Inclining his head to her, Nykyrian spoke into a link that was attached to his ear. “Jayne? We’ve secured Hauk. The kids should be near the base camp that we found earlier. I’m leaving Syn and Darling here with Sumi and Bastien. I need you for support while I go after Thia. Everyone else, stay where you are at camp and make sure no one goes near my kid. If they do, make them bleed hard.” He headed off at a dead run for a cloaked airbike.
Impressed, Bastien continued to glare at Darling. “Are we good yet? Or do I have to don my ass-kicking boots and leave imprints some place you’re not going to like?”
Darling glanced to Sumi. “Don’t know. Are we good?”
Before she could answer, Dancer blinked his eyes open. “Sumi?” he whispered hoarsely.
Leaning over him, she placed her hand on his cheek. “Right here, baby.”
Darling and Syn exchanged a shocked, exaggerated gape as Syn pulled out a light and checked Dancer’s eyes.
With a savage hiss, Dancer shoved the light away. “Put that away or I’m going to ram it someplace both you and Shahara will curse me for.”
“Dancer,” she chided. “Let him tend you.”
He started to grimace then pressed his lips together. “I hate that damn light. It burns.”
Now it was Darling’s turn to pull Dancer’s eyelid back to see his eye.
Dancer grimaced and punched at him.
Laughing, Darling took it in stride. “You look like hell, buddy.”
“You ain’t no beauty queen, either. Asshole.”
Darling grinned in bitter amusement. “You better take a nicer tone. I walked out on my wife and son to be here for you to insult me.”
Dancer frowned at him as he rubbed at his eye in a very adorable boyish fashion. “Zarya had the baby?”
“Last night. About half an hour before Nyk called to say you were in trouble.”
Dancer scratched at his head. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. About time I get to save you, and don’t think I’m not holding your impeccably inconsiderate timing over your head for the rest of eternity. You will be paying for this, that I promise. By the way, Zarya wanted me to tell you that you better get back home and see your nephew or she’ll hunt your hulking ass down and skin it.”
Sumi touched Syn’s hand to get his attention while he evaluated Dancer’s condition. “Someone planted a tracking device in Dancer’s back. We’ve had incas coming after him for days.”
Nodding, he tilted Dancer’s head toward him. “You with me, buddy?”
With an irritable grimace, he slapped at Syn in a way that reminded Bastien of a little kid with a playmate who was annoying him. “I’m thirsty.”
Syn pulled a bag out of his pack and handed it to Darling, who held it up while Syn prepared the IV.
When Syn stuck the needle in, Dancer hissed and started for him.
Sumi caught his fist. “Dancer, play nice with the doctor who might not want to help you if you clock him.”
He calmed instantly and nuzzled his face against her knee. When she went to brush his braids from his cheek, he took her hand and laced her fingers with his.
Bastien had to look away as that tenderness reminded him of memories he couldn’t afford.
Until he heard the sharp click of a blaster from behind Sumi.
Syn didn’t react at all. “Put it away, Jayne. She’s a friendly.”
“You sure?”
He gave her a droll stare. “I’ve never known Hauk to cuddle an enemy. You? I mean, he is weird and all, but he’s usually consistent with his surly demeanor.”
