Security checkpoints waved them through, and within minutes they were back on the airfield—a private one owned by the EPED. With the image of his new ship downloaded into his head, and all the codes that ran it, he powered it on from a distance and followed the thread of electricity that now bound them.
All the while, he scanned the databases with the faces of the men that tried to abduct Vee.
She was quiet and shaking under his arm. Cypher was ready to taste blood. If she was now afraid of him, he would fix that. Everything else, he would fix too. It just might take a little more time.
Who’s after her?Cypher’s lips twisted.
Vengeance returned to his mind. He pressed Vee to hasten her steps as they neared his new vessel.
When it came into view, the hatch lowered and a ramp came down to meet them.
“Here we are,” he said.
“That’s…that’s your new ship?” Vee whispered in awe, finally breaking her silence.
He gazed up at it. “Yeah.”
TheRepossessed.A fitting name for a remodeled ship that once belonged to his brethren. Long and sleek, it was nearly ten times the size of his cruiser. With better speed, better arsenal, several floors, and a state-of-the-art medical and scientific lab, theRepossessedwas a thousand times more expensive than his cruiser. It was better in every way.
He was certain Nightheart had his bugs hidden throughout to spy on him.
Not one for sentimentality, he helped Vee up the ramp.
If she thought her contract was expensive, she was going to be in for a rude awakening for how much Nightheart paid forhim.How much a Cyborg really cost.
As the hatch lifted, he set Bees down and scanned the area. New ship or not, money or not, freedom or not, what Cypher wanted most was someone else’s death.
He flushed the smell of the man’s urine from his senses and twisted back around right as the hatch closed tight.
17
Staring at the ship around her, Vee didn’t know how to feel. Adrenaline made her breathless and strained her body. And she hurt. It was like the few days of escape Cypher had given her hadn’t happened at all.
She watched Bees run down a glistening corridor before stopping to hiss at a vent, and all she could focus on was the terror of being manhandled by strangers. She rubbed the feel of their hands from her arms.
For the first time, she really considered quitting—everything.
Cypher pulled her into his side, and she melted against him. “Come, there’s a medical lab situated farther in. Let’s check you out.”
“I’m fine.” She tried to push away.
He picked her up in his arms instead and carried her forward. “I’m sure you are, but do it for me anyway. Your cat clawed you pretty good.”
Vee sighed and rested her head against his chest.
If Cypher hadn’t been there…She wrenched her eyes shut. She didn’t want to finish the thought.
He pulled her even closer. Nuzzling him once, she inhaled his scent and opened her eyes to look at him. His face was stony and cold, strangely focused, like he was on a mission, but she didn’t think it had to do with finding the lab.
When they reached the lab shortly after, Vee couldn’t help looking around the large space, which was crisscrossed by walkways above. Huge glass enclosures stood on all sides with doors between them, each hooked up with screens and lights. Smaller enclosures sat in the central space. Some had plants within—exotic vibrant green plants. A clean chemical smell tickled her nostrils, threatening to replace Cypher’s scent.
She swore she saw an enclosure with a giant multi-storied cat tree in it that surrounded the interior on every wall, including the glass.
For Bees?
Couldn’t be.Vee shook her head.
He didn’t stop as he walked them through double doors at the end that zipped open when they neared. It led to another hallway, even cleaner and more glistening, newer than the one they entered from the hatch.
