by Mikayla Lane
Grai looked at Ivint blankly when the comm came to life.
“We have survivors! Please tell us we can kill the bastards.”
Grai’s eyes turned an icy gray that actually sent a shiver up Ivint’s spine.
“Hold them there, I’m on my way,” Grai said before he sprinted to the chopper.
The others had barely got in behind him before he ordered it to take off. In minutes they were hovering over the area and the pilot called out, “I can’t get lower unless I go further away,” he said.
Grai looked down at the 16 foot drop and jumped. Amun, Ivint and the others looked at one another for a second before they jumped out as well, more afraid for Grai and the emotional state he was in than the height of the jump.
Grai was standing over five men, each in various stages of injury from perfectly fine to broken bones. His anger radiated from him so powerfully that the other hybrids stayed back from him to avoid feeling it so deeply.
A strong gust of wind blew by them, causing the dust to rise a bit and everyone waited for it to die down. Suddenly, Grai crossed his arm over his chest, touching his fist to his shoulder he bowed his head for a moment before looking to the sky and the building wind.
“Thank you, my son,” he said. Mikal responded by whipping up the wind until the dust was too thick to see. But, only 10 feet off the ground.
“That’s incredible,” one of the fallen mercenaries said as he watched the vortex of dust and wind whip around overhead while there wasn’t even a breeze where they were below it.
Picking the man who looked the healthiest, the one with a sneer on his face, Grai grabbed him by his throat and yanked him to his feet.
“I want the name of the man who ordered this,” Grai growled in the man’s face.
The idiot chuckled and said, “Sorry ET, this is my home.”
There was no warning. One moment the man was laughing in Grai’s face and the next he was flat on his back, his mouth opened on a scream as Grai held his bleeding heart in his hand.
Grai rolled the heart on the ground towards the four remaining men. “Now, who wants to tell me, who ordered this?” he asked.
When the men just looked at him in horror, Grai grabbed the next healthiest looking guy and said, “Who sent you here and told you to fire?”
When the guy peed himself, Grai grinned evilly at him. “Mercs . . . working for the military. Give me his name,” Grai said, his grip on the man’s neck tightening slowly until he was struggling uselessly against Grai’s rage and strength.
“Wait! Wait . . . please,” one of the injured said, crying on the ground.
Grai stared at the man in his grip before letting go and turning away as he dropped to the ground gasping for air. Grai kneeled in front of the one who had spoken, his dark eyes quickly taking in his broken leg and the gash on his hand.
“Tell me. Now,” he said simply.
The man looked wildly around him, trembling in fear at the furious faces surrounding him, not a hint of sympathy in their strange eyes.
“They’re watching and listening,” the man said quietly, his hand shaking as he pointed to a small rectangular black box on the shoulder strap of his body armor.
Niklosi and Decano grabbed the boxes off of the other men and smashed them beneath their feet as Grai slowly pulled the one off the man in front of him.
Grai looked into the box and turned back to the man lying on the ground in front of him.
“I want names. Now,” Grai said.
When the man just shook his head in fear, Grai reached for him.
“Wait!”
Grai barely stopped himself from killing the man as Blade ran up to them. He turned slowly towards Fiorn’s hybrid, hoping like hell the man had something incredibly important to tell him to explain the interruption.
“Give me two minutes with them and they will tell us everything we want to know,” Blade said.
Ivint and Reven shook their heads having seen what Blade can do firsthand. Ivint laid a hand on Grai’s shoulder.
“He is incredible. He’ll get you the names. All of them,” Ivint said.
Grai looked back at the man lying on the ground and for once, he enjoyed the smell of the fear emanating from him. Holding the camera so that it was pointed at the captives, Grai stood and backed away.
He looked at Blade and nodded his head.
“Show them who they just started a war with,” Grai said with a sneer. He didn’t really know what Blade could do, but if it wasn’t a strong enough message, he still had one of his own to send.
Blade walked up to the man who’d spoken and grinned as he flinched away from him. He grabbed the man’s leg and looked him in the eyes.
“Name your entire chain of command,” Blade said, giving the man one of the strongest compulsions he’d ever used before.
The man’s eyes glazed over and he began speaking in a monotone voice while the hybrids recorded the whole thing. When he’d named his entire chain of command, Blade smiled at him.
“Good, now name all the other people you work with on these missions,” Blade said, sending another strong compulsion.
The man again began to speak in a monotone voice, several minutes later, in the middle of speaking, blood began leaking out of his nose and mouth and he began to seize.
Grai watched him dispassionately, while Amun had to walk away, the doctor in him having a hard time with what was going on, even though he felt it was necessary.
Blade turned to Grai.
“I think the compulsion I’m sending is a little too strong. I’ll lighten it up a bit with the next one,” he said dispassionately as the first man stopped seizing and lay still.
Grai nodded his head.
“Don’t touch me! I’ll talk!” the next man screamed.
Blade looked at Grai questioningly and Grai shook his head. “They fired on a pregnant female, not even knowing if she was human or not. And they killed my brother, they gave up their right to mercy when they showed none,” Grai said, knowing that Lt. Col. Marcus Ballard was listening. And glad of it.
The man began to scream before Blade grabbed his leg and said, “Name all of the people you work with on these missions.”
Five minutes later, the five men lay dead on the ground in front of them. The last dying in a violent seizure only moments ago. They’d gotten only the names of the lower and mid-level people that these five men knew of. There were still upper level people to learn the identities of and Grai intended just that. Already the mountain hybrids, working with Grai’s people, had gotten every bit of information available on the people that were named.
Grai turned the camera in his hand so that it was facing him. “Until now, we have remained peaceful. We’ve inflicted no intentional harm on any human, seeking only to help. You have captured and tortured our people and seek to continue to do so, you’ve taken kindness for weakness.”
Grai bared his teeth at the camera.
“But, I’m not the kind, loving people you’ve dealt with before. I’m different. Even from them. And I, am coming for you. I am coming for everything that means anything to you. To all of you. When I find you,” Grai growled with a determination that could be felt in the room of people watching him at the base not far away.
“When I find you, you will see exactly what I am and what I can do. And may your God have mercy on you and what you love. Because, I will have the same amount you have shown to us,” Grai said before Gibly and the cats began yowling and growling in a loud cacophony of support.
Moments later, Grai also raised his fist and roared his rage to swirling wind, each of the hybrids following suit until the trees shook with the sound. Grai looked around him at the faces of Fiorn and Ivint, wondering if they would support him, but uncaring if they did. He was going to take them all down. By himself if he had to.
As the noise died down around them, Fiorn stepped forward and moved his fist to his right shoulder, bowing his head in support. Grai looked at Ivint, who immediately c
opied the movement before every hybrid there did the same.
Looking into the camera one more time, Grai said, “We’re all coming for you,” before he crushed the camera in his hand.
Aftermath
Hours later they had arrived in Dillon by the hundreds. Coming from every location on and off the planet to honor Koda and assist in the Death Rite Ceremony. The air was thick with sorrow and grief as Grai stood stoically, holding the hand of his son as he stared at the rock pillar erected for his brother and the eternal flame he had already lit. Tricia stood beside him, holding Traze as the tears flowed unchecked down his face.
A hush fell over the gathered crowd for a moment before they parted, allowing the Dranovians to reach their family at the pillar. Most of the hybrids gave them words of comfort or gentle touches as they passed and each of Grai’s children politely thanked them, grateful that this was one time they would be accepted by their own. Although, they were heartbroken and devastated at the reason.
Balduen, Dare, his mother, and his sister hugged each of them as they entered the circle. Angel pulled away from Drago and ran into her father’s arms.
“Daddy . . .,” she said before the tears overcame her.
Grai hugged her closely, while Mikal picked up Tristan and kissed his head. While Chris walked over to Tricia and put his arms around her and Traze at the same time and bowed his head near theirs, fighting his own tears. The rest of his children, stood as stoically as their father had, some fighting their tears and others, like Liam, allowed them to flow unchecked. Dree held his hand, her other wiping her own tears.
“Where is Ratoka?” Grai asked, gently pushing Angel into Drago’s waiting arms.
“Gibly went to get him,” Ivint said.
Moments later a dozen Sibiox ran through the crowd, led by Gibly. The large cat stopped in front of Grai and bowed his head.
“Ratoka comes,” Gibly said as Grai saw the man coming towards them.
Each of the cats that had come with Gibly, had lined up behind their leader. Now each bowed their heads at Grai, who bowed his in return.
Gibly fluffed out his fur before settling it back down again as he looked at Grai.
“My people come with gifts of respect for our fallen. We ask that you grant us the honor of lending our energy to your ritual so that our ancestors will forever watch over Koda,” Gibly asked.
The first cat behind Gibly moved forward and stood in front of Grai before lowering his mouth to the ground and placing a seed by his feet. Then the rest of the cats followed suit. Each placing a seed at the feet of Koda’s family. Including the Dranovian’s.
Grai looked puzzled, but nodded his head in respect to the cats.
“Thank you all. I’d be honored to have you here with us,” Grai said hoarsely.
Traze leaned down to pick up the seed and the Sibiox standing next to it growled at him and shook his head.
“I’m glad you tried that first,” Chris said with a slight grin as he whispered to Traze.
Traze shrugged his shoulders, not understanding about the seed, but ignoring it as Ratoka entered the circle and raised his arms.
“Let us begin,” Ratoka said.
Everyone in the circle joined hands as Ratoka began chanting the ritual words that would allow a part of their souls to find Koda’s in the Death Realm.
The energy started to whip around them, rising with the emotions and love of Koda’s family until it became a swirling storm around them. Just as Ratoka finished the ritual, the whirlwind of energy vanished, leaving everyone stunned and afraid.
“Why didn’t it work?” Chris asked with concern, looking around at the shocked faces in the circle.
“Koda is not dead,” Ratoka said.
“No! Oh Gods, No!” Grai roared as his knees hit the ground and he collapsed in pain and rage.
Everyone was too shocked to move, their thoughts and emotions in turmoil. Grai stood, “I have to find him,” he said as he started to run towards the Headquarters building.
Ivint and Reven stopped him. “You can’t! The area is swarming with the military and news crews! We need to think this through!” Ivint warned him.
When Grai looked to fight them, Reven said, “You will do him no good if you get captured!”
“We left him there!” Grai roared in rage at himself.
Amun stepped forward. “Grai, there was too much blood in that pod shield,” he said by way of explanation as to why he thought Koda dead.
Fiorn turned to Sam, “Get your animals looking for him.”
Sam nodded and turned to Jax who nodded back at him before she told Reven what they were going to do, then left. Mikal walked over to his father.
“We will find him, father,” he said before he disappeared in a sparkle of iridescent lights.
Chris went to Grai and put his arms around his shoulders. “Let’s think this through and find him,” he said.
“Why didn’t we find him before? Where the hell could he be?” Grai asked brokenly.
Reven shook his head. “We have footage of everything that happened, we’ll go through it all until we figure it out,” he promised, willing to do whatever it took to get Koda back and keep Grai from doing something that would get him captured by the military.
Gibly walked over to Grai and laid a paw on his leg. “Grai, take my people out there. We will find him,” Gibly said.
Ivint nodded his head. “It’s a good idea. They can hide much easier from the military and cover a lot of ground,” he said, hoping Grai would agree.
Grai kneeled down. “Gibly, make sure your people do not put themselves in danger. Thank you . . . my friend . . . thank you,” Grai said choking up.
Viper stepped forward. “Come Gibly, grab your people and I’ll drop you near the forest,” he said.
Gibly put his paw on Grai’s shoulder. “I will not fail you, my friend,” the cat said before running towards the doors to the docking bay. The cats in the circle followed their leader and disappeared as Viper jogged after them.
Grai stood again, squaring his shoulders and strengthening his resolve. “I want every piece of footage we have gone over down to the microsecond. Four teams, our best are to remain on standby, their only job to wait to evacuate him. I want to know every damn thing they are talking about on that site right now and I want to know where they go when they leave. We have to go on the assumption that they have him,” he said, looking at Ivint, Reven, Fiorn, Lara and the fle’ te’ Trugh brothers.
Slate looked over at Risk and they both went into the Headquarters building to hack into the military communications at the site.
Fiorn grinned.
“It’s a good thing we know who they are now,” he said, cracking his knuckles.
Ivint crossed his arms over his chest and nodded.
“We were going after them anyway, maybe we can get all of the captives out,” he said.
Lara nodded. “I’ll do anything I can for you.”
Dread agreed. “You have the backing of the Tezarian people.”
Grai nodded his thanks. “Lara, I want you and the kids to go back to Washington. You already have government contacts through Devon and Angel. Use them. If they won’t help find the people farther up the food chain in this, then expose all their dirty secrets.”
Grai ground his teeth. “We’re done playing nice. It’s time to show force and make them fear this time. No one on that list survives. But, I want none of their women or children harmed. Brutality in the face of the same is one thing, but, we are not the monsters that they are and we won’t let them turn us into ones either,” he said.
Ivint and the others were glad that the old Grai was back. Sort of, anyway. This darker, more violent side of him was one that they’d never seen before and it was intimidating enough that they were seriously glad that he was on their side.
Someone moved to extinguish the eternal flame at the top of the pillar and Grai growled. “No! We keep it lit until he is returned to us!”
Dog’
ee nodded his furry head and several cats moved through the crowd to him. Everyone watched as the cats stamped the seeds into the soil then lay on top of them. They was a whisper of sound, unlike anything anyone had heard before. Although it was high pitched, it wasn’t unpleasant at all.
The sound stopped and the cats stood and stepped back from where they tamped the seeds into the soil. Gasps were heard all around as the seeds sprouted into a circle of flowers around the pillar.
Ivint was shocked. “Those are hyperian blood roses. How did you get them here?” he asked in awe.
The flowers were the rarest on Valendra. They grew in odd places, never in groups, appearing randomly. They couldn’t be grown by anyone, once the plant was pulled from its location, it died and couldn’t be transplanted. Ivint had never seen so many in one place.
Dog’ee chuckled. “We brought them. We make them for those who need the pretty. The pretty is good to heal the heart,” he said before he started to walk away.
“Wait!” Ivint said. “How do you make them?”
Dog’ee stopped and rolled his eyes. “We eat the fruit, we poo the seeds and use our energy to make the pretty,” he said matter of factly.
Traze said, “Ew, that’s nasty. You had that in your mouths!”
David slapped him in the back of the head. “Respect!”
Dog’ee stuck his tongue out at Traze. “We clean them first,” he said before he ran off.
Ivint shook his head. “That’s amazing. I had no idea,” he said, in awe of the special cats.
Amun pulled out his comm. “The flowers produce a scent that acts like a drug. It’s known to lessen emotional pain naturally. There’s no telling what therapeutic properties it could have that the Sibiox know of. We really need to get someone looking into that back home,” he said as he followed everyone into the headquarters building.
*****
Lt. Col. Marcus Ballard walked up to the five bodies on the ground with a disgusted look on his face. Blood and foam was crusted to their faces with the exception of the first one, whose mouth was still opened on a silent scream. Creeped out by it, Marcus turned away.
