Recon Marines II: Marine's Heiress, The (12 page)

It took only a few minutes for Vin to
sling a robber over each shoulder with Dillon’s help. The weight of
two men challenged Vin’s strength as he climbed the steep stairs
into the cargo deck. The men didn’t struggle, still sedated from
the infusion Vin had given them once he’d loaded them in the
hopper. He set them down, not carefully, near the tightly secured
lumber. He used the ionizer to soften the ropes securing them. He
figured they wouldn’t wake up for another half a day by which time
they’d be in deep space and too far afield to turn back. They could
send a subspace message back to Merris Five and report their
failure. Hopefully they weren’t the type of men likely to make such
a report out of loyalty to an employer like Hadrason.

Dillon looked relieved to see Vin when
he returned to the hopper. The man’s emotions made little sense to
Vin as the young man acted resentful most of the time.

Vin flew the hopper in a wide arc back
to the depot. No other personal transport lingered in the parking
area in front of the sprawling building though four large, wheeled
vehicles sat tight against bays lining the sides of the
structures.

Dillon took out the electronic reader
that held the settlement’s supply list. “Do you think they’ll give
us what is owed us?”

“
They will.” Vin wasn’t
leaving without it and there didn’t appear to be enough people
about to stop him from taking it. “Let’s go.”

Vin had visited this building when he
first arrived on Merris Five. The large open store made it
impossible for him to feel comfortable even with his blending-in
talent. Today it appeared empty though the same stout man stood
behind a counter with a flashy hand-sized computer in front of
him.

The man looked surprised when they
entered. “Dillon Gore? I wondered when someone would come from
Hovel Port. Word came from the mine office that no one was
permitted to deliver to you folks. No one had the sand to disobey
them. I have all your things from the last two shipments set
aside.”

Dillon sighed and smiled. “So glad to
hear it, Mr. Banner, and I brought some silver to add to our
credit. This is my colleague, Vin Smith. Vin, this is Paul Banner,
the only man outside Hovel Port who doesn’t answer to Hadrason
Mining.”

Banner shook both of their hands, a
strong grip but without the calluses of a man who did physical
work. And he offered no assistance other than holding the door
while Vin and Dillon carried the supplies out to the
hopper.

After Dillon and Banner compared lists
to make sure they had everything, Vin gave the storekeeper Emma’s
list of medical supplies. Vin followed him around while he moved
through the stores and picked out the things on the list and a few
things he had locked up behind his counter.

While Vin shadowed Banner Dillon roamed
the store and picked up things, examining them in a suspicious way.
Vin didn’t understand until after he took Emma’s things to the
hopper and returned to see what kept his companion.

“
You have a girl waiting
for you, Dillon?” Banner asked.

Dillon laughed, and his face darkened.
He glanced at Vin with an expression that might have been guilt.
“I’m hoping so, Mr. Banner. Do you think a pretty woman would like
this?”

Dillon had selected a glass vase, its
top swooping in fanciful curves like a frozen sea wave. Did women
find such things pretty? Vin knew Dillon intended it for Emma,
surprising himself with his insight. And shocking himself with a
spurt of anger. At whom?

Before he could think himself out of
it, Vin started a tour of the store. An entire shelf of odd shaped
glass vases lined the back wall. They lacked any discernible
function, and he’d seen nothing like them in Emma’s surgery. Did
that mean she didn’t care for trifles or that she hid her means to
possess them? Her family fortune could buy her all the baubles she
wanted but that would give away her disguise. Damn. He searched a
small display of gaudy jewelry. The selection overwhelmed his
decision making ability. They all looked silly to him and he’d
never seen Emma wear a necklace or ring.

Vin gave up and headed for the front of
the store. Why did he search for a gift anyway? Because she made
his heart race and he wanted to press his body against hers?
Because she looked so fragile but her heart was that of a fighter?
And for all her strength, compassion ruled her actions, even for
the two bastards he’d left on the cargo vessel. Emma wasn’t like
anyone he’d expected her to be. She wasn’t like anyone else in the
universe and certainly wasn’t a spoiled rich girl.

A display near the front of the store
stopped his thoughts and his feet. A glass pane protected them from
handling. They looked like a perfect fit for Emma’s small
hand.

Banner stomped from behind his counter.
“Do you like those, Mr. Smith? I’m thinking of sending them back
with the next silver cargo. Can’t seem to sell them to any of this
lot at the mine.”

Vin had lots of credits to his name
thanks to the crystallized iron he’d taken with him when he left
his brothers behind. “I’ll take whichever one is the most
expensive.”

* * * *

Emma stowed the supplies, thrilled to
have her shelves full of antibiotics and pain relievers again. Her
refrigerator now held intravenous blood replacer and more medicines
than she hoped to ever need.

The blue tinged vase from Dillon sat on
top of the counter. She’d accepted it from him at dinner the
previous night, not wanting to embarrass him in front of the other
diners. Dillon’s shy courtship continued no matter how much she
discouraged him. Moe told her to make her denials firmer but she
didn’t want to hurt the young man.

Baubles had never interested her, and
Dillon’s gift wasn’t of good quality, but she would display it for
a while. Hovel Port needed more young people so Dillon could meet
someone else.

Vin had said little the night before,
reporting the successful dumping of the robbers onto an outgoing
freighter. The rest of the town had sorted through the supplies
with jubilation that lent a celebratory air to the evening. Though
most people had stayed up later than usual, Emma had noticed the
men leaving for the river at their usual early hour. The ten day
cycle ended on the morrow so today should be a good day of panning
in the shallows. While the men worked, Emma intended to begin Vin’s
treatment.

Emma wondered if she should have
dressed in a more professional manner. Her well-worn tan blouse
hung over her hips, covering much like a short dress. She hadn’t
donned a real dress since arriving on Merris Five. Short boots
served as her footgear, the same as most people wore. But she’d
decided to approach Vin as a friend, not as a doctor. She would use
her training to help him but as someone who cared about
him.

After reading more of the psychiatric
speculations about the Recon Marines, she’d gathered together the
few known facts. The marines, either because of training or some
genetic predisposition, made terrible liars. They exhibited extreme
loyalty to duty and each other. Protecting civilians had been
drilled into them as a sacred duty above all others. She intended
to test Vin’s honesty.

She could only help him if he admitted
to his background and the appalling upbringing he’d suffered.
Likely the reports on their training recorded only a small portion
of what had been done to them, the least horrid part.

Emma stepped out into the bright light
of morning. By afternoon the clouds would close in and the rain
would move in after dark. The handful of children living with their
parents in Hovel Port played in the street. Three boys and two
little girls tossed homemade gliders into the light breeze. Emma
smiled at the delight on their faces as one of the little toys flew
in a graceful loop nearly as high as the buildings.

“
I brought you something,
Doctor Emma.”

Emma jumped at Vin’s quiet voice beside
her. She hadn’t heard even a whisper of his approach.

Vin held a package wrapped in the rough
blue cloth the depot used to package fragile items. He thrust it
toward her.

Emma studied him as she took the gift.
With her new knowledge of who he was, his cool expression seemed
one of remoteness and caution. Except when wielding a weapon,
everything he did was careful. But when the moose and jecks
attacked, his reactions had been lightning.

The gift, from this unique, amazing
man, touched something inside her no man had reached before. What
inspired a Recon Marine to give a woman a gift? The package fit in
one hand as she unfolded the cloth around the heavy object.
Sunlight glinted on a gun like device. She’d seen lots of weapons
over the course of her experiences but never handled one or fired
one. This might be a gun but she wasn’t sure. Lifting her gaze from
it to Vin, she caught a look of anticipation on his
face.

His expression turned to a frown. “It’s
a stunner. I know doctors have a reluctance to take life, but you
still need protection. This can stop a moose on the right
setting.”

Emma turned the thing over in her hand,
finding it heavier now that she understood its purpose. She battled
her repulsion, keeping her gaze on the stunner. She tried to fathom
the reason for Vin’s gift. Did he want to please her or was his
soldier’s mentality appalled by her lack of weaponry? Her instincts
as a woman and as a doctor agreed on her answer. “Thank you, Vin.
Perhaps you can show me how to use it.”

He looked uncertain but moved closer to
her, covering her hand with his larger, browned one. “Your finger
goes on this trigger. This switch regulates the amount of charge
delivered in the laser. Always aim for the midsection of a man.
You’re less likely to miss and even the weakest charge will drop a
man.”

Emma looked at Vin, not at what his
hands showed her. His smooth skin fit tightly over his cheekbones.
This close his eyes reminded her of polished steel, not a hint of
dark shadow. Fine metal and young. Younger than she’d thought and
as eager with his toy as the children in the street with their
gliders. “Who are you really, Vin Smith?”

She hadn’t meant to speak out loud, but
Vin stiffened and stepped back from her. He looked at the sky and
then hopped down off the walkway. His left hand dropped to the
pistol he wore strapped to his hip. His gaze swept the sky to the
north where the storm clouds gathered in dirty puffs.

“
Vin?” Emma meant to
apologize, but he held his hand up.

“
Get the children off the
street.” Vin pulled his gun free. “Now!”

Then Emma heard the low hum, felt in
the bones as much as the ears. She didn’t recognize it but anything
that alarmed Vin meant trouble. “Go home! Get in your houses!
Run!”

The children froze at her screams, and
a few doors opened along the street. Emma ran to the closest little
girl and pushed her toward a doorway. The girl stumbled for the
first few steps and then ran. The others followed her except one
little boy who headed down the middle of the street toward Vin.
Emma recognized Billy Denton. He lived on the north end of town.
The frightened child was running toward his mother.

Three aircrafts buzzed over the north
gate and then dipped down to glide at the height of a man along the
street. Their long sleek bodies resembled miniature military
fighting planes, but they weren’t large enough to carry a pilot.
They spread apart the width of the street and started spitting
fiery rounds from one side of the street to the other, laying a
blanket of bullets as they came forward. Bits of wood and stone
flew from the buildings, and dust kicked up from the
road.

Vin stood in the middle of the street,
his pistol returning fire at a steady pace. One of the attackers
spun sideways and then crashed into the ground.

“
Vin!” Emma shouted as
Billy slid to a stop a few feet behind the marine.

Another of the attackers took a hit
from Vin. It tumbled into the front of a house, cracking into
pieces. Without seeming to look, Vin reached out and grabbed Billy
by his collar. He dragged the boy into the shelter behind his body
without pausing in his shooting at the last target. It didn’t stop
shooting either. Dirt splashed up, walking toward Vin in three
harsh lines. He crouched over Billy, covering the boy with his
body.

Emma raced toward them, knowing she
could do nothing except throw her body on top of them. She could
hear slugs of metal hitting the dirt above the grinding hum of the
machine. They sounded different as they struck Vin’s body, a dulled
thud. The strikes knocked him to the ground with Billy screaming
beneath him.

Even wounded Vin fired at the flyer as
it passed over him. The drone coughed, sputtered and then the guns
and humming quieted. It sank gracefully to the street, skidding for
a few feet before halting short of the south gate.

Billy’s cries filled the silence left
by the cessation of shooting. Emma hurried the last few steps to
Vin. His blood soaked her knees as she knelt at his side. So much
of the bright red fluid colored his shirt that she didn’t know
where to touch him.

Along the street, people ran about
collecting their children. Emma heard Billy’s mother shouting for
him. Taking a deep, bracing breath, Emma grasped Vin’s shoulder
with one hand and his hip with the other. She rolled him over in
the accepted manner when a spinal or head injury was possible. Her
heart felt like it stopped when she saw all the blood pouring from
the wounds on his torso.