The train zipped over them, and the hum from its energy rang in Ozzy’s ears. He slowly opened his eyes. A zap of electricity from the train’s underbelly reached for him, grabbing and jolting his back. He arched slightly, his boot heels hitting the train’s undercarriage and slamming on the earth a moment later.
Jozi yelped. A few electric bolts hit her. Ozzy curled into a fetal position, making himself as small as possible and folding his arms over his head.
It didn’t matter. Electricity licked at everything, grabbing his hands, his legs, and his face.
Ozzy cringed. It wasn’t every day he experienced a light form of electrocution.
He convulsed as Jozi’s legs unconsciously kicked out, pegging him in the knees.
Ozzy peeked from between his forearms. “It’s almost over.”
The caboose whooshed over them, and the hum diminished the farther the train traveled down the tracks.
Ozzy shook his head to get his bearings and blinked several times. He was running hot from the surge of electricity that had scourged his entire being.
He pushed into a standing position and extended his hand to help Jozi.
She grabbed it, and snaps and crackles from the shock traveled between them. Ozzy jumped back, and Jozi let out a short scream. She wiggled her hand and stood.
She shifted on her feet, gathering herself and wiping her frizzy hair out of her face. “We have to get going. If the conductor saw us, then we’ve surely been reported.”
Ozzy nodded. The ceiling was too high, which meant they couldn’t climb to the hole they fell through, so he pointed in the direction the train went. “Let’s go.”
They hurried down the middle of the tunnel and rounded a corner, following the train line.
Ozzy put his hand out, stopping Jozi. “You see that?”
Up ahead was a crack in the ceiling with a stream of light poking through. The outside light was fading as the sun was setting, but it was enough to peek through.
“Can we get through that?” inquired Jozi.
Ozzy shrugged. “I don’t know, but let’s see.”
Ozzy jogged forward with a limp. He peered up and shook his head. “It’s too high.”
“Holy Mars, look at this?” Jozi was studying the ground and picked up a rock and held it in front of her. “Blood. But whose?” She eyed the area and leaped to her feet. She rushed over to a side wall. “Zeld was here.” She bent down and picked up a broken sword. She inspected it and nodded. “Yep.” She ran her finger over an engraving on the hilt. “An S and a Z.”
It was Sonya Zeld’s sword alright. But what was she doing in the tunnel? Did she also fall through this crack?
“Is the blood fresh?”
Jozi touched it with her finger. “Not too fresh, but not more than an hour old.” Jozi dropped the rock and unholstered her gun.
Ozzy pointed ahead. “Look.”
“More blood.” Jozi patted Ozzy on the shoulder. “Good eye.”
“Follow it.”
Every few meters, drops of blood riddled one or two rocks. They followed the trail around a bend and came to a halt.
A large indentation had been shot out of the wall similar to how they made the hole in the ground to hide the Ark. Inside was Zeld, her head resting against her hands. The cuff of her pants was torn off above the ankle, and the material was wrapped around her bicep.
The holopad was in her lap.
Jozi stepped forward, reaching for it.
Ozzy hit her arm out of the way.
Jozi punched him in the shoulder, mouthing, “What are you doing?”
He wasn’t going to let Jozi possibly compromise his mission. Who knows, maybe she’d grab the holopad and erase the map, or worse, throw the pad on the ground and put a photon blast through it.
He slowly reached toward Zeld and grabbed the holopad. His hand softly swiped against her thigh.
Zeld shifted and mumbled something under her breath. She smacked her lips together and yawned.
Ozzy paused and slowly lifted the holopad off her lap and backed up cautiously. His foot caught a rock in the wrong place, and it crunched loudly under his boot.
Zeld opened her eyes. She gasped and reached for Ozzy, grabbing his wrist and squeezing it tightly. “I don’t think so. Drop it or your little, tiny man will get shot clean off.”
In Zeld’s other hand was a gun. She was pointing it at Ozzy’s midsection. She pressed it hard against his groin.
29
Earth • Ancient Athapaskan Land, California
More rumbling shook the tunnel. Ozzy couldn’t yet see it, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that another train was headed their way.
He gulped. “Listen, I’ll give you half of what I get paid if you give me this map.”
The train was getting closer.
Zeld shook her head. “I want a lot more than your money.” She grimaced, most likely from the pain in her arm.
“What do you want?”
She breathed deeply, taking her sweet time to answer. “Hmmm, let’s see here. I want Jumper, you know, your S-4 class ship.” The tunnel vibrated more. Her voice got louder. “And I want a place in the Ministry. I know you are quite close to the new High Judge, Jonas Moon, so you could get me in there. And, I want—”
“You keep talking, and I pop a shot between your eyes.” Jozi had her gun aimed at Zeld. “Have you ever heard your own skull crack open before you die?” She winked. “I could only imagine what that would sound like.”
Zeld squeezed tighter around Ozzy’s wrist.
“Let go of my wrist, and you might live through this,” he said.
The train veered around the corner, its front light beaming on Ozzy.
He had to get on the ground and now.
“I’m not letting go until you promise to do what I want.” She shoved the photon pistol harder into his crotch.
He lurched back.
“Drop your weapon, Zeld,” growled Jozi.
Zeld licked her lips and blew a kiss at Jozi. “Don’t worry, you and I can have some fun after I shoot his nuts off.”
The train was almost on them. “Alright, alright, I’ll—”
He had to do it and do it now. He dropped to the ground, and Zeld hung on, falling to the ground with him.
Wapooh!
Zeld’s gun went off, and Ozzy’s thigh burst open, just missing his midsection. He screamed in pain and grabbed at the blood seeping out of his leg.
He fell back as the train coasted over them, the whooshing sound almost deafening.
“Here,” yelled Ozzy, cringing in agony. He slid the holopad over the pebbles to Jozi who was on the ground next to him. She let her gun go and grabbed the pad.
Ozzy glanced back at his leg. Blood was oozing everywhere, and his flesh was split in half.
“Oh no.” Jozi’s mouth gaped open when she saw his wound.
Ozzy clamped his mouth shut and held in his cry of pain. He pulled his leg closer to his gut and moaned.
“Where’s Zeld?” hollered Jozi.
Ozzy didn’t know and didn’t care.
“Where did she go? Back in the indentation?”
Ozzy craned his neck. “Jozi, listen to me. Zeld shot me, and I can’t go any farther. Get out of here as soon as the train passes.” He unholstered his gun. “You stay down here with me and the Dunrakee will be on us soon. No sense in both of us dying.”
The train’s hum blared, and Ozzy couldn’t tell if Jozi had heard him or not. He clutched his leg, grimacing as a sharp sensation poked at his injury. What was he going to do now? Coming to Earth was more or less a suicide mission, and it appeared he pressed his luck too far.
The last of the train traveled over them, and the hum died off. Zeld was in her makeshift hiding cave and jumped to her feet the moment the train passed.
“No, you don’t,” she yelled at Jozi.
Ozzy flipped over and eyed Jozi. She was in a full-out run, heading down the tunnel and away from them, no doubt taking Ozzy’s advice.
>
Zeld took a running step toward Jozi, and Ozzy lunged for her, screaming in agony. He wrapped his arms around her leg, and she tumbled onto the pebbles. Her weapon went spinning out of her hand, and she twisted around, kicking Ozzy in the face.
He didn’t let go.
Zeld went into a sitting position and pressed her boot’s heel into his wound. A burning sensation from hell streaked through his thigh and down his leg, numbing his calf and ankle.
He let go and let out a groan. He felt a kick to the back of his head, and he flopped away helplessly.
Zeld picked up her photon blaster and rushed after Jozi, disappearing around a curve in the tunnel.
“The least you could do is put me out of my misery,” Ozzy hollered. A quick shot in the temple would have soothed away the pain he was feeling and the torture that was coming when the Dunrakee found him.
But, Zeld didn’t kill archaeologists. It was part of her code.
Screw the code.
Ozzy crawled to the round indentation in the wall and used the bottom portion to hold and grab onto to pull himself up.
A sharp, stabbing pain almost buckled him over. He took a hobbling step forward, screaming loudly. If he wanted to survive, he’d have to get out of here and to somewhere safe.
The problem? Where the hell was safe? Could he walk inside a hospital, or whatever they had on this planet, and get fixed?
Nope.
Never.
He’d bleed out soon enough if he didn’t die of agony beforehand.
He hobbled onward, dragging his foot and shaking his head. He was a goner. There were no two-shits about it.
He wiped his hand over his face. He didn’t know how much farther he needed to go until he found an exit. He sighed, thinking that sliding his foot across the pebble-littered ground would get old fast.
And when he found an exit? Then what? Hail a taxi?
He might as well shoot himself now.
30
Earth • Ancient Athapaskan Land, California
Sweat trickled down Ozzy’s forehead and cheeks. He was out of breath, and his leg ached badly. Blood dripped down and covered his leg and knee. It was also beginning to soak his ankle. He was getting weaker with every limping step.
It had been ten minutes, and he needed a tourniquet to stabilize his leg and stop the bleeding.
Maybe he shouldn’t have thrown Jozi the holopad and told her to run her ass out of the tunnel. He needed her help. He always needed that woman’s help ever since he met her.
She was either a curse or an angel.
He dropped to one knee and grunted in agony. He twisted around and laid on his back. “Oh Mars. This sucks.”
He turned his head and spit on the rocks. This wasn’t good.
Maybe if he took a nap, he could get his wits about him and his energy back?
He lifted his head and looked at his leg. A black singe mark splattered with blood covered his thigh. His muscles were probably a gnarled mess.
“Take me now.”
He rolled his eyes. He couldn’t die now. He had a daughter, and when a man had a daughter, he did everything in his power to keep her healthy, happy, and safe. How was he going to do that if he were dead?
He went to push himself to his feet. His arms shook, and what little strength he had left quickly sapped out of him that very moment, and he dropped to the ground.
“Yeah, just a little nap would do wonders.” He closed his eyes and took a few shallow breaths. The world around him spun behind his eyelids.
Dizziness overwhelmed him. Maybe sleep would take care of that.
He attempted to open his eyes for a moment, but they were too heavy.
Rocks crunched a few meters from him, and he had to force his eyes open, doing the best he could to spy who was coming his way.
His vision was hazy, and he couldn’t make out anything but a figure and a bright light. Hands reached out and grabbed for him.
Ozzy attempted to move. To fight. To do anything. But his body wouldn’t cooperate. “Get away from—”
His last word driveled into nothingness, and his mind wandered into darkness.
31
Earth • Ancient Athapaskan Land, California
The aroma of cooked vegetables wafted to Ozzy’s nose. He sniffed. Did he smell that right? The smell was strong and fresh.
He was warm, maybe too warm. Something soft and comfortable was bundled around him.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a jagged, cave-like rock ceiling above him. Was he in a cavern? A light beamed from the floor, bouncing off the rocks and brightening the area.
A cough escaped his throat, and a slight sting stabbed his thigh. The pain subsided a second later. Hadn’t he been shot? If he remembered correctly, he’d been lying on the ground in agony not too long ago.
He lifted his head and jerked back, gasping out loud. He threw the fur covers off and waved his hands in the air, warding off a Dunrakee woman sitting beside the bed.
She sat on a wooden stool and jumped up, backing away from Ozzy’s sudden panic. She put her hands to the side, her palms up, and splayed her fingers. Her purple-colored eyes were bright and wide. She had black hair and was more tan than the rest of the pale-skinned Dunrakee. She had a cape and battle suit but without a helmet. A photon rifle was strapped over her shoulder, and a gun was holstered to her hip.
If she wanted to kill him, she would have done it by now.
“I’m sorry. I saw that you were hurt, so I helped you.” Her mouth didn’t move in rhythm with her voice.
Ozzy tilted his head. She talked in his language? How? He brought his hand to his chest, his surprise diminishing. He still had the translator attached to his jumpsuit. “Can you understand what I’m saying?”
She nodded, pointing to a translator clipped to her shoulder sleeve.
He moved his shot leg. “It barely hurts.”
She walked to him and leaned over, picking up a small, rectangular device with wires attached to two long and pink crystal diodes. From Ozzy’s experience with crystals, these were rose quartz. “This is a CFR, Crystal Frequency Rehabilitator. It speeds up cell frequency and cell movement in your body, healing wounds at a rapid rate.”
He bent his knee and lifted his leg at the hip. Very little pain. He checked the rip in his pants where the photon bolt tore through. Dried blood coated his jumpsuit pants, but the split in his skin had healed and was replaced with a mild bruise.
If Ozzy survived this mission on Earth, he’d want one of these devices for his own. But he didn’t have time to negotiate for this CFR, and what would he negotiate, the Ark?
He stood and touched his belt. It was missing along with his weapons and waist satchel. “Where are my photon pistols?”
A Dunrakee man walked around the cavern corner, and Ozzy took a step back. The man was gigantic and much bigger than any Dunrakee Ozzy had ever seen. His black lips held a frown, and he glared at Ozzy. “Why are you here?” He carried Ozzy’s satchel and belt with the weapons still attached.
The Dunrakee was bald, like all Dunrakee men, and the ugly bone protrusions that topped and streaked down the middle of his skull were more apparent on this one. He had on a cape, a battle suit, and a long gun slung to his hip.
Ozzy rubbed his face to wake himself more. “I think she may have brought me here,” Ozzy responded, gesturing toward the female Dunrakee.
The Dunrakee man stood tall, his face as stiff and hard as his body. “I know. That’s not what I was asking. Why are you on our planet?”
The man’s response hit Ozzy like a ton of bricks. How dare he. This wasn’t his world. This was Ozzy’s. If Ozzy were a boxer or knew any form of martial arts, he’d step up to the man and knock his ass out.
But he held in his anger and lowered his chin, keeping his eyes on the Dunkrakee. “I’m here to retrieve something for my race.”
The man eyed the woman.
She dipped her head. “I don’t know what he is seeking.”
&nbs
p; The man slapped his own chest. “We live underground and in fear of the Dunrakee governance, but mostly in fear of the sovereignty leader, Lidak. He treats us as second-class people.” He cocked his head to the side. “You’re not here to kill him?”
Ozzy shook his head. “No. I’m not an assassin or a killer.” In truth, he was here to kill everyone, but the less the Dunrakee knew of that, the better. “I’m an archaeologist, here to retrieve something long lost in my race’s history.”
It was a lie, of course. In truth, the crystal sphere was a Martian relic stolen from the Face of Mars by Dunrakee swine and then taken to Earth. There wasn’t any history between the sphere and humans.
The man’s shoulders slightly slumped. Was that disappointment? He paused and thought for a moment. His eyebrows rose, and his lips drew into a smile. “You are a Galactic Knight, yes?”
That seemed like a good thing to the man, and what would another little lie harm anyone? Anything to stay alive. “Yes, I am. I’m one of the leaders.”
The man and woman shot each other a look and smiled. “We are friends of the Galactic Knights. We are building a rebellion force as we speak. We have good news for you.”
Good news? Okay. He’d keep playing this game. “Us Galactic Knights enjoy good news here and there.”
“Two officials have been elected inside the governance and, in secret, they are part of our Galactic Knight’s Underground.” He eyed Ozzy with bright eyes.
Ozzy bowed, not knowing if that was the custom or not. “I will spread the good news to Gragas.”
Both of their mouths gaped open, and their eyes seemed to sparkle. “You know Gragas?”
“Yes. The Galactic Knights were my idea, and as a goodwill gesture to a good man, I let him take all the credit.” He took a step forward, putting weight on his injured leg. Very little pain. “But I must get going.”
The woman dipped her head a few times in understanding. “I’ll lead you out of here.”
He wished they could lead him right to the crystal sphere and back to the Ark so he could get this mission done and over with. But these niceties he experienced with a few Dunrakee wasn’t sitting so well with the feelings his black heart had toward this evil race.
Martian Quadrilogy Box Set Page 72
