New Earth (Junkyard Dog Series, #8)

TWO

"Wow, iced! Look at that! Yani, I want to ride on that!" Lexa tugged at Yani's hand.

Yani turned her head and cast a worried look at Rita over her shoulder. "What is that?" she hissed.

"It's called a roller-coaster. They were a very popular thrill ride on Old Earth."

Yani pulled Lexa to a halt and stared at the small train of open cars careening around sharp corners over their heads. Screams filled the air as the train swooped down a sharp incline, jerked to the right, and swooped again.

Yani swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. "I-I don't think I can ride that with you, Lexa," she said weakly. "That looks far too scary for me."

The five of them, Darwin in his favorite spot draped over Rita's shoulders, stood watching as the train clacked slowly up a steep incline, then let loose on the downside. Screams of glee and terror rang out over the park.

Yani grabbed her stomach. "Nope. Definitely can't go on that ride. How about that big wheel thingy over there. I could do that. What is that ride called, Rita?"

Rita craned her neck to look up at the top of the lighted giant wheel with its swinging seats. "It's called a Ferris wheel. That one must be at least two hundred meters tall. You'll get one heck of a view from up there, Yani. You'll be able to see the entire park I imagine."

"Healer, will you ride the roller coaster with me?" Lexa begged. She dropped Yani's hand and tried to pull the healer forward. His eyes twinkled at Rita.

"I'd love to," he said. "I have to admit that I'm curious as to how the sudden turns and drops affect a body. Seems the best way to find out is to try it myself. Unfortunately I have to decline."

Rita dug into her waistpak, pulled out a handful of credits, and set them in the healer's free hand. "Consider it an advance on your salary as ship's medic," she said before he could protest. "We don't expect you to work for nothing."

Healer opened his mouth to refuse, then closed his hand over the credits. It galled him to be flat broke, and he hated the thought of accepting Rita's charity, but she had given him an honorable out and he felt grateful for her generosity.

"Thank you," he said instead. He grabbed Lexa's hand. "Let's go, my little brave one, and see what the roller coaster is all about."

"Meet us at the Central Food Court in two hours. We'll regroup and decide what to do next while we eat." Rita waved off Healer and Lexa before turning to Yani with a wide smile. "I didn't think Lexa would let you off so easily. I've ridden a roller coaster-once, and once only. I swore never to get on one again."

Yani shuddered delicately. "I don't see the attraction. I felt ill just watching it."

The two women watched as Healer and Lexa climbed into the front car. Lexa had a wide grin on her round blue face and was talking excitedly to Healer. The remaining train cars filled with a variety of riders looking for a thrill-Golongols, Greffids and Puffskins took their places and the train began to slowly clack its way up the first incline.

Yani clutched Rita's arm as the train dove and rounded the first corner with Lexa screaming at the top of her lungs. Healer's head whipped back and forth and his black hair whipped around his face. "I can't watch," she said. "What if the train jumps off the track? They'll be killed."

"I think that's where part of the thrill comes in, Yani." Rita patted her hand, felt someone bump into them.

"Excuse me, ma'ams," said a small voice.

Rita looked down on a young boy, his hands jammed into his pockets. He wore a too small, ragged and filthy, skin shirt with patched baggy pants that showed bony ankles. His face was dark with grime and his long blonde hair so greasy it looked brown. He smelled like a broken recycler. "Don't worry about-," she broke off. "Wait a minute. Take your hands out of your pockets."

Fear leaped into the boy's dark brown eyes and Rita knew that she had guessed right. She grabbed his shoulder before he could run and held firm. Squatting in front of him she kept hold of him with one hand, held out her free hand and wiggled her fingers.

"Give it back."

The boy lowered his eyes and scuffed his bare feet in the dirt. "Didn't do nothing."

"Oh, I think you did. Should I check your pockets myself? I bet I'll find more than what you just took from us."

The boy tried to jerk away but Rita had anticipated him and held tight. She had experience with street thieves and knew how they worked. This one would be part of a gang, probably orphaned. She felt pity for the boy, knew his life wasn't easy, but she wouldn't be doing him any favors if she ignored the theft.

"You're going nowhere, kid. Give back what you took from my friend."

The boy pursed his lips. His eyes darted to the sides before landing on Rita again. "Didn't do nothing," he said again.

Rita sighed. She had to give the kid credit for trying to bluff her. "Don't make me call the authorities on you. Give my friend back her knife."

"What?" Yani slapped her hand onto the empty sheath on her thigh. "He stole my knife. How did he do that? How did you do that?" she asked the boy. "I never felt a thing."

"I have fast hands," he answered proudly, apparently deciding that further denying the theft would do no good. "The fastest hands in the gang," he bragged. He pulled Yani's black ebony knife from a pocket in his pants but didn't hand it back to her.

Rita read the calculation in the young thief's eyes. "Don't even think about it," she said sternly. "I'm Red Baron. If you hurt either of us I'll be forced to hunt you to the ends of the galaxy and charge you with attempted murder. That's a heck of a lot more serious than being charged with theft."

All the color drained from the boy's face. "Red Baron. I'm in it now," he muttered. "Sting's gonna whoop me good."

The grime on his face stood out even more against his now deathly white skin. He squirmed and tried to break Rita's grip but he was no match for her.

"Please," Rita said. "Don't insult me. I have you and you aren't going anywhere until I decide you can. Now give my friend back her knife and apologize to her for taking what doesn't belong to you."

The boy didn't hesitate this time. He handed Yani her knife. "Why do I gotta apologize? She shoulda protected it better."

The kid had a point. Rita bit back a smile. There was something about the young thief that she found appealing. "Apologize and you can come with us to the Food Court. I'll buy you a meal. Anything you want."

The look of scorn and disbelief the thief sent her way pierced her heart. Obviously no one had given this kid anything in a long, long time, if ever. She heaved a sigh.

"I'm not giving you a choice, kid. Tell Yani you're sorry and then I'm taking you to the Food Court. We're hungry and you might as well join us. Plus I'll be able to keep an eye on you."

The boy scuffed a bare toe in the dirt. "I'm sorry I got caught stealing your knife," he grumbled.

Rita rolled her eyes but figured that was the best she was going to get. "Yeah, I bet you are. What's your name, kid?"

"My name's Troy, but everyone calls me Ace cuz I'm the best."

Rita stared at the boy. "Hmmm. I think we'll call you Troy," she said. "And if you steal anything while you're with me I'll have to place you under arrest. Understand?"

"Yeah, yeah. What's that thing on your shoulders?" He and Darwin stared at one another. Darwin flicked his long tail over Rita's cheek. The barb remained hidden inside his short, curly tail-a sure sign that he didn't consider Troy to be dangerous.

Rita stood and released her hold on Troy's shirt. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes shadowed with dark, bruised circles. His shoulder had felt as delicate as a bird's wing beneath her hand. She'd like to get him cleaned up and buy him some clothes that fit, but she figured he needed food more than anything else at the moment.

"Don't run. I'd prefer not to lead you around like a prisoner but I will if you think you can get away from me. News flash-I'm faster than you because my legs are almost three times as long as yours. So don't run."

She saw the calculation in Troy's eyes and the moment when he decided a free meal was the better deal. She held no illusions about the young thief; he would try to escape as soon as he filled his belly. That was all right with Rita. She had no plans to press charges against him.

They began to make their way toward the Food Court on the far side of the park. "This is Darwin," she said, answering Troy's earlier question. "He's a shadow-creature. So tell me, Troy, how long have you been part of the gang?"

Troy shrugged his shoulders. "A while. My folks died and the ship left...