Return to Dark Earth

by Anna Hackett

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “I think so. We had a nice little meet and greet. She’s going to let us go.” Nera leaned in, her mouth to his ear. “But be ready for anything.”

  The Sapa strode toward them, guards flanking her. Then she marched toward a large tunnel. The guards keeping watch over Nik and the others gestured for them to follow her. The now-silent crowd watched them go.

  They walked down more labyrinthine tunnels, until the Sapa led them to another cavern, one smaller than the fighting arena.

  This one, however, was filled with gold.

  Avril gasped and Gunn made a noisy exclamation. Nik stepped forward, taking it all in. Inca. Definitely Inca. He strode closer to a statue. It was intricately carved, perhaps a god.

  “Incredible.” He couldn’t believe it. “This is it. The Lost Inca Gold.”

  “This is our heritage.” The Sapa was watching them with dark eyes. “Our ancestors were charged with safeguarding the treasure. It was destined to save an emperor, but his captors betrayed him. So it was stored here and protectors set in place.”

  “That was thousands of years ago,” Nik said. “And all this time, no matter what, you’ve protected it?”

  The Sapa nodded.

  “I don’t give a fuck.” Gunn charged up to a row of golden cups inlaid with precious stones, and snatched one up. “I’m helping myself. What good does it do anyone hidden away in a damn cave and admired by freaks?”

  “Gunn!” Avril exclaimed.

  “You promised me treasure, Dr. Tight-Ass. I’m not risking my butt for nothing.”

  “Shut up,” Avril snapped.

  The guards were already moving, but a slim, black shadow burst into action. Nera slammed a hand into Gunn’s sternum. As he grunted, the air rushing out of him, she gripped the front of his armor and swung him around. She threw him facefirst into the ground and pressed a knee into the middle of his back.

  He made a pained noise. “Bitch.”

  “Idiot. You’re risking all our lives.” Nera grabbed the back of his hair with one hand and slammed his face into the ground.

  Out cold, he sprawled flat, the cup tumbling into the dirt. Nera snatched it up, then handed it back to the Sapa.

  The woman inclined her head. “Thank you, Nera Darc.”

  “It’s yours. No one has any right to take it.”

  Avril looked frustrated. “That’s funny coming from you, Darc.”

  Nera lifted her head, her nebula eyes settling calmly on the astro-archeologist. “I only take things from people who can afford to lose them and who don’t take care of them. We will not take anything from these people.”

  Avril gave a jerky nod. “Fine.”

  The Sapa came forward. “My warriors will lead you out of the tunnels so you can return to your…” she frowned, trying to find the word.

  “Ship,” Avril supplied.

  The Sapa straightened, her gaze on Nera. “As the winner in the fight, you demanded freedom for you and your friends. I would still give you one more thing, a sign of respect for your integrity.”

  The Rumin leader waved her hand at the golden treasure. “You may select one item to take with you.”

  Avril gasped and Nera’s face showed no reaction.

  “Thank you,” Nera said. “I would like Dr. Niklas Phoenix to select. He has great respect for your history.” She turned and looked at Nik. “You’re up, Dr. Phoenix. Pick something.”

  A surge of emotion shot through him. He stepped forward, glancing around. “Anything?”

  “Anything,” the Sapa confirmed.

  There were so many beautiful artifacts. How could he choose just one? He touched a small gold figurine of a horse-like animal. Then a fabulous, squat metal bowl engraved with images. Eventually, he chose a large, ceremonial blade. It was made of gold with a semi-circular blade and a figure with a decorative headdress carved on the top.

  “A tumi.” The Sapa nodded. “A good choice. It will bring you luck.”

  Soon, they were marching back through the tunnels. When they stepped back out into the murky daylight, Nik let out a breath.

  A dark shadow passed overhead, before stopping and hovering close by. Nik glimpsed the metal hull of the Drake through the foliage.

  The Rumin warriors all made loud exclamations, clutching their spears and knives.

  The Sapa stared upward, her face tinged with awe. “A sky flyer.”

  “Our ship,” Nera confirmed.

  Avril faced the Sapa. “I’m going to send most of us back to the ship, but I was wondering if you’d grant permission for myself and a small team to stay to study the carvings in the tunnels. They are fascinating, and it is my specialty to study things like that.”

  The Sapa pondered for a moment and Nik was sure she was going to say no. “Very well.”

  A part of Nik would have liked to have stayed. He lifted the tumi and stared at it in wonder. God, it was a thing of beauty. But a far larger part of him wanted to get back to the ship. He wanted a shower and he wanted Nera. He’d had more than enough of the jungle.

  “Wonderful.” Avril’s smile was wide. “Agent Ryant, could I keep a few members of your team?”

  “Sure.”

  “And I’ll stay,” Gunn said.

  Nik wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but Avril nodded.

  Suddenly, shouts echoed around them. Nik looked up and saw a zombie tear out of the jungle and leap on a warrior. The man didn’t have time to fight back. In an instant, the creature tore his throat out and set to work eating him.

  The other warriors moved fast. They killed the creature, hacking at it with their black machetes. Then they fanned out, frowning at the trees.

  The Sapa was frowning as well. “We have deterrents for the Supay. It is very uncommon for them to attack near our caves, or to see one alone.”

  “Supay?” Nik asked.

  “Demons.”

  He eyed the dead body and frowned. It had strange black marks on it. Burn marks?

  “I suggest we get back to the ship,” Nera said. She looked at the Rumin leader. “Thank you.”

  “Safe travels, Nera Darc. And you too, Dr. Phoenix.”

  The Drake had found a clear area and sent down the cargo lift. Together with Galen, Solomon and the rest of the security team, they headed up. Moments later, they were aboard the Drake.

  Solomon patted the wall. “Never been so happy to see the inside of a ship before. I thought we were all going to end up as zombie fodder down there.” He looked at Nera. “Thanks. For what you did.”

  Nera nodded and watched the young man walk away.

  Galen gave them a distracted nod and headed off with the remaining members of his team.

  “Hot shower?” Nik suggested to her.

  “Sounds like a good idea.”

  He ran his tongue over his teeth. “Your place or mine?”

  She smiled and even smeared with zombie blood and grime, he’d never seen a more beautiful woman.

  “I think—”

  The sound of running feet cut her off. They spun, heard the moan before they saw it.

  A zombie came around the corner, chasing a terrified ship crew member. What the hell?

  Nera drew her sword. “Get down,” she shouted.

  But the man was too frightened. He kept running.

  Nik drew his laser pistol, but he couldn’t shoot without hitting the man.

  Suddenly, the zombie snagged the back of the man’s uniform and dragged him down. His terrified screams echoed off the walls. Nera was already moving, but Nik knew in an instant that it was too late.

  The zombie tore a hunk of flesh from the back of the man’s neck. Blood sprayed everywhere and the man’s scream choked off.

  Light reflected off the blade of Nera’s weapon as she swung it. A second later, the zombie’s head rolled across the floor.

  But even as Nera knelt to check the man’s pulse, Nik knew he was dead.

  She stood, and calmly decapitated him. Sh
e looked at Nik. “How the hell did a zombie get aboard the ship?”

  He didn’t know. It was a disaster. Just one on a rampage could be enough to infect and kill them all. “I suggest we find out. Now.”

  ***

  Nera charged down the corridor, her grip tight on her sword. Niklas was right beside her. Zombies in the tight confines of a starship was a very bad thing.

  They heard noises ahead in the cargo bay. And worse, she heard the growls and moans of more zombies.

  They raced inside and skidded to a halt.

  “What the hell?” Niklas muttered.

  Galen and his team were there, subduing some out-of-control zombies they were herding into a containment box—one of the boxes she and Nik had seen on the very first day of the voyage. Other crew members wearing exosuits maneuvered the other heavy boxes into place.

  The boxes were filled with moaning zombies.

  Shit. Everyone had gone insane. She was trying to work out what the hell the Institute thought they were doing. On the far side of the bay, some security team members were using Tase prods to urge some zombies into another containment box.

  Niklas stomped up to Agent Ryant. “Are you crazy? You’re going to kill us all.”

  The agent straightened. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

  Niklas was as angry as Nera had ever seen him. “One of these got loose and just ate one of the crew. If more escape—”

  “I have my orders.”

  “Orders? What orders? To spread this mutated virus across the galaxy? There is no way the Institute would approve this.”

  The other man’s jaw tightened. “You are not privy to the Institute’s decisions. Like I said, I have my orders.”

  “What the hell happened to you, Galen? You were a good man. You would never endanger innocent people like this.”

  Agent Ryant looked away. “I suggest you leave. Immediately.”

  Nera strode over to the nearest containment box, yanking a grenade off her belt. She wasn’t letting these zombies stay on this ship. They were a risk to Niklas, a risk to all of them.

  For the first time in her entire life, she had something to live for. She wasn’t going to miss out because the Institute was fucking crazy.

  She tossed the grenade through the bars. The zombies inside shifted restlessly, but she was already moving to the next box, dropping another grenade.

  Three, two, one. The first flame grenade detonated, fire spewing out of the box. The grenades had a localized range, so they wouldn’t destroy the tough containment boxes, but would burn the zombies to a crisp.

  The burning zombies made a horrible keening noise. She tossed another grenade into the third box.

  One left. She marched toward it.

  “Stop her,” Agent Ryant yelled.

  Security team members converged on her. She was pleased to see they looked wary, clutching their Tase prods.

  “You can try,” she said. “Or you can back away and save yourself an injury.”

  One brave soul came at her. She yanked the Tase prod from his hands and jammed it into his stomach. He hit the deck, his body shuddering from the electrical jolt.

  The others stepped back.

  With one hard, fast lob, she tossed the last grenade into the final box.

  “What are you doing? Get her!” Agent Ryant was shoving against Niklas, who was holding him in place.

  Nera flipped the Tase prod in her hands and eyed the three security agents in front of her—one woman and two men. Well, men was being generous. The two males weren’t long out of their teens. In two seconds, she had the boys writhing on the floor, clutching their midsections.

  The woman looked more experienced. She dropped her Tase prod, going for her laser pistol. Nera knocked her off-balance with the prod, then tackled her, taking her to the ground. The woman fought quite well, but Nera shoved her fingers hard into the woman’s neck, finding the exact spot where certain pressure receptors were located. The woman made a small noise, then fell into unconsciousness.

  Nera rose and stalked back toward Niklas. He and Agent Ryant were circling each other.

  “I knew you’d sunk low into the Institute’s dirty work, but I would never have suspected this,” Niklas bit out.

  A muscle in Ryant’s jaw ticked. “Damn you, Phoenix.” He eyed the burning zombies. “You’re going to ruin everything.”

  Then Nera noted Niklas was developing a black eye. “Did you hit him?” she said.

  Her icy tone got through to Ryant. The man’s eyes widened. “He hit me first.”

  She moved fast, and her hard chop to the back of his neck drove him to his knees on the floor. He wavered there for a second, and she punched him in the face, heard him groan. Then she hit him again, knocking him out cold.

  Niklas was staring soberly at his former friend. The pain on his face made her chest ache.

  “We need to get Avril back to the ship,” Nera said. “I may not like her much, but she would never go for this.” Nera waved at the zombies.

  “Agreed.” Niklas sighed. “Guess we won’t get that hot shower yet.”

  They took the cargo lift back to the ground and stepped off it into something that resembled the depths of hell.

  Smoke poured out of the caves, and Rumin were running in every direction. Men and women were screaming, some clutching frightened children, or helping the elderly.

  “Dammit, what is going on?” Niklas pulled his laser pistol. “Let’s find Avril.”

  Nera pulled out her sword and together, they rushed through the smoke.

  She spotted some security team uniforms. “There.” Then Nera realized something was very, very wrong. She frowned. “Wait!” She saw one agent electrocute a female warrior with a Tase stunner. She sprawled on the ground, twitching. “They’re fighting the Rumin warriors.”

  Nik growled. “Where the hell is Avril? What the hell is going on?”

  Chapter Twenty

  Nera and Niklas pushed through the fighting throng. Nera took down two security team members, knocking them unconscious before they could attack more Rumin. “You think they’re trying to take the gold?”

  “Avril wouldn’t do that,” Niklas said. “She wouldn’t do this.”

  Finally Avril appeared through the smoke. “If you can’t subdue them,” she yelled at the agents surrounding her. “Kill them.”

  “Avril?” Niklas strode forward. “What in the hell is going on?”

  When Avril turned, Nera stiffened. The woman’s face was set in hard lines, her blue eyes flat.

  “We are subduing the Rumin and removing the Inca treasure.”

  Niklas looked as though she’d punched him in the gut. “What? It belongs to these people. It isn’t just some unclaimed ancient treasure lying around waiting to be discovered.”

  “I’m not leaving it here with these backward savages.” Avril’s face twisted. “They can’t look after it, and they certainly can’t appreciate it.”

  Niklas’ face hardened. “That’s not your real reason, is it?”

  Nera looked between the two of them.

  Avril lifted her chin. “Of course it is. I care about the artifacts staying in mint condition—”

  “No, I don’t think you give a shit about the artifacts at all.”

  “Fine.” A dark smile lifted Avril’s lips. “I have buyers lined up. They pay well, and I promised them Inca treasures.”

  Nera barely controlled her flinch. Avril? She was behind all of this? “You’re part of the Institute black market antiquities ring?”

  “You don’t have to sound so surprised. And I’m not just a part of it, I’m the head of it.” She shot Niklas a smug look. “It was in its infancy when you stumbled across it and got yourself tossed out of the Institute. I was a fairly new recruit, and I saw an opportunity to gain power, prestige…”

  “And e-creds.”

  Avril chopped a hand through the air. “Oh, enough with the righteous tone. I’m a realist. The Institute needs funds. Every year, t
he number of artifacts we house gets larger, the digs get more numerous, the museums more expensive to run. Who cares if a few artifacts are sold off to private dealers?”

  “I do. Those artifacts are pieces of history to be studied, researched and admired…by children, scholars, the general public. And don’t tell me you ‘vet’ your buyers. I know you sell to scum.”

  “Just like she does.” Avril stabbed a finger at Nera. “That doesn’t stop you from getting into her pants as often as you can.”

  “Burns you, doesn’t it?” Nera said, silkily.

  Avril jerked a shoulder and kept her focus on Niklas. “I tried to project the exact image of what I thought you wanted. A smart, fresh astro-archeologist. I was attracted to you, and I thought we’d make a great team.”

  Nera’s stomach turned over.

  “You don’t understand me,” Niklas said. “The Institute never understood me either. And she—” he looked at Nera “—is nothing like the reputation she’s carefully crafted.” He shot Avril a contemptuous look. “You made yourself look good, but beneath the gloss, you’re rotten.”

  Avril jerked like she’d been hit by a prod.

  “Nera…she lets everyone think she’s black to the core, but beneath it all…” Blue eyes met hers. “She’s everything.”

  God. Nera swallowed the lump in her throat. She couldn’t begin to imagine what he saw when he looked at her. No one had ever looked at her the way he did.

  “Enough,” Avril shouted. “There are hundreds of thousands of artifacts moldering away in the Institute archives. I did what I thought was best for the entire organization.”

  “And none goes in your pockets?” Nera asked.

  Avril’s chin lifted. “A reasonable and perfectly fair percentage. For my hard work. The Institute pay is ridiculous.” She looked at Niklas again. “You could still join me, be a part of it. Help me manage this and you could fund whatever digs and research you wanted.”

  Nera’s heart hit her ribs, then her pulse evened out. Avril really didn’t know Niklas at all.

  “I’ll never help sell off history to the scum of the galaxy, or help people like you line your pockets. I may be a treasure hunter, but I have my standards.”