No, this style of cargo ship was normally used by merchant shippers or pirates. Sometimes freelance assassins, though that was rare. But then you never knew when a pirate or merchant would hold an assassin’s license or when they might be willing to pick up some easy creds by killing a fugitive or Ravin.
Better take a closer look.
Bastien scooted down and stealthily made his way toward them.
Not that he had to go far, as they came off the ship and headed straight for him like he was their target.
Minsid hell. Tavali, by the looks of their impeccable black battlesuits that were marked with gray skulls. Gorturnum Nation would be his guess, given that. Pirate bastards, probably here to scavenge the base. They might have even detected a life form. Though three had left the ship, there could be more onboard.
Bastien took cover.
Two men… huge effing bastards at that. One of them could make two of him. Damn! What planet were they from and what the hell had their parents fed them to make sons that tall and muscled?
For that matter, the woman wasn’t small. Even she was taller than Bastien. And she was old enough to be their mother. Given their height and the fact that they all had various shades of blond hair, it would be a good bet.
Hmmm…
It would also be a good bet that at least one of them carried an assassin’s or bounty hunter’s license, given the way they walked and the weapons they were packing. These beings were well versed in military-styled weaponry and walked as if they would kill or maim anyone dumb enough to threaten them.
Maybe they’re just here to meet a friend. Do some illegal business and leave.
If that was the case, he’d hang back and not expose himself.
But that was getting more difficult to hold to as they got closer and closer to his home.
While he kept the interior of the abandoned base stark and run-down, it wouldn’t be that hard to figure out someone lived there.
And if they discovered his stash of weapons or food, he was screwed.
The woman let out a slow whistle as she scanned the damage done to the exterior of Bastien’s homebase. “What happened? The League?”
“No. My brother. The mother of his daughter, Driana, was murdered here, and his wife was held hostage. Aksel wanted Nyk to come for a visit. Lucky him. He did.”
Bastien scowled at those words and the unexpected emotion they kicked up inside him. He’d assumed the blood he’d cleaned had come from soldiers.
To find out it was a female hostage and someone’s mother… that hit home and brought an image of his own mother and sister to his mind he could have really done without.
The male in the middle shook his head. “Needless to say, Nyk was a bit perturbed when he arrived. This is a prime example of ‘be careful what you wish for.’”
The other man snorted as they picked their way through the debris to enter the rusted-out remains.
Shit! Shit! Shit!Bastien cursed repeatedly as they went in and he tried to decide what to do. He clung to the shadows as he followed them inside his home.
You know what to do. One way or another, they were about to learn he lived here.
He was going to be exposed, that was a given. So he’d best do it on his own terms. Not theirs.
As they started up the rickety stairs that would lead them to where Bastien kept his electronics and what few personal items he’d salvaged, he knew he had no choice whatsoever.
Making sure they couldn’t see him, he clicked his weapon from stun to kill and deepened his voice for maximum impact. “Don’t.”
The bearded man in the middle held his hands up slowly. “We mean you no harm.”
Yeah, right… Like he was dumb enough to fall for that? “Then why are you here?”
Bastien expected an answer in words. Instead, it came in an invisible wave that knocked the blaster from his hands, lifted him clear off the floor, and pinned him to the rusted-out wall behind him.
Fected hell!Trisani…
