It was what she wanted, but she wondered why she didn’t feel something, anything. Elation, jubilation, happiness. She glanced at Zayn. During this week with him, she’d started to imagine a life. One where she decided what she wanted to do.
Now that dream was gone. The moment she’d stepped into that lab, her dreams had disintegrated.
“No.” Ria shook her head. “I plan to broadcast the details about your little regeneration scam to everyone and anyone in the galaxy who’ll listen.” She squared her shoulders. “You, the Assassin’s Guild, you don’t have the right to desecrate remains, create new people without consent, and then treat them like slaves.” Now she felt something—emotion stormed through her in a mad rush.
On screen, Master Kassius’ face turned a mottled red.
But Ria wasn’t finished. “You don’t have the right to play God and I’m going to stop you.”
“I’ll send every assassin in the Guild after you.” A deadly promise.
“I know you will.” She disconnected the call.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Zayn paced across the cockpit.
Their mission had been a success, the autopilot was taking them home to Khan…but the feeling on the ship was subdued.
He glanced toward the hall leading to the cabins. After making her call, Ria had disappeared into her cabin again without a word to anyone.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. Damn, he was proud of her. She’d had plenty of options for taking the easy way out, but his girl had to do the right thing.
Except now she was going to have every trained killer in the Guild on her trail.
He sank into a chair. There had to be a way out of this. A way to keep her safe. He knew he wanted her by his side. Wanted to continue their adventure and see where it took them.
Of course, she wasn’t going to keep quiet about the Guild’s regeneration program. She’d want to help all assassins, all the victims of the Guild, not just herself.
“Zayn?”
BEll’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Yeah, BEll.”
“I wanted to let you know Ria has finished making her calls. To the Galactic Broadcasting Corporation. To News Central and the Dish.”
He couldn’t help but smile. Of course, she’d shout what she had to say to the galaxy through the top news networks. “Thanks, BEll.”
“She also left something for you on the holo-table.”
“What?” He jerked upright and strode to the table.
There, resting on the blank screen of the table was the Lincoln Derringer.
He picked it up, running his thumb over the polished wood stock. Funny how now it wasn’t a weapon to be reviled, but just a tool. An historically important tool. “BEll, where’s Ria?”
“I think she has some…plans that might not make you very happy.”
He dropped the derringer and raced down the hall. He opened Ria’s cabin door. Empty. The bed was neatly made and the scent of her lingered in the air.
A siren sounded, followed by an automated voice. “Shuttle readying for launch.”
“Dammit!” He sprinted toward the shuttle bay. Seconds later he skidded through the door.
The shuttle sat on the launch pad, her engines spooling up. He ran for the shuttle door and thumped on the heavy-duty glass.
“Ria.”Thump.Thump. “What the hell are you doing?”
She appeared on the other side of the glass. “I have to go. Don’t worry about the shuttle. I’ll send a message and tell you where you can pick it up.”
