like her body was containing something it shouldn’t.
Bellamy’s eyes widened.
The assassin smiled. “Haven’t you met a morpher before?”
“You can…change shapes?”
“It makes me a very good assassin.”
The door closed, locking Bellamy in the dark space.
She listened to the front doors closing, and then a second later, the transport started moving.
Great. Just great.
In the dim light, Bellamy examined the cuffs. She needed to get them off.
Then she noticed a bit of light coming through a small gap in front of her. She slid up awkwardly in the small space and pressed against it. She saw the assassin sitting in the front seat. The transport was zipping through traffic.
The woman touched the console, flicking her red hair back over her shoulder. “I have the package.”
“Good.” A raspy voice came through the console.
Bellamy’s stomach contracted. An Edull.
“Confirm with us when the task is complete,” the Edull said. “Then we’ll transfer the credits.”
“Very well,” the assassin replied. “Expect my call soon.”
Screw this. Bellamy was not sitting around waiting to be killed.
She started working on the cuffs, trying to get them loose. She slid her hand into her pocket and pulled out the tool Maxon had made for her. She’d kept it on her since he’d given it to her. Hell, she’d even slept with it under her pillow last night after Maxon had bullied her into getting some rest. She grunted as she worked it out of her trouser pocket.
Then the transport started to slow.
Dammit. Dragging in a deep breath, Bellamy kept herself calm. She gripped the tool and started working on a small link in the cuff. Come on. Suddenly, she heard a small click.
She smiled. The cuffs fell away. The assassin was going to get a fight, that was for sure.
The transport pulled to a stop. The doors opened, and the vehicle dipped as the assassin got out. Bellamy tensed, waiting for the cargo compartment to open, but after a minute, the assassin still hadn’t come for her.
She had no idea how long she had, but she wasn’t going to waste it.
With her hands now free, she pressed on the panel in front of her. She gripped her tool and started undoing the screws.
There. The last one fell to the floor. She shoved the front panel forward, then climbed into the front of the transport.
She slid into the front seat. Nice. The transport had sleek seats that cupped the body and fancy controls. The glass around her was all dark, and the roof was clear. There was no sign of the assassin.
Bellamy started touching the console controls.
“Palmprint not recognized,” the computer voice intoned.
Damn. Using her tool, she pried off a part of the panel. Then she jammed the tool into the wiring and circuits.
Bellamy had hotwired a few cars in her misspent youth. Surely, an alien transport on a desert planet half a galaxy away wouldn’t be that difficult? Especially when this was life or death.
It gave her good incentive.
Suddenly, sparks flew out of the inside of the console, and Bellamy turned her head away. When she looked back, she saw the transport’s console flare to life.
“Yes!”
Then it died.
“Come on,” she muttered.
She jammed her tool in again, and the console lights flickered. Bellamy smiled as they stayed lit. She touched the controls and the transport started forward.
Yes!
She pulled the vehicle jerkily out into the street. It wasn’t smooth, but they were moving.
Suddenly, there was a thump on the roof. Bellamy looked up through the clear glass and saw the redhead’s enraged face.
Shit. Bellamy touched the controls, searching for the accelerator. She swiped the screen.
The transport leaped forward and sped away.
The assassin tumbled off.
Hell, yeah. Bellamy kept working the controls. The transport turned a corner, and joined the busy flow of traffic.
Crap. She didn’t want to crash into any innocent people. She kept her hands on the controls, trying to work it all out. In the distance, she spotted the cream walls of the arena.
She’d head straight there, and get back to the House of Rone.
Bellamy moved over into the next lane, gunning forward.
That’s when two transports roared up on either side of her vehicle. They pinned her between them.
Uh-oh.
She looked over, and in one, saw the female assassin inside. The woman had the side window open and was aiming a weapon at Bellamy.
Oh, shit.
Chapter Ten
Maxon fought the force holding him in place. He wanted to roar out his frustration, but the drakking field kept his voice locked down.
He was going to pulverize that drakking device once he was free.
“Maxon!” Magnus’ shout.
Maxon managed to