Stealing Coal (20 page)

Sky turned his head. “Here comes Flint. I hear his boots. The guy really needs to learn

how to walk instead of stomp.”

Jill moved first, struggling to unwind her limbs from around Coal. His strong hands

gripped her, easing her to her feet before he rose. She wiped at her tears, turning and

reaching for Coal’s face. He leaned down enough to let her use her thumbs to brush

away his tears too. The sounds of something striking the ramp made the three of them

turn.

“What is going on?” Flint frowned, coming to a halt just inside the cargo hold, his

gaze darting between the three of them.

“They just realized they are in love.” Sky chuckled. “And I interrupted them about

to have intercourse right there where they are standing.”

A blush warmed Jill’s cheeks but she met the dark-haired cyborg’s gaze without

flinching. “Sky said that David has been trying to reach me?”

Flint cleared his throat. “Yes. I had Onyx respond, pretending to be you since you

use a voice modifier when speaking to the human males. He’s acquired a team to break

Councilman Zorus from where he’s being kept. They have already located where he is

and have hatched a plot to rescue him. Onyx allowed me to listen in on the

communication and it sounded like a more reasonable, safer solution than sending

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Stealing Coal

cyborgs to the planet surface. I had Onyx agree to the plan and the payment they

demanded. By tomorrow, Councilman Zorus should be free. The mercenaries hired to

retrieve him will meet up with us on your shuttle in two days at the outer edge of the

solar system where we’d originally agreed to meet David.”

“That’s fast.” Jill nodded. “I told you David would have contacts on Earth to get

stuff done. He probably knows all kinds of thugs. He’s got to buy his wares from

people who are skilled at stealing stuff to sell the illegal crap he offers. I’ve even heard

of slavers kidnapping women from the surface to sell to the floating whorehouses and it

wouldn’t surprise me if David sold people too. Paying someone to kidnap a cyborg

shouldn’t be that much of a stretch for those kinds of creeps.”

Flint nodded. “You were correct. He asked for half payment up front but I

remembered your warning not to pay until the mission is complete. He wasn’t happy

but he agreed to the terms.”

“Right.” She nodded. “As I said, these guys aren’t real trustworthy but when

money is involved you can count on them until they are paid.”

Coal took a step toward Flint, smiling. “I wish to contact the council to formally

request forming a family unit with Jill.”

The instant grin softened Flint’s normally harsh features. “I’m happy for you and

I’m certain they will agree.” His gaze flicked to Jill. “Coal has been given special

consideration and, as such, there is no breeding pact in his case. That’s one big obstacle

you will not have to confront.”

Confused, Jill glanced up at Coal. “What’s that?”

He shook his head, smiling at her. “Something you never have to worry about. You

are the only female for me for the rest of my life. I vow total monogamy.”

Her eyebrows rose. “I’m glad to hear that and later I’m going to have you explain

that to me in detail.” She didn’t want to have that discussion in front of Sky and Flint.

She glanced at the latter. “Is it going to be all right with you to haul my shuttle to your

planet? I’d like to keep her. I know she’s outdated and slow but she’s special to me.”

“Humans become attached easily to objects,” Sky said softly. “That’s normal.”

Flint shrugged, glancing around the cargo hold. “We have the room. I don’t see

why not.” His gaze fixed on Jill suddenly. “If Coal wishes to return to Garden with you,

they will not allow you to fly this back into space. You’ll know the location of our home

world and therefore pose a risk if you were ever captured by Earth Government. Your

shuttle would be flown to the planet surface and the engines decommissioned.”

She had to adjust to that little bit of news. Coal moved behind her, his arms

wrapping around her waist, and she easily leaned back into his body. She nodded.

“That’s okay as long as we’re together.”

“Good.” Flint grinned suddenly, taking another look at the inside of the Jenny. “It is

probably safer if you don’t continue to fly this thing for much longer. It’s very

outdated.”

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“I have a question.” Coal hesitated, glancing at Jill and then Flint. “Jill mentioned

that she used to live on a farm on Earth. Do you believe the council would allow me to

have some of the undeveloped land near the north wall of the city? They’ve started

growing food in that section but it is vast enough that they may not need to use all of it.

I don’t know how happy Jill will be if we live in the center of the city.”

A grin spread across Jill’s lips as she tilted her head up, gazing with love at Coal.

“Really? I think I’d love that. I miss trees and fresh air.” She paused. “Does your planet

have that? We haven’t really talked about it. I’m hoping it’s not a biodome similar to the

ones on the moon and Saturn.”

“It’s very similar to Earth,” Flint offered with a smile. “There is more water content

and less land mass but it’s still beautiful where Earth has been overdeveloped. The air is

good and the vegetation is lush. The only city on the planet is the one we’ve built.”

“There are no other life forms?” That surprised Jill. If it had an Earthlike

environment then life forms should exist.

“There are plenty of them but we built a wall to surround our city.”

“Is what lives there dangerous?” She hoped not.

“Not within our walls. We didn’t want to compromise the natural inhabitants or for

them to pose a risk to us. It works well.” Flint smiled. “I see no reason why the council

would oppose it if you chose to live on the outer edge of the city. Perhaps they could

put you in charge of some of our agriculture projects.”

“I’d enjoy that.” Hope shone in Coal’s eyes.

“Me too,” Jill grinned, memories of her childhood on the farm surfacing. She’d been

in space far too long and the idea of fresh air, open land, and vegetation sounded

heavenly to her.

“You two have some time to work out all the details.” Flint grinned. “For the next

day, relax. We’re going to fly the
Jenny
out of the cargo bay in the morning to use it for

the last part of the trip. The
Star
and the
Rally
will remain here.”

“The
Rally
?” Jill hadn’t heard that name before.

“It’s the smaller ship traveling with the
Star
,” Flint explained. We wanted extra

weaponry in case we needed it. I’m leaving my friend Ice in charge of both while we’re

away.”

“We could use some help to make repairs faster,” Coal spoke.

“That’s fine.” He turned to Sky. “I’m returning to spend time with Mira. She’s

worried about this mission and I won’t allow her to go. Do what you can here.”

“Who is Mira?” Jill waited until Flint left her shuttle before asking.

Coal grinned down at her. “He’s in a family unit with a human woman.”

Jill smiled. “That’s cool.”

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Stealing Coal

Jill couldn’t decide who looked more nervous as they assembled in the cargo hold

of the
Jenny
to make the transfer to get the cyborg councilman back. They’d reached

their meeting point with the smuggler crew. The
Cutter
, a shuttle larger than the
Jenny
,

had just docked with them. The doors opened to allow the captain of the other shuttle

to enter.

Flint met the man calmly. Jill could see how stunned the human guy seemed to be,

surrounded by so many cyborgs, though there were only a handful of them. The

captain appeared to be in his mid-to-late forties and as she watched, his expression

changed. Rage contorted his features.

“Who owns this shuttle?”

The question startled Jill, along with everyone in the cargo hold. She stepped

forward. “I do. I’m the one who asked David to hire you.”

The captain of the other shuttle pointed his weapon straight at Jill. Fear gripped her

but then movement from her left drew her attention from the dangerous adversary.

Coal moved between them, putting his body in the path of the gun to shield her.

“Lower your gun,” Flint ordered.

“My problem isn’t with your men,” the captain kept his voice calm. “Make that one

move out of my way. I’m guessing you hired this shuttle to bring you here the way you

hired me to bring your cyborg to you. That bitch is in possession of my property.”

“Coal, stand down,” Flint ordered. “It’s a human issue.”

Coal didn’t budge. “No.”

“That’s an order he gave you, Coal.” Onyx’s voice grew cold. “We need the human

male to get councilman Zorus back. He has him on his ship. She’s irrelevant in

comparison to our mission, according to the council. Stand aside.”

Coal took a step back, his body bumping into Jill’s, and his arm slipped behind his

waist to curve around hers. He jerked her tighter against his body, holding her in place.

“I’ll protect her with my life.”

Jill gripped his shirt, clinging to him, terrified he’d get shot pulling this stunt. She

had no idea why the shuttle captain seemed intent on shooting her or what he thought

she had that he owned.

“Coal?” She said his name softly. “It’s okay. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“You’re going to die, you thieving bitch,” the captain called out. “Although I plan

to hurt you first to make you tell me who you obtained my shuttle from.”

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Laurann Dohner

A frown marred her features and she bent sideways a little to peer at the enraged

man. “Your shuttle? The
Jenny
is mine.”

“Bullshit. It belonged to my partner and everything he owned became mine when

he died.”

He aimed at her face but Coal jerked her farther behind him to put her out of the

line of fire. A deep growl came from the protective cyborg while his entire body turned

rigid.

“Lower your weapon, Captain Varel,” Flint ordered. “If you shoot him, I will have

to kill you. What is the problem exactly?”

The captain hesitated. “This shuttle belongs to me and I want it back.”

Confused, Jill tried to think of why the guy believed he had a right to the
Jenny
. She

didn’t stick her head out this time but instead kept still in Coal’s embrace.

“Look, I don’t know why you think it belongs to you but I inherited the
Jenny
from

my father. I had nothing to do with it if he stole it from you. I honestly believed it

belonged to him.” She paused. “Let’s talk about this, all right? Calmly.”

“That sounds rational,” Flint stated.

“Fine.” The captain didn’t sound happy but he agreed. “I’m holstering my

weapon.”

Coal relaxed and released her waist. Jill hesitated before inching over a little to peer

at the captain while he put away his gun. Their gazes met and she didn’t miss the pure

fury radiating from his bright-green eyes, directed straight at her.

“This is my shuttle.” A muscle along his jaw jumped. “Where did you get it from? I

want names and locations. I want to track down whoever killed my partner.”

“I’m not sure where my father got this but he had it docked to his ship. His men

rebelled and I managed to escape on the
Jenny
before the
Viking
ended up being

destroyed. I totally believed it belonged to him. That’s all I know.”

The captain’s mouth dropped open and shock widened his eyes. “Jillian?”

It was Jill’s turn to gape at him in surprise, her own mouth parting. “How do you

know my name?”

The guy paled considerably. “My God. I didn’t see it at first but you resemble your

mother.”

He took an uncertain step forward and then halted when Coal reached for his own

weapon. The captain spread his hands open, away from his sides, clearly not going for

his gun, but his attention remained fixed on Jill.

“I thought you died with Jim. I arrived a day too late and only found a debris field

where his ship had been. He’d called me to meet up with him. We were silent partners

and best friends since he first set out in space. I handled the Earth side of things while

he traveled the outer regions of space. He became ill and told me he had only weeks to

live, and wanted me to take care of you for him. It terrified him, thinking you’d be left

alone.”

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Stealing Coal

Jill stood mute, trying to take in his words. This man knew her father? Her brain

finally managed to form words. “Take care of me?”

He nodded. “With him gone, he wanted someone to watch out for you, to protect

you.” He took an uncertain step forward. “He planned to introduce us and he knew I’d

treat you the way you deserved. He set up a marriage pact between you and me.”

Coal snarled and jerked his weapon from the holster, aiming it directly at the other

man’s chest. “She’s not yours.”

“Marriage pact?” Jill gasped, stunned, but managed to reach over to grip Coal’s

arm. She didn’t go for the one holding the gun but needed to hold onto him to keep her

knees from collapsing.

The captain looked uneasy while he stared at the barrel of Coal’s weapon but then