Fringe Runner (Fringe Series Book 1) Read Free

minutes. Did you hear me, guys? Three minutes.”
    Reyne shot Sixx a harried glance before responding. “What happened to four through eight?”
    “I may have forgotten to take into account the star swarm’s leading buffer impact on our acceleration. Don’t mess around, guys. I’m not joking on this. Get back here now.”
    Reyne’s mind rushed through options. He grabbed onto Sixx. “We’ll go faster using our propulsion tanks together.” He pulled out a carabiner and hooked their suits together. “You hold the package. I’ll run both our jets.”
    “Faster is good.”
    They kicked off from the bridge, and flew through the shattered pane and out into space. Clear plastic pieces from the view panel scraped against their helmets.
    With Sixx clutching their payday and Reyne holding onto him, Reyne shot alternating full bursts from their suits to propel forward. Unfortunately, even with both at max output, their civilian-grade pressure suits were designed for slow, safe travel through space. As they moved through the blackness between the dead ship and the Gryphon , the star swarm closed the distance in a terrifyingly deadly sort of way—like a huge, sparkling chimera coming to swallow them.
    “Two minutes. I’m running through the pre-jump protocols now.”
    “We’re on our way,” Reyne said, trying not to sound like his heart wasn’t pounding out of his chest. He wished their suits to go faster, but wishing didn’t seem to help.
    Every second was too slow as the distance between them and the star swarm disappeared faster than the distance between them and the Gryphon that floated like a rilon angel waiting for them.
    “Sixty seconds.”
    “Can’t these things go any viggin’ faster?” Sixx complained.
    Reyne racked his brain for ideas, but nothing would get them back to the ship in time. As they moved through space, his muscles shook with adrenaline and fear.
    “We’re at bingo.”
    The Gryphon ’s Flux Whisper engine roared to life. A second later, the airlock door began to close.
     

Chapter Two
    A Ship Caught in the Swarm
     
    Even with both suits blasting at full propulsion, Reyne figured they needed at least ten seconds more than what they had to reach the Gryphon . He continually hit their thrust buttons, only to have the suits chime negative responses at his attempts.
    “Ah, shit.” He grimaced before giving the order he dreaded. “Get out of here, Throttle. You’ve got to leave us.”
    “Don’t you dare leave us, Throttle,” Sixx countered.
    “Like hell I’m leaving, you idiots.”
    Through the window on the other side of the airlock Reyne noticed the ship’s mechanic. Boden had stopped the door once it reached halfway down and was now motioning wildly with his hands. Unfortunately, Reyne couldn’t speak to him through his comm link since the channel at that chamber had fried months ago, and he didn’t have the credits to fix it.
    “I can’t make out what he’s—oh.” A retention cable shot out from the chamber and straight toward them. Reyne had only an instant to comprehend Boden’s intent and prepare for the incoming object. “Hold on.”
    Reyne collided with—more so than caught—the heavy tow hook. The impact knocked the air from his lungs, and sharp pain stabbed where the hook had hit his chest. His suit blasted an alarm. Their forward movement instantly reversed. A single carabiner held the two men’s suits together, and Sixx was yanked along like a raggedy doll. The cable jerked to a stop, and it felt like Reyne’s arms were snapped from their sockets as their now-backward propulsion was halted.
    The cable began to retract, the metal line sliding through Reyne’s hands, and he scrambled to get a grip. He wrapped his hand around the hook just as the cable picked up speed. A lot of speed.
    Reyne tried to find his breath as they were dragged to the ship. “Tell me you still have the package.”
    “I have it, plus a nasty case of whiplash.”
    “Good. Keep