Page 147 of Alien Burn

A male stepped away from the skiff. She recognized the face Dhomhes had shown her, the marks around his mouth. Roemary looked toward him as though he had been waiting for them.

Burk.

Sereya backed toward the nearest container. The two males from the visitor room spread out behind her. Roemary climbed the short stair to the raised observation walk, putting distance between herself and the apron.

Roemary had brought them a captive even without Adryel.

Burk looked Sereya over and smiled with his damaged mouth.

“He'll come for this one.”

“Put her aboard,” Burk told the males behind her. “Dhomhes can reach whoever has the chip. He gets her back when we get it.”

“After we clear the refinery,” one of them said. He raised his weapon toward the service lane. “Move.”

The cold seemed to move beneath her skin.

Dhomhes.

She looked up at Roemary, who had reached the railing and turned to watch.

Of course. Roemary had watched him take her hand. Had counted each visit, each smile, each time he had chosen Sereya instead.

She had found a use for it at last.

Sereya pressed her back against the container. There was a camera above the bay door. She turned enough to give it her face, then pointed at Roemary on the observation walk.

“You won't get to say you weren't here.”

Burk came toward her, one hand reaching for her arm, the blade held low in the other.

22

DHOMHES

The image from the visitor room reached Dhomhes while he was running.

A guard's camera, crooked against the floor. An overturned chair. Sereya's voice, clear before the struggle dragged it farther away.

East loading bay.

He sent the location to every unit already moving.

“Intercept them at the apron. Disable outgoing craft. Medical team to the guest corridor.”

His lead came down the adjoining stair, two guards behind him.

“Holding block was hit. Two males brought a cart from an occupied service bay and fired before the outer guards could stop them. They cut a gap in the inner door and threw a stun charge through it. Both guards inside went down. Burk is out.”

“How long?”

“Four minutes. The guards are alive.”

Dhomhes took the next turn hard enough to strike the rail with his shoulder. Armor drove up beneath his coat. The fabric caught across his back, tightening until a seam gave.

Four minutes. Someone had put their hands on Sereya and dragged her toward a waiting craft.

A sound pushed out of his chest, low and ugly.