Indentured (Book 2 of the Dana Halliday series)

THE CHANNEL CHANGES. ALLIE AND JAMES. HIGH FIVE.

I whipped around so fast that I fell off the gate. If there had been anything in my bladder I'm sure I would have wet myself. As it was, my ankle turned and sent me sprawling in a cursing heap to the dirt floor.

"Whoa there," said the figure behind me. It was a small shape covered in a cream-colored Sturv sand-cape, a poncho-like garment with a loose, cowl-like hood. Lately, I had seen a lot of them during the heat of the day, when even Wys covered her head. "Take it easy. I'm here to help you." The figure with the Earth voice held up its hands.

Those were Earther hands as well, little feminine hands with sensible short nails. Under the cowl, however, was a flat, noseless Sturv face with the huge dark sunglasses they sometimes wore.

"What the fuck are you?" I gasped.

A soft peal of laughter issued from the face, which didn't move a muscle. A tremor of disturbed fear shuddered through me, emerging from my mouth in a squeak of dismay as the hand reached up and peeled away the face, sunglasses included.

"Just your standard Earther with a mask. You're Dana Halliday?"

A mask. For the love of Zeus, someone had changed the channel to a heist movie.

"Um, yeah." I rose to my feet, rearranging the luggage on my back. "Let's start over. Who the fuck are you?"

"My name's Allison." The Earther was tiny under the sand-cape, and though I couldn't see much of her face in the shadows of the hood, I had the impression of reckless youth. She extended a hand, and I shook it. Her hand was strong and callused, and I was jealous of its complete set of fingers. "I'm here to get you out, if that's okay."

I was suddenly conscious of the camera drone hovering near the ceiling. "Sure, yeah, but I don't know who's watching, or if they're watching right now."

Allison looked up at the drone. "I wouldn't worry about it." She extracted a little weapon out of her cape, like a tiny pistol, and aimed it at the camera. She pulled the trigger, there was a minute hiss, and the camera drone went down in a shower of sparks. "Let's go. We'll be gone before anyone can do anything."

There was a roar from the crowd, and I looked back into the arena, suddenly worried about Liti. "But I—"

"Look," she said. "We don't have a lot of time. We have until all this distraction dies down. Now, there's another Earther here, right? Blondish guy, kinda sexy, doesn't say much?"

In my astonished confusion, I thought I felt the ground shift under me.

Allison continued. "He's a friend of mine. I was given the means to get both of you out of here, with the understanding that I'd get both of you out of here. Come on."

I had made too many rash decisions lately, and I hesitated. Suddenly the gun she'd used to dispatch the camera drone was aimed at me. "Oh, seriously? Not again."

Allison shrugged. "Stun gun. Like a taser. It'll just knock you out. I'll go find James, and he'll carry you. It'll slow us down, but—"

I croaked out a laugh. "Yeah, right. I can't even get him to put clothes on half the time."

Her lips curved. "Lucky you. Look, I know exactly what's wrong with him and how to fix it. We'll have a lot better chance of getting clear if you cooperate."

I ground my teeth and looked back over my shoulder. I saw a quick flash of Liti's small form darting through the obstacles. Then I turned back to the woman. "James, huh?"

* * *

Allison decided to follow me at a distance. The compound was surprisingly quiet other than the arena, but there were still the extra security guards afoot. As I left, she was putting her creepy mask back on and raising her cowl.