God's Bounty Hunter (Biddy Mackay Space Detective Book 1) by T Olivant (reading in the dark .txt) 📕

“He does not like to be awoken.”

Biddy heard Macleod tut beside her, but she ignored her. “Then we will come and wake him ourselves.”

Tibo paused, then waved a hand lazily in front of the screen. “Well, I see no reason why you shouldn’t come aboard.  Do you have a mid-flight docking portal?”

Biddy nodded. “Yes.”

“Then connect it to the entrance on the port side of the ship.  You’ll come out in the cargo bay and just make your way to the command center at the front.  As I said, I am alone on the ship so I will not be able to come and greet you.”

“Of course,” Biddy said, feeling somewhat wrong-footed.  The man was behaving strangely, but she could hardly object to the fact that he was actually doing what she asked.

“Then I will await your arrival.” The screen went blank.

Biddy turned to Macleod, more than a little smug. “That’s how you do things my way,” she said.

“Don’t be so naive.” Macleod replied. “You’re heading into an ambush.  Do I need to remind you of what happened to the Westward Ho!”

Biddy strode over to the woman and jutted out her chin until they were mere inches apart. “What exactly did happen on that ship, Macleod?  Because I would really like to know.”

“He brought it down and murdered every single person on board.  Including some of my men.”

This was new - Biddy hadn’t realized they were Macleod’s people that were on the ship, although it made sense.  It also showed that she was in this up to her scrawny neck.

“I am aware of the allegations against the suspect.  I am not being naive.  We will board the ship prepared for Phil’s scenario where we use force.  If the Captain was honest with us and the Augment is willing to surrender, then we will have no need of it.  If events go badly then we will be in a good position to defend ourselves.”

“I still say you are underestimating them.”

“You are welcome to stay on the Black Maria if you are so worried about coming with me.”

“Ha!” Macleod threw her head back in dismissal.

“Well then, I suggest you prepare yourself for space.”

Just a few minutes later Biddy, Phil, Elvis and Macleod were standing next to an airlock.  They were wearing spacesuits as a precaution - the docking portal should ensure a seamless transfer between the ships, but there was nothing to stop someone on the starglider turning off their section of airlock and allowing the vacuum of space to get at them.  Biddy hoped that would not happen.  It would be seriously embarrassing to be floating around space with Macleod until Hastings could come and rescue them.

“Everyone ready?”

A chorus of ‘yes’ let her know it was time to go.

“All right Hastings, connect us up.”

There came a series of beeps and clicks while the docking portal engaged with both airlocks, then the lights went green and they stepped aboard.  They moved in an agreed order.  Elvis first as he was the most agile.  Phil next as he was a weapons nut and loved a bit of violence.  That was also why he was behind Elvis as he had a tendency to rush in without thinking when left to his own devices.  Then Biddy and Macleod at the rear.  Biddy would have preferred not to have had her at her back, but at least she couldn’t get into any trouble from there.

Phil and Elvis had stunguns out and nastier weapons strapped to their backs in case they needed them.  Biddy had her own stunner that she held in her right hand and pointed at any corridor they came to.  She didn’t like carrying a weapon, but she wasn’t stupid.  And this whole set up was making her glad of the weight of the stungun nestled in her palm.

They didn’t see a soul and far too soon they were stood in front of the doors to the command center.

“Right.  I want Phil on my left, Elvis on the right.  When the door opens you two go in fast and low.  If you see anyone holding a weapon I want you to stun first ask questions later.  No risks this time, okay?”

The two men nodded and Biddy took a deep breath.  Then she pressed on the entrance pad.

A second later the doors opened.  There was a rush of movement, and Phil and Elvis were gone.  She waited for the sound of gunfire, but there was none.

“We’ve secured the place, boss, but you’re not going to be happy,” her bodyguard said, poking his head back around the door.

Biddy followed Phil onto the command deck.  There was no Augment.  There was a large man with a broad face who had his hands on his head, about a dozen nasty looking weapons stacked up on tables and Elvis, standing around looking awkward.

“Where the hell is he?” Macleod shouted, pushing past the rest of them into the room.  For once the older woman seemed to have lost her cool.

Biddy followed Macleod as she stalked over to the big man. “The God.  What have you done with him?” She bellowed in the man’s face.

The man – Tibo, it had to be, even larger than he had looked on the viewscreen – seemed seriously unintimidated.

“Who are you looking for?”

Biddy placed a hand on Macleod shoulder, ignoring the woman’s death stare. “You know who we are looking for.  The Augment.”

“Ah.  I’m afraid I was mistaken.  He was not taking a nap.  He has already left.”

“You bast–”

“Macleod, that is enough!”

Tibo looked around.  His eye caught Macleod and he lapsed into a grin. “Macleod, was that what she called you?  The years have not been kind, have they.  Well, you of all people shouldn’t expect an Augment to hang around.  You’ll never catch him now.” The man