it includes all three of you. Clearly, you and Haley are tolerating whatever they did to you better than Selina, but I would want to know exactly what they’d done.”
The challenge in his tone was unmistakable. Still, her immediate obstacle was explaining to Haley how Jaron had learned about their abilities. “I’m going to go talk to Haley.”
He looked at her without shifting his chair. “If Haley insists on protecting Selina, you can still learn more about your own condition. As I said, the offer stands.”
“I know.” She pushed to her feet, strangely reluctant to leave. “I’ll let you know what I decide after I’ve had some time to think about it.”
“Take your time. Unfortunately, we’re not going anywhere.”
Nikki returned to the observation area and sank onto her usual seat. “How’s she doing?” she asked Haley.
“She’s been like this since you left.” Haley motioned toward Selina who was slumped against the fuselage, blankly staring. “Does Jaron know what’s wrong with her? I thought he healed her before. Is this a reaction to whatever he did?”
The question warned Nikki that she was going to have a fight on her hands. Haley was looking for someone to blame, and apparently she didn’t feel the need to be particularly accurate with the accusations. “Jaron saved her life. He fed her energy, that’s all. The hysteria is a direct result of whatever the Cretzians did.”
“You don’t know that,” Haley snapped. “She easily kept up with me and Ayran as we escaped. She was wide awake and alert. Her deterioration began when Jaron screwed with her mind.”
“Haley, that doesn’t make sense.” Nikki kept her tone low and even, hoping her calm would rub off. “Jaron fed her energy before the escape. You said it yourself. Selina improved after Jaron interacted with her.”
“And then she fell apart,” Haley stressed. “His energy is toxic and he knew it. They’re all toxic.”
The conversation was so irrational that trepidation tingled down Nikki’s spine. If it weren’t for the Sarronti they would still be locked in that cell on Cretz. Was Haley’s paranoia more than just an overreaction to what was happening to Selina? Haley shifted in her seat, crossing her ankles then uncrossing them. Her hands ran down the top of her thighs over and over. Nikki had never seen her so agitated.
“Stop staring at me,” Haley sneered, her teeth clenched. “Why are you staring at me?”
The longer Nikki talked to Haley the angrier she became. And it wasn’t rational. Deciding the wisest course of action was to end the conversation, Nikki said, “I’m going to see if Jaron has any idea how long the delay will last. I can’t wait to get home.” She stood up, trying to seem relaxed and casual.
Haley shot to her feet and grabbed Nikki’s arm. “You’re on his side, aren’t you? Why did you join his side?”
“There are no sides, Haley. No one is out to get you.”
Haley’s fingernails dug into Nikki’s arm as she glared into her eyes. “You lying bitch! You want to screw him so badly that you’ll betray your friends. I can’t believe—”
The divider slid open and Jaron lunged past Nikki. He pushed a small cylindrical device against Haley’s neck and depressed the trigger at one end.
Haley yelped then rubbed her neck. “What the hell was...” She collapsed into his waiting arms.
“It’s just a sedative,” he assured Nikki as he scooped Haley up and carried her to the larger cabin.
“I think what’s happening to Selina is happening to her,” Nikki explained following close behind him.
“I saw.”
“You saw?” She was uncomfortable with the inference. “Why were you spying on us?”
“I was monitoring the situation because I was concerned about you. If you consider that spying, then fine. I was spying on you.”
She wasn’t going to argue about the ethics of his actions. Obviously, his caution had been justified. “I didn’t think the monitors were working.” It was a transparent deflection, but it was the best she could do at the moment.
“The ship is conserving energy. That’s why so many systems are offline. The security feeds, like life support and shields, are considered essential functions.” He moved toward the door then paused. “I doubt you’ll like the suggestion, but I think we should put both sisters in this cabin and keep them in stasis until we reach Sarronti Prime. It will be safer for them and for us that way.”
She saw the wisdom of his suggestion but felt obligated to object. “Are you going to warehouse me too?”