by Stone, Piper
As I prepared for the transition, I envisioned Damen’s dead, cold body.
Once onboard the Comstar, I headed immediately for the only section of the ship large enough to accommodate a full-scale meeting. The amphitheater was filled with Cenzan soldiers, hundreds of them. I pushed my way through the crowd until I found Talyn and Zacon, both men standing in close proximity to the king.
“We have a situation, one we could potentially need to use violence, but I caution you,” Shandar said as he glanced all around the room. “This is our home and we can’t afford to lose what limited hospitality that we’ve acquired.”
The roars from the crowd were deafening.
I remained on edge, my mind muddled from the various horrendous possibilities.
“Where the hell have you been?” Shandar hissed through clenched teeth.
“Trying to locate a clear enemy,” I answered, my tone biting. “Where is Kristina?”
Both Cenzans turned in my direction.
“What are you talking about?” Talyn asked, his eyes opening wide. “She was directed to stay in the colony.”
“She’s not at the house and you know damn good and well that she’s not successful at following orders. There’s no one guarding her or the colony. What the hell did you do?” My voice escalated in volume, catching the attention of Shandar.
“She needs to be punished,” Zacon stated.
“If we find her. Alive,” I muttered under my breath. My arrival had caught the eye of Shandar. The king was tense, his body rigid.
Shandar moved down off the makeshift platform, heading in my direction. “Killer. I was told you’d gone to hunt the rogue human. Something is wrong, my friend. Please talk to me.”
“I was hunting the bastard until I learned of the new attacks,” I answered, crushing down the anger. “Kristina has disappeared, no doubt in search of the same man.”
The king glanced at Zacon and Talyn, his features softening. “Then we must secure her safety. You will have a full battalion of soldiers to find her. I know she is special to you.”
“Thank you.” I said the obligatory words, even though I doubted Shandar fully understood what could happen. “What are you planning to do? Kill Jonas?” I had to ask the question, learning our fate as humans.
His eyes clouded as he answered. He gripped my shoulder, his fingers digging in. A fair and honest man, a rarity on Earth. “We are indeed planning a full-scale attack. Sadly, it is a necessity. Jonas Bradford is not going to lose the election. At this point, his whereabouts are being kept very secret, but we will find him. Eventually. I’ve heard from several world leaders who are already in route to America. They are... decidedly unhappy and from my understanding prepared to do whatever is necessary to keep Mr. Bradford from destroying the treaty.”
“How in the hell do they think they’re going to do that?”
“They have much more power than you realize, Killer. We will do what must be done in order to protect and save the lives of our people. Now go. Find Kristina. When you have her secured, report back to me. There will be additional orders. I need your strength and your guidance, my friend.” Shandar kept his voice even.
Whatever differences our species might have, I was indebted to Shandar once again.
The king motioned for a solid two dozen soldiers, giving them directions. I turned to Zacon, closing the distance. He and I stood eye to eye, the same brawn and height and at this moment, I wanted him to feel my rage. “Did you give her coordinates to the possible whereabouts of Damen Solomon?”
He raked his gaze down the length of me, a snarl curling on his lip. “She’s a resourceful girl. I gave an idea after she demanded it in a disobedient tone.”
“You bastard. You and I will finish this after we’ve found her.”
“I gave her a communication unit. We should be able to find her.” Talyn moved to within several inches of both of us.
Talyn’s suggestion was a good one, and one that made my blood run cold. Why the hell hadn’t I seen it coming? The blip indicated she’d gone to the same location where Hicks had held Fiona nine months ago. The old base had been converted into a bunker years before the Great War. We’d attempted to destroy the facility then.
Obviously, we’d failed.
The underground facility was large enough to house his ‘volunteers’ as well as keep Kristina locked away, never to be seen again.
If the monster had his way.
“Then we do just that.” I turned on my heel, knowing the others would follow. In my mind, I’d already lost her. My rage. My dishonor to her. My stubbornness.
My stupidity.
We were given two cargo-style vehicles, large enough to house every soldier as well as any who were injured or taken as prisoner. Besides, we had no idea what we could be facing, the uncertainty requiring several tactical options. The weapons we carried with us were enough to take out a small city if necessary, but I had a feeling Damen had an entire arsenal. He had enough connections and if my continued suspicions were correct, he’d merely been biding his time at Kristina’s village. The location had been perfect, in the center of three separate Cenzan colonies as well as close proximity to Washington DC’s political area.
The area was a basic bullseye, allowing Damen fluid motion when given the ultimate orders—launching a full-scale attack on Cenzan leaders. He would lure Shandar from the ship with the attacks. The plan was brilliant and almost foil proof.
Almost.
The assholes had no idea what level of violence I was going to initiate. The thought gave no comfort, only continued worry.
There wasn’t a word said after Zacon gave basic directions. I would never forget the area or the moment a bullet had been lodged into Logan’s brain. Hicks must be laughing from hell, thrilled that everything was working out exactly as he and his compatriots had organized almost two years before. I should have known this was where Damen would take his volunteers, not the location where we’d both received training early in my career. My instincts had been off, another win for the bastard.
That wasn’t going to happen again.
The anticipated inauguration was planned for five hours later, just as twilight set in. Jonas was an arrogant and very eager bastard. Then I assumed all hell would break loose. Our rescue would have to go exactly as planned or we’d be caught in the crossfire.
As we drew closer, the terrain becoming rough even for the rugged vehicles, I forced them to stop. Getting a lay of the land was in our best interest. I knew the heat source indicated by Zacon’s calculations was significant, indicating a large group of people, but I continued to have my doubts.
Damen wasn’t a stupid man. He certainly hadn’t racked up over one hundred assassinations without making certain of his decisions.
And his surroundings.
I jumped off the back, my weapon firmly planted in my hand. We were prepared for almost any situation. Zacon, Talyn, and several of the soldiers followed, the majority spreading out and looking for any signs of them. I crouched down, taking a handful of dirt. A larger vehicle had traveled over the soil recently, crushing down the stone and soil.
I remained quiet, moving toward the edge of the woods. The road was crumbled, but still clear enough that almost anyone would be able to continue in a direct path toward the compound bunker. I moved from one area to another, noticing a glint of metal out of the corner of my eye. After pulling away vines and brush, a vehicle came into view. The Jeep had been hidden, but not well enough. Fuck. Fuck!
I searched the interior, finding several weapons as well as the communications device with ease. She hadn’t wanted to be found by the very soldiers who could save her. While I wanted to applaud her for her tenacity, when she was located, I would make certain she wasn’t able to sit comfortably for a week.
The woman, the beautiful and audacious female was going to going to get herself killed and for what reason?
To protect the men she loves.
The thought was ridiculous. O
r was it?
“She removed the band. Why?” Talyn asked, obviously just as disturbed as I was.
“In order to do this on her own,” Zacon answered. He inhaled, turning in a full circle. “She must have gone on from here on foot.”
“Then we need to follow her trail.” I didn’t wait for the others, forging into the woods, following the trail as closely as possible. We tracked through the woods, fighting the underbrush, the mile seeming longer.
“The heat source is just ahead,” Zacon said.
After another hundred yards, a cold chill slithered down my spine from the sight of the several concrete buildings, images of the capture and killing of Captain Hicks remaining prominent in my mind. As the other soldiers moved to surround the perimeter, I held up my hand, forcing them to hold back. This, I wanted to see for myself.
With only Zacon and Talyn following, we moved into the clearing. Very little had changed in nine months, the same charred remains of a portion of one of the buildings exactly as I remembered leaving it.
Zacon moved closer, rechecking his device for the source of the heat indicators. “They should be all around us.”
While I was well aware that the sensors could probe any area, search through any type of material, I was beginning to have doubts there was anyone here.
“Pan out. Search everything.” My orders were clear.
“Tire tracks,” one of the soldiers stated.
“More over here,” another commented, crouched down as he studied the terrain.
“Someone was here,” I hissed and didn’t bother waiting, heading straight for the bunker, swinging open the metal door. First, I listened for any telltale signs of activity. Then I grabbed my light.
While the search brought back unwanted memories, the time wasted brought little additional information. Were there signs that someone or several people had been here? Yes, but that could have been anyone simply seeking a protected place to squat for a short period of time.
A solid hour had gone by, time I didn’t have to waste.
As I stood in the very room where Logan has lost his life, I threw back my arms, roaring to the heavens above. I wasn’t a religious man, certainly had no reason to believe in anything other than death and strife, but right now, I needed some kind of divine intervention.
Hearing footsteps, I swung the light toward the sound, my chest heaving from anxiety.
“Zacon found something and you’re not going to like it,” Talyn said, tipping his head and staring directly into the light. His pupils had darkened, his emotions on a rollercoaster.
“Tell me now.”
“The heat source. Planted devices giving the appearance of human body temperature. They were definitely placed in various locations to throw us off.”
At least that had confirmed they’d been here.
“Then all the other reports could be false,” I said.
“Exactly.”
I exhaled, clenching my fist. “I’m going to hunt and kill that motherfucker.” I stormed in Zacon’s direction, snarling as Talyn grabbed my arm.
“There’s more.”
This time, Talyn’s voice held not only anger but a heightened level of fear. No additional words were said as he led me to an area on the right side of the compound. Several of the soldiers stood while I could hear others tracking through the woods.
“What?” I barked.
“Shots were fired.” Zacon pointed to two of the trees. The marks made were from bullets, a remnant from an older and very human weapon.
I walked closer, examining the hole. Blood.
“And we found this.” Zacon walked closer to me. In his hand was one of the weapons I’d stored.
I closed my eyes briefly, allowing the information to sink in. “Are there any other signs that someone was here?”
“Track marks leading through the forest going east. Whatever vehicle he was in did significant damage to the terrain.” The soldier’s voice was devoid of emotion, merely stating the facts.
Where had he taken her? Could be anywhere. “Fuck. Fuck!” My anguished bellow floated toward the sky. Birds immediately squawked, scattering from the trees.
“We must find her,” Zacon hissed.
“And how do you plan that we do that? Do you have any suggestions? Any bright ideas?” I countered. I slipped the weapon behind my back into my waistband and began to pace, trying to think like Damen.
Like a Marine.
“We go back to the vehicles and begin checking the telescan for any additional information,” Talyn suggested.
I hesitated, weighing the odds of finding her then slammed my hand against the tree. The pain wasn’t nearly enough. I dragged my fingers through the blood, taking a deep whiff. The sweet yet vile copper stench permeated my nostrils. Another round of vengeance. Another need for retaliation.
I rose to my full height, looking from Zacon to Talyn. “Let’s find this bastard.”
* * *
“Scenes from the events surrounding the inauguration.” Talyn held out the mobile telescan unit, shaking his head. “It seems the American political system is kowtowing to Mr. Bradford. Look at the crowd of supporters. Bradford’s opponent still hasn’t conceded but it appears it would take a miracle to stop him from becoming your next president.”
“He’s not my president. The American political system has been in shambles for decades,” I answered, studying Zacon’s sensor unit for myself. Every other large area of heat he’d pinpointed providing a full listing. Nothing else seemed out of place.
“Where the fuck is he?” Talyn asked absently.
I glanced at the screen, narrowing my eyes. “Let me see that.”
Talyn brought it closer, lifting an eyebrow. “Do you know where this is?”
“Can you zoom into the area just behind him?”
“That’s not a problem. Do you notice something in particular?” he asked as he moved his fingers over the screen. “Those look like gravestones. What a morbid place to hold a ceremony.”
I clenched my jaw. “They used to hold ceremonies there all the time. The Great War ceased all aspects of celebrating military members, even though every branch of the armed forces continued to lose thousands of soldiers every year.”
“Where is this?” Zacon asked.
“The Arlington National Cemetery.” I couldn’t believe the audacity of the man, but I was also aware that there had been reports of hidden bunkers in an area very few miles from the site. Those particular bunkers had been built hundreds of feet below the surface, capable of withstanding the ancient but highly destructive nuclear bombs. I’d heard the president and his cabinet had been sequestered there during the Great War. I had no doubt that even with Cenzan technology, if the location existed, the enclosure the size of a small city could withstand whatever firepower was brought down on them.
Talyn shifted his fingers over the screen once again. “Two hours and twenty-seven minutes until Bradford is sworn in. Two hours and fourteen minutes by vehicle. Transporting there is our only option.”
“We need to move the trucks,” Zacon noted.
“Have your men head to Arlington. We go back to the ship then transport there directly.” My order wasn’t a suggestion but a requirement. We were almost out of time.
“What are you worried about other than Kristina?” Talyn asked casually.
“Shandar said that several world leaders were heading to America. They could be sitting ducks.” I could see the confusion in the two Cenzans’ eyes. “Meaning, it is possible they were lured to the inauguration with promises of peace.”
Zacon narrowed his eyes. “Instead facing an execution.”
“Exactly.” I gave him a nod.
“Then we must warn Shandar.” Talyn shut down the telescan.
“Yes.” I looked from one to the other.
“I’ll direct the captain to take the team to Arlington.” Zacon moved out of the truck.
I grabbed what weapons I could carry, prepared to jump off
the back.
“We’ll find her, Killer. She is our mate. Our destiny.” Talyn’s words were haunting.
I couldn’t even dare give a reply, sorrow far too intense in my heart. I had to shut that down for now, prepared for the mission of my life.
The three of us transported back to the ship, knowing the majority of officers and soldiers were already on the ground, dispatched to various locations in order to keep the peace. We moved quickly through the hallways, heading first to the bridge.
There were exactly four men sitting at their consoles.
“Where is King Drateq?” Zacon asked.
Not one of them responded, although two shared a look between them.
“I asked you a question, soldier. If you don’t want to find yourself in the brig, I suggest you answer!” Zacon demanded, storming in their direction.
The young soldier cowered from Zacon’s tone, his eyes opening wide as he stared up at the hulking Cenzan. “We’re not at liberty to say, Commander.”
“What does that mean?” Talyn asked. “We need to speak to King Drateq immediately.”
Another series of looks was shared between the younger Cenzans.
“You’re all going to be placed on report. Are you trying to tell me that the king is not on this ship? What is your name, soldier?”
“Lieutenant Shaka, sir and no, sir,” a second one answered.
“He’s gone to Arlington.” My words seemed to echo.
Zacon glanced in my direction, the understanding clear. “Then he must not know of the danger he’s in. Where is Lieutenant Zanton?”
Another look.
“We don’t know, Commander,” the first piped in.
“Commander Jajenar?” Talyn interjected.
The third Cenzan stood, his hand shaking. “He’s with the king.”
“Gods above,” Talyn whispered.
I let out an elongated breath. “My guess is that Braga and Kalek have gone with him as well as Khrelan.”
“We have to contact Shandar now,” Zacon demanded.
Lieutenant Shaka shook his head. “All interplanetary communications are disrupted. Happened just a few minutes ago. We can’t find out anything or communicate with our people on Earth. And there’s more.”
