Hidden in Plain Sight: Spacehiker Adventure, #2

By Sian B. Claven

Trust works both ways, or disaster will strike.

Left on a spaceport by Romus while he leads the guards away, Jasy insists they Spaceike to Jukarla, the nearest planet, to hide for a few weeks until the heat was off of them.

It seemed like an easy enough plan to follow but just as they get settled in a rural village Jasy makes a huge mistake.
Not trusting Markus and Zara to understand, she puts the trio on a journey to a city on the other side of the planet, all the while with a group of Bounty Hunters on their tail. Between the elements, mandroids, enslavement and venomous creatures – the trio face never ending challenges that may prove to be the end of their travels, and friendship.

Time is running out for them to reunite, and that Splinder ship on the horizon is looking strangely familiar.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sian B. Claven
• Release date: Nov 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201685058

Sian B. Claven

Known as the International Bestselling, Award-winning Author of horrific old-school terror titles such as Buried and the Asylum Series, Sian B. Claven brings back a nostalgic telling of creepy tales. Aiming high, this misleadingly bubbly author terrifies her fans with tales of ghosts, murderers, and demonic possessions as though handing out candy to children, all while expanding her releases from her first young adult horror in 2017 to her more recent explicit demonic occult horror in 2021. With an on the edge of your seat series, Claven enthralled her readers with her Butcher series, surprising them with a fourth and now final book in the series in 2021 as part of the Notorious Mind’s Boxset, along with Shh, which were both part of the Soul’s Day Boxset which made her an International Bestselling Author. Claven also dabbles in the Science-Fiction Space Adventure genre, having republished her Spacehiker Adventure Series – Unlikely Hero with an updated cover and storyline after receiving criticism about the book’s length. Claven looks forward to expanding this universe. Further challenging herself, Claven also tackled writing a paranormal romance series, the first of which released as part of the Possessed by Passion boxset in March 2021. The series will continue, and Claven looks forward to exploring this new world. Born in Southern Africa, Claven resides in Johannesburg, where she grew up with a vivid imagination and has been writing for as long as she can remember. When she was not immersing herself in books, she created her own worlds, both by herself and with her friends. After her sister immigrated in 2017, Claven wrote and published her first book and has been on an amazing journey ever since. Claven is an avid Harry Potter and Star Wars fan, Funko Pop Collector, 3d Puzzle builder, Diamon Art painter, and studying addict. She also has a penchant for Lego. She resides with her two best friends, their six dogs, and two cats.

Book preview

Hidden in Plain Sight

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

SIAN B. CLAVEN

SIAN B. CLAVEN

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Disguises

Laying Low

A Grave Mistake

Run

Losing Everything

Imminent Danger

The Truth

Sold

Robyl’s Rescue

I declare…

COPYRIGHT 2021 Sian B. Claven

All characters: events and establishments in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

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The moral right of the author has been asserted.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author.

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Cover Design by Francessca’s PR & Designs

Edited by Samantha Talarico

Proofreading by Dragon Proofing

This book is dedicated to Zaid Motala

For always being a kind, honest, and fun person and always reminding me that anything I set my mind to is possible.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

There are a lot of special people I would like to thank.

Firstly, I would really like to thank Toni Cox for helping me not only with proofing this story but for all the times that I was stuck on the plot, and she sat and hashed it out with me. Some killer scenes made it into this book because of her, and I am grateful.

Also, to Sam Talarico, who also assisted with plotting out the book and who always does such a great job editing my work.

A special thank you to my sister Jackie Knott, whose unwavering support keeps me writing even on days I don’t think I should be.

To my fans who took a chance on my Spacehiker series when I come from a horror background.

To Darren Cox, who deals with me saying I have the sad every time I get stuck writing.

Finally, I would like to thank Francessca Wingfield for taking my descriptions and making the covers come to life.

DISGUISES

The dull throb of pain that Romus’ departure left within Jasy had to be pushed aside as they decided on their next steps. With Romus distracting the guards and leading them on a wild goose chase, they had an opportunity to disguise themselves and leave the spaceport for one of the nearby planets. Ideas rushed through Jasy’s mind as she tried to decide what was the most important thing to do, and therefore to do first.

Her belly grumbled, and she knew the decision had been made for her. Romus had left her with some coin, and she led her companions towards a nearby tavern.

What are we doing? Zara whispered, looking around.

Eating, Jasy said simply. We can’t go on the run on an empty stomach.

Zara didn’t ask any further questions as they slipped into the tavern and sat in a booth towards the back. A Burlaptor dressed in an apron came to their table.

What will it be? she asked.

Three bowls of your best stew, some bread, and some beer, Jasy said in a rush, wanting to get through this as quickly as possible.

The Burlaptor wrote down their order and left to take it to the kitchen while they huddled together in the shadows. No one paid them much mind; Jasy had chosen the tavern well.

Still, it was best to be on guard. They were highly sought-after fugitives, and if anyone here knew that, they might be tempted to turn them in for a reward.

After this, we need to change how we look. We’ll find a place to stay, and I’ll get some design bots from a merchant. Jasy’s voice was low, but her companions didn’t struggle to hear her; they were rapt to her every word.

How much are we going to change? Zara asked.

I can’t afford the surgery bots, so it’ll be hair and tattoos, and I’ll get us some different clothes. If we look like traders, we might get by without being noticed, Jasy mused.

Markus remained silent, listening to Jasy’s plan and for once offering no argument. He only diverted his eyes from her when a ruckus at the table next to theirs drew his attention.

What we need are some fine broads and some late mornings, a drunk Limepore roared from next to them.

Jasy glanced at the ugly man; this one looked part human. He had ash-grey skin, like his companions, and they all had thin oily hair. They were big though, fat, and strong, with razor-sharp teeth and blood-red eyes with no iris. They were notorious slave traders.

I found some nice broads, one of the companions laughed as he glanced at their table.

Jasy remained quiet and kept her gaze away from them, silently willing Zara to do the same with a look.

Their Burlaptor waitress brought their food and drink and set it down. They ignored the raucous words exchanged by the Limepore’s as they ate. Keeping their eyes down, they were halfway through their food when averting their gaze was no longer enough.

Come now, woman, do you not want a real man to entertain you? The largest Limepore stumbled over to them and moved as though to move Jasy over and sit beside her.

Jasy quickly grabbed her knife and held it to his throat, standing up at the same time. No.

His eyes widened, and he held his hands up. No offence meant, little miss, but are you sure you want to go this route?

Their Burlaptor waitress, flanked by two male Burlaptors, appeared suddenly at the table. The waitress glared at the Limeporeans.

Leave, she instructed them, or I’ll call the guard.

Come on, Kolak, they’re not worth the trouble, one of the Limeporeans said to the one Jasy had a knife to. He glared at Jasy.

This isn’t over, he growled at her before they all turned and left.

Jasy sat back down and continued to eat the hearty stew.

Enjoy your meal. The waitress smiled before leaving again.

Was that a good idea, Zara asked in a low voice, bringing attention to ourselves like that?

They’re known slave traders, Jasy explained. They weren’t looking for fun; they were looking for cargo.

Zara nodded in understanding and went back to her food.

Be that as it may, Markus spoke now, we may want a different exit strategy to the front door.

Agreed. Jasy pushed her finished bowl of stew away from her. The bathroom windows should do nicely. We’ll go one at a time, starting with me and ending with Markus.

She took out some coin and left it on the table before standing and walking towards the back, where there was a neon light indicating the direction of the bathroom.

No one glanced at Jasy as she walked through the thin crowd of various species, keeping her hood drawn. She entered the bathroom, and after making sure it was empty, she went to the open window and hoisted herself onto the ledge. She looked through it; it wasn’t a high drop, and the window was large enough for her to get through. It would be large enough for Markus to get through too. She slipped through it and dropped down, landing with a loud expulsion of air from her lungs. She looked up and down the alleyway she was in and stood back.

It wasn’t too long before she heard a noise, and with a groan, Zara was on the ledge of the window. Jasy glanced up and down before holding her hands out to catch her, to lessen Zara’s fall.

They both waited quietly until a shuffling was heard at the window next to the one they came out of, and Markus’ feet appeared out the window. They waited for him to drop into the alley before Jasy led them away from the main street to the quieter one.

She paused at the exit and glanced out; there was no sign of any Limeporeans, so she motioned for her travel mates to follow her. They made their way quickly through the street, joining the crowd and hiding among them in plain sight. Jasy spotted a decent looking rest place that seemed an affordable cost, and she led the two Antonians in that direction.

She walked into the office that was the first door to the right. The air reeked of putrid gas, and she did her best to hide that she wanted to expel the stew she had just eaten. In the corner was a Zylog on a chain, something Jasy had never seen before. They weren’t the kind of things that could be domesticated. Around the Zylog’s neck, close to its head, was a collar with what looked like a tracker on it. It lay sleeping on a broken piece of cardboard.

A Velician, large and green like a praying mantis, stepped out from a room behind the counter and clicked his pincers together.

Room for?

Three, Jasy put the coin on the table, But just for a few hours, nothing overnight.

The Velician took the coin and counted it. Once done, he handed Jasy a key to room 5A and disappeared back into the room that was shrouded in darkness. Jasy decided she didn’t want to find out what was making that smell, so she quickly got out of the room and rejoined her companions waiting outside.

They saw a group of Splinder soldiers walk by and,