BioCybe by Imogene Nix

Author:Imogene Nix [Nix, Imogene]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Beachwalk Press, Inc.
Published: 2015-05-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Three long and totally frustrating days had passed since the last encounter. Levia silently escorted Sandon to the office they’d been summoned to. They’d sat until called into the conference room. Each day, he’d presented his case and waited for the situation to be escalated to someone else. This morning, he’d met with the head of the Mining and Development Ministry, who had the ultimate say on whether their previous agreement held.

She squirmed in the seat, and it squeaked beneath her.

“You need to be still. Find your inner zen.”

Levia barked out a laugh at Sandon’s quiet words. “Sadly, I’m more action oriented than political. You’re the one with the inner zen.” Levia bracketed the words with her fingers. “I’m just the grunt.”

“Do you really believe that?” The surprise in his tone had her turning toward him.

“Well, yes. I mean, why else did you bring me here?” She indicated the hushed interior of the building, and he smiled. Over the last three days, the smile had become more strained, but it still sucked the oxygen from her lungs.

“Maybe because I wanted you close by.” His words delivered a sucker punch to her solar plexus.

“Sandon…” The helpless tide that usually surged at his words rolled over her again.

“I know. Right words, but wrong time. When we’re done, I want to talk to you.” His hand slid over hers, clasping it lightly, and his thumb traced gentle circles on the top. “We need to sort out this… Whatever this is between us.”

“We shouldn’t.” Right now, all the arguments she’d used, the hiding, none of it was doing anything for her. His constant proximity chewed away at the barriers she kept erecting between them, but the hot, sweet pump of blood through her veins told her that the time had almost come.

She’d known and wrestled with the knowledge that she had to choose. Take the final and irrevocable step with him or leave the Golden Echo. The latter nearly tore her apart, but to accept Sandon’s touch? God, how that scared her! It wasn’t like planning a tactical mission or even fixing an engine. They were easy. She could plan for all the eventualities.

“Captain? The minister will see you now.”

Lost in the mess of emotions, she hadn’t heard anyone approach.

They rose together, as one, and as they stepped forward the woman held out a hand.

“I’m sorry. We can’t admit your…pilot. You do understand?” The woman smiled somewhat vacuously in Sandon’s direction and every bone in Levia’s body tightened.

“No, I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” Sandon’s grip on her hand would have been crushing if not for her enhanced pain threshold. When she started to tug away, he held on.

“She’s not… Well, we can’t allow a…” The nervous twitch the woman hadn’t exhibited before caught Levia’s gaze.

“Sandon, it’s okay. I’ll wait here for you.” The harder she pulled, the more pressure he exerted on her hand.

“No. It’s not all right.” His breath was jerky, and she realized just how much strain he was laboring under. “You’re my pilot.

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