by Sarah Noffke
Lewis blinked rapidly, not having expected the sudden scolding. “Well, that would be horrible. I’m not trying to minimalize Pip’s feelings. I apologize.”
“I think he acts out,” Dejoure continued, “but deep down, there’s really a loving and wonderful being at Pip’s core. If we nurture the things we like about him, those things will grow, and soon he’ll mature into someone he can be proud of.”
This wasn’t the first time that Dejoure had spoken so wisely, like someone five times her age. Bailey smiled proudly. “I couldn’t have put that better myself, DJ. You’re absolutely right. Maybe we can help Pip by being a better friend to him and not encouraging his bad behavior.”
Lewis didn’t know what to say. Pip was playful and fun, and for an AI, he was young. It seemed strange to try and push him into maturity, but he wanted what was best for the team, and that meant having reliable crew members.
Bailey lurched forward, an urgency to her movement. “The ships are turning around!”
Lewis saw immediately what she meant. The Monstre Corp ships had stopped their progress to Makare and looked to be headed back their way. Even more concerning was the proximity of the monster.
“Ricky Bobby?” Bailey called. “The cloaks?”
“They are up,” the AI answered. “However, they might have flickered for a moment. The K-factor is having an assortment of effects on the ship, and I’m having difficulty maintaining all systems currently.”
“Then we’re sitting ducks if they discover our location,” Bailey said.
Lewis pointed at the fleet surrounding the monster. “And it appears they have.”
Bailey sprinted for the exit. “Stay here and let me know when the engines are back up.”
“Where are you going?” he called after her.
She paused, her face flushed with adrenaline. “I’m going to get Vitos.”
Chapter Five
Ricky Bobby, Nearby Planet Makare, Hapeti System
I’ve either lost my damn mind or I have a death wish, Bailey thought to herself.
In the Black Eagle, she could outrace the monster and those shiny ships of Vance’s. Well, she hoped she could. And the Dragonfly was agile and fast, and Vitos was an excellent flyer. It made sense to her that the two of them should run interference to give Hatch time to make the ship repairs. However, her heart had leapt into action while her mind was still weighing the options.
Maybe this is what being part of a real team feels like. A family that doesn’t hesitate to make sacrifices for each other.
“Van Gogh, do you read me?” Bailey asked over the comm, as the Black Eagle streaked though space, gliding like a bird unfurling its wings after a long night in the nest. Beside her, the Dragonfly flew, Vitos shielded by the reflective covering on the single flyer.
“Van Gogh? Who’s that?” Vitos responded.
“It’s your handle. Well, the one I made up,” Bailey answered. “Van Gogh was one of the most famous painters on Earth. He was known for his post-impressionist work and, after his death, his paintings were sold for ridiculous amounts of money.”
“I don’t paint for money,” Vitos said, sounding slightly offended.
Bailey laughed, enjoying the rush as their ships neared the approaching fleet and monster. She strangely wasn’t nervous. Although she wasn’t sure what Monstre Corp’s ships could do, she knew that she and Vitos could handle it. Or so she strongly hoped, anyway. “No, I know you don’t. But Liesel showed me some of the paintings you did, and your style reminds me of Van Gogh, so that’s your handle.”
“I think you’ve paid me a very high compliment. Thank you, Ladybug,”
“I absolutely have,” Bailey admitted.
“Why is your handle ‘Ladybug’?” Vitos asked.
She remained quiet for a moment.
“Holmes here,” Lewis said over the comm. “I’ve figured out why your captain gave you that name.”
“Or so you think,” Bailey said with a laugh. “I have no doubt that you have, Detective, but we have to discuss that later. We’re approaching enemy ships. Those babies are even more gorgeous up close.”
“And fast!” Vitos said.
“Not faster than us. No way they could be, with all that armor. Okay, we’ve got to draw them away from Ricky Bobby,” Bailey stated. “Follow my lead.”
She banked the Black Eagle hard when the ships were as close as she dared to allow them. Vitos copied her move seamlessly. She tossed the ship in a different direction, and he followed, like a beautifully rehearsed synchronized dance.
The enemy ships swerved, nearly turning on a dime, following after Bailey and Vitos, closing in on them fast.
“They took the bait,” Lewis stated.
“Yes, they did,” Vitos said, his voice quavering a bit.
“Don’t fret, Van Gogh,” Bailey said, positioning herself for a quick turnaround. “I’ve been dying to see what sort of weapons you have on the Dragonfly.”
“Can you use another expression?” Lewis asked.
“Sorry, I’ve been antsy to see your weapons. Not dying. Definitely no dying happening here.”
Something struck the port-side wing, momentarily throwing the ship off balance. Bailey corrected, finding an opening between two enemy ships and slipping through to avoid more attacks.
“Speaking of dying, looks like Monstre’s ships want to take us out. And here I thought we were going to sniff each other’s butts.”
“I’m almost certain that Harley wouldn’t approve of that reference,” Lewis stated.
“Get an upgraded chip, and you’d know exactly what Harley thought of that joke. He loves my humor,” Bailey said. “Van Gogh, you ready to turn this business around on these guys?”
“Yes, the strategy, as we discussed,” Vitos said.
“On the count of three,” Bailey ordered, loving being back in her element. She felt born to lead, as she was born to fly. “Get as much distance as you can on these jerks. Ready? One, two, three.”
On her command, both ships flipped around, spraying heavy fire at the fleet of shiny flyers. The monster behind them swirled like a mass of sparks and clouds, and the shots ricocheted off the ships as the enemy barreled in their direction.
“Okay, that didn’t work out so well,” Bailey reported. “What the hell? Those were direct hits and they didn’t even make a dent.”
“I’ve got a special cannon I can try,” Vitos stated. “It’s new and untested, but it is supposed to vaporize ships at close range.”
“Sounds great!” she exclaimed.
“Sounds dangerous,” Lewis said, his tone cautious. “What did Hatch say about using untested tech?”
“That we shouldn’t do it unless being pursued by a fleet of indestructible ships,” Bailey sang, pretending to ask.
“Yep, that’s exactly what he said.” Lewis agreed, seeming to have loosened up a little.
“Okay, here it goes.”
A moment later, a blast of light shot from Vitos’s ship, connecting with the closest enemy and sending it barreling into two more behind it. The three erupted in a glory of sparks and explosions. The remaining ships paused, trying to decide if they were going to be next and possibly also surprised by the Dragonfly’s mighty expression of power.
It might look pretty, but that small ship is dangerous, Bailey chuckled to herself. “Nice one!” she cheered. “Can you do that again? This time aim at the monster!”
Warning alarms sounded over Vitos’s comm. “I can’t. It appears the ship is overheating.”
“Hence the untested part,” Lewis said dully.
Bailey was glad that he didn’t get uptight under pressure. One had to maintain their head when in battle, and humor was the best way to do that.
“Okay, get out of here. I can hold these guys off on my own.” She released a round of fire, aiming for the back of the ships, before changing directions and kicking it into high gear.
The fleet, probably not wanting anything to do with the Dragonfly
that had incinerated three ships, stayed back, not even chasing after her. Vitos was making progress back toward Ricky Bobby, but Bailey was unsure what she should do.
“What’s the status of the engines?” she asked.
“They aren’t up yet,” Lewis answered.
“Dammit!” she yelled.
Monstre’s ships weren’t following her, which made her fear that they’d go in the direction of Ricky Bobby. They could fight the flyers, but if the monster got too close, everyone would be gone. Who would rescue the rest then?
“What’s your plan?” Lewis asked, seeming to guess that Bailey was quiet because she was working something out in her head.
“I’m thinking I should use this opportunity to find out if my assumption is correct,” Bailey stated, heading in the direction of Makare’s atmosphere.
“Which is?” Lewis asked.
“That they don’t want us anywhere near this planet.”
Sure enough, seconds later, a barrage of fire streaked past Bailey’s Black Eagle.
“Okay, well, there’s the confirmation.”
She jinked the ship back and forth, thankfully not getting hit. So far, she’d deduced that, although Monstre’s ships were tough, they weren’t as quick or nimble as hers. She made fast progress, putting quite a bit of distance between her and the fleet.
“Dammit, Ladybug, the monster is right behind you!” Lewis yelled.
Bailey held her breath. “Where did it come from? I thought it was behind the fleet.”
“I don’t know. It was,” Lewis stated. “You’ve got to change paths. Get out of there!”
The blackness that had nearly swallowed her up before reached around the ship, its long tendrils wrapping around the wings of the Black Eagle. Bailey activated the turbo thrusters, her last hope of outracing the monster. She pulled up hard on the controls, taking the ship away from Makare and hopefully away from the monster.
Streaks of fire shot around her, but they weren’t aimed at her ship; they were being fired at the monster and the ships behind it. In the distance, she spied two Black Eagles racing in her direction, firing on either side of her, holding the monster off.
“Who is that?” Bailey asked.
“Figured you could use some back up,” Pip said over the comm. “When Vitos returned, I thought maybe I’d tap him out of the fight and take my own turn.”
Vitos laughed. “But I didn’t want to be left out of the fun. Hadn’t had my fill yet, so we came to bail you out of trouble.”
“Thanks, your timing couldn’t have been any better,” Bailey said, guiding her ship to join the other two.
“Speaking of timing,” Lewis began. “Hatch says the engines will be ready to go in one minute. Get back here, all three of you.”
“You got it, detective,” Bailey said, racing her Black Eagle back to Ricky Bobby.
It may not be as beautiful as Monstre’s ships, but it could outfly them any day.
Chapter Six
Jack Renfro’s Office, Ricky Bobby, Hapeti System
When Lewis found himself in Jack’s empty office, he was glad he’d arrived before the others. At first, he considered making himself a drink to calm his nerves, but that wasn’t the best solution to his stress, and he knew it.
He ran his fingers over the spines of the vinyl record sleeves, looking for a particular one. When he’d located the Beatles’ album, Abbey Road, he slipped it from the stack. The smell of old dust hit his nostrils. The album was in mint condition, like everything Jack owned. His uncle took a unique pride in his possessions.
Lewis set the album onto the turntable, the process feeling almost meditative. He lifted the arm and set the stylus on the first groove. The music that filled the air immediately melted away his tension. Sliding down into one of the leather armchairs, Lewis tilted his head back and closed his eyes.
Bailey running off to serve as a distraction and nearly getting herself blown up had stressed him out more than he would have thought. That vulnerability he felt from being part of a team had returned, like he’d had before when he worked with Melanie. Working alone was easier because he didn’t have to worry about anyone else. The irony was that he’d risked everything to try and protect Melanie and, in the end, she had been the real threat.
“Hey,” Bailey called, pulling Lewis out of his reverie. He cracked one eye and looked out at her. “Where’s Jack?” she asked.
“He said he’ll be here in a minute,” he stated. “He’s running a bit late.”
Bailey nodded, her eyes skipping over to the record player. “Good song, I’ve never heard it on vinyl. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a vinyl record. Heard of them, though.”
“They have a different quality than other formats. A pureness.” He sat up, giving Bailey a once-over. She didn’t look like she’d just returned from a near-death mission where she’d almost been uploaded by the monster. “So, your handle, ‘Ladybug’…”
“You think you’ve figured it out?”
“I know I have,” he said confidently. “Ladybugs are considered to be extremely lucky, they’re cannibals, and they are misnamed, but none of those reasons explain why it’s your handle.”
“Glad you didn’t take me as a cannibal,” Bailey said with a laugh. “And they are misnamed?”
Lewis nodded. “They are actually beetles, not bugs. More appropriately, they should be called ‘Ladybeetles’.”
“Well, these guys aren’t beetles, but they have the name.” Bailey indicated to the record player.
Lewis laughed before he continued. “I’m guessing that your captain named you after the beetle because they are a predator. In my research, I discovered that a single ladybug can take out fifty insects in a day, five thousand in a lifetime. Their appearance, therefore, is quite deceptive. Most think the spotted beetles are cute, but they are dangerous killers in the bug world.”
If Bailey was impressed, her expression didn’t give it away. “Your research has paid off. You got it exactly right.”
Lewis rolled his hand in front of him and lowered his head slightly, bowing. “Why thank you. Mystery solved. Give me another one.”
“Actually, I took the liberty of doing my own research. You see, there was a mystery that was bothering me.” Bailey took a seat on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees and leaning forward slightly. “You appear to thrive as a detective, and yet before this, you gave up that work to be a farmhand. That didn’t sit right with me.”
Lewis closed his eyes for a beat and let out a breath. Of course her curiosity got the better of her. It was only a matter of time. He’d dismissed her questions about his past, but he’d always known she could find out on her own. What others thought was the truth was public record.
“So, do you still want to work with me?” he asked her bluntly.
Bailey batted her eyelashes and leaned back, surprise on her face. “You think I believe that you’re a fugitive who stole the largest etheric diamond ever to exist? Come on now, Harlowe.”
“Well, that’s what most believe. All the evidence pointed to me,” Lewis said.
“Also, to further prove your innocence, you weren’t rolling around in a ton of dough when we first met.”
Lewis laughed. “No, horse shit mostly.”
She smiled. “The ironic part is that if you were on the case, the truth would have come out. But it appears you had to make a run for it before you could clear your name.”
“Oh, I tried to clear my name. I sank everything I had into the process until I was in debt, owed more favors than I could pay back in a lifetime, and was exhausted.”
“And Jack couldn’t save you?”
Lewis shook his head. “There was a conflict of interest. He was in a different position then. I asked him to stay out of it.”
“And then you ran like hell.”
“Well, to be honest,” Lewis began with a slight smile. “I’ve always had an obsession with farms and ranches. I indulged my curious nature when job hunting
.”
“And meanwhile, Melanie made it away with the diamond.”
His stomach tightened at the mention of his ex-partner’s name. They’d been recruited by a high-profile client, Harrison Gringotts, to find the diamond. He was one of the wealthiest investment bankers in the Federation, and the diamond had been stolen from his vault.
It didn’t take Lewis long to track down the stone, but when he confronted the thief, things escalated faster than he could process. Fearing that Melanie was about to get shot, Lewis pushed her out of the way, taking a near-deadly fall off some scaffolding. Lying on the ground of a broken-down warehouse, with a broken ankle, he looked up at his partner, hoping she’d help him up. Instead, Melanie shot the thief, stole the diamond and set fire to the warehouse, leaving Lewis for dead. He crawled to safety, but only barely.
Shocked by the deception, he pursued Melanie, but never got close enough to finding her. She was always ahead of him. When the diamond was sold on the Dark Web, all the rumors stated that it was Lewis who had sold it. The funds were even briefly wired to his account, but he didn’t know it until they’d been moved again.
Harrison, having connections with the bank, learned of this and came after Lewis. Within a day, there were several hits put on Lewis’ head. Explaining his case to Harrison was useless and he knew it. Melanie had thought of everything.
The worst part was that she’d been planning it since the beginning. Lewis had trained her to be the very best. Then she’d turned that skill on him, executing the perfect crime and pinning it on him.
Lewis pursued her until he couldn’t any longer. There were several hits out on him, and he’d already lost it all. With his reputation ruined, he retreated to Ronin, where he could go unnoticed and shovel shit, while secretly plotting how he’d one day punish Melanie, if he ever got a chance.
“That bitch got away with everything,” he concluded through clenched teeth, coming back to himself.
