SharedObjectives

by Chandra Ryan

  She pressed her body more tightly against his in answer and then wiggled her hips seductively. Her fingers twined through his hair as she kept her other arm wrapped around his back, as if she’d need to hold him to her to keep him there. It was a ridiculous idea. He’d stay for an eternity if that was what she wanted.

  All too soon, though, she relaxed her grip and backed away from him. Only a breath of space separated them but it was too much as far as he was concerned. “You came for me.” She ran her fingers down the side of his face lightly.

  “We always will.” He smiled as he looked down at her. “But it looks as if you had things pretty well under control before we showed up.”

  She smiled back even as her eyes shone with unshed tears. “We?” She looked around expectantly. “Where’s Dixie?”

  “His men went looking for Dr. Antihway.” Ben kept her pinned to his side as he walked back to his reader. “I should probably let him know we found you.”

  “Actually I found you.”

  “Noted.” He typed in the message and then started to download the remaining folders. “I see you made a couple of new friends.” He nodded at the two people who were now standing with his men. “Next time, though, try to find some who play nice.”

  “He just woke up. He’s a little confused,” she said softly. “Besides, they saved my ass. That’s nice enough for me. Her name is Harlow, by the way. He hasn’t picked one yet.”

  He nodded and then said, “Thank you for keeping her safe. You have no idea how much it means to me.” Emotion choked the words and made it hard to speak.

  “She’s my friend.” Harlow smiled softly. “I’m told that’s what friends do.”

  It only took a minute for Dixie to reply back. Dr. Antihway had used the chaos to escape. It would take more than their resources to track him down. And now that they had Lisa and the evidence, Dixie didn’t appear inclined to even make an attempt. He and his men were heading to Ben’s coordinates.

  His reader beeped for the final time just before Dixie and his men emerged from an adjoining corridor. Lisa ran to Dixie and threw herself into the man’s arms. And, if Ben had any doubts as to his ability to share the woman, they disappeared in that moment. As he watched Lisa passionately kiss Dixie, there was no jealousy. Instead he felt complete. It didn’t even bother him when he saw a couple of men nudging each other and casting questioning glances toward him out of the corner of his eye.

  He turned to face the soldiers. “Is there a problem?”

  One man had the decency to blush and squirm uncomfortably. The other, however, had no problem voicing his issue. “I was just wondering how many men she welcomes that way. And how one goes about signing up.”

  Dixie moved so fast Ben barely had time to get between the men. “Not a smart move, man,” Ben said to the soldier. “Not only are you talking about the mother of my child, she also happens to be my world. And Dixie’s life.” He tossed a glance over his shoulder to make sure Lisa was listening. “As soon as we get back to Ontesys she’ll be our wife. If she’ll have us.” There. It was out in the open. Now everyone knew how deeply he and Dixie cared for Lisa.

  “Are you serious?” Her voice was soft but Ben thought he heard hope in her words. “Both of you?”

  “This really isn’t the time or place,” Dixie answered as he threw one last glare at the soldier in front of Ben. “But we need you. We love you.”

  Ben’s heart echoed painfully in his ears as he waited for her answer. If she said no, could they just continue on as they had been or had he just ruined everything?

  “Feel free to give an answer as soon as you have one.” Dixie sounded every bit as nervous as Ben felt. It was comforting to know.

  “Of course I’ll marry you. I love you.” She beamed as she looked between the two men. “Both of you.”

  Ben’s whole body sagged as he released his breath. He hadn’t realized how tense he’d become waiting until the moment she said she’d marry them. That she declared her love in front of everyone only topped it. She was theirs officially now.

  “Thank god.” Dixie pulled Ben into a warm embrace of celebration. The move probably sparked another round of pointed looks and squirming amongst their men but for the first time in his life Ben didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to him was his family. “Then let’s get off this cursed rock. It gives me the creeps.”

  “But the life forms—” Lisa started.

  “Are safe. And they’ll stay that way until the proper authorities have been contacted.”

  “They’ll use them. Turn them into weapons. Strip them of their rights.”

  Ben had seen this coming. “We might not be able to protect them from everything. But we’ll do our best to make sure they avoid the worst of it.”

  “How?” Her gaze slid over to Harlow and the unnamed man and Ben could almost feel her protectiveness toward the two.

  “We’ll make sure we tell the right authorities.” He turned his attention to Harlow. “We only want what’s best for Lisa and she wants what’s best for you. Will you trust us?”

  Harlow studied him for a moment and Ben could’ve sworn he felt something brush against his mind. Then she nodded. “Yes.”

  * * * * *

  Ben walked down the passageway with Lisa and Dixie. The stress of the last month pulsated around them but in a few minutes it’d all be over. They’d be able to make good on their marriage proposal and start their new life. They just had to make sure they honored their word to Harlow first. And that had proven to be a challenge.

  It’d taken weeks to decipher the data Ben had downloaded in Dr. Antihway’s lab and then another couple of weeks for him to convince Michael the story would make and not destroy his career. With some of the experiments they’d discovered in the mad scientist’s notes, Michael had cause to worry. Funding the creation of soldiers was bad enough. But some of the things Dr. Antihway did with government funding were worth killing to keep hidden.

  Thankfully he’d been able to convince Michael that they’d all be safest once it was out in the open. The doctor’s secrets only had value if they remained secrets. Michael had finally conceded. And soon this would all be in the past for them. Then they’d make everything official. They’d marry Lisa and Dixie would adopt Nate. Ben couldn’t imagine a better ending.

  When they reached the conference room, Ben pressed his hand against the biometric reader and the door opened with a hiss. Inside he found Michael, the representative Jasper Lee, and the unmistakable Ahnal Lee waiting for them.

  “A representative?” Lisa hissed in question. “Here? In a Coalition base?”

  “You must be Dr. Colt.” Jasper stood and then held his hand out to her. “You certainly do know how to cause a stir.”

  She held her hand out but then pulled it back. “I didn’t cause any of this, Mr. Lee.”

  He looked momentarily shocked and then smiled. “I mean no ill will, Doctor. You have nothing but my respect and admiration after everything you’ve endured in the name of the truth. But your adventure has been well documented.” He still held his hand out patiently and Ben was relieved when Lisa finally reached out to take it. When Jasper released her hand, he, Dixie and Lisa took that as a cue to sit down. “Your name has reached so far that even my wife has heard it. She was green with envy when I told her she couldn’t come with me today.”

  Ahnal chuckled under his breath but then did his best to cover it with a cough.

  “You find Kat’s displeasure amusing, Father?” Jasper turned to look at the man.

  Ben stared at Jasper in confusion as Jasper sank once more into his chair. Sure, he’d recognized that they had the same last name but he’d never heard they were related. A representative and a Coalition advocate in league together? That would make for an interesting alliance.

  “I love Kat in sunshine and in storms,” Ahnal said. “Especially when it’s not me she’s blustering at.”

  “I’ll be sure to convey the message,” Jasper said dryly. �
�Now, to the business at hand. I’ve been told you’ve recovered evidence that incriminates several government officials?”

  Michael handed Jasper the reader that had the decrypted documents on it. They all sat in silence as the man read through the reports and then he handed them to Ahnal. “And the Subservients? I’ve been told you were able to successfully wake two of them from their stasis chambers?”

  “Harlow and Sterling. Yes.” Lisa fidgeted in her chair as she spoke. “They are here.”

  “Would you be willing to discuss your findings?” Jasper folded his hands in front of him as he asked the question.

  “I won’t show you how to safely wake them just so you can treat them like property. Or worse, send them after other modified soldiers who’ve left the military and now only want to live in peace.”

  “I have no intention of doing that.” He dug a reader out of his briefcase and pulled up a file before handing it to her.

  “What is this?”

  “It’s legislation I introduced two months ago that gives any sentient beings, created or otherwise, protected status.”

  “You proposed this two months ago? How did you know that long ago?”

  He looked over at Ahnal and smiled. “I have my sources.”

  She read through the piece and was astounded when she reached the end. “This says it passed.”

  “Nobody involved wanted to be caught protesting what was thought to be a purely academic piece of legislation. If they yelled too loud, people were bound to start asking why.”

  “This doesn’t give them citizenship or even legal rights, though.” She scrolled through the document again just to make sure she was right.

  “It’s a start. We need time for the rest.”

  “But the more Subservients out there, the louder their voice will be,” Ahnal said.

  Lisa looked at Ben and Dixie. “What do you think I should do?”

  “What they say makes sense. Nobody’s going to want to give rights to a bunch of beings who are being kept in stasis chambers,” Dixie said.

  Ben nodded his agreement. “They might be alive right now, but they aren’t really living, Lisa.”

  She nodded. “You give me your word you’ll do everything you can to protect them and I’ll teach your scientists how to fix them.”

  “You have a deal.” Jasper stood and held his hand out to Lisa again. “The story should hit by late tonight, which will give me time to file the paperwork to create a new committee to protect created life. Once I’m named the chairperson, I’ll have the authority to make sure they’re not abused.”

  “I’ll need to interview Harlow for the story.” Michael had been so quiet that Ben had almost forgotten he was there. “The people need a face to identify with and I think hers would serve your cause better than Sterling’s.”

  “You’re probably right but I’m going to have to ask her first.”

  “I understand.”

  “So, if that’s everything, I have to be going.” She smiled and then winked in Ben and Dixie’s general direction. “I have a wedding to get ready for.”

  Michael nodded. “Absolutely. And let me be the first to wish you a blessed marriage.”

  Ben smiled at the soft blush that spread over Lisa’s cheeks. “Thank you.”

  As she stood to leave, the men in the room stood with her. But after she’d shaken hands with them, Ben watched her leave and then took his seat again. “And now on to the next topic. I’m sure you know by now that Dr. Colt developed a cure for the NB-7 dependency in genetically enhanced soldiers.” He had intentionally waited for Lisa to leave to bring this up.

  “I have. And I’ve heard the Coalition has been very successful in administering this cure.”

  “One hundred percent success rate.”

  “And now you’d like to offer the procedure to the military?” Jasper asked.

  “We would.”

  “What are your terms?”

  So Jasper didn’t trust their motives. Not a surprise. Ben was waiting for Jasper to deliver on his promises before he decided if he trusted Jasper or not. “Just that the military use it,” Ben countered.

  Jasper cocked his head as he studied Ben. “The Coalition would be losing its main recruiting point.”

  Dixie leaned forward. “We don’t care if they’re on our side. We just want them to have the ability to choose.”

  “Noble sentiment.” Jasper shook his head. “I don’t know what I was expecting when I came here today. But after everything I’d heard about the Coalition, I feared this trip would only serve to make relations worse. I’ve never been so happy at being proved wrong.” He stood and shook Ben’s hand and then Dixie’s.

  “And I had my reservations about meeting with a representative but I’m glad we did.” Dixie nodded and then stepped away from the table. “I hope we’ll continue to work together.”

  “I think that’d be a step in the right direction.” Jasper gathered his stuff as he prepared to leave. Taking their cue from him, Ahnal and Michael did the same. “I’ll pass along your offer regarding the NB-7 dependency. It’s my sincere hope we can work something out.”

  “Mine too.” Dixie and Ben followed the other men out of the conference room.

  As they left the men at the security checkpoint, Ben found that the whole experience had him feeling rather optimistic about the future. The walk to the Coalition chapel was a short one but it felt as if each step took a lifetime. When they walked through the door, though, they were treated with a glimpse of their future bride. She wasn’t wearing the traditional red silk gown and there were no rubies adorning her hair but never in all his life had he ever seen a more lovely bride.

  “How did we ever get so lucky?” Ben asked the question softly but he still thought he heard Lisa laugh.

  “Don’t ask that question too loud,” Dixie teased. “We wouldn’t want her to know how crazy we are about her.”

  This time he was certain he heard her laughter. “Give it up, boys. I’m already on to you. Now get those lovely asses up here and marry me already.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Lisa adjusted her weight as she aimed the gun. “When you suggested a honeymoon, this isn’t what came to mind.” The private cabin and the woods that surrounded it were ideal. The weapons training, however, wasn’t. She braced herself for the kickback and then squeezed the trigger. The laser burst hummed through the air but was wide. It barely singed the side of the paper target. It hadn’t even come close to the outline of the man. “Though, with my weapon skills, I’m glad Nate is staying with a sitter and nowhere near here right now.”

  Dixie chuckled but then pressed his body against her back. Now this was what she’d had in mind. She rubbed her ass against the bulge growing behind his trousers, but he ignored her attempt at distracting him and reached around her to help adjust her aim. “If you insist on saving every new life form you stumble upon, you’re going to need to know how to protect yourself.”

  She resisted the urge to shiver as his breath caressed the shell of her ear. She loved the tingling feeling that took root in the pit of her stomach whenever one of her men was near, but at the mention of the Subservients she pushed against the sensation. She couldn’t be distracted right now. Not when she needed to address her recent concerns. “Do you think they’re okay?”

  “Who?”

  “The Subservients. We haven’t heard anything. Do you think Lee kept his word?”

  “It’s only been a week. Give the man some time.”

  She knew he was right. Still, it was hard not to worry about them. “How much time?”

  Dixie sighed and then rested his chin on the top of her head. “Give him a couple of months. If we haven’t heard anything by then, I’ll check into it.”

  “Thank you. I feel much better.”

  “Good. Now, back to target practice.”

  He and Ben were going to make her practice until she proved she could hit something. She might as well get it over with. She took a b
reath, exhaled and then fired the weapon. This time the burst burned a hole through the target’s arm. “I hit him.” She smiled and rubbed her ass against Dixie again.

  He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “Just barely.”

  “But I did hit him.”

  “That’s a technicality. If he’d been an attacker, you would’ve been dead long before getting that shot off and singeing his arm hairs.”

  She turned the weapon’s safety on and then slid it into its holster. “Rules are a set of defined technicalities. And he isn’t an attacker. He’s a piece of paper taped to a bale of hay. And I hit him.” She turned around to face Dixie and then smiled. “Time to pay up, mister.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders so she could caress the back of his neck. “Or are you going to cop out?”

  He pulled her to him and ground his hips against her. “Are you questioning my honor?”

  “That depends.” She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. “Are you going to make good?”

  “Oh, I’ll make good.” He dipped his head until his mouth met hers. His lips were warm and soft. Unable to stop it, she moaned under the sensual onslaught. Dixie’s tongue slid along the seam of her mouth and as she opened herself to him, her head swam with raw need.

  “Is she ready for sniper training already?” Ben’s voice cut through the haze but only added heat to the fire burning through her body.

  Dixie broke the kiss to look up at their third. “She hit the paper and called me on it.”

  “I did better than hitting the paper.” She tugged on his hair. “I hit the target.” Her voice was husky and the words were unsteady but she squared her shoulders in a show of bravado.

  Ben walked over to the target and looked at it for a second before nodding. “She did hit the target.”

  “And I kissed her. Now all she has to do is manage a kill shot and I fuck her until she can’t see straight.”