Break Out - By Nina Croft Page 0,40

she thinks so.”

“Thinks?”

“We’ll soon find out.”

She came to stand beside him, rested a hand on his shoulder, and showed him the screen. She fizzed with barely suppressed excitement, and he reached up and squeezed her hand. She started in surprise but then smiled.

“Here goes nothing,” Rico said and switched on the comm unit. “This is Transporter 334, requesting permission to dock.”

“Enter your access codes.”

He tapped in the codes and held his breath.

“You are cleared for docking. Switch off your engines, and we’ll bring you in.”

He flipped off the comm, switched off the engine, and swiveled his chair to face Skylar and Tannis.

“Wow, we did it,” Skylar said. “We’re actually in.”

“Did you ever doubt it?” He grinned. “After all, we are the best.”

Skylar still wore that sexy little dress, and the vast amounts of bare skin on show gleamed with sweat in the heat. Rico gave in to the urge and dragged her down into his lap. He breathed in the scent of hot, excited woman, and then he kissed her. Her mouth opened beneath his, and he pushed his tongue inside, losing himself in the taste of her.

Behind them, Tannis coughed loudly.

Rico pulled back. “Soon,” he murmured in Skylar’s ear.

“Could you please leave off the somewhat nauseating celebrations until we’re out of here,” Tannis said. “We have less than an hour. If we’re not away by then, we’re stuck here for another fifteen days, which probably translates to forever. So let’s be quick.”

Rico kissed Skylar one last time and released his hold. She scrambled to her feet, and brushed down the dress, but a small smile still lifted her full lips. They all turned to stare at the screen as the ship was pulled relentlessly toward Trakis One. Up close, the planet didn’t appear any more hospitable; nothing on the surface suggested any life forms could survive here.

A hatch opened beneath the shuttle. Rico’s hands tightened on the arms of his chair as the tractor beam caught them and slowly sucked them inside. They landed, and the hatch closed above them.

“Right,” Rico said, “let’s get the supplies unloaded, Jonny loaded, and we can be on our way home.”

. . .

Skylar sat on the bridge of the transport ship, drumming her fingers on the console in front of her. The end was so close now, but she hated the waiting. Rising to her feet, she paced the floor until she tripped over her shoes. She stared down at herself—she still wore the stupid dress and ridiculous high heels. Why hadn’t she brought a change of clothing? She considered a quick trip to her shuttle, but she didn’t want to leave the bridge in case something happened.

Flinging herself back in the seat, she flipped between the external cameras, trying to locate Rico. Nothing moved in the docking bay. The area was huge, cavernous, and empty except for a small space cruiser that stood, partially hidden, in the far corner.

Her gaze moved past it, then back again.

There was supposed to be no way off Trakis One, apart from the transport ship Skylar now sat in. She clearly remembered Tannis saying no ships were stationed on the planet—another of the security measures.

The ship was a cruiser, clearly modified for the radiation on Trakis One, but otherwise bore no name, no markings. A trickle of unease ran down her spine. Kicking off her shoes, she rose to her feet and searched the bridge. She spotted the laser pistols taken from the dead crew and strapped one over her silver dress. She started to walk away, and then turned and strapped on a second, so a pistol hung at either side.

Outside the ship, the air felt cool against her sweat-damp skin, the floor icy beneath her bare feet. She made her way around the outside of the docking bay, coming up behind the unmarked cruiser. It was locked up tight, and Skylar was pretty sure no one was on board. She stood for a minute, eyeing the ship, deciding what to do next. Should she warn Rico? But warn him of what?

She had to think this through. It made no sense. The ship must have been stationed here since the last lunar cycle. Fifteen days. Five days before she’d ever boarded El Cazador.

It couldn’t be tied to their hijack of the transport ship.

Of course, it might be totally unrelated. But she didn’t believe that. Which meant that someone who knew of her mission had sent the ship to Trakis One. Had the information been leaked? The