Free HostileIntent by Chandra Ryan Page B

if we can figure out where
we are.” She needed to focus on her next move. She had to come up with a plan.
But before she could decide where she was going, she had to know where she
currently was. It took a moment for the screen to flicker and come back to life
but when the picture cleared, she found she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was
just too good to be true. “Aimes. Tell me that’s Ontesys I see on the screen.”
    “That it is, sir. It was the last destination entered into
the jump drive.”
    “Finally, we’ve caught a break.” She took a deep breath and
allowed herself to relax. “Let’s radio the base and get some mechanics up here
to patch up my bird.”
    “I wouldn’t do that, Captain.” Adam’s voice shattered her
newly found sense of hope as he walked back onto the bridge.
    “And why not?” She was surprised to find she’d stopped
entering the coordinates at his suggestion.
    “Until we find out who attacked you, I think we should be
careful who we trust with our location.”
    “But you can’t possibly think the military was involved?” It
was beyond ridiculous. She started going through the long list of errors to see
how badly the communications array was damaged. Maybe she could reroute enough
energy from life support to get a short message through if the array was
salvageable.
    He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from the command pad
before she could finish entering the sequence though. “Even if the military is
innocent, there could be a mole.”
    She had suspected a mole earlier. But still, her ship was
crippled and drifting in space. She didn’t have many options right now. “What
do you suggest we do?”
    “It might be best to go off the grid until we have a better
grasp on what’s going on.”
    “We can’t go anywhere in our current condition. How do you
figure we could get off the grid?” Aimes asked the very question she’d been
about to.
    “It would take a lot less energy to land than it would to
jump to a new location. I’ve been looking into the numbers and I think we could
manage it.”
    He seemed to have a plan. She just wished he wouldn’t make
her pull it from him one piece at a time. “Okay, we could land. But then what?
I’m guessing you don’t think going to the base is any better of an idea than
having mechanics come up here.”
    “We get Michael. He seems like the kind of guy who could
help us disappear for a little while. That is, if you trust him.”
    She’d suspected earlier that he’d overheard more of her and
Michael’s conversation than he admitted but now she was certain of it. Still,
he’d proven himself when he’d come to her aid so she guessed he’d earned a
measure of her trust. And it was a solid plan. “I trust him more than most.
And, yes, Michael would be able to help.”
    It appeared as if Sans started to smile but he stopped
before she could comment on his gloating. “Good. It’s settled then.” He winked
at her. “I liked Michael.”
    “Everybody likes Michael.” The words were out before she
realized what she was saying. As soon as she said them, though, an extremely
provocative image popped into her head. “Wait. You don’t have some personal
reason you suggested we seek out Michael, do you?”
    “I have no idea what you mean, sir.” But his words had just
enough indignation to make her doubt them.
    “Fine. Then let me be blunt. You aren’t trying to get into
his pants, are you?”
    “I suggested him because he has the contacts to help us.
Nothing more.”
    “Good. I need you to be focused on the job at hand.” As
opposed to a hand job. She nearly choked at the wayward thought. Thankfully she’d
managed to stop herself before she actually said it. Just because she hadn’t
said it, though, didn’t mean she wasn’t imagining it. And damn, was it hot.
    “Are you okay, Captain? You look a little flushed.”
    She took a deep breath and tried to clear the image of the
two men together from her head. “Of course