Drifters' Alliance, Book 3 by Elle Casey Read Free Book Online Page B

Lucinda, sorry that she couldn’t be our hero today. “Probably not worth it, but I appreciate the thought.” She came back with a solution, even though she could have been injured or worse as a result. I respect the hell out of this girl right now, and it’s going to take a lot of terrible things on her part to change that.
    She rests the canister on her thigh. “Yeah, well, I don’t want that thing hurting my plants.”
    Or not a lot. Maybe just a few.
      I walk backward, breaking contact with Jeffers, continuing until I can lean on the console near his chair. “Adelle? You mentioned a tracking device. Where can I find that?”
    “The tracking device is located in the brig.”
      A shiver moves up my spine. “Which chamber?”
    “The chamber hosting your prisoner. The shadow, Tam.”
    I drop my face into my hands and take several long breaths to try and control myself. Just when I think things can’t get worse … does that mean the Outlanders are following me? Oh, shit. Now I’m acting like they’re real too! Is this what Darksickness feels like?
    “What’s going on around here?” Lucinda asks. “Seriously. A bomb? A shadow? Did I get off the DS Anarchy and walk onto another ship without realizing it?”
    I shake my head and finally look up. “Unfortunately, no. We’re both still here, and shit is seriously messed up.” I grin. “But as it turns out, it was screwed up before I got here, so you can’t blame me for any of it.”
    “Huh. Guess you’re the clean-up crew.” The barest hint of a smile lights up her face before she turns to go. “Call me if you need me,” she says as she disappears down the corridor.
    Jeffers drapes an arm over my shoulder. “I guess this is as good a time as any for me to tell you one more thing.”
    My arms drop to my sides and my hand rests on my knife as I sigh long and loudly. “Please don’t make me stab you, Jeffers.”
    He chuckles. First a little and then a lot.
    “I’m not kidding.” I can’t even look at him. I just stare straight ahead.
    “I’m sorry,” he says, his laughter dying down. “I just couldn’t resist. You look so stressed.”
    I turn just my head to look at him. “Seriously? That’s how you work your magic, healer?”
    He shrugs. “I use whatever means I have at my disposal. Humor is great medicine at times.”
    I pull my knife out and hold it up at him. “So’s the blade. What’s your secret?”
    He holds up his hands in surrender. “I confess that I accidentally burned Macon’s fritter.”
    I grin a little as I slide my knife back home. “Good. He needs a little incentive to talk.”
    Jeffers points to my chair and the offending object hiding beneath. “What are we going to do about this?”
    “Good question. Adelle?” I’m looking at the ceiling again. I don’t know why; it’s not like Adelle is a god or anything.
    “Yes, Captain.”
    “Tell Gus to report to the flightdeck with bomb defusing equipment handy.”
    “Yes, Captain.”
    “And Adelle? Make sure he doesn’t take any detours toward the brig. Alert me if he does and lock him out of access to that area of the ship until further notice.”
    “Yes, Captain.”
    I stare down at my boots for long enough that I start swaying.
    “Do you want me to manage the bomb situation while you manage other things?” Jeffers asks.
    “What other things?” I look up at him.
    “Macon? Lucinda? Tam?”
    “No rest for the weary.” I stand more steadily, adjusting my flight suit as best I can.
    He shakes his head. “Unfortunately not. And we need to show up at that meeting with something to offer our friends.”
    I point out the door that Lucinda just exited. “I guess that means the biogrid is my next stop.”
    “It would be if I were captain.” He bows at me and steps back.
    I leave with zero bounce to my step. A garbage scow out of here is looking really good right now.

Chapter Ten

    LUCINDA IS NOWHERE TO BE found when I get to the biogrid. I let myself in past