Allie looked over at him. Was he suggesting they needed to wait for Haslet? Was something wrong?
The new man came to the bars. “You can call your ship once you’re secured in the new facility. Now turn around, or I will personally enjoy taking a shockjolt to your nuts until you decide to cooperate.”
A cold shiver went up Allie’s spine, but Shank kept his gaze on the new guy without blinking. “If you’re going to be like that,” he said. After moving to the bars, he turned around and put his hands behind his back.
The new guy quickly secured Shank’s hands. “You,” he said, pointing toward Ben.
Ben sighed and gave Shank an unhappy look, but he got up and went to the bars, offering his hands.
“Keep two people on this one,” the new guy ordered.
“Yes, sir,” one of his minions agreed.
“Me? I’m not even the troublemaker in the bunch,” Ben protested, but he stood still until his hands were tied.
“Thanks, Ben,” Shanks said sarcastically.
“I wasn’t talking about you, Lacroix,” Ben said. Both of them looked over to Allie.
“Great. Thanks,” Allie said as she pushed herself off the bunk. She really didn’t want anyone threatening her.
“If the shoe fits...” Ben said.
“You did start the fight,” Becca agreed.
“Yeah. Thanks again,” Allie complained. Turning around and letting someone tie her hands was damn uncomfortable, so much so that she was finding it hard to avoid fighting back.
“Allie,” Shank called.
The guy finished tying her hands, and Allie moved quickly away from the bars. She was now locked in a cell and tied, so moving away from their new captors was more symbolic than anything else, but she had to do something.
“Allie,” Shank repeated. “Hey, calm down.”
She glared at him.
“Or don’t. Totally your choice,” Shank said as he inched away.
“Keep it together, Grah,” Ben suggested.
“They’re only transferring us. The real fun is going to be when Lieutenant Haslet shows up,” Becca said. The woman had a real talent for lying that Allie had never suspected. “She’s going to kill us. All of us.” Becca stood near the bars and let her hands be tied. Copta followed.
“Speak for yourselves,” Copta said. “I plan to blame all of you for corrupting me. I do not have any reprimands on my record.”
Ben snorted. “Hell, I do.”
“Me too,” Shank agreed.
“I don’t,” Allie said. “I was more the sort to file complaints and cause reprimands than get reprimanded.” Immediately she turned away from all of them. She’d filed complaints on Jacqs. If they didn’t get that overgrown ox back safely, she was going to be in therapy until the last of her hair turned gray. Guilt was not an emotion she handled well.
“We’re moving out. Do not argue or fight,” the new guy ordered them. “Any resistance will be met with pain.”
“I don’t like pain,” Copta said quietly. “I don’t plan to argue with anyone.”
Allie looked at her again and wondered if they’d done the right thing dragging her out on this mission. They couldn’t change their minds now. When the guard unlocked the women’s cell, one of the men got one hand on Copta and the other on Becca. The female guard stepped forward and took custody of Allie, and then they were moving. When she glanced over her shoulder, she could see two minions walking on either side of Ben, so that left the leader with Shank. However, as they walked through the crowded station, they were spread far enough apart that she couldn’t keep track of him.
“Keep moving,” the woman who held her arm ordered her. For some reason that escaped any sort of logical reasoning the command made, Allie set in her heels and completely stopped. She pulled her guard off balance, and Allie had to force down a nagging urge to kick the shit out of her. “You—” She was cut off by one of the other captors.
“Sheals,” the leader of the guards barked. Allie looked back to see him closing the distance. He trotted toward them, pulling Shank around Ben and his escort to catch up. “Take this one,” he ordered, shoving Shank toward the female guard.
