Leech by Ellie Douglas

Author:Ellie Douglas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellie Douglas
Published: 2019-11-28T16:00:00+00:00

Deadlock

Roger had taken back the controls of the craft. The repairs to the engine were taking longer than he wanted. He clenched his fist and a vein bulged out on the side of his neck. He swung his arm forward, striking the panel in front of him, angered at the delay.

“Great, you’re back, John. What’s going on in Medical?” Roger grew alarmed at John’s sad-eyed, brooding look.

In an attempt to hide his emotions, John tilted his head down and cast his eyes to the steel floor to avoid making eye contact with Roger. “There is no easy way to say this. Nico has died.”

“Holy shit! What happened? Did something fall on him? Was it an accident? How’d he die?”

John felt bombarded. He tried to formulate an answer. He kept his head down and answered with a troubled voice, all low, sad tones like the agonizing grief of a cello. “At this stage, Liam thinks he was exposed to something foreign. He is looking into what that might be and will inform me when he knows. Then, if it is a contagion, we can all work on how to deal with it.”

“I hope it isn’t anything we need to worry about. Is it?” Roger held a strong gaze at John, but John kept his head down a moment longer and didn’t see.

John finally lifted his head and made eye contact. “I don’t know at this time.”

Roger studied John’s features, underneath his otherwise charming exterior he held a secret, he was sure of it. “John, what aren’t you telling me?”

“If I had more information to tell you, I would. Right now, I’m just as much in the dark as what you are.” John gave Roger a gentle squeeze on his right shoulder and then turned to face the controls.

“I won’t pressure you for answers you can’t give,” Roger said. “I know how close you and Nico were.” Roger shifted in his chair. Roger felt that John wasn’t being truthful. It loomed over him like a storm cloud, one he wasn’t able to fully shake off. He told himself that he would investigate things when he got the first chance.

John felt a tug of emotions, but he had to remain focused. He struggled with a string of uncertainties. His mind fired multiple scenarios and questions at him; his wife, his daughter, his best friend, the safety of the crew. The trauma of seeing Nico and the images that produced made him feel physically ill.

“We need to get this ship in order,” John said. “Have you sent a distress call out?”

“Not yet,” Roger said. “I was waiting on another report from Athena. Lucas and Travis have been working on the engine. They sealed off the visible hole, but it was still leaking fuel.”

“Athena, report in,” John ordered.

“Nothing has changed, Captain Lancaster. The engines are still inoperable.”

John picked up the transceiver from the panel, which gave a direct line to the engine room. He waited for Travis or Lucas to answer. When they didn’t, he tried again.

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