Read Online Banished Worlds by Grant Workman, Mary Workman - Free Book Online Page B

tried to twist free, but I held her, and she stopped.
    I had learned to read people on Lark, so I studied my partner. She had issues with people, guys in particular, and that may be why she liked the armor, liked the opaque face shield. Somehow Price and Roberts got along.
    “This isn’t the kind of work he is used to. Price is a tech, a lab guy. We’ve worked together before, setting up safe areas.” She looked up at me. “It was part of my training, but for him it was his normal work. We’ve set up a few surveillance and monitoring posts, more than a few.”
    “Okay, that was his thing, so why is he here?”
    “I talked him into it and got Nelson on board with the idea. It wasn’t supposed to be anything like this place.” She looked to my battered body. “This wasn’t supposed to be that way either.” Roberts reached out one hand and touched my bruised ribs.
    “Well, one thing is for sure, without that second skin armor of Prices’, I’d have lost the fight to Chin.” I looked her down and back up, she showed no reaction.
    “I’m sorry for this.”
    “Why, you didn’t fight me?”
    “Bender got you into this fight because he wanted me.”
    “Understand this Roberts, you’re worth it. I don’t mean because of your looks, but because you have been invaluable on this job. I’ve got your back and I know you have mine.”
    “Mia,” Roberts said. “When we’re alone, like now, you can call me Mia.”
    “All right, Mia,” I said with a soft smile which she returned. “I’ll wash you and you can wash me, what do you say?”
    Mia Roberts lost her smile. “I told you once I’m not washing your back or any other body parts.” She stepped into the spray of the shower and began to wash away our first few days on Tirus.
    I stood and watched until she finished and left the shower. I cleaned up and got out to find Roberts dressed and waiting for me. I dressed and she handed me Chin’s pistol. I pulled her against my body, and she did not fight or struggle. I stuffed the pistol in the back of her pants and pulled her tucked in shirt out over the weapon.
    “Don’t you think you should keep that?” she asked.
    “Don’t you want to hold my weapon, keep me safe?” I asked with a wide grin.
    Roberts did not grin back, she did not pull away, and she also did not hand me the pistol back. I squeezed her against me tighter and held her in place, and still she stayed. She let me hold her while she held a blank expression on her face. I knew I was being studied by her agent eyes, not her partner eyes. I released her, stepped away, and reached for the door.
    Roberts caught my hand and gave me the Taser. “Now we are both armed, partner, in case my assets need saving.”
    ***
     
    We walked into the main area, the living room of my quarters, to find Bikes there alone. “Bender said to wait here, is that okay, Boss?” He looked nervous to be around us.
    “Yes, Bikes, that’s what I wanted.”
    “I’m supposed to be out on the streets with my team. I’m not inside at daytime, not much.”
    “Bikes, how well do you know your way around the compound?” Roberts asked.
    He looked at her and studied Roberts like he did not know what she had asked him. Bikes smiled, brushed at his clothes, and reached out to her. “I’m Bikes, yellow section, demolition team.”
    “I know, Bikes, I’m a spotter on your team,” Roberts said to him.
    He twisted his head and looked closer at her.
    I stood and watched them.
    “Bikes, get down!” Roberts yelled, mere inches away from him.
    “Little Boss,” he said, grinning ear-to-ear. “Jenkins told me spotter is Little Boss now.”
    “Yeah, Bikes, Little Boss,” I said. “So Bikes, what’s the answer?”
    “What answer?” he asked.
    “How well do you know the compound?” Roberts repeated.
    “Where do you want to go? Demolition teams go to the streets, Boss don’t go anywhere. Boss goes up here,” he explained to us.
    “I’ve seen the streets. I want to go