CHAPTER SEVEN—KELLY HESS

The door automatically slid shut behind them as soon as they were no longer within the proximity sensor.

“Who are you?” she screeched.

“Move it,” Kyle ordered as he pushed her into the living room.

“There’s security all over this ship,” she said. “There’s no way you’ll get away with anything!”

“We work for your father,” John said. It was the best way not to alarm the girl.

She scowled at them. “My father?”

“Yes.”

“Damn,” Kyle said. “I can see why he sent us to come get you. You’re a billion-dollar scandal just waiting to happen, aren’t you?”

Kyle’s comment caused her to shift uncomfortably for just a flick, but then she became indignant. “Fuck you, lapdog.”

“No, fuck you.”

“No, fuck you!”

“Enough!” John snapped. “What the hells—are we twelve years old?”

“She started it,” Kyle said.

She made a face.

“Really?” John asked. “Gods.”

After a moment John said, “Lexa, keep us appraised of any movements by Laiwyn Scorr or his bodyguards. Do you understand?”

“Understood,” she said, her body no longer materialized. “As of right now Laiwyn Scorr and his guards haven’t left their current location. They’re still at the Roko’s Claw night club.”

“Great,” Kyle said.

“What is this all about?” Kelly asked.

Well, John thought, considering the girl’s appearance in relation to Kyle’s earlier comment. He’s at least on the right track.

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Kelly Hess was decked out in a black jacket with vents on the shoulders and a bright neon blue stripe across the inside of the collar. Her nose was pierced and she wore heavy makeup accentuating the dark circles under her eyes and her irises were glow-in-the-dark neon blue, her hair a similar shade of glowing neon.

”We’ve come to get you off the Chylaxiumi,” John said.

She scoffed. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Try and stop us,” Kyle said.

“Um—excuse me,” she said, “but in case you haven’t noticed, kidnapping me off this ship is impossible, and besides, Laiwyn’s security will stop you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, honey.”

“Yeah?” she asked. “And what are you going to do about it pipsqueak?”

Kyle gritted his teeth. “Too bad this bitch isn’t a dude or I’d smack her.”

“That’s enough of this,” John said. “Listen, when the Chylaxium gets to the Keys, we’ll have a ship waiting for us.”

“We do?”

“Didn’t you even look at the package details?”

“Well yeah, but…”

“And,” John continued as he turned back to Kelly, “we’re going to return to Ororis Prime where your father will take you off our hands. Do you understand?”

She crossed her arms. “Not happening, meathead.”

“Could always take her back to the room,” Kyle said, “stuff her in a suitcase.”

John glanced at the holo-projection of Ela Luna Keys inside the window frame. “That might not be a bad idea.”

“Tch! Yeah right!” She lifted her arm and made to press some keys on her wristlet when Kyle intercepted.

“Whoawhoawhoa! No way, Hussy.”

She squirmed a bit, but he managed to rip the strap off her arm and take the wristlet from her.

“Owe! You asshole! That hurt!”

“Then don’t resist!” Kyle said.

“Can you just”—Kyle put his hand on her shoulder, nudging her toward the other side of the room.

“Get off me!”

“Enough,” John said. “We have reason to believe that Laiwyn Scorr is setting your father up. He’s using you to get to him.”

“Good!” she yelled. “My father’s a bastard, anyway.”

Kyle’s frustration became evident as he breathed in deeply, his eyes rolling. But he said nothing, obviously realizing that he and Hess were on a particularly bad footing already.

“What if he intends to harm you?” John asked.

“He won’t,” she said confidently.

“How do you know?”

“I just do.”

“How?”

She sighed. “He’s in love with me.”

“Gods!” Kyle croaked. “You’re not just a hussy, you’re a moron.”

“Shut up, squeaky.”

“That’s it—“

“Wait!” John said, putting an arm in front of Kyle’s path. He stopped, glanced at John and put out his hands indicating a frustrated, nonverbal question. “Let’s just stay calm.”

Kelly gave an annoyed look. Then she said, “Yeah, I’ll show you calm!”

And then her hands moved in a complex dance ending with her palms thrust forward. John tried to sidestep but instead he went flying across the room when the magical projectile hit him.

He landed on his back with a grunt.

By the time he came to, Kelly was gone. He glanced over to Kyle who was already on his feet and running after her. “Come on!”

“Dammit.”