by Lisa Lace
Arkhan rose from his seat and entered the back of the ship. He grabbed Katie by the elbow and hauled her upright. “Are you ready for a little hike?”
They marched down the ramp of the hopper, and it closed behind them. Katie heard the spaceship start. She tried to turn back and look at the ship. Arkhan, however, continued to drag her toward the woods. The shadow of the land hopper spread over the clearing as the vehicle flew back up into the sky.
“Where’s Enan going?” she asked. “Isn’t he coming with us?”
Arkhan laughed darkly. It was an ominous sound that was absorbed quickly by the vegetation around them. “Do you have any idea how long it takes that man to dislodge himself from the cockpit of a small ship? He had to get up before dawn just to make sure he was ready on time. I don’t need him anymore.”
“All right, then where are we going?” They had stepped into the tree line. The tall, straight trunks of the trees surrounded them like a pack of guardians, and their leafy tops nearly blocked out the sunlight. The undergrowth wasn’t dense. It consisted of vines with arrow-shaped leaves.
Arkhan pulled on her arm, interrupting her survey of the scene. “Let’s just say we’re going to an old family home. It’s the perfect spot for a secluded romantic retreat.”
“I think you read my mind. Nothing says 'romance' like electromagnetic handcuffs and dragging me through the woods.” Katie stumbled as a vine caught her toe. Chixo had given her a slim pair of boots to wear with her bodysuit. They seemed to be made of the same slick material but had slightly hardened soles. The shoes fit well and were comfortable, but weren’t suited for a nature trek. “Can you slow down a little?”
The muscled alien soldier pulled a large knife out of a sheath on his belt and slashed through a web of vines growing between the trees. “No.”
“Then can you at least take off these handcuffs? It’s hard to keep my balance when I’m running through a forest without being able to use my hands.” She tripped again, running to keep up with him on the uneven floor.
“I don’t think so.”
“It’s not like you’d have to worry about me running off, you know. Where will I go on an alien planet? Do you think I’m fast enough to outrun you and smart enough to survive in these woods without you? I appreciate your confidence, but the simple truth is I’m not.”
Katie did have some survival experience. Her father used to drag her out on camping trips long past the age at which it was still cool to hang out with your parents. She had secretly enjoyed the vacations, but she had always told her friends how boring they were. The truth was that she liked cooking hot dogs over the campfire and sleeping under the stars. He had also managed to teach her some excellent survival skills along the way. Of course, whether or not she would be able to apply them to a different world was an unanswered question.
“Stop trying to talk your way out of this, Katie. I made up my mind to free you from that cell and keep you for myself. I know what my future holds if I go back there. By now, I’ve lost my position in the military and have become an outlaw.” He plowed through the forest with ease as though he had done this many times before.
“It doesn’t have to be that way. Surely you haven’t gone so far that you can’t redeem yourself.” Katie wasn’t sure how it would help her if Arkhan decided to take her back to the Fortress. She knew she would be under such heavy security that she would have no chance of getting out a second time. Katie would be lucky if they didn’t kill her on sight. She couldn’t help talking to Arkhan. It brought a sense of reality to the dreamlike experience.
Arkhan halted and turned to face her. He squeezed her elbow tightly as he spoke. “Don’t even think you can make me change my mind. What’s done is done.” He faced forward again and continued marching.
After a while, Katie began to wonder how long the hike was going to last. Her feet were sore, and her stomach growled like a bear. Arkhan, however, didn’t seem affected by the journey. Eventually, the trees started to thin out, and she could see bits and pieces of a structure. It was hard to tell with the trees obscuring it, but it seemed like a large home.
Wide windows in the walls reflected the forest. Wood paneling that had lost its paint long ago surrounded the glass. The boards sagged, and several of them were barely hanging on to the structure. In all, the place was still standing but extremely dilapidated. It was the kind of place Katie imagined seeing in a documentary about serial killers. The house once had a large yard around it. The tree trunks here weren’t as large, but the branches had done their best to encroach on the old building. Ropes of vines crawled up the sides of the building and pried their way between wooden boards.
“What is this place?” She knew her face was curled up in a look of disgust, but she didn’t care. Arkhan could kiss her ass at this point.
“This was the old family homestead. My grandparents were the last ones in my family to live here before everyone moved to the Capital City. Nobody has thought about it much since then, which is why it’s perfect.”
Katie’s stomach churned. “Perfect for what?”
“For us to live. It looks bad on the outside, but you’d be surprised how well Oretoz construction stands up over time. Besides, it’s old-fashioned. I understand humans like that.” Arkhan tipped his head back to look up at the place with reverence.
Katie would have argued with him, but she was too busy looking behind her. The leaf litter on the forest floor was thick, and she and Arkhan had made loud crunching noises in it on their way here. The woods were silent now, but Katie thought there were sounds of another set of steps in the detritus. Arkhan tugged at her arm, but she resisted. “Did you hear that?” she whispered.
Arkhan looked as though he wanted to argue with her and tell her to stop changing the subject. Surprisingly, he restrained himself and listened for a moment. Silence met their ears.
“Nice try.”
“No, really.” Her whisper had become a regular speaking voice and sounded urgent now. “I heard something.” As she listened again, she realized what a fool she had been. If someone was out there with them, there was a chance they were here to rescue her.
“Nobody has been here for years. Everyone lives in towns now, not in the countryside.” He tugged on her arm again, harder this time.
Katie pitched forward as she stumbled after him, regaining her footing before she collapsed. They approached the house and eased their way up the front steps. Several of them had rotted away in various places, with holes showing the darkness below. The deck on the covered porch was in slightly better condition, having more protection from the elements. “Looks like it needs more than a coat of paint,” she muttered.
“Shut up.” Arkhan crossed the porch carefully and tried the front door. The knob turned smoothly, and the door swung open with ease. He raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Someone has been here recently.” He looked behind them, scrutinizing the copse of trees they had passed to reach the house.
Katie felt a pulse of fear race up her spine. Faced with a danger she knew and danger she didn’t know, it was hard to tell which one gave better odds for survival. It didn’t help that she had the distinct feeling someone was watching her.
Finding nothing in the yard, Arkhan stepped through the doorway, pulling Katie behind him. He moved silently despite the heavy boots on his feet, looking in every direction before advancing.
The house was dark on the inside because the tree leaves blocked the sunlight. Despite the darkness, Katie could tell they stood in a wide foyer. The remnants of a rug which had deteriorated into a web of threads stretched underneath their feet. A light fixture dangled from a wire overhead. It was a tangled mass of metal which threatened to come crashing down on them at any moment. Hulking shadows in the corners indicated the shells of furniture. Leaves had drifted in from an open window somewhere. The breeze from the door made the leaves move around the floor like small, terrified animals.
A creaking noise sounded above them, and
Arkhan pushed her back into the shadow of the door. He pulled a blaster from his belt and held it at shoulder height. The creaking paused, then resumed with determination, turning into the sound of footsteps. A figure appeared at the top of the stairs. Its features were indistinguishable in the dim light.
“Bayo, are you here?” the unknown person said before descending the stairs at a rapid pace. “I didn’t expect you back for days. I didn’t think you would find it so…”
His words were cut off in midsentence when Arkhan fired a shot into his chest. His weapon barely made a noise as he pulled the trigger. A burning blue light illuminated the entrance wound. The figure fell, sliding down the remaining stairs on his back. Arkhan trotted up to it, but Katie stayed where she was in the corner.
“A squatter,” Arkhan said as he looked over the body. “I should have known.”
“I thought you said nobody lived out here.” She didn’t want to look at the pale face in the dim light, but it was hard not to. He had the same broad build as all the other males on this planet, but he lacked a robust set of muscles to fill it out. A square jaw and prominent cheekbones accentuated the hollow face. His clothing hung on him, looking ragged from being torn and patched repeatedly.
The soldier shrugged. “I’d heard rumors, but I didn’t believe them. I’ll have to be on the lookout for his partner.”
“I’m guessing that wasn’t a tranquilizer dart.” A pool of blood had started forming around the man, dripping slowly down the stairs. She wondered who he was and what he had been doing here.
“No, it wasn’t.” Arkhan left the body for a moment and came back to her. He grabbed her arms and pulled her to the banister of the stairs, too close to the body of the stranger for her comfort. He manipulated the handcuffs in ways she couldn’t see in the darkness, and quickly she found herself attached to the stair rail by the restraints. “You’re going to stay here while I take care of this body.”
Katie nodded, having no choice. Her scalp crawled at the idea that the other squatter might show up. She could only hope that he or she was a friendly person, and knew how to get her out of these damn handcuffs. Then again, the stranger could be worse than Arkhan. At least he seemed to want to keep her alive.
Arkhan picked up the body by the ankles and dragged it out the front door, leaving a dark trail of blood in his wake.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Troxeo had pushed his ship to the limit. He had to get to the homestead before anything happened to Katie. In the dark depths of his brain, he was worried Arkhan hadn’t waited to reach his destination before carrying out his disgusting plan. He could see Katie on the floor of the land hopper, pinned down under the bulk of his cousin. She was screaming and struggling against him, but she was no match for Arkhan. That left Chixo piloting the ship, and Troxeo wondered what Arkhan had promised her.
He tried to move the whole scenario out of his mind.
For now, his primary focus had to be on rescuing Katie. He was certain Arkhan was headed for the country, even though there wasn’t a trace of the land hopper on any of his screens. He still remembered the layout of the land and the arrangement of the house. Arkhan’s only advantage was time. Troxeo was determined to find the human and get her away from Arkhan. He was willing to do whatever was required.
But if he found her, what was the next step? He couldn’t take her back to the Fortress in Capital City. If he returned her to Earth, he ran the risk of having her leap off his ship and never interacting with him again. It would also expose the existence of Oretoz to Earth, ruining any chance of a surprise attack. He would have to find another option, and he would have to convince her he wasn’t her enemy. Troxeo had acted in ways Katie could misinterpret, so he had quite a challenge in front of him.
Looking down, Troxeo recognized the river that zigzagged through the trees, splitting them like a crack in a green gemstone. It wasn’t far now. He lowered the ship slightly, searching for a clearing in which to land. One appeared in the trees ahead of his position. Scorch marks on the grass told him another spacecraft had recently landed here.
Troxeo brought his ship to a gentle landing in the little meadow, stopping well before the burnt tracks of the land hopper. He wondered where it went and who was flying it. Had Chixo taken the spacecraft in another direction to throw him off the scent?
He disembarked and headed into the woods. It had been a long time since he felt the grass under his feet or breathed in the fresh air of the country. The Capital City had numerous air recycling plants, but the air out here tasted different. Unfortunately, Troxeo didn’t have enough time to enjoy the experience. He pressed onward, determined to get to Katie as quickly as possible. His hands touched his blaster and the handles of his knives every few minutes, reassuring him that they were still there.
After several minutes of walking, Troxeo stopped. He heard something rustling in the leaf litter, but the noise stopped as soon as he started listening to it. Whenever he advanced, the noise stopped. Whoever was out here didn’t want anyone tracking them. It was impossible to walk silently on the thick carpet of dried leaves.
He walked on, watching the trees around him for any sign of an ambush. It would be smart of Arkhan to wait for him somewhere in the woods and attack before he reached the house. But everything seemed clear ahead of him. The noise sounded like it was coming from the rear.
He stopped and whirled around, but whatever made the noise was too fast for him. It must have hidden somewhere, camouflaged by the trees. He moved on, eager to either find Arkhan or finish his encounter in the woods.
A battle cry sounded behind him. Troxeo whipped his knife out of its sheath as he spun around, only to slash at thin air when he wildly swung his weapon at chest height. The attacker was too low for the strike he planned to sink in the heart of a man. Instead, the form barreled into his knees, knocking him into the leaf litter.
Troxeo couldn’t see his enemy at first. It moved quickly, plowing into him repeatedly as he tried to get up. He struck out blindly with his knife, burying it into the body of his foe. His hand ran through thick, matted hair.
Something sharp slashed into Troxeo’s calf. He felt burning as his blood spilled onto the detritus of the forest, but he had to keep fighting. The assailant didn’t give him time to grab his other weapons. He was too close to use his blaster even if he had been able to pull it out of its holster.
His new enemy was relentless and seemed to target every part of his body simultaneously. Stabs of pain rang out from his legs and torso as he struggled to push the heavy body away. He yanked his knife out of his opponent’s flesh and stabbed upward once again. This time, he was rewarded with a rush of warm blood over his arm. The weight of his antagonist sagged against him, and Troxeo pushed violently against the mass.
It didn’t rise again.
Troxeo turned his head and found himself face-to-face with a long, slimy snout. It had a large white tusk on either side, blood dripping from one of them. Troxeo pulled himself to a sitting position so he could better see the dead beast. It had a skinny, hairy body with four legs ending in pointed hooves. The weapons on the animal’s feet explained how it was able to attack its prey thoroughly. It must have been stomping on Troxeo while also trying to gore him. The creature had dark, beady eyes that were now staring blankly at the forest floor. A knife protruded out of its neck.
He had heard of the wild creatures in the forest before but had never seen one himself. The beast had been harder to fight off than a sentient being, whose moves he could anticipate and counter. Fighting a man was nothing like fighting a wild animal. He couldn’t attack it at its center of gravity or intimidate it with words.
Troxeo stood and looked down at the creature. In any other circumstance, he would have taken its tusks as a trophy. Today, however, he had two other concerns that took precedence. One was getting to Katie on time. The other was a large gash in his leg leaving a bright crimson stain on the dead leaves behind him.
He reached into the pocket of
his pants and pulled out a small case. Troxeo had only used this kit once before, and that had been a long time ago. Typically Troxeo received treatment from a medic, not a primitive field kit. He pulled the needle and a length of thread from the case, but his hands were shaking too much from adrenaline for him to insert the end of the thread through the needle. The injury was too significant to glue shut. He took deep breaths to calm down before he was able to use the needle.
It was hard to sew his cut closed due to the oozing blood, but he had no choice. Troxeo maneuvered into an awkward position to get at the right angle. He held his skin together with his left hand while wielding the needle with his right. He imagined he presented an awkward picture to any observers. He was a trained soldier in the middle of the woods, tending to a wound from a wild creature. It felt like he was living in a history book.
Knotting the thread and returning the needle to its case, Troxeo slowly rose to his feet. The stitching made his leg tight, and it was hard to walk. He couldn’t let mere physical discomfort or his blood loss stop him now. He bent to retrieve his knife from the animal’s throat before continuing into the woods.
When he came to the house, he paused. He watched it from a distance for a minute, hoping to see if there was any movement from Arkhan. The place seemed quiet and empty, just as he imagined it would be after years of abandonment. The forest had overtaken more of it than when Troxeo had been here as a child. Other than that, it was exactly as haunting and decrepit as he remembered.
Between the vines and tree branches, Troxeo could see the front door was standing open.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Katie tugged at the handcuffs over her head that kept her fastened to the banister. Her arms were beginning to tingle as the blood drained out of them. She looked around at the house, searching for anything that might help her. There wasn’t much to see in the dim light, and there certainly weren’t any weapons within reach.
