And then they come at us from both sides in a terrible rush.
Easy for him to say. He doesn’t have burn scars.
Occupied with stabilizing the sled, Dina mutters, “Bite me,” in lieu of a more creative comeback.
The pilot grins. “I just might.”
“Oh, for Mary’s sake,” he bites out. “It’s a good thing you don’t weigh much.”
Three more red shapes appear on Vel’s handheld. And lucky us—they’re on our side of the block.
When we reach the surface, it will be a different hunt for them.
“Halfway there,” Vel says as we get our breath. He sets me on my feet. “Anything broken?”
I wince and rub my side. “Not sure. But I’m ambulatory, don’t worry.”
“You better be,” Dina says. “You’re not hitching a ride.”
“Is it nightfall?” Hit asks. “I’ve lost track of time down here.”
“There are four hours left until daybreak,” Vel advises us, after some tapping on his handheld.
“How long will this last kilometer take?” Dina wants to know.
For like the fifth time, Jael asks, “Anything?”
Until even Vel loses patience with him. “Have I failed even once to alert you if there
was
?”
“No,” the merc says grudgingly. “Sorry. The quiet’s just making me nervous.”
Hit flicks a look over one shoulder. “You flirting with me?”
“Would you like me to be?” Dina actually tosses back her hair.
“Is it dirty that this turns me on?” Jael asks nobody in particular.
As if in answer, a cool, fresh wind blows down over us.
“What are we waiting for?” Hit demands. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”
“This might sting a little,” Jael murmurs.
“Everyone good?” Lofting the liquid skin, Jael checks us all one last time.
“If you say so.” But the pilot does step back, looking perceptibly calmer.
“Only if you have a warm baguette and a crock of butter in your hands,” I return darkly.
He grins at me. “That can be arranged.”
Vel clears his throat with a look that manages to be vaguely disapproving. What? I didn’t
do
anything.
“Making thermal goggles useless.” She takes the tube from me and covers all her exposed skin.