Salvaged Destiny (15 page)

* * * * *

“Oh Dee Dee, what are we going to do?” Del contemplated
their family’s destroyed property. Her cousins were at the barely repaired
gate, looking vigilant and ready to tangle with anyone who so much as frowned
at them. All Del could take in was that everything she saw, from their carts,
to their stored salvage, to their garages and apartments, was damaged in some
way.

The smell of burning paper and resin was still heavy in the
air, although there was no smoke in evidence. Thanking her cousins, Del began
to walk around with Dee Dee, who had escaped captivity with no serious injury
and a burning desire to clean up as much as possible before Ma and Pa returned
home. Every cart needed new tires, two had obvious damage to their cells, most
of the apartment doors had been pulled off their hinges and drifts of personal
belongings had been pulled out and thrown on the dirty decking. A few stacks of
crates of glass were tipped over, leaving shards over a large area of the
compound.

When they thought to check, she and Dee Dee found some
enterprising deputy had also managed to break the windows in the greenhouse. Breezes
whistled through the open frames, drying out all of their tender plants like
tomatoes, peppers and melons. They’d probably lose all of their fresh crops. At
least armored port security were roaming about the roads in the agricultural
section. Del only wished they’d been around earlier that morning. And that made
her wonder about Lazlo and wish that she could catch a glimpse of him striding
around in his uniform with a large weapon at hand.

Despairing, Del finally stopped looking and took a deep
breath. “How long were they here to do this much damage?”

“According to the cousins, they noticed the transport
pulling away about an hour after I remember them busting in our gate.”

“All of this in an hour?”

“Yes, it’s almost as if they have a talent for this. Or took
a special class.” Dee Dee scowled as she looked around their ruined home. “I
have to find us an advocate. There’s going to be some crash-up legal fight
ahead.”

Feeling dreadful, Del headed for her apartment to find the
door completely missing, most of the contents scattered over the stairs and her
beloved quark spectroscope smashed. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked
the complicated piece of equipment over. She had saved for seven years to buy
Toots fourth-hand from a small geoanalysis company that was upgrading. Seven
years of no indulgences or new clothes or pricy food. Could she do that again,
deprive herself for so long, go without all of the analysis she was used to
being able to do?

She couldn’t sleep here tonight, even factoring out not
having a front door anymore. Knowing those thuggish bullies had touched her
things and destroyed her possessions was repulsive. Del slowly gathered up some
of her clothes and unbroken kitchenware, stowed them in her apartment and then
wandered back down to the main section of the property looking for Dee Dee, whom
she found busily counting broken windows. Del was confident Dee Dee was
efficiently organizing exactly what they would need to repair all of this
damage. She might seem to be frivolous, but her sister was a hard worker.

The idea that men and women who had sworn an oath to protect
the public would so easily revert to vicious vandalism made Del feel shaky. Lazlo
would never contemplate an action of this sort, she was certain. Then she
wondered where he was now and how he was feeling.

Dee Dee noticed her and gave a quick hug, commiserating with
the state of her apartment. A shout from one of the cousins broke in her
thoughts and she and her sister headed for the gate, unsure what would be
waiting for them.

It was two uniformed officers from port security, neither of
whom was Lazlo, to Del’s disappointment. There were also two other people, a
man and a woman in more businesslike attire.

“Citizens Browen?” The woman looked them over and when she
and Dee Dee identified themselves, she asked them to return to port with her to
make reports. A wave of exhaustion crashed over Del and she felt like
unraveling on the decking like unspooled thread and never moving again.

Reading her mood correctly, the female investigator, who
introduced herself as Donni, tried to be reassuring.

“I know it has been a traumatic day for you and we hope you’ll
be able to make a preliminary report while the events are still fresh in your
minds. It shouldn’t take long and when we require more details, we will return
at your convenience.”

None of that sounded especially appealing, but Del would
rather get it out of the way and hopefully not have to be disturbed about it
ever again. The less she had to explain, the less she’d have to think about it.

* * * * *

Lazlo was back at security, head aching less after a dose of
Ardan and with assurances from the medic that he’d had no permanent damage from
the stunner bolt he’d received that morning.

He was entering his report in the system and finding it
rather difficult to explain why he’d been at the Browens that morning when he
noticed one of the interview room doors had opened and Donni strode out while
interacting single-mindedly with her datpad. Before the door swung closed again
he caught a glimpse of the room’s occupant and felt a chill when he recognized
Del. He looked at his report, and making a quick decision, finished a few
sentences and submitted it. Lazlo shut down his station and walked over to the
interview room. He’d planned on finding her at the compound after he finished
his report, but this was better. With a soft ping, he opened the door and found
Del blinking at him, looking weary and small. She smiled a little and he
entered and pulled a stool over to sit next to her.

“What are you doing here?”

“They brought me in to make a statement.”

“Donni shouldn’t have done that. It could have waited for
tomorrow.”

“At least I’ll be done soon, or so she said.” Del tried to
look brave, but he could sense her emotions were close to the surface. Knowing
Donni’s plodding interview techniques, Del could be here for hours more.

“How about I get you out of here?” She straightened up in
her chair and looked grateful and he was again bowled over by how much she and
her family had suffered because of his assignment. “Contact your family and see
how they are and I’ll be right back.” Lazlo stopped himself from hugging her,
leaving the room as quietly as he could and looking for Donni.

Lazlo found her looking dour and stressed in the detective’s
area, clicking through texts on her datpad.

“Hello, Casta, I just noticed that you submitted your report
on the Browen incident. It’s a little short.” She leaned against a desk.

“It’s enough for now. I’ll round it out later, after I’ve
had a rest,” Lazlo replied as evenly as he could. Donni was a rigid officer,
always willing to follow procedure rather than common sense. He didn’t want to
antagonize her while Del was at her mercy. “How are things progressing with the
Browens?”

“Released the younger sister, DeLoris, about twenty minutes
ago. She wouldn’t stop talking long enough for me to ask a follow-up question.
I’m trying to get something coherent from the older one, Delphine, right now.” Donni
looked at her datpad. “She’s the one who helped you, so I need a lot of detail.
This incident requires us to be very thorough. For all of our sakes. Stars, we’re
incarcerating the sheriff and most of his deputies right now. I don’t know if
something like that has ever happened before.” She looked sharply at him, as if
it were his personal fault all of these monumental events had occurred. Which
in a way it was.

“Of course we need to be thorough,” Lazlo agreed again,
hoping to soothe Donni. The major’s jailing of the sheriff and the subsequent
arrest of nearly all of his deputies for the illegal raid on the Browens was
definitely a tricky subject. But he had plenty of confidence in Major Sekar’s
ability to negotiate the judicial and political minefield to come. “But she’s
had a rough time. I have a good feeling she’ll be better able to make a
detailed addition to the report after she’s had a meal and a good night’s
sleep. I know I will.”

Donni looked at him impassively for a moment and he was sure
his attempt to be subtle was wasted on her, but she nodded once. “You might be
right. She does seem out of commission. I’ll release her to your custody. Tell
her to be back tomorrow morning to complete her statement. And you update yours
within twenty-three hours.” It was a tiny threat, but Lazlo wasn’t put off by
it. It was an even exchange—he got his way tonight with the release of Del, and
Donni would get what she wanted from both of them tomorrow. He wouldn’t even
point out that Del couldn’t be in anyone’s custody since she wasn’t under
arrest. Lazlo would take custody of her regardless.

“Thanks, Donni. I appreciate it.”

“Looking forward to more from you tomorrow,” the
investigator said and began to make notes on her datpad, releasing him from the
conversation. Relieved, Lazlo returned to the interview room as quietly as he
could—Del had had enough disruptions and trauma. He found her with her head
bowed, but she straightened and smiled at him when he whispered her name.

“I’m breaking you out of here.”

“Really?”

“Yes, come on.”

She stood and followed him. “This is the second time today
you’ve done this.”

Del was terribly grateful to Lazlo. She’d been close to
weeping from grief and stress when he’d magically appeared in her interrogation
cell. Within moments he had whisked her away from all of the law enforcement
personnel and paraphernalia, which were starting to give her flashbacks to the
wretched deputies and their heinous actions. She’d called Dee Dee to find that
her apartment had no door on it yet, no one had located the original and none
of the spares fit the frame. Dee Dee explained where everyone was staying temporarily
and Del had the dreadful feeling there was no room for her with anyone she
knew. All available extra beds and sofas were already filled.

“It’s all right, Dee Dee. I’ll find a place to stay.” Del
tried to assure her sister, who was racking her brain to come up with someone
for her to stay with. She suggested a few people who Del didn’t even know but
the idea of sleeping at a total stranger’s home was extremely disconcerting. “I’m
fine. I’ll message you later. Tell everyone I love them and I’ll see them
tomorrow.”

Lazlo must have been listening in. When she ended her call
he cleared his throat. “You can’t go back to your apartment tonight?”

Del shook her head. “The front door is missing and no one
can find a replacement that fits. The rest of my family is staying with all the
people I know. I suppose I’ll try to find a bed over at the barracks. Do you
think they would take me in?”

Lazlo narrowed his eyes in consideration, the bruise on his
forehead glowing purple in the natural light of the corridor. Del was finally
relaxing in the open space. She’d spent far too much time in small rooms
lately.

“I have my doubts. My understanding is they’re full up
because that stranded passenger ship is still in port.”

“The
Eastwood Looker
is still here? They’ve been here
for four days already.” Hope for a clean bed and a shared bathroom was now
gone. Del supposed she could sleep on a bench in the atrium.

“Come and stay with me,” Lazlo offered quickly, nodding as
if it were the best idea he’d had in a month. “I have plenty of room. We can
get something to eat and bring it back, get some rest.”

That idea sounded good and bad. Del was tired enough to not
be particular, but staying at Lazlo’s home seemed as if it was crossing some
sort of line somewhere. She just wasn’t sure what the line was or where it
went.

“It’ll be fine. I can escort you back to security tomorrow
and we can finish our reports in the morning. That should please Donni.”

“I don’t have anything to wear. I didn’t think to pack when
they picked me up.”

“I have lots of clothes. They’ll be big on you, but they’re
clean. And I have soap and things.” He looked hopeful and Del peered at him. She
didn’t sense any sort of ulterior motive in him. He was too nice to plot to get
her in his bed with him. And after the day they’d both had, a seduction was the
least likely activity either of them was capable of tonight. Despite her
amorphous misgivings, which had more to do with the idea of the situation than
the actuality, Del found herself nodding agreement to the arrangement. She was
just so tired.

“For tonight then. I’m sure the cousins will find a door for
me tomorrow.”

“Good.” Casta grinned at her. “I’ll feel better knowing you
aren’t alone.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better…” Del tried to tease, but
felt too worn out to put much energy in to it. But Lazlo still laughed and that
made her smile. He was a good friend, despite being a portie.

* * * * *

Her first thought on entering Lazlo’s apartment was that it
was big—many times larger than her small studio. It seemed even bigger since he
didn’t have much furniture or many belongings. A wall of windows and a terrace
beyond, large living room with a long dark-blue sofa, a wooden chair, a couple
of lamps and a bulky duffle and pair of boots she recognized from their hikes.

It gave her pause to see objects she’d gotten used to in the
Outlands here in his home. It made her wonder how different he was here from
how he’d been with her out there. A few stacks of flimsies, folders and books. A
large display and several attached electronics, a deactivated bot in a corner. A
blue tool chest securely closed up, its epoxy finish scratched and scuffed. No
plants or pillows or rugs or curtains. Very much temporary housing for a single
man.

Her second thought was that he liked digimas—there were
displays everywhere showing beautiful scenes of exotic places and smiling
people.

“Shall we order something? I think it’s about dinnertime,” Lazlo
offered, sounding as confused about the time as she was. The thought of food
made Del’s stomach growl for the first time that day and she agreed, asking him
to order whatever he liked and wondering how she was going to pay for her half.

The deputies had taken her datpad when she’d been knocked
out. According to Dee Dee, they’d smashed it. The last remote copy she’d done
was a month ago. She winced to think of all the data she’d lost. Luckily she’d
noted her recent explorations on paper copies. For once, the precaution of not
using their electronics in the Outlands had paid off.

As Lazlo concentrated on his datpad while scrolling through
animated menus, she started to look more closely at his images, glad for the
distraction of scenic mountain ranges, blue forests and coral seas. Looking at
them was relaxing and she felt less anxious as the dimensional scenes drew her
in, she could almost be walking on that beach, smelling the air, feeling the
sand move under her feet—

“It’ll be here in about twenty minutes. I ordered some soup
and sandwiches.”

“That’ll be good.” Del blinked back to reality as Lazlo
ambled over to her. “How much is my share?”

“Nothing.”

“But I need to pay—”

“No you don’t. You’re my guest.” His warm brown eyes looked
determined and she subsided, too tired to argue.

“These are some amazing images,” she offered, gesturing to
one of a deep-blue forest lit by shafts of pinkish sunlight, a small worn path
winding away into mystery.

“Oh that’s on Nasat. I had some weapons training there and
was lucky enough to have some free time to explore.” Lazlo sounded very offhand
as she leaned closer, taking in the detail of veined leaves, rough stems and
pools of light. “This one over here has some rocks in it.”

Appreciating his effort to find something she would be
interested in seeing, Del followed him to another wall and peered at a large
display of some dramatic formations showing bold bands of sedimentation. “That’s
on Freton, in one of the park areas.”

“Beautiful,” Del murmured, entranced. “That’s where you’re
from, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.” He grinned again. Lazlo was just a naturally
happy person, Del was coming to understand. Despite all the trauma, he wasn’t
angry or vengeful like she was. He was content to chat with her and look at
pictures. “It’s close to where I grew up. My brothers and I explored it quite a
lot when we were young.”

Del smiled and nodded, imagining that, but the thought of
her own family’s troubles came crashing in and tears welled up in her eyes yet
again and she felt despair. How would they ever recover?

Lazlo had been feeling good—showing Del some of his favorite
pictures, enjoying her being in his home, looking forward to his first real
meal of the day—when he noticed her tear up suddenly. Had he said something
offensive? Reaching out for her, he patted her arm, expecting the independent
woman to straighten and shake him off. But to his shock, she slumped and cried
harder. Del didn’t resist when he pulled her close and he took that as a sign
that a hug would not be amiss. Del leaned on him and tucked her head under his
chin, warm tears falling on his skin, her body shaking with sobs.

Lazlo just rubbed her shoulders in circles, conscious of her
bruised back, and waited for her to relax enough to talk. Sniffling less, Del
circled her arms around his waist and held on to him.

Despite her distress, Lazlo was enjoying her proximity and
contact with her body, probably too much. But she felt good and smelled good
and he decided to allow his not-so-nice side to enjoy himself for a moment. He
kept her close until other parts of him started to respond, which they
predictably did, and he eased back, guiding her to the sofa where they sat next
to each other. Del shifted away from him and wiped her face.

“Sorry about that. I’m really tired.”

“You’ve been through a lot of stress lately. Don’t worry
about it,” Lazlo said, wishing she would lean on him again even though it was
clear she wasn’t interested. “I’ve been cried on before.”

Del managed a shaky laugh. “You make a lot of girls cry in
your time?”

“No, not that. I just seem to wind up being the one they cry
on.” As a kid and even as an adult, girls and women who were upset by their
families, friends or boyfriends would often pour out their upset on him. Lazlo
guessed he was nice enough that they felt safe.

Except for Serra. She’d cried a lot, but that was mostly
because she was coming down from something, or needing a high, or was trying to
convince him of her deep feelings. By the end of their relationship he’d grown
calloused to her tears, but Lazlo was relieved to find Del’s sadness aroused
his sympathy. He hadn’t grown completely cynical.

“Still, I apologize for any embarrassment. I’m embarrassed
about it and so many other things.”

“Like what?”

“Not having a place to go. It makes me ashamed. I’m starting
to wonder if my family will ever be able to put the pieces back together from
this disaster. I’m worried about my mother and my father. My sisters are
sleeping on couches. Toots is smashed and I have no idea how I will ever afford
to replace it…”

“Who is Toots?”

“My quark spectroscope. So expensive and I don’t know how I’ll
afford another one.”

“It sounds as if you have more than enough to cry about. In
fact, you should probably cry some more.” Lazlo’s guilt and regret ratcheted up
a few more notches with every word she said.

Del took a deep breath and sighed it out with a shake of her
head. “No, I’m done.”

He wanted to help her, to relieve some of her worry, to
rescue her somehow. But that’s what he’d tried to do for Serra and it had cost
him respect and confidence, not to mention plenty of marks and emotional
upheaval.

The door chimed and Lazlo rose to collect their dinner. At
least he could feed her. “Something to eat will make you feel better.”

* * * * *

Lazlo woke to darkness, confused for a moment as to his
location, but remembered he was sleeping on his sofa. Del was in his bed and
terrible things had happened to her. Then he heard the sound that had startled
him awake—a sobbing gasp from the bedroom. She was having a nightmare.

Pulling back his blanket, he rose and entered the bedroom as
quietly as possible. According to the clock glowing in the darkness, they had
been asleep about four hours. He could barely make out her shape on the bed,
but she was moving, thrashing her legs and arms as she made anguished little
sounds. Should he wake her or just stay until she fell into a deeper sleep? As
he debated the question, she hitched her breath and sat up suddenly.

“Del, you’re all right.” He tried to reassure her and she
turned toward him.

“Where—”

“It’s me, Lazlo. You’re staying with me tonight.”

Del shuddered and sighed as she rubbed her face with her
hands. “Right. I remember.” She moved in the darkness and he noticed the faint
fragrance of her warm skin. It seemed to spike right into his brain and Lazlo
felt warm and avaricious.

Surely it was simply a natural thing to want to join a woman
who was already sleeping in his bed? It had nothing to do with Del or him in
particular, other than it had been awhile since he’d had anyone in that location.
No one since he’d moved to Sayre, as a matter of fact. He couldn’t do that. Del
was emotionally and physically exhausted and she was a security subcontractor,
so it was just every shade of wrong.

Del daubed at her eyes with the edge of the sheet and all of
his speculative thoughts misted out of his brain. She was hurting.

Trying not to cry yet again, Del struggled to forget the
disturbing nightmare in which she had been repeatedly falling off wobbly chairs
and narrow stairs and finally a cliff, the sensation of which had made her wake
suddenly and now shake, weepy with fear. Lazlo’s big shape moved in the
darkness and he sat next to her on the bed, tilting her into his solid, warm
side as his arms loosely held her.

It wasn’t an unwelcome sensation. It was hard to be
frightened of dreamtime threats when such a muscular and kind male was in the
vicinity. Since it was the middle of the night and dark and she was feeling
weak, Del relaxed against him, even reaching out to hold on to his shoulder.

“What was your dream?”

“I kept falling off things, or maybe I was being pushed, and
then at the end, it was a cliff and I can still feel the cool air rushing by me—”

Lazlo made shushing noises and pulled the blanket around
her, thankfully holding her close again once he was done arranging bedclothes. He
smelled good and felt good, like a bulgy moving wall.

Del felt a rush of warmth through her body and gave herself
a mental shake. The last thing she needed was to develop an infatuation for
Lazlo Casta. It was inappropriate and unrequitable in so many ways. She was
simply tired and feeling appreciation for all of his help and support. By
morning she would be back in control.

Lazlo stroked her shoulders, thankfully avoiding her bruised
back, and she began to melt into a hot and cold pudding, skin prickling and
insides shivering. Desire flamed over her inhibitions and she slowly pressed
herself closer to him, not wanting to scare him off with any sudden moves.