Allie felt a growing sense of discomfort.
Shank was the first to ask the obvious question. “Which is?”
Ben made eye contact with Shank. “We kidnap someone whose biosigns will unlock it.”
Shank paled.
“You’re going to kidnap Claire? Oh, that is an idea Paya can get behind. Your mother is going to adore this plan,” Cetan told Shank.
“Great,” Shank said wearily. “Are we even sure her biosigns will open the locks?”
That bit of denial made Allie snort in amusement. “Right. Claire knows all about that second ship, but she’s let herself get locked out of it.” Allie laughed. Honestly, that wasn’t possible. “This is Claire, and after knowing her for fifteen minutes, I’d be willing to bet a month’s salary she already has her claws into that ship. After all, we know from her reaction on the dock that she’s protecting that ship, and we know she’s a self-centered bitch. Therefore, she would only protect things she had a vested interest in protecting.”
“She wants the ship, so if we steal it, we’re stealing it out from under her,” Cetan added, and rather happily too.
“So we can safely assume she either has access, or she already has a plan to get access to that ship. Since theMonitorleaves in two days, I’m willing to bet her biosigns will unlock that door,” Allie finished.
“If you run down there and capture her, theMonitorwill lock that ship down tight,” Cetan pointed out.
Ben tapped his fingers against the side of the desk. “We have to accomplish a number of tasks. We have to get Claire and secure her cooperation,” he said, and if that wasn’t the most kindly phrased way to saykidnap and torturein all of history, Allie would eat her underwear. Ben kept going, ticking items off on his fingers. “We need to keep theMonitorbusy. We need to get access to the ship. We need to disable any crew on board. We need to make sure she’s spaceworthy, and then we need to run like hell and get far enough away that theMonitorwon’t dare follow.”
“We can lure her in using Shank,” Allie said.
“You’re assuming she cares enough to come, or she won’t think it a trap and come with a dozen armed thugs,” Shank said drily.
Allie looked up at him. “Trust me. She’ll come. If you tell her that seeing her reminded you of all the reasons why she’s stronger, she’ll kill herself trying to win you back.”
Shank rolled his eyes. “No. She won’t. She’s over me, Allie.”
“Over you? Probably,” Allie agreed, “but she’s arrogant, and she is going to take any opportunity to prove that I’m weak and that she can take you away.”
“I agree with Allie,” Cetan said. “She’s going to want to humiliate both of you. The best way to do that would be to win Shank back and then do something horrible, probably in public.”
“She wouldn’t—” Shank stopped and frowned. “Okay, she would do that, but I don’t think she’s stupid enough to follow me into a trap. The story about stealing theCandiruwas good, but not good enough to allay all her suspicions.”
“Try,” Allie said.
Shank was definitely not amused.
“I can work up a quick little knockout gas bomb,” Ben offered. “It will keep anyone down for at least an hour, probably longer.”
Allie looked over at Ben in horror. “What? You’re going to bomb them?”
“No, it’s more like a smoke grenade, only quieter, and it leaks a gas that will put anyMonitorcrew to sleep for a good twelve hours. Give me even a decently stocked lab, and I can put a dozen together inside an hour.”
Cetan slapped Ben on the arm, admiration clear in his eyes. “You are a man after my own heart. I’ll show you the labs if you show me how to make these grenades.”
“Deal,” Ben said with a nod.
“Okay then.” Cetan stood. “I’ll talk to Paya about providing some distraction to take care of theMonitorcrew. I’m sure we can find a reason for some dockside brawling given most of the crew hates nonfamily ships, and they particularly detest Claire’s ship with a special passion.”
“Is anyone going to ask my opinion?” Shank asked.
“Nope,” Cetan said before leaving.
Ben gave Shank a sympathetic look. “Do you want to play this another way?” He was still sitting, and he seemed willing to stay and brainstorm ideas.
Shank sighed and shrugged. “I don’t have another plan, but it’d be nice if someone asked me if I wanted to be bait.”
