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When the elevator opened on the ground floor, Albert tapped his earphone. “Yes?”
They stepped outside the elevator. Sylvia’s hands were cuffed behind her back. Lars held a blood-soaked washcloth to his face. Morgan kept a firm grip on Sylvia’s left elbow.
Albert looked at Morgan. “It’s Grayson.”
Morgan rolled her eyes.
“Mr. Grayson, we have her. Morgan will drive her to your headquarters and then Lars and I—”
“Stand down on the two men,” Grayson said.
“Why?”
“Get Sylvia here immediately. The man with Magnus is Dr. Carter. Do not engage. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” Albert looked confused.
“Do not engage. Get Sylvia to my office ASAP. Where is Team Two?”
“On the street outside the casino, looking for these two men.”
“Inform them to stand down and observe. Inform us whenever Magnus and Carter are spotted.”
“Roger that.”
Grayson ended the call.
“What does he want now?” Morgan asked.
“To bring her in,” Albert said.
“What about the others?”
“Nothing yet. Only for us not to engage them.”
“Shit,” Morgan said, pushing Sylvia to walk. “I guess a third of our bounty is better than nothing at all.”
“A third?” Lars asked. Fury burned in his eyes.
Albert shook his head. “Grayson never said that. Right now, he wants her. He’s never shorted us before.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Morgan said.
Albert motioned toward the right. “Let’s take her out the back, in case the two men enter through the front. I’ll notify Team Two to observe but stand down.”
“Grayson believes we should be that apprehensive of them?" Morgan asked.
“Maybe we should be asking Sylvia why,” Lars said, easing close to her.
Sylvia stepped uneasily away from him.
They walked through the casino, passed the barred cashier windows, and headed down a carpeted hallway. An exit sign at the end of the hall indicated the door entered into the parking garage.
“Lars,” Morgan said. “I’m warning you for the last time. Leave her alone.”
Albert glanced toward Sylvia. “Any reason why Grayson wouldn’t want us to approach your two friends?”
“Other than Magnus beating the crap out of you?” she replied.
Lars snorted an odd laughing sound. “I’d like to see him try.”
Sylvia grinned. “Maybe you’ll get to meet him soon. You’d be minus a face.”
Morgan smiled at her. “There’s always room for improvement.”
***
Grayson sat behind his desk. “Shelly, do you have anything else that we need to see from the Deimos archives?”
“Where the film pixelates, there are large areas that have been deliberately blacked out. With your permission, I can try to recover what was lost.”
“By all means,” he replied.
“That could take some time, preventing me from working on anything else.”
“With what Dr. Carter has brought back to Earth, I need to know everything that occurred on Deimos. It’s not only for our safety, but also for the entire population. We cannot underestimate Carter and his intentions.”
She nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll get right on it.”
***
Carter walked alongside Magnus in the alley.
“I really tried to kill the pawnshop owner?” Carter asked.
Magnus nodded.
“I really don’t remember doing that.”
“Sylvia and I have been worried about you for quite some time.”
“Why?” Carter asked.
“Your erratic behavior and memory lapse indicate much deeper problems for you. Maybe it’s due to the long space flight? Or it might be something worse.”
“But I feel fine.”
Magnus frowned. “You didn’t look fine. I cannot count the number of times since we met where your mind has drifted off. Neither of us could get your attention. It was like you completely zoned out or were in another world.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. You survived the virus on Deimos, Carter, but have you ever considered it might have altered something inside your brain chemistry?”
Carter’s eyes searched as he thought. “I’ve never thought about that, but you might be right.”
They stopped at the edge of the alley, near a dumpster. Magnus counted out the money and gave Carter his cut. Magnus kept the gym bag since he needed to be on the move. Otherwise, he would have stuffed his stacks of bills into his overalls pockets. Still not certain about Carter’s briefcase, he figured if Carter needed, he could always put his money inside it.
“I took a third of the money,” Magnus said. “The rest is for you and Sylvia to divide.”
“Are you sure you’ll have enough money?” Carter stuffed the stacks of money behind the waistband of his pants and stretched his shirt down to hide them as best he could. “After all, you’ve done so much to help us succeed.”
Magnus nodded. “Yep. What I need to do won’t require a lot of money. I hope that you know Sylvia is more than fond of you.”
“I know. We spent a lot of private time aboard the shuttle, as I’m certain you’re aware.”
“Carter, to her it’s more than sex. Her eyes reveal her love for you. Don’t you abandon and hurt her.”
Carter looked stunned.
“After seven months aboard the ship, I still get the feeling that your heart is elsewhere. You don’t hold the same affection for her as she does you. It’s more than evident in your actions when you’re with her.”
Magnus extended his hand to Carter.
Carter stared at Magnus for several moments before accepting it.
“Carter, I wish you the best of luck. Please look after Sylvia and give her my well wishes when you see her.”
“I will,” Carter replied.
Magnus smiled and gave a nod. “This is where we part ways, my friend.”
Magnus turned and headed to the edge of the street where he hailed a cab. One stopped. When he got inside, he didn’t bother to look back in Carter’s direction.
Carter felt alone and worried. He tightened his grip on the briefcase. Fear swept through his mind as he studied the passersby, wondering if any of them had been hired by Grayson to apprehend him. He would have felt safer if Magnus had stayed because Magnus was an intimidating person in appearance, but oddly more gentle than most pups unless provoked.
He noticed the hotel across the street where Sylvia was waiting. It was best that he hurried. There was great comfort in being with a close friend. At least, the alien had not tapped into his mind again. He hoped that since he was now on Earth he was outside her mental reach. But with the strange episode in the pawnshop that he couldn’t recall, he feared what she might do next.
***
Carter entered the front doors of the Lady Luck Casino and Hotel. He clung to the handle of the briefcase so tightly that his knuckles had whitened. Walking with all the money tucked at his waistline was awkward. Each step moved the money stacks and he feared one bundle might fall at any moment. No doubt such a mistake could cause a mad rush from others to grab his cash and draw unwanted attention toward him. He kept his movements sure and steady as he crossed the floor. When he approached the registration desk, a young blonde with too much makeup smiled at him.
“Can I help you in any way?” she asked.
“I’m here with Tory Jones. She should already be in our room.”
“What’s your name, sir?”
“Rick Davenport.”
The young lady typed information into the computer, beamed a smile, and slid a keycard toward him. “Yes, she’s in the Penthouse suite. Here’s the key.”
Stunned, Carter placed his hand atop the keycard and palmed it.
“Is there anything else we can do to make your stay more pleasant?” she asked.
Carter shook his head. “No. No, thanks.”
He turned and looked around until he saw a sign with an arrow pointing toward the elevators. He smiled. He never expected Sylvia to use the chip’s entire value to get a room. Magnus’ assessment of her feelings toward Carter was right. How had he missed the obvious? Unexpected surprises like this made his fondness toward her so much stronger. But not all unexpected surprises were worth receiving, as he would soon discover.