Free Ruthless by Jonathan Clements Page A

it."
    "Charming. So for the last snecking time, where is my sister?"
    "She's with them , Johnny."
    "Dammit."
    "She's in stasis, they're taking her somewhere. If I don't come up with the money today, they'll ship her off to God knows where."
    Johnny rested his forehead against the cool wall and closed his eyes, struck dumb with anger. In this region of space, every single criminal gang was part of the same confederation. From the five guys he'd killed on Vaara, to the heaviest armed pirate ship taking on the navy, Alnitak was somehow involved. Nigel had handed Ruth over to the biggest criminal syndicate in the galaxy, and there were plenty of things they could do with Nelson Kreelman's daughter.
    "That's why I haven't checked out," said Nigel, nodding his head at the phone on the bedside table. "This is the only way they know to contact me." Nigel's voice suppressed an anguished sob. "I love her, Johnny," he said. "This was all supposed to go differently. I figured with the police looking for her, there would be a better chance."
    "Great thinking," Johnny growled.
    "I mean," whispered Nigel, "I can't tell the truth, or they'll find out who she is as well." Nigel's face contorted. He rested his head in his hands while his shoulders shook with sobs. Johnny patted his brother-in-law on the back ineffectually, staring out the window at the lights of Tammerfors City.
    "I'm sorry," said Nigel through his tears. "I don't know what to do. I just don't know how to get them back."
    "Them?" asked Johnny.
    "She's pregnant," added Nigel.
    "She's WHAT?"
    The silence in the room held for a couple of seconds, then the phone began to ring.

LAWLESS
     
    Johnny ducked and rolled for the exit. He came to a halt under the screen on the wall, safe from the camera eye pointed at Nigel's bed.
    "Is that them?" he hissed.
    Nigel nodded sadly.
    "These people are body sharks, understand?" he said, his eyes boring deep into Nigel's. "If they aren't, then their buddies are. You sneck this up, and Ruthie is spare parts."
    Nigel reached gingerly for the control, his hand trembling.
    "Just do what they tell you!" he said.
    Nigel hit the Answer button and the wall screen went blue, displaying the telltale icon of someone set to Speaker Only, but the red Alert light in the corner of the screen started flashing. Whoever was calling could see the room and Nigel's bed. Johnny swiftly jerked his feet up under him, hoping they didn't show.
    "Are we alone?" said a voice from the speaker. It was male, measured, and filtered through some kind of decoy device so that it had a faint gargly sound.
    "Yes," said Nigel in a small voice.
    "We want ten thousand credits, in cash."
    "I can't find that kind of money," protested Nigel.
    Johnny grimaced at his brother-in-law, making slicing motions across his neck with his hand. What was the idiot doing? He mouthed fiercely at the figure on the bed, nodding his head in an exaggerated fashion. SAY, he mimed, YES.
    "If you could find enough to get you to Mars, you can come up with the goods to get your merchandise back," said the voice.
    "But-"
    "Wait at the bridge on the rapids. Wait there by the payphone, at seven o'clock."
    "Listen," said Nigel, "is there some way-?"
    But the screen icon changed to Next Call, and the voice had gone.
    Johnny climbed back to his feet. Nigel watched him in silence.
    "That was just... dandy," said Johnny. "Do you have any idea who you're dealing with here?"
    There was a knock at the door. "Johnny!" bellowed Wulf from outside.
    "You can put me down now," squeaked the Gronk, considerably more subdued.
    Johnny ushered them in.
    "We've got der trouble," said Wulf.
    "Oh yeah," said Johnny. "I'll say."
    "Who on Earth is this?" asked Nigel.
    "Wulf Sternhammer, Nigel Less," said Johnny. "And the furry thing's a Gronk."
    "Hello," squeaked the Gronk. Nigel shrank a little beneath his covers.
    "Johnny, Sick Squid is in der building," said Wulf.
    "Oh, sneck it. What's he doing here?"
    "Probably getting his ribs