The Star Thief (Star Thief Chronicles #1)(71)
Author: Jamie Grey

There was only one thing left she could think to do. The old part of her twinged with regret. If she sold this information on the black market, she’d be set for the rest of her life—for three lives probably—but she couldn’t unleash something like this on the galaxy. A human-robot hybrid army, completely at some traitor’s beck and call?

If the wrong people got a hold of this…

She swallowed. “I’m sorry, Doctor. What you’ve created here must end. It’s nothing personal.” A sharp pain shot through her head, and she gritted her teeth. “Well, maybe it is.”

“Please,” Navang begged. “We can work something out. I have money. I know…”

“You know nothing.” Her eyes drifted down his tear-streaked face to the crimson-stained white lab coat. He looked like he was about to piss himself. So much for the brave doctor.

The scalpel felt cool and heavy in her hand as she shifted her weight. Usually she only killed when it was necessary for self-protection, but she might enjoy this one more than a little.

In one fluid motion, she drew her arm back and slammed the scalpel into Navang’s neck, just below the ear. It slid through the skin like it was butter, blood spurting from the wound as it pierced his jugular vein. Her push carried the blade almost halfway to the handle.

“How about you just take a few deep breaths and try to relax?” she taunted as his body slumped against the wall. Blood gushed down his neck and dripped on the floor, leaving a spreading pool of crimson against the white tiles.

The nurse whimpered in the corner.

Renna whirled on her heels and glared at the trembling woman. She marched toward her, stopping at the tray of surgical tools to pick up one of the gauze pads. Renna wiped Navang’s blood from her fingers, then dropped the stained scrap of fabric back on the tray. Her hands still felt sticky, but she needed to get the hell out of there. She’d wash them back on the ship.

“You’re lucky I don’t have time to deal with you, too,” Renna said as she grabbed the bag of orange pills from the counter.

“Please, let me go. I won’t bother you. I’ll disappear.”

Renna stepped into the hall, slamming the door behind her. She ignored the woman’s pleas as she headed toward the hall to where Navang said Viktis was being held.

A scream exploded from the next room and she raced for the door. Only to stop short just inside.

Viktis had gotten free and was making sure the orderlies would never touch him again. Even half-drugged, the Ileth grabbed each of the men, snapping their necks in a smooth, practiced move.

The men crumpled to the floor. Viktis spun toward her, his eyes rolling wildly as he braced for another attack. He stopped when she made no move toward him, then relaxed as if realizing who she was. He let out a shaky breath as he took in her battered form. “Like the new look. Who needs armor when you look like that?”

Renna glanced down. She’d forgotten she was only wearing a bra and pants. Bruises from the robot’s attack blossomed on her ribs, and scratches ran up and down her arms. Somehow she couldn’t bring herself to care. “Always glad to inspire. You ready to get out of here?”

“You have no idea.”

She stumbled as they left the room, and Viktis slid an arm around her. “I think the bigger question is, are you all right?”

She blinked away the moisture fogging her eyes. “I don’t know. But right now it doesn’t matter. We need to destroy this place.”

“I am more than happy to oblige,” Viktis growled.

“Did you find out who killed your crew and destroyed your ship?”

He nodded. “The doctor said whoever hired me wanted no loose ends. Once they had the boy, we were expendable.”

“I’m not surprised. Our friend, Major Larson, seems to be involved, too. According to Navang, they were both working for a splinter cell run by someone named Pallas. I’d bet my life MYTH doesn’t know they’ve been betrayed from the inside. Unfortunately, that makes it even harder to figure out who to trust there.”

“Renna Carrizal? Trust? That’s a first.” He chuckled as they limped along.

Renna spotted a lab filled with computers and paused. “I don’t want to run into those hybrids again. You up for some hacking before we get out of here?” There was no way she’d be able see straight, let alone hack the network, with her head aching like this.

“What do you have in mind?”

She led him to one of the machines. “Shut them all down. Navang said they were all connected to the neural network.”

Viktis started typing. In just a few moments, he’d gotten access to the lab’s systems and was busy creating a virus to destroy the hybrids and put them out of their misery.

Renna sank down onto one of the stools and rubbed her temples. The pounding was getting worse, and the bite of nausea was a constant at the back of her throat. Her implant didn’t feel any different yet, but Navang had said it was only a matter of time before it fused with her nervous system. Would she even still be herself at that point?

She swallowed. There wasn’t time to think about that right now. They weren’t out of here yet, and she couldn’t afford to let herself freak out.

“Almost done here,” Viktis said, glancing over his shoulder. He frowned at her as she leaned unsteadily against the desk. “Hey, you hanging in there?”

She shook her head. “I’ll survive.”

“Can we blow this place to hell now?”

She paused. Could she really blow this place up? Dr. Navang’s research might be the only thing that could keep her alive.

“We don’t have any other options, Renna. You know what will happen if this gets out. Robots masquerading as humans? Never a good idea.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. He was right, even if she didn’t want to admit it. “Fine. Just hurry up.”

Viktis turned back to his computer. “I’m going to set the generator systems to overload. That should give us time to get the hell out of here. And when they blow, this whole place will come down.” He tapped a bit more. “I’m also venting the chemical lines. That’ll add some extra spark to the explosion.”

Renna patted the drugs in her pocket. Once this place was gone, those little orange pills would be the only thing standing between her and a possibly painful death. Maybe she’d been smart to let Wall take a sample. If she got out of this, she might have to set up a manufacturing facility of her own.