“Two thugs broke into my apartment right after I got home from work.I got away, but all I had was my tool bag and the takeout that I’d picked up for dinner.”My mouth watered just thinking about those noodles.
Burn had flipped the chair around and straddled it.“How’d you get away?”
“I jumped out the window and ran.”I absently rubbed my left shoulder.The memory lingered longer than the pain had.
“Holy shit.”Was that admiration in Burn’s voice?
“Yeah.”I’d do it again if I had to, but I really hoped my window-jumping days were behind me.
“Why the spaceport?”She sounded genuinely curious, but for now I needed to treat this like an interrogation, no matter how friendly it might seem.
“Elegium is an asteroid station.It’s more spaceport and docks than anything else.Plus, that’s where I spent most of my time.”
“Why not go to security?”
I laughed.“Dax asked me the same thing.It honestly didn’t cross my mind.Fight or flight,” I said with a shrug.“I chose flight.”Literally.
She whistled.“That’s some story.You got any proof?”
And there it was.The interrogation.
“Med bay should have a record of my injuries.Dax took me there to get fixed up.”I didn’t think she’d have access to the med bay files, but if Dax asked, I’d share my records.
“What did the men who broke into your place want?”
Deciding to stick as close to the truth as I could, I shared what I’d told Dax.“I didn’t know at the time.Since then, I think they were looking for a data chip.”
“Do you have it?”Her gaze never left me.
“I do.”
I let the silence between us grow, while I determined how much else I was willing to share.I held her gaze and watched her wrestle with whether to ask.
Curiosity got the best of her.“What’s on the chip?”
“My sister’s research.And an indication that she’s been kidnapped.”Though I spoke matter-of-factly, my stomach clenched with worry.It had been four days since I’d received the chip and I was no closer to knowing what had happened to Layla.
“Holy shit!What are you going to do?”
“Working on it.”What else could I say?Telling her that Dax had agreed to help seemed like something he should tell her.
She slapped her hands on her thighs and stood.“Let me know if we can help.Sisters should stick together.”There was something in her voice, sadness, maybe, when she said that.
Her offer was the last thing I expected.“Oh.Thanks.”
She gave me a small smile.“Look, I’m sorry about what I said.What I called you.But don’t get comfy here.We’re picking our mechanic up at the next stop, so we won’t need you anymore.”
Something else I’d let Dax tell her.I just nodded.
“I better go find another room.”Burn grabbed her bag off the chair and let herself out.
I stared at the door long after it had closed behind her.I’d told Burn the truth or at least as much as I could right now.
25
Lacy
The vibeon the ship had changed since we picked up Burn.It was no longer me and Dax, trying to figure each other out.Burn’s presence tipped the scales toward Dax.
