Impact (Book 5): Black

they seemed satisfied by her acceptance of him. Instead of prodding for explanations about his past with TKM, they asked about his plan for taking them to the Yellowstone dig site.
Shawn rose to the call right away. “It isn’t enough to lay claim to the rock which fell on Crow lands. We need to tell the owners of the properties beneath all the asteroid pieces. It belongs to them.” He smiled mischievously.
Grace knew why. “You want to stick it to Petteri, don’t you?”
He gestured to his injured leg. “His company tried to steal what belongs to our nation. Then he tried to snuff out me and my boy. The only break I’ll give that guy is when I snap his spine in two. Stick it to him? You better believe it.”
In a weird way, it mirrored what Misha had said. Going there would help stick it to Mr. Tikkanen and it would help her and Asher find protection with Misha and his friends. On the flip side, the place would be crawling with TKM security. What if Misha failed to sway those people? Then they’d all be walking into a trap.
Misha brightened. “If it helps, I know who owns land.”
“Really?” Asher said dryly. “That’s incredible. And damned convenient.”
The Russian man smiled, revealing his one missing tooth. “You misunderstand my English. I do not know the exact name, but I have seen the files. TKM absolutely knows who owns land at fallen fragments. They need the information so they can pay for rights to collect the ore and take it back to their properties.”
Shawn harrumphed in the affirmative. TKM had indeed tried to buy him off.
Grace had to take a stab at staying on her mission. “My dad is to the east, though…” She hated sounding like an injured bird, but all of her plans had been centered around reaching Dad and his boat. If she turned around and headed back west, it would make his journey even longer. Still, if he knew all the facts, her father might counsel her to stick with a strong group rather than venturing out alone, or with Asher by himself. And, she reasoned, she already knew the area around Yellowstone Park.
Misha seemed to take the lead on talking reason, which confused her. He focused on Grace again. “You said kind words about my family. Let me prove to your father I can make right after what I did. I protect you with my team. I keep you safe from Nerio and her husband. I keep you all protected from chaos happening in many cities and states of your America. But I cannot do it alone. I have to take you to dig site up north.”
Robert the engineer walked up mid-conversation. He handed Grace a backpack that had been slightly burned in several places. “This was blown clear of the wreckage.”
“Is mine,” Misha declared.
Robert acknowledged him but kept talking. “You want to go up north?”
They all looked to him. Misha appeared as if he was about to reply, but he deferred to Grace. She then spoke to Robert. “I wanted to go east, but now we’re talking about traveling to the west and north. Toward Yellowstone. It’s where this man has friends; men with lots of guns. Guys who can fight off that helicopter if it comes back.”
The man wiped his hands down the sides of his greasy overalls as if it was a nervous habit. “You’ll be happy to know most of my people in the boxcar have gotten rides with the workers here at the rail shed. Their homes are back in Denver. As for me and my crew…”
She braced for disappointment.
Robert cracked a smile. “Would it surprise you to learn this engine has been contracted by TKM to haul a load of these repaired coal hoppers to Kansas City?”
Her heart fluttered, then sank. He was supposed to go east, toward her father. It was the way she desperately wanted to go, but it was suddenly not the way she needed to go.
The engineer continued. “But I don’t think we’d make it if the helicopter came back. Not alone.” He gave Misha a serious look. “Can you get your friends to come here? We could all ride the train to the east. I have an entire boxcar ready for passengers. I’d love to have the protection.”
Misha immediately shook his head. “They are willing to help me, but there are, um, certain financial incentives to stay where they are.”
Grace chuckled. “They’re in it for the money.”
Diedre raised her good hand before speaking. “I vote we go to wherever we can find the biggest number of friendly soldiers. I’ve been inside Petteri’s hive for the past week. I’ve been on his island. In his flight center. In his Denver office. His company is consumed with digging up all the ore they dropped to Earth. They have a huge army of men willing to help. I can say from all my dealings with the man if he means to get something, he will. If he means to hurt someone, he most definitely will.”
“Is what I said,” Misha interrupted.
Asher’s sister continued. “If this guy can protect us, let him try. I’d like to steal some of Petteri’s money, too.”
Laughter all around.
Grace still wasn’t happy about the change in plans but saw the general merits. She rifled through Misha’s pack to ensure there were no weapons inside. It held a few grain bars, a couple of handheld radios, and other junk probably meant for camping.
Shawn grunted as he shifted weight off his bad leg. “I can call my people and see what we can do to help. The more, the merrier, right?”
“Yes,” Misha agreed. “Get whatever help you need. I like the way you think. Be warned, Nerio will be back again. She has no end to weapons provided by