The Pack-Retribution

by LM. Preston

  Anthony’s large form stood in front of her, his hands on his hips as he scowled down at her. “Our job is to protect you, the future head of the force. Our leader. As it stands, we failed with the last one. Now with all our jobs on the line, you need to know—in this, you ain’t going it alone!”

  Fury filled her. Didn’t they know how to take orders? She was trying to protect them and they kept getting in the way. “You will follow my orders. I’m your friggin’ leader, remember. Leave me. Hit the streets!”

  Kurt shook his head. “Negative. Valens and Hedi are on that job. Ours is to protect you.”

  She narrowed her eyes and flipped up her hand. “Who gave you a new direction? Valens?” She grunted. “Should’ve known he’d butt in. Who does he think he is?”

  Anthony put a hand on her shoulder. “The guy who loves you.”

  Shamira wrenched away. “It’s over between us! I have a job to do, and he keeps getting in my way!”

  Mitch stepped up to her. “Your damn way? Are you shittin’ me? He loved you when you were blind, helped you recruit all of us, and took a back seat to your bad ass attitude while you stuck your nose up at him.”

  Kurt put a hand on Mitch’s chest to back him away from her. “Shamira, he didn’t send us. He told us to follow your orders.” He sighed, “We came anyway, because we all care about you. Dion told us the deal and we ditched them to come to you.”

  She’d be a liar if she didn’t admit the hurt from Valens not coming with them. He’d always shown up when she went out alone, and for little over a year, he’d been her shadow. Her other half. She bit her lip to stop tears from falling. “Well I’m fine, so you can go.”

  “Yeah, together. ’Cause there ain’t no way in hell we are leaving without you. Those wimp Earth Cadets might scare easy, but we don’t. ” Anthony’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed.

  She pushed past him, and several shadows flitted around the exit to the alley. She hit Anthony in the arm.

  “What?”

  “Someone’s coming. Get ready!” She sank down, pulled out some stars while the other’s followed her lead.

  Mitch turned, his back to her. “Shit! More coming from the back.”

  Kurt snorted. “Of course, why wouldn’t they?”

  “Keep movin’, don’t make it easy for them.” She didn’t hesitate before she flicked three stars at the group of covered men that attacked. Two hit their mark. One of the assailants dropped to his knees to fire his gun, but turned to ashes on his way down. The putrid smell of burnt flesh filled the air, and another two felled assassins met their death with silver stars wedged in their foreheads.

  She spun out of the way of the return shot.

  “I’m covering you!” Anthony fired with a gun in each hand.

  She charged toward the three remaining attackers. “I’m getting some answers!”

  One threw down his gun. Barreling towards at her with a yell, his elbow snaked out to land on her jaw. Lights formed behind her eyes. The sharp pain came swiftly, knocking her off balance. His knife glinted as it swiped at her stomach.

  Twisting away, she side-kicked him at the knee. It cracked, he growled. His body bowed oddly toward her. And she landed a blow to the side of his neck. He roared, scrambling to get at her. She yanked a truth tick from her belt.

  The veins in his face blackened from the poison. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “WHO SENT YOU!” She jabbed the truth tick on his neck.

  In a hoarse whisper, “Sna...” His body incinerated with a pop in her hands.

  Choking back bile, his ashes fell around her. She screamed her annoyance at his death. But turned to fight the others with renewed vigor. Her eyes widened when the guys headed toward her, ashes falling like rain around them.

  Kurt wiped his hands together. “We’re done.”

  Mitch nodded at her. “What about you?”

  She sighed. “Done, let’s go. I’m tired and I want to see my parents.”

  “Not happening, Hedi checked on them before we left. She wasn’t admitted in. They locked the doors at 8 p.m. Told her they should be ready for visitors in the morning,” Mitch responded.

  Anthony gave her the metal ball she’d thrown at Ki. “This yours? Did Valens create it?”

  Exhaustion and grief filled her chest to the point where it ached. “Yeah, it’s mine. Valens’ dad made it.”

  Mitch frowned. “I thought he only made stuff for Cal. How’d you get on his list?”

  She shrugged. “Cal let me use his stuff. I was his trainee.”

  They walked in silence to their motorcycles. She slid on Cal’s and started the engine.

  “Hey, they told me to tell you your brothers and sister are at Valens’ place. You can crash there too!” Anthony waved.

  “Okay.” The drive to Valens would be one of the hardest ones in her life. If he was there, she didn’t know what she would say, how she would hold up this hard front when all she wanted to do was be held in his arms and cry her eyes out. But she’d do it. Putting up blinders was her former way to deal with things. Shove away fear, pain and hurt, to show her anger. The rage that caused her rebirth, and of which she tried to control for the last year tried to lull her back. It was the only thing left she could count on to bring down whomever was trying to kill her and the ones she loved. Keeping Valens at a distance was something she had to do, there was no other choice.

  Chapter 28

  Shamira accelerated Cal’s motorcycle into the desert just beyond Sector Two. Valens’ home was well hidden. His family had two of them, but decided to sell the home where his mother was killed about a year ago. His father couldn’t deal with living there afterward.

  Valens curled blond hair and soothing blue eyes continued to melt her. The closer she came to where she knew there was a chance she’d see him, the more she slowed, not ready to face him or his father. The first day they met, Valens tried to save her life. They met during one of her many set-up traps for Monev’s drug dealers that she’d suspect of kidnapping children to use for mining, selling and prostituting themselves for the crime empire Renu’s built. And what did she do? She fought with him.

  She’d never forget the time she’d first saw Renu face to face. She’d thought he was Cal, but…with an edginess that Cal’s joking nature didn’t seem to emulate. That time though was nothing like when she’d first confronted Renu. He’d almost killed her, and if it wasn’t for Kurt jumping in front of her, she’d be dead now.

  Jumbled memories poured through her head, the kids that joined in the fight, some who lost their lives to have the ultimate freedom from an organization that used them, beat them down, then discarded them for drugs and money. That victory was bittersweet now. Her heart jumped knowing that what she’d won had only been a battle. Cal had known, even with his brother dead, that Monev would find a way to go on—or at least, crime would.

  She sighed. Now what? After she located the source and killed him—then what? Would it end? Would the innocent be free? Would Mars be the Mecca of peace for the rehabilitated criminals and their families? She didn’t think so. Now it seemed it would only be the place for Earth’s discarded, for their throwaways and troublemakers. Like her and Team Underground. The Mars Security Force was tasked with making this a home for those that were just pawns in it all.

  A large gust of wind lapped her back as she came up to a seemingly barren patch of sand. She mentally communicated to her helmet the code to open Valens’ hidden home. The one he’d whispered in her ear the night he asked her to be his girlfriend. She swallowed the ache of her new cloak of loneliness and watched the sand disappear. The ramp leading to the garage opened. The bike rolled down the slope. She stared at the sand while it seeped through the miniscule holes in the paved driveway before the fissures closed up.

  The lights in the garage kicked on and she parked Cal’s—now her—motorcycle, she supposed. A sad upturn of her lip mirrored the pain of her losses. Squeezing her fist tightly, she fought against the shivers of her grie
f, fighting back tears. Tonight she didn’t like the answers she sought…and found. Corruption in the Force still was going strong. Monev was rising from the dead. What did her parents have to do with it? Or Cal? She guessed because of their position, or maybe their connection to her—they all had been doomed.

  Shamira slid her hand down the door’s cool metal frame and typed in the code to open the entrance. She heaved a sigh while the door opened.

  “Ahem.” Special Andrews stood just inside the door. His short brown hair was thickly waved with his blue eyes kindly observing her.

  “Oh, uh…Special Andrews uh… Mr. Andrews, I didn’t expect you to be up.” Shamira fought to look at ease and not tensed like she felt. She’d rarely seen him. When she was with Valens he was usually out working, designing and building the gadgets used by the force on Mars and Earth.

  “Just call me Jason. Valens warned me you kept late hours.” He nodded in the direction of the hallway behind him. “Your sister’s been crying for you.”

  “Sure, I’ll go see her. Um, thanks for having us.” Shamira started past him. The large room with scattered pillows, and brightly colored couches were a blur when she started on her way to Mina’s room.

  Special Andrew’s hand snagged her arm to stop her. “When you’re done with her, come see me. I’d like to talk to you.”

  “Okay, Spec… uh, Jason.” She headed to Taren’s room. Digging deeply for words she could use to comfort her little sister, she plastered a sanguine smile on her face. The words she was seeking to make this all seem better were hard to find, especially since she was the one who’d brought this vendetta on her family. She endangered their lives and snatched Taren’s new parents from her. She’d make it right, though. She would do whatever it took to take care of them all—avenge them all.

  She heard Taren’s crying and her heart broke. Mina was whispering to her softly. “It’ll be okay. Your parents are strong. They’ll make it.”

  Taren cried louder with wet, sobbing hiccups. “I just…only…had th-them for a year.” She sniffled. “They were even better than my real mom who…sold, me to the bad…ba…d men for dream.”

  Mina smoothed Taren’s hair back. “Your sister will save them, like she saved us. She’ll do it, and get who did this to your family.”

  Shamira walked in the room. “Yes, I will. I will.”

  Taren’s cries turned to a whimper. “Meera! H-have you seen them?” She ran toward Shamira and wrapped her arms around her hips.

  Unraveling Taren’s arms, Shamira bent and returned her hug. Burying her nose in Taren’s sweet smelling hair, she held Taren through her sobs. “I thought you weren’t coming back.”

  “Umm, I’ll always come back for you—always count on that.” Shamira turned her chin toward Mina. “And you too.” Pulling Mina close, she whispered, “You too.”

  Chapter 29

  Shamira tucked the girls in bed together. She glanced about the room’s pink and yellow decorated walls and pictures, before returning her gaze to her sister. She faked a calmness she didn’t feel, hoping it would put Taren’s fears at ease.

  Taren frowned at her with lazy eyelids, fighting sleep. “Where are you sleeping?” She tucked the teddy bear Mina gave her under her head like a pillow.

  Shamira lifted an eyebrow. “Why? You’re not planning on going on a stealth mission to my bed, are you?”

  Taren smirked. “’Course not. At least not on purpose. I sleep walk.”

  With a nod, Shamira tickled Taren’s stomach. “Yeah right.”

  Mina giggled. “You’re such a liar, Taren. You told me when Shamira gets home you were going to sleep—Ow!”

  Taren elbowed Mina and shrugged. “Big mouth!”

  Shamira got serious, “Hey cut it out you’s. I got some questions. Uh, about the Mons.”

  They both quieted. Taren frowned. “That was a bad place. The worst ever. I’m glad you burned it down.”

  Mina nodded. “Me too! David told me that Valens…he made sure Tiger stayed there. David said Tiger would never bother us again.”

  “He’s right. Tiger won’t ever bother you again.” Shamira grasped their hands. “Do you know if Tiger had anyone help him? You know, visit him there that looked just as mean or had a tattoo on their cheek?”

  They stared at her quietly as though confused.

  Taren whispered. “Keeper. His name was Keeper.”

  Shamira closed her eyes briefly, gathering herself for the next answer to her question. “How’d you know who he was, Taren? Did he…hurt you?”

  Taren sighed. “He beat me up. He wanted to see if I was strong enough to train.”

  Shamira rubbed her thumb soothingly on Taren’s hand. “What did he do exactly?”

  “Beat me,” she whispered. “But I kept getting up.” A tear fell from her eye, slowly making its way onto the teddy bear’s white fur. “Then one of the other kids told me to pretend to sleep if I didn’t want the bad man to take me with him.” She sniffed. “So when he hit me once more, I fell back and didn’t move, not even a little bit.”

  “I’m sorry. So sorry…”

  “The night you saved me—us—he was supposed to come back for me. He said I was strong, but he would break me. He said he would make me like him…an assassin.”

  Shamira gathered Taren in her arms tightly. “You’re safe now. Okay?”

  “I know, you’re here. But Mom…Dad, are they?”

  “They’re fine. I may be able to see them in the morning. You too, soon after that.”

  Taren hugged her tightly. “I’m glad. Glad. And…Meera, you’re the best sister ever.” She kissed Shamira’s cheek.

  “Thanks squirt, so are you.” Shamira eyes watered. “Well, go to sleep. I’m tired and you are too. Mina’s already knocked out.”

  “What’s new, she’s always snoozing on me.” Taren snuggled up with the teddy bear.

  Shamira gave Taren one last playful pinch on her cheek and left the room.

  David and Manny stood in the hallway waiting for her.

  “You finished with her? She’s been like that all day. We even tried giving her candy,” David said.

  “Thanks for taking over for me guys. Where’s your room?”

  Manny pointed. “Across the hall. You know, so we can protect the girls if something jumps off.”

  Shamira rolled her eyes. Manny’s been around Anthony too much. “Good place to stake out trouble.”

  “Well, you know me, I know how to take care of things.” Manny smacked his teeth and punched his fist into his palm.

  David made a fart sound under his arm then snickered at Manny. “Don’t listen to him. How’s Mom and Dad? I mean really.”

  “I haven’t been able to see them. They are guarded, but getting better. I’ll be able to see them in the morning, I hope.” She pushed them in the direction of their room.

  “Oh, Valens told us he would take us to see them as soon as they were better.” Manny climbed up onto the top bunk bed.

  “Yeah, he said we could ride on the backs of their motorcycles.” David punched his pillow. “I’m just ready to get my own, though.”

  Manny rolled his eyes.

  “Hey, you boys remember when you were held by Monev?” Shamira stood by the bed and tucked Manny in, who surprisingly let her. Then bent and did the same to David.

  David frowned. “I don’t try to remember.”

  “I was mostly on the streets. Except the time I got away from them and stowed away on the trash truck leaving the Mons.” Manny sat up, resting his head in his hand.

  “On the street, did you know of any places where Monev guys hung out that we didn’t blow up?”

  Manny bit his lip, thinking. “A few places, I guess. Mostly by the Mons and in Sector 3 or the barren lands. Kids on the street warned about not going there if you didn’t want to get caught.” He shrugged. “I had a hunger problem and went there thinking I could get some food and steal some money to last me for a while. I wanted to stowaway on one of those sh
ips to Earth. I thought I could find some family there since my dad got shot at one of the gaming hells.” He leaned back on the pillow looking up at the ceiling.

  “You miss him much?” She caressed his face with the back of her hand.

  “All the time. He was a good dad. He just sorta made some bad choices. He really was rehabilitated. Monev tried to recruit him. When he refused, they shot him and came after me.”

  “I’m sorry. We’ll—” Shamira was cut off when Manny sat up and hugged her tightly before lying back down.

  “I’m happy now. I have a big family who loves me…just as much as my dad did. I miss him, but I love my new mom and dad just as much. And having a little brother ain’t too bad either.”

  David’s foot hit the bottom of Manny’s bed. “He’s a good sparring partner too!”

  She chuckled. “Yeah he is, and a great brother. I’m lucky to have the two of you guys to protect us.” She ruffled both of their heads.

  David mumbled. “I told you I’m getting too old for that stuff. I’m almost a teenager.”

  “You’re still a little bugger to me though. Both of you!” She waved as she walked out the door.

  Shamira headed straight to the labs where Specials Andrews would be. It was where Valens and his father did all their inventor stuff. Valens had shown her their super-computer once. She was awed. His father actually designed it so it would take his engineering designs directly from his memory, transmitted by brain waves, to create synthetic prototypes of his devices. Valens perfected the tool by improving the prototyping with metals and synthetics he’d researched. They were a great team. Shamira often wondered why Valens chose to do the Security Force task team work over his first love of inventing.

  The long hallway leading to the large silver door was painted a calming forest green. Pictures of Earth and Valens’ mom littered the walls. Her pale blonde hair mingled with Valens’ and Mina’s as they rested their heads on hers for the picture. Seeing Valens as a grinning kid made her want to seek him out, and let him prod her for answers like he was so good at doing. But she wouldn’t—couldn’t—drop the ball now.