Mindee Arnett - Avalon

Jeth scowled. “Just trying to enjoy making my own choices while I still can.”

A knowing look crossed Dax face. “Yeah, okay, Golden Boy.”

“What are you talking about?” said Lizzie

“Nothing,” Jeth and Dax answered in unison.

Dax glanced around the corner. “What are we looking at?”

“Sierra and Vince just went in, along with some old guy and four armed guards pulling a crate.”

Dax nodded. “Let’s assume the guards will drop off the cargo and come out again.” He raised his hand to the communicator patch behind his ear and opened all channels. “This is Ringleader. All units check in.”

One by one the others came back, identifying their current positions.

“Head toward the mark,” Dax said. “But don’t engage. Rally at the east entrance with me and the west entrance with Goliath.”

Irritated by the idea of more waiting, Jeth turned toward the window and tried to content himself with staring at his ship.

Flynn joined them a few minutes later. “The others here yet?”

Dax shook his head. Then he pressed his finger to the communicator patch again. “Goliath, you in place?”

No response.

Dax reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his black brain implant. With practiced ease, he slid the stem into the back of his skull. Jeth flinched at the sight.

Dax’s eyes went oddly out of focus for a moment, as if his consciousness had slipped his body. Then he blinked, his expression returning to normal. “Damn it.”

“Sergei didn’t respond?” said Jeth, feeling the first pangs of worry.

“No. He must not have his implant in.”

Flynn stared at Dax, his eyes wide. “You mean you really can talk mind-to-mind with those things?”

Dax grunted. “Something like that.” He gave it a couple of minutes, then tried the communicator patch once more. “You reading this, Goliath? Come back.”

Again no response.

Jeth pressed a finger to his communicator patch. “You out there, Tailspin?”

Celeste didn’t answer.

“Tailspin? Joyrider? Come back, somebody.” Something was wrong. Jeth knew it. Celeste would never leave him hanging.

Finally, he heard the click of an incoming communication, and the frantic sound of Celeste’s voice filled her ear. “Tailspin here, we’re in trouble. It’s—”

The communication cut off, but just before it did, Jeth heard a tiny hiss-pop noise, like the kind made by a gun shot with a silencer. He went still, frozen by shock and uncertainty.

“Was that gunfire?” said Flynn.

“Why would someone fire on them?” said Lizzie.

Dax didn’t answer as he peered around the corner again. Then he faced Jeth. “Think you can get Avalon’ s door open?”

“I can,” Lizzie said before Jeth could reply. “Even if they’ve changed the security lock, I built a back door into the code.”

“Smart,” Dax said, looking impressed. “Let’s go.”

“What about the others?” said Flynn.

“We’ve got to assume that whatever trouble they’ve run into might be coming this way. We best not be sitting here waiting to get caught.”

Whatever trouble . A rushing sound filled Jeth’s ears. He took a deep breath and pulled out his gun. He needed to stay focused. Celeste and Shady could handle themselves. Mostly.

Jeth followed Lizzie and the others out into the corridor. As Lizzie worked on overriding Avalon’ s lock, Jeth kept his gaze focused on the west entrance. He thought he heard someone coming once or twice but the corridor remained empty.

As soon as the door opened, Dax led the way inside.

At first Jeth thought the bay was empty, but then he saw the old man and the four guards lying on the ground around the container they’d been escorting. They were all dead. The nearest guard had been shot through the head.

“Oh.” Lizzie covered her mouth and looked away from the gruesome sight.

“Did Sierra and Vince do this?” said Dax, whispering

Jeth shook his head. “I doubt it.”

“Then who did?” said Flynn.

“Let’s find out.” Dax glanced at Jeth. “You know this ship better than I do. What next?”

In answer, Jeth lifted his gun to the ready position and then walked cautiously toward the ladder leading up to the commons deck. He could hear the sound of raised voices ahead of him. At least one of those voices belonged to Sierra. The others were male, although no one he recognized with any certainty. Jeth tried to make out what they were saying, but couldn’t.

He motioned for the others to wait as he climbed the first few steps, then dropped to his belly as he neared the top. From that vantage point he could see into the common room. His pulse quickened as he took in the six people. One of them was Vince, lying on the ground in between the sofa and gaming table. Whether he was dead or not, Jeth couldn’t tell, but he wasn’t moving. Sierra stood not far from him, her hands above her head. Milton stood next to her in the same submissive position.

Across from them was Marcus Renford. He was accompanied by two men in plain clothes that Jeth figured were ITA soldiers, given their standard, ITA-issued guns.

Jeth eased back down the steps to the cargo bay, beads of sweat breaking out over his skin. He quickly explained the situation to the others in a low whisper.

“Liz and I can flank them from the other entrance,” Flynn said. “No offense, but we’re quieter. You and Dax can get the drop on them from here.”

“It should work,” Jeth said, nodding. “But you two stay under cover until I give the signal. Especially you .” He glared at Lizzie. She rolled her eyes, but didn’t argue.

“Let’s go,” said Dax.

Lizzie and Flynn slipped away, heading for the front ladder up to the commons deck, while Jeth and Dax crawled up the back stairs. A minute or so later, Jeth heard a single click in his ear from the communicator patch—Lizzie, telling him she was in place. Flynn signaled next. Jeth glanced behind him at Dax, who gave him the go sign. Jeth stood up, ready to charge in.

The familiar sizzling crack of a stunner being fired echoed behind him, and Dax cried out. Jeth spun around in time to see him falling backward, arms flailing. Dax landed at the bottom of the stairs with a loud thump. The shooter stood just beyond the stairs, holding a stunner aimed at Jeth.

“Throw down the gun,” the man said. Like the men with Renford, he was wearing civilian clothes. Then Jeth saw the silver badge on the man’s belt, tucked underneath his coat, confirming his suspicions.

Jeth considered trying to get a shot off until six more ITA soldiers charged into the cargo bay. Celeste and Shady were with them, both held at gunpoint. But at least they appeared all right, unlike Sergei, who was slouched between the two soldiers holding him up. Blood ran down the front of one pant leg from a gunshot wound.

Jeth heard the sounds of a struggle behind him, but he didn’t dare turn to see what was happening as he slowly bent down and placed his gun on one of the steps.

A moment later, someone prodded him from behind. “Head down the stairs.” It was the familiar voice of Marcus Renford.

Jeth did as he was told, joining Shady and Celeste, who were kneeling in a line, hands behind their heads. The soldiers forced Lizzie, Flynn, and Milton into the same position. Jeth glanced at Milton, making sure his uncle was all right. Then his eyes found Sierra standing a couple of meters away, trapped between two soldiers holding her arms. Another soldier held an unconscious Cora. Jeth tensed at the sight of her. What had they done? Was she knocked out? Dead? Jeth forced his gaze away, guilt and fear making him dizzy.

Across from him, Renford stooped and rolled Dax onto his stomach, exposing the implant buried in his skull. He shook his head, making a disgusted sound. Then he glanced at Jeth. “So, what happened to you? Last we spoke you were supposed to be waiting for my men to pick you up.”