The bullet tore through Eugene's chest in slow motion, bits of bone and jagged slivers of skin floated silently in the air. The tendrils of cigar smoke and seared flesh snaked this way and that between the gore. A scream felt more then heard ripped through the silence, shattering the illusion and everything raced back to full speed. An ear splitting report sounded and all went bright white.

Lainy bolted upright a scream frozen in her parched throat. Sweat stood cold and slick on her brow and chest. Her head rotated left and right trying to make sense of her surrounding. She realized she was gripping the sheet draped over her body in white knuckled fists.

Slowly she remembered where she was and swung her legs off the bed and pulled her black jeans on, then stood to zip and button them. Her white tee shirt clung to her sweat slick body, she pulled it over her head and reached into her bag and retrieved and put on a bra and black tank top. Then grabbed her recently acquired brown leather jacket and walked toward the door which opened on her approach with a hiss.

Ryder was sitting behind the control stick, arms behind his head and feet up on the dash, in an irritatingly relaxed posture. He dropped his feet to the ground and spun to greet Lainy as she entered.

"Sleep well?" He asked as she slumped down into a padded bench seat behind the cockpit.

"No , I just watched an old and dear friend fucking die, I found out my father has been kidnapped by some shithead and people keep trying to kill me." She snapped, venom and pain colored her words. "How the fuck do they keep finding me. I thought you removed the tracking device."

"I'm not sure but Klaskin has resources and pretty much unlimited money, but out here we are above most of the surveillance media that is available on earth, so we should be safe." Ryder said, a firm yet somewhat sceptical look on his face, eyes both the piercing ice blue of his original eye.

He crossed the cabin and sat next to her, Lainy watched him with tear glistened eyes. He placed his hand on her hand that rested stiffly on her leg.

"I know this is fucked up but Lainy, I'm here. Your father wanted me to help you find him. We don't have much to go on but you're a P.I, we'll go to his place up there and start from the beginning." He gripped her hand and she turned, buried her head into his chest and wept.

Ryder hugged her and after a minute he whispered into her ear, "Don't worry we'll find him." Lainy felt his breath, warm and seductive on her neck. At that moment she had never wanted anyone more then she wanted Ryder.

Lainy pulled back, their faces close, a tear slid silently down her check. Her eyes flicked around his face, taking in every detail and came to rest on his lips. She reached up, her hand trembled with fear, anger and anticipation, and placed it on his stubble rough cheek. Another instant of intense eye contact and Ryder closed the distance and kissed her with a passion and tenderness Lainy had never experienced nor expected.

They kissed with unequalled passion. Lainy pulled off Ryder's shirt stopping their kiss only long enough to pull it over his head. She explored his chest and abs with one hand and his back with another. She stopped, leaned back and pulled her own shirt off and unhooked her bra, allowing ryder to take in the sight of her naked torso. She noted a slight widening of his eyes as his eyes moved to the various scars and bruises.

She ran her hands down his abs and leaned back to lie down on the seat. He pulled her pants and panties off in one motion. Lainy let out an involuntary moan. Ryder kissed her neck, moving down to clavicle, his hands slid down her flat belly. Another involuntary moan escaped her lips. She unbuckled his belt and slid his pants down, not bothering to take them all the way off, noticing his excitement with a experienced hand.

They made love, Lainy thinking this might be the first time she ever did that, and never noticed the approach warning warbling from the cockpit until it was too late.