Twice, they had to reroute to avoid security.Since their entry onto the docks hadn’t been authorized, there was no easy way to explain their presence in a restricted section of Titan.Kira didn’t want to get swept up in the inevitable witch hunt and finger pointing that would follow.
All the detours meant it took longer to leave than it had to enter, but eventually, they were back in the station and making their way toward the Red Rabbit.
They had just reached the lifts when the comm embedded behind Kira’s ear chimed.
“Hold on,” Kira told the rest.
Graydon and Talon stopped as Amila and Solal stationed themselves to the front and the rear of the group, their hands on their en-blades as they examined the people that passed.
“What is it?”Graydon asked.
“I don’t know,” Kira said.To her comms, “Play message.”
Kira’s expression darkened as she listened, prompting Graydon to move closer.
“Coli,what’s wrong?”
Rather than explain, Kira chose to let him listen for himself.
A second later, Jin’s voice transmitted through the air.“Hey Nixxy, by the time you get this, I will have been kidnapped by pirates.”
The strangled sound that came from Solal almost made Kira smile.Almost.
“Come save me as quick as you can.Pretty sure these are the same guys who took the wanderer’s children and maybe even Caius.”
Graydon muttered a curse in Tuann, the meaning of which Kira hadn’t learned yet.
“Just so you know, I left Dylan unconscious in the smuggler’s cache in my room.Be careful letting him out.He seems like the type to stab first and ask questions later.”
Talon laughed.“He’s right about that.”
“I’ve also left behind a spawn.You know what to do.Kisses and hugs, Jin.”
“Is he serious?”Amila asked with a disbelieving expression.
“As a heart attack,” Kira answered grimly.
“Are you two sure you’re not twins?Or at least brother and sister?”Talon joked.“Because you act exactly the same.”
“Not exactly,” Kira muttered.
She’d never have let herself be kidnapped.No matter how much tactical sense it made.
So much less hassle to slaughter the majority as an example to the few she left alive.If they still didn’t answer her questions out of misguided loyalty, she’d beat or torture the answers out of them.
This—this was madness.
Reckless, thoughtless madness.
“Call Baran.Find out what happened,” Graydon ordered Solal.
The oshota nodded.
Kira could have saved him the trouble.She knew exactly what had happened.Jin made a judgment call.Maybe not the one they would prefer, but one that must have made sense in the moment.
“Where are you going?”Graydon asked as Kira moved toward the lift.
“To free Dylan.”
