Page 56 of Alien's Luck
“It’s also a little shortsighted to think we wouldn’t share the security code, not when it was good for an entire day. Those things really should be single use,” Carla snapped. Really. “The captain was very keen to take this job. Personal reasons, but I didn’t ask. Do you want to know his fee?”
“Mercenaries. They are only interested in credits,” Tavat said.
“Yes, exactly, which is good news for you,” Carla replied, taking a step back and angling herself to keep an eye on both Tavat and his minion.
“Female, cease talking?—”
“You’re right. You don’t want to know the fee. It’s pretty insulting monetarily but oddly flattering when you consider how much he must loathe you. We’re basically paying for supplies and fuel. I don’t think the crew was too thrilled with a small payday, but not my monkeys, not my circus, you know.”
Yes, she was stalling. The key to an escape was to make sure your opponent was too busy to chase after you. She’d throw out every confusing idiom she could if it bought her just a half minute more.
“But the good news for you is that you can buy your way out of this situation. Give me Poppy’s controller, and I’ll give you the hailing frequency to negotiate with the captain.”
An explosion rocked the room. Dust fell from the ceiling.
“Oh my, I think they’re here,” Carla said.
Shouts came from the corridor, followed by the sound of multiple people running. Things were getting interesting.
Poppy lurched toward Tavat, a feral look on her face. It hurt to see her friend like that. Poppy was gone. Carla could run and save her own hide, leaving Poppy behind, but as soon as she thought about it, she knew it was impossible. Poppy would never leave her behind.
This will get us both killed.
Guards filed in, surrounding Tavat and pointing their guns at Carla.
“Interested in that trade?” Carla asked, unbothered as she twirled the quills between her fingers. “The code for the remote control.”
Tavat was pissed. His eyes narrowed, and his tail lashed from side to side in a display of genuine emotion.
“Very well,” he said. “For all the good it will do you.”
He tossed the controller onto the table.
She grabbed it and a flower from the centerpiece for good measure, then recited a string of numbers. “Now, what did you do to Ari?”
“You are in no position to make demands. Find him yourself.” Tavat dismissed her with a flick of his wrist.
Well, she should have seen that one coming.
“How hard can it be?” she muttered, stuffing the flower and quills down the front of her dress for safekeeping. “Come on, Poppy.”
The remote had a single button. Carla pressed it, causing Poppy to lurch forward and to give a little cry of anguish, which hurt Carla’s soul.
They made it to the corridor when Poppy drifted away. Pressing the remote just made her go forward. That worked well enough until Poppy got turned around. The overhead lights went out. Backup lights came on, casting an amber glow.
Carla did her best to navigate the maze that was the villain’s lair, all curves and no straight path, in reduced lighting while herding a zombie. She had studied the schematics of the compound and memorized the route to the area marked “laboratory,” but it was too easy to get turned around. A flashing sign would be nice but no, just one curving hallway after another with mood lighting.
She didn’t have much time to wander around Tavat’s lair looking for Ari. The plan had been that she would find Poppy, likely held in the lab ongoing her zombification process. Now she had Poppy but no Ari. She’d bet her last dime that Ari was in the lab.
The sounds of gunfighting got closer, and smoke drifted in the air.
“I don’t suppose you have any idea where the lab is, do you?” Carla asked. Poppy moaned. “Yeah, well, it’s not a perfect system. I expected to find you in the lab, not serving drinks. Do you remember the way?”
The fighting got closer. Shots echoed off stone walls. Sparks flew at the end of the corridor. Carla looked for an open door, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.
The first door she tried was locked. Typical. The second door opened into a medical suite.
Lighting had been reduced to amber emergency lights. Banging came from the back.
