She started as a big man came lumbering toward them out of the gloom of the forest.
When her escort said nothing to him, she guessed he was Nyler.
“You wanted me, Ridgeman?” Nyler asked when he was closer. His tone was respectful.
“Up the trail. Vang shot someone. Needs help carrying him.”
Nyler gave a grunt of acknowledgement and kept going.
The noise of the mine was getting louder, and then suddenly the trees were behind them and they stood in a small field. To one side, there was the deep slash of the cave entrance, dark and high, and to the other, all the equipment they’d seen from above.
What they hadn’t seen was around the curve of the mountain itself were structures built up against the rock face.
Ridgeman waited for a hover to pass them, headed into the cave, then pulled her across the busy working area and toward those buildings.
They had just reached the first one when a roar of sound dropped out of nowhere, getting louder and louder until Velda ducked her head, wishing she could put her bound hands to her ears.
Ridgeman turned and she did, too, as a big ship landed in the open space where they had just been standing.
The moment it touched the ground, a ramp lowered and someone stood at the end of it, impatiently waiting for it to get low enough that they could jump down.
The person—a woman in a dark uniform—strode toward them, face grim.
Ridgeman looked down at Velda, as if suddenly realizing he was still holding her arm, and turned, addressing someone behind them. “Take her. Lock her up. Vang’s bringing her friend.”
Velda looked over her shoulder, saw the arrival of the ship had brought five or six people out of the various buildings.
Ridgeman shoved her in their general direction and turned, heading for the ship. With a quick, furious look at Ridgeman’s back, a tall, muscular woman closed her hand over Velda’s forearm.
“No problem, Ridgeman,” she said, but under her breath. “Your wish is my command.”
A few of the people around her sniggered.
“The Commander has spoken.” Another woman stepped up to look at Velda. “Hear and obey.”
“He’s just stressed, is all,” one of the men said. “He doesn’t mean to sound like that.”
“You keep believing that, Fred.” The man who spoke opened the door closest to where they were standing. “Put her in here, Neena. There’s a couch.”
He stepped to the side and Neena pushed her into the room.
“Why’s your friend so far behind?” The woman who’d made the crack about ‘hear and obey’ stepped in after them.
“He was shot. They’re carrying him in.” She realized her throat tightened up as she spoke, just thinking about Ethan, hurt and vulnerable.
“Here they come.” The man who’d opened the door shook his head. “Vang and Nyler are carrying him between them.”
Something eased a little inside Velda, and she took stock of the room.
It was clearly used for planning and admin. There were diagrams on the board, stacks of paper on a trestle table, which served as a desk, and a long couch with a small side table up against a wall.
Neena turned her to face the door again and released the restraints on her wrists. “Sit.”
She moved to the couch, rubbing her arms, and sank down. It wasn’t a very well-sprung couch, but it was a relief to rest. She had been pushing herself since they heard the engine noise late last night.
“Can I have my pack back?” she asked. Ridgeman had dumped it on the ground when he’d pushed Velda at the group. “Get my water bottle?”
Fred brought it in, and Neena took it, opened it, and unpacked it. She put Velda’s clothes in a neat pile, her toiletries in another, and handed her the water bottle before she set out the camping equipment. “No food?” she asked, fingering the sleeping bag.
