“Excellent. Once you are onboard, we will set off the bomb Earth First planted on Zarek’s warbird. Soon Cantor will assume his rightful place as the Overlord. Transmitting rendezvous coordinates now.”
“Copy.” Jake disconnected the comm-link.
“Well, they’re a day late and a credit short, but that does answer some questions. Cantor was in cahoots with Drax and Earth First. Won’t they be surprised to learn their plan failed big time.” I shot Jake a cheeky grin. “This is too good of an opportunity to pass up. I say we pull a Trojan horse on them and arrest all the traitors.”
“Zarek agrees,” Jake said, inputting the new coordinates into the nav computer.
Was Zarek permanently linked with Jake? He always seemed to know what we were doing. “All we need is fifteen warriors to complete the deception.”
Poof. Fifteen Coletti warriors in full battle armor appeared in the shuttle.
Anticipation thrummed through me. “Woohoo! Our very own SWAT team. There’s nothing I love better than arresting bad guys.”
Chapter Eleven
Following the flashing lights, I brought the shuttle to a gentle stop in the landing bay of Drax’s warbird and smiled. A perfect landing.
Jake suddenly inquired, “What do you have on under your armor?”
“A tunic, leggings and boots. Why?”
“In their world, females don’t wear body armor.”
“Good point.” I handed Jake my laser pistol and deactivated my armor. “Better?”
He frowned. “Cower a bit and don’t meet their eyes.”
“Gotcha. Do you want me to do the full-blown hysterical female act?”
“No one is gonna buy it. You kicked Keyan’s ass.”
“I did, but male pride being what it is, do you really think he told anyone?”
“That wuss? Not a chance. Let’s see how it plays out,” Jake said.
“Okey-dokey. Harmless it is.” I unfastened my harness.
Jake brushed his lips across mine. “Try not to blow up the ship.”
“Who? Me?” I gestured at the warriors. “I’m letting y’all do the fighting.”
Snickers sounded from our SWAT team.
I threw up my hands. “What? I’m telling the truth.”
“You’re mighty fond of zapping the hell out of anyone who pisses you off.” Armor formed around Jake’s head.
“True, I don’t deal well with idiots.” Assuming my timid mouse demeanor, I let Jake escort me to the door. “Let the fun begin.”
The ramp lowered revealing a fat, ugly troll with God awful dreadlocks. Behind him were two armored warriors. On our private link, I asked, “He’s Coletti?”
“Ymer’s a hybrid,” Jake answered.
“Don’t tell me. His dad got drunk and slept with a troll?”
“Drax did have a drinking problem. Ymer’s mother was a Hrungnir trader he fucked on one of his benders. Her father made her leave her half-breed son behind.”
“Poor kid.”
“Don’t pity him. Ymer’s a cold-blooded killer,” Jake replied.
Ymer gave a slight bow. “All has been prepared, my lord. The medic is standing by to inject Keyan’s female with Tegetol and Cregazzi.”
The dummy didn’t seem to realize Jake was a lot bigger than Drax, but considering his gene pool, I wasn’t too surprised. “What are Tegetol and Cregazzi?”
“Tegetol makes you docile and Cregazzi increases your fertility.”
“Those bastards are so going down.” I began to sob hysterically.
With an annoyed look on his face, Ymer added, “I also found a way to remove her ownership band and replace it with Keyan’s.”
“Excellent,” Jake said in Drax’s voice and shoved me toward Ymer. “Take her to sick bay.”
I let out an ear-shattering shriek and bolted.
“Catch her you fool,” Jake shouted in Drax’s voice.
Ymer and his warriors chased after me, failing to notice Jake and our SWAT team had vanished. I smiled. It was kinda nice to know my partner had faith in my abilities.
“Stop female,” Ymer wheezed.
I threw myself under the shuttle and shrieked, “No. Wanna go home.”
“What are you waiting for? Capture her,” Ymer bellowed at his warriors.
Retracting his armor, a warrior squeezed under the shuttle and reached for me.
“Bad move.” I unleashed a series of snap kicks to his face, repeatedly slamming his thick skull against the shuttle’s hull. The minute the warrior slumped to the deck; I snagged his laser pistol.
“How hard is it to capture one tiny female?” Ymer growled. “Get her!”
The second warrior jettisoned his battle armor and crammed himself underneath the shuttle.
I flipped the laser pistol to the stun setting and shot him. Violent muscle spasms contorted the warrior’s body. I winced as his head ping-ponged between the floor and the shuttle. Someone was going to have a nasty headache.
Dropping down on one knee, Ymer peered at me. “It is said Earth females are warriors.”
“We are.” I stunned him and smiled as his arms and legs slammed repeatedly against the floor. “That was way too easy.” I reached out mentally to check on Jake. Huh? The guys were having a swell time beating the crap out of the bridge crew. I crawled out from beneath the shuttle and stood up.
A fist slammed into my face, knocking me against the ship’s hull. Stars sparked across my vision and I fell to the cold metal deck. Ouch. I shook my head to clear it. I hadn’t seen that one coming. Why hadn’t I sensed him?
“What happened?” Jake demanded.
“Got suckered punched.”
“By whom?”
My eyes narrowed as a behemoth snagged my laser pistol. “A big dude with long purple braids and pieced together armor.
“A Bjarke mercenary. Zap him,” Jake ordered.
The behemoth prodded me with his laser rifle. “Get up.”
I scrabbled backward and let the tears roll. “Don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me.”
“Drop the act. Earth females are seldom helpless,” the behemoth growled.
“Met some of us, huh?”
“I have.”
“Pity.” I hurled a lightning bolt at the mercenary. Crack! It slammed into his chest and he crashed into the wall with a satisfying thud. “Ha! How does it feel to have your ass handed to you by a girl?”
“Don’t get cocky. Bjarke mercenaries always travel in pairs.”
“Yes, my lord. Beg your pardon, my lord.”
“Knock it off, CeeCee,” Jake grumbled.
“Do you have control of the ship?” I climbed to my feet.
“I do.”
A big hand clamped down on my shoulder. Crap! I twisted like a cat, dropped to one
