Page 65 of Badass Alien Boss
“Of course I would come,” he said. “Do they know how you got exposed?”
“Not yet. If they can’t figure it out, I’ll have to go home. Dr. Kurur said I can’t risk another exposure.”
“Is it something you ate?”
She shrugged. “Two doctors insist it isn’t. Dr. Kurur says it’s a bioengineered alien antigen but asked a lot of questions about my eating habits. The attacks always occurred a few hours after I’d eaten.” She’d always thought a reaction to an allergen would happen quicker, but they were dealing with an alien microbot, so who knew? “I’d assumed I was allergic to something at the Starlight because I was fine until we went to Elyxis 4. However, Dr. Kurur seemed to think I was reexposed here. But we haven’t changed our habits. We eat at the same places all the time, mostly Mama Murta’s café.”
Korsan’s concerned expression turned to stone. “You eat at Mama Murta’s,” he deadpanned.
“It’s our favorite place. The food is great, and the café is close to the apartment.”
“Don’t go there anymore.”
“Her food is the last thing I would suspect of making me sick, but it may turn out I can’t eat anything on this planet, and I’ll have to go home.” She really, really hoped it didn’t come to that.
“Go home anyway—and under no circumstance should you eat at Mama Murta’s. Not you. Not Ruyn. Promise me you won’t go there anymore.”
She was stunned. “What? Why?”
“Just…just…stay away from that place.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned his back.
She grabbed his arm and spun him around. “You can’t say something outrageous like that and not give me an explanation.”
“I can’t.” Stricken eyes met her gaze. “None of this was supposed to happen—if I’d had any idea—I never would have—”
“You never would have what?”
“Go home, please. Take the first flight to Earth, and take Ruyn with you. I think you can convince him to go with you.”
He would, but that wasn’t the point. “What aren’t you telling me? I’m not going anywhere if you don’t explain yourself.” She crossed her arms.
“Both of you are in grave danger. I am so sorry for dragging you into this. So very, very sorry. I would undo everything if I could. But I can’t. Please, please leave while you still can.” He paused, looking devastated. “Before she kills you.”
“Who?” He couldn’t be referring to—incredulous, she dropped her jaw. “You don’t mean Mama Murta? She’s a harmless, sweet old lady.” Former defense minister, sure. Busybody, true. But still just a retired lady who owned a café.
“No,” he replied in a hoarse voice. “She’s anything but harmless. She’s…a captain in the Prellim Cartel.”
“What?” she gasped.
“Ms. Perine?” The nurse-tech appeared. “The tests are done. If you’ll follow me, the doctor wishes to speak to you both.”
Getting the test results was critically important, but so was this. Mama Murta a Prellim? It seemed incredible, but Korsan wouldn’t have said anything so shocking if it wasn’t true, would he? Why lie when you could easily be proven wrong?
What the hell did he get involved in?The revelation suggested he’d climbed into bed with the cartel. The notion made her ill. Having to tell Ruyn made her even sicker. He’d just come around to believing in his brother’s innocence. Working with the cartel was worse than anything they’d envisioned.
“Ms. Perine?” the nurse-tech said.
Dammit! “I’m coming,” she said, afraid Korsan would disappear. “If you care to know about Ruyn, you’ll stick around,” she said and followed the nurse-tech out of the comfort station.
* * * *
Ruyn and the doctor were waiting for her.
Her head spun from the bombshell. The ramifications extended far beyond the likelihood that Murta—she couldn’tthink of her as Mama anymore—had been poisoning them. APrellimhad been Luturna’s minister of defense!
No wonder the woman covered her head. It wasn’t to protect the food but to hide the identifying cranial nodules. Chaumi always wore a cap, too.
