“I agree.” He seemed to shake away his musings and refocus on the present. “There’s not much we can do about it until Letos can tell his tale.”
She had no real choice but to agree. “So what do we do until then?”
“We need to get the files to Irron, but I suspect Morgan is going to want everyone back at the Bunker after this.”
Pator had located cleaning supplies and was scrubbing the kitchen floor when Bandar and Ashley returned. “The others are in the workshop,” he told them. No other explanation was necessary.
“Shouldn’t we call the police?” Ashley cringed as she heard her own question. Of course they couldn’t contact the police. Aliens had kidnapped her mother. Abigail was probably on a spaceship orbiting Earth. At least Ashley hoped the Relentless was still orbiting Earth. If Akim had left the star system, they were really screwed.
“We’re better equipped to deal with this ourselves.” Bandar’s gentle reminder echoed her thoughts. “Let’s get the files loaded into the car.” He was just trying to keep her busy, but she appreciated the effort. He picked up the heavier of the two boxes. “I can come back for that.”
“I’m not that feeble.” She lifted the box and smiled. “You haven’t seen me at my best. I’m not usually this useless.”
“Your life has been anything but usual since I arrived.” He waited until they’d left the house before he added, “Besides, I’ve found all sorts of uses for you.” His sexy smile clarified his meaning.
She’d always thought of herself as an ambitious, independent woman. She owned her own business and consistently earned enough to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Yet all of her skills were useless in Bandar’s world.
Emotion burned her throat, but she refused to give in to the impulse. She breathed through the unwanted swell then forced her body to relax. She would remain calm and alert. She would react with her mind, not her emotions. She’d always been good at prioritizing situations, organizing complex events into manageable tasks. If she took emotion out of the equation, the current crisis was simply a multi-location event. She needed to identify various roles and assign them to people with the right skill set to accomplish each task.
Soothed by the logic, she began to sort through the various elements of the crisis. Her mother needed to be found. No, learning Akim’s motivation for taking her would likely allow them to find out where she’d been stashed. Dr. Irron needed the files. And while she was being brutally honest, she had to add herself to the list. Ashley had to be protected. They still didn’t understand what her Dad had done to her, but it stood to reason that Akim was just as interested in the genetic anomaly as was Irron. Baiting a trap for her was the most obvious reason for Akim to kidnap her mother. So how should they respond?
Bandar was willing to protect her. And she had no doubt about his abilities. Still, she didn’t want to be completely dependent upon anyone. She wanted to be an asset rather than a liability.
“You need to teach me how to fight.”
He loaded the boxes into the trunk of the car before responding. “No. I need to remove you from danger. You’re not a warrior and nothing I could do in the next few days would turn you into one.”
She’d known the answer before he spoke, but her pride required her to make the suggestion. “I can’t stand feeling this useless. There has to be something I can do.” She leaned back against the fender, arms crossed over her chest.
“You’re smart and ambitious and you know more about Earth than any of us. I’m sure there are lots of things you can do to help, but rushing into battle isn’t one of them.”
Her eyes were even with his throat and his chest took up her entire field of vision. It was hard to argue with the obvious. Even if Bandar taught her how to fight, she would never be a physical match for a Rodyte. “Fine. So I’ll stay out of it. What are you going to do to get my mother back?”
“Hopefully, I’m going to talk to Letos and find out why Akim took her in the first place. Then I’ll figure out a way to locate the Relentless. Further plans will depend on what I find out, so I’ll have to let you know.”
“Fair enough.”
He gazed past her for a moment, expression blank. This was the Rodyte version of an incoming call. “Morgan is sending a helicopter for us, so we need to get moving.”
“Why do we need to get moving if she’s sending a helicopter?”
“Landing in the middle of the street is a bit conspicuous. Besides, we can save time if we drive toward them.”
She nodded. “What about the car and the files?”
“We’re supposed to bring the files with us and Tarn will drive the car.”
It sounded like they’d thought of everything, so Ashley tried to relax. Kidnappings and murder were enough to unravel her composure, but these people dealt with this sort of thing on a regular basis.
She made sure the doors to the house were locked before they took off. Her mother kept a spare key in a magnetic box on the drain pipe, so she’d be able to get in after she’d been rescued. And she would be rescued. Ashley refused to consider any other outcome.
They drove for almost an hour before Bandar told Ashley to pull over. Then they retrieved the file boxes from the trunk as Tarn slipped in behind the steering wheel of the car.
She heard the helicopter before she saw it. The rhythmic whooshing grew gradually louder and then the helicopter appeared in the distance. She’d been on numerous airplanes, but never a helicopter. With hypnotic grace, the helicopter descended, its massive propellers stirring up dirt and debris. A uniformed soldier slid the large side door open then motioned them toward the opening.
Awkwardly hunched over the file box, Ashley hurried along after Bandar. Bandar handed his box to the soldier then reached back for hers. The soldier secured the boxes as Bandar lifted her into the helicopter. There were several rows of seats facing in different directions, so she moved to the nearest one and sat down. Bandar chose one facing hers as the soldier closed and secured the sliding door. She fumbled with the multi-strap safety harness so Bandar quickly helped her secure the restraint before returning to his seat and buckling up himself. The soldier signaled the pilot and the helicopter lifted off. There was a copilot as well, but Ashley couldn’t really see what he was doing.
Ashley stared out the window in stunned disbelief as the scenery rushed past. Three days ago her most stressful decision was which outfit to wear. How had her life become so complicated?
Are you all right?
She looked at Bandar, warmed by the concern in his gaze. I’m fine, just a little overwhelmed.
That’s understandable.
Rather than try to explain in more detail, she looked out the window. The Bunker was in New Mexico, so they must be heading east or northeast. She’d been so many places in the past two days, it was starting to blur.
Two days? Had it really only been two days since she met Bandar? She’d come home to find Letos in her apartment Thursday night and this was Saturday, so technically this was day three. She shook her head with a distracted smile. It felt as if her life had been in crisis for months not days.
Bandar was the only bright spot in all the turmoil. He’d been incredibly patient and supportive. Their whirlwind romance was in keeping with the other nonstop events, but he was the one aspect of the tumult she didn’t regret. She imagined telling Raina about Bandar. Her pragmatic friend would insist that Ashley have her blood tested for mind-altering substances. It was a little hard to believe that she’d fallen in love so quickly.
The thought brought her up short. Was she in love with Bandar? She looked at him and had her answer. He was staring out the window, his profile tense, yet captivating. Even without his mesmerizing gaze, she found him magnetic. Unless his personality and all the memories he’d shared had been some elaborate setup, she could easily picture herself at his side for the rest of her life.
He turned his head and smiled at her. What are you thinking about now? Your emotions just surged into
my mind.
I’ll never tell. She punctuated the claim with a secretive smile and looked back out the window.
* * * * *
Morgan was waiting for them when they arrived at the Bunker. The helicopter put down in a large parking lot and the soldier opened the door for them.
“I’ll bring in the boxes,” he shouted and Bandar nodded.
Bandar hopped to the ground and helped Ashley down. They ran across the parking lot toward Morgan. She led them into the large maintenance bay, the only part of the complex that was above ground. “Letos is alive, but unconscious. Odintar is working on him.”
“Who is Odintar?” Bandar asked.
“He was part of the Mystic Militia. He lives on Bilarri now but—”
“What’s he doing on Bilarri if he’s part of the Mystic Militia?” Bandar cut in. “Weren’t they Ontarian?”
“His mate is half Bilarrian, a fact she didn’t know until she was swept up in the Shadow Assassin mess.”
They were doing it again, tossing around unfamiliar terms without explaining them to her. “Isn’t Nazerel a Shadow Assassin?”
“He was,” Morgan stressed. “The organization no longer exists.”
“And who are the Mystic Militia?”
“They were a task force formed to apprehend the Shadow Assassins. They completed their objectives and the task force was disbanded,” Bandar told her. “Now Nazerel works with Morgan as an unofficial ambassador representing the three planets in our star system.”
“Ontariese, Bilarri and Rodymia?” she listed with a proud smile.
“Very good.” Even Morgan seemed impressed.
And obviously Odintar was a healer if he was working on Letos. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“Sorry to confuse you.” Morgan offered a rare smile. “We coordinate with so many different groups that it’s easy to forget who knows what.”
“Is Irron on his way?” Bandar asked. “I’m sure he’s anxious to get his hands on the new information.”
“He’s already here. I only have one helicopter, so I sent a Mystic after the doctor.”
That sounded so strange. Was it more impressive that she had a helicopter at her disposal or that she had Mystics on her staff? “And how many Mystics do you have?”
Morgan chuckled. “It depends on the day. Mystics are notoriously transitory. They go wherever the spirits lead them.” They reached the elevators and Morgan motioned them inside while remaining in the corridor. “Take a break while you can. I’ll let you know the minute Letos stirs.”
Bandar agreed and they descended to sublevel three. Ashley tried to pay attention to where they were going, but the corridors all looked the same. “How do you keep it all straight?”
“I’ve been here almost a month. Garin sent me back so I could help Nazerel and Morgan investigate—”
“Wait. Back from where?”
Bandar reached down and took her hand, entwining their fingers. “Morgan was part of the task force responsible for hunting down the Shadow Assassins. That’s how they met.”
“Wow, and they’re a couple now. That must have been one hell of a chase.”
“It led her all the way to Rodyte space. And no one could be more surprised than Nazerel, or Morgan, for that matter. Their connection was unexpected and intense.”
She laughed. “Is that a Rodyte thing? The ability to overwhelm defenseless humans?”
He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “What do you think?”
Rather than picturing all the ways she’d like to be overwhelmed by Bandar, she restated the original question. “You said Garin sent you ‘back’ to Earth. You’ve been here before?”
“It’s not as uncommon as you think.”
It was part answer part evasion, but she didn’t pry. Other elements of his statement were more interesting. “Tell me about the investigation. What did you come here to help Nazerel and Morgan investigate?”
While Morgan was chasing Nazerel, it became apparent that one or more of her supervisors wasn’t giving her accurate information. They’d been dealing directly with high-placed people on Rodymia, which compromised what Morgan was trying to accomplish. One of the reasons I’m here is to help them figure out who has been stabbing her in the back. Her network of informants and her powerful contacts could be invaluable to us, but only if Morgan is truly in control.
Are we speaking like this because you’re afraid we’ll be overheard? Here inside the Bunker?
It’s probably overkill, but we must remain vigilant until we’ve located the leak or leaks.
They came to a double door with windows inset in it. Ashley glanced inside and then stopped. “Is this the clinic?”
“Yes.”
“Can we check on Letos?”
Bandar hesitated. “I’m not sure the healer will want to be interrupted.”
“I’ll just stick my head in and see what’s going on. I promise not to interrupt if he’s still unconscious.”
He pulled her into his arms for a quick hug before opening the door to the clinic. “Don’t be disappointed if he’s still out. Morgan said Odintar is still working on him.”
The clinic was one open area, but curtain dividers could be pulled around each of the beds. The bed farthest away from the door had been enclosed, so that was likely where they’d put Letos. Ashley took several steps toward the area then sighed. There really wasn’t anything she could do until Letos regained consciousness. She was being selfish.
She was about to leave when a tall, dark-haired man opened one side of the curtains. “You can speak with him if you keep it short.”
Was this Odintar? With mile-wide shoulders and rugged features he looked more warlord than healer. His eyes were solid black, no rings, no distinction between his irises and pupils.
“Thank you.” She approached the bed as the men clasped arms and exchanged greetings. Letos looked better, but his face was still bruised, one eye swollen shut.
“Your mother is fine,” Letos said without opening his eye. “She’s bait, nothing more.”
Her heart gave a happy flutter and she slipped her hand around his. “I’m so sorry they did this to you. I can’t help feeling responsible.”
His lips curved into a sleepy smile. “Freeing you was one of many infractions. Don’t worry, Ashley. I can—find them.”
“How? How can you find them?”
“He’s out again,” Odintar warned. “He really needs to regenerate.” He looked at Bandar. “Do you know when the Crusader will be back in range? If they don’t return soon, I’ll need to summon help. He’s still in pretty bad shape.”
“Keyran said this afternoon, so any time now.”
“All right.” Odintar rolled his shoulders then returned to his position beside the bed. “I’ll keep at it for another hour or so.”
Ashley thanked him again and then Bandar led her from the clinic.
“He said my mother was all right. Can he sense her or did he just mean the last time he saw her?”
“I’m not sure, but I agree with him. She is just bait to lure us into the open. Even interrogating her would be counterproductive. She doesn’t know anything.”
“God, I hope you’re right. I couldn’t deal with it if she ends up like him. One beating on my conscious is enough.”
He stopped her and turned her to face him. “This was not your fault. Letos was working undercover for the Integration Guild. There are always risks. He knew that when he took the assignment.”
“If he hadn’t helped us escape—”
He silenced her with a lingering kiss. “One infraction of many. I heard him say that to you. Now stop being so negative.”
He was right. She’d fallen into a pattern of pessimism and it needed to stop permanently. “He said he can find the ship. He hasn’t lied to us yet, so I choose to believe him.”
“Much better.” They continued down the hallway hand-in-hand.
She didn’t bother asking where they were going. She didn’t really care as
long as he was by her side.
Chapter Ten
Bandar paused to refocus his mind as he scanned the door to his quarters open. He stayed on the Crusader the majority of the time, but occasionally it was more convenient for him to sleep here at the Bunker. So Morgan reserved this room for his use and he kept it stocked with clean clothes and toiletries. The officer’s suite to which Nazerel had taken them earlier was larger and nicer, but Bandar wasn’t sure it was still available.
Ashley stepped into the compact room and looked around as he secured the door. “Isn’t this a different room?”
“I forgot to ask Morgan if we could still use the suite, so you’re stuck with me.”
She looked at him and smiled. “Such a sacrifice.”
She wore jeans and a clingy top that showcased her curves. A hint of cleavage had teased him all day, making him desperate to have her naked and beneath him again. But he reined in his lust with stubborn determination. She’d just found out her mother was in serious danger. Sex would be the farthest thing from her mind.
“We didn’t get much rest last night.” He closed the space between them and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I say we lie down for a while and try to get some sleep.”
“I think I’m too tired to sleep. If that’s possible. My body is exhausted, but my brain refuses to spin down.”
“I’ve been there.” He pulled her into a loose embrace, stroking the back of her hair. “Why don’t you get comfortable and I’ll see if I can help you relax.”
Her eyes sparkled and a wicked little smile curved her lips. “Or you can help me work off this excess energy until I’m so tired I have to sleep.”
Crusader (Battle Born Book 1) Page 20
