Trapped: Chaos Core Book 1 by Randolph Lalonde Page B

off.”
    “You were going to
make the journey to Geist aboard the Fleet Feather? Don’t lie, I
can check the manifest.”
    “Yes, we’re out of
favour with the Countess, so we don’t get to travel with her.”
    That sounded right to
Aspen. “Is there anyone else on the ship?”
    “No, just personal
luggage and a dog,” Tilly replied, curling up against her brother’s
side.
    “All right, “Aspen
said. “There is a corpse up there; a fat man. I want your servants
to drag it to the starboard airlock right there. Do you understand?”
    “I understand.”
Dexter said, his arm around his sister. “We’ll do anything you
ask us to if you’ll let us live.”
    “Order them to move
the body, “Aspen said, carefully aiming the handgun at Tilly, who
whimpered and covered her eyes.
    Dexter nodded at his
servants and the pair of them rushed up the stairs. “Is that
Larken?” one of them asked, shocked.
    “Leave him alone!”
Aspen said, not taking her eyes off the the Rinnels leaning against
the bulkhead across the cabin. “Just the fat one. Drag him.”
    They followed her
orders and dragged him to the airlock face down. “Good, now put him
in the airlock and get in there with him. Don’t worry, it’s safe,
the airlock won’t open while we’re under way.” Aspen said,
using her best reassuring tone.
    “Listen, I don’t
know what happened, and I’m sorry if Larken is hurt up there. Maybe
we can help,” Dexter offered.
    “Do you have anything
that can restore a human brain? Can you get it here in the next
hour?”
    Dexter was silent.
Everyone there knew the answer already. Aspen glanced at the servants
and nodded towards the airlock. “Get in, don’t worry.” She
returned her focus to Dexter and his sister. “Order them to do it.”
    “I won’t,” one of
the servants said, bursting into tears. “Not with him,” she
pointed at the corpse and wailed incoherently.
    “Just push him into
it and sit down beside the airlock, then,” Aspen said. The wailing
servant, lovely in her own right but near panic, reminded her not to
spread her revenge too widely. They weren’t responsible for
anything, there was no need to space them with the pilot’s corpse,
especially since they pushed him into the airlock quickly, closing
the inner doors behind him. They also didn’t look like any
generation of doll Aspen had ever seen, so they probably weren’t
brainwashed into serving their masters like many she’d known. The
servants sat down as soon as they were finished, their backs against
the bulkhead beside the airlock. “Thank you,” Aspen said.
    Spin looked back to
Dexter then, all emotions but anger draining from her. She touched
her wrist, starting a recording. “Now Dex, we’ve met before. You
remember?”
    “I do,” he said. “A
long time ago. We got along.”
    “No, I led you to
think we were getting along. Sure, you were kind, but I could tell
you were only trying to assess my value before making an offer to the
Countess. That’s what you and your sister do, you barter, you
trade, and you grow your little empire for your family.”
    “You were too
precious to her,” Dexter said. “You should be proud.”
    “You came to the
palace yesterday to see Larken and me, didn’t you?”
    “No, we heard there
would be a big announcement, that our business would benefit, so we
attended. I didn’t regret it until now.”
    “I wonder, were you
more interested in the new dolls from the New Skin Facility, or in
buying my babies?” Aspen waited for a response, but Dexter was too
smart to offer one and Tilly was terrified. “I want you to repeat
after me: Transfer seventy-seven million UCA credits…”
    “Transfer
seventy-seven million UCA credits…” Dexter repeated.
    “To the account
number provided…”
    Dexter’s expression
darkened as he repeated; “To the account number provided…”
    “And the location of
your children will be transmitted to you.”
    “I’m not doing
this,” Dexter said.