Read Online Fringe Runner (Fringe Series Book 1) by Rachel Aukes - Free Book Online
Authors: Rachel Aukes
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things have changed enough for Critch to want me dead. I guaran-damn-tee he’s not changing his mind anytime soon.”
She smiled. “Trust me.” Then she shrugged. “Or, don’t trust me. But if you want your ship repaired, you’ll take the deal.”
Reyne looked at Boden, who was watching him with an inquisitive expression. Without Vym, he couldn’t get a loan on Playa. If he couldn’t get the Gryphon repaired, they couldn’t make deliveries. Even after working for the infamous Aramis Reyne, Boden, Sixx, and Doc could find new jobs, but Throttle didn’t stand a chance. No one would hire her with her disability.
He gave Vym a hard look. “If I don’t make it back, I need your word that my crew will be taken care of.”
“Always,” she said without hesitation.
“Then, you’ve got yourself a deal.” Reyne turned abruptly and strode from Vym’s office, with Boden’s heavy boot steps behind him. He suspected the game Vym was playing. There could be only one reason she’d want him to reconnect with Critch.
After twenty years, he’d given up hope for the Uprising. He’d thought everyone else had given up on the Uprising.
He was wrong.
Chapter Six
Dangerous Discoveries
Three days later, the Gryphon broke free from Playa’s atmosphere and cruised into the smooth blackness of space, where Reyne could usually find some semblance of peace. Only this time, their current run weighed heavily on his mind.
“I can’t believe we’re going to the Space Coast,” Throttle said, not even trying to hide the excitement in her voice. “I’ve never been in a real asteroid belt before. Is it as dangerous as they say?”
He reined himself in from his thoughts. “Worse, and it’s not because of the asteroids. The rocks move slowly. They’re easy to miss. The danger with asteroid belts is what they hide. Once you enter the Coast, you have to keep one eye on the lookout for asteroids and the other eye on the lookout for pirates.”
She rubbed her hands together. “I can handle that.”
Reyne smiled. “I know you can, but rest up. I want you at the top of your game when we enter the Coast. There’s a reason even the CUF won’t go near there.”
“The ship’s running better than ever,” she said. “Flight plan shows we’ll reach Nova Colony in twenty-six hours.”
“Good,” he said, unbuckling from his seat and crossing the bridge. “I want to get this deal over with. Keep running diagnostics. Vym didn’t repair the Gryphon out of the goodness of her heart. She’s got something up her sleeve.”
He headed down the hallway to the commons to find Boden, Doc, and Sixx snacking from a bowl of raisins.
“Taking a break already?” Reyne asked.
“We’ve searched the ship,” Sixx said. “We didn’t find anything.”
Reyne rubbed his neck. “There’s no way Vym fixed the ship without leaving her grubby prints somewhere on it. Keep searching.”
“We were thorough,” Doc said. “We’ve scoured the cargo bay and went through every cabinet. If she’s smuggling something, we’re not going to find it without taking the ship apart piece by piece.”
Reyne grabbed a handful of raisins from the bowl. “Then, you need to start taking it apart piece by piece.”
Her jaw dropped. “You can’t possibly want us to open every panel.”
“That’s exactly what I want. I need to know what she’s having us smuggle for her before we get to Nova Colony.”
The crew in the room let out a collective groan.
“Sure thing, boss. We’ll get started on finding that needle in a haystack…right after break, of course.” Sixx popped a raisin in his mouth. “So, fill us in. Who’s this mysterious contact Vym is having you meet at Nova Colony?”
“Some man by the name of Critch,” Boden offered before digging out a handful of raisins.
Reyne glared at his mechanic, but it was already too late. By the look of Doc’s blanched face, she remembered that name all too well.
“We’re going to
She smiled. “Trust me.” Then she shrugged. “Or, don’t trust me. But if you want your ship repaired, you’ll take the deal.”
Reyne looked at Boden, who was watching him with an inquisitive expression. Without Vym, he couldn’t get a loan on Playa. If he couldn’t get the Gryphon repaired, they couldn’t make deliveries. Even after working for the infamous Aramis Reyne, Boden, Sixx, and Doc could find new jobs, but Throttle didn’t stand a chance. No one would hire her with her disability.
He gave Vym a hard look. “If I don’t make it back, I need your word that my crew will be taken care of.”
“Always,” she said without hesitation.
“Then, you’ve got yourself a deal.” Reyne turned abruptly and strode from Vym’s office, with Boden’s heavy boot steps behind him. He suspected the game Vym was playing. There could be only one reason she’d want him to reconnect with Critch.
After twenty years, he’d given up hope for the Uprising. He’d thought everyone else had given up on the Uprising.
He was wrong.
Chapter Six
Dangerous Discoveries
Three days later, the Gryphon broke free from Playa’s atmosphere and cruised into the smooth blackness of space, where Reyne could usually find some semblance of peace. Only this time, their current run weighed heavily on his mind.
“I can’t believe we’re going to the Space Coast,” Throttle said, not even trying to hide the excitement in her voice. “I’ve never been in a real asteroid belt before. Is it as dangerous as they say?”
He reined himself in from his thoughts. “Worse, and it’s not because of the asteroids. The rocks move slowly. They’re easy to miss. The danger with asteroid belts is what they hide. Once you enter the Coast, you have to keep one eye on the lookout for asteroids and the other eye on the lookout for pirates.”
She rubbed her hands together. “I can handle that.”
Reyne smiled. “I know you can, but rest up. I want you at the top of your game when we enter the Coast. There’s a reason even the CUF won’t go near there.”
“The ship’s running better than ever,” she said. “Flight plan shows we’ll reach Nova Colony in twenty-six hours.”
“Good,” he said, unbuckling from his seat and crossing the bridge. “I want to get this deal over with. Keep running diagnostics. Vym didn’t repair the Gryphon out of the goodness of her heart. She’s got something up her sleeve.”
He headed down the hallway to the commons to find Boden, Doc, and Sixx snacking from a bowl of raisins.
“Taking a break already?” Reyne asked.
“We’ve searched the ship,” Sixx said. “We didn’t find anything.”
Reyne rubbed his neck. “There’s no way Vym fixed the ship without leaving her grubby prints somewhere on it. Keep searching.”
“We were thorough,” Doc said. “We’ve scoured the cargo bay and went through every cabinet. If she’s smuggling something, we’re not going to find it without taking the ship apart piece by piece.”
Reyne grabbed a handful of raisins from the bowl. “Then, you need to start taking it apart piece by piece.”
Her jaw dropped. “You can’t possibly want us to open every panel.”
“That’s exactly what I want. I need to know what she’s having us smuggle for her before we get to Nova Colony.”
The crew in the room let out a collective groan.
“Sure thing, boss. We’ll get started on finding that needle in a haystack…right after break, of course.” Sixx popped a raisin in his mouth. “So, fill us in. Who’s this mysterious contact Vym is having you meet at Nova Colony?”
“Some man by the name of Critch,” Boden offered before digging out a handful of raisins.
Reyne glared at his mechanic, but it was already too late. By the look of Doc’s blanched face, she remembered that name all too well.
“We’re going to
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