On a Rogue Planet by Anna Hackett Read Free Book Online Page B

panel and put a call through to Dathan. It didn’t take the others long to arrive.
    Dathan strode in. “Warning for you, CenSec, I’m still pissed you pulled my cousin into your troubles.”
    Lala popped a wad of gum into her mouth. “I think we should start with the fact that Mal was just about to suck face with the sexy cyborg.”
    When Eos gasped and Dathan and Nik both spun with fury in their eyes, all Mal managed was a wince.

Chapter Six
    “What the hell!” Dathan exploded.
    “You stay the hell away from her,” Niklas said in a quiet voice.
    Xander had believed the astro-archeologist to be a mild-mannered academic. But underlying Niklas Phoenix’s tone was a hard, dangerous edge that said he’d fight to protect those he loved.
    Malin drew herself up. “Excuse me, adult here. I can kiss whoever the hell I like.”
    “Mal, he’s a machine—”
    Xander watched with interest as her eyes fired and she rounded on Dathan.
    “I’m not having this argument again. Just drop it.”
    Dathan released a long breath. “He doesn’t feel anything, Mal. You deserve more than that. I know Granger screwed you around—”
    “Don’t bring him up!”
    Granger? Xander fought an internal frown.
    As the cousins continued arguing, Xander once again felt unfamiliar emotions battering at him. His entire planet was at stake. He thought of his team who tried to rescue the leader of Centax. They hadn’t made it and had been captured.
    His probability calculations told him they were most likely dead.
    He also thought of his brother. There was a high probability Axton was dead, too.
    Xander had a mission. One he was created to do.
    He couldn’t afford to feel.
    He started working on amplifying his filters. He couldn’t afford the distracting emotions Malin Phoenix generated in him.
    “She was reacting to the stress of our escape from Centax.” All eyes swung to him. “As you said, I feel little. I certainly don’t feel anything for Malin.”
    The room went quiet.
    Malin stared at him, her eyes blinking rapidly.
    “Curiosity.” He couldn’t deny he’d been curious to see what she felt like, tasted like. “That’s all.”
    She looked away. “See—” a crack in her voice “—nothing to worry about.”
    Xander detected some sort of stress in her tone but she turned away from him and he couldn’t see her face. “I would like to focus on what’s important, the Antikythera.”
    Eos bustled past, grabbing Malin by the arm. “I think we should do this in mission control. Mal and I will head up.” Eos dragged Malin with her and speared her husband with a look. “Dathan, why don’t you show Xander up? We’ll meet you there.”
    Xander watched the women leave, staring at the back of Malin’s head. He didn’t like the fact she was leaving him. Even for a few minutes.
    Dathan was frowning. “Let’s go, CenSec. It’s time you tell us exactly what you want.”
    Xander followed the treasure hunter out into the hangar, aware of Niklas following behind them. “What is mission control?”
    “Where we plan all our hunts.”
    They made their way through the darkened hangar. He switched to night vision, noted the salvaged parts, all sorted in a neat and orderly fashion. Malin was clearly efficient and competent at her work.
    They climbed some stairs and then passed through a heavily secure doorway. Inside, the room was centered on a large holo-table. Shelves lined the walls and valuable artifacts lined the shelves.
    Eos was tapping at the holo-table screen. Malin was seated and she didn’t look up as they came in.
    Nik moved to lean against the wall while Dathan moved over beside his wife, pressing a hip to the table.
    “Time to talk,” the treasure hunter said.
    Xander wasted no words. “A Centaxian named Rexon Dax has taken control of Centax.” For the first time in a long time, Xander struggled to keep his anger out of his face.
    “And that’s bad?” Eos asked.
    “He’s a fanatical misogynist zealot who’s