[Adventure Journal](9)

Pairor rumbled. “Trouble,” he said.

Trell craned his neck. He could see Sajsh’s booth ahead now, closed up for the night.

The booth beside it, the booth they were headed for, was also closed.

“Great,” he growled, stopping. “Still no one there.”

“No, don’t stop,” a soft voice came from behind him.

Trell felt his heart seize up. “What?”

“You heard the man,” a different voice said, this one coming from behind Hal. “Keep walking.”

With an effort, Trell got his feet moving again. “Are you with Borbor Crisk?”

There was a snort. “Hardly,” the first voice said with obvious contempt. “Keep it casual, and don’t try to be clever. We’d prefer to deliver you in fully working condition.”

Trell swallowed hard. “Where are we going?”

“For now, behind Sajsh’s booth,” the other said. “After that… you’ll see.”

“I’m sure,” Trell murmured, heart pounding in his ears. Still, there was one thing the kidnappers didn’t know. Jodo Kast, one of the finest bounty hunters in the galaxy, was somewhere behind them. Any minute now he would jump out from wherever he was hiding, blasters blazing with micron accuracy, and flip the tables com pletely on them.

Any minute now, and they’d hear the roar of blasters. Any minute now…

He was still waiting for that minute as the kidnappers herded the three

of them aboard a speeder truck, sealed the doors, and drove off into the

gathering dusk.