Planet Athion: The Complete Series by Angel Lawson
55
Mercy
I wakeup with a sense of satisfaction that even the prior days with Damon hadn’t quite managed. He’s amazing—sexy—but there’s something about having all my men in one place that gives me a measure of peace.
The sheets next to me are cool—Dimka having left at some point after I fell asleep. I’m sticky all over and head back down the quiet hallway to my own room to shower and change.
When I emerge dressed but wet-haired from the bathroom, Kai is waiting by the bed. I smile, happy to see him, and kiss him before he has a chance to react.
“Good morning,” I say to him, ecstatic that he’s here. He brushes my wet hair over my shoulder. There’s worry in his eyes. Custo worry. Something’s wrong.
“Did you speak to Dimka this morning?” he asks.
“Not this morning—we spent last night together. He was gone when I woke.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “Ah yes, I heard. So you didn’t hear him when he left?"
“No. Is something wrong?”
“I can’t find him on the ship. Is there somewhere he could be that I’m missing?”
I shake my head and head to the door, forgetting about my wet hair. In the hallway I say, “I can’t think of anyplace he’d be. Let’s go find Damon.”
Alex stands at the end of the corridor, a grim, confused expression on his face. “Damon’s gone too.” He holds up a folded sheet of paper. “But I found this in his room. It’s addressed to Mercy.”
A feeling of uneasiness blossoms in my stomach. I take the paper and unfold it. I read the contents to myself.
Mercy,
I didn’t think I’d ever write a letter like this, but after the care and love you’ve shown me, I owe you better than I’ve been in the past.
The plan all along was to blow up the decoy ship and convince the Master that we were attacked and killed. This would give me the chance to continue to work on my own to bring his enterprise down. It would give you and the others a chance to escape. When the rumors started about a midwife helping pregnant women in space and the unit showed up early, I knew I needed to set my plan in motion now. We’re all safer if the Master thinks we’re all dead.
By the time you read this, the decoy ship will be destroyed and I will be on a ship to Tradrych to finish my mission. Dimka came to me in the early hours this morning asking me to come along. He needs his revenge on the Master and I think he needs his revenge for you.
Dimka is a strong, determined warrior—I didn’t say no to his request, for that, I hope you can forgive me.
Mercy, when I made this plan, I figured I’d die bringing down the Master. Then I met you. I realized that I have more to live for—more to fight for—and something to come home to. I will do everything I can to return home. It’s wrong for me to ask you to wait for me but I’m asking anyway. Stay with my brothers. Keep safe and I’ll do my damnedest to find you again.
I love you. Dimka loves you.
Damon
I blink back tears and read it twice more.
“What does it say,” Alex asks. I hand it to him with a shaky hand. Kai pulls me into his strong arms and Alex reads the letter out loud for Kai to hear.
It hurts just as much the second time.
“He’s right about one thing,” Alex says in a tight voice, “We need to get you off this ship and headed back to Athion. The sooner, the better.”
I glance up. “Why’s that? The Master will think I’m dead.”
“Maybe, but maybe not. The rumors about a midwife are all over the airwaves.”
“So?” Kai says. “Ghost stories.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t think so. There’s a bounty for Mercy. The Master knows she’s out there and anyone helping her is marked for death.”
Kai swears under his breath. “Did Damon know this?”
“I don’t think so. Not about the bounty.” He rubs his hair. “I thought everyone needed a minute to relax. I didn’t know he was going to do this.”
Everything’s moving so fast and I’m not exactly sure what it all means. I do know that the guys want to get back to Athion, and if that’s where Damon and Dimka think I will be, I’m willing to go.
I exhale and say, “We should go tell Amias and Cassidy—assuming they don’t know already.”
“Let me finish getting dressed.”
The boys wait for me while I pull on boots and a light-weight vest over my shirt. I really needed a minute to settle my nerves, but there’s no time to wallow. I suck back the tears and twist my hair into a knot and meet them back in the hallway.
“We’ll get through this,” Kai says. “I'll contact our superiors and make sure a contingency of Custo will meet us for the flight back.”
“Thank you,” I reply. I hate the feeling of loss in my chest. It was less than an hour ago that I felt whole.
As we walk up the stairs to the flight deck, the ship rocks, a familiar feeling to when the Custo arrived the day before. I glance at the men and they appear confused also, but move into action, running up the steps. That’s when we see something is terribly wrong. Cassidy and Amias are both in the pilot seats. The computer displays are lit up like a Christmas tree and in the distance, various vessels approach.
“What is that?” Alex asks, walking to the dash. Kai’s eyes widen. His hand grips mine.
Amias spins in his chair as Cassidy’s hand moves toward a button on the dash. Kai drops my fingers and races up the steps, running toward her but Amias stands holding two laser guns. One at Kai and one at Alex. Kai freezes in his spot.
“We didn’t plan it this way,” he says, in a thin, wobbly, voice. “But when the bounty came over the wire and Damon suddenly took off, we had no choice but to make a deal. They’re coming and I swore on my life that Cassidy wouldn’t go back to the brothel. I won’t allow it.”
“So, what?” Kai asks. “You’re going to give them Mercy?”
“For our freedom, yes.” He glances at me. “I’m sorry.”
Cassidy presses the button and there’s a whoosh as the door opens from the docking station to the ship. Footsteps and voices echo off the hard floors below. Kai’s eyes dart around but there’s nowhere to hide—nowhere to go.
A shadow crosses the bottom step. “Ah, Mercy, I was hoping to see you again.”
Fear lodges in my throat. I turn and face the man—no, monster—that got me into this: Kane.
“I knew it was you the second they spoke of a midwife delivering a baby in space.” He smiles at me tenderly. “It’s in your nature to help these women. It’s one reason why you’re such a commodity. Finding adequate help in the birthing rings is a challenge. Too many babies and their mothers not making it to term. He needs you.”
“Why does he think I’ll help. I may just put these women out of their misery,” I bark through gritted teeth.
“I don’t think you will and for the record, sweetheart, it’s not what I want. If it were up to me, I’d have other plans for you, but you’re not mine. The Master wants his possession.” His eyes dart around at the Custo behind me. “He paid a lot of money for you, Mercy, and you’re here to serve him, not these men.”
Rage boils in my blood. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He smiles. “That’s the feisty spirt he likes, you know, more fun to break.” He gestures to the men with weapons behind him. “Secure them and toss them on the ship.”
He spins, like he has no interest in what happens next. The men with him descend, and although Alex and Kai make a valiant effort to fight them off, they’re no match for the number of men attacking them.
“Stop! No!” I shout, watching Kai take a punch to the face. Alex groans when a boot lands hard on his stomach. “Don’t kill them.”
“Kill them?” Kane laughs. “The Master doesn’t want to see them dead. At least, not yet. They’re going to be an example to the rest of Athion about what happens to men that attempt to stop the Master or his business.”
I feel the latch of handcuffs around my wrists and fight back a sob at the sight of my men bruised and battered on the floor.
“I can’t believe you did this to us,” I say to Cassidy and Amais as I’m yanked away. “Damon…when he finds out, he’ll kill you both.”
“Not if we don’t kill him first,” Cassidy says, violence in her eyes.
The last thing I see as we’re dragged from the ship is the two of them standing at the top of the stairs, eyes cold, watching us as we’re carried away.