| |
“What are you doing? We need to get out of here while we still can.”
After rescuing the women and helping them onboard, Rat had taken the airship up and over the lake, but now there was a very dirty woman breathing heavily into his ear. Since he was used to Boy’s constant nagging, Rat continued lowering the water hoses as though he didn’t have a new worrywart on his airship. There was really only so much a man could deal with at one time. He had already sent Boy on an errand, to get him out of his hair. Now, if only Rat could get this dirty beauty to stop berating him with a million-and-one questions and concerns, he might be able to get the water tanks topped off and them all out of this accursed valley before nightfall.
Even though Rat had never pumped water whilst still in mid-air, he was determined to give it a try. He had often wondered why no one had ever done so before, but had always been too shy to suggest it in case everyone laughed at him. Now, though, he was the captain of his own airship, which gave him some liberties he’d hitherto never had. If it worked, it would take all of the peril out of refilling the tanks, something he would certainly take advantage of in the future.
As soon as the hoses were dropped into the water, Rat turned to face his haranguer. Even with dust and bruises covering most of her face, underneath it all it was clear to see she was a real beauty. Unfortunately, it hadn’t taken long to find out she was also stubborn, opinionated and determinedly tenacious. It was just his luck he had rescued someone spookily like Boy. Things were tough enough on board with the contrary robot questioning his every decision, but now it looked like he’d have this dirty beauty dogging his every step too. If he released anymore sighs, he would soon no longer need the friction engine to keep them in the air.
“We need more water before we go anywhere. I’m not certain how far off course to Freedom I am, and there may not be another water source between here and there. I have no desire to be stuck in the middle of the desert. This ordeal has already been all the adventure I’m going to need for a while.”
He smiled, hoping it would reassure her, but she only stared at him as though he might be insane. Seeing his calm explanations weren’t getting him anywhere, he headed over to the water valves and turned them on, staying next to the tank until he heard water running into it. Success. He would have to tell Harmony and Griffin about his discovery when he saw them again.
Rat headed back over to the railing, to make sure the hoses didn’t need to be lowered any further.
“You don’t understand,” the woman then said. “Our friends and families will be worried about us. Let us off this vessel if you aren’t taking us straight home.”
Rat tried one of Boy’s tactics and stared without blinking. “So you would rather take your chances with your kidnappers than with me?” He shrugged. “As soon as I fill the tanks, then, I’ll set down and let you off.” The last thing he needed was another whining passenger. There was only so much a man could take and if these women didn’t want his help then he didn’t see any reason why he should go out of his way to force it on them.
The woman looked over at the still sleeping onetime captors and sighed. Her chin raised a fraction before she gave in. “Okay. We’ll go to this place you call Freedom, but as soon as we’re there we will find our own way back home.”
Damn. He should have known he wasn’t going to win this argument. He never did. He let out another long sigh. Deep down he had known he wasn’t going to make it to Freedom any time in the near future.
“Fine. You win. I’ll take you home.” He waved in Molly’s direction. “Now, go with Molly. She’ll show you where the others are cleaning up, and as soon as you’re ready, she’ll get everyone something to eat.”
Instead of doing as she was told, the beauty crossed her arms and glared at Rat.
“I’ve seen the food you have on offer. No thank you.”
“That food saved you.” Rat sighed yet again but this time also shook his head, resigned to the fact that this woman was going to make his life miserable until he dropped her off somewhere.
It was tempting to throw this new thorn-in-his-side into the lake, along with the water hoses, but instead he headed back to his captain’s seat, telling Molly on the way to bring the woman an apple. No one was going to starve as long as he was the captain of Independence—provided of course that the stubborn woman accepted the thing. And really, why should she trust him after seeing what he had done to their captors?
A few minutes later, Molly bought out the apple for the raven beauty. Rat tried not to show too much interest but couldn’t help but be relieved when she finally bit into it. It was worth the wait to see the look of pure joy on her face as she savored that first bite. She actually closed her eyes while she chewed, and something inside him paused as he waited for her to open them again. When she did, she glanced over and noted his interest, but then looked away before moving to the other side of the deck. There she quietly finished off the apple.
Rat could have sat there all day watching her eat but had already wasted too much time gawking. There were too many other things to do before heading off into a strange territory, so he went to check how things were progressing with his new experiment. He was pleased and surprised to discover the tanks were now full and so he immediately turned off the pump got the hoses back onboard.
As Rat was stashing the hoses, Boy came over and stood by his side during the entire operation. With everything back in its proper place Rat finally turned to see what his co-captain wanted. The tiny robot had his arms crossed—not a good sign.
“Why do I think I’m not going to like what you’re about to say?” and Rat sighed for the hundredth time. He was exhausted and didn’t think he could handle one more problem.
Boy peered over the railing before looking back at Rat. “Those men aren’t moving. Are you certain you didn’t kill them? Maybe you should go down and check on them again.”
Rat stifled his next sigh only because he was a captain of an airship and maybe he should at least try to pretend to have a little patience. He would save his pent-up sighs for when he had a moment alone. He might even scream a tiny little, which thought made him smile.
“So you want me to set Independence back down and do another well-check on the ruffians who did their very best to break my ribs?” Rat almost sighed again. Of course that was what the damn robot wanted. And what was he going to do? Clearly, he was going to land Independence and check on those men, to be certain he hadn’t accidentally killed them.
Rat shoved his hat into Boy’s hands. “Damnit. Hold this, then.” He lowered the ladder and threw one leg over the rail, only stopping to glare at Boy. “Watch our guests,” and he nodded over toward the tall, raven beauty with ocean-blue eyes. “Given half of a chance I suspect one of them would gladly take off without me.”
It didn’t take long to make certain the men weren’t dead. In fact, two were beginning to stir even before he touched them. As soon as he checked the third man’s pulse and was satisfied that he too would live, Rat climbed back onboard before the men could come around enough to realize they had been tricked.
Boy met Rat at the head of the ladder. “No one’s dead, then?”
Rat patted the top of Boy’s head before hurrying over to the helm. “No one’s dead.”
The tiny robot followed him, nipping at his heels the entire way. “I’m glad we didn’t kill anyone—this time.”
“This time?” Rat released a plume of steam into the balloon and was more than a little relieved when the airship lifted off, now more than ready to leave this valley behind. Even though it had all looked so peaceful and beautiful from above, it had only brought one problem after another since they had landed.
Boy climbed into the co-captain’s chair. “I have a feeling about you.”
“And what’s that?” Rat took his eyes off the pressure gauge only long enough to meet Boy’s gaze.
“Trouble has a way of finding us whenever I’m with you. I suspect there’s more to come before we make it home again.”
Rat shook his head as he released another plume of steam into the balloon. Every foot higher toward the clouds eased his tension that little bit more. “If I knew you were going to be such a worrywart, I would have left you at home.”
Boy made several clicking noises before finally saying, “You wouldn’t have made it as far as the Forbidden Lands without me.”