air ramped up another hundred degrees. Interestingly, there were only seven other soldiers with Pogue now, down from the ten who’d survived the crash. Were they creeping up from behind to surround them? Or off somewhere else? She didn’t even want to contemplate the third alternative.
“Cadet West, come out nice and slow.” Officer Pogue, his chest puffed with smug self-importance, pointed his gun straight at Convict’s head. Convict’s spear lay broken in half at Pogue’s feet. “This scumbag can’t hurt you anymore.”
Winthrop had obviously been talking—and not in a way that would earn Convict any sympathy.
“I’m fine,” she assured.
“The soldiers are here to protect us, Bella. You’re safe now.” Winthrop peered out from behind Pogue, the whistle alarm Convict had given her gripped tightly in his hand. “And this one is about to learn what happens to those who ignore Council protocol.”
Apparently, Winthrop had decided to overlook both Pogue’s desertion and her defiant parting shot, but not Convict’s disrespect.
“I really am fine.” She stayed where she was. It didn’t escape her notice that she might be the only thing preventing Pogue and the others from opening fire. “This man”—she preferred not to call him Convict just then for obvious reasons—“wasn’t hurting me. He’s never hurt me. He’s one of the good guys.”
Was it her imagination or did Convict nearly stumble?
“You don’t need to pretend or feed his ego anymore,” insisted Pogue. “We’re here now.”
“He saved us from a dust storm and a vicious beast. He kept us sheltered from the other prisoners on the planet. He gave us water and food and kept us alive. You need to lower your weapons.”
Their weapons stayed up.
It probably didn’t help that Convict, with that dirt for camouflage, looked more like a wild creature than a man.
“This is bullshit. The guy’s no savior. Come out from behind him.” Pogue’s scowl was deeper than before. “Then we’ll lower our weapons.”
She got the distinct sense Pogue didn’t like her refusal to let him play hero.
“I’m telling you the truth. This man is on our side. But there are a group of prisoners who run this planet who aren’t. They’re the ones who brought down our ship.” She ignored the skeptical stares of Pogue and his men. “They’re planning to do the same to the rescue shuttle coming for us. We have to find a way to stop them.”
“Your captor’s been telling you lies.” Pogue’s grip on his gun tightened. “Don’t let him manipulate you into trusting him.”
“Bella, come over here,” coaxed Winthrop, “and we’ll gladly talk about your concerns.”
“Convict?” she prodded at a whisper. “Any good ideas?”
“Just stay where you are.” His voice was low, his breathing steady. “It won’t be long now.”
Won’t be long now? He made no sense.
Realizing it was up to her, she shifted tactics. “Cadet Davies, Dr. Winthrop, you know he saved both your lives. Tell them.”
Winthrop’s mouth flat lined. She’d get no help there.
Ava looked far more torn. “Did he hurt you? He said…he said there’d be pain.”
Damn Convict and his stupid anger.
“No, he didn’t hurt me, Ava.” She deliberately used her colleague’s first name. “I swear it. This time was no different than the other times. He made me feel good.”
Convict’s low chuckle surprised—and irritated—her. Of all the times to find something to laugh about. She pinched his waist, or tried to. He was so hard there was very little to hold onto.
“I’m trying to fix things,” she whispered in exasperation.
“Which I appreciate. But bragging about my prowess is only pissing Winthrop and Pogue off more.”
She dared a quick peek. Convict was right. Both men looked downright murderous.
“You send her out right now,” shouted Winthrop, “or they’re going to shift their guns from stun to kill.”
“He saved your life,” she yelled right back.
“I’m curious about something.” Convict’s calm words were more arresting than any shout. “How’d you find us? I thought I covered our tracks fairly well.”
The crazy man acted as if he hadn’t even heard Winthrop’s threat.
Pogue looked annoyed. “We didn’t need to follow any tracks. Dr. Winthrop has a tracking device imbedded in his skin for the rescue team to lock on. It keeps working as long as he’s alive. All we needed to do was follow that and here you are.”
No wonder Pogue had returned. He hadn’t had a change of heart or been concerned about their wellbeing. He’d realized Winthrop had survived and come back to be near the Doctor so he’d be rescued, too.
“Is that standard procedure?” Convict sounded only remotely curious.
She and Ava exchanged