by Imogene Nix
He whirled, dragging a long, serrated knife from behind him, and she let out a tiny bark of laugh. “I’m not stupid. You’re a Cybe, and I don’t trust you not to kill me and steal what I know.”
Sandon had shared Brandon’s background as a systems technician, his skills in great demand. He’d already told Sandon he had information, and they knew he’d been feeding it to Mayerber. But what exactly was the nature of the information he’d accessed?
Anger roared through her. He’d been willing to sell his best friend out for what? A hidey-hole in the middle of nowhere? What had he gotten out of it?
Levia cocked her head to one side, taking in the man before her. “Yes, I am a Cybe, and I should kill you for what you’ve done to Sandon. I’m better than that now. Sandon deserves more than that from me. He deserved better than that from you. He trusted you, thought you were his friend, and yet you sold him out!” Her voice vibrated with heavy emotion. Rage and disdain warring for dominance within her.
“I didn’t sell him out, only you! I’m protecting him by telling Mayerber where you are.” The words ended on a screech.
Her laugh was cold, and satisfaction bloomed when he blanched. “Oh, that’s rich.”
They circled and her enhanced vision picked up the fine tremors in his hand. He clearly wasn’t trained in any kind of combat—his gaze darted from side to side, as he telegraphed his moves. The knife wavered from left to right and back again.
He’d be easy to beat under normal circumstances, but Levia wasn’t going to take anything for granted. One single slice was all it would take to compromise her, and she still had to face Mayerber.
So she danced to Brandon’s tune, looking for an opening where she could subdue him easily and without any threat to herself. Or to Sandon. She lunged and he drew away, panting raggedly. Levia tested him over and over, darting this way and that, feinting when he attempted to engage her.
“You could, of course, be forgiven, if your fear of me had you giving in. There’d be no shame in accepting that your opponent is physically more capable than you.”
“You’d kill me. I’ve seen what your kind is capable of. You’re monsters.”
She grinned. “Of course we are. And we eat children for breakfast too. Oh, hang on. Nope, I’ve never done that before.” With each taunt, a little more of his bravado ebbed.
The whole time, her awareness settled on Sandon, who watched behind her. What would he think of the game she played? Would he understand it was just part of the tactics she employed, or would he think she was cold-hearted? She shunted the thought to the very back of her brain. No time to dwell on that now.
When it came, the opportunity presented itself as Brandon caught sight of Sandon. His face paled, and his gaze wavered. Levia struck. Legs shuffled over the floor without sound. Arms reaching out to the other combatant.
She caught Brandon’s wrist, gripping it like a manacle as he howled with pain. Levia twisted his arm up behind him, ratcheting it higher, until the knife clattered to the floor.
“I’m a Cybe—trained for combat and to kill. But for Sandon…” She growled the words in his ear, and an angry pleasure suffused her at his flinch.
“Thanks for the demonstration, Levia. Now, Brandon, tell us everything you know.” Sandon advanced as Levia pulled Brandon to his feet and settled himself on the single chair. “Don’t leave out anything.”
* * * *
“I didn’t want to do any of this, you know that, don’t you, San? I mean, he came to me and wanted to know everything I could find out about the new BioCybe improvements. I’m a tech… So I can find information in places most people can’t.”
Sandon’s gut twisted. “What were his terms?”
“He said he could rid you of the Cybe who’d infiltrated your crew. Said you were in danger. After your visit to Omega V he knew where to find her. Mayerber… He said he had a score to settle. He’d seen the encrypted message I sent. He’d arranged an intercept for all deep-space transmissions.”
It didn’t answer Sandon’s questions. Why? Why was Levia the target of so much anger and hate? “That’s not the reason, is it? Or not all of it. Tell me, Brandon. Why?”
“Because she was sent to hunt him down when he swapped sides. The Jurans had ordered a kill on him, because he knew too much. Was too dangerous to them. She’d been specifically chosen for that reason. Everything she’d done before...they were little more than training missions. All they wanted was to get rid of Mayerber before he could destroy them.”
Sandon rocked back on his feet. There was more to this story. There had to be. Brandon wasn’t telling him everything he knew. That much was clear in the nervous tic at the side of his mouth and the way his knee jiggled up and down.
Levia must have read his mind, as she stalked closer. “But that’s not all, is it? What other information did you manage to access once it became clear that Mayerber was looking for us? And don’t claim that you don’t know what I’m talking about. Your heart rate has accelerated by fifteen percent, and your sweat glands have increased production. I can smell the pheromones in the air, Brandon.”
A smile nearly broke over Sandon’s face, and it took a lot of restraint to keep himself in check. By God, she’s an amazing woman! She reminded him of the human warrior women he’d learned of in his studies of ancient civilizations. Boadicea and the Amazonians sprang to mind, along with Bu’Tek of the Ru’Edan. Unafraid and vibrant characters who did whatever was necessary to protect the weak.
“Sandon, you have to protect me. If Mayerber thought I’d talked or if…” Brandon shook his head, and Sandon had to harden himself.
In the past, he’d always helped Brandon out of fixes. This time, Brandon had to handle it alone.
“Please. I can’t—”
Sandon opened his mouth to speak, but Levia replied before he could. “We can protect you, but only if you tell us everything. The commonwealth will—”
“I can’t trust you! You’re the enemy.”
Levia rolled her eyes at Brandon’s words, and Sandon watched in silence. He’d learned to trust her. Only Levia had the connections and the experience to get the information they needed.
“Look, if you think Mayerber is in a hurry to waste me, you need to understand, you don’t even rate as a speck on his shirt. He’ll order your murder and think nothing of it. Hell, I doubt he’ll even kill you himself. After all, why should he? You’re nothing.”
Even Sandon shivered at the intensity in her words. She meant everything she said, and that was chilling. The woman in front of him was the assassin she’d been trained to be, and it froze his marrow.
“We can help you, but you have to believe in us. You have to trust us.”
Brandon paled so that not a trace of color remained. Even his lips looked bloodless, and his eyes were wide, like dinner plates. He shook. “What can you…”
“If I fail, Sandon will get you out of here and the Jurans will stash you someplace safe until Mayerber is dealt with. Then you can either go back to your planet and live your life the way you want to, or you can take the oath of allegiance to the Juran Commonwealth. Your choice, of course.”
“And Mayerber…”
Levia had done her job. Now, it was his turn. “Brandon, Mayerber is in Levia’s sights. She has to be the one to take him down. Only after that, can any of us rest safely.” Sandon ignored the doubts that crowded into his brain. They had a job to do.
“He knows about the changes to the BioCybe program. He’s looking for the brain implant and healing factors. The Dendarans have promised they’ll use the enhancement techniques and give him an implant.”
“But that information was shared once the treaty was signed. As an act of goodwill.” Sandon screwed his face up, unable to grasp why the technology they already had was so important. His mind stopped when Brandon turned to Levia.
“No. You see, after the Dendarans got hold of you, you were repaired and retro-fitted with new, top secret technology. An advanced
chipset and your healing capability was further enhanced. You’re the only one with it. That’s what he’s seeking.”
Nausea rose, swamping Sandon with greasy emotions. They’d used Levia as much as the Dendarans had used Mayerber.
“That makes no sense,” Levia said. “Why would they do that after the treaty had been signed?” Sandon heard the strain in her words and realized this was stretching her emotionally.
“Because they knew you were Mayerber’s daughter—”
“How did you learn that?” He leaned in and Brandon sneered.
“You aren’t the only one with contacts.” Brandon shook his head. “Look, when I hooked up with Mayerber, one of the generals from the Dendaran side made contact. They knew exactly who you were. They had heard whispers of what had been done. And they recognized Mayerber was dangerous. But they thought that you were more so. They’d seen your reactions in the holding tank.”
“But if they knew that Mayerber was unstable…”
“Don’t you see, Sandon? They don’t need them to be stable if they have a kill override. Which your girl here has. That’s what makes her invaluable.”
Holy God! The layers of betrayal ran deep. Sandon shut his eyes for a moment before opening them. His gaze settled on Levia, who looked fierce and enraged.
“I’ll kill them,” she said between gritted teeth, and he had to agree.
Chapter 13
Levia snarled at the computer where she hunched in the tiny office while hunting for the feed that would show her Mayerber’s location. “The bastard is blocking the video feed.” The hand that balled into a tight fist ached.
She was thankful to be alone right now, as she allowed herself to focus on her pain. Perhaps by examining it, she could find a way to block it out, just like she’d always done before.
“A fucking kill switch!”
In the time since she’d heard all the information from Brandon, she’d plotted, questioned and rejigged her plans. At least she’d managed to turn off the alarms. The security in this area was lax, she surmised, because the main areas were so heavily guarded. Even so, she’d still managed to get both herself and Sandon in.
A chirrup from the comm screen reminded her that she needed to concentrate a little longer on the mission. Mayerber, her biological father, had to die. Until he did, there could be no peace. For her or for the innocents, whose lives depended on her ability to slay.
“I hate this.” The words were little more than a mutter, but heartfelt. The more the words reverberated in her brain, the hotter her rage flared. Why couldn’t I have had a normal life?
Pressure weighed down on her, crushing her beneath its intensity, until she was sure suffocation was imminent.
The sound of a door opening tore through the pain and she turned, unsurprised to see Sandon. “I brought you a hot drink. Thought it might help.”
His eyes searched her face, and she wondered what he saw. He’d seen the assassin persona clearly today, which had set her on edge from the beginning. How she wished she could have shielded him from that. But he hadn’t taken a backward step. Not once.
“Thanks. Just pop it on the side, would you?” She struggled, hoping to sound normal, but he clearly didn’t believe her attempt as he strode forward and wrapped his arms around her.
“How’s it all going?” Sandon gave a terse nod in the direction of the screens.
“He’s blocking me, or at least the feeds. The only thing I have been able to triangulate is possibly three locations.” Levia gestured angrily, flinging her hands into the air. “It’s not enough yet for me to finalize any kind of planning. After all, the bunker is shielded from transmissions. It’s not as if…” She stepped back with a hiss. “Oh yes, very clever.” A wide smile cracked her face.
“Levia?”
“Sandon, I have a plan, but it has to go right, otherwise, it’s all done. There can’t be any second chances.” She reached out and cupped his cheek, the stubble of day-old growth rasping her palm. Every individual hair scraping over the syntha-derm led to hyperawareness.
“What are you planning?”
“Instantaneous Matter Transmission. So long as the bunker isn’t trans-sealed…” She whirled to the console and started running calculations. Somehow this bunker had avoided the retro-fitting. That lack of shielding meant she could get Sandon and Brandon off-planet while luring Mayerber.
Levia worried her lip with her teeth. It could work, but she’d need backup plans. A contingency in case it all went wrong. Sending Sandon off with Brandon would safeguard him, but how could she present her plan to him? Unless she was careful, he’d argue, refuse. That wasn’t acceptable.
“I need you to do something for me.” She sounded normal, unhurried, and Levia congratulated herself inwardly. She could pull this ruse off. Couldn’t she?
“What?” His eyes narrowed as if he’d read her thoughts.
“You need to protect Brandon, while I engage Mayerber.” She laid a gentle hand on his wrist. “I can’t protect him and fight at the same time. I need you to…”
The way his eyes darkened and his mouth flattened warned her. “You’ve decided to send us out of here?”
“It’s an acceptable risk. Brandon isn’t capable of anything right now. You’ve seen him. If he gets in the middle of the fight, then I can’t control what the outcome will be. Please?”
“What about—”
“He doesn’t trust anyone else. Sandon, I really need you to do that, while I… While I fight Mayerber.”
It was clear Sandon wanted to argue as his eyes narrowed.
Levia pushed on. “I have a plan. I need to lure him to the lab. I can rig it up so he won’t be able to escape, and I can…” She gulped, unable to say the words to him, but knowing exactly what needed to be done. “I’ll have a secondary matter transmitter and will get out before it’s too late, I swear.”
“You promise?” He leaned in to her, and she read the fear that cloaked him.
“I promise.”
* * * *
Waiting was a bitch. Always had been. Levia crouched beside Sandon, their hands tightly locked together after he’d brushed a hair from her face. “Once he’s seen Brandon, flash out. Just get him into the room, then get the hell out of there. Okay?”
Emotions roiled in her breast as he nodded.
The reality she hadn’t shared with Sandon was it could still go wrong. Instead, she pasted a smile on her face. “I’ll be with you before you can even blink.”
Tugging her hand from his felt like an omen. Then she straightened up and sauntered over to the controls. “Ready?”
Sandon nodded, and she tripped the switch allowing Mayerber access. Now she had to wait until he came, and she’d transmit Sandon and Brandon to the Golden Echo. Thirty seconds. A lifetime for someone like her. Thirty seconds could be the difference between life and death.
She only had to contain Mayerber for a short time while he caught a glimpse of Brandon. So that he knew. If Sandon wasn’t ready… She swallowed and remained focused.
No easy task. She’d managed to set up a DNA echo in the next room, then she hoped she could lead him to the trap, without him questioning her actions.
The blast doors, conduits, and elevators roared into life and she tensed, knowing it was only a matter of moments before Mayerber would enter the room where they’d hidden. She’d personally checked every room in the bunker complex using the comms and security system. A second of mirth rose. Most of these installations didn’t include a high-grade security system in their bunkers. They never expected their outer systems to be breached. She’d been proven right again when she’d manually locked down the few guards who’d been hidden down in the bunker. She suspected that they used the bunker for off duty guards. One less risk to our plan.
An alarm blared and she turned off the audio, though her awareness centered on the movements. A single entity. Mayerber.
He knew where they were, given he’d intercepted and blocked every feed, he
would guess they hid in the control room.
Time passed slowly, minute after minute sliding by. How long? Her brain questioned over and over again.
He wouldn’t rush in. He was a seasoned warrior, just as she was. He’d question and make plans, his single purpose now to find her and make her pay. Levia knew Brandon and Sandon didn’t even factor in his plans. Not really. Brandon was more of an insurance policy for them.
The sound of lumbering footsteps echoed in the hall and she shot a glance at Sandon, then she whirled, laser pistol in her hand as she faced the door.
It crashed open and Mayerber surged forward, a grin splitting his battered face. “So, once more we meet.” His eyes darted around her, while Brandon and Sandon rose, just as she’d planned. Capturing his attention. He didn’t move though.
“Go!” Her shout resounded. She hoped they did, because the next seconds would be their only chance.
She didn’t see them go, only held onto the hope that they’d followed the plan, given the silence.
“Stop, Mayerber. This has to end. It will end.” She used every ounce of bravado inside herself. It was the only shield she had now.
“Levia. My daughter.” His voice rasped over exposed nerve endings, shredding her thoughts. That he would greet her like that, told her that he was searching for a connection. One he could exploit as a weakness.
“No. Not yours.”
She would never be able to think of him as her father. Biologically, perhaps he was, but that was as far as their connection went. That thought was freeing. In her mind, it was akin to throwing off any shackles that bound them together.
He laughed. “So. Let’s see just how good you are.”
Mayerber lunged and she pivoted away, but too slow to avoid the tearing sensation that ripped along her torso. A vicious laugh filled the air and she felt the surging shock as her gaze settled on the claws that sprouted from his fingertips.
“A surprise, aren’t they? They’re my latest modification. Quite effective, if I say so myself.” His voice echoed with pleasure while she waited for his next move.
