by Berinn Rae
“Do you really believe I’m capable of this? I was so happy that you’d saved those people from the Haven district. You know how their deaths devastated me.”
“But you didn’t know about them when you activated the tracker.”
She balled her hands in her hair and swallowed a scream. She cleared her throat. “How the hell does someone activate a tracker in their own ass cheek? Explain how I did this. Because I’m at a loss. How did I reach that particular button?”
He growled. “Don’t be obtuse. You could do it remotely.”
She sighed and massaged her temples in light circular motions. “Doesn’t it make more sense that my father activated it to get me back?”
“You’d still have to know about it. It’s deep. It’s not like the small, injected one in we deactivated in your arm when you came on board. This one you would have to have knowledge of, or it was done while you were in surgery for something else. According to what I’ve read on you, you haven’t had any surgeries in years. This thing is state of the art. It’s recent.”
“You’re also forgetting that last year is a blur of drunken, drug induced nights partying.” This wasn’t the first time she’d been deeply ashamed of that, and it likely wouldn’t be the last.
He shook his head. “I don’t want to hear it. My life is about to end, basically. I get to return you, and turn myself in at the same time, so I don’t really want to hear your excuses. You were trying to escape two days ago. Why should I believe you didn’t turn on a tracking device somehow when you failed?”
Her blood ran cold. “Why are you turning yourself in? Why can’t you release me in a life pod?”
“I could, but they know the last location of the ship. Hopefully if I turn myself in, they’ll assume that it was only us out here and not a ship full of people and they won’t search too hard for it.”
“But they’ll torture you for information.”
He sighed and raked his hand through his hair. “And by the time they break me, the ship will be somewhere else, the space station will be moved, and all my security and communications codes will be changed.”
She glared at him. She couldn’t let him be taken. Once the government had all the information they thought they could get out of him, they would execute him. And they would probably still search the area for his people. Worse, maybe they would try brainwashing him again. He had too much knowledge to be captured. Surely he knew that. All of his people were in danger if he was caught. Could they really be in more peril if he wasn’t?
Now she had to figure out a way to get him on the way back to his people long before she met up with the government officials.
She jammed her finger onto the release of her harness and threw it off before she rose and stormed to the back of the shuttle.
“What are you doing?” he barked, and she had to resist marching back up front and popping him on the back of the head.
“Pacing so I don’t start hitting you.”
He sighed but said nothing. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure he wasn’t looking, and pushed the button to open the life pod. The one she’d tried to take from the cyborg’s big ship had been a larger capacity, luxury escape pod. This one was bare bones. Big enough for two. You could input a course and change it but otherwise it was completely on autopilot.
Jamila glanced at Galen again and seized the syringe of sedative secured at the head of the pod. It was for panic attack emergencies.
Galen cursed and jumped out of his seat as she swung back around. Had he seen her pull out the syringe? He marched to her and she threw her arms around his neck.
“I can’t let you sacrifice yourself over this.” She curled her fingers into his hair and pulled just to let him feel a small portion of her anger. “It’s insane. You don’t know if they’ll even believe you’re alone out here with me. What if they keep searching for your people?”
He pulled back. His eyes still held suspicion but the grim set of his mouth softened. “They will always hunt for my people. I need to throw them off the trail until they’re hidden.”
“If you don’t trust me, why are you telling me this?”
He snorted and glanced away. “I don’t know. Damn me but I can’t seem to shut my mouth around you.”
She ducked her head to capture his gaze again. “So you don’t think I turned on a tracking device.”
He sighed. “I don’t know what I think. I want to believe you, and as soon as I give in to that I’ll stop thinking. I can’t ignore the facts and what it looks like. If it was only me at stake I would, but I can’t risk it with all the lives involved.”
If she didn’t have a goal, she might have smacked him over the head. She blinked back tears and pulled him down for a kiss to cover her reaction. It was a slow mating of tongues and lips. She ran her hands down and cupped his buttocks.
He broke the kiss. “I should get back to the helm.”
She didn’t let her frustration show in her face. “Did you put the ship on autopilot?”
“Yes but — ”
“Then leave it. This won’t take long.” She released the seal of his flight suit and peeled it over his broad shoulders. She leaned forward and raked his nipple with her teeth before laving it with her tongue. She placed a long, wet line of kisses down his torso as she dropped to her knees.
He groaned. “We really don’t have time for this.”
She stared up at him. “We do. Besides, don’t you want to make time?” Stubborn bastard.
When she licked hollow at his hip he shifted his weight. “Right, we’ll make time.”
She smiled against his skin. Okay, maybe not that stubborn. Grasping the sides of his suit, she yanked them down before he could change his mind. His thick cock sprang free and she wrapped her hand around it, a shiver passing down her spine. It was too bad that it wouldn’t be sliding into her. She couldn’t help but get wet for him in anticipation.
She rolled her tongue against the head before sucking his dick into her mouth.
He moaned and threaded his fingers through her hair. “You’re amazing.”
Clutching his ass with her unoccupied hand, she dug her nails in enough to make his cock jerk in her mouth as he gasped her name. She ran her tongue against the underside of his shaft and sucked hard enough to concave her cheeks.
His stomach muscles clenched as he tried to control the bucking of his hips. She tightened the grip on the base of his dick so he didn’t choke her. He shuddered and his cum spurted against her tongue. She jabbed the sedative into his thigh, trusting the automatic injector to flood his system with it.
She swallowed and released his softening cock.
He swayed on his feet and glared at her. “What did you give me?” She rose and tipped him into the waiting escape pod, shoving his flailing legs in after him. He chuckled weakly. “Right, emergency meds in these things. What are you doing, Jamila? I’m turning myself in. They don’t need gift wrapping.”
Growling at him, she stepped back. “You know, you’re an asshole. I’m shipping your back to your people and good riddance because you piss me off. If you trusted me, we could have talked about this, but no. You left me no choice. Surely it’s occurred to you that I’m likely going to face trial for supplying Haven? You said it yourself. I would have believed you if you said you didn’t turn on a tracking device, but I guess I love you more.”
He bared his teeth. “That’s not fair. Almost everyone I’ve ever known has betrayed me. With you being an aristocrat and with who your father is I can’t help the doubt. I’m a spy and a terrorist according to your government. I’m in the business of betrayal.”
She lost her ability to breathe from the pain in her heart. He would never have trusted her, even if they hadn’t found a tracker on her. He’d all but admitted it. He couldn’t handle who her father was. “I really don’t have time to debate this with you.”
He tried to prop himself up on his elbows but collapsed back in the pod with a long blink. “Don’t
you dare launch this fucking space coffin! There’s another very good reason for me to go with you that I haven’t mentioned.”
She smiled wistfully. “And here I was hoping your last words to me would be a declaration of love. Guess I’m the silly, foolish child everyone thinks I am. Computer, launch pod one toward the last known location of the cyborg ship.”
His shout was cut off with a whoosh as the door slammed shut. She walked to the pilot’s seat and dropped into it. She would never see him again. It was just as well. No human could be relied on in his world. She’d never be happy with everyone around her despising her, especially when the man she loved had no faith in her. She’d watched the same thing play out with her parents and it had ended in her mother’s suicide.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she rested her head on the control panel and waited to reach her destination.
Chapter Thirteen
His own people were firing on him. Galen barely managed to avoid the next volley as they tried to take out his engines.
“Galen, turn that fucking ship around. You have to come back. They’ll kill you long before you can get to her.”
“Sorry, Torin. No can do. I have a plan.”
Jamila had been arrested before she even set foot off the transport. Since they’d lost the refugees from Haven, they’d decided they needed to prosecute someone. They planned to execute everyone involved in supplying the residents with anything. Until they’d discovered what the cyborg doctors had done to heal her. Now their spy said the government had other plans for her.
Damn that woman. He should have told her everything. He’d planned to take the fall for any charge they threw at her. But he wasn’t sure how she’d react. If she wouldn’t let him, she would be in danger, and they’d be right back where they started. But his worst fear was that she wouldn’t care that he gave his life for her and she might laugh while he did it. That knowledge would have destroyed him.
How could one man be so fucking stupid? She was being tortured and probably believed no one in the universe cared enough to rescue her. That was his fault. He should have been clear about his feelings.
Torin’s long steady stream of cursing went on for a full thirty seconds before he took a deep breath. “You always have a plan, dammit. But whatever you’re thinking, it won’t work. The government has her.”
“And what will they do to her if I don’t save her?”
Silence met that question. Everyone knew what they would do. There were two options. Execute her, as the government loved to do, or turn her into one of their operatives. It would be perfect. She’d been inside a cyborg ship. Knew how it operated to an extent. Had made friends with some of the cyborgs. Loved one. It would be easy to put her back in place at a different base if they could find one. But he didn’t give a damn about that. There would be a lot of torture before they turned her in to that perfect little spy and killer.
Who knew if his people could deprogram her — if they ever even found her? It didn’t always work. Even if they managed, she would never be the same again. She’d be ruined. Broken. Like him. He couldn’t take that chance.
“You’ll have to blow me out of the fucking sky to stop me, Torin.”
“Galen, what if you’re captured? I didn’t support your plan of giving yourself up in the first place. Think, man. You know classified shit, bad things that could ensure that they find us all. It was close enough when you took her back. She saved you for a reason. She didn’t want our people to die. She thought your life was worth hers. You’re squandering her gift if you go there and get yourself captured.”
Rage tore through his gut. He wasn’t worth the sacrifice. He still couldn’t understand what she’d been thinking. “She’s worth it to me.”
Torin’s long suffering sigh came over the com. “You could at least take backup. Take five minutes and get the Council’s backing.”
“They’ll never agree. Your list of rational reasons to turn my ass around is a good one. Unfortunately for you, I’m not a rational man right now. The Council can maintain their objectivity in this. I can’t and I won’t.”
“Fine, but you could have at least asked for my help. I like Jamila too, Galen. I think she might be worth it. Stop firing at me, and let me follow you. You’ll need help.”
Galen hesitated. It could be a trick. Torin could wait for him to land, knock him out, and drag him back off the planet. But … “I thought you were never going back to a core planet? That they’d have to drag you back? That you’d never take a mission on one?”
“You’re my friend. I’ll do this for you. Whether you want me to or not. If you turn me down I’ll follow you out of the range of your weapons.”
Galen glared at the com system. “Okay. But don’t you dare think of knocking me out and taking me home. I’ll murder you when I wake up, and I’m not being the least bit funny.”
“You’re never funny. You lack a sense of humor. I don’t know what Jamila sees in you. Old turd. Let me disable my wing brothers, and we’ll keep going together.”
He nodded. Right. There were still other fighters on his ass. “Need any help?”
“Nope, they’ll never see this one coming. And … done. Let’s get the fuck out of here. They’re efficient. They’ll have their engines fixed real damned fast if they’re able. Punch it. I’m behind you.”
Galen hit full burn and was plastered against his chair. Even his superior strength didn’t keep the force of full burn from squeezing the air from his lungs. The pressure eased as the speed leveled out. He should sleep, but he couldn’t bring himself to. Instead, he stood and stretched his legs before beginning to pace in his tiny space. He needed to keep thinking about things. The facility she’d been taken to. The plan. Yeah, the plan wasn’t a good one. Torin was right. There was no good way to do this. But he had to try. If he died then so be it.
• • •
When he stepped off the shuttle he immediately pulled his stun gun. He trusted Torin, and loved him like an annoying little brother, but in this he couldn’t be sure of him. Torin would try to protect him and their people at all costs, even if he went against Galen’s orders to do it. It was a matter of personal loyalty and Torin’s own calculations of the risks. If one or both were lacking, Torin could easily betray him and not bat an eye. He would see it as doing what he thought was best to save Galen’s life or their people.
There was a hiss as the ship’s ramp broke open and lowered into the grass of the senator’s fancy ass lawn. They’d set down at the far reaches of his estate. It was a big risk to even land here, but the senator was part of the plan. They didn’t even know where Jamila was being held. They needed him, and if his security from last time was any indication it would be a joke to get to him. Even if he’d beefed it up, it was still a bunch of humans, content in the knowledge that their guns would do their jobs for them. He snorted. Guns were great, but you still had to know what the fuck you were doing with your tactics. Since he and Torin were stealthy, they wouldn’t even be spotted until it was too late. The humans could probably locate their ships and sound the alarm quickly, but finding them? Not as easy.
Torin stepped onto the plank and Galen leveled the stunner on him. He quickly held up his hands to show he was unarmed. Galen wasn’t fooled. Torin’s hands themselves were weapons. He rivaled Galen in hand to hand combat. And his own guns, stunners, and blades were in their holsters around his hips. But he was making an effort to reassure Galen that he wasn’t trying to take him home.
“I told you man. I want to help. She doesn’t deserve to be left wherever they’re keeping her. You’re right. They’ll torture her. We both know what that’s like.”
Torin especially. He was still suffering from what they’d done to him. He’d been a child when they’d taken him. Not even having a life, and then suddenly being deprogrammed and finding out they’d murdered your parents, stolen your childhood, and made you a killing machine had made him unstable for a long time after he’d come around. He was the
youngest taken that Galen knew of. At least Galen had known what it was like to have a life. But it was another reason why he was worried about Torin’s actions now. He could be unpredictable. He didn’t think like the rest of them.
Galen reluctantly holstered his stun gun and Torin lowered his palms slowly.
“There you go. See, I haven’t attempted to knock you over the head yet. Satisfied?”
“We’ll see.”
Torin rolled his eyes. “Good God. You are the most paranoid man I’ve ever met. I’m your friend and you don’t trust me.”
“I can barely bring myself to trust anyone. It’s an unfortunate cyborg trait.”
He snorted. “True enough. Now let’s get a fucking move on before someone discovers us here.”
The crept through the grounds silently. No one sounded the alarm, even when they entered the house. There were no guards waiting for them. Nothing. It was too quiet. What was going on?
“Galen, this is giving me the creeps. Where are the guards? Where are the servants? Where are the houseguests? Do you think he’s taken the household somewhere else?”
Galen groaned. He hadn’t thought of that. With his daughter not in residence, he might have closed the SkyTemple. There was no reason to keep it running if no one lived here.
“The senate will meet again soon. He might have left early for that.”
Torin cursed. “What now?”
He shrugged. “Let’s keep searching the place. We haven’t combed over the entire house.”
They gave up sneaking around and walked the rest of the house openly. They reached the breakfast nook where Jamila had bought him and he hesitated at the door. Was he ever going to see her again? His doubt gnawed at his gut. Once the government had someone, they chose when to let them go. But he would die trying to find her. He’d have to send Torin packing so the man wouldn’t die with him. Damn Torin and his loyalty. He was going to let Galen lead him right into death. He sighed and opened the door.
