early on that Penelope was what she called a “private bathroom person” and she disliked being bothered—even mentally—when she was “doing her business.”
I’ll give her a minute, he thought to himself She’ll be out soon.
But as the minutes ticked by and she still didn’t come out, he began to feel a tickling of unease in the back of his mind. Where was she? What was taking so long?
At last he sent a tentative call through their link, “Penelope?”
But he got no reply in return—not even an irritated demand to let her “finish.”
In fact, V realized, he felt nothing when he reached mentally for his new mate—nothing at all.
“Something is wrong!” he exclaimed. Ignoring the startled looks from his new kin, he ran for the fresher. “Penelope!” he roared at the top of his lungs, banging through the door. “Penelope, where are you?”
But though he could smell the sweet scent of her skin and hair, letting him know she had been there recently, the fresher was empty.
Penelope was gone.
Chapter 115
Drace walked quietly as he made his way down the old service tunnels that ran around the outside of the VIP area of Hell’s Gate Station. He had docked by a service entrance and let himself in using some codes he’d bought a long time ago off a mech droid who worked here. He liked the perks in the VIP Lounge—he just didn’t like paying for them.
This wasn’t something he did all the time—just once in a while when he wanted to treat himself. As a smuggler, he often lived in a gray area, just outside the law which was fine with him. He felt comfortable in that gray area. He—
Just then he heard a shuffling sound up ahead. He was coming to a T shaped intersection where he needed to take a right and go down the hall in order to slip into the VIP lounge via the service entrance of the fresher, but now he paused, frowning.
Usually, at this time in the morning, there was nobody in the service corridor. The service droids and mechs had already cleaned the lounge and the freshers and they wouldn’t be coming back for another sweep until almost time for Midday Meal. So it was generally safe to come and go this early in the morning.
Except this time someone was out there and there was nowhere for Drace to hide.
He started to turn and go back the way he’d come. If anyone asked what he was doing, he could always say he’d gotten lost looking for the fresher. After all, he wasn’t actually in the VIP lounge yet so nobody could rightfully accuse him—
“Go back.”
The voice in his ear was rich and feminine and very firm.
“What?” Drace hissed, looking around. Who was that? Who was speaking to him?
“Go back to the intersection, Warrior—there is one who needs your help!” the voice commanded.
For a moment Drace hesitated, wondering if he was going crazy. He had the impulse to run back to his ship but the presence in the corridor with him was so strong—so tangible—that he couldn’t ignore it.
Drawing his blaster, he stepped carefully towards the T-section and looked around the corner.
Chapter 116
“Stop where you are and let the girl go!” a deep, male voice shouted and a blaster shot fired over Penny’s head.
“What?” she gasped, ducking instinctively. Looking down the corridor, she saw that there was a junction coming up and a man who looked vaguely familiar had stepped out from around the corner.
“Let her go!” the tall male insisted, shouting at the Glorious Leader.
Finally, Penny recognized him—he was the Havoc warrior who had helped them get away on Yown Alpha. Drace, that was his name.
“Help!” she gasped and at the same time the Glorious Leader let her go and ran.
“Penelope, isn’t it?” the Havoc said, coming forward.
“Yes and you’re Drace but we can’t let him get away!” she exclaimed, gesturing at the fleeing Glorious Leader, who was running much faster than an older gentleman in a white suit had any right to move.
“What? Why?” Drace demanded.
“Because he’s got the Eye of Ten’gu and it has to be destroyed. And he’s also the one responsible for kidnapping you and taking you to Yown Alpha in the first place,” Penny babbled. “Look, just get him!”
Drace took off in hot pursuit of the fleeing Glorious Leader and Penny ran after them both. As she did, she pried at the silver button that was stuck to her left temple. She had to get it off and let