Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Usually, at this time in the morning, there was nobody in the service corridor. The service droids and mechs had already cleaned the lounge and the freshers and they wouldn’t be coming back for another sweep until almost time for Midday Meal. So it was generally safe to come and go this early in the morning.
Except this time someone was out there and there was nowhere for Drace to hide.
He started to turn and go back the way he’d come. If anyone asked what he was doing, he could always say he’d gotten lost looking for the fresher. After all, he wasn’t actually in the VIP lounge yet so nobody could rightfully accuse him—
“Go back.”
The voice in his ear was rich and feminine and very firm.
“What?” Drace hissed, looking around. Who was that? Who was speaking to him?
“Go back to the intersection, Warrior—there is one who needs your help!” the voice commanded.
For a moment Drace hesitated, wondering if he was going crazy. He had the impulse to run back to his ship but the presence in the corridor with him was so strong—so tangible—that he couldn’t ignore it.
Drawing his blaster, he stepped carefully towards the T-section and looked around the corner.
Chapter 116
“Stop where you are and let the girl go!” a deep, male voice shouted and a blaster shot fired over Penny’s head.
“What?” she gasped, ducking instinctively. Looking down the corridor, she saw that there was a junction coming up and a man who looked vaguely familiar had stepped out from around the corner.
“Let her go!” the tall male insisted, shouting at the Glorious Leader.
Finally, Penny recognized him—he was the Havoc warrior who had helped them get away on Yown Alpha. Drace, that was his name.
“Help!” she gasped and at the same time the Glorious Leader let her go and ran.
“Penelope, isn’t it?” the Havoc said, coming forward.
“Yes and you’re Drace but we can’t let him get away!” she exclaimed, gesturing at the fleeing Glorious Leader, who was running much faster than an older gentleman in a white suit had any right to move.
“What? Why?” Drace demanded.
“Because he’s got the Eye of Ten’gu and it has to be destroyed. And he’s also the one responsible for kidnapping you and taking you to Yown Alpha in the first place,” Penny babbled. “Look, just get him!”
Drace took off in hot pursuit of the fleeing Glorious Leader and Penny ran after them both. As she did, she pried at the silver button that was stuck to her left temple. She had to get it off and let V’rex know what had happened!
There was another T-junction coming up and the Glorious Leader dived into it. Drace followed him, still firing his blaster. But the other man always seemed to know how to duck or dodge.
The Eye is helping him! Penny thought, feeling a sense of despair. It’s giving him strength and speed and letting him know when to duck! How are we ever going to catch him and get it back?
The corridor curved suddenly and she lost sight of both men. When she finally skidded around the bend, she saw a sight that nearly stopped her heart.
It was Granny Two-two. The tiny old woman with the wizened peach of a second head growing out of the top of her main head was standing there and beckoning to the Glorious Leader.
“This way!” she was shouting in her cracked voice. “Come this way, so you should!”
“So you should! So you should!” shouted her second head and Penny saw that the old lady was pointing to a ventilation shaft, which was big enough to admit a grown man.
“No!” she shouted breathlessly, waving her arms at the old woman. “No, don’t help him get away! He’s a bad guy! Don’t do it, Granny Two-two!”
But the old woman continued to wave and point. She even pushed open the swinging metal flap which covered the tube, holding it wide for the Glorious Leader.
The GL, as V’rex called him, dived into the tube with surprising agility. He looked like a stuntman in a movie, he moved so smoothly, Penny thought with despair. Oh no—they would never catch him now!
Drace seemed prepared to try, though. He started to dive into the tunnel himself, but Granny Two-two stepped in front of it and held up a hand.
“Not you,” she said to him, frowning. “Not for you.”
“Not for you! Not for you!” the tiny second head shouted and made a face at the big Havoc.
“Get out of the way!” Drace shouted. “He’s getting away!”
But Granny Two-two refused to budge and Drace didn’t seem to be the kind of man who would push an old lady aside.
At this point, Penny caught up and came to a skidding halt in front of the old woman.
“Granny Two-two, why did you do that?” she gasped, trying to catch her breath. “That was a really bad man! He’s responsible for thousands of kidnappings and deaths! He—”