by test
“If you’re this worked up, Jo, we must be right in the grease in the frying pan!”
Samantha glanced over her shoulder at Tyler, and narrowed her eyes when she caught sight of the bloody stain on his pant leg. She pursed her lips together in anger, realizing that someone had gone and inflicted bodily harm on him. When she found out whom that someone was she was going to make sure they got one hell of a payback.
Tyler hefted Veronica into the car. Samantha had to admit that when push came to shove Tyler’s prowess and strength still made her tingle from head to foot.
He
was
all man. And at one point in time he’d been all hers. She wondered where they were going to go now that they were reunited. Granted, the circumstances were very unusual.
But she still had strong feelings for him. If it had been totally up to her, she’d carry on just where they’d left off. She’d always want Tyler as her husband. Hands down he was the best thing that had ever come into her life. The best thing she’d ever let come into her life. Some people said that she was a force of nature, but compared to Tyler they complimented each other in perfect harmony. Samantha swallowed and tried to pull her thoughts away from Tyler and what could have been. Instead, she focused her attention on Veronica who had become suspiciously silent. Veronica’s cheeks were a bright red, and her eyes still hadn’t lost their terror.
For one brief second Samantha actually felt sorry for the mean-spirited woman that is until she opened her great big trap.
“You’re mine now, Cassidy! ” Veronica bragged, looping an arm around him.
He immediately shrugged her off and served her with a disgusted stare.
“Oh, I think that you’re gravely mistaken, Big V,” Samantha remarked, while she worked the weapons control. “He’s mine and you can’t ever have him.”
Johanna shot her a grin. “Driving and working weapons control is a bloody nuisance. I should trust Aggie to do one or the other, but when my loved ones butts are at stake to be fried like a bright green tomato, I take the responsibility upon myself. You know, I don’t think the Deputies are going to let us go, with a ticket of congratulations,” Johanna mused. She easily weaved in an out through traffic, having finally dumped the last bogey on their tail.
“You’re all prisoners of mine, now!” Veronica declared, from the back seat. “Since you are helping to harbor a fugitive from the law, I feel quite certain that Lord Devlin will be sticking bounties on your heads… probably as we speak.”
“Listen to the inflated ass,” Samantha said to her sister. Johanna chuckled. “You know Veronica, I don’t see you in the driver’s seat, and from my perspective, I really don’t think that anyone will believe you weren’t aiding and abetting us.” Samantha shared a conspiratorial wink with Johanna.
She smiled as Johanna mouthed the words ‘you are bad’ at her.
“My sister and I haven’t gone the whole nine yards, just to have you come in and break down our proverbial door. You may sit there and shut up, while we come to a mutual agreement.
First of all, Tyler just saved your stinking life and you owe him. Secondly, I didn’t shake you off and let you fall to your death so you owe me. And thirdly, I am in no mood to take any bullshit from you. You can either agree with what I am about to propose, or you can try your luck at jumping out of Aggie.” Samantha turned around to face the now sputtering woman. “Look, I could use a woman like you on my team, while I search for Lady Devlin’s real murderer. You can agree to work with us in proving Tyler’s innocence beyond a reasonable doubt and then we RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 45
can split the bounty on the real murderer, or you can try your hand at sky walking. If I were you I’d pick the first choice.” Samantha hoped that her instinct was right on target with Veronica.
She knew how Veronica conducted business. She admired strength and abhorred weakness. So, if Veronica knew she’d just met her match, she’d probably be easier to deal with.
Veronica stared at her with heated daggers striking from her beady brown eyes. And if looks could kill, Samantha would’ve been greeting her maker.
“I should not be agreeing with you… you and I are rivals....” But though Veronica grumbled a great deal under her breath, she finally blew out a gust of wind right into Tyler’s face. He turned a puce color, and then leaned his head out the window for some fresh air. “You could use a breath mint or even better, a toothbrush,” he mumbled.
“Fine, ” Veronica licked her lips. “I’d like to take Tyler in, but you’re right, he has placed a reasonable doubt in my mind. I didn’t want to consider it at first, but the man did save my life.
Oh, hell. I guess we can come to an agreement that will be mutually beneficial,” Veronica relented, looking as if she’d sucked on a whole bag of sour lemons.
“But when I fulfill our agreement, I won’t owe you a damn thing. Deal?” Veronica asked, extending her dirt-smudged hand.
“Deal,” Samantha agreed, reaching to shake the woman’s man sized paw.
* * * *
“Aggie, open a channel via Lucy to Dylan,” Samantha said. They had a thirty-minute trip back to the docking bay. In the meantime, she could put Dylan’s mind at ease concerning Tyler.
So far they hadn’t been pursued and they were hoping their luck would hold out until they made it back to The Excalibur and off of New Monaco. The newly opened communication channel chimed, indicating it was secure for Samantha to talk. Because they were linking the communication channel through to The Excalibur, a miniature visual screen popped up in front of Samantha. She could see Dylan, but he wouldn’t be able to see her.
“Dylan! ” Samantha barked.
Dylan bumped his head on the console he worked under.
“Shit!” he cursed, hearing Samantha’s commanding tone. “What is it now, Samantha?”
he demanded, wiping his greasy hands off on his handkerchief. His eyes darted to one of the internal sensors that Aggie had fed through to gain visual. Samantha sighed deeply, and silently implored Tyler to keep his mouth shut.
“We’re on our way back. We should be arriving within the half hour,” Samantha said. At her words, Dylan’s entire face lit up.
“Please, tell me that you have him!” Dylan implored, sounding like a little boy on Christmas morning.
“Oh, ye of little faith,” Samantha snorted tossing her head at her sister. “Can you believe your dear husband?” she asked Johanna, slightly annoyed at his lack of trust.
“Of course she has me, butt brain,” Tyler said, bravely interrupting Samantha.
“Thank God,” Dylan breathed, turning toward Lucy who had just materialized out of nowhere.
“We have a guest knocking on our front door,” Lucy said primly, smiling at Dylan.
“We don’t have a front door, Lucy,” Dylan said tiredly. He moved toward the view screen, in engineering. Samantha watched as Lucy pulled up a scene of the activity going on outside of The Excalibur. Try as she might, the engineering view screen was too far away and too small for Samantha to catch sight of anything.
“You know what I mean,” Lucy huffed. She made a loud crackling noise and quickly RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 46
disappeared.
“Do this, Dylan, do that Dylan, kiss my ass Dylan,” he rambled. Samantha broke through the intercom. A grin broke out across her face. She’d really have a fun time calling him on that one.
“Say that again, Dylan. I don’t think that I quite heard it the first time,” Samantha teased, an edge of humor began creeping into her voice.
“Sorry,” Dylan mumbled. He darted a gaze toward the internal sensors and stuck his tongue out at her.
Then he turned back and quickly made his way to the ship’s hatch. He listened for a brief moment to the loud noise that slightly resembled a lawn mower as it blared out across the intercom.
“What in the known worlds is that bloody awful noise?” Dylan asked.
Back in the hover car Samantha turned and rolled in her
eyes in Veronica’s direction.
“That would be Veronica. She fell asleep about five minutes ago, and now she has decided to treat us to her wonderful snoring. I’d wake her up, but to be honest, I like her better this way.”
“Veronica? ” Dylan asked. “Okay, hold up. What exactly have I missed? How did you manage to get Tyler away from Veronica, and then get her to fall asleep in your car? I thought she was the proverbial bitch from hell. You don’t have her hog tied do you?”
“Actually, she’s working on our side now. It seems she decided that if she couldn’t fight us, she’d be better off joining us. It’s a long story, and we’re almost back to The Excalibur.
Johanna will no doubt be more than happy to fill you in on our little adventure, when we get there.”
“Little? ” Johanna scoffed, keeping her gaze riveted on the heavy traffic. “Samantha, that’s the frigging understatement of the bloody decade.”
“Well, we’ve had worse,” Samantha muttered.
“Yeah, that is true,” Johanna relented.
Dylan brought up the holographic scanning system and an image of a gigantic man filled the screen. This was definitely incoming trouble. Trouble that they didn’t need at the moment.
He dropped his engineering tools and reached for his pistol. The locks were still in place but by the looks of the man standing outside, he could barrel his way through a blockade if necessary.
“Holy crap,” Dylan exclaimed. Samantha’s concerned voice whirred through the intercom.
“What is it Dylan?” Samantha asked. “Johanna, can’t you go any faster?”
“Hey, I’m concerned too, but if I go any faster, we’ll never get to The Excalibur in one piece.”
“I
think
King Kong is knocking on our front door,” Dylan exclaimed, using Lucy’s not so technical phrasing.
“Say that again?” Samantha inquired. “Did you hear that Johanna? This sounds serious.”
“King Kong. The man standing outside is so big that he makes two of me,” Dylan said dumbfounded. He widened his eyes to a dangerous size, and balled his hands into fists. “This guy makes Old Carl Summers look like a shrinking violet!”
“Say that again? Carl Summers made two of you,” Samantha pointed out.
“Yeah, and this guy makes THREE!”
“Well, here’s some advice... just don’t let him in,” Samantha and Johanna both said at the same time.
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“Okay, I’m putting my foot on the pedal. We’ll be there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, Dylan. Just hang tight,” Johanna muttered.
“Samantha, do you honestly think I’m stupid enough to let him in?” Dylan shot back incredulously. He studied the man again. “Oh, my God, I think that he just tenderly picked a lady bug off of his coat, and then encouraged it to fly away. This is some scary shit! ”
Right at that moment the man pushed on the hail button yet again.
“You know, maybe I should at least open a channel to him. I sort of feel sorry for the big guy. He looks like he just lost his Mother.”
Samantha had to hand it to Dylan. He could feel sorry for a fire-breathing dragon if it looked cute. She sighed.
“You are far too big hearted for your own good,” Samantha remarked, praying for strength in dealing with her brother-in-law. “Fine. Open a channel. But for God’s sake do not close the channel that we are sharing.”
“Yes, my Queen,” Dylan murmured. He pushed the button, and a strangely hesitant voice filled the cargo bay.
“Hello? ” a deep slightly dumb sounding male’s voice filled Samantha’s ear.
“Yes?” Dylan asked.
The sound of Samantha’s heavy breathing, carried out over the intercom. She really didn’t like what was going on between Dylan and the guy dubbed King Kong. Being out of the loop, always made her ill at ease.
“I…I would like to know if you could help me in a serious matter. I’ve been everywhere else, and you are the only one that answered my hails. A lady named Lucy told me that there was someone inside, so I kept ringing. Hope you don’t mind,” he drawled out in a thick accent.
By the sounds of it he had to be from the New West on Jupiter Four.
“Lucy…I’m going to reprogram you,” Dylan muttered beneath his breath.
“Finally. I’ve been asking you to do that for ages! What does he need help with, Dylan?”
Samantha inquired. The hairs on the nape of Samantha’s neck stood on end.
“I was just about to get to that!” Dylan snapped off, holding his finger on the intercom so the man outside wouldn’t be able to overhear their conversation.
“What do you need help with, big guy?” Dylan asked amiably, leaning against the wall.
“I can’t find my wife,” The man said, clearing his throat. He took his hat off and began nervously wringing it through his hands. “I found what was left of her space ship and I’m kind of worried.” He chewed his lower lip and stared up at the doorway.
“What’s your name?” Dylan asked, suddenly wanting to know much more about the man that looked like he was a giant out of a fairy tale.
“The name’s Ross Duncan, sir,” he said, shifting uneasily. “I just need to know what happened to my Betsy. She hasn’t gotten in touch with me in ages, and that isn’t like her. I don’t have anywhere else to go.” Ross sounded heartbroken.
“Oh, man,” Dylan sighed. He wondered why Samantha remained suspiciously silent, and then their communication was cut off. Desperation surged through him as he heard Johanna’s frightened scream.
“Johanna!” he cried. Ice pierced straight through his heart.
“Samantha, call up those weapons,” Johanna yelled.
Veronica was finally awakened by her deep slumber. She woke up and immediately pulled her phase pistol from its holster. “Doesn’t this bucket of bolts, have any defensive systems?” she demanded, leaning out the window and shooting at the pursuing vehicle. She RECKLESS BOUNTY Marly Mathews 48
winged the side of it, and smiled with satisfaction. “Woo-hoo got you. You dirty little bugger,”
she hollered.
“Yes, of course Aggie has defensive weapons, but at the moment they’re down,”
Samantha shouted over the din of gunfire. “I told you that Dylan’s little ‘patch’ jobs wouldn’t be good enough, Johanna. Now when our butts are on the line we don’t have anything to defend ourselves with.” Samantha looked at Johanna. Then, she too, took Veronica’s lead, and leaned out the window to shoot at the vehicles in pursuit.
Samantha grunted as Johanna hauled her back inside.
“What the hell are you trying to do?” Johanna and Tyler shouted at the same time.
“I’m trying to save our skinny little butts,” Samantha retorted angrily, jerking away from Johanna. “Well, if you guys want to be left vulnerable, then see if I care!” Samantha stubbornly crossed her arms. “Alright, I care!” she admitted, leaning out the window, and throwing one of her homemade grenades at the hover mobile.
It imploded upon impact and the force of the explosion, sent the hover car careening to its doom. “Bail. You idiots, bail,” Samantha yelled, breathing with relief, when two forms ejected from the car.
As Samantha watched, five other New Monaco National Sherriff’s hover cars surrounded them. So, the Sheriff wasn’t as dumb as she’d originally thought. She wasn’t infallible.
“Oh, boy,” she breathed, feeling her stomach muscles tighten. “Please, surprise me by saying that we have weapons control!” Samantha pleaded, staring over at Johanna.
“I’m afraid not, Samantha,” Johanna replied.
Veronica slapped her hands on her legs. “You two run quite the operation. What are you two, Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum?”
“Well, it’s been a good life,” Johanna decided, taking a deep breath and flying straight toward the nearest car. “Hang on tight, gang,” Johanna shouted. She charged the nearest car.
Then from out of nowhere, The Excalibur appeared, and its sophisticated weaponry disabled all five-hover mobiles in one swift blow.
“Dylan, you’re a bloody lifesaver,” Samantha breathed, resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at the surrounding hover mobiles that were trying desperately to land.
“You know it! ” Dylan’s triumphant voice blared out over the intercom.
Dylan opened the docking bay doors, and Johanna quickly guided Aggie into The Excalibur. They landed gently, and Samantha sighed with relief.
“Home sweet home,” she breathed.
Aggie opened her doors, and everyone eagerly jumped out.
Tyler stared around at his surroundings. He hesitantly moved closer to Samantha. She felt him brush against her. Electricity rippled through her. It was so good to have Tyler back where he belonged. Although she wanted to pay Tyler some attention, she couldn’t stop gawking at the sight in front of her.