Free Drifters' Alliance, Book 2 by Elle Casey Page A

forward to the day that Jeffers finally breaks down and tells me his real story, because, damn , he sure knows his way around subduing prisoners. Healer, my ass.
    “Give him a nice view of his final resting place,” I say over the comm to Jeffers, making sure Captain Bob will hear my order too.
    Jeffers manhandles our prisoner over to the clearpanel, and Rollo stares out into the abyss. “Oh, Jesus, no,” he whimpers. “Rollo’s afraid of the Dark.”
    I can’t keep the glee from my voice. Rollo’s playing his role perfectly, and he doesn’t even realize it. “Jesus isn’t going to save you, Rollo. Only Captain Bob can do that.” I sit back and wait for a response, almost certain I won’t have to wait long.
    Less than five seconds later, Rollo’s head twists his face up toward the comm box above him, his voice full of hope. “Captain Bob? Did you say Captain Bob?”
    I cut Bob off the comm so I can speak directly with Rollo. “Yes, I did, Rollo. He claims not to know you, but I think he’s lying. Tell me who he is and what he’s up to, and you’ll come out of the chamber.”
    “Out, as in… out into the Dark?” His voice holds a thread of fear wrapped tightly around one of hope. I’m almost tempted to make him wait on my answer, but I’m not that cruel.
    “No, out as in back onto the ship.” I link Captain Bob into the conversation. “So what’s it going to be, Rollo? Do you know Captain Bob or not?”
    He sighs heavily and slumps in Jeffers’ hold, no longer resisting. “Yes, Rollo knows Captain Bob.”
    “He’s lying’,” Captain Bob says in a hurry. “I don’t know this Rollo person. Never met ‘im. Never even heard of ‘im.”
    “Give it up, Bob,” Rollo says. “Rollo isn’t going to float for your games. Rollo doesn’t float for anyone.”
    Games! I knew it!
    Baebong turns around, elbows on the arms of his chair as he waits for my next move. I wish I knew what it should be, because I think I’m really close to figuring this thing out.
    “Talk to me, Rollo,” I say, all seriousness. I don’t like playing games without knowing the rules. “Tell me what I need to know.”
    He looks up at the visual link, imploring me with a very sad expression. “Can I do it up there with you? Float chambers make me nervous.”
    For the first time since he stowed away on my ship, he’s not referring to himself as some other person, Rollo-this and Rollo-that. It’s almost enough to make me cave, but not quite. The visual link is so clear, I can see that little tic at the corner of his eye going again. Bastard.
    “That’s a negative, Rollo. Request declined. Jeffers, remove yourself from the float chamber but not before giving our friend Rollo here a nice pat-down. I have a feeling it’s something we should have done when he first showed up.”
    I switch off the audio comm but keep the visual link going. Baebong and I watch in silence as Jeffers does a pretty efficient frisk of a struggling Rollo, and I smile when he doesn’t come up empty handed. Jeffers holds up a transmit device at the camera so we can see what he found.
    “Son of a bitch,” I say to mostly myself. Well, that’ll teach me not to do a full search on stowaways. Dammit! How could I be so naive? At least this explains how Good Old Captain Bob found us out here in the middle of nowhere. Now I get to worry about how many other scumbags are on their way toward us and whether I’ve totally screwed my chances at getting into the Alliance. I’m pretty sure they have a no dumbass policy.
    I switch the audio back on. “Nice try, by the way, Rollo.” I’m pissed, knowing that this dipshit got one over on me. But even so, I have nothing to lose now. He has no choice but the one I want him to make. He just needs to fully appreciate how serious I am. “Happy floating.”
    Jeffers backs out of the room and shoves Rollo away when he tries to follow. Even though I know I’m in complete control of the situation, the sound of the