Page 13 of The Lone Cyborg (Cyborgs on Mars #10)

CHAPTER TWELVE

J eb carefully tightened the trip wire, then stepped back to check its position.

He’d fastened it across the tunnel at ankle height and even with his enhanced vision he could barely see it.

He was sure the two men wouldn’t notice it until it was too late.

A grim smile curved his lips. He didn’t believe in taking a life unless it was necessary but after their initial ambush, let alone their plans for Mattie if they found her, he had no regrets about their fate.

One final check and then he returned to where Mattie was waiting for him further up the tunnel.

Her initial suggestion had been to hide and set off the explosion once the men passed them but he’d refused to even consider it.

He trusted her expertise with explosives, but there was always a chance of something going wrong.

The tripwire had been their compromise even though she was worried about them spotting it.

“Everything’s ready,” he told her, and she gave him a tired smile.

They’d spent the night in the small cave at the beginning of the escape route and even though he’d settled her on his lap, he knew she’d slept very little. He hadn’t slept at all, not willing to take the chance that the active part of his brain might miss something.

“Shall we try taking Sylvester’s passageway again?”

The bird immediately chirped an agreement and she smiled.

“I think he’s ready to get out of here. I know I am. Do… do you think they did much damage to our shelter?”

“If they did, we’ll fix it,” he said firmly and won another smile from her.

“You’re right. I did it once, I can do it again.”

“ We can do it.”

“Even better. I can tell you’re going to be very useful. Maybe I can teach you to knit,” she teased as she followed him into the tunnel.

“I already know how.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Oddly enough the government taught me. They had lessons in a number of different handcrafts on the transport ship that brought us to Mars.” He flexed his fingers reminiscently.

“In my case it helped train me to use my cybernetic hand more accurately, and gave me something to do during the voyage. I can knit and sew and weave a basket.”

“I can see you have many hidden talents.” Her hand snaked around his waist and brushed lightly over his cock. “Although I think this is my favorite.”

“One I will make full use of as soon as we have your claim back.”

“ Our claim. We’re a partnership now.”

Her words filled him with warmth and he couldn’t resist pausing long enough to kiss her. She was breathless and smiling when he finally raised his head.

“I wish we had time for more, love, but business first.”

“I know.”

They set off again and this time the end of the passageway was obvious, sunlight streaming through the narrow entrance. He kept her behind him as it approached it, checking for any indications that someone else might be present, but all was quiet.

He beckoned to her as he stepped outside and she joined him with a relieved sigh, raising her face to the sun.

“I don’t think I’ll ever take sunlight for granted again,” she said softly.

“Sometimes you have to lose something before you appreciate it.”

“Then in case it isn’t already clear, I love you and I appreciate you. I don’t have to lose you to know that.”

He kissed her again and then reluctantly pulled away.

“Later,” he promised. “I need to find a position where I can observe the claim.”

“ We need to find a position.”

He laughed.

“All right. I suggest we start by getting out of this ravine.”

Fortunately, the wall at the far end wasn’t too tall and he was able to help her climb it while Sylvester chirped encouragingly.

“Easy for you,” she panted when she reached the top. “You can just fly out of there.”

The bird chirped again and she gave a breathless laugh.

“I think he feels sorry for me.”

“You did very well,” he assured her. “Do you know where we are?”

She looked around, frowning, then nodded.

“This is the northern end of the claim. The shelter should be just below those rocks.”

“Will you wait here while I take a look?”

She reluctantly agreed and he crept forward before peering cautiously around the clump of rocks she’d indicated.

She was right—the shelter was just below him and he had a good view of the open space between it and the entrance to the lava tube.

Two men were sitting in front of the entrance, swapping a bottle back and forth.

He suspected they were the two who had been in the tunnel and they matched the Doc’s description of the man he’d treated and his “brother.”

A heavyset man was throwing sacks into the back of a beat up rover and he bit back an annoyed growl as he recognized one of Mattie’s pillows poking out of the top. What kind of idiot stole pillows?

A fourth man had brought one of her chairs outside and was bent over a data pad.

Despite that, he kept a close eye on the others and Jeb immediately identified him as the leader.

He had the upright posture of a former soldier and his appearance was neatly maintained—a far cry from the other three, who all looked as if they hadn’t bathed since they arrived on the planet.

After watching for a little longer, he concluded that there were no additional people anywhere around and that the rover was the only form of transportation.

He spared an unhappy glance at the area where Trojan had fallen, the big horse still crumpled against the dirt.

The electric pulse must have been stronger than he’d guessed.

Those bastards were going to pay for what they’d done to his horse.

He cautiously slipped back amongst the rocks and returned to where Mattie was waiting anxiously.

“Four of them,” he said grimly. “If my weapon was working I could probably pick off at least two of them before they had a chance to return fire but without it, I have to get closer.”

“Are you going to wait until the two of them are back in the tunnel?”

“Yes. With any luck the explosion will distract the other two enough to give me an edge.”

The day passed with agonizing slowness, despite his frequent checks on the claim.

The big man had joined the two by the lava tube and the three of them had emptied the bottle.

The leader didn’t look happy about it, but he didn’t interfere.

It wasn’t until midafternoon that he finally abandoned his data pad and went to join the others.

The four of them were clearly having an argument but the wind was blowing away from him and he could only make out a word or two.

Finally the two men staggered to their feet and disappeared into the tunnel.

This was it. His nanites strained to keep his racing heart under control as he returned to Mattie.

“They just went into the tunnel. Time to go. Unless I can convince you to wait here?”

Her face was pale but she shook her head.

“I want to know what’s happening.”

“Very well.”

He took her hand and helped her down the route he’d found during the long day.

They emerged in the rocks just behind the shelter.

Both of the remaining men were close to the lava tube.

He would have preferred to have them separated, but he would deal with it.

Mattie crouched next to him and they waited for what felt like hours.

Finally a low rumble started beneath their feet, gradually increasing to a deafening roar and she clung to him as the ground trembled.

The sound faded away and a few last aftershocks jolted the ground before they too faded away.

One small puff of dust emerged from the entrance to the lava tube, looking ridiculously innocuous compared to the force of the explosion.

Both of the men were staring toward the entrance.

Before they had a chance to recover from their surprise, he launched himself out of the shadows, racing across the open area.

The closer man looked up, mouth widening in a startled “o” but it was too late.

His fist swung out and knocked him to the ground.

The leader’s eyes widened but he kept his composure, bringing his rifle up to aim at him.

His cybernetic arm swept out, knocking the rifle from the leader’s hands before he shoved him to the ground, pinning him beneath his heavier weight.

“Don’t move or you’re dead,” he hissed, as his arm pressed against the man’s throat.

The man gave him an icy stare, remarkably calm under the circumstance.

“What do you want?”

“You chose the wrong cyborg. You killed my horse, threatened the woman I love, and you’re going to pay.”

“You’re making a mistake. I have powerful friends.”

“Unless they can resurrect you from the dead, not powerful enough.”

“Is there a problem?” the second man asked from behind him, and Jeb felt the cold nudge of a gun barrel against the back of his neck.

Fuck. He hadn’t hit him hard enough. He cursed silently as weighed his options. If he released the man beneath him, there was a chance the man could reach his rifle. He couldn’t hear any sounds to indicate the other two were still alive, but he couldn’t take the risk that he might be wrong.

“No problem,” he said calmly. “Just discussing how much this little excursion is going to cost you.”

“Don’t talk to him,” the leader snapped. “Hand me my rifle. And tie this bastard up.”

The man behind him chuckled, the cold steel of the gun pressing harder against his neck.

“I don’t think so. I’m tired of you bossing us around like you’re so much better than us. And credits go a lot further when there’s only one person spending them.”

Heat seared his cheek as the man behind him fired—not at Jeb, but directly between the leader’s eyes. Before he could even blink, the heated barrel was back at his neck, his ears still ringing from the blast.

“Now then. There has to be something valuable on this damn claim and I want it.”