Fractured Suns

by Theresa Kay

  “Nine,” I mutter.

  He nods. “Does Jax know? About… everything?”

  I press my lips together and my gaze darts to the floor. There is so much I did not tell her. Though… if what he has said about Jaslyn is true, he must know that Jax and her brother could be… unstable. Weapons. How did he trace them back here? And why is he only now interested in their whereabouts? He left them to fend for themselves. Both of them. Where the blazes has he been until now?

  I pull my eyes up to meet his in an assessing glare. “How is it that the conflict between us and the humans is balancing on the edge of all-out war, and you are just now trying to locate your children? Have you any idea what they have been through in your absence? What Jax has been through?”

  Adam flinches, the guilt on his face unmistakable. “Under the circumstances at the time, they were safer without me. I’d spent their whole lives keeping them isolated from both your people and mine. If I’d gone back for them or indicated in any way what they were or who they were, my people, the ones I used to work for, would have used them as lab rats.”

  “Four years, and you did not attempt to get word to them?”

  He turns his face to the floor. “I didn’t have much choice in the matter. Before the Collapse, I worked for a medical division of the US Army, a human military organization. I slipped away with Jaslyn after everything went to hell and didn’t think much of it. I mean, the world was falling apart, and there weren’t many people left to care if I went AWOL. I escaped their notice for years. But then I went out on a raiding trip to a deserted town and stumbled across a group of soldiers. It was just my luck that one of them recognized me and dragged me back to their base. Bits and pieces of the American military are still in operation, and they decided I was still enlisted. I spent some time in a military prison, but eventually they trusted me enough to allow me to work in their lab. They have an entire facility a few hundred miles from here. They use it as a base and send out units to nearby human settlements to preserve as much order as they can. This is the first time I’ve been allowed to leave the base, and that’s only because there’s another team here—keeping an eye on me—and they aren’t too fond of Karo and Linx. The, uh—”

  A crackling noise from his waist pulls his attention away.

  After making a slicing motion with his hand to the others in the room, Adam lifts a black, rectangular object to his mouth. “Report? Over.”

  “We’ve secured the girl. There’s been an unexpected development—”

  A screech. “We’ll discuss it later. Head out. Over.”

  “Yes, sir. Heading to the rendezvous point. Over,” says the voice emitting from the unfamiliar device.

  “See you there. Over.” Adam’s gaze darts around the room. He fiddles with the knobs atop the device and then clips it back to his waist. At my questioning look, he says, “Walkie-talkie. Human communication.” He looks to Matt and jerks his head to the side. “We need to get out of here. If we take too long, they’ll be suspicious.”

  I step forward. “Those were the people you work for. They have Jax?”

  He does not meet my eyes. “No.”

  “What in the bloody hell is going on? What aren’t you telling us?” Rym’s voice rises, laced with suspicion. Normally I would find the strange slang irritating, but the human expression currently seems appropriate.

  Adam steps forward and Matt’s hand flies out to grab his arm. But Adam tugs out of his grip and sends the younger man a scathing glare. “My employers are unaware of my little side trip over here, and they still don’t know about Jax and Jace. Right now, I’m supposed to be exploring your labs while the other team retrieves… uh… a new specimen for study.”

  “Study?” My throat narrows as the implications of that word bounce around in my mind. I take a step backward.

  Adam shakes his head. “Not like that. I won’t let them hurt her. They simply want to take some blood and observe her for a while. She’ll be perfectly safe. I even have this.” He snakes his hand into one of the large side pockets of his pants and withdraws a kitu.

  Rym chokes out a gasp. As do I. There is no way to remove a kitu from one of us while we are still alive.

  “I’m sure you’ve heard of the sickly children being born in this area. Maybe you’re aware of the ones born within the city too.”

  I school my face into a neutral expression and give a brief nod.

  “It’s all Jastren’s fault,” Adam continues. “He’s been trying to recreate what he did with Lyn—and he’s failing. The hybridization project was his idea. He was the one who pushed for your research team to attempt to create a stable combination of our two species. Sure, the reasons for it were legitimate, but the methods—they had devastating consequences. Your scientists used viral vectors to deliver E’rikon genetic material into human cells. It not only didn’t work, but the E’rikon viruses they used became unstable when introduced to human cells. It was those efforts that spawned the plague that killed most of human civilization. We may have helped it along by generally spending more time tossing blame around and blowing each other up than trying to find a cure, but it was your people who provided the thing that ultimately wiped most of us out.

  “And Jastren didn’t learn his lesson. He’s still messing with genetics. Now he’s running experiments on the full-blooded E’rikon children, human ones, too, with some outside help. And he’s still trying to create more hybrids. If he’s allowed to continue, it’s only a matter of time before he wipes us all out.

  “That’s why I’m here. I may have been involuntarily reenlisted, and I might not agree with everything what’s left of the army does, but all in all, they’re trying to help. Clearly, some of your people agree with us.” He gestures toward the two E’rikon standing to his left. “I have some theories, and I may have figured out a way to safely counteract anything that might come from Jastren’s continued work, and maybe even help your people’s children… but I need a clean sample from one of your children who was born on this planet and who hasn’t been contaminated by Jastren’s meddling. After the attack here, our contacts let us know about one possibility. A child born to a family high up in your hierarchy and—”

  “Your people have my sister!” White hot anger rushes through me and my knuckles land just to the right of his nose, sending his face to the side.

  STUPID. STUPID. STUPID. I kick the door and let out a small scream of frustration. How could I have been so blind to think Dane wasn’t waiting in the wings somewhere? Of course he was. Dane wouldn’t give up Bridgelake so easily, not after all he’s done to control it, to make it his. And with what’s been happening to my brother in my absence? I should have gone to him as soon as… Why did I stay? I could have grabbed Flint and been out of here and…

  What has Flint done? He didn’t seem particularly surprised to see his father, and that little dig about something he’d told Dane… Argh! Another exasperated exhalation makes it past my lips and I kick the door again.

  “You do know that’s not doing us any good, right?” Emily says from where she’s sitting on one of the beds.

  I turn on her. “It’s doing me plenty of good,” I hiss. “Would you prefer I find some other outlet for it? Better my toes and the door than you, right?”

  She flinches, but then straightens and narrows her eyes. “Did you just threaten me?”

  I pace across the room to the window. Back to the door. Heat twitches along my limbs. “Yes… No…” I throw my hands up and send my foot into the door again. “I don’t know.”

  She’s behind me, her hand on my shoulder, turning me to face her before I can shrink away from her touch. I wait for it to flare, for the darkness to snap at her, to hurt her. But instead the anger just buzzes around my chest. It’s an uncomfortable heat, but a normal human emotion, not the molten alien rage I can’t control. Something like relief shudders through my body and quenches the heat.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Emily shakes her head. “Yo
u have nothing to apologize for. You’re worked up. I get it. Sometimes I’d like to kick things too.” She leads me over to the bed and gestures for me to sit. “You need to save your energy for when we escape.”

  When we escape. The surety in her voice is enough to convince my knees to bend. I slump down onto the bed and tilt my head back to rest against the wall. I take one deep breath and release it in a slow exhale, letting the flow of air in my lungs—something I can control—calm me further. “What now?” I ask.

  She makes a small “heh” noise and leans back against the wall beside me. “Now. We wait.”

  Wait? I stiffen, but Emily grips my bicep and squeezes.

  “It shouldn’t be long,” she says. “Bree will know something’s wrong. She’ll gather the others and… figure something out.”

  “Bree? The others?” I tug my arm from her hold. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Damn, Jax, you are seriously out of touch.” She chuckles. “You weren’t the only one around here I tried to recruit for my ‘sewing circle.’ Just the most resistant to the idea.”

  “So I’m just supposed to relax and depend on some sheep girls to save us?” The question is harsh, the words wrapped in my irritation with her amusement at my expense.

  Emily rolls her eyes and shakes her head again. There’s an edge to her voice when she speaks. “No, you’re supposed to depend on my friends to help get us out of here.” Any urge I have to argue about this is killed by the pointed look she sends me.

  I nod my understanding of what she’s left unspoken: Don’t insult my friends.

  Settling back against the wall, I intertwine my fingers behind my head and stare at the ceiling. And wait. As much as both my body and my mind scream at me to do something, anything, Emily has a point, and I should listen to her. Besides, I have other things to worry about.

  After they dragged us out of Emily’s house, Dane’s cronies pulled Gavin, Harrison, and Stu off toward the old medical center. No doubt to lock them up in the basement of that musty building like they did to Lir when he was here. Flint went off with his father and Daniel. Semi-willingly, by the looks of it. And Ethan… I’m not sure what happened, but I think the kid may have slipped out the kitchen door when everyone’s attention was elsewhere. Maybe…

  “Does Ethan know your friends?” I ask. “Will they protect him?”

  “Yes, he’s met them, and of course they’ll protect him. I’m sure that’s where Stu sent him.” She shrugs. “I don’t think you have to worry about him either way. Even Dane isn’t enough of a monster to hurt a child. He wants to revamp the human race, and killing healthy children wouldn’t be the way to go about it.”

  She doesn’t know. As close as Emily and Stu have gotten… he didn’t tell her. Is it because he doesn’t trust her? Should I be trusting her? The singular desire for power in her eyes when she found out what I was, what I could do, flashes through my mind.

  “How do you know what Dane wants?”

  Her brow furrows as she turns her head to face me. “What?”

  “He didn’t care about the kids in the settlements he destroyed. And Ethan…” I’m up on my feet and pacing again, too on edge to complete the thought, and the anxiety I thought I’d managed to banish is jangling my nerves. If he gets his hands on Ethan… After what he did to Jace… I can’t let that happen. I spin on my heel and kick the door again.

  “Jax…” Emily rises and places a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sure Ethan will be fine. He has no part in this.”

  I run my hands over my face. “You don’t get it. Dane can’t know about him.” I drop my arms to my sides and turn to face her. “He’s like me. He’s a hybrid. He…” I let the words trail off and press my lips together.

  She raises one hand to cover her mouth as her confusion morphs into shock. “But… Stu?”

  I give a brisk shake of my head. “They’re not really brothers. We found Ethan, and Stu just kinda took him under his wing. Stu’s real brother… he’s dead.”

  Emily’s jaw tenses. “Does Flint know?”

  “Yes, of course he does. He was—”

  “Dammit!” It’s Emily’s turn to pace while I watch with a furrowed brow. She pauses midstride, then walks to me. Putting one hand on each of my shoulders, she looks directly into my eyes. “Do you trust Flint?”

  “With my life.” The words are past my lips without a thought, but I have no desire to take them back. They’re completely true.

  “It might just come to that,” she mutters. She returns to the bed and sits.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t you think it’s odd Flint was released and all of a sudden Dane found a way back in? Obviously he gave Dane some information about you before he was oh so conveniently held hostage. And did you notice that wherever they took him, it wasn’t in the same direction they took Gavin, Harrison, and Stu?”

  “Are you implying…” I don’t want to say the idea out loud. Not that a part of my mind hasn’t wandered there too.

  Emily doesn’t have my reservations. “Yes. I’m saying he betrayed us all.” Her shoulders slump.

  “Flint wouldn’t do that. He’s like a brother to me. He—”

  “Never stood up to his father. Not even for Jace, the guy he claims to love. What makes you think he’d start now?” She glances up at me with raised eyebrows, waiting for my response.

  “Maybe not to his father. But he’s stood up for me,” I say softly after a few moments. “There has to be more going on than we know about. He wouldn’t just hand me over. Not like that.”

  My own words crawl into my stomach and twist it with guilt. These are words I should have had for Lir back when he broke the bond, but instead I shoved him out and wasted weeks at Peter’s while my brother slowly lost his mind… because of Jastren. A chill creeps down my neck and spreads through my limbs, followed by a slowly leaking shame. Jace’s current condition is my fault, and when Lir tried to help, I shut him out again. Why have I had so little faith in my alien boy? I might not always understand him, but… he’s always acted in my best interests.

  And so has Flint. A new resolve straightens my spine. Blind trust is not something I can afford, but those who deserve my loyalty should have it.

  Of course, this is when the door opens and Flint walks in, unrestrained and seemingly unconcerned. Emily sends me a pointed look and jerks her chin at Flint as if his mere presence proves her point. I’ll admit it looks bad, but I’ll wait until I hear what he has to say before making any decisions.

  He walks straight to me and pulls me into a hug. I relax into his hold and release a sigh of relief. The familiarity of him is enough to ward off my anxiety, even if it may return when he starts explaining.

  Pulling back, he tilts my chin up and sends his eyes over my face. “Are you okay? No nosebleeds or passing out or…” His gaze darts to Emily. “You know, that kind of thing.”

  “I’m fine. And Emily knows pretty much everything, so it’s perfectly safe to talk in front of her.” I pull back. “So, how are we getting out of here?”

  It’s quick and it’s slight, but it’s a flinch all the same. And then he averts his eyes.

  My stomach drops. “We. Can’t. Stay. Here.” The words slink between my clenched teeth and each syllable seems to hit him like a blow, pushing him back. He winces and lowers his shoulders.

  “I know,” he whispers, looking at his feet. Tormented blue eyes come up to meet mine. “He said once everything’s settled, he’ll lend me some guys to go get Jace. A couple days, tops. But—”

  “That’s too long!” I yell. “You need to get me out of here now. Right now.” I jab one finger into his chest. “Jace can’t wait a couple days and… what if… Jastren…” The thoughts and protests spin through my brain too quickly for my mouth to process them into words.

  Flint shakes his head and opens his mouth. I pull back my hand and smack him before anything makes it past his lips. His eyes flash with a spark of anger, but I
don’t care.

  “Did you tell him? What Jace stands to lose? What I stand to lose?” Each half-finished question is punctuated with a shove to his chest. “Did you tell him that the weapon he cultivated, the one he still wants…”

  An idea, a strategy, has finally clicked into place, but Flint beats me to it.

  “The weapon he wants could be lost to him if he doesn’t go after it now,” Flint says. He rubs a hand over the red mark on his cheek. That flare of anger is back. “No, I haven’t told him that—yet. I haven’t had much of a chance to do anything. And if you’d give me one goddamn second to explain things…” He closes his eyes and lets out a loud exhalation. “He’s not going to listen to me. I’ll need you to help convince him. Can you handle that? I know this situation is not ideal, but I’m trying to keep everyone as safe as possible while we work around it. Including you. Especially you.”

  Emily mutters something under her breath and Flint swings his head around to look at her.

  “I get that you don’t like me, and I understand why,” he says. “But if you think I’ve been blind to what my father’s done, either now or in the past, you’re dead wrong. I know exactly who—and what—he is, and I also know that placating him right now is the best course of action. Once we’ve got Jace somewhere safe, then—”

  “Then you’ll look the other way like you have been for years? Ever since you were old enough to take part in your father’s… schemes?” Emily’s eyes are hard, her gaze intense.

  “What was I supposed to do?” Flint replies angrily. “Take him on myself? Who here has ever taken the time to get to know me as someone more than ‘Dane’s son’? Not you, that’s for sure. Not any of your little sewing circle girls. Jace was—is—all I had. And then when he finally took the step to move in here after what happened to Jax… it was like I was even more alone. He was too wrapped up in protecting his sister and going on missions for my father and—”