Cleon Moon (22 page)

“I can rest in my combat armor.”

“Does the Cyborg Corps Handbook also tell you to say idiotic things like that?”

“The virtues of combat armor are discussed in the appendix.”

Alisa smiled, so relieved to have him back. Even though he had not been unconscious for that many hours, it had been enough for her to worry and realize how much she would miss him if she lost him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her face into his neck. She wanted to tell him to listen to Alejandro’s suggestion and rest, but she also wanted him out there with her.

Leonidas returned the hug and rested his chin on the top of her head. “This doesn’t change anything,” he said softly, sadly. “I’m glad you’re here, but we can’t… we just can’t. I never want to hurt you again.”

She scowled, leaning back to look him in the eyes. “We’ll see how you feel after we’ve kidnapped your admiral and you’ve had your surgery. Then I can seduce you. You’ll see how difficult it is to resist my feminine wiles.”

Alejandro made a noise somewhere between a gag and a sigh. “Now that you’re unhooked, I’m leaving before I lose the contents of my stomach.”

“My underwear, Doctor?” Leonidas asked, holding out his hand.

Alisa took some comfort from the fact that even though he was telling her they couldn’t have a relationship, his other arm was still wrapped around her waist. Maybe his body and heart already knew that they belonged together. His malfunctioning brain was the thing causing the problem.
As susceptible to brain issues as the rest of us
, indeed.

“Are you sure you need it?” Alejandro grabbed the garment off the top of Leonidas’s armor case. “Your Alliance wench may prefer you like that.”

“That’s
Captain
Alliance Wench,” Alisa said.

“Do not disparage her, Doctor,” Leonidas said, his tone cooling. “You may find that next time, I don’t return quite so swiftly to protect your hiding spot.”

“I won’t need protection again if we don’t get that staff back.” Alejandro tossed the underwear at him and stalked out.

Leonidas sighed, and Alisa expected him to push her away so he could dress. And because, in his own words, they couldn’t be. But his arm tightened, pulling her against him, and he lowered his face to her neck, his warm lips touching her skin. It was more of a hug than a kiss, with a sense of relief in the embrace—maybe he had been more worried about his condition than he had let on to Alejandro—but her body didn’t seem to realize that. All she registered was his closeness, the feel of his arms around her. He lifted a hand to the back of her head, stroking her hair, and electricity crackled through her as every nerve stood up and took notice.

“I’m certain your wiles
are
irresistible,” he murmured. “So perhaps it’s best if I don’t put myself in a position to be susceptible. Maybe my quest… is inadvisable.”

“
No
. It’s not. We’re going to find someone who can fix you, and afterward, you’re going to slam me up against the nearest wall and have your way with me.”

He smiled and let his hand fall away from her scalp. Disappointment surged through her. Not only was he pushing her away, he was pushing his dreams away. And for what? A broken wrist that had already healed?

“Leonidas—”

“You said Beck was waiting?” He slid off the exam table. “I’ll get armored up and meet you in the cargo hold.”

She growled, wanting to discuss this. No, to change his
mind
, damn it. But he was right. They had other duties, duties that were more important than this. For now.

She walked out to let him dress, her back rigid with determination. It was time to find her missing people.

Chapter 13

Alisa, Abelardus, and Leonidas parked their rented bikes a block away from the address and headed into an alley that ran between rows of warehouses, some of them towering so tall that the roofs nearly brushed the dome. They were near the outer edge, so it was much lower here than in the center of town. Lamps lit the streets, and a soft glow came from the dome itself, but shadows lurked in the alley, and people were scarce.

Alisa stifled a few yawns and told herself to remain alert rather than thinking about her bunk. If trouble had found Beck, it might still be around. Of course, she might have to deal with trouble right at her side. Abelardus kept glaring at Leonidas as they walked.

“I would like to present a united front to whoever has Beck if he has indeed been taken,” Alisa said, frowning at Abelardus. “Is there a problem we should resolve before we get there?”

Abelardus had not appeared pleased when Leonidas, once again in his armor, had shown up at the cargo hatch. That dyspeptic expression had remained on his face for the duration of the ride over. He couldn’t truly be irritated that Leonidas had
lived
, could he?

“No problem,” Abelardus said. “I’m just trying to figure out why he survived that mental attack when my people at the outpost didn’t.”

“I have a hearty constitution,” Leonidas said.

“You have a hearty ego.”

“I know
you’re
not accusing someone of having a substantial ego,” Alisa said.

“He should be dead. I just want to know why he’s not. It hardly seems fair that my people—including that boy—are dead, and he’s alive.”

“I don’t have an answer for you,” Leonidas said. “I’ve survived many battles when others haven’t.” He did not sound like he was bragging. Rather, sadness tinged the words, or maybe guilt.

Alisa touched his gauntleted hand, tempted to hold it, but the loading dock of their target warehouse had come into view. A large rectangular entrance on the back side led into the building, seemingly unguarded, but she suspected a forcefield covered the space.

“Stay here,” Leonidas said. “I’ll check the perimeter for signs of guards or automated security.” He returned her touch before jogging off.

“As if we need him to do that.” Abelardus sniffed. “I can tell you right now that there is one night guard inside, who’s asleep at the front desk.”

“Beck isn’t there?”

“I don’t sense him, no.”

Alisa kept from pointing out that he wouldn’t sense Beck if he was dead. She did not want to consider that possibility yet.

“What about automated security?” she asked.

“That’s slightly harder to detect. And slightly less likely to be asleep. I—” Abelardus frowned back toward the street. “Someone’s coming. Ah, good. It’s our contact.”

“The biker? You told him to meet us
here
?”

“I thought it might be more convenient than detouring to meet him at a gambling hall or pub.”

Alisa groaned. She didn’t want other people around when she was contemplating breaking into a warehouse.

“Why?” Abelardus asked as the rumble of a thrust bike grew audible. Had the man driven that noisy contraption
here
? “Are you and your cyborg planning something nefarious that you don’t want anyone else to know about?”

“Probably so, and you’ll be seen as abetting us if we’re caught.”

“I doubt Ostberg cares about the laws here.” Abelardus headed back toward the intersection as the noise from the bike grew louder.

“Comforting,” Alisa muttered.

She looked toward the warehouse, but Leonidas had disappeared from sight. Amazing how stealthy he could be in that big bright suit of armor.

She risked comming him. “Leonidas?”

“Yes?” he promptly replied.

“Where are you?”

“Hanging on a wall and looking in a window.” He spoke as if that was a completely normal position to be in.

“Abelardus has a Starseer contact coming to meet him,” Alisa said.

“I heard.” His voice came out neutral, and Alisa could not tell if he disapproved or not. Probably. He disapproved of Abelardus in general.

“Do you want me to join you, or should I listen in on their conversation?”

“You mean eavesdrop?”

“It’s not eavesdropping if they’re aware of me standing nearby. If they know I’m there, and they let something private slip out, then it’s negligence on their part.”

“An interesting take on the notion.”

“I aim to be interesting.”

“Go,” he said. “I’ll see if I can find a way in without alerting the night guard or breaking anything.”

Alisa felt pleased that he had noticed the night guard even without Starseer senses.

“Keep in touch,” she said and headed toward the intersection.

Their guest had already arrived. Light from a nearby lamp showed Abelardus in his robe and the rider in the same tight snagor-hide outfit he’d worn during the race.

He doesn’t want people to know he’s a Starseer
, Abelardus informed her.
Not everyone adores us, you may have noticed. Especially when we’re using our superior skills to humiliate mundane humans.

It’s a mystery as to why your people are unloved.

The rider, who had turned off his bike and dismounted, looked at her before she walked out of the shadows.

She lifted a hand in greeting, not sure what to say. “Have you seen any kidnapped children lately?” seemed an odd way to lead off a conversation.

The figure wore a helmet in addition to his riding clothing, and she could not make out any of his features through the mirrored faceplate. The Starseer could have been either sex, but he was over six feet tall and rail thin with no hint of curves, so she assumed he was a man.

“Ostberg, this is Captain Alisa Marchenko,” Abelardus said. “Alisa, Ostberg. Apparently, he knows my brother. And possibly knows where he is.”

“You can’t just read his mind to get that information?” Alisa asked, then offered, “Hello, Ostberg,” figuring a greeting might be in order.

Ostberg snorted. “She says exactly what she’s thinking, doesn’t she?” The voice was surprisingly young, and she revised her designation for him from man to boy.

“Yes, I find it charming and refreshing,” Abelardus said. “I’m waiting for her to think the same of my bluntness. Ostberg, I know I caught you off guard by digging up your information and contacting you, but I need to talk to someone local who knows the Starseer situation. I’m glad you came tonight.”

A long silent moment passed. The kid had to be responding mentally. Alisa sighed. Her not-eavesdropping would not go well if they communicated like that.

“Can you respond out loud?” Abelardus asked. “My captain has trouble eavesdropping when we speak telepathically.”

Alisa grimaced, sure he was monitoring her thoughts. Still, she responded with, “It’s not eavesdropping if I’m right here and you’re aware of my presence.”

“Yes, I see you have an interesting definition about that word. Ostberg?”

“All right,” he said dubiously, glancing at Alisa. “I know Durant well. He was—he is—my mentor.”

Alisa sucked in a startled breath. Was it possible this boy had been visiting the outpost? That he had seen Jelena? Even interacted with her? She resisted the urge to leap forward and throttle answers out of him. Barely.

“Do you know where he is?” Abelardus asked. “I need to talk to him. He hasn’t been answering my messages.”

Alisa made herself listen patiently. At least they were speaking out loud. But she could not assume she would hear the full truth or all of the information she sought. She wondered why Abelardus could not simply look into the boy’s thoughts and get the answers he wanted.

Starseers know how to protect their thoughts from others, the ones they wish to keep private
, Abelardus spoke into her mind.

“I… know where he is,” Ostberg said. “None of us were getting our messages from off-world these last few months. They had a block on our comm relay system, and we dared not leave the school to use the city comms.”

“We?” Alisa leaned toward him. “Were you there, living with the students?”

“I
am
a student. One of the older ones.”

“Did you know Jelena?” she asked, her fingers twitching.

Had this Ostberg also been kidnapped once? Or had he willingly joined the Starseers? Would he be sympathetic if he
had
been kidnapped?

“The new girl? Not well, but yes. And I wasn’t kidnapped. I didn’t think she had been either.” Ostberg’s faceplate turned toward Abelardus, as if in a question.

Alisa grimaced again—the kid had to be reading her mind too. How did
she
learn to protect her thoughts from snoops?

“I doubt my brother advertised it when he was doing unscrupulous things,” Abelardus said.

“Durant is a good man.”

“Glad to hear it,” Alisa muttered, even if she couldn’t agree. It did sound like he had this boy’s respect, and that gave her some hope that the children had been treated well. After they’d been stolen from their parents.

“I wasn’t kidnapped,” Ostberg said, looking at her again. “My parents sent me to study with the Starseers when I developed the aptitude. Everything was amazing until a few months ago, when
they
arrived on the moon.”

“Who’s they?” Abelardus asked.

“We didn’t know at first. Just that they had Starseer powers and were watching us. Spying on us. I heard some of the teachers talking, and they thought it had something to do with… Are you sure—I mean, do you know for certain it’s all right to talk about these matters in front of her, Lord Abelardus?” Ostberg waved at Alisa.

She managed not to gag at the word
lord
going in front of his name.

“She has Starseer blood. I trust her implicitly,” Abelardus said. “I’m still waiting for her to learn to trust
me
implicitly. Right now, she reserves her trust for a cyborg who’s killed more Starseers than he can remember.” Abelardus tossed a disapproving frown in her direction.

Alisa thought to argue with him—Leonidas had gone out of his way
not
to hurt the Starseers in their temple—but she knew few details about his former career, except that he had loyally done as the empire bade.

Including killing Starseers
, Abelardus whispered into her mind.
Trust me.

Implicitly?

I have your best interests in mind.

I trust that you have
your
best interests in mind
.

At least trust is involved somewhere.
He smirked at her.