“Curious?”
Jin nodded.
Baran winked at him.“It’s my little secret.”
Humiliated, Sariah trained her gaze over their heads, refusing to look at any of them.Kira caught the shake in her hands before they clenched into fists.
Sariah met Kira’s gaze, the depth of fury burning in her eyes taking Kira off guard for a split second.She could see the rage eating away at Sariah’s insides, twisting her into something ugly and spiteful.
Before she could think about what that might mean for her future, station security swept through the corridors.The brave—and/or stupid—rubbernecked, lingering in doorways and the windows of bars and whorehouses, commenting to each other as security surrounded Kira and the rest.
Those with guilty consciences rushed to disappear.They vanished into the nooks and crannies of the surrounding area.Like rats abandoning a sinking ship.Gone long before anyone else realized they were ever there.
“Quite the welcome carpet they’ve rolled out for you,” Flame drawled.
Noticing Kira’s glance, he winked and lifted his hand to wiggle his fingers at her.
“We’ve received reports of a disturbance,” a woman said.
Kira glanced at her chest.The upside down chevron proclaimed her a sergeant.That made her this group’s ranking officer.Her last name was Fitzpatrick.
Jin looked perplexed.“Since when does Titan respond to disturbance calls?”
Sergeant Fitzpatrick acted like she hadn’t heard Jin.“I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us.”
Raider jerked his head at the bar where Gator and the rest of his underlings were showing signs of stirring.“What about them?”
Sergeant Fitzpatrick barely glanced at the humans before stepping to the side and sweeping out her arm.“This way please.”
“Ah, I see how it is,” Raider said.
Kira did too.
Security saw them as outsiders.Gator and his cronies belonged where Kira and the others did not.
“What do you want to do?”Kira asked Graydon in a low voice.
They had a couple of options.
Fighting their way out was always a popular one.
Of course, that would likely create an intergalactic incident and ruin Graydon’s chances of tracking down Ta Sa’Riel’s attackers.
They could also flee.Kira knew Titan like the back of her hand.She was confident she could make them disappear for a short time.
But again, that would squash Graydon’s ability to investigate.
Really, there was only one acceptable course.The least palatable of their choices and the one she knew Sariah and Jarek would object to the most.
Which was why she’d decided to defer to Graydon on this decision.
After all, hewasin charge.
Graydon turned a calculating gaze on their escort.“With an invitation as generous as theirs, what kind of guests would we be to turn it down.”
Fitzpatrick’s people surrounded them.
Sariah jerked away from the human behind her.“This is ridiculous.Don’t touch me.”
