She tried to scream, but a few seconds later, it came to a sudden stop.
Realization rushed back to her in a flood of chilled understanding. This was not Chase. She tried to insult the assailant but her mouth wouldn’t move. The hair stood up on the back of her neck and she tried again. Nothing. A thin layer of sweat dotted her forehead as she realized with a stab of horror that she couldn’t move. She couldn’t do anything. She was paralyzed beyond recovery—staring into the fathomless red eyes of this terrible man.
“There’s no need to struggle anymore; your body is mine now,” his voice said in her mind.
“What the hell?” she mentally cursed.
“I call the shots now. See for yourself,” he answered her.
Sarah’s arm moved and she slapped herself. Hot panic bubbled up in her stomach.
“I will kill you!” she said in her mind, filled with rage.
“Somehow I highly doubt that. But you’re welcome to try.”
Everything in her longed to shriek, cry, tear out her hair in anguish. Anything to break free of this new kind of prison. But there was nothing. Her body was no longer her own.
She rose robotically to her feet.
“Let’s go to Hellstar prison,” the man said in her mind.
“Yes, let’s go,” her voice answered him, beyond her control.
They walked through a long hallway before reaching a large, open hangar where she saw a ship that she recognized—the ship that had captured her. As they stepped aboard, she started screaming at him in her mind.
“Let me out of here! Let me go!”
“There, there,” he mocked. “Hush now.”
“No way! If you invaded my body, be prepared to get an earful.”
“Suit yourself. It makes no difference to me.”
“We’ll see about that!”
“Feisty things, these humans... You are a combative race, I’ll grant you that.”
The arrogance in his tone made her blood boil.
“A combative race that’s going to destroy your precious Obsidian.”
He laughed. “Obsidian? They're just a means to an end. I have little use for those fools anymore.”
Sarah reflected a little on that. He was so confident he had already won that he was clearly not thinking carefully. This bit of information might already prove useful. A rush of determination warmed her icy limbs. She would not allow herself to be completely helpless. Maybe by antagonizing him, she could learn more. That is, supposing she would ever regain the control of her body…
“Tired already?” he asked.
“Oh no, mister. We’re just getting started.”
“Well at least it won’t be a boring trip to Hellstar.”
So that’s what I said when I was losing it. Damn, I hope I haven’t endangered Ronan’s or Ryonna’s life. I don’t think I could forgive myself if anything happened to them. But at least there’s a bigger chance of me seeing Chase soon.
“Why are we going there?” she inquired casually.
“You know very well why.”
“Well I guess so, but you’re wasting your time if you think Chase will be there.”
He pursed his lips doubtfully. “Not the vibe I got from you earlier.”
“I was delirious.”
“Yeah, right.”
“But I’m glad we’re going.” She brightened. “Ryonna’s going to kick your ass.”
“I’d love to see her try. Don’t forget I control you now. I could very well use you as a shield or cannon fodder.”
“I’d rather be dead than trapped in here with you.”
“Well, your wish may come true soon enough…”
A chill ran up her spine at the ominous tone to his words.
“As for this Ryonna,” he continued, “I don’t fear the Droxians. They’re very predictable. One of my fleets is turning their worlds to dust as we speak. So you see, the Droxians will soon be history as well.”
“You bastard!” Sarah screamed.
“There, there now. You’re just insulting your own boyfriend’s parents.”
“I don’t believe you are Chase’s brother.”
It was true. No matter how much they looked alike, there was no way that someone so evil could be related to someone as good as Chase.
“But I am. Soon he will join me, and together we will destroy your pathetic planet!”
She gave a hard laugh. “Chase would never work with you. He’ll kill you the first chance he gets.”
The man shook his head with a smile. “He is a Fury after all. It’s our destiny, to rid this universe of the weaker races.”
“Your destiny? Wow, you should hear yourself! Alright then, Mr. Fury,” she said, hoping to push him to reveal more information.
“My name is Argos Thanatos.”
“Finally, I have something to call you beside creep, coward, or bastard. Though I must admit, I like those just fine.”
He ignored this with a scary calm. “Your attempts at making me angry are not going to work. But fortunately I have plans for you for the time being.”
“Yeah? Bring them on. Chase will end you. That is, unless I do it first.”
“Sure... you can keep thinking that while you enjoy the show.”
She sneered. “You seem pretty confident. Do you really believe the Earth Alliance is only made of humans? We have help.”
"I know, the Droxians. But wait, didn’t someone just say something about wiping them off the face of the universe?” He gave an evil laugh. “And then, of course, there is the Olympian scum as well.”
He knows about Aphroditis? That can’t be good. I wonder how much he knows…
“The who?” Sarah asked as innocently as she could manage.
“Don’t play dumb. My ship detected an Olympian subspace transmissions signature. I know they are talking with my brother.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Who are these Olympians?”
“I guess my brother didn’t tell you everything then.”
She could almost feel his smug smirk. Bingo.
“Or you’re making up stories. The name sounds familiar, though. We had this mythology from a country that used to be called Greece; the Olympians were their gods.”
“So that’s why they intervened. Earth must be one of the worlds that was once under their… How do they put it? Ah yes, guidance.” Argos chuckled. “At least it makes some sort of sense now. They will pay the price for their crimes. They were strictly forbidden by the older races to intervene in the matters of the young ones.”
“Young ones?”
“Yes, you know, little cockroaches like you.”
“I’m surprised you know that word. Do you also have roaches on your planet? You know, other than you?”
“I am in control of your brain,” he explained, ignoring the last comment. “With each passing moment I gain more knowledge about your vermin of a race. You are weak, with a lifespan of eighty or so years. You bicker internally. No wonder the Alliance chose you to enslave.”
“The Alliance and Earth are allies. We are not enslaved.”
“Be that as it may, I may enslave you myself soon enough now that I know how easy it is to do so. Or I may just crush you under my heel, as I would any other pest.”
“I’m feeling a lot of repressed anger. Mommy didn’t love you as a child?”
Argos growled. “Enough!”
“I must have touched a chord. Not so in control after all, are you?” She waited for a reply. “Argos? I thought you wanted me to keep talking?”
He didn’t answer. Good, it meant she was at least getting to him, at the very least on some level. She needed to keep him as distracted as possible to keep him out of her mind.
So there are older races. I wonder if there are still others left in the galaxy besides the Olympians—the Alliance could use their help.
“So are the Fury a younger race as well?”
“Don’t be absurd. We’re one of the oldest there ever w
as.” He corrected himself quickly, “I mean… is.”
“I thought you were extinct.”
“You thought wrong.” His voice was noticeably strained the longer he talked about it.
“Alright, but your world—”
“Is no more, yes…” He paused. “But that’s just a temporary setback.”
“So there are more of you?”
He growled again. “You ask too many questions. Sleep!”
Suddenly, she felt as though a dark veil had thrown itself over her thoughts. As her mind drifted off to unconsciousness, she was able to wrap her head around three final words.
Chase, help, Hellstar...
Then her mind dissolved into an empty void.
C H A P T E R
VI
Ryonna’s first night in Hellstar had been a sleepless one. As was custom for new arrivals, she was assigned a lone cell. But Hellstar wasn’t a normal prison. Cells there were only temporary. Main population was actually just a large, open space. There was one fortified main entry, but several smaller doors led to interrogation chambers and medical centers, and one big door led to a morgue. The prison was mostly unguarded with the exception of sentry droids who would intervene only if the security of the prison was in jeopardy. Something that didn’t happen often, if the prison’s reputation was to be believed. The inmates did a good enough job of maintaining their own brand of order.
What that meant was that no one who came to Hellstar would ever get out. Not alive anyway. The population of the prison had the tendency to make their own rules. They would thin the herd regularly. Only the strong survived this place. Ryonna wasn’t that worried, though. Not many races were able to take down a Droxian in a one-on-one fight. What she had to be careful about was to not get overpowered by larger numbers.
Her stomach made a strange noise accompanied with some discomfort. She groaned but knew it was part of her plan; the quadrinium pin she had ingested was being transformed in her stomach, a process that would take some time. And while she might hate how she was feeling, it was normal since she literally had a nanite factory in her stomach. So it was bound to feel unpleasant at the very least. She hoped the doc had been right, or else her stay in Hellstar, and in the universe for that matter, was not going to be as long as she’d hoped. She had gone through a whole lot of effort and pain to get this plan in motion. It had to work. Ronan’s life hung in the balance.
Aside from the discomfort from the pin, there was something else that was causing her stomach to feel as though it was tied in knots. A fear gripped her heart and wouldn’t let go. She tried to tell herself that it was just nerves, but her instinct told her that she had no more time to lose, that Ronan needed her.
In the morning, a flying droid came to open her cell and accompany her to the general population. As they approached the large and clearly fortified gates, Ryonna rolled her neck first to one side, then the other, popping the bones loudly. The massive doors opened after a series of loud clicks and groans. She held her body stiff and tall as she strode past the dozens of creeps waiting within its walls.
Here we go, she thought.
The moment she crossed the threshold, the gates closed back with a loud, metallic clunk, and the ground trembled. She looked fiercely at everyone present. One pair of crazy eyes after another. Humanoids, Brins, insectoids… All the finest scum of the universe was here, no doubt. She gave them each a look that would melt ice to make sure she set the tone of her presence. She knew she had to make it clear from the start that she was not a being to be trifled with. After a few moments, most of the inmates went back to whatever they had been doing before she walked in. There was one Brin, though, who simply wouldn’t stop staring at her.
“Want a holo-picture? It will last longer!” she said defiantly, jutting her chin.
He didn’t answer. She walked right in front of him and stared down. Still, he didn’t move and his eyes stayed locked on hers.
“I suggest you get out of my way,” she said menacingly.
Brins were typically about the height of human beings. This one was actually about two meters in height and was well built. His purple, scaled skin looked filthy and he emitted an unpleasant odor. He still didn’t budge. He did, however, make the stupid decision to growl.
Ryonna had hoped to avoid any confrontation, but she knew very well she would have to mark her territory if she was to survive her stay here, however short it may turn out to be. She kept meeting his gaze until he made the first move.
But before he could launch his fist toward her thorax, she was already out of the way. She caught his arm and snapped it on his own back, taking a step away as he screamed through the agony of a dozen broken bones.
By this point a crowd had started to form around them. She decided not to let the altercation last too long. After all, she had more important matters to attend to. She delivered a single blow in a fast and fluid motion to the back of the Brin’s neck. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
“Now let this be a lesson to everyone,” she said loud enough so most convicts within an ear shot could hear. The crowd quietly dispersed.
“Very impressive. Although, you probably made yourself a few enemies. The Brins are well respected here in Hellstar,” said someone to her right.
She turned to see who had spoken. An insectoid Gorgar was standing there.
“Well, he looked at me wrong,” she retorted irritably.
“Maybe that’s because he’s both blind and deaf, and I guess now a cripple.”
“What?” Her face clouded with surprise.
“Nah, I’m shitting you. The guy’s a real asshole. I, for one, am happy you kicked his ass.”
Ryonna released a sigh of relief over the last comment. She definitely hated those who preyed on the weak, and she’d hate to think of herself in that category.
“Who do I talk to to get information around here?”
“That depends. What kind of information are you looking for?” The Gorgar smiled. He clearly knew something.
“I’m looking for someone in Hellstar.”
“Another Droxian perhaps? A young boy?”
Hope swelled in Ryonna’s chest. “Yes, where is he?”
“I can help, but everything has a price down here.”
“I don’t have time for—”
Before she could finish her sentence, the Gorgar vanished into thin air in front of her eyes. “Make the time,” he suddenly said from behind her.
A teleporter? She jumped instinctively back into a fighting stance.
“Easy, Miss...?”
“Ryonna.”
“Take it easy, Ryonna, I’m not your enemy. But I need your help, and I think you might need mine.” The insectoid was right, and Ryonna knew it.
“I’m listening.”
“I believe I know the one you are looking for.”
“What do you want?”
“I sense you are not planning to be here for long. I want you to take me with you.”
She shook her head. “Not in the cards.”
“Too bad. The boy won’t last long.” The insectoid turned away, but glanced back at her intently. “He’s your son, isn’t he?”
“How did you—”
“Oh please, a mother’s love is obvious. But like I said, he won’t last long here.”
She jutted up her chin. “My son is stronger than you think.”
“That may be true, but it’s not really relevant at this point.”
“What does that mean?”
“He got into a fight with another convict yesterday. It didn’t look like he would survive his injuries for very long, I’m afraid. I’m surprised he lasted the night.”
“What? You son of a bitch, why didn’t you tell me that earlier? Where is he now?” She moved toward the Gorgar, but he just vanished and reappeared behind her.
“As I said before,” he began, “everything has a price. Mine is my freedom.”
“What about your life? I could crush y
ou right now!”
“Well, you could give it your best shot, but I doubt you have the time to play cat and mouse.” The Gorgar then teleported again three times successively. First on her right, then left, and then in front of her. He moved so fast that Ryonna could hardly keep track. “If you see what I mean...” He smiled when he was finished.
“You can’t keep that up all day. Eventually, you’ll run out of juice.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But do you think your boy has that kind of time?”
A fierce rage boiled in Ryonna’s blood, but now if what that creature said was true, she might even have less time to find Ronan than she had thought.
“One day you’ll regret blackmailing me, mark my words,” she hissed.
“Do we have a deal then?”
“Yes,” she responded grudgingly. “Now where is my son?”
“Follow me. He was badly wounded, so we need to hurry. I hope we’re not too late.”
“If we are, the deal is off.”
“That’s not in the original deal. Let’s go.”
Ryonna growled.
The Gorgar started running, Ryonna following closely behind. After ten minutes, they arrived near something that looked like an arena of some sort.
“This is where he fought.”
Ryonna looked at the ground and saw blood. Lots of blood. Some of the fresher streaks did indeed look like Droxian blood.
“Alright, where is he?” she asked anxiously.
The Gorgar got down and took some of the Droxian blood between his fingers, licked it briefly, and got up again.
“What are you doing?” Ryonna demanded.
“Picking up his scent.”
“What? I thought you knew where he was? Don’t you waste my time—”
“Look, I’m the best chance you have to find him quickly.”
“Doesn’t look that way to me.”
“Droxians,” the Gorgar groaned, before suddenly: “There! He’s three clicks in that direction.”
“What are we waiting for?!”
They resumed their run and made their way to one of the smaller corridors. It was there that they ran into a problem. A big, fat, orange problem. He was a humanoid with dark, tribal tattoos covering his bright skin, and he was standing directly in their path. They came to a stop in front of him and Ryonna didn’t waste any time bothering to evaluate the situation.
Fury to the Stars (Universe in Flames Book 2) Page 4
