said wistfully.
They had barely settled around Ashton’s kitchen table when the doorbell rang. “That’s probably Palmer. I’ll be right back.” Ashton went to open the door and returned with his mother.
Fury blazed in Elaine’s eyes. “He knows. I don’t know how he found out but Hayford knows.”
“He knows what?” Ashton asked.
“He knows Corry is here and he has given me two days to convince her to turn herself in or he will have all three of us arrested. Damn it! You probably should have kept her stashed at the Pleasure Palace.”
“She was only completely safe as long as she was alone. Each time I went there I took the risk of someone recognizing me. I wasn’t going to—”
“I’ll turn myself in,” Corry said. “I won’t have you endangered—”
“No!” Ashton and Elaine protested in unison.
“We’ve come too far to back down now,” Elaine went on. “They’re frightened. They know this is something they can’t control and it has them scared to death.”
“We have to resolve this quickly. If it becomes a pissing contest, there will be no winner.” Ashton looked at Corry and she nodded.
“We need to educate them,” Corry said. “Allow the council to reevaluate the situation based on firsthand data. Petitions and vidfiles are easy to brush aside. It’s a little harder to ignore the sunken eyes of a starving child.”
“What are you suggesting?” Elaine asked.
“A field trip.” Corry grinned. “We transport the entire council into a shuttle and take them on an extensive tour of the outer settlements. Let them experience what this rebellion is all about.”
“You have the prototype?” Elaine asked. “The council thinks your people destroyed it to keep it from falling into their hands.”
“We still have it, but there’s a major complication. Only Korbin can access it.”
Chapter Eight
The unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh jarred Korbin from a fitful sleep. He rolled off his bunk and sprang to the balls of his feet, ready to meet the unseen assailant.
Leaning so close that the energy barrier sizzled, Korbin was able to see into the hall. Ashton and a rather busty brunette struggled with a half-conscious guard. Dragging the guard’s hands to the small of his back, Ashton snatched the magnetic restraints off his belt.
“What the hell’s going on?” Korbin eyed him suspiciously.
“What’s it look like?” Ashton snapped. “We’re breaking you out.” After securing the guard’s hands, Ashton unfastened his control band.
“Sure you are.”
“Fine. Stay here, but you’re about to get some company.” He deactivated the energy barrier and rolled the guard into the holding cell.
Korbin stepped over the unconscious man and helped the woman drag a second guard into the cell.
“Why would you help me?” Korbin looked from Ashton to the woman and back.
“I need something only you can get and Toni owes me a favor.” Ashton reactivated the barrier while Toni unbuttoned her blouse. A sleek, molded camisole supported her lush breasts and hugged her trim torso.
They hurried down the corridor and into the control room. Ashton looked at the grid and said, “The stars are shining on us tonight. We’re down to four.”
Korbin didn’t say a word. There would be time for questions later. In tactical formation, they crept down the outer hall, pausing at the corner to assess the hub.
Ashton pulled the pistol out of his waistband as Korbin darted to the other side of the corridor. From this angle he could see Toni and the guards.
She tucked her hair behind her ears, pushed the sides of her blouse back and moved into the corridor. “Oh, thank God. I am so turned around. I usually come in a different entrance, but the public lot was full.”
“How can we help you, ma’am?” one of the guards asked.
“Ma’am? Do I look like a ma’am?”
Three of the four guards were mesmerized, offering Toni their undivided attention. The fourth, however, scanned the corridor with renewed alertness.
Korbin looked at Ashton. The tension in his expression made it clear he’d come to the same conclusion. Korbin pointed to the pistol and then to himself. Ashton shook his head. He wasn’t sure if Ashton didn’t have another gun, or if Ashton just wasn’t ready to trust him with one.
“I’m so bad with directions,” Toni simpered. “Is there any chance you could show me?�
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Two of the guards were around the counter before their suspicious companion could protest. Ashton mouthed the word “now” and rushed down the corridor. He fired on the steadfast guard, propelling him away from the controls.
Toni launched herself at the nearest guard while the second frantically reached for his weapon. Ashton blasted the two remaining guards in quick succession. Korbin cursed his helplessness.
The guard Toni had engaged ducked her roundhouse kick and grabbed her from behind. She slammed her head back into his chest, but he only grunted.
“Drop it or she’s dead,” the guard snarled. He was tall and burly, easily twice her weight.
“Toss me the gun,” Korbin whispered, his gaze fixed on Toni.
It took Ashton a moment longer to accept that he couldn’t make the shot. The guard repeated the command. The choice was simple. Ashton could trust him or surrender.
Keeping the barrel pointed at the guard, Ashton tossed the gun to Korbin. He caught it and fired with deadly accuracy. The guard rocked backward and fell, his weapon never discharging.
“Well, that was fun.” Toni shook off a shudder and swept her arm toward the door. “After you.”
* * * * *
“The executive council is nothing if not predictable. They’ll convene an emergency session tomorrow at nine o’clock, and that’s when we make our move.”
Korbin heard the premier’s wife speak, but his mind had yet to accept that any of this was real. As if Ashton’s actions hadn’t been shocking enough, they’d shuttled to a remote flat to find Corry and Danette waiting for them. Palmer arrived a short time later, making Korbin’s stupor complete.
“When did you all turn rebel?” He looked everywhere but at Danette, afraid he’d give himself away. He’d thought of little else, aching to see her, touch her just one more time.
“Ashton converted on Temple-Tuttle.” Palmer smirked. “The rest of us took a little longer to convince.”