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bitch that goes by the name of Veronica Hutchins. If you could hand her over, I’ll be on my

merry way.”

“I’m sorry, Chuck.” Devlin shifted Samantha in his lap. “But that’s out of the question.”

“Why?” Chuck frowned. “I never knew you too be so difficult before, Lord Devlin.”

“I can’t hand her over because Veronica has met her demise.”

“Oh.” Glee transformed Chuck’s features. “How splendid. You just made my day, Lord

Devlin. If you lower your shields, I’ll transport over a box of these chocolates for you.”

“We will see what we can do.” Devlin smiled. Samantha could still see that Devlin was

stringing Chuck along. If Devlin played his cards right, he might actually earn her grudging

admiration.

“Now back to the bone I have to pick with you, Chuck.”

“Fire away.” Chuck settled his body into a throne like chair and reached for the nearest

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woman. He pulled her purring into his lap. Samantha wanted to look away, but knew she

couldn’t.

“You took a rather valuable jewel from me.”

“Jewel? I have no such gem in my possession, Lord Devlin. And besides, I’d never steal

from you…you and I have an agreement. And strange as it might seem, I am a man of my

word.”

“Yeah…whatever. If he’s a man of his word, my ass is green!” Samantha whispered. She

didn’t know how Quinn was managing to maintain his composure. The suspense was killing her.

She was a woman of action. She didn’t really know how to stand on the sidelines.

“Tell me about this jewel, Lord Devlin. I’m listening.”

“Her name is Aurora Mallory and she’s fourteen years old.”

“I hadn’t realized you liked them so young…rather disgusting, Lord Devlin. But then, I

make a point to never interfere in my friends’ fetishes. Why Sims likes his women to be....”

Devlin raised his hand.

“Not that I don’t want to reminisce with you, Chuck, but I’m on a tight schedule.”

“Oh, of course.” Chuck’s face remained impassive. “Go on, Lord Devlin.”

“The Triad kidnapped Aurora and we have reason to believe that they might put her on

the slave trade market.”

“Nonsense. I make a point to never take an underage woman for the trade.”

Samantha furled steam out her nose. “Doesn’t he know slave trading is an abomination

no matter how old the person is? Rat bastard!”

“The faction that took Aurora is obviously not under my control. I do not approve of

such underhanded practices. But I will look into my contacts and see what sort of information I

can gather for you, Lord Devlin.”

“I’d appreciate that you do just that.” Samantha turned when she felt Charlotte’s eyes on

her. Charlotte winked at her then, contacting her telepathically, she sent Samantha a message.

“Tell Devlin to tell Chuck that he has a gift off his port bow.”
She gave Samantha an evil

grin.

Leaning in close to Devlin’s ear, she relayed Charlotte’s message.

“Speaking of gifts, Chuck. I think you’ll find one off your port bow. With my

compliments, Chuck.” Devlin saluted Chuck.

Frenzied voices met Samantha’s ears. Everyone onboard Chuck’s ship was scurrying

into action.

“Tyler, take us to full impulse speed. Lucy, make sure the shield’s are at their maximum

strength.” Charlotte fired off her instructions like a born leader.

“You are one hell of a bastard, Lord Devlin. The Triad will have your head on a platter

for this...,” the communiqué broke off right at that moment. The bomb that had been attached to

the
Excalibur
blew up and took Chuck’s ship along with it.

“With my compliments, Chuck.” Devlin eased Samantha off of his lap. When she stood,

her legs felt a bit wobbly. Inwardly, she wanted to stay sitting with Devlin, but outwardly she

couldn’t show that to everyone else on the bridge.

“What did you do that for? Not that I’m not impressed, mind you,” she said to Devlin.

“Charlotte here tipped me off by way of a timely telepathic message. I suspected that

Chuck was lying through his teeth but Charlotte convinced me. Seems Chuck knew where

Aurora was…and he was hiding the truth from me.”

“Lying bastard.” Samantha grunted.

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“Well, he got what he deserved,” Devlin muttered.

“Yeah, and then some,” Tyler agreed.

“Okay, let’s cut to the chase. Whose the piece of shit that took Rory?” Quinn demanded.

Devlin looked at Charlotte. “Should I tell him or would you like to?”

“I will.” Charlotte moved forward and rested her hand gently on Quinn’s arm. “Chuck’s

half-brother, Rick, took Rory. Rick is having her transported to his compound on New Beijing.”

“Holy shit.” Tyler’s eyes flew to the floor. A muscle twitched in his cheek and a vein

throbbed in his forehead.

“What? Fill me in? What’s so big about New Beijing?” Samantha shook her head.

“Unfortunately, my bounty hunting has never taken me that far out into Rim Territory.”

Charlotte looked grim. “I did my last mission on New Beijing.”

“Last mission?” Samantha felt sick. What had her sister been up to?

“I need a drink.” Quinn walked over to the refreshment bar and started rummaging for

alcohol.

“It’s in the top cabinet.” Samantha watched as his hands flew toward it. “It’s only

synthetic. We ran out of the real stuff two months ago.”

“That’s fine. I could go for a Scotch Whiskey, but this will do for now.” His hands

trembled as he poured out a full cup.

“Samantha, New Beijing is one of the foulest planets on The Rim.”

“Fouler than New Monaco?”

“Hey, watch your tongue, woman.” Devlin glowered at her.

“New Beijing makes New Monaco look like a kiddies playground,” Charlotte whispered.

“I need an ass to kick.” Samantha stood up and began pacing.

“Careful, or you’re going to wear a hole in the floor.” Devlin smirked.

“Shut your trap, Devlin. This is serious business.”

“And you don’t think I know that, Samantha? I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe the

seriousness of the situation.

“The ante has just been upped.” Samantha stopped and looked over at Quinn. “I’ll tell

you again, if you’re trying to get drunk, it’s not going to work. It might taste the same but it

certainly doesn’t pack the same punch.”

“I can’t live with myself. Give me a gun.” Quinn slammed his shot glass down on the

bar.

“You have a gun,” Samantha pointed out.

Quinn raked his hands through his hair. “It’s all my fault. Rory wouldn’t be in trouble if

I hadn’t put her in the line of fire. I should have known better than to have gotten mixed up with

The Triad. But the money was good, and I’ve never turned down the chance to make a big

profit. But now, God help me.” Quinn refilled his shot glass and drank the amber liquid down in

one swig.

Uncomfortable silence engulfed the bridge. No one knew what to say. Samantha had a

few things on the tip of her tongue but she didn’t think anyone would appreciate her if she let

them slip out.

“What’s done is done.” Tyler stood up to his lanky height and walked over to clap a hand

on Quinn’s back. “We’ve all made some pretty stupid choices in our lives and we’ve had to live

with the consequences. What matters now is that we get Rory back before anything horrible

happens to her.”

“And how do we know something horrible hasn’t already happened?” Quinn asked,

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clenching his glass so hard that Samantha feared he’d make it shatter into a million pieces.

“I knew.” Charlotte’s voice had dropped to but a mere whisper and yet everyone on the

bridge heard her loud and clear.

All eyes riveted on Charlotte.

Samantha licked her lips. She should have seen this coming. Of course, Charlotte had

been involved from the get go.

“What have you been doing, Charlotte?” Samantha asked.

“You needn’t look at me that way.” Charlotte thinned her lips. “I knew when Rory was

taken even though I was helpless to keep it from happening…she was too far away from me.

New Monaco seems to be the limits of my abilities when I channel from Earth.”

“Channel?” Samantha’s jaw gaped. Now it all made perfect sense. Six months ago when

she’d been trying to prove Tyler’s innocence it had been Charlotte that had been giving her the

signs.

The voice she’d heard hadn’t been a figment of her imagination after all.

“Why you little witch.” Samantha shook her head.

“I think it’s sweet that Charlotte was watching over Rory. Now I can put my mind at

ease. So you always knew where she was, then?” Quinn looked hopeful.

“No. I lost track of her for a little while, that’s why we needed Chuck. As soon as I

scanned his pea sized brain I knew where she was. No. I know that nothing horrible has

happened to Rory because I would have heard her screams.”

Quinn shuddered. “I don’t want to even think about Rory’s screams. That just might give

me nightmares tonight. As it is, I can hardly sleep. I just want Rory back.”

“And you’ll be seeing her soon, Quinn. We should be able to set course for New Beijing

within the hour. By tomorrow afternoon we will be in their solar system.”

“Thanks, Charlotte. I really appreciate the support everyone is giving me.”

“Yeah, well that’s what families are for. Shame it took you this having to happen for you

to realize that.” Samantha couldn’t help but get that barb in on Quinn. Quinn still had a lot to

make up for…and the sooner he mended some fences the better.”

“Well, not that this isn’t absolutely titillating conversation, but I have to get something to

eat. I’m ravenous,” Devlin muttered, trying to make a quick getaway.

“I’m coming with you. Eating sounds pretty good to me right about now.” Quinn

followed him.

Charlotte looked over at Samantha. “You could have waited for the right time to say

that.”

“When have I ever waited for the right time?” Samantha stuck her tongue out at

Charlotte.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Why do I put myself through the agony? Much as I’d love to

stay here and talk in Samantha lingo, I have to go and keep an eye on Rory. Seclusion and quiet

is the only way to go when guiding someone.”

Samantha moaned. “Too much information. I really hate to know about your psychic

practices.”

“If you hadn’t turned your back on your education, you could be helping me right now.

Much as I hate to admit it, I could use the extra mind.” Charlotte brushed past her on the way

out.

“I will help you. When we get to New Beijing I’ll be the one kicking some good old slave

trading ass!”

MAXIMUM VELOCITY Marly Mathews 67

“Why do I put myself through it?” Charlotte continued to mutter as she walked from the

Bridge. “Why?”

Samantha shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what crawled up her ass and died.”

“Samantha.” Tyler pierced her with his accusing gaze. “You really don’t know when to

let up, do you?”

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

“I mean…that you are one stubborn and opinionated woman.”

“That’s why you fell in love with me.”

“Is it?” Tyler sighed. “I think Dylan would be more appreciative of my help right now. If

you need me, you’ll know where I am.” He left the bridge so fast it made her head spin.

Devlin reemerged back on the bridge seconds after Tyler left. Johanna arrived seconds

after Devlin did.

“What happened up here? All hell broke loose down in Med Bay and I had one hell of a

time keeping Veronica in stationary mode. I tell you…looking after that woman is a full-time

job. I swear having ten children to look after would be easier!”

“Where is she now?” Samantha asked.

Johanna plopped her butt down in the pilot’s chair. “She went down to see if she could

help Ross in engineering.”

“And you let her?” Devlin looked perplexed. “Is she really smart enough to be

monkeying around with the equipment down there?

“What kind of trouble could she get in with Ross? He won’t let her pick up a bloody

wrench. You can bet your life on that. When Veronica is around Ross, she’s literally a

pampered princess.” Johanna patted her piloting console with tender loving care.

“Well, he is a good husband,” Devlin remarked.

“If you like suffocating,” Samantha said.

“Samantha, you and Devlin should get something to eat.” Johanna scanned the bridge.

“Where did Tyler get off to? Wait, no, let me guess, he’s off with Dylan or farting around

somewhere else on the ship. Either way, you need to take some time for yourself, Samantha, and

I guess Devlin could keep you company. I’ll handle it down here until we can go into

hyperspace. Then, I’ll let Lucy guide us through the night while everyone gets some sleep. Who

knows what kind of rest we’ll be getting in the next few days. We have to rest up while we can.”

“Sounds good.” For once Samantha didn’t want to argue with anyone. She actually did

feel quite weary. Some food and rest would do her body some good. Like Johanna had pointed

out, the coming days would be action filled.

“Come on.” Devlin offered her his hand. Warily, she studied it. Smiling, she walked