Blue

by Maddie James

  "You're certain."

  "Positive."

  Cyan watched the interplay between the two. Curious.

  Catching Chaco's eye, she said, “We didn't know if you made it, Chaco. We were worried."

  His stare told her more than his words. “As long as you two got the hell out of there, I knew I would be fine."

  "Were you hurt? I mean, when we left—"

  "I'm here, aren't I?"

  "Yes, but...."

  "I worked through it, Cyan. I'm fine."

  His gaze told her to drop it. Her sense told her to be wary.

  "We're landing.” Devin took her hand and pointed out the window. “There she is. Betatakin."

  Before she turned where Devin was pointing, she took in the obvious disapproving glance Chaco shot Devin's way as he'd taken her hand.

  Ahh.

  Now she knew why things were off-kilter.

  Leave it be. Chaco and Devin can work that out. Men.

  "We'll drop in,” Devin told her. “The chopper can land only for a few minutes. Just enough time to let us off and for it to get airborne again. The winds in the canyon can be deadly, can't risk this landing unless conditions are right. Evidently we're living right today. Be ready to jump."

  She was. Half her life she'd been ready to jump at a second's notice.

  "And then what?” She looked into Devin's eyes.

  "We hike. Climb. Might take an hour."

  She thought about that. Wondered how safe they would be in that hour. How protected out in that desolate canyon.

  "This area isn't National Monument land anymore, right?"

  Devin shook his head. “You're right. It's not. It's reservation, not federal parkland. The new “democracy” didn't want to fool with it. The Navajo took it back and tried to run it. Did a halfway decent job but the economy killed it. No tourists. People just can't afford to travel like they once did. It was shut down about forty years ago. No regulations here now except Indian law. And that might vary according to which Indian you speak with at the time."

  Cyan pondered all that. “So no protection. We're on our own."

  "We're always going to be on our own, Cyan.” She met Devin's gaze. He was right, she knew. There weren't many people they could trust.

  A rapid-fire series of clicks tugged her attention away from Devin toward Chaco. He finished cocking his handgun, his stare directly on her, and shoved it into a shoulder holster. Then he tossed another one, holster and all, to Devin. “For an hour, we're on our own. We'll protect ourselves. And we'll be fine."

  Again, so matter-of-fact. Something was off-kilter with Chaco. She wished she could get a bead on it.

  Cyan watched as Devin readied his weapon, as well. He ditched the holster and snubbed the pistol down his pants at the small of his back.

  The copter hovered.

  "Look.” Devin pointed out the open door.

  "The cave."

  "Yes."

  "Betatakin."

  She exhaled. The word rolled reverently from her lips.

  Finally. Even though they were several hundred yards away, she could see the red rock, the darkness of the cave recessed into the cliff. And she knew that deep in that cavern lay the ancient Anasazi Pueblo village that shielded the entrance to her safe haven. Her security.

  Perhaps her sanity.

  "Another hour.” The words barely escaped on a breath. Not quite sure she'd even said them. Just hoped that the hour passed quickly, safely, so she could have some time to simply relax. Think. Consider all that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.

  With Devin.

  How would this play out with him? Was she a fool to believe that there could be more than just one night of lust? That they could actually fall in love? Have a life?

  She longed for time. To contemplate. Think.

  Pulling herself out of her musing, she glanced up to notice Chaco's gaze trained on her. Her sense heightened. What was it? What was going on with him? Wind from the chopper blades whipped air around him as he sat close to the open door. They were descending. Waiting. Betatakin was framed in the distance through the door.

  Finally, she broke his stare and turned to Devin.

  "Be ready,” he told her and she nodded. “Keep your radar tuned."

  She was ready. Knew what he meant. Ready for anything. Had to be.

  * * * *

  Getting here was too easy.

  The thought nagged at him as they followed Chaco into the cave. Too damned easy. They'd been targets. Open range. Anyone could have set up camp on those cliffs, ready to pick them off like ducks on a pond.

  He'd expected it. Had thought they might not make it.

  He'd been prepared to protect Cyan. Had a plan to make sure she'd never be taken—one that he'd vowed to her father he would execute only as the last resort—even if it would kill him to do it.

  It wasn't an issue. Not this time.

  They'd hiked for an hour into Betatakin unscathed. No sign of snipers. No gut feeling they were being trailed. He tuned in closely to Cyan's radar as well and she'd given no indication that they were in danger.

  Too easy. Which only raised red flags.

  For now, however, he was going to keep those red flags to himself. Until he figured out if they were valid. One thing for damned certain, he would to stick to Cyan like glue.

  * * * *

  "I remember this. All of it."

  Cyan was amazed. She'd been a preschooler the last time she was here. Suddenly the memories came flooding back.

  She touched the red sandstone wall. Soft. Some of it crumbled off in her fingers. She recalled doing that as a child, fascinated by the feel of the rock. Remembered etching into it with a shard of stone while she'd played. Wondered if her etchings were still here ... somewhere.

  Inside the cave it was dark, late morning casting shadows deep inside. She looked up, glimpsed Chaco ahead of them, climbing a ladder made of cedar posts as he made his way up to the next cliff dwelling.

  The dwellings were nestled into the back of the cave, constructed of rough-shaped stones and posts set and plastered with mud. Ancient. Ages old. She was amazed they'd stood the test of time. Built between 1250 and 1300 A.D. Once a safe-haven for its inhabitants, for some reason they abandoned their pueblo village not long after it was created. A mystery, still.

  But now, their ancient façade sheltered her safe haven.

  They climbed up, followed narrow pathways, and moved through several rooms. They passed a small kiva, a ceremonial chamber, and Cyan paused a moment, feeling incredible energy from the spirits left there. She wanted to linger, to experience that energy a little longer, soak it up, store it for later, when she might need it. But they pushed on. Devin, bringing up the rear, had allowed her a moment's pause on their hike, but she knew they shouldn't linger for long. They were not safe, yet.

  Slowly, they elevated and moved closer to the back of the cave. Chaco approached a room with walls still intact, a small window high above them, and a crumbling open door that beckoned their entrance.

  He turned. “Here. This is the way. Follow me. Do as I do."

  The room appeared to be some sort of storage room and as they moved into it, Cyan pictured, or sensed, food, pottery, supplies ... she wasn't certain. Dark now inside, they moved further toward the back of the room. Behind her, Devin walked close, one hand on her shoulder. Always her protector. Chaco turned on a flashlight and leveled it toward the bottom of the back wall where she saw a small opening.

  "I'll go first. Then Cyan. Devin, bring up the rear."

  Chaco went down on his belly, slid through the opening, and disappeared. After a moment, a grinding sound met them. Surprisingly mechanical, she thought. And out of place.

  Yet familiar.

  Cyan took a deep breath. Dizzy.

  "You okay?"

  "Slightly claustrophic."

  Devin held her from behind. “I'm right here. We'll do it together. Soon this will all be over.

  Chaco fl
ashed the light back through the opening.

  "I don't remember this part. Getting in this way."

  "Things change, Cyan. If Chaco says it's fine, then it's fine. Go,” Devin whispered in her ear, “we're almost home."

  Home. She had no idea where home was anymore. Would ever be again.

  "Cyan!” Chaco's urging irritated the hell out of her.

  Devin nudged her. “All right.” She blew out a breath. “Stay close. If I start to panic, slap me silly or something."

  He chuckled. “Just keep moving and you'll be fine."

  She did. And he followed. Chaco's light led the way and before she knew it, she rolled into a room that felt more cavernous than the one that housed the Anasazi pueblo. At least that was how it felt. It was still dark. Perhaps she's sensed it.

  She stood, unsteady on her feet and uncertain of her path. Devin fell in behind her, and placed a hand on her arm.

  Momentary comfort.

  Chaco shouted from somewhere in front of them, his flashlight bouncing over red walls and floor, his footsteps echoing across the room.

  The grinding sound started up again behind them, then slammed to a halt. Cyan felt like it was shutting something out.

  Or shutting something in.

  Them.

  Her Claustrophobia returned, belting her upside the head with sheer panic.

  She clutched behind her. Found Devin. Grabbed his arm. “Something's wrong."

  Abruptly, lights flashed and filled the large room.

  She blinked. Took it in.

  Devin increased the pressure on her arm.

  He could feel it, too. Something. Not right.

  Like a thrown switch, electricity warped into the room. Computers spun to life. Harsh fluorescent lighting flickered awake. Monitors pulsed. Electronics buzzed.

  A lab. Some kind of a lab.

  Three men in suits stepped around the menagerie of technology and faced them. Each carried a weapon that dwarfed the one Devin had placed in the small of her back. Then Chaco stepped up to join them.

  "Holy shit."

  That came from Devin.

  * * * *

  No time. Shit.

  "Whatever happens, Cyan, do as I say. Stick close. Trust me.” He managed to whisper the words, get them out of his mouth, before the guy with the automatic laser rifle shoved it in his face and forced him away from Cyan.

  She whimpered. Stepped toward him. He waved her back and she stopped.

  Good. Listen to me Cyan.

  He backed away, lifted his hands in the air. “What the hell is going on here? Chaco? C'mon, man. Who is this clown?"

  The weapon snubbed into his chest. Devin bored into the goon's black eyes. “Do I know you? You look a little familiar.” He stepped closer to the man. “Yeah, I think I know you. Saw you on a poster somewhere before."

  "Cut the crap, Devin. You don't know him. It's time to get serious.” Chaco stepped closer, put his hand on the man's forearm. “But back off a little bit okay? Let me talk to my friend here."

  The guy eyed Chaco and then glanced back to one of the trio. Devin caught a nod from the one hanging back. Good. He was getting a handle on who was in charge here. The goon stepped back. Gave them some room. Goddamn it, what the hell had Chaco gone and done? He looked at his long-time friend, but kept Cyan in his sight.

  His voice lowered, he lit into his friend. “What the fuck are you doing, Chaco? Are you out of your freakin’ mind?"

  Chaco edged closer. “You're getting too close to her, Devin. You've compromised the mission. It's over. Give it up."

  "Who in the fuck got into your head, Chaco? What did they do to you?"

  The mere fact that the leader of the pack was letting this conversation go on told Devin plenty—Chaco was one of them. Shit. For how long?

  Did they get into his brain? Convert him?

  "My job is to protect her. I had to get close."

  "Not that close."

  "You have no idea how close I am to her. It's my job to protect. My purpose. My promise to her father. I need to be close to her, goddamn it. Now I don't know what you've done here, Chaco..."

  "Fucking her wasn't in the deal."

  Fear ran ice cold through his veins. For the first time in a long time. Not only for him, but for her. This was his big slip up, damn it. His fault. But he couldn't let Chaco know that, or even sense it.

  "I've not compromised the mission."

  "You have. We both know it. So we're going to take her. She's ours now."

  Fury raged through him and Devin bolted forward, catching Chaco off guard, pushing him down to the soft stone floor of the cave. Chaco lunged back and they grappled. Devin felt the weapon at his back dislodge and heard it fall to the floor, skid away.

  Shit.

  Activity erupted behind him and before he could comprehend, he was face down on the floor, his sides taking a good thrashing of kicks, three weapons pointed at his head. Goddamnit, not the ribs. He moaned in agony, nearly blacked out. Chaco pulled his arms behind him in a vise grip.

  "You stupid sonofabitch,” Chaco bit off, his breathing only slightly labored. There was a tad of sympathy in that statement. Devin heard it. Knew it was there. Too many years between them. But Chaco would never admit it. Couldn't.

  "Get up. Get up!"

  A goon reached out and Chaco jerked him to his feet before he had time to think about moving.

  The first set of eyes he saw when he was upright and semi-focused were blue.

  Cyan.

  Quivering, crying but not sobbing, tears tracking her cheeks, she held his pistol in her hand. And she was pointing it. Directly at her heart.

  Chaco noticed it, too.

  "Cyan, put down the gun.” He made a motion with his hands, stepped toward her, trying to calm her, Devin supposed. “Just lay it down on the ground, honey."

  She shook her head. “No!” she shouted. “And don't honey me, you traitor!"

  He took a step.

  "Don't come any closer, Chaco, or I'll pull the goddamned trigger. You are not going to take me alive."

  "We're here to help you, Cyan. We're the good guys. We've come to take you to where you will finally be safe."

  Devin watched her eyes dart back and forth from his to Chaco's. Safe? Was there any such place? Really? He imagined those confused words in her head. Goddamned sonofabitch Chaco.

  "No. I don't believe you."

  "Cyan,” he went on. “Believe me. Soon, this will be over. Just let us help you. Devin is your enemy, not me. Not us."

  "Cyan, don't listen to him. You know who I am. You know. He's lying to you."

  Her head whipped and she trained her gaze totally on him. Her eyes were crazed. They locked with his. Pleaded with his. Confused. Her shaking hands gripped his pistol tighter. She held their connection and slowly brought the snub of the gun up under her chin. He'd never felt fear so powerful in all his life.

  "I don't know who to believe any more, Devin,” she said quietly. “So this is just easier. For both of us. Forgive me."

  He lurched forward. “Cyan, no!"

  Then, with the crack of the butt of a gun to his temple, everything went black.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Nine

  No.

  No!

  Everything in her head screamed. Every word that dared to enter her mind lashed out and back again. Turned a 360 inside her brain and exited. Gone. No thought. What to do? Who to believe?

  What to do?

  The cold snub of the pistol was frozen to her neck, locked up under her chin, inches above her carotid artery. She couldn't move. Arms bolted in place. Not moving. Frozen, like the Tin Man on that old Wizard of Oz disc.

  Devin moaned on the ground. Coming to. They'd knocked him out cold.

  Stall, Cyan. Stall.

  Need him. Need him conscious. Need to know more from him.

  "Don't hurt him again or I'm dead.” Her eyes bored into Chaco's, didn't falter. He glanced away, toward the h
ead honcho, the one holding back a bit. She knew who he was, had sensed his cock-sure manner from the moment he stepped around the computer bank. The leader. Of what, she wasn't certain. But he was the one who needed to be taken out first, if there was any taking out to be done.

  The head asshole jerked a nod.

  "All right, Cyan. We won't hurt him. If that's what it takes to get you to come with us."

  "I'm not going anywhere with any of you,” she bit out. Loyalty to him, to Devin—she wouldn't commit either way. Didn't want them to know where she was leaning. Where her thought processes were going.

  Hell, she wasn't sure herself.

  Devin groaned.

  "Help him to sit up,” she ordered, testing out her authority.

  A goon moved. She backed up. “Don't come any closer to me, you asshole. Just help him up."

  For whatever reason, they were listening to her. It allowed her time to get her wits together, form a plan. She was the commodity here. And she had to play it for all it was worth.

  "Cyan, put the gun down and just come with us. I promise we'll leave Devin alone. Our time is short. We need to move quickly. We don't know who else could have been following you."

  "Don't ... listen to him.” Devin shook his head, said the words weakly.

  But Cyan sensed he was stronger than he looked. He rose, slowly, and looked her in the eyes. When he did so, even across the room, the power between them was strong. The bond strong. She needed his strength right now.

  "They are government, Cyan. They only want you for scientific exploration and exploitation. If you think you don't have a life now, consider what it will be like living as a lab rat. If you're lucky, they'll let you out long enough to breed. I'm sure they have a covey of Caucasian males stashed away somewhere. Politics, Cyan. Listen to me. White supremacy at its best. Covered up with politics. Don't listen to them."

  She swallowed. Shaking. Was Devin right? What to do? Kill herself right now and get it over with? She knew she didn't want to live like that, locked in a cage.

  Chaco stepped between her and Devin. She pushed the pistol deeper under her chin. “So help me, Chaco, don't take another step closer unless you want to see me blow my head off."

  He halted, narrowing his gaze at her. “You don't really want to do that, Cyan. Listen to me, not Devin. We are here to protect you. Devin strayed. He has other plans for you. And they are not pretty. We're here at your father's wishes."