Military intelligence officer Lieutenant Barb Carolus is ordered to investigate Colonel Locke, a rogue officer suspected of selling military weapons on the black market. Colonel Locke is from Barb’s home planet and she knows exposing his crimes will tarnish the reputation of those rare people like her who’ve escaped the poverty and gangs of their home world to become officers. But orders are orders and she always does her duty.<br><br>For the mission she’s teamed with the unconventional -- and in Barb’s opinion, entirely unprofessional -- undercover agent Taya Borovsky. Working with Taya will test Barb’s by the book approach to the limits, especially when attraction overcomes her irritation with Taya. Bitter about upholding standards nobody else does, Barb gives in to her desires.<br><br>When the mission goes bad, Barb and Taya are on the run and outgunned. To survive, Barb must learn from Taya’s unconventional methods and improvise a solution to complete her mission and save their lives.

Loose Cannon

They went to an unpromising restaurant. When Taya saw the look on Barb’s face, she patted Barb on the arm reassuringly. “Trust me, it’s the kind of place our cover identities would eat at.”


“Even when they’ve got several thousand credits in cash to buy an illegal weapon?”


Barb sat. The “restaurant” was barely more than a jumped-up noodle bar. Probably once mobile, it had settled into one spot and put up an awning. The “kitchen” was still in what had once been a van, but they employed waitresses to take your order rather than having customers line up at the counter.


“Also,” Taya said, “the food is delicious.”


Chapter 10