Page 40 of Cops in Space
“What is an outhouse rat?”Zan demanded.
Uncle Saul’s lips twitched.
Jaxor emitted a deep growl.“Go away. No like.”
“Such a smart boy.”Patting his back, I headed for my room and to my disgust Zan was right on my heels.“Stop following me or I will have Gita web you to a wall.”
“You would not dare!”
“Wanna bet? Leave me the hell alone.”
Zan snapped,“Not until you answer all my questions.”
He was warned“Gita.”
Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat!
Zan struggled wildly against the webbing.“Release me. Now!”
“Nope.”I entered my room and locked the door behind me.
“Him crazy,”Gita said.
“Him is.”I sat Jaxor on the bed and stared at the six NASA jumpsuits hanging in my closet. I had swiped a bunch the last time I had borrowed a spacesuit. So far Uncle Saul hasn’t said anything about the thefts, but he might now. Since most of my clothes were on the space station Qa’a had acquired for us, I was out of options. I grabbed one off the hanger. It was betterthan running around in my underwear. I quickly pulled it on and stuffed my feet in old rubber work boots.
Jaxor chewed on the bedspread.
“No! Spit! That’s icky. We don’t eat icky.”
He spat it out and gave me a puzzled look.
“The only thing that goes in your mouth is food. Got it?”I quickly stuffed a bottle of milk into a side pocket.
“Kay.”
A mouse ran by the bed. I instinctively jumped back. “Sonovabitch!”
With a ferocious growl, Jaxor pounced on the mouse and stuffed it in his mouth.Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
I grimaced as blood ran down his chin. Ugh. Technically, it was food and his dad would be ecstatic that he was hunting. Me not so much. My baby was turning into a predator right before my eyes.
Jaxor gave me a bloody smile.“Me eat. Protect Momma.”
“Yes, you did. Good baby.”My right eye twitched when he rubbed his bloody mouth on the bedspread.“No, no! Don’t wipe your mouth on the bedspread.”
Jaxor leaned over and wiped his mouth on my left hip.“Kay.”
I expelled a long breath and linked with Kaelen.“Is there a book on how to train a baby Askole?”
“No. If you have a question, ask Xyler.”
Pressing my fingers against my wildly twitching eye, I replied,“I was hoping to learn how a female Askole raises her children.”
“The fathers do most of the training,”Kaelen said.
Damn.“Okey-dokey. Find any Oath Defenders yet?”
“We found their Blackhawks and pilots. They have been disabled.”
