High Flyer - Michelle Diener Page 0,76

she gave a tiny nod.

“What just happened?” Bret watched her suspiciously.

She glanced at Iver again, wondering if she should tell them the engine was disconnected. That Jake and Craven had managed to find it and somehow switch it off.

But she didn't have a good reason to explain how she knew.

It wasn't as though she was free of the magfield--it was still Faldine, after all--but it was not nearly as strong as it had been before. She could feel her body humming.

“I said--” Bret took a step forward, and she raised a hand, palm out.

“Shh.” She moved to the door, listening.

“What the--?” Bret's voice rose.

“She said keep quiet.” Iver's voice was a low rumble behind her as he cut the camp leader off.

“There's no one outside the hut.” Hana turned to look at them. “They're either down by the river, helping the people in the crashed runner, or they're in the ruin, getting the engine out of its hiding place. No one is watching us.”

She stepped toward the door. Opened it.

The whole camp looked deserted.

“She's right.” Grimms pushed past her and stepped into the open.

Jeera followed her, and then Bret, the three of them fanning out.

Hana followed behind them, Iver on her heels.

“What's going on?” Bret swung around, staring at her. “How did you know there was no one here?”

“I have good hearing.” Hana turned away from him, stepped close to Iver. “What now?” she whispered.

“Speak up.” Bret was suddenly right next to them.

“What does it matter what they're doing? We're free and we can take the lander,” Jeera said. “Let's go.”

“She said they had the engine. How do you know that?”

“They already told us they found it, and why else would they leave us unguarded?” Hana shrugged. “Their two priorities are getting out of here and taking the engine, and they're spread too thin to do either well and also watch us. That's what the argument was about a little while ago. There was a fight about resources.”

“Come on, Bret. Let's get Luki and the others and leave.” Grimms tugged at his arm.

Bret shook her off. “I'm damned if I'm letting that bastard get my engine. We've been here for months looking for it. I'm not walking away.”

Baxter was out of the hut now, too, and his focus was on the ruin. “I agree. I've got a SAL in my room and we've got other weapons lying around. Let's take this camp back.”

Grimms looked from one to the other. Gave a slow nod.

Jeera made a sound of dismay.

“The others aren't in good shape, Jeer. They shouldn't be moved. Especially Luki. And even in the lander, the going'll be rough. Besides, this is our engine.” Grimms put a hand on Jeera's shoulder.

Jeera looked over at the lander, then back at the ruin. Gave a reluctant nod.

They broke apart, running towards their huts, and Fraen and Vars emerged from the hut as well, running after them.

“What now? We could take the lander ourselves.” Hana glanced over at the river, looking for any sign of Jake and whoever had gone to help him. A cool breeze, with a faint hint of smoke on it, lifted her hair, and she took a deep breath.

It felt like the first good breath she'd managed in a long time.

“I don't want the shield tech stolen.” Iver put hands on her shoulders. “I can go into the ruin, see what's really going on in there, what we're dealing with, and you can wait near the lander for me.”

Hana worried her bottom lip.

There was some sense in that. If Iver was hurt or caught by Barre and Craven, she could get him out, but she had the feeling in this situation, two were better than one.

“I'll come with you.”

Iver's hands tightened their hold, and then he gave a nod, releasing her as he stepped back.

“We'll make it quick. If we can't stop them, we take the lander and go for help. With the Dynastra down, they aren't going anywhere right now.”

Hana nodded and ran toward the ruin with him.

At last they would see what was really going on.

Chapter 25

Iver could see the change in Hana. She moved differently.

It wouldn't be obvious enough for the casual observer to notice, but she seemed to glide, in full harmony with her body.

She wasn't favoring her foot at all, and he could only assume it was healed.

There was a shout behind them as they ran for the ruin, and he turned to see that Bret had noticed where they were headed and seemed