She held it, gave the tiniest head shake and mouthed ‘trust me’, to him.
Because damned if they were going to give up the bridge and go back into a cell.
No way.
She would find a way out of this while he held the ship’s controls.
She saw him consider the alternatives, when suddenly one of the guards seemed to shake off their surprise and opened fire on him. As he jumped back and closed the doors, he looked conflicted.
“Next time anyone shoots at him, aim for the head.” Sylvester almost growled the words. “So he doesn’t get back up again.”
Someone came running down the passage and everyone, obviously still on edge, spun in that direction, weapons up.
Linao skidded to a stop. “What’s going on? Vine says there are five crew unconscious in the launch bay.” She caught sight of Velda, with her father’s laz against her head, and she stopped dead. “Careful,” she said.
“Are you talking tome?” Sylvester sounded outraged.
“Yes. You haven’t ever used a laz, as far as I know,” Linao said. “We don’t want Velda hurt accidentally.”
Velda remembered Linao had touched her in the med bay. Had pressed her fingertips into her cheek.
She doesn’t want you to be harmed, the silver balls said.Neither does the medic.
How long will that last?Velda asked them.
Uncertain, was the answer.We have never done it before.
Linao and Yarmouth were obviously still feeling that sense of protection, so she would have to either get them to touch her again or make a move as soon as possible.
“I’ll take her to a cell,” Linao said, nodding toward Velda.
“You’re not up to full strength yet,” Yarmouth said. “I’ll do it.”
“No, I will.” Sylvester hadn’t made skin contact with her yet, but now he did, pulling her hard up against his chest with his hand resting just under her throat.
He turned and forced her to walk like that, uncomfortably close, and she tripped and staggered, gagging as his hand accidentally choked her more than once.
Eventually, he loosened his hold and rested his fingertips on her neck, and she noticed the laz no longer pressed up against her head, either. Or anywhere else.
Others came along with them, walking behind Sylvester, and she realized only when Sylvester led her into a large suite and finally let her go that it was Yarmouth and Linao who’d followed him, as well as Brink.
“What’s going on, Sylvester?” Brink asked. “What’s the plan?”
“We need to get the bridge back,” Sylvester said, but he didn’t have the same rage he’d had earlier.
“Ethan will cut his own throat for her, he’ll definitely give up the bridge,” Linao agreed.
“Then why didn’t he do that?” Brink asked.
“He was ducking the shots,” Yarmouth said. “Maybe if no one had used their weapons he would have come quietly.”
“Maybe.” Linao nodded slowly. “What do you think, Velda?”
Velda looked around for a chair and sat down slowly. Might be useful to still pretend she was getting over an injury. “I think Yarmouth is right. He acted on instinct, ducking away. But also, you’ve threatened to kill us quite a few times since we’ve been your prisoners, Linao. If he gave up the bridge to save my life, what’re the odds it would really be saved?”
There was silence.
“That’s true,” Brink said. “I heard you tell them they were both as good as dead myself.”
