by LM. Preston
A blond curl hung over his deep green eyes and she reached up to move it, her dark tan hand rubbing against his pale skin. He caught her hand and kissed it. “See you tomorrow. Love you.”
She smiled her thanks for his understanding. “I love you too, Valens.”
Shamira made haste to get to her office. She ran up the stairs to the next floor and hurried passed the numerous Security Force Elite and Mars Planet Police while ignoring their stares. Swallowing down her grief, she kept a straight face and walked into her cubed in office in front of Cal’s. Cal’s secretary had been moved out and up a row when Shamira started as a cadet and Cal’s protégé. The tanned panels trimmed in silver invited her. This time she was thankful her walls were high enough to afford her some privacy. With a plop, she sat in her chair and stared at her computer.
She skimmed her mail messages from Cal and copied them to her tip drive to take home. A new message beeped on her computer and she frowned thinking it odd. Usually the only emails she got were from Cal, but she pressed the touch screen to retrieve the message anyhow. It took a while to load, appeared to be stuck in the virus protection software, so she turned to gather her black backpack. She stuffed some of the training folders and historical files she’d printed out about the Security Elite in her pack and turned just as the message flashed on the screen.
Let the bodies hit the floor. One down and many more.
Her jaw locked, and anger bubbled up at the challenge at the threat that taunted her. She rushed to save the message and before she could click the screen the message disappeared. Frantically, her heart beating fast, she clicked to get to her email folder. Nothing! It was gone. She hit her fist on her desk and mumbled. “I should turn this in…but I’m not. No trace of the message is left behind. Humph!”
Anger simmered in her stomach, and it pushed away her cage of grief. The power that sat within her like a ball of fire welled up the more she stared at the screen. Within a minute, a virus attacked her computer and the screen went black. She yanked out her tip drive and stuffed it in her bag. Expelling an angry puff of air, she grabbed her bag and headed to the parking lot. She had to get home, do more research and come up with a plan to find out who killed Cal. Especially now, since they just warned her that Cal’s murder was just the beginning.
Chapter 8
Shamira took the stairs two by two to the parking garage. Glad there was no one on the stairs, she stopped in front of the door to catch her breath, fix her face and casually stroll to her motorcycle. A beam of relief shot through her. She flung her leg over Pearl, her souped-up gem colored motorcycle. Pearl would do the driving for her. “Pearl, drive us home.” She wanted to think through some of the turmoil flooding her mind.
She bit her lip, thinking, while the motorcycle took off. The message was encrypted. Short and sinister, it left no room for mistaking who sent it—Cal’s killers. It sounded vindictive. Obviously, its creator wanted to make a point. But what point—that she was next? With Monev gone, Mars was better off. Sure, there were former drug addicts left behind, but Earth’s Department of Drug Intervention sent antidotes and built treatment centers for those who wanted it. The criminals, mostly men who were the backbone to Monev, were gathered—at least the ones who were well known. Then they were shipped to Earth and if they couldn’t be rehabilitated by the computerized implants the scientist injected in their brains, they were executed immediately within the Waters.
Around her, the red sands, sparse green sprouts of grass and rock decorations framed the homes in her neighborhood. She groaned, being no closer to clues about Cal’s killers, she became further agitated. One thing she had to figure out, and now, was why Cal wanted to investigate the Mons in the first place. Even Cal was a bit put off with anything that concerned Monev’s old torturing grounds. Shamira wasn’t surprised considering that Cal had gotten a face-to-face, one-on-one taste of it first hand.
Pearl pulled up in the driveway. Home. The one place she felt at peace. Even with her new friends she realized that those relationships took a lot of work. At home, with family, it was given with a depth she’d never had the opportunity to take for granted. Since friendship and boyfriends were new things to her, she was still afraid to assume they would never change. But now with her brothers and sister, she felt full.
“Home, Pearl.” She slid off her motorcycle, giving it a slight pat on the back. “Go park yourself.”
Shamira walked to the door, pressed her fingertip to the knob and opened it. Taren, her newly adopted sister, stood there as if waiting for her. Her long black braids hung closely to her head. Taren’s light brown skin was flushed with pink as she giggled at Shamira, who stood there with her arms wide open. She ran into Shamira’s arms. “I’ve been waiting for you all day! I knew it was you at the door.”
“I know, little sis.” She kissed Taren’s cheek, still a bit concerned at her small size for a ten-year old. But she figured that a few years of near starvation would do that to a kid. She stood up and Taren grabbed her hand. “You’ve been keeping those two knuckle boys’ heads in line today?”
Taren nodded. “Yep, I punched David in the stomach and crashed Manny over the head with my new boxing gloves Daddy gave me. Daddy said he’s going to train me to be like you.”
Shamira smiled. “Be like me, no,” she shook her head, “I’ve got too many issues. You don’t want to be like me.”
“Yeah I do, I got issues too!” Taren squeezed her hand.
Shamira’s mother, Katherine, came into the front room dressed in her work uniform. She looked as though she was forcing a smile when she turned to Taren. A sprinkle of light freckles stood out on her mother’s fair skinned nose and was highlighted by her straight black bob. “Taren baby, go tell your brothers that dinner’s on the table.” Her mother bent and kissed Taren on the forehead.
Taren took off. Her mother pulled Shamira into her arms. “I’m sorry, Shamira. Your father called and told me what happened with Cal today.”
Shamira closed her eyes and hugged her mother back. This was another thing she was starting to get way too used to, her mother’s hugs. Last year, she and her mom seemed so far apart. But since then her mother worked hard to let her know she loved her, and Shamira didn’t take one moment of it for granted. She’d thirsted for this all her life. She just didn’t want to confess how much she wanted her mother’s support.
She let go and plopped on the couch. “It happened so fast. Too fast, like someone was waiting to set us up.”
Katherine shook her head in bewilderment. “I don’t know. We have had such a peaceful year. Rebuilding what Monev tried to take from the settlers—from you kids. Ugh, more than likely it’s a wannabe operation.”
“Did Dad tell you if we are going to get our promotion to Security Force Elite Officers? It’s important to my team—to me.”
Her mother reached over to touch her shoulder. “Right now, they consider you all still trainees. They’ve postponed your promotions until further notice. Earth officials will have to give the final direction in this. Cal’s death changed so much for the progression of Mars, and now Mar’s relationship with Earth. The entire Security Force Team on Mars and Earth has been shaken up by this. Cal’s body is going to be frozen and the funeral held after an autopsy by Earth. They have to figure out how he was killed in his technosuit. All our suits were revamped after the Monev episode. This was never supposed to be able to happen.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
Her mom gave a slight nod. “I have to go now. Your dad and I will be at headquarters. None of you have to report for training for the rest of the week. So, enjoy your week off. I’ll see you in the morning. Think you can handle your brothers and sisters tonight?”
Shamira shrugged. “You kidding? Piece of cake.”
Manny and David ran into the room. Although neither were brothers by blood, they both had thick brown hair and lightly tanned skin.
David looked up at his mom, who he favored with light skin and dark
hair. His thick firm arm pumped up as he shook his fist in the air. “If Dad doesn’t take those boxing gloves from Taren, I’m hiding them.”
“No. Burning them!” Manny added. His thin frame jumped while he stomped the floor.
“Oh, c’mon, what could a little girl with boxing gloves do to hurt you two strong boys?” Her mother laughed then grabbed her bag and walked out the door. “Bye boys. Be good to your sister.”
Both boys waved and turned their amused faces to Shamira. “What time is it?”
Shamira threw a look over her shoulder to make sure her mom was gone. “Wrestle time! You’re butt is so mine,” she growled. The boys took off running and Shamira chased them, laughing.
It was one of the games they played when her parents weren’t home. Also, her one surefire way to wear them out so they would go to bed and give her time for training.
Chapter 9
A sigh escaped her lips, but Shamira’s eyes hadn’t left the door. Her team was running late and she was mad. She didn’t find anything in Cal’s emails or files that indicated why he wanted to go to the Mons. Not even one thing that could tip off anyone about who would’ve wanted him dead. Yeah, she read the historical files on how and why the Security Force Elite on Earth and Mars was created. A new world order by the Earth Rebirth Council to clean up Earth and to rid the world of crime was the catalyst for the Security Force Elite both on Mars and Earth.
The criminals that could be rehabilitated with hypnotic software that would remove the subject’s desire to commit crime were released into the Mars relocation program. Others that were too violent and twisted were put to death by electrical drowning in the Waters. Because his crimes were committed when he was a teenager, Renu, Cal’s twin brother and former Security Force Elite cadet, slipped through the cracks and got clearance to come to Mars. Since he was a juvenile and appeared to be rehabilitated, he and his goon friends were allowed to settle on Mars. Problem was Renu went underground shortly after he got to Mars and was thought to be dead.
She sighed and gnawed on her nail while staring at the door. Her mother came out of the kitchen. “Staring at the door won’t make them get here any sooner. You know they’re always late.”
Her dad walked in the room and sat next to her on the large comfy couch in their living room. “Yeah, definitely something you have work on your team about. Once you get promoted they’ll dock your pay for tardiness. Not only that but it will effect the funding Mars gets from Earth if the force is seen to be inefficient.”
Agitated with her parents’ nagging, she shrugged. “I know. We’re just going to do some training sequences in the training room and I want to get it done so we can go to the midnight movie.”
“Movies? You said you hated movies, even after you got your sight you hated going,” her father laughed.
Thankfully the doorbell rang. Shamira sprang up to answer it. Valens stood at the door with the others behind him.
He smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before she had a chance to react. “You owed me that.”
Shamira smiled at his dimpled face. “I know, besides I had it coming.” She looked passed him and saw Kurt standing stiffly behind Hedi. “Kurt! Hey, I’m glad to see you’re okay.”
“Thanks. I’m good. Ready for what you’re dishing tonight.” He nodded. His almond-shaped black eyes winked at her.
“Let’s move, we’re going straight to the training rooms.”
They followed and gave a quick hello to her parents. Manny and David came running in the room.
David blocked the hallway leading to the training rooms. “We training today? I got some new moves to try out on Valens.”
Manny stood behind him. “Me too. Shamira taught us some real dirty moves. I think I’m ready for Anthony.” He pointed at Anthony, and then waved a fist in front of each eye. “I got my eye on you. Done. You’re gonna be so done.”
Anthony bent over and tickled Manny’s stomach, then stopped to rub his wrist. “Itches,” he mumbled absently. “Yeah, little man. I’ll be ready for you later.” He patted Manny on the head. “When you gonna grow some? I was twice your size when I was eleven.”
“Yeah, well, I may be little, but I can still kick your a…”
“Manny!” Shamira put her hand over his mouth. “You trying to get me in trouble? You know Mom thinks you get that potty mouth from us. I promise to practice with you both tomorrow. Cover the training door for us. Okay.”
David winked at Manny. “What do we get for it?”
“Oh please, here.” Hedi rolled her eyes then dug in her purse and gave them some candy. “There’s more where that came from if you keep her parents and Taren up here.”
Manny blew Hedi a kiss. “You are so my favorite, babe.”
Dion laughed. “Get over it, kid. She’s mine.”
Shamira led them down the stairwell to the underground training room she used with her parents. Mostly, she was the only one to use it. Her mother preferred to train at headquarters. Lately, since her father was Deputy Security Force Elite Leader and head of the Mars reconstruction program, he trained at the office also.
They sat in the main training area where soft benches lined the walls. Valens leaned on the wall with Kurt next to him.
Shamira made sure the door was locked then stood in front of them with her hands on her hips. “We have a problem. A big problem. Someone sent me an email soaked in a detonating computer virus yesterday before I left. The message was, Let the bodies hit the floor. One down and many more. On top of that, after I saw the message it disappeared and blue-screened my computer.”
Hedi pursed her lips in thought. “Yeah, I heard about a virus after I left. I went to my desk and did a quick hack job before the entire system went kaput. I knew it wasn’t me, but I downloaded what I could and put it on my drive. When I got home I forwarded it to your system. Did you get a chance to look at it?”
Shamira nodded. “Yeah, and it looks like there’s not much we don’t already know. That means the Security Force doesn’t know any more than we do, which is nothing.” Her arms folded over her chest. “Which means we have zero.”
Kurt smirked. “I wouldn’t give up that easily.”
Shamira’s gaze went from Kurt to Valens. With a nod, Valens winked at Kurt as if they shared a hidden secret.
Kurt adjusted himself on the wall with a slight grimace passing over his features. “There’s talk on the street that unknown people have been hanging around some of Monev’s destroyed hideouts. You know pillaging stuff that was left behind. Sort of like they’re looking for something.”
Shamira’s lips pursed. “Monev had a lot of things someone would want to take over. The list goes from their drug production, organ transplant contacts, and the secret to how they bought the Mars Security Force Elite with the Mars Police to their knees.”
Dion nodded. “Yeah, but let’s face it. No one else on this planet has the smarts, contacts, or money to pull off what Renu and his boys did. They’ll never be another Monev—ever.”
Mitch grunted. “That don’t mean there ain’t going to be a fool who thinks they can pull it off. But that still don’t justify killing Cal. Starting a drug factory can be done quietly and doesn’t have to mean killing the head of the Force. Seems to me this is personal.”
“Personal, my butt. Who the hell cares?” Anthony banged the wall with his fist. “We need to go to Sector Seven. The Force hasn’t been able to implement full clean-up there and the Mars Police force is weak there. I’d bet my keys to my bad ass car that if there’s something going on, it’s there.”
“I agree with Anthony. I think Sector Seven would be a good place to start.” Valens pushed himself off the wall.
“Good. Do we have a contact there? Anyone who’s still around?” Shamira asked.
Valens rested his head on his closed fist. “Maybe one. If she’ll talk to us. Nan’s parents still live in that area. She was denied placement in the Security Force Elite school, because she wanted to take care
of her mother who refused drug treatment.”
“Let’s go. We’ll leave out the back door so my parents don’t see us. They think we’re going to the movies. I’ll text them that we’re gone once we get there. If the force knows what we are up to they’ll definitely keep us out of the loop.” She turned her gaze to Hedi. “Think you can cloak us and make it look like we went to the movies?”
Hedi smirked. “You ask, I deliver.” Hedi pressed a button on the mini-computer on her wrist. A 4D keyboard and screen sprang up from the device. After several typed commands Hedi let out a giggle. “Done, I can only scramble it for two hours. As far a headquarters knows, we are at the movie mall together.”
“Thanks.” Shamira went to her weapons closet and pulled out her collapsed sword that looked like a club, clipped it on her belt with the other weapons and led the others out the door.
She climbed on Pearl. Valens slid on behind her. “Mind if I ride with you? My bike’s not working and I rode in Anthony’s car.”
Her chin lifted as she felt the familiar tingle of awareness that always assailed her whenever Valens was near. Her long brown-gold braid hung over his arm. “Program in the location. The others can follow me.”
He reached over and punched in the coordinates to Sector Seven. She tightened her hands on her handlebars and relished in the anticipation of a new lead. She’d been dormant too long and hoped that this Nan would have some answers about the new scum in town.
Chapter 10
Sector Seven hadn’t changed much. It was littered with brown and black buildings huddled together on the city blocks. The streets were dimly lit with sandswept ground separating the bundles of buildings. Shamira sped down the sector’s road and realized the place was rather vacant compared to her last visit a year ago. One thing had changed though, a big thing. It now had an entire city block of rubble in place where Snake Ice, a gaming hell on Black Snake Avenue, used to sit. Thanks to the kids that were enslaved by Monev and their use of the explosive computerized beetles from Valens’ collection of high-tech weapons, they blew up the place.
