She’d find out quickly if they caught her as well, so she pushed the thought aside. She stuck her head out the small window and, seeing nobody around, eased her shoulders through the small space.
If someone walks around the back of the building, I’m screwed.
She wiggled quickly through the space, the window frame scraping her skin. The drop to the ground wasn’t far, but it was far from graceful, eliciting a groan as the impact pushed air from her lungs.
She quickly bounced to her feet and jogged around the side of the building, her bare feet smarting as the rocky ground bit into her soles. Reaching the edge of the building, she listened for voices and, hearing none, braved a glance around the corner of the building. A pot plant placed at a strategic angle blocked her from view.
She was at the far end of the motel, looking down at the long, rectangular building. The car park spread out in front of her, the only vehicle in it a large pickup truck. A man in the tray had a gun pointed at Domik, but dark tinted windows hid any other occupants from view.
Domik was standing in front of the broken door of the room they had been using, facing a second human man, who was keeping a safe distance. The man was wearing a plaid work shirt tucked into jeans, and cowboy boots were on his feet. Not the fancy type, the work type. And they were heavily scuffed.
But what really drew her attention was the plasma rifle in his hands.
A Taurean plasma rifle.
How did a human get one of those? Were these people working with the Taureans?
Her brows furrowed. That couldn’t be. The only contact with Taureans had been through Space Force, the official military liaison with the alien race.
She watched as the man waved the barrel of the rifle at Domik, gesturing him toward the pickup truck. Domik glanced inside the motel room, obviously reluctant to leave, and the man took a step toward him.
CJ gasped, clutching her hands to her mouth, as the man fired the plasma rifle at Domik. Either he was a terrible shot, or he had meant to give a warning, going by the smell of ozone and the searing black mark on the ground at Domik’s feet.
But Domik didn’t flinch. His hands now lowered, he glared at the human.
Please don’t do anything stupid.
The human man said something to Domik, but she was too far away to hear. The man turned his head and gestured at the truck. This time CJ caught the words he spoke. “Jock! Come watch him for a minute.”
The other man hopped down from the tray of the pickup truck. “Sure thing, Tom.” This man was shorter than his companion, still wearing the same style of shirts, jeans, and boots, but where the man with the plasma rifle made the outfit look like every day work clothes, this one looked like he was playing dress up with his older brother’s clothing.
She watched as Domik’s hands flexed at his side, fingers making fists and then releasing as the man from the tray, Jock, took the Taurean weapon from the other, Tom, who was obviously in charge. Tom walked toward the room.
“What are you so keen to hide, hmm?” He said as he approached the room.
Domik stepped in front of him, lifting an arm to bar Tom from entering the room.
“Want me to shoot him, Tom?” Jock called, his voice wavering with uncertainty.
“I don’t know,” he replied. Turning to Domik, he looked at the arm spread across the doorway. “Are you going to do something stupid? If we kill you, then we’ll still find whatever is in that room that you’re trying to hide.”
CJ heard the growl that came from Domik, even being so far away, and her stomach flipped.
Just let him in.
She rubbed her arms, shifting from foot to foot as she watched the interplay between the two men. Domik finally letting his arm down reluctantly, and Tom smiled triumphantly before entering the room.
Domik stared after him, his brows knitted.
I’m OK, big guy.
She drank him in, greedily memorizing every contour of his face.
It didn’t take long before Tom emerged from the room. Domik schooled his face into his usual impassive expression, and she almost smiled.
How is he going to get out of this?
CJ held her breath as Tom held up something to Domik. Was that her boots?
