Prevail (The Pike Chronicles Book 2) by G.P. Hudson Page A

with you.”
    “What are you talking about? I can’t bring you with me. What about Anki?”
    “She will come along. We are Reivers. We do not sit at home while others fight.”
    “I won’t put you in harm’s way.”
    “It is not your choice to make.”
    Jon exhaled sharply. He had developed strong feelings for Breeah and Anki. They were the closest thing he had to a family since he lost his own. He wasn’t prepared to take them on a dangerous mission.
    “I’m not a Reiver. I can’t bring a child into a hostile situation.” Jon got up and walked over to Breeah. “I work alone, Breeah. I always have.”
    “Not anymore. We are your family now. We go wherever you go.” Breeah’s hand reached up to his face, her finger tracing its way down the long scar on his cheek.
    Jon wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her close. She felt good and he didn’t ever want to let go. “I can’t lose you,” he whispered.
    She looked up at him with those dark eyes, shattering his defenses. “Do I appear helpless to you, Jon Pike?”
    “No, of course not.”
    “Perhaps you would prefer Kulberg and his guards by your side?”
    “No. Don’t be silly. I told you I work alone. If I fail I am the only one who suffers the consequences.”
    “And I told you that is in the past. Everything is in the past. Your old life, the Hermes, everything. There is only us now. And we stay together.”
    “But what if something happens to you and Anki. I couldn’t bear it. Not again.”
    “You must forgive yourself. Do not focus on the past. Do not worry about the future. There is only now. Only us.”
    “I like the sound of that.” He reached down and kissed her. Her body warm against his, her lips soft, his doubts and fears disappearing, the giggles like a song.
    Giggles?
    Jon released Breeah and turned to see Anki watching them, beaming, a huge grin on her face.
    Breeah smiled. “So what do we do?”
    Jon looked across the room to a computer link. “We get more information.”
     

Chapter 25
     
    “AI, can you interface with the computer link in this room?” said Jon.
    “Yes, it is a public terminal. There is open access to a specified level. Do you need me to access more secure information?”
    “Not yet. Let’s see what we can find out without raising any alarms.”
    “These systems are not sophisticated enough to detect my activity, Captain.”
    “I’m sure they’re not, still, just stick to the public database for now.” The AI was probably right and wouldn’t get caught, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
    “Understood. Interface complete.”
    “Good. Do you have any information on the history of this station?”
    A cross section of the station appeared on the display. “The station was constructed more than six centuries ago by the DLC Corporation. DLC acquired rights to this region of space from the Sol government at that time.”
    The answer confirmed Jon’s suspicions, but was astounding nonetheless. “So they were one of the original colonies?”
    “Yes, Captain. That is correct. Early colonization consisted of migrant workers. Resource mining provided ample employment and many came on contracts to work a number of years, after which they would return to the Sol System. Others took on permanent positions and settled on the station.”
    “Are there other stations like this?”
    “Not this size. This region is resource rich, but there are no habitable planets.” The display cycled through different regions of space, showing multiple star systems and planets. “Other corporations obtained rights to regions more hospitable to human life.” The display zoomed in on one of the planets to show numerous cities. “Those corporations developed planetary settlements and had more permanent immigration. Over time, most of these worlds developed their own governments, which established laws and took control of the population away from the corporations.”
    “Are the other colonies as large as