Crimson, CH35 (Patreon)

This section of the ship didn’t look different from any other. The floors were clean—courtesy of Will, Alex was certain—the walls were gray, but the terminal at the intersection didn’t work. That, as far as Alex could tell, was the only signal post that he was entering Anders’s territory.

When he’d asked the system for Anders, he’d gotten it, but he’d also been informed that he had a block of twenty rooms assigned to him. As far as Alex knew, no one else had more than one room. And only a few were quarters, at least by their size. Most were large enough to hold meetings, or parties. Milo had mentioned something about that, hadn’t he?

It felt to Alex like there was enough space they could keep to themselves, but he hadn’t noticed any aloofness from Anders’s gang. Even Anders was cordial enough with everyone, except Alex.

He’d come here within minutes of getting the idea. He knew that if he’d waited, he would have lost his nerves, and it might have taken him days to work them back up. He’d looked at himself, just to make sure he no longer looked like a passenger, and got moving.

He hadn’t told anyone, which he knew was a bad idea. If Anders decided he didn’t like Alex’s offer, there was no telling what he’d do. But his friends would have talked him out of it. He was nervous about it already, and it wouldn’t have taken much to convince him not to come.

Alex hesitated at the door. Other than the terminal, there were no signs on the door. It wasn’t even locked. Anders had been here so long, everyone had to know what was his by now. He pulled out his datapad and checked again that he was there. He was, along with a dozen of his people. The list of names was on the side, but he didn’t pay attention to them.

He put the datapad away, calmed his nerves, and entered.

Sounds of conversation and laughter told him where they all were, and Alex stopped only when he was in that doorway. The room was large with a conference table pushed against a wall, bottles covering it. Chairs were spread around the room with people slouching on them, glasses in hand, listening to Anders who was seated on the edge of the table.

He was the first one to notice him, and stopped in the middle of what he was saying, a stunned expression on his face. Slowly the others turned and eyed Alex as the room fell silent.

“You’ve got balls,” Anders said when he found his voice. “I’ve got to give you that.” He was wearing a black shirt with silver threads at the cuffs and collar, and he had a golden chain over it Alex had never noticed before.

Having everyone look at him made Alex want to turn and run. Most had bored expressions, but a few looked at him in anticipation. One, a slim man with ashen skin, looked at him hungrily.

He took a step forward and did what he could to keep his hands from shaking. This wasn’t bravery, he told himself. This was a necessity. This was for Jack, so he’d be able to reach him.

He had to walk around some of the chairs, and the eyes followed him as he crossed the room to stand before Anders.

“I want to work for you.”

“You what?” He clearly hadn’t expected that.

“I want to be part of this—” Alex gestured to encompass everyone in the room. “—group.”

“My team?” Anders’s tone still held disbelief in it.

Alex nodded, and after a moment, Anders laughed.

Alex didn’t react. He knew his offer had to sound ludicrous.

“You want to join my team?” He chuckled again, then shook his head. “You know I hate your guts, right?”

“You’ve made that quite clear. I’m hoping my offer is going to fix that.”

“Why should I trust you? I let you in, next thing I know you have a knife in my back.”

Alex snorted. “Like I’m anywhere near that good. And the instant I do that, one of them slices my throat open.” He took a moment to pick his next words, and was surprised that Anders let him.

“Anders, I don’t give a damn about who’s in charge here. I told you more than once, I don’t want the job. Even if I wanted it, I’m not staying.”

“That isn’t what everyone else is saying,” the man replied.

“What am I supposed to do about that? Damn it, Anders, everyone who knows me knows I’m leaving the moment we reach Samalia. Maybe if you—” He shut up. This wasn’t about telling off Anders. “As far as I can tell, the problem is that they think I don’t respect your authority.”

Anders nodded slowly, eyes narrowing.

“Then doesn’t this fix that? I’m here of my own free will. No one’s holding a gun to my head to swear loyalty to you. Fuck, after what you pulled at the bar, I have plenty of reasons to want to kick your balls in.”

Anders growled and Alex took a step back, raising his hands.

“Sorry, bad choice of words, but the point remains, everyone knows I don’t like you either. So, me being here should say something.”

The man relaxed a little. “How do I know you’re serious?”

“Anders, come on. I’m here, alone. I’m not even armed. What else do I need to do to prove I’m serious about this?”

Anders became thoughtful, then a smile creased his lips.

“I’m not sleeping with you,” Alex stated.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got nothing to gain with that this time.”

“So, the offer at the party? What would you have done if I’d gone with you?”

“I’d have taken you. I’d have done what I had to do to get you under my control.” He looked Alex over. “I don’t know. I’m still not convinced you’re serious about this.”

Someone cleared his throat.

“I’m also not sleeping with any of them.” Alex was certain the hungry one had been who made the sound.

Anders waved that aside.

“And,” Alex continued, “I have conditions.”

Anders looked at him. “You’re kidding, right? You think this is a negotiation?”

Alex ignored the words. “One, I don’t do anything that might go against the captain.”

“Do I look stupid to you?” Anders growled.

Alex definitely didn’t answer that.

“Two, I still have work to do with the computer; that has to take precedence.”

Anders threw his hands in the air. “Fine, what else? Maybe you expect me to serve you breakfast in bed? Wash your clothes? Polish your boots while you’re at it?”

Alex rolled his eyes.

“So, anything else? You seem to be pretty comfortable dictating to me how things are going to be.”

“Yes, one more. You don’t bring my friends into this. I know you have issues with Will, and that you don’t like Ana and Jen. You’re not going to use me to make their lives miserable.”

“All done?”

Alex nodded.

“I’ll admit that you’re bringing a skill my team is lacking at the moment. I can certainly use someone who knows his way around the ship’s computer.” He made a show of thinking, tapping his lips, tilting his head to the side as he studied Alex. “But I have certain standards, and you’re not meeting them.”

Alex opened his mouth, but a glare from Anders shut it.

“If you want to be part of my team, we’re going to have to do something about those flabby muscles of yours, and make sure you know how to fight, so I’m going to assign—”

“No.”

Anders raised an eyebrow. “Have you already forgotten the part where I said that you have to do what I say?”

“So, I look stupid, Anders?”

The man smiled. “Well, I don’t know. You’re here, alone, unarmed, with no way out. You’re trying to dictate how this arrangement is supposed to go. I’ve got to say it doesn’t speak highly of your planning skills.”

Alex fought the urge to look over his shoulder. He hadn’t heard anything, but he was certain there’d be someone blocking the door.

“If I let one of your people train me, how do I know you’re not going to arrange a training accident? You don’t like me, and you’ve already tried. I’m here in good faith, but I doubt I can expect much of it from you. Ana’s already teaching me how to fight.”

Anders thought it over. He didn’t seem impressed, but what he said was, “Okay, she’s competent enough. Who’s teaching you to shoot?”

“Jennifer.”

“Knife work? I know it isn’t Ana; she doesn’t like knives.”

“Louis Smith is teaching me that.”

“Smith?” Anders scoffed.

People snorted.

“That guy couldn’t cut himself out of his clothes.” He looked around the room. “Zeph, you teach him, and make sure he doesn’t get hurt—too much.”

Alex looked over his shoulder to see the golden-skinned man leaning against the wall, beside the entrance. Alex thought about protesting, but he felt he’d already pushed back as hard as he could if he wanted any chance of surviving this.

“Okay, fine. He trains me, and other than the limits I’ve laid out, I do what you say.”

“Put him to the test,” a woman said. “Get him to take off his clothes.”

“Yeah,” a man leered. “I want to see that pretty ass of his.”

Alex clenched his fist to keep himself from turning and punching the guy. But this forced him to ask himself how far he’d be willing to go. He wasn’t going to play childish games, that was for sure. He fixed his gaze on Anders, jaw tight.

“Shut up, Groff, Vic. This isn’t a school playground. Our new friend is going to make it, or not, on his own merits, not because you two want to humiliate him.”

He got off the table. “Everyone up and about. I think we’re going to start Crimson’s tenure with a run. After all, staying in shape is important for us.”

“A run?” Alex asked, surprised.

Others groaned.

“You think all we do is sit here and tell stories? We’re an assault force. We need to stay in shape and right now, that means a run.”

Alex didn’t reply, but that was pretty much what he’d thought. Talking and drinking. At least running was something he could do now. Will had seen to that.