Reavers (Book 3) (56 page)

“Remember?” he taunted.

Enderson’s eyes widened as he recognized the blade.  It was the very one he had given to Conner when he sent him to kill the boy who helped the miners. Enderson spat at Mahoney and forced his way out the door, leaving a trail of blood drops.  Brent rushed down the stairs, past the fainted professor and girl.

“I’m really sorry about this,” he said as he forced the needle into Sasha’s arm, “it is going to hurt like you can’t believe.”

She screamed out in pain as Dante held her close.  After a full minute of screaming, she took in a deep breath and held him tight.

“Looks like she’ll be fine,” Cassandra said in relief.

“A shame Enderson got away,” Dante said while rubbing Sasha’s sore arm.

“Escape?” Mahoney asked as he pulled out a small silver cylinder and started juggling it in one hand.

“You didn’t,” Dante said with a smile filling his face.

With his hand, Mahoney mimicked a ship taking off.

“Boom,” he said with a dark grin.

“What happened to you?” Cassandra asked as she took in his scars.

“Him,” Mahoney said bitterly as he gestured at the unconscious Conner.

“Can I come in now?” a gentle voice asked.

“Yes,” Mahoney said as his mood instantly brightened.

A girl in a dirty coverall gingerly entered the mansion.  She stared blankly at the hole in the floor by the staircase.  When she spotted Mahoney she raced over to him and hugged him tightly.

“Who’s this?” Dante asked.

“Ash,” Mahoney said.

“Her name is Ash?”  Sasha asked weakly.

“Sorry,” the girl said in mild panic as she released Mahoney.  “I’m Ashley.”  She thrust her hand toward Sasha.

“How do you know Mahoney?” Cassandra asked as Sasha tried to shake the hand against her sore muscles.

“It’s a long story,” she said with a light blush.  “We worked on a mining station together.  I don’t know what happened exactly but somehow his ship exploded.  Everyone thought he was dead, but I wouldn’t give up.  I eventually found him floating in an old mining suit.”

“He hasn’t told you what happened?” Cassandra asked.

“He doesn’t talk much,” she said with a warm smile.

“I’ll say,” Brent said as he gratefully shook Mahoney’s hand.  “Never heard you use more than a word at a time.  Thank you for the save.”

“Anytime,” Mahoney said in surprise.

“So he hasn’t explained things to you, but you still helped him get here?” Sasha asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked as if the question didn’t make sense to her.

“My advice is to marry such an understanding woman
before
she comes to her senses,” Dante said with a chuckle.

A low moan filled the room.

“Someone doesn’t agree?” Dante asked.

“Brother,” Mahoney said as he kicked the limp body, producing a second moan.

“What are we going to do with him?” Cassandra asked as she inspected the damage from Mahoney’s charge.

“I’ve got an idea,” Brent said with a warm smile.

As the sun started to set, Brent wrapped his arm around Cassandra and kissed her tenderly.

“You’ll wake them if you’re not careful,” she said in a gentle voice.

He stared at the little infants in her arms.  For a while he had honestly wondered if he’d ever get to see them again.

“Hard to believe I’m a father now.”

“
That’s
hard to believe?” Cassandra asked incredulously.  “After all we’ve been through,
that’s
what surprises you.”

“Well, maybe I’m still stunned that I managed to marry the most wonderful woman in the Commonwealth.”

“Casanova,” she said as she returned his kiss.  “Speaking of marriage, I just got an invitation to Owen and Hiroko’s.”

“About time those two made it official,” Brent said with a grin.  “Now how are we going to get Sanderson and Kindra to tie the knot?”

“You’re worse than Marie and Liz!”

“What can I say?  I want everyone to be as happy as I am.”

“Keep talking like that and you’ll end up with more kids.”

“Next time, let’s not have an invasion during the delivery.”  Brent chuckled at the thought.

“Fair enough.”  She rested her head against his shoulder.  “That was a nice thing you did for Connor . . . too nice.”

“What can I say,” he said with a shrug.

“Don’t think you can get off the hook that easily.”

“All I did was disable his Weaver abilities.  He’s harmless now.  No need to be vindictive.”

“I suppose, but I still say he needed a stronger punishment.”

“I’m sure he feels differently.  Revel will no doubt whip him into shape.  That or Rosalyn will find something
horrible
for him to do.  Did you know she keeps a set of mops and buckets so the new crewmembers can wash her ship - by hand?”

“Seriously?”  Cassandra chuckled a satisfied laugh.

As the sun set, Brent let a smile fill his face.  Cassandra was by his side, the Reavers were gone, and Third was personally making sure they wouldn’t be coming back any time soon.  Thanks to Jack and Shen, the military had been convinced Brent was best left alone in case another catastrophe came along.

While the military worked to conceal everything relating to the event, a large statue was being erected in the middle of the largest trading center on Jeirude.  Originally, the misguided designer had intended it to be one of Brent, in some over the top pose of victory.  Would have been impossible to explain that one to Rupert.

Thankfully, Third had pulled one final trick before recalling his Henry persona.  A statue was still going to be built, just not of Brent.  The statue was to be of captain Johnson and his crew - a memorial to those who had given their lives to delay the Reavers.  The rest of the Commonwealth might never know of his sacrifice, but no one on Jeirude would ever forget.

As the first stars started to appear in the night sky, Brent held his wife close.  Things were certainly shaping up to be a bumpy ride, but he was as convinced as ever that their destination was a glorious place.

###

Available now:

A Lighter Touch

The Ninth

The Ninth - Invasion

Hellacus

Future releases:

The Ninth - The Scorned

Benjamin Schramm grew up in a mountain community in the dark times before the internet.  There wasn’t a great deal to do on the hill and weekly trips down the mountain to procure supplies were just a fact of life.  To expose him and his sister to the outside world, his mother made a point to treat them to a movie when time and money allowed.  Films led to novels and before long the works of the great masters of science fiction changed his perspective on life.

While not the original path he imagined for himself, Benjamin Schramm now spends his hours translating the worlds and people his imagination dreams up to the written page.  His one hope in life is that others find the same enjoyment in his works as he found the first time he was introduced to the universes of those that first paved the path of science fiction.

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