Irene has the portal device. My heart jumps into my throat.
Quick as a flash, Yaletha places her fingers on his arm and the man relaxes almost instantly. Is she controlling his nerves with the Starfire or just using her feminine wiles?
“Now, we gave you our weapons. We can keep our supplies,” she coos.
The guard looks to the shorter one. “They’re clean.”
My chest sinks as I let out a sigh of relief. The two men pilot us down a corridor and into a small room with two luxury couches and a tan chair. The furniture doesn’t match. One sofa is plush purple velvet and the other is a sleek, modern style with red fabric.
The one thing they have in common is that they are expensive. Each is highly detailed and well made, totally opposite the squalor outside. Apparently, Franky has enough connections and resources to get costly furniture, but maybe you can’t be too picky about the selection when you’re in a disaster area.
“Franky will be with you in a few minutes,” the shorter guard announces, closing the door.
Irene’s eyes scan the room, and her questioning gaze falls on me. “You think it’s bugged?”
“Bugged?” Javen asks before I can answer.
I glance up to inspect the corners of the room. “She means they might be listening.”
Understanding, Javen tips his head slightly, then nods as if saying that there are indeed listening devices.
The gesture brings me back to the night Javen helped me break into the Capitol building, back on Arcadia. Seems like a million years ago, but he could sense the surveillance devices then, too.
None of us says anything after that and I walk to the purple couch, lowering myself onto the fluffy seat. The cushion gives more than I expect and I sink a little into the seat. But no one else sits.
Before long, the door flies open and a man steps into the makeshift waiting room. It’s no real surprise to me that his clothing is as expensive as his furniture.
His hair is dark and slicked back against his head. Thick eyeliner paints the bottom rim of his eyelids, giving him a darker appearance, and there might even be pink blush on his cheeks.
“Irene!” The man’s voice is slightly higher than I expect, and he waves his hand into the air, holding it out to her. “Welcome back to the old neighborhood!”
Irene’s lips purse at the sight of him, but she quickly forces the expression into a tight smile. “Things have changed, Franky.”
“Oh, pshaw,” Franky huffs. “Sure, it’s gotten worse. But CosmicCoin is still plentiful if you know where to look.”
The man’s hand is still held out for her, awkward and potentially dangerous, but she finally inches toward him, taking it.
“Things haven't been the same without you,” Franky confesses, clasping Irene’s hand with great enthusiasm.
“Oh, I’m sure you’ve managed.” As she speaks, her eyes remain trained on him, and she doesn’t attempt to free her hand from his hold.
“How’d you get back on Earth anyway? No ships are coming out of the Turner except military ops. You got some special connections I should know about?”
My mind twirls with questions. How well does Irene know this Franky, and how many times has she done business with him before?
“I needed to make sure my aunt and cousins were okay. That’s all,” Irene says.
Franky eyes her suspiciously but then loosens his hold on her hand, shifting his attention to the rest of us. His eyes land on Yaletha first and brighten immediately. “Oooh. It’s like you’re from another world or something. I could have so many jobs for you.”
My heart picks up pace. Does Franky know more about us than he should? But how could he?
Taken by Yaletha’s exotic appearance, Franky reaches for her long, white braid and nearly touches it before she flicks her hair away. A low warning growl emerges from her throat.
He smiles wickedly, clearly unfazed by her threatening reaction, but raises an eyebrow at her. “Feisty, too. Even better.”
Before Yaletha slices his hand off—or worse—Beda steps forward. “We have business to do.” Fire burns in her expression, but her voice remains flat. “And it doesn’t involve . . . our bodies.”
Franky’s attention wavers back and forth between Yaletha and Beda as he clicks his tongue. “Too bad.” Yet his disappointment is short-lived. Ignoring both Javen and me, and without missing a beat, he swings around to Irene again, a wide smile stretching his lips. “So, Irene. I heard you had medicine. Not nearly as exciting as these two ladies but worth the Coin.”
Straightening her back, Irene stands tall. “From the looks of things around here, I’m sure you lack in the medical supplies department.”
“You were always very perceptive, Irene.” Franky points to the red couch. “Why don’t we have a seat and discuss what you would like in return,” he says, sauntering over to the couch.
As he takes his seat, his jacket flips open, and the black metal from a large blaster glints in the overhead light. He’s no idiot, but he has no idea who he’s dealing with here.
My attention flits to Javen, who has his ear turned to the door.
You hear something? I ask, but he doesn’t even turn his attention toward me.
Five or six armed guards are out there. If we make any moves, they’ll be in here instantly.
Irene moves toward Franky, planting herself to his right, though she doesn’t sit. “I have a feeling you know why I’m here, Franky.”
Franky’s gold ring-covered fingers drum on the couch’s arm as he mulls over her words. “You came back to Earth for Ada and those useless brats?” His tapping suddenly stops, his hand lying flat on the fabric. “Wait? How did you get back here to Earth? I don’t hear much about people coming back this way through the Turner Space Fold. They’re all going the other way, to Arcadia, but you gotta have a large amount of CosmicCoin to make that happen. I might have enough soon, if I can work a few deals,” he adds, momentarily distracted.
“They’re my cousins, Franky, not brats,” Irene growls, bringing him back to the present.
Franky waves his hand dismissively in the air. “I forget some people enjoy children. Now, where were we?”
“We were discussing Irene’s family,” I finally pipe in, tension building in my chest.
Franky whips his attention to me. “And who are you?” He narrows his eyes a bit. “Do I know you?”
There’s no way I want this guy to know I’m Richard Foster’s daughter. If he figures that out, visions of an overloaded CosmicCoin account will roll through his brain.
“She’s one of my friends.” Irene pulls his attention back to her and opens her bag, showing a stash of medicine vials, at least fifty. “Anti–bi–o–tics . . . Remember, Franky. Stay focused.”
His eyes widen, and it’s obvious he's already forgotten about the plainest girl here. The funds to be secured with that bag of Irene’s awaken his interest once more. Rising to his feet, Franky reaches for the bag. Irene snaps it shut before he can touch it.
“Information first,” Irene reminds him. “You took money from my Aunt Ada to move her and the kids someplace safe. Where are they?”
Franky falls back on the couch, lifting his gaze slightly as if in thought. After a second, his keen eyes return to Irene. “You’re in luck. They haven’t been moved yet.”
“You mean they’re still here?” Irene’s voice raises in pitch.
My breathing picks up at the news. Instinctively, I reach for Javen’s hand but pull back before our fingers can touch. I don’t want to give Franky any information about our group that he can later use against us.
Franky shrugs. “We can only get a few people out at a time. There’s only so many safe places out there.”
Irene’s shoulders droop. “You mean, you keep them here to do work for you while they’re ‘waiting.’”
“I like to think of it as utilizing available resources.” Franky crosses his arms over his chest.
“Take me to them,” Ir
ene orders with narrowed eyes. She steps toward Franky, but the hardened expression that falls over his face stops her in her tracks. “Please?”
“I like you, Irene.” Franky’s voice lowers. “I always have. And Ada never caused me any trouble . . . even did a few odd jobs for me along the way. But—” He scans around at our group. “I don’t think you kids are in any position to be making demands from me. You saw my men out there.”
At the silent threat, Beda puffs up her chest and plants her hands on her hips. The air is seemingly sucked from the room while the angry, anxious energy of each of my friends presses in on me.
Franky’s gaze shifts to Beda, fixing on our friend for a moment, his face unreadable, and I can’t help but hold my breath. We could take them and port out of here. Only that would mean we wouldn’t find out where Irene’s aunt and cousins are in this building, and I wouldn’t be able to attempt contact with Max. This entire trip would be a loss. Plus, we would reveal ourselves to this gangster.
Franky’s lips flatten, and just as I expect the worst, the man breaks into a chuckle. “You people have at least been interesting entertainment for the afternoon. There’s so little of that around here anymore.” Clearly amused, Franky leans forward on the couch, clasping his hands together. After a few seconds, he stands. “Entertainment . . . and the trade you brought have to be worth something.” He gestures toward the door. “Follow me, and I’ll have someone escort you to your family for a chat.”
Our group exchanges glances and my entire body breathes a sigh of relief.
We find several guards outside, just as Javen said there would be, but Franky lazily waves them out of the way. All the guards here are much larger and physically stronger than Franky, but something about him keeps each of them in check.
“Can we get our weapons back?” I ask while we trail behind him.
Franky turns his head just enough to see me for a brief moment. “You all are bold.” He leads us into the foyer where we entered originally. “Typically, I would say you get what you get—out of here alive—but today? Why not? I’m in a good mood.” He stops next to the short guard who brought us in here first and who now holds a box in his hands. “Sol, give these nice kids back their weapons and then escort them to holding facility ‘C.’ They’ll be seeing Ada and her kids.”
“Yes, boss.” Sol nods, still holding the container, and then his gaze fixes on us.
Franky spins on his heels to face Irene. “The medication.”
Bobbing her head once, Irene opens her sack, pulls out one of the vials and holds it out to Franky. Before he takes it from her, his finger taps the Connect on his wrist, swiping the screen, which begins to glow blue. He holds the medication over the display. A second later the Connect beeps, and he studies the screen.
“This is some high-quality stuff, Irene.” His attention bounces from the reader to her. “Not sure where you got it, but I’m not going to ask questions.”
Irene doesn’t speak. Instead, she proceeds to load the rest of her stash into the container.
My heart flutters as she does, and I can’t help but think about all those homeless families back in the hallways of Irene’s apartment building who probably could have used this medicine. They’ll never see any of it . . . not one drop. I’m sure each vial will be sold to the highest bidder.
Two new guards step forward and return our weapons to us. I take mine and turn it over to inspect it. Looks the same and in working order. But it's not like we can shoot one off in here to test it, so we holster the stunners in our waistbands.
When the last vials are placed in the box, the short guard hands it to Franky, who tips his head slightly to Irene. “Pleasure doing business with you. If you have more of this, we would be glad to take it off your hands.”
“Hopefully, we’ll never meet each other again, Franky,” Irene says, tucking the top of her bag closed.
Amused, Franky clicks his tongue. “Oh Irene, your heart has grown so hard for the old neighborhood.” Without waiting for a response from her, he turns and snaps his fingers. Several guards immediately come to his side, and he pushes the box into the hands of one of them. “Let’s go, boys. I’m getting bored.” He struts back down the hall and disappears.
“Now, take us to her family,” Javen says to the short guard.
“Follow me.” The man doesn’t even check to see if we follow as he heads out the door and onto the street.
We quickly trail after him and my chest becomes heavy again, partially from the air quality and partially from the destroyed city’s condition. He leads us several blocks over to a short building, only two stories high. Its façade is cracked, but it’s still standing. Four guards patrol outside with blasters slung over their shoulders.
Are the people inside being protected, or are they prisoners? My stomach turns over and I long to grab Javen’s hand in comfort. But I know it’s still a bad idea, so I close my eyes for a second, tapping into his mind. No words, just the connection. Immediately, he looks to me, and his thoughts wrap me into a tight hug. My body relaxes, and I’m able to continue.
“In here.” The guy gestures with his head at the entrance.
I’m the last to enter, and once inside, my lips part slightly at the sight. The room is open and the floor is crammed with people . . . old, young, parents, children. Anyone who was stupid enough to hand over CosmicCoin to Franky to get them out of the city. From what I can tell, each family or group has a section. Maybe a few feet each.
The smell that meets my nose is overpowering. It’s evident all these people have been stuck in here for days or even weeks—probably because of limited facilities and no showers. No one even looks up to notices us.
The short guard activates his Connect, scanning over the crowd before pointing to the building’s back left. “Ada Park’s square is over there.”
Irene’s face lights up, and she doesn’t even bother to say anything before sprinting in the direction he indicated.
CHAPTER 11
From across the room, a woman, with dark skin and hair pulled back into a tight bun turns toward Irene’s hurried approach. The woman’s eyes grow wide, and a smile stretches her lips for the briefest of seconds.
Irene reaches Ada first and embraces her tightly. The rest of us still work our way through the maze of people toward Ada’s family square. I keep my gaze forward. I’m not sure if I can look at Irene and her family without breaking down into tears. Heaviness from Javen’s emotions weighs on my shoulders, too, and it’s difficult for me to keep going.
I don’t know how much longer I can be here, he admits into my mind.
Releasing a slow, settling breath, my attention shifts back to Irene and her family. You can do it. We’ll go soon. My mind still moves to my desire to contact Max. I can’t just leave him.
“Why are you here?” Ada’s voice is full of fear.
Before Irene can answer, two kids, a boy and girl, race up to her and pull her from her aunt. Irene smothers them in kisses and pats the girl’s head, where the hair is pulled into pigtails.
“And who are these people?” Ada eyes us when we finally arrive.
Twisting my neck toward the entrance, I notice the guard who brought us here is still waiting by the door. Eyes set on us, he raises his Connect to his lips and speaks into it, but I return my attention to Irene’s aunt and cousins.
“These are my friends.” She looks to us for a second. “This is my Aunt Ada and my cousins Milo and Grace.” Offering a nervous smile, Grace leans into Ada. Lowering her voice, Irene says, “We’re getting you out of here.”
Ada pulls back and her forehead wrinkles, then she considers Milo and Grace. “I know you want to see Irene,” she says to them, “but first your cousin and I must do some talking.”
Milo groans.
“Mind what I say.” Ada’s stare hardens and the boy relents, taking his sister's arm to shuffle a few feet away to another section where a younger girl plays with a filthy doll.
Ada return
s her attention to Irene. “You being here is dangerous.”
“We made a trade with Franky to speak with you,” Irene argues.
Ada’s nostrils flare. “Now, you know Franky’s deals are never what they seem. Look at us stuck here!”
“Then why would you even come?” Irene asks. “If you knew Franky’s not honest, then you never should have given him access to your CosmicCoin.”
My stomach roils as they speak. We need to leave. The longer we stay, the more danger we put everyone in. We can’t open the portal right here in the middle of all these people. We must find someplace more secluded or we’ll start a riot.
“What else did you want us to do, Irene? I knew it was a long shot, but I needed to get these kids out of LA. They were going to die anyway—of starvation or something else. One small shuttle comes a day. We only got a few more days and it’ll be our turn.”
Irene scoffs. “Where is he taking you anyway?”
Averting her gaze, Ada turns to check on the kids. “We don’t know.”
“Then come with us,” Irene urges. “I promise we can get you out of here now.”
“You might be able to get in and out, but the kids and I will never make it past the city limits.”
Around us, people are starting to gawk, and Javen, Yaletha, and Beda have noticed. Their body language is tense, and their eyes keep darting between Ada and Irene.
At my side, Beda leans closer. “We need to move this along.”
“Hey, Irene?” Despite the circumstances, I try to make my voice as light as possible. “Why don’t we see if there’s someplace else to talk.”
Ada snaps her gaze my way. “Do you think if there was a place more private that we wouldn’t be there already?”
My chest tightens at her words. “I understand that, but there’s something we need to do and we can’t do it here. Is there another place we could go?”
Ada runs her hands along the sides of her pants while scanning the room. Her eyes land on the spot where I know the main exit with the guards is. She squints at them. “You kids aren’t in trouble with Franky, are you?”
The Starfire Wars- The Complete series Box Set Page 56