The Fifth Column Boxed Set

by J. N. Chaney

  “So, you followed us to Leah,” I guessed. “How did you do that by the way?” I hated to admit that it had been bugging me.

  “It wasn’t hard.” His lip curled up into a sardonic leer. “After my report, they were interested. Wanted me to track you without interfering. When you left Karbine it was easy to follow your burn trajectory. With Leah being the closest station, it was a logical deduction. Once you left to get supplies, I tagged your ship. Z9 gave me a little zap for my trouble.”

  “You were the thief,” I realized, remembering Vega telling us about the incident.

  “Yes. You two made it pretty easy.” He smirked again.

  “What’s so special about the bow?” I wondered.

  He shrugged as if he didn’t care. “It’s some kind of ancient tech they’ve been wanting to get their hands on. They have some artifacts that look just like it but haven’t been able to get them working. It’s amazing that Sarkonian engineers were able to succeed where they failed,” he mused.

  “So, the arms dealer wasn’t lying, it really did come from a Sarkonian weapons shipment,” I said to myself. “Look, none of that matters,” I continued urgently. “If you’ve been reading our files you know what the Empire is doing. Running weapons testing on their own people? You can’t be on board with that. Let us go so we can stop it.”

  “Let you go?” Haas shook his head. “I don’t think so. If the Sarkonians want to destroy themselves and create a rebel uprising in the process, then all the better for the Union.”

  I bristled with anger at his arrogance, though I made a note to tell Farah that the Union was aware of the brewing rebellion.

  “Sophie’s out of the brig on our ship. We know you’re here now, so you’ve lost the element of surprise. Surely you realize you can’t take us alone? Undock from us and it’ll be like we were never here. Otherwise...” I let the words hang in the air and raised the rifle a fraction in a suggestive motion.

  Haas grinned then, a cold, sly smile that said he knew something I didn’t.

  “Whatever made you think I was alone, Eva?”

  A noise behind me drew my attention. I’d been so distracted and sure that he was by himself that I hadn’t been listening for more threats.

  Stupid, stupid.

  I whirled to meet the new threat, but they were already on me and shoved the muzzle of my rifle up before I could get a shot off.

  Not that I could have anyway.

  “You son of a bitch.” I was all out of patience and restraint. Before I could stop myself, I hauled back and smacked Lieutenant-Mateo Kamal in the face with as much of my considerable force as I could muster.

  “You only get one of those, Delgado,” he warned me, then yanked the rifle from my grasp.

  “One free shot. That’s all you get,” laughed a twenty-one-year-old Mateo as he rubbed his face gingerly.

  We were sparring as we did every week since the first time we had met. So far, I had yet to beat him. The man was a force to be reckoned with, but I’d come close. Once.

  This time I’d taken a cheap shot and landed a blow to his chin. I was thankful for the practice gloves, otherwise my hand would be throbbing.

  Over the past few months we had come to know each other more than I’d expected, and the more time we spent together the more I realized how alike we were. That initial meeting where I thought him too outgoing was not his norm.

  Mateo was only that person with me. Gods knew why after I had been so prickly to him, but we’d become friends just the same. His exterior shell was just as thick as mine, if not more so.

  About a month into training, Recruit-Cooper had made the mistake of goading my friend into a fight after seeing us together. Mateo challenged him then and there to a Mano Duel—a no weapons, hand to hand contest where two fighters fought until one of them surrendered or lost consciousness. That fight ended with Cooper in the infirmary and he had yet to speak to either of us again.

  Now I circled Mateo in the empty training room, looking for an opening in his guard. As usual I didn’t see one, but I smirked like I had and bull rushed forward, dropping my gaze to his left elbow.

  He instinctively shifted to protect that side, but I feigned and went right as I closed the small gap between us to deliver a punishing blow to his ribs. Mat grunted but didn’t step back and I danced away.

  “Good one,” he said with a nod. “When it’s you and the enemy, honor goes out the window. Cunning is just as effective as a well-placed punch.”

  Little beads of sweat had started to collect and slide down his face and we were both breathing heavy after going at it for that past hour.

  “We’re the same age, Kamal,” I reminded him. “I’ve been training just as long as you. And I know you’re just trying to distract me. Won’t work.”

  I smiled smugly at him and he grinned back.

  We moved toward each other like lightning. I easily blocked one of his strikes and stepped into his space until our bodies touched.

  “Hey,” he protested. “That’s not—”

  With my hands on either side of his face I pulled him close and laid my lips on his. Mateo’s dark eyes went wide with shock. His body went lax long enough for me to grab one arm and spin inward, perform a throw that put him on the ground, then straddle him with my forearm pressed to his throat.

  “You were saying?” I asked triumphantly. I was more than a little elated that my ploy had worked.

  In the next instant he levered up, throwing me off balance, then suddenly I was on my back and he was peering down at me. His strong hands braceleted my wrists and I couldn’t pull them free. I had a moment to think that his eyes had appeared to turn a shade darker than usual, then Mateo leaned down and took my mouth in a rough kiss.

  I understood his initial reaction to mine immediately. Blood rushed in my ears and I suddenly couldn’t breathe, but it had nothing to do with fatigue. My bones seemed to have become jelly and all rational thought deserted me.

  “Okay, let me up, loser,” I said when he broke the kiss.

  He made no move to set me free and instead brushed his lips against mine, softer this time. I couldn’t help myself. Gods help me, but I kissed him back.

  “Why did this take so long?” he grunted.

  Before I could answer, the sound of voices outside the room warned us that company was coming, and Mateo sprang off of me guiltily. The government discouraged fraternization at this stage in our training and neither of us needed that kind of reprimand making it back to our parents.

  He extended his hand and it reminded me of our first exchange with one another. This time I let him help me up, a sign of the trust that had grown between us.

  “Meet me later at our usual spot,” Mateo said gruffly. Then he was gone without waiting for my answer and the door slid smoothly shut behind him, leaving me standing alone on the mat.

  “What the fuck just happened?” I asked the empty room.

  “Unable to process inquiry,” commented the room’s aging computer.

  Feeling like an idiot, I grabbed my gear and stalked out, unsure whether meeting him later would be a good idea.

  21

  Those old memories bubbled to the surface of my mind, threatening to betray my emotion as I looked at the very much alive Mateo Kamal standing before me.

  After our first kiss that day all those years ago, I had decided to go to him. I’d convinced myself to keep him at arm’s length because I didn’t want to admit that he was more than a friend to me. In the name of not ruining our friendship, we’d agreed to keep things casual and had finished training as though the kiss had never happened.

  After being stationed on separate warships I’d only seen him a handful of times before we were both placed under Navari’s command.

  Still, I’d kept my feelings locked up tight, refusing to acknowledge them. Then when he died, everything changed. It had been the catalyst that pushed me to leave the Sarkonian Empire.

  Training for the special ops unit had prepared
us for the unimaginable. Farah and I had witnessed some horrors so vile we vowed never to speak of them again.

  None of them prepared me for seeing the ghost of the man I loved.

  The sight of him should have shocked me. It probably would have if the last few weeks of my life hadn’t been a nonstop series of surprises and revelations about my friends, superiors, and country.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” I demanded, throwing up my now empty hands. “You’re working with the Union too?”

  Mateo looked annoyed. “We didn’t have a choice. Die or join them. Like Haas said, it was an easy decision. I’m sure it will be even more so for you,” he said pointedly, then flicked a glance at his new partner.

  “I’ll die first,” I spat.

  I didn’t like being between them and began to edge away, though there weren’t a lot of options. Mat blocked my way to the door which was the only way out.

  “Don’t,” he warned me. “Look, I’m sorry it has to be this way… but at least you’ll be alive.”

  I wouldn’t have obeyed the command as a matter of principle, but Haas stepped up behind me and pressed a weapon into the small of my back.

  “Your death can be arranged,” he said before shoving me forward.

  “Knock it off,” ordered Mateo. “Lock her up and I’ll go get Singh.”

  I watched his retreating back, still processing how to deal with this latest development.

  “Captain, I have regained full control of the Second Genesis. Ready to undock at your command.” Vega’s voice in the comm was music to my ears. “It appears that the other airlock is still open. I would not advise being near it.”

  “Do it,” I said under my breath.

  Mateo, who had already left, didn’t hear the words. Or at least if he did, they hadn’t prompted him to come investigate.

  “What did you just say?” asked Haas.

  “Undocking now,” acknowledged the AI.

  I lunged for the nearest anchored object, a handrail near the doorway.

  “What the hell—” Haas started to yell out, but the sudden rocking of the ship cut him off as the Genesis removed the docking clamps and closed its airlock.

  Alarms wailed, echoing throughout the small ship, and I wondered if I’d erred by telling Vega to undock with the airlock on this side still open. I had a dark moment imagining if Mat was near it.

  Refusing to dwell on that, I took advantage of the momentary chaos and lunged at the former ensign. Haas hadn’t gotten around to taking my weapons again and I pulled one of my knives free, slashing it as I advanced.

  He’d dropped the rifle in the commotion and attempted to back away from my onslaught, but the bridge was small, and the captain’s chair stopped him.

  Haas lifted his arms in defense and leaned back but my blade dragged harmlessly over the suit. I tried a stabbing motion, but the material didn’t give, and I screamed in frustration. When he realized what had happened, my opponent kicked out with one leg and I careened back, nearly falling on my ass.

  I regained my footing in time to see him pull a sidearm. It arced toward me and Haas fired at the same time that I slammed into him. The slugs hit the floor where I’d been an instant before.

  The impact rattled my skull and we both went down, each grappling for control of the gun. The business end faced my old teammate and I tried to get my finger on the trigger when he let go. A searing pain erupted from my thigh and I looked down to see him pull one of the fallen knives free, slick with blood from my leg.

  I tumbled back and Haas went with me until he was on top with both hands raised above his head. He brought them down and I threw my hands up to grasp his forearms to avoid the blade ramming into my throat.

  The move succeeded in changing the knife’s trajectory enough that it rammed into the floor next to my face. I used the moment to slam a palm into his nose, but my position made the execution sloppy and I couldn’t hope to hold him off for long. It was already uneven since Haas was much bigger than me, not to mention heavier and seriously stronger than I remembered. I could already feel my own strength waning as blood seeped out of my wound.

  His eyes glinted with something like satisfaction as he brought the knife up again.

  “This is for leaving me on Sobek,” he said. “The only regret I have is that you won’t see Singh die in front of you like I’d planned.”

  “My only regret is not putting a bullet in that ass kissing face of yours,” I retorted.

  Black spots danced in my vision and I could feel myself fading as numbness began to spread. At least I probably wouldn’t feel much when the asshole finished the job.

  “You bitch,” he hissed, then arched up to deliver the final blow.

  I thought I heard an explosion but couldn’t be sure. Haas’ arms dropped to his sides and I watched curiously as a red dot formed on his forehead. It widened, then dripped like melted wax as he slumped backward.

  “That’s weird,” I mumbled stupidly. The image of Haas got smaller and I realized he was getting farther away. No, I realized. I was the one moving farther away. My head fell back, and Mateo’s face came into view.

  “He must have hit the femoral artery,” he said after a quick look at my wound. Worry showed in the way his eyes knitted together and the thin set of his mouth.

  My mouth tried to form a smile, but it felt lopsided.

  “Stupid ass’ole.” My speech slurred and everything threatened to go dark, but it felt really important to get my next words out and I struggled to focus. “In case I die. Have to tell you—”

  “Quiet!” Mat instructed, doing something to my injured leg.

  “No, you be quiet. I love your dumb ass. Should’ve said it before…” I trailed off as I started to lose consciousness.

  “Damn it, Eva. Don’t you fucking die on me!” His words sounded far away, and I couldn’t seem to make my mouth move. Then it felt like I was floating in zero gravity as everything faded away and I slipped into a comfortable darkness.

  When my eyes opened again it was to a bright light shining directly into my face. I blinked and wondered if this was usual procedure after one died.

  The steady beeping drew my attention from the light, and I saw a portable holo health monitor less than a meter away.

  I hadn’t been restrained and was lying on a bed in what looked like a small, if shabby, medical bay. My muscles ached as I moved each one, performing a self-assessment, but everything worked.

  Okay, so I’m not dead, I decided.

  Groaning, I pushed up into a sitting position. One leg of my pants had been cut away and the remains of washed off clotting powder was smeared on the skin around my wound. The wound itself had been stitched up and slathered with what I assumed to be antibiotic numbing gel since I wasn’t feeling too much pain there.

  “Easy there, cowgirl.” Mateo’s voice came from behind me and I jerked, then he was at the side of my bed.

  I wanted to lean away but that seemed cowardly, plus there wasn’t anywhere to go.

  He held up his hands in a gesture of peace at my unfriendly scowl.

  “You’ve got nothing to worry about from me,” he promised. “Sophie and Vega have assured me in no uncertain terms that if anything happens to you this ship will be destroyed. The AI sure has changed,” he added.

  I ignored that.

  “He is correct, Captain.” Vega spoke in my ear and I found myself simultaneously happy and annoyed to hear from her.

  “Damn it. I told you guys to leave!” I erupted. Frustrated, I rubbed the last of the grogginess from my eyes.

  “My apologies, sir,” commented the AI. “But in your absence, Miss Shahi took over as captain and I followed her orders as my programming dictates is correct procedure. Mr. Kamal has already returned all the stolen files and I confirmed no trace of them remains on his lackluster ship.”

  “Fine,” I grumbled, ignoring the insult, then turned my attention back to Mat. “How much longer until your backup gets here?”

&nbs
p; Mateo checked his data pad. “Just under three standard hours,” he replied.

  “V, if I’m not back in two standard hours, assume Mr. Kamal murdered me and turn this piece of shit into space garbage,” I said.

  “With pleasure,” the computer said over the comm.

  “Good. I’m going radio silent until then.” I pulled the comm out of my ear and switched it off before she could object.

  Only able to hear my side, Mateo had stayed quiet through the exchange, and I turned to him after shoving the comm in my pocket.

  “I can piece together what happened on Harah,” I started. “And Haas filled me in on how you tracked us. But…”

  “Why didn’t I reach out?” he guessed when I let the words hang there. “Let you know I was still alive?”

  I nodded, unsure what to else to do.

  “Believe me, Eva, I wanted to,” he said, then laid a hand over mine. “Especially after Haas told me what happened with your court martial. But the Union has us on a tight leash, and he would have turned me in the first chance he got. I happen to like my head attached.”

  “Oh right,” I said, pointing at my own neck then miming an explosion by wriggling my fingers. “You don’t follow their rules, kaboom.”

  “Right,” he agreed. “But I had to see you on Leah, so I volunteered to track you guys while he planted the tracker. Almost didn’t recognize you and Sophie after the makeovers.”

  My eyes widened. “It was you at the bar.”

  Mat nodded and shoved a hand through his short cap of hair. “I knew the minute you saw me because your face went white,” he said. “So I left.”

  “I thought I’d seen a ghost,” I murmured, recalling the scene.

  “You did,” he replied firmly. “Mateo Kamal is dead.”

  “So is Eva Delgado,” I shot back. “There’s time for you to join us. We can find someone to remove the leash.”

  He shook his head and looked down. If the signal gets too weak, it’ll detonate,” Mat explained. “Besides, who knows? I could learn some valuable intel and escape.”