Stealing Coal Read online

  The cyborg sobered, his pale, strange eyes locking with Flint’s. “First we’d have to locate where they sent him. They could be keeping him prisoner on one of their war vessels but my estimation would be that they wouldn’t wish him contained near all that technology with his active implants. On a ship they couldn’t effectively shield all the access points to the main computers. If it were me, I’d keep him drugged while transporting him to a secure location on Earth where they could restrict his abilities. Their smartest move would be to hold him in one of the detention centers where they kept us once if any of them are still operational. We know the locations of them if that’s what they’ve done. It’s also logical they wouldn’t believe we’d willingly risk returning to Earth under any circumstances to retrieve him. It means surprise would be in our favor.”

  “If he’s there, what is next? Hacking into their security systems to find him shouldn’t be too difficult. Humans were always too dependent on them to store all their information.” Flint took a deep breath. “It’s getting on and off Earth to break him out that will provide a challenge.”

  “We can’t take the Star or the Rally within range of Earth. They obviously know we didn’t legally obtain them after that insurance company tried to retrieve one of them once. They’d send a warship to intercept us as soon as we entered the system.”

  Flint’s blue gaze locked on Jill. “Coal did say she’s in the trading business. We could use this shuttle to reach Earth without triggering alarm. They allow Earth ships to land on the planet.”

  Jill’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. An instant protest formed but she never got the words out. Coal released her hand and stepped in front of her to block the stare of the other cyborg.

  “No. She believes Earth Government has a warrant issued for her arrest. She once had a run-in with a few of them. I won’t put her at risk in any way. Think of something else, Flint. She saved my life and I gave her my word no harm would come to her.”

  “Belief and fact are not the same.” Flint’s voice grew cold. “Rescuing Councilman Zorus is paramount.”

  “Not to me.” Coal’s body tensed, his arms tightening until the ridges of muscle seemed to strain. “Her safety and well-being are my priority.”

  Jill inched to the left a little to peer at the four cyborgs facing off against Coal. Flint had an angry frown fixed on his features and his eyes seemed to darken. He held Coal’s gaze, never even glancing her way, and then crossed his arms.

  “I sympathize. I don’t wish any harm to come to the female but we must go after Zorus.”

  “Find another way.” Coal’s deep voice sounded his anger. “She’s done enough already to risk her life for a cyborg. That freighter came after this shuttle intent on killing her for taking me away from them. She had no reason to do what she did yet she still stole me from them. I’m sure they reported my theft to Earth Government.”

  “That wouldn’t be logical,” Onyx spoke. “She stated the captain of the freighter didn’t hand you over to the authorities and hid your existence. It would be detrimental for them to admit they’d done that. They can’t report a theft of something they refused to state they were in possession of in the first place.”

  Chilly dark-blue eyes shifted to Jill. “Why do you believe you’re wanted by Earth Government?”

  She hesitated. “About ten months ago I did a trade with a small government outpost. They realized I didn’t have a crew and decided they could force me to return the payment they’d made, figuring they could pocket it themselves, and wanted to sell me into one of the nearby whorehouse ships to gain some extra profit. I wasn’t stupid enough not to go in armed and managed to get to my shuttle but they followed me straight into an asteroid field. I couldn’t outrun them, they were gaining on me, and I’d grown desperate enough to fly into it, thinking they wouldn’t follow. They did. Their newer shuttle didn’t have as much shielding as these older models, which have it to make up for the sluggish navigational controls. They blew up after a few direct hits from the asteroids while I just suffered a lot of dents to the hull. I’m sure they reported it before they came after me.”

  Onyx shook his head. “It sounds as if they were attempting to steal money from the government and ruin a trade contact. They wouldn’t have reported any illegal actions they took to their superiors. It would be foolish. We know enough about Earth Government to be certain they would have taken swift action to make an example out of their men for disobeying their code of conduct.”

  “They search all incoming and outgoing vessels that want to land on Earth,” she warned them. “Even if I’m not wanted, there’s no way to get you to the surface undetected. They’d board the Jenny and find you when they scan it for illegal contraband. It’s protocol to do that to anything incoming.”

  “I’m not risking her life.” Coal shook his head and directed a furious glare at Flint. “Your argument isn’t valid, considering humans are not known for being logical. She could very well be wanted by Earth Government and therefore, that is putting her at risk of arrest or death.”

  Flint took a deep breath and said, “I see. She means something to you.”

  Coal jerked his head. “She does.”

  Jill’s heart soared when he said the words but his next ones left her feeling cold.

  “I gave her my word that I’d release her shuttle as soon as I found you. I swore on my honor no harm would come to her. She had no reason to take me from the humans who abused me, yet she did. We owe her a debt we will not repay by putting her in danger.”

  “No one is mentioning that she’s seen us and knows of our existence,” one of the cyborgs standing in the back by the docking doors said softly. “You shouldn’t have promised to release her, Coal. She knows too much to safely allow her to go free.”

  Fear inched up Jill’s spine and she subconsciously moved closer to Coal, her hand touching his back. He didn’t glance at her but his hand reached back, wrapping around her hip, and tugged her behind his body until only her head peeked out from behind him.

  “I will fight anyone who attempts to harm her,” Coal snarled. “She goes free. She isn’t an enemy of our people.”

  “Easy,” Flint’s tone softened. “Stand down, Coal. We won’t harm the female in any way.” He shot a glare at the cyborg who’d suggested they not release Jill. “Earth Government got living proof that some of us survived when they took possession of Councilman Zorus. It’s irrelevant if she were to make a statement to them now that she’d been in contact with a group of us. When we attempt to retrieve him from them they are sure to understand he’s not the only surviving cyborg.”

  “She could warn them we are coming.”

  Jill opened her mouth to deny it but Coal spoke first.

  “She would not do that.”

  Sky sighed. “It would be a hell of a way for her to get them to drop an arrest warrant on her if she bargained that information with them.”

  Coal growled, his body trembling. “She is not our enemy. She risked her life and her shuttle to rescue me.”

  The gray-haired cyborg threw up his hands. “Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m just stating the obvious, man. I had to say it since Flint ordered me to be all logical. I didn’t say I believe it but it is an option we have to consider.”

  Flint sighed loudly. “Agreed.” He turned toward Coal. “I have a solution. One of our men will remain with the female to monitor her transmissions until after we’ve rescued councilman Zorus. She will be safe, unharmed, and it should only take us a matter of days to execute a plan to retrieve him. We will allow her to go free when we pick up the male assigned to stay with her.”

  Coal’s mouth opened but Flint cut him off.

  “We’ll pay her generously for her time to compensate her for the days she is detained here. This is a safe location for her shuttle, she is far from Earth, and we scanned the area. No other ships are within range. That’s a fair resolution, Coal. You can’t disagree with the logic of it.”