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“Not sure I’ll be able to answer it,” I said, although grateful for the diversion. I’d rather think about the cartel than our inevitable, imminent separation.
“What role do the Ceruleans play?”
“Cerulea is a Copan ally. Its government provides sanctuary to the traffickers and outfits the slavers with the tech that has enabled them to escape detection. For that, they get a cut of the action. When you got captured from the Star Cross and were transferred to the slave ship, you were put in a cell with a force field, right?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Holly burned her hands when she tried to run away.”
“The Ceruleans invented the force fields—and the stun sticks. They are technology innovators. It’s a natural gift. They’ve created holograms so realistic you can’t tell you’re looking at a mirage unless you touch it. Their shimmer technology renders spaceships—and entire towns—invisible to the eye and scanners. The LOP would swoop in on a slave ship, and it would vanish. Only recently did the league acquire shimmer tech.”
“So that’s why no one has reported seeing ships—they’re cloaked. I’d assumed they landed in remote areas.”
“Yes, they’re cloaked. It enables them to get close to population centers. For obvious reasons, they need to be where the people are. They land in open fields near enough to a town to be convenient to abduct and transport captives.” New Terra had the perfect combination of geography and urban planning to facilitate the abductions—cities surrounded by undeveloped lands. Fields hidden from view by trees. A traffickers’ paradise.
“You know a lot about what’s going on,” she commented.
“A lot more now than when I started. I’ve been on the task force since I graduated from the academy.” My enlistment seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had changed since then. “Situations are dynamic. I try to stay on my toes.”
“I suppose I threw a wrench into the works.”
“You had us scrambling,” I admitted.
She bit her lip. “The people who are going to be abducted…the LOP will be able to rescue them, won’t they?”
“That’s the plan.”
“That’s not a yes.”
“Yes.” A white lie. Certainty did not exist in my line of work. However, she needed reassurance, and I felt confident the slave ship would be raided. We had the situation under control.
“And after Imana is taken into custody, then there will be no need for secrecy anymore? People can be informed of what has been happening?”
“We wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret then even if we wanted to,” I replied.
Chapter Seventeen
Jessie
Wearing only pants, Maxx was in the kitchen, his back to me when I crept up and wrapped my arms around his waist. I pressed my cheek to his warm, furry shoulder. “Guess who?” I loved the sensuous feel of his fur against my skin. I’d learned he shaved his body, but his coat was growing back downy soft.
“Judy?” He played along, not missing a beat. “Margaret?” His awareness of our culture, customs, and idioms impressed me.
He turned in my arms and pressed his lips to mine in a tender kiss. Even the scruff on his face was soft. He’s like a giant hug-bunny, but he’s hard in all the right places. And not just his cock. Under that fur was a muscular bod that wouldn’t quit.
He slid his hands over my back and under my shirt to cup my ass. I wore only the top part of the pajama set.
We’d made love a couple more times since the morning interlude. Along with the snuggling, we’d talked. I’d learned about his life before joining the LOP; I’d told him about my family and my job. I tried to weasel more information about the plan, but he’d sidestepped my questions or outright refused to answer.
I tried to let the matter drop, preferring our dwindling time together to be enjoyable rather than contentious. There was nothing I could do—even if I could leave. The situation was out of my control. But I couldn’t forget the fate of my home planet hung in the balance, and innocent, unsuspecting people were going to be kidnapped. They’d be rescued and released, and people would learn what had been going on, but still. It would be harrowing for the victims and shocking for everyone else.
The hours had rushed by. It was near dinnertime. Soon, we’d go to bed. Then dawn would break and usher in a new pivotal day. Good for humanity, bad for me and Maxx.
“I wonder what time the slave slip will arrive. Morning? Afternoon? Evening?” I couldn’t resist the inclination to dig for details.
“I don’t know,” he said. Pressed against him, I felt his heart give a little jump.
I pulled back to study his face. “You lied to me.”
He didn’t try to deny it. He sighed, his expression remorseful. “You’re pushing for answers I’m not allowed to provide. I’ve already told you more than I should have.” He cupped my face. “I’m sorry.”
