Bounty Hunter...plus Chapter 4

"Can we get some of those." Colin pointed at some purplish fruit that a vender had. "I like the taste."
"If we have enough left over." Cassie said as she looked over the list in her hand. She looked around. "Do you see Papa Holmes...I mean, Gabe?" It still made her think about her uncle and mentor's name changes.
Colin climbed up on her head and searched. "Not yet." His attention turned back to the fruit vender.
"How much are those?" He pointed to the fruit again.
"Five for a credit." Came the answer.
Cassie smiled as she handed a credit to the vender. "Don't get me too messy." She said as Colin took one out of her hand.
"Mhm." Colin mumbled as he ate. (Papa is coming.)
"Okay, got everything you need?" Said Gabe as he came up behind her.
"Got it. The part for that communicator was what the headmaster of the school wanted. He gave the full price plus extra for the work.
"Good. Now you go and relieve Dorion and I'll see you later. I have the part for that motor sled of Mr. Kashi's."
"Okay." She turned and started walking away, but hesitated and turned back to look around.
"What's wrong?" Gave asked, as he followed her gaze.
Cassie shook her head. "Nothing, I thought...nothing." She brightened. "I'll see you later." She headed for the shop.

"That was too close." Korad said as he peeked around the corner.
Tobias grinned. "Well, what do you know?" He took out his communicator. He had been in a bad mood since coming to IO. His investigator had told him the girl might have returned to her home. but now, he knew the man would be pleased with what Korad and he had found.
"What is it?" Came the voice. "Did you find her?"
"Yes." Answered Tobias. "And a bonus. Gabe Sterner."
"Sterner?! So he did survive."
"And he's with the girl."
"Well, well, well. What a situation. Do you see your rival?"
"No. But if Sterner is here, he might not be to far." Tobias glanced around. "Getting them will not be easy. Joseph and Gabe together are a formidable team."
"I have a plan forming. I'll call you back." The communicator went silent.
Tobias smiled again. He ignored Korad's stare.
"It's payback time." Tobias whispered.

Joseph landed at the space port on Titan. Kudro had not been happy about the lost bounty on Cassie, but had soon found another that paid for some of the loss. He had found one that paid over a thousand.
The bounties; two men; had been robbing customers of certain transport companies. Joseph had found both and taken them to the moon base in one day. Kudro had been at a little happier.
Now Joseph was on the trail of another that Kudro had found; this one on Titan. The bounty was on a man who posed as a travel agent, taking credits for ship reservations that never existed. He had run to Titan, thinking he could escape.
Joseph was ready to disembark when the communicator beeped.
"I'm on Titan now, Kudro." He said into it.
"I know. Just wanted to know if maybe we missed something on IO."
"Not that I know of. Why?" Joseph had kept Gabe's secret.
"Because, I just got word from some one that Tobias is on IO."
Joseph tensed. "Tobias? On IO?"
"That's what I said. So? Was there some one or thing on IO that we missed?"
"I'll call you back." Joseph quickly cut off the communicator and started the ship again. He took off.

Cassie put the componet on the shelf and reached back down. "Okay, hand up the other piece." She said, not looking down.
"Shouldn't I be the one on the ladder?" Said Dorion. The young man was six inches taller than Cassie. His red hair was desheveled and his hazel eyes seemed to shine as he looked up at her. Dorion carefully handed up the component.
"I'm fine." Cassie laughed a little. She looked up at Colin, who gazed down from the top of the shelf.
"We didn't think you would be back, yet." Dorion said as he watched her climb down. "What did you see? Did you meet any one interesting?"
Cassie paused for a moment. "You could say that." She mumbled. Louder. "Did you have fun working by yourself?"
"Not really. Holmes didn't let me do much except inventory. I still don't think he trust me with anything else, yet."
"Give him time." She said as she headed for the back rooms. She looked around the now redone middle room.

A few days after Cassie and Colin had returned, Cassie and Dorion were in the front, talking about orders. Colin was on top of the shelves, calling down component names, with Dorion writing them down.
A man in a delivery uniform walked in. "Is S. Holmes in?"
Gabe came out. "Bring it around back, will you?"
The man noded and walked back out.
Bewildered, Cassie and Dorion had watched the exchange.
Cassie started to speak, but Gabe said. "Stay in front until I call you."
Cassie barely moved as Colin reached her. [You can read Papa's mind. What's happening?] She asked.
[He told me not to tell.] Colin sent. With that, he went back to the shelves to identify items.
"What did he say?" Asked Dorion. He knew of Cassie's and Colin's connection.
"He was told not to tell." Cassie said as she turned to a customer that walked in.
The three would sometimes glance to the back, as noises came from there. One time Cassie headed back, when Gabe's voice sounded. "Stay in front, please."
They waited on the customers that walking in most of the day. When the noises stopped, they waited anxiously.
Gabe stuck his head out. "Cassie, would you come here, please?"
Cassie headed back and stopped as she caught a sight.
In the corner was a small stove and a shelf with cooking utensils. To one side, sat a slighty larger table with four chairs; on it was an assortment of dishes and glasses.
"I figured that you need a proper place to serve those delicious meals."
"Why?"
Gabe shrugged. "It's getting to expensive to buy my meals, so I need you to teach me as well. And..." He pointed to the stove.
Cassie opended the door and found a new handheld computer inside.
"Though maybe you can help with the orders and inventory as well."
Cassie turned and hugged the older man. "Thank you, Papa."
"Wow." Exclaimed Dorion from the doorway.
"Don't you have work to do?" Gabe said.
Dorion quickly left.

Cassie walked past the middle room and headed to the store room. She looked over some of the items to be put away. She was silent as Colin climbed on the tables.
"Cassie, why are you still worried? He whispered His small body was trembling.
Cassie reached over and picked him up.
"I'm sorry, Colin. I don't mean to make you worry."
"Do you really think that you might have seen those awful people?"
Cassie looked around. "I don't really know. There were so many people at the market place, I...I couldn't be sure."
"We're home. We're safe." Colin quipped.
Cassie chuckled. "Yes, we're home."
"And safe." He said again.
"Yes safe." She said, trying to project a feeling of security; but in the back of her mind, she still felt a little uneasy. Though it was only a glimpse, she thought she had seen Tobias. Angry, she shivered as she remembered when Korad had her. His laughter had been...
Colin came up and touched her nose with his. [We're safe.] He sent.
Cassie calmed, feeling the confidence in his send. She looked at the time. [Let's get ready for Papa.]
[Which recipe are you going to try?]
[The one I learned on Rishan.]
"Okay!" Colin yelped. "I like that one."
Cassie laughed as she reached the pantry and go the one pan on the shelf.
Sometime later, Gabe walked in and sat down at the tabele. He started going over a list on his handheld computer. He stopped only to sniff the air once and returned to the list.
Colin clinging to her shoulders, Cassie came downstairs.
"More orders?" She asked as Colin climbed down and went to him.
"Yeah. Officer Creds needs a modulator for one of the vehicles they have and one of the new pilots wanted some parts for his ship." He moved the hand held around so Colin could see.
"Well, everyone knows who to trust." Cassie said as she moved around. "Do you want me to order the parts we don't have, later?"
Appreaciation in his eyes, Gabe looked up at her. "It's good to have you back, even if it's for a little while, child."
Cassie stopped and gave him a look. "Maybe I got the wandering out of my system.'
Gabe smiled tendery. "You're young. It will hit again."
Cassie tilted her head at him. "How would you know, Papa Holmes?"
"Child, I was young, too." He went back to the list.
Cassie watched as he and Colin discussed which items needed to be ordered. he feelings for the man who had raised her were strong and Colin showed it. She returned to what she was doing as Dorion came in with an order.
He smiled at Cassie as he went back to the front, to head home for the day.
Gabe turned to Cassie as she sorted through the dishes.
"Cassie, we need to talk."
"About what?" She didn't stop what she was doing.
"Well, its about Dorion."
Cassie glanced at him. "What about him?"
Gabe moved to the doorway to look out, then sat back down.
"He's been asking a lot of questions about you. Wanting to know if you're back to stay? If you're going to leave again; when? That kind of stuff."
"And?"
"Oh, come on, child. Can't you see that the boy is infatuated with you?"
Cassie blushed. "He's just a friend." She insisted.
Gabe sighed. "You know, Dorion comes from a stable family. He's a hard worker and he has an opportunity to go higher up in things, with his schooling."
Cassi sat down and stared at him.
"Please, don't bring that up, Papa. We already talked about it before I left. I don't want to have any kind of relationship, yet."
Gabe shook his head. "Doesn't hurt for me to try." He said smiling.
Cassie giggled as she got up to finish the work she started.
Colin climbed up on the table.
"She loves you and me, but she only likes Dorion." His small voice said. "I know you love her."
"You know a lot of things, Colin." Gabe nodded. "She and you are the children I never had. I guess I just want her to have the best."
"She's safe. Now that we're home."
Gave smiled as he picked him up.
"And I'm glad you're home." Gabe got to his feet. "Let's get to work and close this place, okay?"
"Okay." Colin climbed up on his shoulders as Gabe walked to the front.

Cassie checked the doors and alarm systems, before she headed for the back; turning off the lights on her way.
"Everything locked?" Gabe said as she deposited paper work at his desk in the small back room.
"Everything. There are two orders for tomarrow and six for the next day."
Gabe took her handheld and looked it over. "Okay. Did you get the one that came in late today?"
"Yep." She took the handheld back. "Papa, I'm going out for a while, okay?"
"Other side of the spaceport?"
Cassie had found a spot near the space port where there was hardly any light and she could see the stars through the shielding.
"Yeah. Colin is asleep, so you don't have to worry to much about him."
"Okay, but try to be home before the 'sun' comes up." Gabe said, jokingly.
"I don't stay out that late." Cassie insisted.
Gabe laughed. "Just don't forget your key and communicator."
"Already got them. See you later."
Gabe retuned to the paper work. He pause briefly as he heard the door open and close. He reached over and set the alarms for the back. He knew Cassie had her key.

Cassie sat and watched as a ship landed, then returned to looking at the stars. She tensed for a moment when she heard a movement behind her. When she heard a soft grunt following a thud, she smiled and called out.
"HI, Dorion."
"How did you know it was me?"
"I recongnized your fall." She laughed softly as she turned to him.
Embarrassed, Dorion laughed with her. He carefully made hs way to sit next to her. "Did the large transport ship land yet?"
"Nope, not yet." She turned back to watch. "Hmm."
"What?"
"That one looks familiar." She pointed to a small one that came slowly down.
"Who do you think it is?"
Cassie shook her head. "Don't know. It just looked familiar."
They sat watching the transports and other ships land and take off for a while.
"Uh, Cassie, do you think you're going to leave again?"
"Maybe, but not yet." She stared at the stars. "Dorion, before you say anything, you're good with the shop and are studing hard for that academy." She turned to him and smiled. "Look to those things first, before you think of anything else, okay?"
Blushing, Dorion looked away. "I just thought...'
"Maybe you think to much instead of doing." Came a voice behind them.
Cassie leaped to her feet, ready to fight. Dorion clumsily followed suit.
Tobias laughed. "You really think you can fight me?"
Cassie started to shake with anger.
"What are you doing here? There's no bounty."
Tobias took a stp foward. "There's more to this that the bounty. Korad!"
"Dorion, stay back." Cassie said as the other came from the side toward them.
"But..."
"Kid, stay out of this and you won't be hurt." Korad said as he approache.
Dorion stepped up. "I won't let you hurt her."
Tobias came forward and put an ungloved hand on Dorion's chest. He smiled as Dorion screamed when an electrical crackle sounded.
Dorion was thrown backward.
"Dorion!" Cassie shouted as he limply hit the ground. She gave a yell as she leaped and swung at Korad.
Korad dodge the blow and brought his fist up.
Cassie twisted out of the way as her elbow connedcted with his arm.
"Why you...' Korad swung again and grunted as her dodged while bringing up her fist into his stomach.
"I think that's enough." Tobias said as he grabbed her arm.
Cassie screamed as a shock went through her. She went limp.
"You are useless." Tobias said as Korad regained his feet. Tobais threw the girl over his shoulder and walked toward the station.
Coughing, Korad followed. He eyed the unconscious girl with hatred.

Gabe stretched and got to his feet. He looked over at the time chronometer.
"The rest can wait till tomorrow." He glanced at the time again and smiled. It had only been an hour since Cassie left. But if Colin woke up, she'd be home in a flash. It's happened before.
He headed for the stares, when banging sounded at the back door.
Gabe chuckled as he made his way over.
"I thought you had your key?" He called.
"Gabe! Open up!"
"Joseph?" Gabe opened the door and jumped back as Joseph pushed his way in. "What in the..."
"Have you had any trouble?" Joseph said as he looked around. "Have you seen anyone?"
"What is the problem?" Gabe yelled.
Joseph stood still for a moment. He 'opened up', but felt nothing except anxiety from Gabe.
"What is going on? No one's here."
"Where is the girl?" Joseph kept looking around.
"First, tell me what's wrong." Gabe grabbed his arm and pulled Joseph into the office.
Joseph calmed and started "I think Tobias is on IO."
"Here?" Gabe tensed. "What would he be doing here?"
"I don't know why, maybe after what happened on Caldon..."
"You never told me all what happened. Tell me now!"
Jospeh narrated the account. He watched Gabe's face go through a range of emotions, one looked like pride.
"So you think he'll do something to Cassie? Get back at her?"
"There is no bounty here that would get his attention. I can't think of any thing else." Joseph looked around again. "Is she here?"
"No, she went to a..." Gabe was interrupted by high pitched squealing upstairs.
They ran upstairs and found Colin thrashing on the floor.
"Colin!" Gabe called as he reached to pick him up.
"She's hurt! She's hurt!" Colin screamed as he clung to Gabe's shirt.
"Colin!" Gabe called again as he cradled the shaking, crying young one. "Easy, Colin, easy. What happened to Cassie?"
Whimpering, Colin looked up. "She was hurting, now I can't hear her!"
"Where did she go?" Joseph asked.
"Near the spaceport." Cradling Colin, Gabe ran out of the room to his. He reached into a box and brought out a weapon. He passed Joseph and lead the way out the door.
It was quite a run to the spot where Gabe had once found Cassie sitting as a child. They slowed as they reached it.
Joseph walked in front, 'feeling' around. "There's nothing here." He said as he stepped carefully.
"Cassie!" Gabe called. He reached up to hold the still whimpering Colin, who had climbed on his shoulders.
"I can't hear her!" Colin cried.
Gabe tried to comfort him. He saw Joseph walk on way, he moved another.
"Oh, no." Gabe heard Joseph say.
"What?" Gabe headed to the spot Joseph stook. "Oh..." He slowly bent down to touch the still form. "Dorion?" He pulled away. "Tobias did this."
Suddenly, Colin stiffened. "Papa, Cassie's waking up."
"Where, little one?" Gabe watched as Joseph came near.
"I...I think she's on a ship." Colin quivered. "I...she...yeah, she's on a ship."
"Colin, listen carefully. Tell her not to say a word." Gabe waited until Colin acknowledged his words. "Okay, can you see what she is seeing now?"
"No, her eyes don't work...everything is blurry." Colin shivered. "She...I... hear voices."
"What are they saying?" Gabe took the young one from his shoulders and cradled him.
" 'When do we call him?' When we get to Titan. Then, we'll tell Sterner where to meet us.' 'What will we do...' " Colin started to shake. "Papa! They know she's awake!" He cried out. "He hit her! He hit her!."
Gabe cradled the young one again, calling to him. "Okay, Colin, okay." He looked up at Joseph. he stood, took one more look at the silent figure on the ground, and started walking away.
"Gabe?"
"Thanks for the warning, Partner. I'm going to tell the Authorities about Dorion, then I'm going for Cassie." He faced Joseph. "I promised to take care of her. I need to do this."
"You're not going alone." Joseph said as he walked past.
"This isn't your fight, Joseph."
Joseph glanced back. "It is now. Tobias crossed the line with the boy. He killed an innocent." He grinned. "Besides, I owe him."
Gabe could only smile gratefully at his friend, as he followed him.