Read Online Girl From Above #3: Trapped by Pippa DaCosta - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pippa DaCosta
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It’s not like I haven’t wondered—”
“She is the pinnacle of technology infused with humanity. She’s sacrosanct and not to be compared with some kind of sex bot for the likes of you.” His outburst echoed down Starscream’s catwalks.
Not once had he lost his cool in the entire time he’d been on Starscream . I’d just found his flashpoint.
He seemed to realize his mistake and winced, then rubbed at his eyes. “I er … I apologize. I didn’t mean—”
“Sex bots are overrated. Your own hand works just as good, and it’s free.”
He didn’t smile. “Was there a reason why you came here, Captain? I have work to do if I’m going to decipher her errors.”
I crossed the cabin and popped open the hidden panel. “You ever wonder what her big secret is?”
Whatever the secret was, it concerned Chen Hung, that much was obvious. Lloyd didn’t know how Chen Hung had been the one to toss me back into Asgard. I didn’t trust the young doctor—I didn’t trust anyone—and James Lloyd would remain an unknown on my ship until he could prove himself useful.
“I er …” The pause meant he was trying to word his next sentence carefully. “I think there’s more of Haley inside her than she knows. She went home to her father, a man she says killed her. That had to be difficult.”
“He did kill her.” I kept my back to him and reached behind the panel to retrieve the bag containing the phencyl cylinders and injector. How much he knew about my history with Haley, I couldn’t be sure. Maybe #1001 had told him all of it. In which case, he knew I’d let her die. What he didn’t know was that a day didn’t go by when I didn’t think about Haley. Sometimes it was a minor thought; other times I let the memories have me, let them cut deep, because I deserved the pain. I couldn’t exactly forget what happened now that her ghost was a member of my crew.
“You think she’s really in there?” I knew the answer but wanted to know what an ex-Chitec technician thought.
“I know she is.”
The fresh reverence in his tone piqued my interest, but I didn’t look. I’d seen enough of his derision on his face. “You knew her?”
“Yes. I went to college with Haley. She er … we were friends.”
Holy fuck. I turned and found him intently focused on his datapad. “Do you know what I did to her?”
He swallowed, harder this time, and didn’t look up. “Yes. She told me. I mean, I saw you and her a few times. Everyone knew about the Hung and Shepperd couple. Chitec and fleet.”
Haley Hung: beautiful, smart, and the daughter of a man everyone worshipped. She could have gone on to do anything she’d wanted. I’d taught her how to fly a shuttle. She could have lived her dreams.
A grimace took hold of my lips. I tightened my grip on the bag. “Keep up the good work, Doctor. I’m sure the two of you will live happily ever-after .”
“Captain?” His confused voice followed me out of the cabin. Thankfully, he didn’t.
Striding for my cabin, I opened the bag and closed my hand around the cool jet injector. Just one quick phencyl fix, that’s all. Just something to bury all the fucked-up shit in my head. Just a few hours of forgetting.
If I didn’t do something, I’d take a goddamn pistol to my head to stop the recall. I made it to my cabin and loaded an injector capsule.
“Caleb.”
I jumped. “Fuck.”
#1001 was standing in my cabin doorway, one hand braced against the seal, head tilted while she studied the injector in my hand.
“Before you say anything …” I trailed off as she entered my cabin and plucked the injector from my grip.
Her inquiring gaze lifted to mine. Her eyes focused to laser points, and she crushed the injector in her hand like it was made of paper.
“I needed that.” The words came out in a pitiful whine.
“When are you going to stop running, Caleb?”
“Never.” Shit, she was close. Had she always smelled faintly like cherries, or was that new?
She
“She is the pinnacle of technology infused with humanity. She’s sacrosanct and not to be compared with some kind of sex bot for the likes of you.” His outburst echoed down Starscream’s catwalks.
Not once had he lost his cool in the entire time he’d been on Starscream . I’d just found his flashpoint.
He seemed to realize his mistake and winced, then rubbed at his eyes. “I er … I apologize. I didn’t mean—”
“Sex bots are overrated. Your own hand works just as good, and it’s free.”
He didn’t smile. “Was there a reason why you came here, Captain? I have work to do if I’m going to decipher her errors.”
I crossed the cabin and popped open the hidden panel. “You ever wonder what her big secret is?”
Whatever the secret was, it concerned Chen Hung, that much was obvious. Lloyd didn’t know how Chen Hung had been the one to toss me back into Asgard. I didn’t trust the young doctor—I didn’t trust anyone—and James Lloyd would remain an unknown on my ship until he could prove himself useful.
“I er …” The pause meant he was trying to word his next sentence carefully. “I think there’s more of Haley inside her than she knows. She went home to her father, a man she says killed her. That had to be difficult.”
“He did kill her.” I kept my back to him and reached behind the panel to retrieve the bag containing the phencyl cylinders and injector. How much he knew about my history with Haley, I couldn’t be sure. Maybe #1001 had told him all of it. In which case, he knew I’d let her die. What he didn’t know was that a day didn’t go by when I didn’t think about Haley. Sometimes it was a minor thought; other times I let the memories have me, let them cut deep, because I deserved the pain. I couldn’t exactly forget what happened now that her ghost was a member of my crew.
“You think she’s really in there?” I knew the answer but wanted to know what an ex-Chitec technician thought.
“I know she is.”
The fresh reverence in his tone piqued my interest, but I didn’t look. I’d seen enough of his derision on his face. “You knew her?”
“Yes. I went to college with Haley. She er … we were friends.”
Holy fuck. I turned and found him intently focused on his datapad. “Do you know what I did to her?”
He swallowed, harder this time, and didn’t look up. “Yes. She told me. I mean, I saw you and her a few times. Everyone knew about the Hung and Shepperd couple. Chitec and fleet.”
Haley Hung: beautiful, smart, and the daughter of a man everyone worshipped. She could have gone on to do anything she’d wanted. I’d taught her how to fly a shuttle. She could have lived her dreams.
A grimace took hold of my lips. I tightened my grip on the bag. “Keep up the good work, Doctor. I’m sure the two of you will live happily ever-after .”
“Captain?” His confused voice followed me out of the cabin. Thankfully, he didn’t.
Striding for my cabin, I opened the bag and closed my hand around the cool jet injector. Just one quick phencyl fix, that’s all. Just something to bury all the fucked-up shit in my head. Just a few hours of forgetting.
If I didn’t do something, I’d take a goddamn pistol to my head to stop the recall. I made it to my cabin and loaded an injector capsule.
“Caleb.”
I jumped. “Fuck.”
#1001 was standing in my cabin doorway, one hand braced against the seal, head tilted while she studied the injector in my hand.
“Before you say anything …” I trailed off as she entered my cabin and plucked the injector from my grip.
Her inquiring gaze lifted to mine. Her eyes focused to laser points, and she crushed the injector in her hand like it was made of paper.
“I needed that.” The words came out in a pitiful whine.
“When are you going to stop running, Caleb?”
“Never.” Shit, she was close. Had she always smelled faintly like cherries, or was that new?
She
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