“That include these Caretakers ERI's people told me about?” Aiden asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
“Oh, ah . . .” Linus trailed off, and an uncomfortable silence settled.
“At some point I'd like to talk to you about your experience with the adult companion,” Sarr finally said. Aiden would've thought she was just changing the subject, but her voice had become focused and thoughtful as she looked around, as if searching for a pad to write notes on. “We're still in the process of collecting beta tester feedback, and your acquisition of the model outside of any testing parameters may provide interesting-”
“Hey guys?” Barix's voice boomed through the speakers in the room, making the scientists wince and cower. Even Aiden jumped slightly. “Just because we stomped this place's security measures flat doesn't mean you've got time to stand around chatting. Can we get out of here before something else goes wrong?”
“Yeah sure,” Aiden said. “Need to do one thing real quick first. On my way to the control room.”
“Okay good, because this place isn't going to loot itself,” the slight man said.
Aiden turned back to the two scientists. They'd been joined by a few more brave souls, while the rest of the group tentatively poked their heads up out of their cubicles, confident the situation hadn't resolved into an immediate firefight like they'd feared. “Hold tight, I'll be back in a second,” he told them.
Linus nodded dubiously. “Very well. Should we do anything until then?”
Before Aiden could answer, Ali cleared her throat delicately. “Considering the time constraints, and the limited life support capabilities of our ship, I should track down some stasis pods for our guests. There must be some here, or our benefactor would've had to account for it.”
“We did get shipped here in pods,” Sarr supplied helpfully.
“Okay fine, get them packed in,” Aiden growled. “All except you and you.” He pointed to Linus and Sarr, wanting to ask them more questions once he had the time. “My ship's life support can potentially accommodate five more people, so draw straws for three others.”
One of the other scientists, a tall, slightly overweight man with longer hair, wrung his hands nervously and cleared his throat. “I, um, hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I have reservations about putting myself in stasis and into the hands of complete strangers who haven't even stated their intentions.”
Aiden bit back a curse. Well, these guys were some of the most brilliant humans in existence. And considering the fate Elyssa might have in store for them, the guy was smart to worry. Didn't make him potentially causing a panic or passive rebellion among his colleagues any less of a pain in the exhaust port, though.
“Tell you what,” he said as he headed for the door. “I don't believe in slavery, so if you don't want to come with me you're welcome to stay here. In the hands of the enemy corporation that kidnapped you at gunpoint, and are now making you give them your entire life's work for nothing.”
Oddly enough, the brilliant scientist couldn't seem to think of anything to say to that.
Aiden rushed to the control room, trying to keep a bottle on his mounting temper. Lana hurried after him, looking worried but seemingly knowing him well enough to keep quiet and let him stew.
Elyssa! She knew him. She knew what he was about. And she still tried to pull this on him? What did she think would happen the moment they took the facility and figured out what was going on?
Barix brightened when he stormed through the door. Or at least, stormingly ducked and squeezed through the gap in the ruined metal. “Hey boss, this place has countless thousands of chits worth of advanced android components and other parts just sitting around. Ours for the taking, all brand new in their original packaging! Fresh from the factory floor! Even without what the ugl-uh, our benefactor is paying us, we'll still come away from this better than most of our ca-”
“I need to talk to our “benefactor,” Aiden cut in.
Both twins eyed him worriedly, as did the gunner in the corner, still being treated near the unconscious ERI staff. But not Lana, surprisingly; it wasn't that he was sure the young woman had plenty of opinions on his decision, but she apparently hadn't followed him into the control room.
Well, wherever she was, she'd have to either call in and ask for directions or find her own way. The facility was safe now, and he had more pressing concerns than holding the hand of a wayward crew member.
“Talking to her is going to be a bit difficult, considering all she gave as was coordinates to deliver these people to,” Belix said.
“I don't think it'll be difficult at all,” Aiden shot back, not trying to keep the harshness from his voice. “Just link to the allnet and say “Elyssa Ennos” on a major hub, then keep the link going and wait for her to respond.”
Barix whistled, idly leaning over and tapping a few keys on a console. Probably to delete the base's recording of him just saying the facilitator's name. “If she's spent the better part of a decade going to obscene effort to keep a low profile,” the slight man pointed out casually, “doing that will make her go nuclear.”
“Yeah, well that makes two of us,” Aiden replied, turning back to his engines officer. “Do it.”
Eyes worried, Belix nodded and leaned over a panel, accessing the facility's allnet link. Her fingers flew over the keys for a few seconds, then she straightened. “Done. Guess all we have to do is wait and see if she noticed that.”
They didn't have to wait long; less than a minute later, Elyssa appeared on every display in the room, seated stiffly in a luxurious chair in an expensively furnished room. And, as expected, she looked . .
