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�He can protect you from yourself--something I can no longer do,� Hawk said gently. �I don�t want to worry about you while I�m gone.�
�I won�t,� Whitney snapped.
Brent groaned and sat forward. �Have you ever heard of Altora Two?�
Whitney glared at Brent with some confusion. �Of course, I have. It�s a space station for future criminals.�
�Either you remain here with me, or your booked on the next flight there,� Brent said simply and sat back. �I have connections. The reservations have already been made.�
Whitney�s mouth fell open. She stared at him helplessly. �You can�t do that!�
�Oh, I can. I�ve done it before,� Brent remarked. �With your reputation, it�ll be quite simple to do.� He stared at her a long moment. �So--you can either stay here and live with some restrictions, or you can join some of your convict friends on Altora Two.�
Whitney glared at him through narrow eyes. �I suppose I don�t have much choice, do I?�
Hawk appeared to relax. Brent stood and moved to the front of the desk. He sat on the edge and studied her.
�Wise decision. We�ll discuss the rules while staying in my home,� he began.
Whitney sneered and looked away from her father and Brent.
�There will be a midnight curfew. No sneaking out of the house after midnight, and you will not be permitted to leave before six in the morning. If you do sneak out, your bedroom door will be locked. Break the locks, and you�ll become my permanent room mate,� Brent informed her. �If there�s any trouble involving you and your rebel friends, it�s off to Altora.�
�Fine,� Whitney snapped then glared at her father. �May I leave now?�
�I�ll take you home so you can pack your things,� Hawk said timidly.
She glared at him. �Why tonight? When are you leaving?�
�As soon as you�re settled in, I�ll be flying out,� Hawk replied. �Timing is essential.�
Whitney snorted softly. �He�s really in a hurry to get you killed, isn�t he?�
Brent stood from behind the desk. �Your father�s not being forced to go on this assignment. And just for the record, I�m apposed to his taking it. I�m not the enemy, Whitney,� he remarked lowly. �I would think you�d have used up most of that hostility on the aliens.�
Whitney�s eyes burned through him. �This is nothing. I�m just warming up.�
�If this is warming up, I�d hate to see you cold--� Brent retorted.
Whitney and Brent glared at one another.
Hawk smiled timidly and placed a hand on Whitney�s shoulder. �I�m glad to see the two of you are communicating. It�s a start.�
Whitney jogged across the street to a small corner diner and entered. She paused inside the doorway and looked around. Nadine, Frazer, and Denny were sitting in a corner booth. She approached them and sat beside Frazer.
Nadine�s smile mocked her. �So--how did you make out at the ball last night? Did you hob knob with the big wigs?�
Whitney rolled her eyes. �I�d rather have had my fingernails torn off one by one.� She frowned. �I�m stuck at Valdemar�s while my father risks his life on some stupid cargo run.�
�I don�t like that arrangement,� Frazer informed her with a look of concern. �How did all this happen?�
�Vadlemar threatened to have me shipped to Altora Two. I had to agree,� she explained. �Just because I�ve agreed to the deal, that doesn�t mean I intend to keep my promise.�
�Crossing Valdemar may not be very wise,� Frazer said. �I don�t trust that guy.�
�Neither do I,� Whitney replied. �But I�ll hold out a couple of days--see what happens. If I don�t like the situation, I�ll have to hide out somewhere. That won�t be very easy to do either. Valdemar has some pretty influential friends.�
�We can�t afford to have you back out on us now, Whitney,� Denny said and as he leaned across the table. �The rebellion is almost here. We need to clear some ground if we want the takeover to be swift and with few causalities.�
�We�re going to meet the rebel leaders tomorrow night,� Nadine gently informed Whitney. �If you can�t meet us by eight, you�ll miss out. They�re still pretty far away but their scout is checking the area.�
Denny leaned across the table and smiled brightly. �We get to meet an actual rebel leader. You have to be there.� A devious smile crossed his face. �I�d love to get my hands on some of their toys.�
Nadine shook her head and smiled. �Are explosives and grenade launchers all you ever think about?�
Denny looked at her and shrugged. �Sometimes I think about naked women--holding grenade launchers.� He sank into a lustful thought. �Hmm--what a sight.�
They ignored Denny.
Whitney was excited about the meeting. �I�ll be there tomorrow night.� She sat back in her chair and smiled. �I can�t believe we�re actually this close.� She frowned. �Damn, why did I have to miss that meeting.� She looked at Nadine. �What time will we be back?�
�We should be back no later than eleven,� Nadine informed her.
�That should give me plenty of time to be in before my midnight curfew,� Whitney remarked while rolling her eyes. She then smiled. �I wouldn�t miss this opportunity for anything.�
Alien guards entered the diner. All four fell silent. Denny stared over his coffee mug. Nadine placed her hand on Denny�s lower arm and squeezed gently. He didn�t move. The aliens passed their table and eyed them suspiciously. Denny looked behind him and watched them take seats in the back.
Denny sneered with a look of disgust. �Fuckin� aliens smell bad.�
Whitney shifted uncomfortably. �Do you notice they�re always showing up wherever we go?�
�That�s just paranoia,� Nadine informed her. �They�re just naturally suspicious of everyone.�
�They�d gotten to Parson,� Frazer said lowly. �There�s no telling what they already know.�
�Parson--� Denny growled. �If he wasn�t dead already, I�d kill him.�
