The room felt stuffy, reeking of burnt oil mixed with stale coffee caramel. Two other cargo containers, roughly half the size of the exit door, occupied the space. In the corner, a bottle of cheap local rum stood.
I heard fast footsteps climbing the stairs ahead. They were coming faster than Juri expected.
Four personnel are moving into position. They're carrying movable sound shields on their backs. Maximum protection: not for the cargo, but for the ship's clandestine security. Cypher and Kael invested everything in this ship's security, and Juri's message sent a spike of panic through my veins.
"Damn it," I hissed. I hid behind an old, partially closed automatic door in the galley. They must have seen the thermal anomaly. But this Maruta ship has internal problems. My mind spun quickl
