DusktoDust_Final3 by adrian felder Read Free Book Online Page A

with an accusing tone. “ And maybe you should have, too? We took this contract almost two weeks ago and I didn ’ t hear you saying anything then. In fact I remember you being just as interested in the extra revenue as I was. What the hell has changed? ”
    Alana looked a little sheepish, realizing she had been out of line. “ You ’ re right. I should have said something. But don ’ t you get the feeling that this job is going downhill fast. The Peaks are tailing us. You know what happened the last time we had to deal with them like this. Being on the radar of a couple outlaw gangs is one thing. Having Peacekeepers all over us is a little different. This job is going to shit faster than I can spell the damn word. ”
    “ One thing going wrong does not mean this job is going to shit, ” David countered. “ The Peaks are good but, we ’ re better. We ’ ll lose them soon enough. ”
    “ And what happens when Windcorp finds out that we were stopped by them? ”
    “ They don ’ t need to find out. And if they do we ’ ll tell them it wasn ’ t a problem, because it isn ’ t. ”
    “ Oh, bullshit, ” Alana said. “ You know Windcorp ’ s reputation. If someone, including a couple of smugglers, threatens the company ’ s security, they are dealt with swiftly and efficiently. I mean everyone knows that Windcorp is up to its neck in plenty of nefarious industries beyond smuggling; human trafficking, drug trade, organized crime … I could go on for hours. The point is they will have no qualms ending our short meaningless lives. ”
    David looked at her with a inquisitive look. “ Nefarious? That ’ s a pretty big word for a dumb grunt. Have you been reading? ”
    Her response was to throw the first thing she could get her hands on, which was her mobile, at him. “ I ’ m serious, D! ”
    David ducked, the mobile narrowly missing his head. He put his hands up in mock surrender. “ Jesus, okay! But even if you ’ re right what do you want me to do? We can ’ t exactly walk away. ”
    “ Why not? ”
    “ For the exact same reason you better hope that Windcorp doesn ’ t find out the Peaks were tailing us. We signed a contract, and if we go back on it, some Windcorp thug will put a bounty on our heads so high we ’ ll be stuck hauling supplies from Pluto to the Belt for the rest of our short, insignificant lives. The company holds loyalty even high than security from what I hear. ”
    Alana nodded, fully understanding the gravity of the dilemma that they were facing. “ Then what do we do? ”
    “ We stick to the plan, ” David said, with more confidence than he felt. “ We lose these idiots in the Skull Pit, head to Windham City to make our rendezvous, and cross our fingers that Windcorp doesn ’ t find out about our recent blunders. ” It wasn ’ t a great plan but it was all they had.
    “ Fine, ” she finally said. “ But make me one promise. ”
    “ What? ”
    “ When this is all over we never take a contract from Windcorp again. ”
    “ Alana, I promise that however this job turns out, this will be the last run we ever do for Windham Corporation. ”
     
    David ’ s slumber was restless. Like most settlements on Prospect, Decham never slept. The human body never really adjusts to the endless twilight of the Dusk Zone. Yes, the planet did follow Earth Standard Time, but everyone throughout the colonies followed their own schedules. Outside the window of the rundown Japanese hotel every manner of merchant carried out their trade. David didn ’ t know what they were hollering about, but it was damn annoying.
    He was good on his word to the Japanese inn keeper. Within seven hours of checking in, if you could call it that, he and Alana were back on the street and on their way out of the city. The next stop was the Skull Pit.
    It took them the better part of the day to reach the Pit. It was only one hundred miles to the northwest of Decham, but they did not take a straight route there. They