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The serene smile remained on the pleasure android’s face. “Your companion said you might be confused upon waking.”
“I’m not confused. Although I am mad as hell.” Sloane remembered how he’d suggested an injectable pain relief. Pain relief her ass. Dallin would be so sorry when she got her hands on him. They were supposed to be partners, but at the first sign of trouble, he’d gotten rid of her.
“Perhaps you’d like something to drink. We have a full bar on board. Our skilled mixologists offer over five hundred different cocktails.”
“I don’t want alcohol.”
“Or tea. We have over a hundred different blends of tea from across the universe.”
“What I want, is to kill Dallin.”
“Unfortunately, that is one of the few things we do not permit on board the cruiser.”
Sloane groaned. “Then I need an external comm link. Can you do that for me?”
“Of course. Simply tell me the code you need to link into, and I’ll make the arrangements.”
Sloane gave the android details of the Apocalypse and then paced the room as she waited for her return.
Dallin had to be out of his mind if he thought he could get away with this. This must be another one of his attempts to keep her safe, but all it had done was anger her.
The pleasure android came back into the room. “The link is active and on your room’s communication system. You can use it any time you wish.”
“Thanks. And I will have that drink. Get me a double rum and coke with a twist of lime. I need something to take the edge off.”
“Of course. I’ll be right back with your order.” The pleasure android left the room.
Sloane took a few breaths to calm her rage, then connected with the Apocalypse.
“Hey, Sloane.” It was Cleo.
Sloane winced at how tired Cleo sounded. “How are you all doing on the ship?”
“We’re managing, but two more of the crew have fallen unconscious. How are things with you and Dallin?”
“They’ve been better. Has he contacted you?”
“No, I’ve not heard from him. Is there any sign of the Siblet poison?”
“Not yet. We’ve got more sites to check. But I’ve run into a small hitch. Let’s just say, Dallin’s taken the Apexian protection thing to a whole new level.”
“Uh, oh. What’s he done?”
“He knocked me out and put me on another ship. I’m stuck on a pleasure cruiser, unless I can figure out a way off this thing.”
There was silence, then a chuckle. “That’s such an Apexian thing to do. Don’t be too angry with him. He thought it was the right thing to do. What danger did you meet on the waystation that made him react like that?”
“The Siblet left some mutated beasts behind and we found them. And I might have been mistaken for a stowaway when I was poking around.”
“What happened?”
“A Zarlen grabbed me. Dallin stopped him.”
“And then went into super protective mode because he thought you’d been hurt?”
“Yep.”
“Hunter does that to me. You get used to it.”
