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After one day in the cell, she al even with the ie cube that showed pictures of her family, friends, and home planet The projections covered the wall and she lay on the narrow cot wishing she had listened more to her family and less to her friends
Life had a purpose when she left Malione with her They’d all heard the terrible stories co the covert aid group had been a challenge and she’d gone through various vetting procedures before they trusted her Then, when a number of her team had been arrested, she’d volunteered to run a solo mission She had the kno to operate a craft on her own, she’d argued, and her lack of experience was not a probleo at the coordinates in one rotation of the planet
It hadn’t gone quite to plan
She watched the stars froed patterns and she started to recognize a few of the his way to so stars passed before the , she noted the angles and worked out they were leaving Kalamar behind A shame; she’d really wanted to complete her mission
Mason wasn’t anything like what she expected of law enforcers, although her experience of them was somewhat limited to the local force back at houlations They’d let her bribe her way off the planet without the necessary fore as easily
She tucked her hands behind her head and stretched out on the bed Quite why she found Mason alluring was annoying her A ainst authority figures However, reinforcing it with his pal her and the way he exaasm… he had, hadn’t he? But, bizarrely, she didn’t hate hi her no end of confusion trying to unravel her mixed-up emotions
Groaning in frustration, she rotated onto her belly and bundled her hands underneath her, trapping them, preventin
g thes If she had an occupation, soht not have the yearning to know hie over her from the outset—he’d seen her naked She wouldn’t mind if he returned the favor and uncovered hi beneath his jacket and pants She closed her eyes and squeezed the lids shut hard, as if she could erase the i! She had particular feelings, familiar flutters in her stomach and a wetness that shouldn’t be where it was
Eventually, sleep ca else
When she woke, there was food next to the cot Dried stuff, the kind soldiers lived on when they had nothing else Tasteless rubbish She nibbled on it, dredging up an appetite frouessed He’d promised her some exercise
The lights flickered, just as they had done several times since she’d been locked up in the cell This time it was accompanied by a clunk Next to the door was the access panel It should be red, indicating it was locked, and now it had turned green The lock had been released She waited for Mason to walk in, but the door remained shut
Tiptoeing toward it, she placed her hand on the door release and it reet her
She stuck her head around the corner and glanced up and down the corridor, listening Nothing Not a sound except the usual vibrating whirr of a distant engine The ship wasWhere was Mason?
Then she noticed the panels opposite were flashing Dashing over, she touched the screen and quickly determined the security system had failed It wasn’t just her cell door; all the doors had sprung open including the docking locks Her little ship was accessible and she would be able to speed away Maybe Mason was asleep or otherwise occupied and unaware of the breakdown The only proble? She had to chance it
With her heart pounding in her chest, she hurried to the docking bay The access airlock swung open when she activated the switch and she crossed the air space to the outer door, the one attached to the rear of her craft This was easier than she anticipated It would take a few moments for the computer to boot up all the necessary systems, especially if she circuation cootten two is