Free The Light, the Dark and the Ugly by Bryan Cohen Page B

carrying several plastic bags appeared before them. He lurched a bit to his right side as he stood.
    "Don't worry, guys. It's the Sheriff." Dhiraj eyed Jennifer's hand on Travis' face. He frowned. "I don't have to tell you to stay away from my girl, do I, Travis?"
    Before Travis could say anything, Jennifer waltzed across the room and planted a kiss on Dhiraj's mouth. "You don't have any reason to be jealous."
    His eyes shined. There hadn't been much affection in the past few weeks, but at least they were together in this. Jennifer hit the red button to open the door to the lair. She watched the monitor as her father slowly went out of frame.
    Jennifer pulled her attention away from Dhiraj and bounded up the stairs. Her father entered the main lair through a second door, and she took his arm almost immediately.
    "You look like you're going to fall over." She narrowed her eyes. "I told you I should've gone with you."
    Her father shook her hand away and gripped the guardrail. "I can do this myself, honey."
    He did, though Jennifer could see in his eyes that it was much slower than he'd hoped for. Seeing him in this much pain made her feel queasy.
    She hid her discomfort. "Take it easy, old timer."
    The sheriff turned back with a grin. The recovery had taken its toll on his face. He looked thinner than normal, with sunken eyes. She knew that Kelly had suggested another week of healing, but in her mind her father would need months to be his former self. Jennifer walked ahead of him and pulled a chair just past the end of the rail. This time he didn't complain.
    Dhiraj walked over to take the supplies. "Sheriff, I think you really pulled off that wayward drifter costume."
    The sheriff shook his head. "I'm not quite sure that was a compliment."
    As Jennifer began to laugh, another buzz shot through the air. The four of them froze and turned toward the monitor in sync. Jennifer blinked a few times to make sure the image before her was real.
    Dhiraj slapped a metal pipe beside him. "I don't like this, guys. I think we've gotta leave them out there."
    Jennifer weighed the options. "They might do more damage out there then they would in here."
    Travis put a hand on her on the shoulder. "Do you really think we can trust them?"
    Jennifer didn't know. She truly didn't. There was certainly a chance that this decision could end the mission well before it started.
    "I hope so."
    Jennifer's walked up to the red button. Her hand hovered over it for a moment before she pushed it firmly.
    Dhiraj's voice wavered. "I hope you know what you're doing."
    She sighed. "I hope so, too."
    Jennifer's pulse pounded as the door to the lair opened with a creak.
     
     

Chapter 13
     
    Try as she might, Natalie couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t because of the ship – the ride was smoother than any airplane trip she’d ever taken. What bothered her was the destination. Natalie was starting to get a feel for this world. The village had been on the outskirts of the dark soul territory. Now they were headed into the belly of the beast, and she doubted the Army would be as forgiving as Razellia and Vella had been. Natalie leaned her back on the dark green wall her bed was pushed up against. The room was bigger than their village holding cell, but not by much. She imagined the designers of the craft were more concerned with weapon systems than they were prisoner comfort. She ran her hand along the metal of the wall and tapped it with her knuckles. From the sound it made, the wall seemed solid all the way through.
    It's like a flying tank .
    Despite the cramped quarters, she wasn’t surprised Ted was fast asleep in the adjacent bed. After all, a building had almost come down on top of him. Even though they’d slept huddled together the previous night, Natalie didn’t even consider the same sleeping arrangements. Last night they were alone. Tonight their every move was being tracked.
    Natalie closed the door to their room behind her as she walked into the hall. Her