Fallon's Capture

by Ravenna Tate

  For the next two days, she was so excited she could hardly sit still. On the day of the next performance, she thought she’d go out of her mind with worry. What if they were caught? What if Brant and Ellis didn’t show up as planned? What if Walton or one of the guards came to their quarters as soon as the power went out, and Brant and Ellis were caught?

  Arlo and Cord did their best to try to keep her calm, but when the time came to get ready to escape, her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. She watched the clock in the kitchen tick down the minutes, and when the two-hour mark came, she swore all three of them held their breath. “What if it doesn’t happen?”

  “It will,” said Arlo.

  She jumped as the room went dark. Somewhere in the hallway, an alarm sounded. She clutched Arlo’s hand, and wasn’t surprised to find it slightly damp. The lock clicked, and she tried not to scream. What if it wasn’t their friends?

  A light shone in the hallway of their quarters, and the three walked out of the kitchen. Fallon nearly cried out in relief at the sight of the two men she’d seen in the interrogation room.

  They said something she didn’t understand.

  “Speak English, please,” said Cord. “Fallon doesn’t understand our language.”

  The men frowned and exchanged a quick glance.

  “I am Brant, and this is Ellis,” said the one on the left, speaking English this time. “Are you ready?”

  “We sure are.” He grabbed Fallon’s other hand and started to walk forward with her and Arlo, but stopped when Brant held up a hand. Fallon’s heart raced. Something was wrong.

  “The Earth girl must stay here. We were given instructions to bring only you and Arlo to the spacecraft.”

  “What?” Fallon, Cord, and Arlo spoke at the same time.

  “I’m not going without her,” said Cord.

  “Same here,” said Arlo.

  Cord and Arlo each gave her hand a squeeze, but Fallon was numb inside. She wasn’t going with them. This couldn’t be happening.

  “Cortez wrote ‘we’ in the notes,” said Cord.

  “He meant you and Arlo,” said Brant. “We were not told the Earth girl was coming along.”

  “She has a name,” said Cord, his voice rising. “It’s Fallon.”

  Ellis glanced toward the hallway, where they now heard voices shouting over the alarm. “We only have a few seconds to escape. If we’re caught, you two will never leave here, and she will be sent to—”

  “Stop! Please don’t say it. I know what will happen to me.” Fallon let go of their hands. “Please … please go. This is your only chance. Don’t blow it because of me.”

  Arlo cupped her face and kissed her. “I cannot leave without you.”

  Tears stung her eyes. “You have to,” she whispered.

  “Leaving her behind is not an option,” said Cord. “I don’t care what you two have to do, but we are not leaving without her.”

  The shouting was closer now. Brant and Ellis exchanged another glance, and then Brant shook his head. “This is madness. Let’s go.”

  ****

  Arlo’s pulse raced as they made their way along the dim corridors. The emergency lights cast an eerie glow on the dark tiles, and their boots on the floor sounded like death knells. It had been right there on the tip of his tongue to tell Fallon he couldn’t leave her behind because he loved her, but then he’d chickened out and not said the words.

  What would have been the point? She fucked them because she had to, not because there was any chance she could love either of them. It was sheer folly to believe otherwise. And now, they’d likely be caught because they’d hesitated too long, and Fallon would be sent to the holding cells. If he told her he loved her now, that would be cruel to both of them.

  Twice they had to hide in interrogation rooms until a pair of guards ran past. Her hand was slick in his, and he knew she was still crying. He didn’t blame her. He’d never been this afraid in his entire life.

  When they reached the tarmac, he took a deep breath, savoring the night air. He’d been inside for months, and he became dizzy for a second or two as the fresh air filled his lungs. The spacecraft was about one hundred yards ahead, but the airfield was filling up with people now.

  Brant and Ellis led them behind a storage shed. “Stay here. We are going to create a diversion. Keep your focus on me. When you see me wave you over, run.”

  Arlo pushed Fallon between him and Cord, up against the stone wall of the shed, and sent up a silent prayer to all the gods, goddesses, and stars in the heavens. This was insane, but it was their only hope. It had to work.

  ****

  Cord’s mouth was so dry he had trouble swallowing. If they got to Sera successfully, as soon as he faced Cortez he’d punch the asshole. What the hell was he thinking sending help that didn’t include Fallon’s rescue? He and Cortez had never discussed Arlo, because he hadn’t known him before three weeks ago. Quentin must have told Cortez who was living in the quarters with him.

  But now that he thought about it, he could understand why Cortez would assume they’d want to leave Fallon behind. Cortez would have no way of knowing how he and Arlo now felt toward her. They hadn’t given Quentin any indication of that during the short time he’d been in the room with all three.

  Cord glanced at Arlo again. Did he feel the same way? Did he love her? They’d never discussed it, but now they would need to. He only hoped Cortez didn’t freak out when she showed up on Sera with them.

  An explosion startled them, and Cord searched frantically for Brant or Ellis among the people running around the tarmac, shouting orders at each other. He finally spotted one of them, waving toward the trio. “They’re waving us over. Come on.”

  He hung onto Fallon’s hand as tightly as possible as they ran, and hoped like hell that Arlo was behind them. When they reached the spacecraft, Cord practically pushed her up the ladder and into it, and then he helped her with the straps on her chair.

  “Do I need to sleep for this?”

  Her face was too pale, and he didn’t like how large her pupils were. Her skin was cold and clammy. “No. We’ll be there in less than an hour.” Assuming we get off the tarmac, that is.

  Arlo was already at the controls with Brant, and Ellis eyed him and Fallon in turn, his face full of indecision. Tough shit. She was coming along. It was too late to change that now.

  Cord strapped himself in, and then closed his eyes as the craft lifted into the air. He’d never prayed much, but he did now. If this failed, he and Arlo wouldn’t be given a second chance. And he didn’t even want to picture what would happen to Fallon.

  He opened his eyes and glanced over at her. She gave him a tentative smile, but he saw the terror on her face. Cord glanced at the others, who were busy trying to navigate the spacecraft away from the chaos below. No one was watching him or Fallon. He was close enough to reach over and touch her, so he held out his hand.

  She took it, and he glanced around one more time before mouthing to her, “I love you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  At first, Fallon thought she’d imagined Cord mouthing “I love you”, but one look into his eyes and she knew he really had said it.

  “We’re being followed.”

  Brant’s calm but firm voice sent a wave of fear through her, and she grasped Cord’s hand tighter. But he let go of her and unstrapped himself to join Brant, Ellis, and Arlo at the controls. She watched them, wishing she’d said something to Cord and Arlo before. She’d known for a while now that what she felt for them was love. What if they all died tonight, and she never had the chance to tell them?

  “Who is it?” asked Arlo. “Can you tell?”

  “Regum ship,” said Ellis. He smiled. “Our escort.”

  The men all clapped each other on the back and smiled, and then Cord and Arlo each turned to look at her. “You can get out of the chair now,” said Arlo. “We’re going to make it safely to Sera.”

  She undid the straps and made her way carefully over t
o the men. They might be used to walking inside a spacecraft while it was hurtling through space, but she wasn’t. Cord held open his arms, and she melted against his body, totally not giving a shit that Brant and Ellis were there, too.

  “Is it real?” she asked.

  He kissed the top of her head. “It’s real.”

  “Aren’t you at all concerned what your cousin will say when we show up with Fallon?” asked Arlo.

  Cord shook his head. “No.” He pointed toward a screen about the size of an iPad. “Do you want to watch the stars as we make the journey?”

  She nodded, and then took a seat as Cord pushed a button. The screen came alive with stars and clouds of gas. Fallon smiled, thinking it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. Just to be out of that Zoo was enough. Her cares melted away as Cord and Arlo each placed a hand on her shoulder to watch the scene with her.

  Fallon had no idea what would happen when they reached Sera, but she knew she’d be with them, and nothing else mattered right now.

  ****

  When they landed, two stern-looking men wearing uniforms met them. Fallon glanced up at the night sky and smiled. Just to feel fresh air on her face again gave her renewed hope. Cord took her hand, and they followed the men into a building covered in terra cotta tiles.

  The building was practically deserted, and then she realized it was nighttime, which might explain why. Their footsteps echoed on the marble floor as the men led them through corridor after corridor. It reminded her eerily of the first glimpse inside the Zoo she’d had, and she shivered.

  This wasn’t the Zoo. She was safe now. Cord and Arlo were safe, too. Everything would be okay.

  They finally reached a large room that was decorated like the inside of a palace, and Brant spoke to Cord in English. “Cortez will be in shortly. This is where we leave you.” He and Ellis both cut their gazes toward Fallon. “Best of luck to you three.”

  Cord and Arlo each shook their hands. “Thank you,” said Cord. “Thank you so much for this.”

  The men left, and then Cord pointed toward a chair near the massive desk. “Sit down. You must be exhausted by now.”

  She shook her head. “I’m not. I’m actually kind of afraid. What if he’s upset that I’m here?”

  “Then he’ll just have to deal with it,” said Cord.

  Arlo didn’t look quite as convinced, and Fallon thought she could take this opportunity to tell them she loved them, but then the door opened and an imposing man with dark hair and eyes that resembled Cord’s walked in and closed the door behind him.

  His gaze traveled up and down Cord. “Well,” he said in English, “you look a far sight worse than the last time I saw you.”

  Cord bowed before the man. “Cousin, I can’t thank you enough for this. We—”

  “Not so fast.” Cortez cut him off, holding up his hand. “Why is the Earth girl with you?”

  “Her name is Fallon,” said Arlo. “And she’s with us because…” He gave her a long look, and her heart fluttered at the emotion in his beautiful green eyes. “She’s with us because we love her. We couldn’t leave her behind. We want her with us, no matter where we end up.”

  Fallon didn’t care who Cortez was, or that they were obviously in the famous Ministry where the Regum worked and ruled. She only knew that she’d waited long enough to tell these two men how she felt, and now she knew that both of them felt the same way.

  She could barely contain her joy as she moved toward Arlo, kissing him right on the mouth while Cortez watched. “I love you, too. I was afraid to tell you both.”

  She glanced toward Cord and was about to walk over to him, but he was already at her side. Fallon kissed him, too. “I love you, too, Cord. I love you both. This is crazy, but I don’t care. I never thought I’d feel this way again. I didn’t think it was possible. And then I thought it wasn’t real because of the circumstances, but I know that isn’t true, either. What I feel for you two is as real as anything.”

  She looked at Cortez. “Sir, thank you for helping your cousin and Arlo. I don’t know what you have planned for them, but whatever it is, I want to be with them. I won’t cause any trouble, and it doesn’t matter where we live. But I love these two men, and I need to be with them.”

  Arlo picked her up and twirled her around, and Fallon laughed. When he placed her on her feet he kissed her, and then he cupped her face. “I love you so much. I never thought I’d love another woman either, but you’re everything I’ve ever dreamed about.”

  He glanced toward Cortez. “I owe you my life. Thank you. But I can’t live without her.”

  She held her breathe, waiting to see what Cortez would say. He turned his attention toward Cord. “And do you feel the same way?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. I won’t live without her, and I’m happy to share her love and her life with Arlo. I owe you my life as well, and I know this is unconventional, but there it is.”

  “It may never be safe for either of you to return to Addo,” said Cortez. “That’s the first place they’ll look for you. Not only the Tyranns, but the people who helped get you each arrested.”

  “Done,” said Arlo. “We’ll live on Sera, then.”

  “And I expect you to work. Both of you.”

  “Not a problem,” said Cord. “I’m not looking for a handout.”

  Cortez took a seat behind his desk and flipped through a large bound book that was already open. “I had my eye on a position for Cord and one for Arlo, but now I’m not sure.”

  “Why not?” asked Cord.

  “Because I didn’t plan on having to hide an Earth girl with you two.”

  “Then figure it out,” said Arlo. “Please.”

  Cortez narrowed his eyes, and then he pulled another bound book from a case behind his desk. It seemed like ages before he finally tapped his fingers on top of a page. “All right. This will work.”

  He glanced up at them. “How would you feel about working for a new department in the Ministry? It was set up six months ago and has been charged with figuring out a way to take back Voyeur Moon from this dangerous faction of Tyranns, or at least find a way to shut down the Zoo.”

  “Ah … yes,” said Cord.

  “We’d be delighted to work in that department,” said Arlo.

  “I want to help, too,” said Fallon, quietly.

  Cortez smiled at her. “We don’t have many women working in this building.”

  “I’m sure you don’t, but who better to help bring it down than someone who was a prisoner in it? I was threatened more than once with being sent to the holding cells. I would do anything I could to see that place annihilated.”

  “The holding cells are another matter altogether, but they’re on the list, too.”

  “Then I want to work as well.”

  “I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise anything. The home where you three will live is isolated. You’re meant to be in hiding. You’ll have our protection, but you have to be careful at all times.”

  “I can do that.” She certainly could. If there was one thing New Yorkers knew how to do, it was live in adverse conditions.

  He closed the book and stood. “I’ll set up everything in the morning. But for now, let me escort you to your new home.”

  ****

  Fallon closed her eyes as the land craft sped along dark streets and unfamiliar terrain. It didn’t matter where they were going. The important thing was that she would be with Arlo and Cord, and she might have useful work to do once again. Work that would help other women just like her.

  She reached for their hands, one on each side, and then leaned into Arlo’s embrace as he pulled her close.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too.” Fallon smiled, happier than she’d been in a very long time. A frightening journey had led her to find love with two men whose touch sent her to heights of passion she’d only dreamed about. She was on a strange planet, but had come to realize that people were people, regardless
. In time, she would grow to love it here, because the two men she wanted to spend her life with were part of it.

  And she would spend every day of her life making sure they each knew how very, very much she loved them.

  The End

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  Other Books by Ravenna Tate:

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