Page 10 of Bradi

He yanked her down the corridor, seeking the nearest escape POD. He couldn’t comment on what she’d told him. The thought of Pete dying was too much for him. Pete was his only friend. He didn’t let too many people close, for good reason, and while he didn’t tell Pete all his deep dark secrets, they got along well enough. Though, Bradi never liked the way Pete ran around on Marisa with other women. That bothered him. In fact, since Marisa had come into the picture, everything about Pete seemed to bother him.

“I’m going to kill the little redheaded bastard that took off with him,” he mumbled under his breath.

“Stop, please. We have to get to Peter!”

“He’s already headed to the rendezvous site.”

“What?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“Long story. His POD already launched. We need to go.” Bradi came to a grinding halt outside of escape POD 303. The ship rocked violently once more and Bradi accidentally knocked into Marisa, sending her tumbling into the POD. She fell to the floor with a thud, leaving his heart heavy knowing that he’d caused her pain.

He rushed in behind her and dropped to the floor. “Doc?”

“Ouch,” she managed. “Are you okay?”

“Me? I just hit you!”

She blinked up at him. “Not your fault. But you are huge.”

He pushed the green POD release button with the toe of his boot. The detachment of the POD was more aggressive than it should have been. He rocked back and knocked his bad shoulder against the wall of the POD. Pain lanced through him and he figured that had to be a good thing. It meant feeling was coming back somewhat. What worried him was Marisa. He was pretty sure she’d passed out in the med chambers from blood loss. Why this tiny spitfire of a woman seemed to rule his every emotion was beyond him, but she did.

Marisa grew quiet and that worried Bradi. She glanced up at him, her green eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Do you think Peter’s dead?”

Spitting, throwing a fit, hell, even biting were all things he could deal with, but crying wasn’t something he was prepared for. The fact that he was as concerned about Pete as she was didn’t help matters any. Carefully, Bradi placed his arm around her as he sank down to the floor all the way, holding her close. “I don’t know, baby. I honestly don’t know.”

“Bradi.”

“Yeah, baby?”

“I think he’s dead.”

He closed his eyes a moment. He thought so too.

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