Pandora's Chase

Chapter Forty-Three

"Disgusting. I hate that guy," Sika said as Tommy handled the three drinks he'd ordered and shuffled his way into the back room.

"You did good. Thanks for not taking his head off just yet," Lendar replied earnestly.

"So if we're here after the crash, that means Chase is with Paira," she said.

"And Paira's back with her crew." Lendar looked at Sika. "You know what that means?"

She pursed her lips and huffed, "Plan B."

"Plan B," he said, sliding a glass of whiskey down his throat. Just saying Plan B, he realized his original plan required far more involvement than necessary. He needed the disk and spheres and wanted Chase. Having that too early could be catastrophic, too late would defeat his purpose. He needed to walk a fine line. A fine line that happened to run parallel with IPAC agents. The very thing he needed to avoid. "With some slight modifications."

"I'm not so sure about that," she said, quickly growing weary.

"Relax. You'll like it." He smiled. "Go back to Night's Page. Take the boys and the ship off planet." He raised a finger, shutting down an anticipated rebuttal. "Do not stay here." He glared into her eyes. "Make sure you take them somewhere safe to get a good relaxing couple of days, and then head to Arboria. I need you guys there as a failsafe. I can't risk anymore chasing around."

"You sure you want me to fly Nazarus?" Sika asked.

"Yup, you can handle it. Besides, you've earned it," he said.

"And what about you?" she asked.

"Me?" He grinned. "I'm going with them." He pointed at Braider, Tommy, and Scrat sitting together talking. "It's the best way to get to Chase. Too much time's been wasted already. Besides, I hear rogue undercover IPAC agents need a good babysitter now and then." He winked at her.

"What? They're here?" she shook her head and pulled on his arm, "No way, this is crazy. You can't go with them!"

"Sure I can. I have to. If I don't go with them, they'll get Chase first. You know I can't have that."

"There has to be another way," she pleaded.

"They've joined the team looking for the box. If he finds it, I lose the disk forever, we can't get back home, and this whole thing is a bust."

"Then let's just go get it. We know where it is," she said.

"You know why we can't do that. Beside this is good that we missed Chase and he was arrested. Things have to play out with us making as little an impact as possible. Taking him now would have undermined that part of the plan. We need to make sure I get the disk and a sphere. That's all and this is how we do it."

"It's risky," she stated, crossing her arms and looking away.

"No worse than the prison, I can tell you," Lendar said, embracing her and kissing her cheek.

She seemed to struggle with her thoughts, trying to come up with a better way. But in the end, Lendar always came up with the better plan, so she conceded.

"All right, we'll go. Promise you'll come back to me?"

"I promise." He kissed her again and donned his dark knit hat as he stood up. He pointed to the front door. "There's the guy Braider would have hired, remember him?"

"Ugh," she puffed, "yes, I do."

The man was tall and lean but didn't keep himself very well. He had the look of a hard working mercenary kind but no more or less military than most of the other people that frequented the Spot and Drain looking for work.

"I need you to distract him for about five minutes while I go take his spot. Can you do that?"

"You owe me big time," she said.

"Just buy him a drink or something then slip out when you go to the bathroom." Lendar winked at her and she returned a smart look before he headed over to Braider's crew.