Update!
As soon as she had been sent off to bed, Jamie had dashed back towards her room; however, she went to Wes instead. She knocked and opened the door without waiting, catching him off guard. He was sprawled on his bed comfortably, half dressed in his pants with no shirt. In his hands was a wave communicator which he dropped when Jamie rushed in. She was too distressed to be embarrassed at his state. She merely shook her head and began pouring out all that had been going on, from the beginning to the end. When she stopped, she took a deep breath and stared at Wes, who remained seated, stunned.
“Wait…” he began. “…what?”
“Please don’t make me say it again.”
“Someone killed Leslie?”
Jamie sighed. “No. I don’t think. Not yet. But Cameron and one of his men are currently in control of the ship and I don’t know where the other one is. I don’t know what to do.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Uh, Wes?” Both of the people in the room jumped and Wes held the communicator up, revealing the very concerned face of Kaylee, the engineer they had met not too long ago. “Did I hear that right?”
“Uh, yeah, I think so. Do you have an idea?”
“Yeah, well, I’d say you should get control of the ship and find that other guy pretty quick. Have you found the path from the engine room to the bridge? It’s beneath the walkway, awful close to the actual body of the ship.”
“Yeah, I found it, but I couldn’t quite fit in it well-I figured it was a bit of space left for insulation or something.”
“Likely, but if you’re small enough, you can fit in okay. My reckoning’s that she could fit through, give her a stun gun or something, she could come up behind him without being noticed.”
“Choice.” Wes glanced around his room before setting Kaylee on a shelf and flipping his mattress toward the wall, followed by the top of his bed. Beneath a layer of guns and knives were revealed. Resting and looking mildly out of place was a small, flat instrument that looked suspiciously like a book light. He pulled it out and showed Jamie.
“What the hell would I want a book light for?”
“It’s not only a book light.”
“So it is a book light.”
“Yes-no. Shut up.” Wes rolled his eyes and shook it for emphasis. “Pay attention. This end is a high-powered flashlight while this end shoots out a little nub thing that will shoot out and electrocute the first thing it attaches itself to. Be sure it’s the bad guy.”
“Waitwaitwait-I think you’re forgetting the other guy.”
“The engine room is probably one of the best places to stash a guy-sit up in the corners on either side of the door for security and keep an eye on the engine.”
“Exactly.” Kaylee nodded. “But I’m going to let you go now.”
“All right, I’ll call you later this week?”
“If you’re not dead.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Bye.”
“Wes?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t die.”
Wes paused and half-smiled at the pretty young lady on the screen, nodding before he tapped it off. Turning to Jamie, he picked up another small weapon and grinned. “Let’s be heroes.”
Holding up her strange little stungun, Jamie winked. “I like that idea. But how are we supposed to get passed Cameron? He’s sitting in the way.”
“Maybe Leslie’s awake.”
“I don’t know…he hit her pretty hard.”
“When are you going to learn how thick a skull that girl has?”
Leslie sneezed.
“Somebody talking about you, little girl?” Cameron sneered.
“Well, I am popular.” Holding her head, Leslie sneered in return. “Unlike you, captain bastard pants.”
“Oo, name calling. That’s rather adult of you.”
“I’m, what, a quarter of your age? Why should I be an adult?”
“I’m not that ancient.”
“Says you.”
“You know, I wasn’t planning on hurting anyone.”
“I can see that.” She tenderly fingered the base of her skull, tracing up and around to find the swollen lump. “God, I hate you.”
“I’m not here to be loved.”
“No, you’re here to hijack my ship, scare the crap out of my crew and take advantage of the son of your old friend. Charmed, I’m sure.”
Cameron stood and paced quietly, his back to the quarters for a brief moment. In that moment, Leslie caught a slight movement on the ground. Having been rubbing her eyes, the world was blurred, but Leslie banked everything she had for hope that it was someone for the rescue. She didn’t know exactly what she was doing but she lunged for a thick book (Count of Monte Cristo, Dumas) that was sitting next to her. With as much balance as she could muster, Leslie swung the book at Cameron’s head.
“Thank you Jamie!”
“Thank you nothing.” Easily, Cameron caught the book and one of the girl’s wrists, spinning her off balance and easily catching her in a solid grip.
“Damn you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
“I’m going to crush your-” she jumped up as much as her position aloud and aimed her heel at one of his feet. He slipped back a little and she merely slammed her foot into the ground. “-ouch.”
“You should probably stop that if you want to survive. I’m not overly touchy about killing people to get through the mission.”
“This isn’t a mission, you psychopath, this is senility!”
Cameron threw her back onto the couch and raised his gun to strike her again.
“Shutting up.” She folded her hands politely and crossed her ankles, remaining silent.
“That’s more like it.” Cameron muttered suspiciously, parking himself on the couch next to her, gun out and aimed at her as he kept a wary eye on the hallway. There was no more movement.
I seem to like the page and a half length. But not so much on actually getting things finished. I promise. I'll be done eventually.