“Your people will probably be in the cells at Security headquarters by now,” Jaden said. “And that’s probably where Fiona is, too. But she’s most likely going to come here soon enough.”
“She’s in disguise,” the woman said. “She’s trying to pass herself off as Grihan.”
“Well, there are apparently assassins after her. It’s most likely a security precaution,” Jaden said.
“Assassins?” The woman sounded surprised.
“That’s why she left the way station. Tean Lee wanted her away so he could hunt for them without worrying about her.” Jaden’s tone was exasperated. “Not that she told me that. I had to hear it through a contact I have in the Security office. It seems to have been a false lead, though. Tean Lee hasn’t found anything.”
The woman was silent for a long beat.
It sounded like this was very much news to her.
“I wish you’d mentioned this before,” the woman said. “It may explain a few things . . .”
Jaden cleared his throat. “I’ll let you know when she comes to the office, which I’m assuming will be quite soon. I’d suggest you leave before she stumbles across you.”
Too late for that.
Fee edged back to the service stairs, and quietly stepped backward into the stairwell, then wondered if this would be the way the woman would use to get out, as well.
As she hesitated, half in and half out of the door, an arm came around her throat and she cursed as she was hauled backward.
Something bit into her wrist, and her other arm was yanked back.
She had been restrained.
She tried to glance back at her bracelet, but her wrists were firmly tied behind her back. In any event her bracelet was designed to deflect projectiles coming at her, not stop manhandling. She’d already discovered that in the tunnels under the warehouse back on Balco when she’d been grabbed then, too.
That should have given her pause, she realized now, but she’d managed to get her silver rod out that time. She should have had it in her hand this time.
It was being in her own office building, she acknowledged. She felt comfortable here. In control.
It had been a big mistake.
“Who’re you?” The man wedged up against her, talking directly into her ear, was Balcoan.
“Part of the crew of theIllium,” she said. “We’re doing a search for comms hardware, to see if we can find out what’s causing the dead zone.”
She spoke fluent Balcoan, and she tried to make her voice rougher than usual, to make herself sound more Grihan. Maybe her disguise would save her.
“TheIllium’sgone,” he said.
“It’s undocked, in case we’re called away. It’s still right next to the way station. There are runners waiting where we were berthed, so we can go back and forth.” She concentrated on sounding as Grihan as possible.
“Maybe.” He grunted. “I’m keeping you here while I go check something.” He hauled her wrists back and up, and Fee heard a click.
He’d secured her to the staircase handrail.
Then he slipped through the door she’d just come through.
Damn. She guessed she’d surprised him as much as he’s surprised her, but he’d had the advantage as she’d backed into him and he’d gotten the better of her.
She assumed he was with the woman talking to Jaden, but she couldn’t be sure. It was frustrating in the extreme to be so helpless.
She hadn’t felt this way in a long time. Not since she and Hal had escaped the secret Tecran facility out in the Balcoan desert.
The door suddenly opened, and the man stepped through. Then he opened the door a little wider, and the woman stared at her.
