Stars Across Time Read Online Free Page B

underling.
    “This is not a highly populated area, my lord,” Russell said.
    My lord ? Maybe seventeenth-century terminology was coming back into vogue after all.
    “We did find some gasoline and other useful items.”
    “Of course it’s not populated, you goat’s ass,” Optimus said. “That’s why we chose it. But Brenner’s group had no trouble finding some women.” He stepped aside, gesturing grandly at the cowering figures hunkering against the wall in the shadows. Someone lifted a lantern, so their faces were visible.
    Theron clenched a fist. Women? They were scarcely more than girls. The youngest might have been twelve, and he doubted the oldest was more than sixteen or seventeen. They all wore green uniforms, the material torn and dirt-stained from what must have been a difficult journey to reach this cave. Theron couldn’t guess at the significance of the outfits, but he could tell right away that they did not have military experience, so it was nothing like that. His history-loving lieutenant, Gideon Davies, could have identified the garb. Not for the first time, Theron found himself missing his unit. If he’d had his men here, he could have done something more effective than clenching his fists. He could have taken out all of these criminals and returned the women to where they had come from. True, he wouldn’t find the market or have the opportunity to destroy the time machine if he acted here, but standing idly by grated at him like salt in a wound.
    He caught Andie with her fists clenched, too, her shoulders tight as she strained at the rope wrapping her wrists. Theron toyed with the idea of cutting her free and sticking a knife and a gun in her hand, then fighting alongside her. It wouldn’t be quite like going into battle with Johnson, Tackle, and Cougar at his side, but he would like seeing her fight again.
    “They’re real nice,” Russell said, his eyes gleaming as his gaze raked the teenagers. “All fertile breeders?”
    Theron pulled his attention back to the leader of the kidnappers, reminding himself that this wasn’t the time for fantasy. Besides, if he gave Andie a knife right now, she would try to stick it into his gullet. She had no way to know he was an ally, and he dared not tell her, lest she knock away his cover.
    “We’ll leave the marketplace to determine that,” Optimus said.
    The marketplace where , Theron longed to ask. According to the general, it was somewhere around the Puget Sea, but nobody in the military had been able to find it yet. It didn’t help that most of the units had been busy fighting outside invaders hungry for water and food the last three years. They hadn’t expected to have to put men and resources they didn’t have into dealing with criminals operating from within the Alliance.
    “We’ll split into two groups, to minimize our losses if we’re discovered,” Optimus said. “I’ll take the virgins. They’ll bring in gold by the bar—I’m sure of it. Russell, you’ll go ahead and take the others. If you come across any trouble, I expect a warning. But don’t get into trouble.” His eyes narrowed. “I don’t want to lose anyone. Even the older women are plenty young enough to bear a couple of babes at least.”
    Theron wondered if he would continue to be in Russell’s group. He hoped so; in part because none of those men had shown an inkling of recognizing him yet, and in part because he wanted to make sure Blackie and the others didn’t get their wish, to take advantage of the captives on the way to this market.
    “Market?” one of the older uniformed girls asked. “What do you mean? Where are you taking us?”
    Theron leaned forward, his attention sharpening. He didn’t expect Optimus to openly tell the girl, but maybe he would reveal more than he had thus far.
    But all Optimus said when he turned toward her, eyeing her with unabashed avarice, was, “Where women are needed.”
    “China?” Min-ji asked. She had managed to