Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
They’d exited the bridge at Galaxy’s Edge and were now powering toward Centax at interstellar speed.
Malin bent over the holo-table, working on a tiny maintenance droid that needed a tune up. In the cockpit, she heard Xander’s deep voice as he made yet another transmission.
Once they’d left the bridge and comms were back up, he’d wasted no time contacting Centax’s allies. The Antikythera had been shown off numerous times to pompous looking officials. She glanced sideways. The mechanism rested on the other end of the holo-table.
She bet it had been a beauty of a machine in its day. Now the twisted, corroded remains just gave hint to what it had once been.
She wondered what its creators would think of the cyborgs who revered it today.
She thought of Xander and his implants. Those bits of shiny tech that only hinted at his amazing strengths and abilities.
What he and the Centaxian scientists who’d put them there failed to realize was what made Xander such a damn good CenSec had nothing to do with his enhancements.
His deep voice washed over her. It was his loyalty, his unwavering belief in helping his people, his innate sense of justice.
Dammit. She slammed her multi-tool down. She was so crazy in love with him it hurt. She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes.
And he said he loved her.
But that didn’t make the doubt go away.
It wasn’t just that she could already see his duty to Centax dragging him away from her.
After seeing the dark side of Forge’s obsession, she knew expecting to be the only thing someone loved wasn’t healthy.
She also realized she’d glorified her parents’ relationship.
Her dad had also had a passion for salvage and he’d loved his daughter, not just her mother.
What worried Malin was that she was Xander’s first real experience with emotion.
He deserved a chance to explore sex and love and find out what he really wanted.
However, the thought of him touching another woman ripped her insides out.
But being with him, seeing regret grow in his eyes, and the day arriving where he finally told her he didn’t actually love her… she couldn’t bear that.
Unable to stop herself, she moved to the cockpit doorway and leaned against the door frame.
He was wearing his CenSec uniform again. And in it, he seemed to stand a little straighter, a little stiffer.
Everyone on his planet had demanded things of him, expected things of him. All Mal wanted was for him to be happy. And she’d give him that chance, even if it tore her heart out.
He ended his call, glanced over his shoulder. “We’ll rendezvous with the allied fleet in three hours. After that, it’ll only be another five hours until we reach Centax.”
So soon. “That’s great, Xander.” Her throat was tight.
“There’s even better news. Some of my team managed to escape and get off planet. My second-in-command and two others are waiting on the Solar Destiny, the Trenorian command ship.”
“I’m glad your team are okay.”
“Malin—” He was reaching for her when a chime sounded. Another transmission. His jaw clenched. “I have to get this.”
She managed a nod. “Take it.”
Over the next few hours, she felt her insides twist tighter and tighter. Xander spent the time planning the attacks and rescue missions that would be launched simultaneously.
Soon, she found herself standing behind Xander and flanked by Dathan and Niklas as Zayn docked the Infinitas with the giant Solar Destiny warship.
The doors slid open.
Three CenSecs in black uniforms stood at attention.
The one in front stepped forward. A woman.
“General Saros.” She was tall, with an athletic build. Her dark red hair was pulled back off a strong face with glowing neon green eyes and the same circular implant at her temple. “Xander, it is good to see you alive.”
Instantly, Mal decided this woman would be a Patrol cuttership. Strong, sturdy, good at following orders. But as she watched the woman’s blue eyes, Mal thought maybe there was more than just the orderly CenSec beneath the shell.
“Xenia.” Xander pressed a hand to the woman’s shoulder, didn’t seem to notice the way his second glanced at the touch.
“Alix, Dex. It is good to see you all.” He stepped back and waved Malin and her cousins forward.
“There are some people I want you to meet. Without them, I wouldn’t be alive, let alone be here with the Antikythera. ”
Mal stepped through the hatch and accepted Xander’s outstretched hand. He tugged her to his side. Her cousins followed her.
Xander gestured at the men. “Dathan, Zayn, and Niklas Phoenix.”
Xenia’s face was emotionless, but Mal thought she detected something else under it. “The treasure hunters?”
“Yep.” Dathan grinned at her. “In the flesh.”
“And this—” Xander slid an arm across Mal’s shoulders “—is Malin Phoenix. She risked her life to help get me off Centax and retrieve the mechanism.”
“Hi.” Mal wondered at the shock on all the cyborgs’ faces before they quickly resumed their calm masks.
“This is my second, Xenia, and two members of my team, Alix and Dexter.”
Mal nodded at the woman and the two large, tough-looking men.
Xenia’s gaze moved from Xander to his arm to Malin. She blinked a few times before finding her composure. “The Trenorians have given us control of the bridge and an operations room for planning our attack.”
“Then let’s get started.” Xander turned to Mal and the others. “You have all helped me get to this point. I was hoping you could join us.”
They headed down the straight, wide corridors.
The warship was huge and very utilitarian inside.
When they reached the bridge, Mal’s eyes widened in interest. It was large with two decks and numerous uniformed Trenorians at consoles.
They looked like the Centaxians without the enhancements.
Ahead, a huge viewscreen showed a large gas giant they were passing.
Shortly, they’d be in visual range of Centax.
Soon, they were all seated around the conference table in the ops room. Xander assumed control, and the CenSecs worked like a highly tuned team as they planned their missions.
“Xenia, you’ll lead the rescue mission to secure the Prime.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Alix, you’ll lead the rescue mission to release the rest of our team.”
The tall CenSec nodded. He was even taller than Xander with a brawnier build, skin the color of coffee and eyes of a brown-gold color.
“I’ll head the mission to take down Rexon Dax myself.”
Mal wasn’t listening to all the details as the team asked questions, suggested strategies, discarded ideas and suggested others. Occasionally, Dathan ventured a suggestion that was way outside CenSec protocols, but they were all considered and some taken on board.
Mal just watched Xander. He was wearing his hard, cold CenSec face again.
Before her eyes he was morphing back into the emotionless cyborg she’d rescued from the Haxx salvage yard.
Her Xander was disappearing.
“Anything else you need us to help you with, Xander?” Dathan asked.
Xander shook his head. “Stay safe and out of the line of fire.” His gaze strayed to Mal. She thought she saw something move through them. “I’ll contact you when it’s all over.”
But Mal felt like the most important thing was already over.
Mal paced across the cockpit of the Infinitas.
Centax was a huge orb filling the forward windows. She’d seen Xander off with a final kiss two hours before.
Was he safe? Alive? Had the mission gone as planned?
Her gut churning, she reached the far wall, pivoted, and paced back.
“Mal, you’ll wear a groove in the floor.” Dathan watched her from a chair. “Zayn’ll be pissed.”
“What if something went wrong?” Her mind whirled. “What if he’s hurt?”
Her cousin put his feet up, peeling the apple he was holding with a knife. “Guy’s a damn badass CenSec. My money’s on him.”
Stride. Pivot. Turn. Stride. Pivot. Turn.
Zayn barreled into the cockpit. “Incoming transmission from the planet.”
Please be okay. Mal rushed over and stood behind Zayn’s chair.
Xander’s face filled the screen. “It’s done.”
He was okay. She let the numbing relief wash over her. Stars, he looked so good, so handsome and sexy in his uniform.
“Rexon Dax is in custody and Axton is free. He’s meeting with the ruling council now.”
Unease crept through Mal. Xander’s face was blank, calm. Over the transmission, she couldn’t read him at all.
Or maybe he wasn’t feeling anything now.
“The rest of your team?” Mal asked.
“Fine. A few injuries, but they’ll recover.”
“That’s great.”
“I wanted—” Someone from behind him interrupted. Xander looked over his shoulder, his brow creased. “Give me a minute.”
He had to go. “Xander, did you find Traxan?”
“Yes. He’s alive. Injured, but alive.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Thank the stars.”
Someone called out Xander’s name again. She saw his jaw work.
“I have to go. As you can guess, there is a lot of work to be done.”
Mal closed all the emotions rushing through her into a tiny little ball and locked it away. “You’re needed. Go.”
“Malin—” Again he was interrupted. “We’ll talk later, okay?”
She nodded, and the screen went blank.
“We can go now,” she said quietly.
She felt all three of her cousins’ heavy gazes.
“Mal, Xander said—”
She shook her head, cutting Dathan off. “He’s busy. He’s going to be busy for a long time. This is what he wants.”
And she didn’t want to watch him walk away from her, like the other men in her life had done. He might not feel that way today, but now he was home, back to being the proper CenSec, it wouldn’t take long for him to realize Malin Phoenix, salvage mechanic, didn’t belong in his life.
“I thought—”
“Dathan, enough.” Jesus, a broken heart hurt way worse than she’d imagined. “You warned me off him a thousand times.” She touched all of them with her gaze. “You all did.”
A moment’s silence. Niklas shifted. “After everything you two have been through, we decided we were wrong.”
“You’re not. I always knew this was never a forever thing.” She looked at the giant, beautiful planet hanging outside. “He isn’t just Centaxian, he is Centax. It’s his duty, the most important thing in his universe.”
“Sometimes something that looks wrong is actually the best thing for you.” Nik pressed a hand to her shoulder and squeezed.
She studied his strong, steady face. It felt like there was some other meaning in his words.
“Mal, I really didn’t like the CenSec at first,” Nik said. “But I don’t doubt the fact that he would give his life to protect you.”
“He was created to protect. He’d protect anyone weaker.” Her shoulders felt so damn heavy. “Look, after everything I’ve been through, I just want to go home. I want my bed, my tools, my junkyard.” She wanted to sleep for a week or two. Smash up some junk. “I’ve earned that, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, babe. You have.” Dathan’s voice was very quiet. He pulled her to his chest, and she wrapped her arms around him. She felt him nod to Zayn.
Minutes later, they were seated, and the interstellar drives flared to life, vibrating under her feet.
Mal sat in one of the cockpit chairs and watched Centax disappear from view.
She forced herself into the maintenance bay to finish work on the last of Zayn’s spare parts.
Krypto kept her company. She paused, pain piercing through her as she stared at the tools scattered around.
Last time she’d been in here, Xander had been with her.
The two of them working together. Making love.
Hand on one hip, she pressed the closed fist of her other hand to her mouth. This was going to hurt for a while and probably would get worse before it got better.
The familiar motions of her tools helped her find a place where, if not happy, she felt numb.
“Mal?”
Zayn appeared from the shadows.
“Yeah.” She sat back on her legs, stretching her stiff back.
He held up a Sync. “Transmission for you.”
She closed her eyes for a second, then held out her hand.
And there he was. His face so handsome. So calm. “Hey, tough guy.”
Then he smiled. And it speared right through her heart.
“Sorry it took me so long to call back.”
“You’re busy. I understand.”
“We’ve been hunting up the last of the Rahl. There’s so much work to do. I have to attend a lot of meetings.”
That familiar crease appeared on his brow, and Mal felt a spurt of sympathy. She didn’t think sitting in meetings was Xander’s favorite thing to do.
She cleared her throat. “Like I said, I understand. I always knew once you came back here, Centax would be your focus.”
He stilled. “That doesn’t mean I won’t make time for you.
For us. Look, I want you to come down. I want to show you parts of Centax you haven’t seen.
” He sighed. “It won’t be today or tomorrow—” A voice called his name and he scowled.
“Wait. I’ll be there in a minute.” He looked back at the screen. “Sorry.”
“Xander, you don’t have to keep apologizing. You’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”
He stared at her, like he was trying to see inside her head. “Malin, is something wrong?”
“No.” Everything.
“Look, can you stay? Stay on the Infinitas until I clear my schedule, and then come stay with me for a while?”
Her heart squeezed so hard and tears threatened. She viciously fought them back, dreading the words she was about to say. “We’ve already left.”
“What?”
Xander’s tone held nothing, not a single thread of emotion, but his face twisted.
She stiffened her trembling knees, trying to pull air into her heavy chest. “We set course for Khan several hours ago.”
Everything wiped off his face, leaving it blank. “You left me.”