Page 22 of The Lone Cyborg
“How would they know?” he asked calmly and her racing pulse steadied. “You told me you’d only just discovered it. If this is thegang I heard about, they’re simply looking for easy pickings. And a woman alone…”
“But I’m not alone. Maybe they saw you and changed their minds.”
Even though he didn’t challenge her statement, she could tell he didn’t agree.
“What do we do now?” she asked.
“I think we need to act as if nothing has happened, as if we don’t know about them. I wonder if one of the other branches in the lava tube also goes to the surface,” he added thoughtfully.
“So you could circle around behind them?”
“Exactly. What do you say we do a little more exploration today?”
“All right. Although I suppose I should get dressed first.”
His eyes heated as they flicked down over the blanket and despite everything, her body responded to that admiring look.
“This is not how I would have chosen to spend the morning.”
“Me either.”
She’d intended it as a rebuke, but it came out more breathlessly than she intended and he smiled at her.
“I will make it up to you later. Once we figure out what’s going on.”
“Promise?” She raised an eyebrow.
“You can count on it,” he vowed, his voice low and serious, and she found herself smiling as she went to get dressed,
The lingering chill of the previous night still filled the air as they left the shelter. Sylvester perched on her shoulder, unusually quiet, as if he’d picked up on her tension. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled but she told herself it was nerves. Just act like it’s a normal day, she told herself as they walked towards the lava tube. They’d almost reached it, when her stomach twisted and she came to a halt.
“Something’s not right,” she murmured, squinting against the morning light as she looked around her claim.
“What is it?” he asked quietly, his hand moving towards his blaster.
“I don’t know, but?—”
She suddenly realized what was wrong—Trojan was lying motionless on the ground at the edge of the claim, his body covered with red dust and almost indistinguishable from the surrounding rocks.
“Trojan!” Her heart lurched as she started to dart towards the fallen animal, but Jeb’s arm barred her path.
“Wait,” he commanded, just as a sharp crack echoed through the air.
The attack came without warning—a hail of gunfire pinging off the rocks around them. Jeb’s body formed a shield, broad and unyielding, as he wrapped himself around her. She felt the impact before she heard the shots, two thuds against Jeb’s body. He staggered slightly, but he didn’t fall, didn’t even cry out.
“Go!”
He pushed her ahead of him, toward the protection of the lava tube as another round of bullets sang past them. He staggeredagain, his steps faltering, but he kept moving, kept her moving, his arms around her like a steel cage as they finally reached the lava tube. He didn’t stop once they were inside, urging her along as darkness enveloped them. Her eyes strained for any hint of light, her ears alert to any sign of pursuit, but there was nothing—only the ragged sound of their breathing and the lingering echo of gunfire in her ears.
Somehow he kept them both moving, guiding her through what felt like impenetrable blackness.
“Your wounds—” she began, but he kept going.
“I’ll manage,” he rasped, his voice strained with pain and effort.
They made several twists and turns before he finally came to a halt and turned on a small light. She couldn’t prevent a shocked cry at the sight of him. His arm was a torn mess and he clutched at his wounded side, blood seeping through his fingers in a relentless tide as he leaned against the wall.
“Oh God, Jeb.”
