Striker

by Charmaine Ross

  Plus, she'd freaked. Not just a little bit. She'd freaked enough to be found, putting both their lives in jeopardy.

  She reluctantly nodded her thanks. “I'm in control. You can release me.”

  He didn't move an inch. She looked back up into his face, gauging his mood. “Are you sure?”

  “Perfectly.” She'd gotten a hold of herself, embarrassed beyond hell that she'd let it get to her. She was a trained professional. She shouldn't have let it get that far.

  “Will you unite me if I do?”

  His arms had to be aching by now, after that run and being tied for so long. He didn't look like it bothered him at all, though. She wouldn't have let on either. Her gaze ran over his form again, noting the set of his shoulders, the quality of his uniform. The official looking insignia she recognised as some sort of military. It had enough scroll work and gleaming gold to indicate a rank of some sort.

  “Captain?”

  His lips twisted in a self-depreciating way she didn't understand before they relaxed into a smooth smile that was altogether too sexy. “Commander Striker Diemos, actually. But only by a few hours.”

  Surprise reeled through her. “Commander Striker, hey? They send their - whatever army you guys belong to - commanding officers into the field?”

  “Interspecies Council. And this is under rather… extenuating… circumstances, I'm afraid,” he said.

  “Extenuating?”

  “I'll explain everything, but first.”

  He turned a little, enough to allow her to see his wiggling fingers that were an alarming golden shade deeper than the rest of his skin. It wouldn’t normally be something she would even consider. Only fools untied their prisoners of war unless it was completely safe to do so, but he'd not only saved her once, but twice, if she counted shoving her to the ground when she'd seen those - monsters - on top of his strange-looking jet. If he wanted to hand her over, he could have numerous times, if not then, during their run through the forest.

  He still could be a threat on another level she couldn't determine at the moment, but right now she needed an ally, which he had so far proven to be. Didn't mean she had to let her guard down, and it didn't mean she couldn't ditch him later if need be. One thing for sure, she could look after herself - and had done numerous times before.

  She nodded, and after a moment he leaned back, giving her room to retrieve the pocket knife she kept in her utility belt. “Turn around.”

  A corner of his mouth ticked up. “You won't stab me in the back?”

  She paused right before she cut the ties. “You'll be safe if you keep your kisses to yourself.”

  Chapter Four

  She cut through his bonds with an efficiency that told him she was good with a blade, then tucked the small knife back into her belt. He absently rubbed his wrists, relieved that he could now move his arms. At least now if they were discovered, he could fight and help protect her. Much better fighting with his fists, than with kisses.

  Hells, he'd kissed her, and he didn't know her name. Although the kiss was stunning, he had no idea why he'd actually done it. A simple, logical request would have been sufficient to help her through that panic. She had the intelligence and wit for that to have been enough to bring her around. She had to be in some type of law-enforcement force and a clipped command would have worked.

  Heavy footfalls stomped in close proximity, followed by the angry clicks and clacks of the Reptiles' hissing language. He pushed the female to the ground and covered her with his body, hopefully effectively camouflaging her with his uniform.

  “What are you..!”

  “Reptiles,” he hissed in her ear.

  Her body stiffened beneath him, but her sharp intake of breath told him she understood their immediate danger. As if on cue, two sets of clumsy Reptilian boots crashed through the underbrush right in front of their faces. Their tails gouged a trail of damp leaves behind them. If they were trying to be stealthy, they were doing a bad job of it. Then again, Reptiles weren't known for their stealth. Their slyness and cruelty, yes, but their bodies were too cumbersome to be anything other than furtiveness.

  Their angry hisses were punctuated with their lashing tails. The tip of one sliced through the underbrush, snapping twigs and leaves off the low hanging branch in front of his face. Leaves sprayed around them, some landing on his head. A few millimetres closer, and the sharp barb would have cut his face. Not to mention the poison that coated the tip that would have been infused into his bloodstream. Reptile poison was extremely strong and would incapacitate him if he was unlucky enough to be infected.

  The female didn't even twitch; instead, her body relaxed and her breathing become deep and even. She was either so stupid she wasn't scared, or she had experience in high-stress situations. He'd bet his shiny new Commander's insignia it was the latter. Her actions spoke of experience. He was torn between being intrigued and horrified a female should have to be in such a situation. When they were safe again, he was going to have a very enlightening conversation to understand who exactly she was.

  The Reptiles, if not slowly, continued to pass, their heavy, awkward gaits ploughing a path through the underbrush, and thankfully away from their hiding space. He had the distinct urge to protect her by remaining to cover her with his body. The feeling of her nestled beneath him was more than pleasant, but he knew she wouldn't stay like that. Besides, it wasn’t the time or place to be doing what he itched to do.

  He rolled away from the warm body beneath him, but she remained still. Watchful. An electric energy strummed through her body, even though on the outside she might looked relaxed. However, her gaze darted about, vigilant and watchful. Her hands splayed over the ground, elbows slightly raised, her body poised for action at a moment's notice.

  Which was exactly what he should be doing. Watching out for Reptiles, not watching her! Hells, it was the second time he'd had to rein himself in, in as many minutes.

  He forcefully shifted his attention away from her body to the world outside of their hidey-hole. Footfalls circled close a few times, but they eventually faded into a stretched silence. The air grew chilly, the light dimmer, and the cold bit through his clothing.

  “We need to find more substantial shelter than here,” he whispered into her ear. A blonde tendril of hair escaped the tight bun at her nape and stirred against her cheek with his breath. The scent of her fanned from her skin, her unique scent filling his senses.

  She peered at him through the dusk. There was a smudge of dirt on her cheek. He nearly reached to wipe it away before he stopped himself. “Do you know the lay of the land, have a map or anything on you?”

  That question also suggested her experience. She didn't ask 'have they gone' or 'what should we do now'. She knew exactly what they needed to do. Just as he did. Get themselves to a good defensible position before deciding their next move. She was indeed an enigma he wanted to unravel.

  He lifted the cuff of his sleeve to show the Seeker attached to his wrist. He pressed a button and a three dimension image of the local typography illuminated above the screen. Vivien tried to supress a gasp at what was new technology for her, but he still heard it. Satisfaction slid through him, glad he was the first to be able to show her something new.

  “Here we are.” He pointed to a section of the forest indicated by rows of cohesive lines. He flicked the image until he found what he looked for. “And these are caves.”

  “Does that thing send any rescue signals? Can you call someone to get us out of here?”

  “Unfortunately, no.” Communication that strong needed more than his little Seeker. That equipment was in the Starjet, no doubt now currently commandeered by the Reptiles.

  “Do you expect a backup team if you don't return, say after a certain amount of time?”

  “They won’t know where to pick us up from. We’ve moved too far from the jet.” And it was unlikely they’d ever get back to it, given the Reptiles now had it.

  He mentally cursed himself. He should
have thought of everything that could have gone wrong. He'd understood she would be scared and lost and confused. Anyone experiencing that sort of Reptile trauma usually was the same. He just hadn't banked on finding someone with her impressive skills jumping him first. He was off to a great start as Commander, that was for sure.

  He would have to signal the Starlight another way. “We’ll have to find a communication tower.”

  Her forehead creased. Beads of perspiration appeared on her brow. “A communication tower? Where?”

  “This planet used to be civilised, until Reptile occupation. The vegetation has grown to the point of wildness, but there’d be a functioning tower somewhere close by. They used to be everywhere on this planet,” he said.

  She couldn't know what this planet used to be like less than fifty years ago. It had been a thriving hub and led the universe with Quantum Physics and the idea that bodies were made from physical, emotional and mental parts of light and energy. He had to hope that even though decades had passed, their technology would still be in working condition. If their reputation was anything to go by, there was a good chance.

  At least they had that on their side. They just had to keep out of the Reptiles' way and survive long enough to find such a tower and use it.

  As though on cue, the sounds of faint, clunky footsteps, followed by hissing and clacking speech drew closer. She tensed, eyes darted to towards the direction of the sound. After a few moments, the sounds faded until there was silence again. The Reptiles weren’t giving up.

  She gestured at their hidey-hole. “We can't defend this position if they find us here, and they haven't let up yet.”

  He nodded, agreeing. Although they were hidden, they could easily be discovered from any direction. All it would take would be a few twigs pulled out of the way, and they were sitting ducks.

  “Do you think we’ll be able to find a tower before nightfall?”

  He couldn't quite remember the exact day cycle of Callisto, but it was close enough to her Earth hours. At the rate of deepening shadow, he guessed they had two hours. Give or take. “It will be too dark. We’ll have a better chance at first light.”

  “Then we’ll need to get to those caves,” she said. Pragmatic. Logical. Cool under pressure, he noted.

  “That would be my first suggestion.” He was fast becoming more concerned the way her complexion had changed from a healthy hue to one of increasing sickness. She needed to rest somewhere with a modicum of safety.

  She tilted her head, and he gathered she was listening out. Silence. “I think we should go.”

  She went to stand but swayed, clutching the ground when she started to topple. She shook her head and winced. He helped her back to rest against the tree, alarm rattling him.

  “That crash must have taken more out of me than I thought. Just give me a moment.”

  She closed her eyes, head tilting back. She wasn't just pale, she was blue, her face gleaming with perspiration. There was something terribly wrong.

  He reached to feel the back of her neck, his gut sickening. She swatted his hand away before he could touch her. Her eyes were unfocused as she glared at him. “What are you doing?”

  “The Reptiles might have put a capsule in you before they put you in the pod. It happened to Lauren.”

  Fine brows crossed in confusion. “Who?”

  He licked dry lips. If the Reptiles had managed to put a capsule in this female, the poison would now be infecting her system. “There’s no time to explain. If I don't get it out, you'll soon be one of the mind-enslaved.”

  She blinked long and hard, obviously struggling to remain in control, but instead of hysterics, she said, “Where?” Her voice was flat.

  “Usually at the back of the neck.”

  She ran her fingers along the back of her neck and stilled. “Son of a bitch.”

  If his stomach could sink any further, it just did. No wonder the Reptiles had come so close and kept circling time and again. They could track her with that thing in her neck. The only thing that had saved them was their near-sightedness.

  From what Jo-Aquin had told him happened to Lauren, he should have expected that. “My apologies.”

  Her lips firmed into a thin line. “Don't waste time apologising. Just get this thing out of me.”

  She manoeuvred around and tilted her head to present the back of her neck. Such a submissive position. His heart stuttered at her level of trust. Or maybe it was just desperation. Her fingers rubbed over a small lump at the base of her neck.

  A small, thin knife appeared in her other hand, and she pressed the handle into his palm. There was a good chance she wasn't a person to normally hand over a weapon like that like that. Desperation was a great motivator.

  Her hand dropped away from her neck. There was a small raised disk sitting just below the main bone right at the base beneath her skin. A black veined network spread from the disk, marring her beautiful pink skin. It was the beginning of the process, and unless he could administer any antidote, she was on borrowed time.

  He swallowed, hard, and pressed the tip of the too blunt for this purpose knife to her skin. “Hold still. It'll sting a little.”

  She huffed a laugh. “I've had worse. Just do it.”

  He frowned, the tracker momentarily forgotten. “You've had worse?” He hated to think she'd suffered worse than this. He was again struck by the question of who she actually was. As yet, an enigma.

  “Yeah. I'll show you my other scars when you get that thing out of my neck. Any time now.”

  There was steel in her voice. He realized it was there because she was scared. She was tough. A person like her was never going to break down and cry. It was her way of steeling herself.

  “Just a little prick,” he pressed in, and as quickly as he could, he slit her skin open and worked the tracker free of her body. Metallic spikes had grown from the sides of the disk and started to embed into muscle and bone.

  She snorted quietly, “That's what they all say.”

  He paused in surprise. “Excuse me?”

  She sighed. A line of deep red blood trickled down the side of her neck, “Just taking my mind off it. Finished?”

  She'd shared a joke, right as he was digging around the back of her neck. Extraordinary. He didn’t know anyone else quite like her. He blinked, forcing his mind back to the task.

  “Nearly there.”

  He slid the tip of the knife beneath the disk and flicked it upwards. He struggled for a moment before it disengaged, the tendrils sliding out from her flesh. Globs of muscle and blood clung to the thin spikes as he lifted it free.

  “Got it.”

  She raised her head, her gaze zeroing straight in on the disk balanced on the end of the knife. Her face scrunched as she placed it into her palm. The tendrils twitched and slithered toward her skin, as though trying to burrow back into her again. She grabbed her knife back from him and shoved the tip through the centre of the disk. It snapped in half, spewing black sludge. She hissed, dropping the tracker and wiping her hand along the ground in the damp leaves, scrubbing the sludge off her skin.

  “Shit, that stuff stings like acid! What the hell did they put in that thing?”

  He didn’t want to tell her it had already been leaching into her system. Best to keep her ignorant and as calm as possible. “I have an antidote.” Thankfully, Mother had given him a vial from Florn, anticipating Reptile poison.

  “Where?” Fine blonde brows rose as she looked at him with slightly unfocused eyes.

  “We'll have to find a secure place for me to administer it. The effects are…unknown.”

  “Unknown?”

  “You might be fine, or…”

  “Or?”

  “You might black out for hours.”

  She gave a sharp nod after a moment. “Best we find that cave then. I can black out longer if we’re safe.”

  His mission had just become a whole lot more urgent. It was only a matter of time before she succumbed. He didn't want
to think about how sketchy his plan was to find these caves and make some sort of primitive camp with supplies he didn’t have, because if she became mind-enslaved, there wasn't a hell of a lot he could do that would save her.

  Chapter Five

  “Let's go.”

  Vivien wiped the back of her neck, her hand coming away red and sticky with blood before scrubbing it away with a fistful of half-rotted leaves. She was quietly freaking out, but she wasn't going to show this compete - alien - stranger – man - just how much. Never reveal weakness to your enemy, and as she had no idea why he was really here, she classified him as an enemy.

  As for talk of an antidote for this venom? Jury out on that also, although she had to admit, the black gunk stung her skin and that disk had been embedded in the back of her neck. Someone had definitely put that there, and she had no idea who or why. Maybe it was those monsters, if Striker was to be believed.

  Her current mission on the Nullarbor should have been ‘safe’. Recognisance. Fact finding only. Even the most creative on her team would have been hard pushed to come up with the fiction she found herself in.

  Not that she had a team anymore.

  She ruthlessly shoved that thought and corresponding despondency aside. That job was best left to a romance writer, not a hardened military type like her. She dealt with facts, but she had to admit, the facts staring at her right in the face were extremely hard to digest.

  Right now, she had more urgent problems. She had to find a defensible location. Space to regroup and think through possible scenarious. Plenty of time to fold in on herself later. When this nightmare was over. If it would ever be over, because the way she saw things, it was pretty dire.