by Susan Hayes
Lance stayed back with Alyson while his brothers read the note without touching it. There was silence for a while, then Blade looked up. “This bit about finishing what you started. Is there any way that could refer to something besides the cure you’re working on?”
She chewed on her lip, then shook her head. “There are a few things it could be, but all of them are related to the cyborgs, and all of them are supposed to be a carefully guarded secret. How could they know about any of it?”
“We’ll figure it out.” Dirk crossed the room to stand in front of Alyson. “We’re going to keep you safe. You’re probably not going to love our methods, but anything we do will be for your protection.”
“You guarded one of my patients before. I’m familiar with your methods.”
Blade joined them. “That was different. This time, we’re not guarding a patient in the med-center. We’re guarding you. That means at least one of us is going to be with you all day, every day until this is dealt with. We’re going to make this place as secure as possible, and your home is going to be a fraxxing fortress.”
“My home and the med-center are one and the same, remember?” She pointed up. “I live one floor up, and the only way to my place is through the med-center. I’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, you will be, because we’ll be up there with you,” Lance said.
“In my home?” she asked.
“Mmhmm. I’ve already contacted Mack. We’re being reassigned as your personal security detail. If anyone asks, the official line is that the Drojo Cartel has made threats against you for helping the crimson task force shut them down.”
“Just like that?” she asked, incredulous.
Blade snapped his fingers. “Presto, we’re now your bodyguards.”
“I’m starting to think networking you to their comm channel was a bad idea.” There wasn’t any malice in her words, only resignation. She was finally going to accept their help. It might have taken a death threat to make her give in, but they had a shot at getting to know her, now. And more importantly, she would have time to get to know them. It’s all they wanted.
Now, they had to make sure she stayed in one piece long enough for them to sweep her off her feet.
*
Alyson sank into her chair and tried to wrap her head around everything. She had tried to minimize the truth about what the note meant, but she couldn’t do that anymore. Somehow, someone knew what she was doing. She didn’t know how, but that didn’t matter right now. It was a fact, and she had to stop avoiding reality simply because it was inconvenient. The message, and its delivery, were stark reminders that she was vulnerable.
A hand touched her shoulder. “Corp-Sec is sending over forensics to look at the note and someone to take a statement from you. While that happens, we’re going to start working on a plan to secure this place. It’s going to be alright.” Dirk told her.
She exhaled slowly. “I should tell Anne to clear my schedule and call in one of the other doctors to finish my shift. I’m not going to be available for a while, am I?”
“You’re done for the day, Doc. Once Corp-Sec clears out, we have to talk about how this is going to work.” Dirk gave her a lopsided grin. “I hope your place is bigger than ours because we’re going to be staying with you until this is settled.”
“My place is more than big enough. That won’t be a problem.” Her residence was palatial by space station standards. The upper floor was almost as large as the med-center itself. She had converted part of the space into a second office, but there was still plenty of space. She had offered it to the other staff, but all of them had families and preferred to live in the more residential areas of Astek station.
Housing wouldn’t be a problem. Having three attractive, overzealous bodyguards in her personal space for the foreseeable future was another matter entirely.
Blade perked up. “More than big enough? We’re living in a closet right now. If your place is bigger, I might never leave.”
“You can each have your own room, and there’s a guest bathroom. I think you’ll be comfortable enough.”
Lance uttered a low whistle. “Our own rooms? Damn. That’ll be a novel experience. We’ve never had enough scrip to live separately.”
Alyson happily seized on the chance to change the subject. “Why wouldn’t you have enough? The corporations all provided back pay for your years of service, didn’t they?”
Dirk shrugged. “They did. But we didn’t come online until it was all over. We didn’t qualify for back pay. Astek gave us a small amount of scrip, which was more than they were legally required to do, but that’s it. They cut us loose with the rest of the cyborgs, and we’ve made our own way ever since.”
“But that’s not right. You didn’t get any time to adjust? No training to help?”
“Unlike the rest of our brethren, we woke up with free will. They never activated most of our behavioral programming. We went through a bunch of tests to make sure we were safe to be around other people, and once we passed, they sent us on our way.” Blade’s tone was light, but his expression belied his easy words.
“At least we were released. We’ve heard stories that some of the other corporations never woke their last batches at all.” Lance shook his head.
“I had no idea. I thought the corporations would have done more for all of you. Given what I’ve witnessed, I should’ve known better.” Her hand covered her mouth as she remembered something they’d told her the first night they had met. “You named yourselves. I forgot. I didn’t realize until now that you had to, because they didn’t even give you a name.”
“You said whoever named us clearly didn’t get enough hugs as a child. You were right. We were never kids, and there were zero snuggles.” Blade opened his arms and winked at her. “If ever you feel like helping me up my hug count, I’m game.”
She left her chair and went to him, slipping her arms around his waist and giving him a gentle hug. He stiffened in surprise at first, but then he relaxed and uttered a soft, contented sigh. The hug was supposed to be for his benefit, but when his arms closed around her shoulders, she realized she needed the comfort more than he did. She leaned into his strength and closed her eyes.
Blade’s hands stroked down her back, and then up to cradle the back of her head, and his fingers tangled in her hair. None of them spoke, and she let the moment stretch longer than she should have. It felt good to lean on someone else for a while. It was a luxury she didn’t allow herself very often.
When she pulled back, Blade let her go, but he let his fingers graze her cheek as she stepped away.
“If I had known all I had to do was ask for a hug, I’d have done it weeks ago.”
“You caught me in a moment of weakness.”
“Weak? Don’t sell yourself short, sunshine. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met,” Lance said.
She glanced over at him. “That is the second time you’ve called me sunshine. Is this going to be a thing?”
He grinned. “Don’t evade the compliment. And yeah, it’s a thing now. It’s this, or sweet cheeks. Your choice.”
“My choice is that you call me Dr. Jefferies,” she replied, folding her arms over her chest.
“Okay, Sunshine it is.” Lance chuckled as she glowered at him.
It wasn’t fair. She could get even the most difficult patients to sit down and take their medicine with the same look. Eight-foot tall Torski males quailed when she glared at them. So, why was it that when she tried the same thing on Blade, Lance, or Dirk, they laughed?
“I’m not going to win this fight, am I?” she asked.
“No.” All three of them answered at once.
She hid her smile. She shouldn’t be amused by their antics. They were going to drive her crazy and make everything complicated and chaotic. They were as much a threat to her carefully organized life as whoever was coming after her. Still, she felt better knowing they were here.
She looked at the three towering men who
surrounded her and felt her pulse kick up another notch. Fraxx. She was in serious trouble.
CHAPTER FOUR
It took longer than Dirk would have liked, but eventually, they got Alyson into the private elevator that was the only access point to the doctor’s private quarters. It was a tight fit, but none of them were interested in being left behind.
They had formulated a plan while Alyson had given her statement, and they had stood with her while she let the other doctors and staff know what was happening. They’d met everyone the last time they had been assigned guard duty at the med-center, but she re-introduced them as her private security detail along with the official explanation of why they would be protecting her for the next while. Everyone took it in stride except Anne. The self-appointed mother hen had cursed a blue streak that would make most miners blush, and threatened every member of the Drojo Cartel with slow, painful deaths.
“This elevator seems a lot smaller than normal,” Alyson muttered from her spot near the back. “Is it really necessary for all three of you to come with me?”
“Yes, it is. Lance will stay with you while Blade and I sweep your home and make sure there are no surprises waiting.”
Speaking of surprises, I should tell you about Huey. He’s—“
The door opened, and Dirk stepped out before Alyson finished speaking. Whatever she had to say would have to wait. He was on high alert, scanning for anything out of place. He barely had time to register the dimensions of the room and the placement of the furniture before a voice startled him.
“Good evening, Dr. Jefferies. I was not aware we were having company tonight.”
He went on the attack at the first word he heard but pulled up short when he realized who, or rather what, was speaking. Blade didn’t slow down. He flew by Dirk and tackled the service droid, taking it down hard enough he heard the pop and snap of parts as it hit the floor.
“Huey!” Alyson stormed into the room, madder than a wet Pheran. “Blade Trello, you did not just break my brand-new droid. He’s not a threat to anything but dust bunnies.”
“Oops,” Blade untangled himself from the droid. “In my defense, you should have mentioned you had a robot running around up here.”
Alyson pointed to the damaged droid. “Do shielded assassins normally greet their targets by name and inquire about guests? You did exactly what I was afraid of. Charge in, take over, and cause chaos. If you had just listened to me, I was trying to tell you about Huey in the elevator.”
Dirk walked over to Blade and hauled his brother back to his feet. This wasn’t an auspicious start to their time with Alyson. “We’re sorry about the droid. Right, Blade?”
“Yeah. Sorry.” Blade rubbed the back of his neck, looking more than a little sheepish.
“Don’t be sorry, do better.” Alyson knelt down beside her droid and sighed. “Huey, damage report, please.”
“I have sustained damage to several joints, and I appear to have lost my visual sensors. Apologies, Dr. Jefferies. It appears I will be unable to serve you until I am repaired. Would you like me to book myself an appointment?”
“I know someone who should be able to put you to rights, again. Place yourself in standby mode, and I will reactivate you once you’re repaired.”
“As you wish, Dr. Jefferies. I do apologize for the inconvenience.” The droid powered down.
“Where do you want me to put it, uh…him?” Blade asked.
“His recharging station is over in that corner. If you could carefully set Huey on it, I’ll call Lieksa and see if she can make a house call.”
Blade followed her directions to the letter, and her tension visibly eased once the droid was settled.
“Why is its name Huey?” Blade asked.
“I had to call him something. He’s a household unit--H.U. I just tacked another syllable on the end of his name.” She swept an arm out to encompass the area. “Welcome to my home. Try not to break anything else, please.”
“It won’t happen again,” Dirk promised. Her home wasn’t what he had expected. For one thing, it was larger than he imagined. Living aboard a space station meant that every cubic inch came at a premium. He and his brothers lived in a residential cubby on one of the lower decks, and their entire quarters could fit into the room he was currently standing in.
“Why don’t you stay with me while they check out the rest of the place? I can explain what shielding is, and they’ll be done by the time I’m done,” Lance said.
“Alright. Can I at least sit down, or does my couch pose some threat I’m not aware of?”
“Sit. Relax. It’s been a long day.” Dirk glared at Blade and sent him a message via their internal comm channel. “Come on, let’s give her some space before she rethinks this arrangement and tosses us out.”
“Don’t act so superior. You were about to dismantle the damned thing yourself.”
“Yeah, but I stopped. You didn’t.”
Blade didn’t bother to respond. He knew he had screwed up. The two of them split up and started a sweep of the residence, which gave Dirk time to take in the décor and get a glimpse of who Alyson was when she was at home. He had expected sleek, modern furnishings, something elegant, but that wasn’t what he saw. The effect was more of a cozy home, with rustic designs that mimicked hewn logs and polished wood. The color scheme was a buttery yellow, with splashes of red and orange. It was a warm, welcoming place. A real home. At least, what he imagined a real home might feel like.
It took a few minutes to ensure that various rooms were empty, but once they were done, he and Blade were certain they were alone. A personal shield generator worked by bouncing light waves so that the one being shielded was more or less invisible. It required a massive amount of power, which meant it could only be operated for short periods. It had limitations, too. It couldn’t hide a heat signature very well for one thing, and cyborg senses were too enhanced for them to be fooled by a shield for long.
For the moment, everything was secure, and he intended to see it stayed that way.
Once Dirk was sure they were safe he relaxed a little, and it struck him that, for a little while at least, this warm, cozy place was home. It was a pleasing thought. They returned to the main room in time to hear Lance asking about the full-sized vid screen that took up most of one wall. It was currently displaying a cabin-style wall that matched the furnishings, and through a picture window, there was a snowy vista of a valley floor at twilight.
“It’s based on the view out of my grandparent’s window back on Cassien Alpha. I don’t get home very often, but the view reminds me of them. My grandma made this quilt herself.” Alyson reached back to pat the multicolored patchwork blanket resting on the back of the sofa. “She still quilts and knits, and she sends them to me. She keeps telling me that space is cold and I need to stay warm.” She sighed. “I need to visit, soon. They’re getting older, and I don’t want to have regrets once they’re gone.”
“What’s stopping you?” Lance asked.
“Nothing. And everything. I’ve got to finish the cure first. And we’re busy trying to track down the cyborgs that might not have been freed. I’m still tracing the DNA samples that were used to create you, and on top of that, there’s the med-center. If I leave, the others will have to work longer hours to cover my shifts and take care of my patients. Patients that happen to include Zura, who is half Pheran, loaded with medi-bot technology, and pregnant with twins.”
“You know, I didn’t hear you mention yourself once in that whole list. What about what you need, Alyson?” Dirk admired her devotion, but it bothered him that she always seemed to put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own.
She looked at him, and it was plain from her expression, a mixture of confusion and surprise, that she didn’t know the answer to his question.
“Aly, hasn’t anyone ever asked you that before?” he asked.
She hesitated before answering. “I’m a doctor because I want to help others. I wouldn’t be good at my job if I
worried about my needs, and not theirs.”
“I’m pretty sure there’s a flaw in your logic, sunshine. We’ll talk about that later. For now, we’re going to figure out dinner and decide on room assignments.”
“I can handle dinner. You might have broken my droid, but I still know how to use a food dispenser.” She started to stand, but Lance stopped her with a shake of his head.
“Blade broke it, so he’s on dinner duty.”
She looked like she might argue, but then she sank back down onto the couch and nodded. “Okay. You guys like pizza? I’ve got three kinds stocked and programmed in.”
“Your dispenser makes pizza? I told you guys we need to upgrade ours. Ours would have a meltdown if we tried anything that complex,” Blade said, already heading to the kitchen.
“If there’s anything you’d like to eat or drink, just let Huey know—once he’s repaired, that is. He’ll order it and program it for you. While you’re not exactly guests, you’re welcome to make yourselves comfortable while you’re staying here. I know I haven’t said it, but I’m grateful to the three of you for doing this.”
“We’re happy to do it,” Dirk said.
“We’re here for you, Doc,” Blade called from the other room.
“There’s nowhere else we’d rather be,” Lance declared.
She burst out laughing. “If nothing else, you three are going to be great for my ego. No one is ever eager to spend time with their doctor. This might not be so bad after all.”
Dirk couldn’t imagine not wanting to be in Alyson’s company. He just hoped that when the threat was over and she had her life back, she still wanted to spend time with them.
*
Alyson contacted Lieksa while her three new bodyguards wandered the residence in relative silence. At first, she wondered why they weren’t talking, but eventually, it dawned on her that they were conversing through their private comm channel. It was like having three huge, silent predators prowling around. She hadn’t had a roommate since graduating from med school, and it was strange not to be alone in her home. After a while, she went to her room to change out of her work clothes and simply have a moment of solitude.
