17 – Sleepless NightWhen her bed shook, vibrating as something impossibly loud rattled the house, Lemon’s eyes flew open and she stared into the dark room, confused by the big, open emptiness of it. Where were the clothes racks crowding her? Where were the walls that hugged her sleeping cubby? Then the pieces of sleep-scattered memories fell into place, and she released her death-grip on her sheets; she was in the rental house, all the way out in the middle of nowhere.The vibrations faded, as did the roar of the massive vehicle. She lay in the resultant silence, waiting for her racing heart to calm down and listening to Kit’s breathing. He slept on an air mattress in the same room, and she couldn’t believe the noise hadn’t woken him. Focusing on his steady breaths, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep again. Unfortunately, her mind was too alert for sleep, and she noticed a distant siren.Lemon was well-acquainted with sirens; they were almost a constant part of the background noise in Helio, but this one was different. It wasn’t like the sound on a PK’s rig or even that of a trauma shuttle. It was a long, rising wail that climbed from low to high before repeating. The siren sounded big, even though it was far away.Lemon threw her blanket off and climbed out of bed, glancing at Kit once more to ensure he was still asleep. His breaths were deep and forceful. “Lucky,” Lemon muttered sleepily, hoping he was having pleasant dreams.She pulled on some warm, stretchy pants, wearing them under her long sleeping T-shirt, then she shuffled out of the bedroom and out into the kitchen. A shadowy figure stood by the door, peering out through the glass. She knew it was Demon; Orin was a foot taller than the lean fighter. “What’s going on?” she asked softly.He didn’t look at her, but answered, “Something at the base.”An icy stab of fear touched Lemon’s heart. “Can’t be Hector, right?”“Not due back for two (...)