by Lea Kirk
Apparently she now made exceptions for some aliens; why else would she be in cahoots with Haesi, of all people? He and Dante were in deeper shit than they’d realized. “What the hell is going on here, Kelly? Why are Dante and I here, and where’s Sakura?”
Kelly’s laugh was sharp and humorless. “She’s probably wondering where you are, would be my guess.”
Nick blinked rapidly. Saku wasn’t here? “You lied to me about her, then?”
“I never said she was here, idiot.” Kelly’s grin was full of animosity.
“Yes you….” No, wait. She’d never actually said she had Saku. Shit.
“Ska!” Dante jerked and turned to face their guide, one hand clamped over his upper arm.
Their guide scampered back a few paces, clutching an empty syringe in one hand. Nick’s gut clenched. “What was in the syringe, Kelly?”
“I warned you not to do anything stupid, but you did anyway.” Triumph lit Kelly’s eyes. “You stupidly did exactly what I told you.”
Haesi’s chuckle drew his attention back to the viscomm screen. “It was time to test my serum on ’Ferthian sympathizers. I wonder how long the good Healer Dacian will last? Or you, for that matter.”
Nick whirled. Something hard and sharp scraped over his bicep. Fuck! He grabbed the newcomer’s wrist and released his Gift. The man’s dark eyes widened, and a choked cry of agony hung in the space between them. Then the man’s legs gave out and he crumpled to the floor.
“Oh, my god, did you just kill him?” Fear reflected in Kelly’s eyes as her gaze darted between the dead man and Nick.
A growl welled up in Nick’s chest and he bent to retrieve the unused syringe. “Damn right I did.” The ass-clown had been coming at him with a lethal injection. Nick cast a quick glance at the needle. “I’m thinking it’s time to try this out on a couple of other guinea pigs.”
Kelly and the guide retreated a few steps, fear lurking in their eyes. “Don’t be a fucking moron, Bock.”
“Oh, I’m not. Not this time.” He stepped toward them. How many times had Graig drummed it into his head, stupidity will kill you? He was damn lucky to be alive right now. “If you think you can get your gun clear of its holster and a bullet into my head before I jab this needle into your neck, go ahead.”
That was apparently all the encouragement Kelly and the guide needed. They turned and bolted from the room. Nick followed them, stopping at the doorway long enough to shove the heavy, metal door in place. The clang of the bolt hitting home filled him with satisfaction. One problem taken care of. Now for the other. He turned his attention to the viscomm. It was blank. Haesi must have cut the connection. Damn. There was nothing he could do about that now.
He met Dante’s gaze. “You okay?”
“Fine for the moment. Did he get you?”
Nick turned his arm, a three-inch red line welled across the skin of his bicep. “I don’t think so, just a scratch.”
Dante’s frown matched the thought in his own mind. Hopefully.
Dante knelt to check the dead man. “A clean kill.” His grim gaze met Nick’s. “Are you well?”
It wasn’t the first time he’d killed someone. That line had been crossed at eighteen when assassins had tried to murder Alex. But, it was the first time he’d used his Gift to end a life. All healers were trained to do this for patients with no hope, an act of compassion carried out only at the patient’s request. This man was neither a patient, nor had he requested it. Not verbally, at least. By his actions, though, his request was loud and clear. He must have known the risk he’d taken and had chosen to overlook this as a possible outcome.
“My mind is well, and my actions justified.” It was the traditional response, although there probably weren’t very many healers throughout history who had said these words in a similar case. “It was either him, or me, Dante. I’m not sorry I’m the one still standing.”
Dante’s features relaxed. “Me too, ades. Help me get his warm clothes off. We’ll need them if we manage to get out of here.”
~*~
Nick peered around the corner, the telum he’d confiscated from his would-be executioner raised and ready to shoot. Where the hell was everyone? It was like they’d all beamed out, or something. Not one single soul had appeared to bar their escape, and now a heavy door that just might lead to the outside was a quick sprint down a seventy-foot corridor. Too easy, but at this point he’d take any blessings sent his way.
He leaned back against the wall and eyed Dante. “Feel like running?”
“I don’t feel any different than usual. It is possible that the serum doesn’t work on Matirans.”
Wishful thinking. The entire contents of the syringe had been emptied into Dante, and the time bomb was ticking.
“Your face expresses your skepticism,” Dante said. “What about you? The needle broke your skin.”
“Yeah, but the syringe was still full.” Unless there had been fluid in the needle at the moment of contact, he should be fine.
The look Dante gave him was pointed. “Perhaps you should prepare me for what’s to come so I’ll recognize the signs and can alert you.”
“There won’t be any warning.”
Dante stared at him, then slowly nodded. “I do not care to be their test subject.”
“Then, how about we get the hell out of here and back to Center?”
“Agreed.”
“Great.” Nick jerked his head in the direction of the corridor. “You go first, I’ll cover.”
Dante didn’t hesitate, and moments later they burst through the door and into the frigid, grey evening. Of an alien planet. With no map. Or compass.
Shit.
The wind tussled the treetops and fat flakes of snow swirled passed them. They were going to die out here in the approaching storm.
“This way, Nick.” There was a confident line to Dante’s stride. How could he be so certain when everything here looked exactly the same?
“How do you know? The villages could be that way.” Nick waved one hand in the opposite direction.
Dante stopped. “Remember, I told you that Gryf and Graig used to participate in drills out here?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you think the fleet would send their officers here without a medical team?”
Nick blinked. “You mean, you’ve been here?”
Dante gestured in the direction of the building they’d just escaped. “This was one of the command bases we used. The villages are no more than a days walk from here.”
“Wait. Wouldn’t there be a comm center inside? We could use it to get a lift out.”
Dante shook his head. “The fleet does not fly in these storms; too dangerous. Besides, we would need a clearance authorization code to send a message, which we do not have. And that is assuming the equipment has not been deactivated. The fleet has not used this site since the dissenters were homed here.”
“But, still, it’s shelter. Maybe we should hole up here until the storm passes.”
“Do you truly wish to go back in there now that we are free?” Dante pointed in the direction of the trees. “There is a small shelter used by participants in the drills less than five kilots from here. We could get there shortly after dark, if we hurry.”
Chapter Eighteen
“There it is.”
Nick looked up at Dante’s shout, just loud enough to be heard over the rising wind. His gaze tracked the direction Dante’s finger pointed. The outline of a small cube shelter was barely visible through the whirls of snow. How in the hell had they not walked right past it?
Priority one, get inside and out of the storm. If they were really lucky, the place would still be stocked with blankets and a lutep —a Matiran solar-charged light and heating unit.
“It appears the ID reader has been disabled,” Dante said.
“How do we get in?”
Dante raised his brows and gave him a look that said “are you ki
dding me?” in at least twelve-thousand galactic languages, then he pushed on the door with one hand. It swung open.
“They’re left accessible to anyone who might be stranded,” Dante said with a dry tone.
Huh. “Hope we don’t find a drug cartel inside.”
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind.”
Nick stepped into the hut behind Dante and closed the door. In the dim greyness, he could hear Dante shuffling, then a click and soft hiss like a sigh.
“Over here, Nick. There should be a lutep somewhere in the supply cabinet.”
“Sure.” He yanked the glove he wore off and reached into the cabinet. After a few moments, his hand connected with something hard, long, and narrow. “I think I’ve got one…yup. Hold on, I’ll get started.” Unless it was dead. These things ran on solar power, but God knew how long it’d been since this one had seen the sun.
He sat back on his heels, his fingers fumbling across the surface of the unit until they encountered a slight impression. He gave it a push and the device emitted a low hum as warmth seeped into his fingertips. A soft, natural glow pulsed until it became a steady light.
“Jackpot.”
“Good thing they don’t lose their charge in storage,” Dante said, peering back into the cabinet. “Sadly, that appears to be the only one. Set it to the lowest power. We can use the blankets in here to keep warm. Once we’re set up, we can turn it off to conserve the charge.”
“Don’t these things last three days?”
“They do, but we have no idea how long we will be stranded here.”
Good point. He set the lutep on the floor, then ran his fingers over the grainy, dark surface. “Dirt floors, Dante?”
“This was built to meet basic survival needs for military operations, not be a luxurious holiday getaway for the family.”
Something soft hit Nick square in the face and he jerked to catch the blanket before it hit the ground. “Mmph. Thanks, old pal.”
Dante chuckled and reached back into the cabinet. “We can layer them und….” The healer’s body went rigid. With a distressed cry, he grasped his head between his hands and sank to his knees.
“Oh, shit, not now.” Nick scrambled to catch Dante before he could pitch forward and hit his face against the cabinet.
The sound of suffering filled the small space as Nick lowered his friend’s arching body to the ground. Not good, not good, so not good. “It’ll get better, Dante. The pain won’t go away completely, but it won’t be so bad in a little while. Just stay with me, man.”
Then it would come back again and again, in agonizing waves, each one a little stronger and more insidious than the one before. Damn and fuck. Could he heal Dante alone, without Saku? Probably not. Even as strong as his Gift was, the amount of power required to neutralize this thing was way beyond his sole capabilities. But, he needed to do something. His gaze landed on the blanket. First order of business, keep Dante as warm and comfortable as possible.
He reached into the cabinet, sank his fingers into the pile of thick blankets, and hauled out as many as he could. Six total. Three layers should be enough under them. That’d leave three to cover them, and he could put the lutep under with them to keep it warm.
Dante moaned again, then rolled into a fetal position.
“I’m working as fast as I can, ades.” For all it was worth. Minimum incubation time for the illness was four and half days, but Dante had only been infected two hours ago. Was it his smaller body stature that made the contaminant active so much sooner? And—oh, shit—what if he was infected too? That would be the worst case scenario. He had to get them set up and comfortable quickly, just in case.
Five minutes later, Nick had all the blankets arranged, three to sit on, two to cover them, and one to wrap over his shoulders. The lutep, a crate of water packets, and field ration bars positioned within easy reach. There was nothing more he could do. Moving Dante would be a challenge, especially since he seemed to be unconscious now. At six foot four, Dante was nowhere near as tall as an Anferthian, at least none Nick had ever met, but the master healer was still a solid three inches taller than him.
And he wasn’t going to get any shorter anytime soon.
Nick rolled Dante onto his back, picked him up under the arms and dragged him onto the blankets. Then, he draped the extra blanket over his own shoulders and sat with his back against the cabinet. He reached out and dragged Dante up to recline against his chest, covering them both with the last two blankets as best he could.
He breathed out a sigh and leaned his head back against the cabinet. There was nothing more to do but wait.
~*~
Sakura peered at the map on the dining table, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. The layout of the Directionals was so simple, even she understood it. Not that she would dream of stepping outside the wheel. Being lost in the frigid wilderness of Matir’s southern hemisphere was not in her plan, not ever. Directions had never been her strength. East, West, North, South…just words. It was probably a good thing she never owned a car, as she would most certainly forget where she parked it.
Two of the three runners had returned with news that Nick and Dante had not shown up at East or North Villages. The South Village runner was still out there, somewhere. The incoming energy of the storm swayed the trees and made comms all but useless. All the advanced technology available, and still a big enough storm could render it ineffective.
“Ita discovered an inconsistency in the snow along the path between South and East.” K’rona pointed to the path in question. “She says it looks like several people left the path in single file formation for an unknown destination through the wilderness.”
Sakura’s stomach muscles tightened. “You mean, Nick and Dante might have been kidnapped?”
“It seems very likely.” K’rona’s fingernail tapped an impatient beat on the map.
“Well, what are you going to do to get Uncle Nick back?” Flora asked, an almost insolent clip to her voice.
“Uncalled for, Flora.” Alex turned from staring out the window and frowned at her daughter.
“No,” K’rona said in English, her large green gaze locked on the teenage girl. “Her question is fair.”
“But, it’s not your fault—”
“Allazandra,” K’rona cut off Nick’s sister. “I answer. We do everything. Flora. Your uncle is fyhen. I will die for him if I must.”
Flora stared hard at the Anferthian woman. Doubt still flickered in her eyes, but it seemed she had nothing to add.
Alex murmured something, and turned to stare out the window again. Sakura met K’rona’s gaze, and the corners of the Anferthian’s wide mouth tipped upward a fraction. “There are many reasons to fight for his return.” She had returned to speaking Anferthian, allowing the translators to work their electronic magic. The affection in K’rona’s eyes was directed at her, and warmth spread through Sakura’s chest at the compliment.
“No! Stay there,” Alex snapped.
Sakura cast a worried glance in her direction. “Who are you talking to?”
Alex’s cheeks turned pink and she fluttered her hands. “Just talking to myself.”
“She’s talking to Poppy.” Flora gave her mother a knowing smirk.
What did that mean? Poppy was the name Alex’s children called Admiral Helyg. “But, the comms aren’t working.”
Alex fixed her daughter with a glare that promised retribution, then faced Sakura. “I’m not using a comm.”
“Then how—”
“Telepathy.”
Sakura’s jaw dropped. “You have telepathy?”
Alex shook her head. “Yes, I do, but only with Gryf.” She sighed. “During the occupation, our souls joined in a thing the Matirans call eno anim. No one understands how it happens, but sometimes, when things get really bad, two Matirans’ souls are joined and they are given the tools to help change things by working together. Gryf and I were
chosen, and one of the tools we were given is telepathy.”
“And now you are talking to Admiral Helyg? How? You are not Matiran.”
“Apparently, having a Matiran ancestor is enough.”
Sakura drew her brows together. Both she and Nick had a Matiran ancestor, so maybe she could contact Nick.
“I know what you’re thinking, Sakura, and it won’t work,” Alex said. “Eno anim hasn’t happened for you.”
“How do you know?”
“Trust me, you’d know if your souls had merged. It changes you in such a profound way that you wouldn’t be able to hide it, especially from me. You would have known the moment Nick was kidnapped, where he’d been taken, and where he is now. Everything he knows, everything he is, would be a part of you. And that’s not the case, is it?”
Sakura swallowed and gave her head a shake.
Alex smiled. “Then we’ll have to figure out another way to find him and Dante.”
“Can Admiral Helyg bring in the Unified Fleet?”
“The fleet brass and Administer Corvus have denied his request to do just that, which is driving him ape-shit. But, they don’t want to draw the attention of the Arruch.”
K’rona stood straight. “We must prepare to leave as soon as the storm breaks. Allazandra, you come with me. Sakura, you will stay with Flora.”
Sakura’s mouth dropped open. “I am coming too.”
“Flora requires protection. Allazandra has survival and tracking skills, you do not. Please, to argue wastes precious time. Time Nick may not have.”
“But, I’m a healer, and they may need me.”
“I’m a healer too, Sakura,” Alex said. “I am also a mother placing the well-being of her child in your hands. Believe me, this is just as important as finding Nicky and Dante.”
Sakura opened her mouth to argue, then snapped it shut again. There were no more arguments to be made. She was staying and the others were going, and that is the way it would be regardless of what she wanted. One thing was certain, she was going to learn survival skills and how to track. And combat skills too, because no one was going to leave her behind again.
