Warnings and disclaimers in first section. Don’t forget to look or you might get a surprise or three!
It was finally the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. We were about five minutes from where we would be clear of the asteroid field and then there was the worry of getting our asses outta dodge before anyone could get too close. It should have been less stress now, except for the dead silence coming from the man seated in my co-pilot’s seat. I didn’t know if he was mad, hurt, or just ready to be done with me and this whole debacle. If I was a betting man, and I’ve been known to be at times, I’d have put money on that last option. After all, I went from trying to get him into bed to refusing to have anything to do with him.
Reaching over, I tapped my finger on a small light that was almost hidden among the dials and screens. “Do me a favor and keep an eye on this light. If it turns red, don’t keep it to yourself.”
“What does it do?”
“Tells me if someone has a target lock on us.” At least he was speaking to me, like he did during the war. I hadn’t realized that dead, impersonal tone could slash through my damn heart; hell, before he came aboard, I didn’t realize I had a fucking heart. I think I might have been better off without that particular kernel of knowledge.
“Why a rock jockey?”
He didn’t have to explain what he meant, another sign that I was beginning to understand him much more than I should have been able. “Why not? I don’t have a family or any close friends. I get to work when I want and my life is exciting. I couldn’t see becoming a whistler, so I opted for the other side of the coin.”
“A whistler is a Preventer agent?”
Whoops. His use of rock jockey had me slipping into slang for a minute. “A whistler is a cop or agent, any kind of law enforcement.”
“Why didn’t you pick something else? Why a smuggler?”
He’s already heard part of my sordid past so telling him this wasn’t going to make much of a difference, in the grand scheme of things. “After Nico, I didn’t want to go back to salvage. Scrap was already getting sparse and the competition a bit too rough for my taste; I saw a ship get blown apart one time because a guy decided to take someone else’s claim. The salvager left alive took in the pieces of the blown up ship, too. I’d already done some legitimate delivery jobs, but very few of them really paid worth a damn. Sneaking items around whistlers was a lucrative proposition, so I cashed in a few favors and took a few small runs to prove I could be trusted. Word got around after that and the jobs started pouring in when people discovered I always made my deliveries if I made a promise.”
On the edge of the asteroid field, I gave one last look at my monitors, memorizing each location of the ships that were already on my radar. With one last deep breath, we were out of the asteroids and into clear space. I didn’t wait more than two seconds before kicking the thrusters to full power, throwing in boosters to help speed our getaway.
Fifteen seconds…thirty….forty-five…a minute…minute and a half…two minutes and there was a fast chirp from my console. As soon as I heard it I powered down the boosters and pulled the throttle back, slowing our progress. My sigh of relief was audible as I set our course, turned on the auto-pilot, and convinced my hands they could finally let go. My arms fell heavily to my lap and somehow, I didn’t think they were gonna be working again for an hour or two.
“The red light didn’t come on.”
“Thank God for that. I don’t know if I could have held my arms up for much longer. We’re in the outlands now, Trowa. We won’t have to worry about the PSP until it’s time to leave, I hope.”
“Are you okay?”
After everything, he was still worried about me. “I will be after I take a shower, eat an actual meal, and sleep for a few hours.” I was reaching for the comm as I talked, my arm visibly trembling. Trowa took my wrist and placed my hand back in my lap, lifting an eyebrow in silent question. “Koleniko is the closest satellite.”
He quickly located the station by running through the open channels and listening to communications, nodding at me as he turned on the comm for me. I had no idea how to repay that kindness; I really didn’t know how long it was going to be before my arms stopped feeling like someone was poking them with needles. “Koleniko hub, four-oh-nine, do you read?”
“Identify.”
“This is the Hellion, four-oh-nine.”
“Well, well, Hellion, it’s been awhile. You nearin’?” the operator’s voice was immediately not as impersonal and I was thankful of the many times I had visited the satellite.
“Should be arriving two days out, between 1400 and 1900. Got a dock?”
“I’ll keep one open. Buis or pleas, Hellion?”
“A bit of both. Hellion, out.”
Trowa was staring at me as he cut the comm off, “What was that about? We’re going to dock at Koleniko?”
“Just for a day. We cut three off our travel time by going through the asteroid belt instead of around it.” Meeting his eyes, I shook my head, “Trowa, I’m spent. Neither one of us has had much sleep since this whole thing began. If we go to the Shoe now, we won’t last. I’m just too damn tired.”
“I’ve heard Koleniko is almost as bad as Witches Shoe. Are you sure we’ll be safe there?” His hands were on me again, rubbing my arms to help me regain feeling in them. Why would he be willing to touch me after I had made a point of being such a prick to him?
“Koleniko is different, but still dangerous. I have some friends there that’ll take care of us. It’ll also give you a taste of what the Shoe is going to be like. We need some fresh supplies and I need a doctor. We can find both at Kol.”
“Do they have showers?”
“Yeah, though water preservation is always a priority.” What the hell was he thinking?
Leaning over me, he ignored everything I had said and kissed me again, just a soft brush of his lips over mine before he leaned back. Stupid that the small contact left me out of breath and wanting, but it is what it is. “You can take a shower when we get there. Stay here and rest and I’ll go fix you something to eat.”
Oh, god, this guy was turning me inside out and flipping everything I thought upside down. Being with him was going to be impossible once this was over, but he had already managed to lodge himself in my heart. I really am a glutton for punishment. “Trowa…thanks again, for everything.” Yeah, I’m lame and that’s the best I could come up with while he was watching me with those damn piercing eyes staring into what I have left of a soul.
“Eventually, I hope you realize that you don’t need to thank me for anything. I’m happy to do what I can for you.”
“You wanna dock us?”
Trowa’s look was shocked surprise, “You want me to dock the Hellion?”
“You’re a good pilot. It’s partially yours now, so you might as well get to fly her a little.” My arms were still weak from our foray into the asteroid belt two days before, but I could’ve docked if I had wanted to; I had docked, and flown, in worse conditions, but since he was there, I might as well use the talents he had.
“Duo, I don’t have my pilot’s license for this class of ship.”
I almost fell out of my chair because I was laughing so damn hard, the sound taking on a hysterical edge before I could stop it. He really couldn’t get some things to stick in his mind, could he? Making a small gesture with my hands, I finally asked, “Does it really look like there’s someone out here that’s gonna give a rat’s ass if you have a license? As long as you dock smooth and don’t jar the satellite out of orbit, they could care less if you’re licensed.”
“Are you sure? It’s been a long time since I docked anything.”
“We just came through a damn asteroid field, Tro. The Hellion’s gonna need some work, so another dent won’t hurt, just don’t hit anything real hard.” He was arguing with me, but practically drooling at the idea of flying. I wished I had thought of it sooner. There was no telling how long it had been since he was able to pilot, for more than the few minutes that it had taken me to change clothes before, and for those like us that grew up in a cockpit, not getting to fly is like having a hand chopped off. Being able to fly was one of the reasons I did what I did.
As soon as his hands were on the controls, I disengaged auto-pilot and sat back so I could watch him. Pleasure was etched on his features as he moved into Koleniko space, finding our assigned dock easily. There was barely a bump when he docked; the supports that clamped onto us jarring us more than his piloting had. I stood and walked past him, giving in to the need to run a hand over his shoulders, “Power down while I pack us some clothes.”
“Duo…thank you…for trusting me with that.”
With those simple words, he showed me that he understood how hard it was for me to turn over control of something that has been exclusively mine for years. More importantly, those words had the remainder of my walls around me shattering, crashing and allowing him into parts of me where no one had ever been.
We didn’t make it far before we were approached by three very large goons that had to be triplets because I couldn’t tell one from the other, but they were all carrying plasma rifles. Seeing Trowa tense, I shook my head before giving a large, disarming grin, “Heya, guys. Need something?”
“The senora wants to see you, Maxwell,” one of them told me. I gotta say, Trowa’s presence just behind me, one hand touching the small of my back in a rather possessive manner, was more of a comfort than I had believed possible. This was not the welcome I had expected.
“I thought she might want to see me before we left, but I didn’t think I’d be seeing her so soon. You takin’ us to her or do we go on our own? I know the way.” Yeah, I knew the Senora, had for a long time.
“She wants to see you, Maxwell. Your partner can stay with my brothers.”
Apparently, word of my new partner had gotten around really damn fast. That was a mild concern. “Where I go, he goes.”
They really wanted to argue, but I knew I was gonna win this and they seemed to realize that as one of them nodded. “Follow us.” Was that the same one that had spoken before? I really couldn’t tell.
“What’s going on?” Trowa’s breath tickled my ear, making me shiver. Just because I hadn’t jumped him and taken a wild ride didn’t mean I hadn’t wanted want to. I did, really bad. “Where are we going?”
“I haven’t been here in a while. The Senora is kind of like the manager here. She deals with problems that come up, or people that might cause problems. It’s a good possibility she’s heard about the escape.”
“Is she going to be a problem for us?”
“Shouldn’t be, but you never can tell with women.”
We were, ah-hem, politely escorted to the tallest building on Koleniko, the one the Senora uses to rule over the place. Don’t get me wrong, the place is pretty much lawless, but like Sodom and Gomorrah, there are rules. The rules are pretty simple; don’t cause a public panic or draw people into a fight with the outside. The Senora was there to make sure everyone abides by those two rules. If you don’t comply, you disappear. Pretty simple, right?
The elevator we all squeezed into should have been comfortable, but with three big galoots, it was a bit too crowded for my liking. I really couldn’t complain; Trowa was pressed up against my back, his hands firmly gripping my hips. I knew the hard length I felt on my back wasn’t an erection; it was a knife he had concealed under the waistband of his pants.
The ride was short, the doors sliding open to reveal an outer office, another goon standing in front of a large set of double doors. Used to the routine, I had to go through this every time the Senora summoned me, I left the brothers behind and strode to the doors, “Esteban, fancy seeing you here. She wants to see me.”
“You need to leave your weapons on the table, Maxwell. Your partner will wait here while you see the Senora.”
I do cocky and arrogant quite well when I have to; I’ve had plenty of practice over the years. Someone as small as I am has to use every talent he’s got or be chewed up by those bigger than me. Crossing my arms over my chest, I shrugged, like I had all the time in the world, “He goes with me and we keep our weapons.”
“He can go, but your weapons remain here.”
Another shrug and I turned to Trowa, “Let’s get the hell out of here. No one can force us to see the Senora; coming here without a fight was a matter of courtesy and respect.”
He was willing to go along with me, “Let’s go then. We don’t need this delay.”
“By the saints, Duo, does everything have to be an argument with you?”
I turned to the doors where the female voice filtered through a few seconds before it opened, a tall woman striding out, visibly irritated. The Senora, despite her title, is a tall blonde with an athletic build and an attractive face. She was dressed in high-heeled boots that added another four inches to her already impressive height, form fitting black pants of crushed velvet, and a skin-tight blue halter that showed off flawless skin that was so pale it was almost like porcelain. “Can’t you just go along with the rules, for once in your life?”
“What do you think, Jezzie?”
Making a face, she gestured for us to come into the space that served as both her home and place of business, waving a hand to dismiss the brothers Grimm times three before shutting the door and leaving Esteban on the other side of it. “Nobody calls me that anymore, Duo. It lacks respect.”
“Trying to avoid your past, Jezz?” I sat in one of the rolling chairs, giving it a test spin before leveling a look at her. “You should know that’s not possible.”
“You obviously know that, as well,” she stated as she turned her focus on Trowa. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I’m Jezz Bell, the leader of this asylum.”
“You know exactly who he is, Jezz,” I said before Trowa could respond to her probing, shaking my head when he frowned at my apparent rudeness.”
Jezz gave me a long look before she smiled, “Trowa Barton, former Gundam pilot and apparently, a former Preventer agent. You know better than to bring a whistler here, Duo,” her expression turned serious. “I should have had you banned from Kol as soon as I learned who your new partner was.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because some debts can never be paid…and I was curious. I wanted to know why a successful rock jock would be teaming up with an agent. Then I had to wonder what that agent was doing with a rock jock. It seems odd to give up a career and a normal life to fly with the likes of you, Duo, no offense.”
“None taken. You know how it can be, Jezz, you try to live a normal life but sometimes space gets in the blood. Trowa wasn’t happy with what he was doing and heard I was having some problems with the PSP.”
“So the good agent came riding to your rescue? How sweet. Did you offer bribes or favors to get Duo out of the clutches of the whistlers that’ve been after his skin for years?” She was addressing Trowa, challenging and testing him at the same time. Hopefully, he had been paying attention to what I’d said during our trip.
“Neither, I broke him out, but not until after those assholes tried to beat him to death.” His voice was low and dangerous and sexy as hell. Sheesh, I was in such trouble. “If I ever get my hands on the bastards that hurt him, they’ll die a slow and painful death.”
“A bit protective, are you?”
“Only when it comes to Duo; I protect what’s mine.”
She stared at him, probably looking for some sign that he was lying, but Trowa’s expression didn’t change. Several minutes passed before she sat behind her metal desk, her blue eyes intense and somber. “You actually care for Duo. I had my doubts, but I can see how sincere you are.”
“Great, now that we’ve established that, would you like to tell me why you summoned me, o’ great Senora?” I am not going to get into the situation between me and Trowa with Jezz; she’s a friend, but not a close one, not for a long time. “I get tired of having to see you every time I dock here and I’m not thrilled about barely getting on colony before your goons came to fetch me.”
Clearly, she wasn’t happy about the way I talked to her. She’s used to people speaking to her with more reverence. Just as clearly, I didn’t give a damn. I was tired and worn out and looking forward to sleeping in an actual bed. “You were last seen in Strauss, five days ago, Duo. Since the trip from Strauss to here is eight or nine days long, I’ll assume it was a case of misidentification. There isn’t any way to make that trip in five days…not even with the crazy way you fly.”
“There is one way.” Why is she so interested in what we’ve been doing? Someone had been paying attention to Trowa and me and she might know who.
Seemingly relaxed, she sat back with a laugh, “The only way to make it here in that amount of time is to go through the black bridge. Not even you are that insane, Duo.”
“You sure about that?”
It took about ten seconds for her eyes to grow wide. “You went through the black bridge? Have you lost what little you had left of your mind? Has associating with a whistler caused you to take more risks than you already were? You had to know the chances of survival were slim.”
“Would it have been better to go through the PSP barricade, where all of the damn ships are looking out for the Hellion? We would have been blown out of the sky before we got close to the outlands.”
“So you are the reason for the barricade. Who did you piss off this time?”
“A prick named Allbright. Apparently, he doesn’t like me very much.”
“That seems to be an understatement. Why are you here, Duo? I doubt you were just passing through if you braved the black bridge to get here.”
“That’s exactly what we’re doing…passing through on our way to the Shoe,” I sat back and waited for her reaction, putting my hand on Trowa’s thigh to gauge his tension level. As I expected, his muscles were coiled, poised to strike if it becomes necessary. I gave him a squeeze, taking guilty pleasure in the feel of him. The heat from his skin was coming through his jeans and warming my hand. Good grief, is he always that hot?
Jezz’s reaction didn’t take long, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward, “Why are you going to the Shoe, Duo? It’s no place for someone like him.”
That was insulting and she knew it. Standing, I put my hands on her desk and leaned forward, my voice low and carrying a threat. “He’s my partner, Jezz. He risked his life and freedom to get me out of a PSP holding cell, trusted me enough to go to Strauss with me, and then believed in me to get us through the black. If you insult him again, Koleniko will need a new manager.”
Jezz doesn’t like to be threatened so it surprised me when she leaned around me to smile at Trowa, “Can I have a few minutes with your partner? I need to speak with him about personal matters.”
“He isn’t leaving this room, Jezz.”
“Leaving isn’t necessary. There’s a nice view of the city from the window, Trowa. That should be far enough to keep things private.”
I don’t allow people in my personal space; it’s something Jezz knew well and likely the reason she was visibly stunned when Trowa stood behind me, leaning over me to look at my face. After I nodded slightly, he didn’t hesitate to kiss me again, probably for the benefit of our hostess. We are supposed to be partners and there wasn’t a better way to confirm that than to let our lips mate for a moment. God help me, I couldn’t resist him when he did crap like that; his kisses are better than any drug I’ve ever taken, and I’ve taken a lot in my day. When he pulled away I wanted to yank him back, push him against the desk and take everything I could get, with or without a damn audience.
I watched him walk away, pulling my gaze back to Jezz when she whistled, “Never thought I’d see you gooey eyed over anyone, Duo, especially not a whistler.”
“Former whistler and I’m not gooey-eyed. He’s my partner.”
“He’s more than a partner,” she observed with a smirk. “You’re in love with him.”
“You know better than that. He’s my partner and it’s more convenient to have sex with him than someone else.” That was part of the damn problem, isn’t it? “What did you want to talk to me about privately? I doubt you wanted to talk about my sex life.”
“Are you certain he can be trusted? You have to be one-hundred percent of him before you take him to the Shoe.”
I’ve known Jezz a long time, since before she was the manager of Koleniko, when she was no more than a pretty hooker roaming the lean streets of L2. She got out, like me, but she did it on her back while I fought for my freedom on my feet, but we do respect each other, even if it doesn’t always show. Without Trowa or her goons close by, she was letting me see the real concern she had for me. “What’s going on, Jezz? What have you heard that has your hackles up?”
“People are asking questions about the two of you, bad people you don’t want to be mixed up with. I don’t want you getting hurt because you trusted the wrong person. The PSP has more power now in this area of space than they used to.”
Jezz is the manager of Koleniko for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is because she’s really good at reading people. Trowa is good at hiding how he feels or thinks, but she should have been able to tell me something that I was already pretty certain of. “You’ve looked him in the eyes. Can I trust him? Will he hurt me?” I’m pretty sure I knew the answer, but I wanted someone else to confirm what I believed. I was both excited and terrified as I waited to hear her verdict; how’s that for messed up?
“He’ll die before letting you get hurt, Duo. He’s in love with you, just as you are with him.” She tilted her head at me, eyes sympathetic, “You aren’t happy about that, yet you are.”
“He deserves better than I can offer. You know about Nico.” She’s one of the few people I had confided in, prompted by drugs, depression, and alcohol, combined with a moment of weakness that had me telling her of Nico’s betrayal.
“I’ll tell you what you should already know. Nico was a dumbass,” she surprised a laugh from me. “If you care for your partner as much as I believe, you won’t let the past get in the way.”
“It’s not the past I’m worried about.”
“If you want him, really want him, make it work.”
“But…” wasn’t that what really terrified me? That I would want him after all this was over but he wouldn’t want me?
“No buts, why, what’s, how’s, or any of that foolishness. Nothing is impossible, not if you want it bad enough. Look at me, the manager of an entire satellite. Less than ten years ago, I was a hooker that sold my body and soul to live. Circumstance and luck put me in a place where I was able to leave that dead-end life and begin again. I didn’t let myself worry about the past or the future, I grabbed onto the present with both hands and refused to give up. If he makes you happy, I suggest you do the same. You never know when that happiness will be torn away.”
“Is it better to take the happiness you can even through you know it’ll be taken away, or not have happiness at all?” That was my problem. Could I take what Trowa offered and let him go later without it killing me?
“You’re the only one that can answer that. Take some time and think about it, but don’t think too long. He doesn’t seem like the patient type when it comes to something he wants.” Raising her voice, she bent down and searched in her desk drawer, finding a key and handing it to me. “I took the liberty of getting you a room here for the two of you to use during your stay. I assumed you would only need one.”
“You assumed correctly,” I plucked the key from her hand before crossing the room to where Trowa was watching me. “Is there any way to get some food brought to us, or do we need to go out and find our own?”
“Let Esteban know what you want and he’ll have it brought to you. I’ve instructed him to take care of your needs while you’re here.”
“Jezz, why do I get the feeling you don’t want us wandering around your fair city? It’s never been a problem before.”
“My job here is to keep peace as much as possible. There are innocent people that live here; I won’t have them getting hurt because someone is after the two of you.”
I could respect her decision, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. “There are some supplies I need before we leave for the Shoe. How can I acquire them if I can’t go out?” Trowa’s hand was on my shoulder, massaging it firmly.
“Make a list and Esteban will get everything you need delivered to the Hellion. That’s the best I can offer you, Duo. If there weren’t so many people asking questions…” she shrugged, shaking her head.
“I understand. If that’s the best you can offer, I’ll have to take it. C’mon, Tro, I’m ready for some time alone.”
“That sounds promising.”
His eyes were promising something, too, mainly that he wanted to talk to me about something. Damnit, I didn’t know if I was ready for that talk, or if I was ready to distract him in the most pleasurable way I could think of. Well, I had a few more minutes before I needed to decide, so hopefully, I’d have time to figure out if I should take Jezz’s advice or not. “Jezz, as always, it’s been interesting.”
She was smiling as she came close to hug me, “Agreed. Next time you come for a visit, try to avoid all the damn trouble and you’ll be able to show Trowa around more.” Letting me go, she lifted an eyebrow at my partner, able to look him in the eyes from the same level instead of having to look up at him as I had to do. Bitch. “Take care of Duo. If I learn you’ve let him get hurt, the Preventers won’t be able to find the pieces of your body because I’ll spread them so far and wide there won’t be any hope.”
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