Partners: Book Two, page 1
Partners: Book Two
Copyright © 2014 by Melissa Good
Author's Note
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Other Titles from Melissa Good
Other Silver Dragon Books
About the Author
Visit Us On Line
ALSO BY MELISSA GOOD
Dar and Kerry Series
Tropical Storm
Hurricane Watch
Eye of the Storm
Red Sky At Morning
Thicker Than Water
Terrors of the High Seas
Tropical Convergence
Stormy Waters
Storm Surge: Book One
Storm Surge: Book Two
Other Titles
Partners: Book One
Partners
Book Two
by
Melissa Good
Silver Dragon Books
by Regal Crest
Texas
Copyright © 2014 by Melissa Good
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The characters, incidents and dialogue herein are fictional and any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Print ISBN 978-1-61929-190-4
eBook ISBN 978-1-61929-189-8
First Printing 2014
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Cover design by Acorn Graphics
Published by:
Regal Crest Enterprises, LLC
229 Sheridan Loop
Belton, TX 76513
Find us on the World Wide Web at http://www.regalcrest.biz
Published in the United States of America
Author's Notes
A lot of people asked me—why sci-fi? And the truth is I have been a fan and reader of science fiction and fantasy since I was old enough to go to the library and bookstore on my own. Science fiction opens the mind to unlimited possibilities. All of that reading led me to science fiction conventions, which was where I was first exposed to the power of community. So gratifying to learn that if you were a nerdy person, who loved science and the stars, and reading, that there were so many others who were just like you.
They say our young girls in this country are sadly lacking in “STEM”—Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. (I think) I got my introduction to three of the four from those books with the little rocket ships on the spine and I took that introduction and it shaped how I thought and what I did to this very day.
~Melissa Good
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the North Miami Beach public library, which had to deal with my checking out and occasionally returning most of their collection of science fiction books.
Chapter One
A ROLL OF thunder echoed over a dark sea, as a single hulled fishing boat plunged through swells heading in the relative direction of home.
The ice pack loomed in the darkness, its incessant crackling and popping sounding over the waves. Jess pulled herself back inside to study the comp, peering at the rearward facing scan intently. “Did we lose them?”
Dev was finishing up some data. She turned and studied the scanner, her shoulder coming to rest against Jess’s. “We haven’t gotten ping backs on anything in about two hours,” she said. “Since we saw that cone.”
“Sometimes I hate weather, sometimes I love it,” Jess said. “Okay let’s run along the ice. At least we’ve got some cover if something comes at us.” She let her gaze slide to Dev’s outline. “I like that suit.”
Dev glanced down at herself, her body encased in her new lined jumper. It was warm and comfortable, and she was really happy with it herself. “Me too. Maybe we can go back and get you one sometime?”
Jess sighed. “Not for a good long while, Devvie.” She sat on the stool next to the captain’s chair and leaned her elbow on the arm of it. “I have no idea if they popped lava on that one. Might have taken out the whole place. Charles could be flash fried by now if he didn’t get out in time. Happens.” She shrugged. “They know the risk.”
Dev didn’t speak for a moment, then looked at Jess. “Do you mean all those people might be dead?”
“Might be.”
Wow. Dev felt a chill down her back. All those people, even the girl who’d cut their hair. She watched Jess’s face, seeing nothing other than vague interest there. “You knew what was going on.”
“Sure,” Jess said. “I’ve been near one of ”˜em a couple times. I caught the bumps. They did too, set the alarms off. People would have rushed for the boats, that’s why I wanted to get ours off first.”
“Should we have helped the others?” Dev asked, hesitantly.
“No. That’s not our gig.”
“I see.” Dev said. “Interesting.”
“Anyway.” Jess gently blew in her ear. “Enjoy your duds.”
“Thank you, Jess. It’s very comfortable. I feel a lot better now wearing it.”
A relaxed and happy smile appeared on Jess’s face. “You’re welcome. I never had a tech I wanted to buy stuff for before. It’s a kick. Besides, I can’t wait to see you wear that thing in the citadel. There are a ton of us who never made it out to the market, much less on their first month.”
“And now they might not get a chance,” Dev said softly. “Isn’t that what you said before?”
“Oh, Charles’ll survive. He’s an old salt.” Jess got up and stretched. “He’ll dig out and start over. I don’t think for a minute he didn’t get out. Probably had a tunnel dug down to the water with a boat waiting.” She turned to the hammock. “Mind if I sack out for a while?”
“Absolutely not,” Dev said. “If anything unusual happens, I’ll wake you up.”
Jess rolled into the swinging bed and exhaled, allowing her body to relax for the first time in a day. She was disappointed that the mission was cut short—and yet—based on her near ass kicking, she now had to wonder if she’d really been ready for it.
Was this just fate’s way of covering her? Maybe she could figure out another plan after they got back to the citadel. She could talk Bain into letting her take another team with her. It wouldn’t be as status as if she’d done it herself, but she had a legit med marker after all.
Wasn’t her fault the mission got called. She wondered what the emergency was. She wondered if it wasn’t a status call on her part for Bain to recall her specifically for it. Could even be a better chance with less risk for advancement.
Good opportunity for her. For them, she corrected herself in her mind. She glanced over to where Dev was seated, busy checking controls. The pale light from the console outlined her body, and Jess wished briefly that they could tuck into a safe spot in the ice so she could take the time to peel Dev out of that sexy number.
Jess closed her eyes, folding her hands over her stomach and letting her body accept the rhythm of the waves. She was almost asleep when she sensed motion close by, then the added warmth of a blanket being tucked around her and the gentle touch of Dev’s fingers closing on hers.
It made her feel happy. She returned the squeeze and opened one eye, to find Dev gazing down at her with what could only be a look of affection, something Jess only barely remembered from her childhood.
Then Dev tucked the blanket in a bit more and smiled, moving past her to refill her cup from the dispenser.
Jess smiled back, letting her eyes close and her mind release itself into sleep. Fate. Her last conscious thoughts mused. It had to be fate.
DEV WAS GLAD to see dawn light appearing in the sky, giving outline to the ice pack to her right, and the choppy ruffled waters beneath them. It had been a long dark night, and she was tired, both from struggling to keep the boat on course, and the strain of picking her way through the stormy weather.
Jess remained peacefully asleep this time, and Dev was going to give it a little while before she woke her up. She was looking forward to it, imagining how good it would feel to curl up in the hammock herself and close her eyes. She peered along the ice outside.
It was white in all the grayness, the clouds overhead roiling and moving, though the rain had stopped for now. White, with glimpses of beautiful blue in the cracks, the edge of the flow here high above the boat’s level.
It was interesting, and it gave her tired eyes something to look at while they rolled along. She’d gotten used to the motion, and it was starting to feel natural to her.
Suddenly, motion caught her eye and she looked to the left, seeing something in the water. Surprised, she stood a little taller, reaching over to code the scanner and direct it forward. As the boat got closer, she could resolve the movement and realized it was an animal swimming.
The animal turned its head toward her and she let out a tiny gasp of surprise. “Oh!” She hopped a time or two. “I think that’s a bear!” Its fur was white, though plastered from the water, and it had dark eyes and a big dark nose.
The motion change woke Jess. “Whoa.” She said, groggily. “Don’t tell me I slept all the way back. Devvie you didn’t let me do that didja?”
“No, no...” Dev raptly watched as the animal got to the wall of ice, then stopped swimming and stuck a paw out of the water, scraping at the surface. “Oh, Jess. Look. It’s a bear, isn’t it?”
Jess obligingly rolled out of the hammock and joined her, leaning on the console. After a minute of study, she grunted. “Yeah, it is.” She patted Dev on the back. “Congrats! Ya found one.”
“What’s it doing?” Dev put the engines in idle, watching the animal.
Jess studied the bear. It was clawing at the ice, its head tipped up looking at the ridge high above its head. “I think it’s screwed,” she said. “Musta fallen off the top there, and can’t get back out of the water.” She pointed at the high edge of the flow, where there was a visible chunk taken out.
“Oh.” Dev felt her elation fade. “What will happen to it?” She looked up at Jess.
Jess shrugged. “Eventually it’ll get tired and drown. Nowhere for it to go.”
“Oh.” Dev said, softly. “That’s terrible.”
“It’s just a bear.”
Dev turned to regard her seriously. “Wasn’t it just a seal, that time?”
Jess remained quiet for a long minute, her eyes blinking gently as she watched the bear. Then she turned her and looked at Dev. “Why do you always want to go around helping people and things?” she asked. “People and things you don’t even know?”
Dev accepted the question at face value. “Because that’s how I was made,” she said. “I’m supposed to help people if I can. Take care of people. Like people. You’re supposed to expect that of me.”
Jess nodded slowly. “Techs aren’t like that,” she said. “Agents aren’t. We all sort of hate on each other most of the time.” She straightened. “But you’re different, huh?”
“Yes.” Dev seemed sad about that.
“Maybe I am too sometimes.” Jess scrubbed her hands through her hair. “Let me throw my jacket on and see what the hell I can do for that damned bear. Keep the boat steady.” She went to the door, grabbing her coat on the way as she shook her head. “Please come save me if the damn thing starts to eat my head.”
Dev put her hands back on the controls and trimmed the engines, waiting for Jess to appear on the bow. She kept Jess in view, watching her go to the front of the ship and peer over the side as the boat edged toward the animal.
She was glad Jess was going to help it, even though it had seemed that the idea put her into some discomfort. The thought of that sent a surge of energy through her that pushed back the exhaustion.
If for no other reason than she had to figure out what to do about the bear if it started eating Jess’s head.
JESS PUT HER hands on the rail and peered at the bear, who was paddling in circles next to the ice flow. The animal was beginning to tire, and it eyed her warily as it tried to pull itself up onto the wall.
“Why am I doing this?” She wondered aloud. “Hey, bear! C’mere.”
The bear continued paddling.
She watched it try to climb up again, and then an idea occurred. With a grunt, she went around the side of the boat, down the channels on either side of the control chamber and through the tunnel to the rear deck.
Emerging onto it, she went to the very back of the fishing area, to the rear where the big wheel was that pulled the nets on board. Behind it was a hatch. She remembered the hatch being open when the nets were being reeled and the water pouring onto the deck.
“Hmm.” Jess went to the elevated section where the controls were and climbed up, still a bit foggy from sleep. She sat down on the seat and studied the knobs and switches. She pressed the one for comms and leaned closer. “Hey, Dev?”
Silence for a moment, then the comms crackled back at her. “Yes, I’m here.”
“Turn the boat around so the back’s facing the ice.” Jess said. “I’m gonna try something.”
She felt the shift under her immediately, and as she explored the knobs, the view around her changed from gray mist and open sea to the white of the ice flow. She could hear the bear splashing and as the boat stopped moving, she found the controls for the back hatch and triggered them.
A large section of the back deck folded down, and the water flowed across the deck toward her. “Dev.” She triggered comms. “Back up.” She felt the engines shift into reverse as her partner realized what she’d done. A faint smiled appeared as they started to move slowly in reverse, heading for the paddling animal.
Jess leaned on the console and waited, as the engines cut out and they drifted toward the ice. After a moment she could see the bear through the gap, and as she watched, she saw the animal’s head turn toward her and then its body changed direction and headed for the half sunken deck.
Instinct? Jess observed in fascination as the bear reached the boat, and half climbed, half sprawled onto the open deck, panting hard. “Hey, bear.” She waved at it, hoping like hell it wouldn’t decide to attack her.
But the animal just lay there breathing hard, staring at her.
Jess closed the back of the boat up and leaned on the comms key. “Get moving, Devvie. Let’s find someplace to let this thing off before it recovers and decides to have us for lunch.” She tapped her fingers on the console as the engines re-engaged, noting the movement was not really much to the bear’s liking. “Take it easy, buddy.”
The bear pushed itself up into a sitting position, its tongue hanging out. It was a startling pink color, vivid against the yellowish white fur and the black nose. As the speed picked up, it looked around in some alarm, shaking itself and sending a shower of water over the deck.
It was bigger than she’d imagined. Its body was twice the length of hers, and its feet were gigantic. As it turned its head toward her and opened its mouth, she spotted fangs as wide as her hand.
“And I brought your fuzzy white ass up on the boat with us,” Jess mused. “Damn I’m an idiot.”
Despite that, it seemed sort of cute to her, and she noted its small, cupped ears and appealing expression. “You got lucky, buddy.” She informed the bear. “If the owner of this thing were here you’d be a rug already.”
The bear regarded her, then lay back down on the deck, apparently not quite recovered from its swim. It seemed content to accept its ride, at least for the moment, so Jess decided she’d leave it there and go back upstairs and get herself properly woken up.
She suspected Dev was hopping up and down waiting for her turn to look at the bear anyway. Jess smiled as she climbed down from the control stand and ducked into the tunnel, heading back to the control center.
“OH MY GOODNESS” Dev’s eyes widened, the chill hitting the sides of her eyeballs as she climbed up onto the control platform and peeked over the console. There, sitting in the middle of the deck was the bear, looking huge and furry and more amazing than anything she’d ever seen.
“Don’t go near it.” Jess’s voice warned in her ear cup. “You’d make one mouthful for it.”
“I won’t.” Dev leaned her arms on the surface, avidly watching the animal. It was looking around, blinking its eyes as the wind blew over the deck and ruffled its drying fur.
It was gigantic. It hadn’t looked so big when it was in the water, but now on the deck it sure did. “Hey, there,” she called out, holding her breath as its head swung around and it looked at her. Hesitantly, she waved at it. “Don’t worry. Jess is going to find a nice iceberg for you to climb up on. Okay?”
She wasn’t sure if the bear understood language. Doctor Dan had once told her about something called a dog, which understood some words, and another called a monkey that could use symbols to communicate, but she wasn’t sure where the bear fell on that bell curve.
