by Marie Dry
She leaned against the wall outside, vaguely disturbed that she heard no sounds of agony from inside. No one had to tell her that Zanr was getting information out of them and forcing them to be quiet so as not to upset her.
He walked out. “The abandoned submarine is higher up in the river than where we searched before.”
She straightened. “Let’s go.”
He shook his head. “I will send a probe; it is too late for you to be out safely. We will go for them tomorrow after morning sex.”
“Won’t these men warn them?”
“I have incapacitated them and they will be picked up shortly.” He looked down at her. “For gentle questioning.”
Rose planted her head in her hand, but didn’t argue. Honestly, she had zero sympathy for anyone willing to plant bombs that would kill thousands of people in overcrowded cities. “Did they tell you if the bombs were on the submarine?”
“One bomb is on the submarine. They have planned this for a long time. The scientists who stole the equipment from the laboratory in Washington split up. None of them knew where the others went.”
Rose swallowed. She’d thought when they found the submarine they’d find all the scientists and all the bombs. And… “Did they know anything about codes to deactivate the nanos in my blood?”
“No, but they have not examined everything they stole.”
She snorted. “Too busy building a bomb.”
“Yes.”
Back in the tent she accepted a cup of coffee and stared at the cup. Steam rose from the fragrant brew, but she felt no heat against her fingertips. She fixed him with a stern gaze. “You said that if anyone left Portland, that the terrorists would set off the bomb. And that the people planting the bombs would detonate them if any of the major players leave the city.”
“Yes.”
“But you could make my family invisible and get them out.”
He didn’t seem startled or even look guilty that she’d found him out. “Yes, I can.”
“So why didn’t you do it? Why did you tell me there’s no way to save them, if you had the technology at your fingertips?”
He studied his fingertips for a moment before looking up at her. “There was no need.”
She knew exactly why he thought there was no need, but she wanted to hear it from him. “Why was there no need?”
“The conversation we recorded said to detonate the bombs as soon as they were built. Nothing was said about specific cities.”
She slammed the coffee down and some of it spilled over the rim and ran down the cup to pool on the table. “You lied to me. How could you lie to me?”
“It was necessary. I needed your cooperation.”
Rose couldn’t believe what she’d heard. “How can you say you care for me, make love to me like you do, and then lie to me like that? Use me? You don’t care for me. You just wanted to use me.” Just like her father, just like Parnell.
He grew several inches. “I had to do my work as a warrior.”
“And that is more important to you than I am?” She could feel her heart break into a million pieces.
He stared at her, not answering, and that was answer enough.
“Can you understand that if you lie to me about one thing, I will doubt everything else you say to me?” He’d been so glib, had embroidered his lies.
He blinked, one slow blink, as if coming out of a trance. “I will think of this.” He turned and walked out of the tent, a good thing because she was capable of killing him with her bare hands at that moment.
Muttering to herself, she activated the TC and continued her research on the superman drug. Though, she really didn’t need any more betrayal from her love ones.
He came back just before dinner and got them food from his machine, and they ate and went to bed in silence. She wanted to tell him to go find somewhere else to sleep, but while she’d showered, she’d briefly lost her balance. She didn’t want to be alone.
The next morning, she woke to the aroma of coffee and opened her eyes to find Zanr sitting on the edge of the bed.
He held out the cup like a sacred offering. “I care for you more than I care to be a warrior. I will only lie to you for your protection.”
Rose took the coffee from him and shook her head. “Fine, but we are partners, and partners trust each other.” She had a lot of work on her hands with this one. How did you explain to a stubborn warrior that you didn’t want to be lied to? Even if it was to save your life.
He nodded. “We will go to the river and stake out the area where the submarine is in the human fashion. I want to see who goes there, before I take them down.”
They went to the river, and again it wasn’t long before they saw movement. Morgan appeared, walking with purpose. “That little creep,” she muttered.
He reached the river and called out. Someone she couldn’t see called back, and Morgan curled his lip. It was a gesture of distaste she’d seen him make before when he thought someone was doing something stupid.
“Bloody nerd scientists,” he muttered loud enough for her to hear.
She leaned closer to Zanr and said in his ear. “This doesn’t make sense. Yesterday he didn’t know where the submarine was.”
“We will find out how he got the information.”
A fine network of glowing wires became visible. It formed a dome over the river and the banks on both sides. In front of her Zanr stiffened. She could see his hands clench on the steering handles. “That’s why we didn’t see it yesterday,” she whispered in his ear.
He nodded and they both stared down at Morgan as the glowing wires parted to allow him entrance. He walked up to the submarine that was now visible and went inside. He emerged again almost immediately, smirking. He stepped through the hole the wires made and walked back the way he’d come.
The wires were amazing, but not even close to whatever technology Zanr used to cloak the hoverbike and the shuttle. Whatever the wires did, the aliens managed to do without. They sat watching for what felt like the whole day, but it was only four hours before Zanr decided it was time to take action. Rose knew it was his hope of finding the codes to deactivate the nanos more than anything else that made him act.
Zanr flew a way back and placed the hoverbike behind some building rubble. “You will wait for me here. You will be safe with the cloak hiding you.”
“I’m not hiding while you go alone into danger.” What did he think she was? Some kind of coward? Well she was a coward, she admitted, ashamed of herself. Because she couldn’t go into the boxed-in interior of the submarine.
He looked at her, cocking his head in that way he had, and then took her arm. “I will give you a weapon and you will be my backup.”
Rose wanted to argue, but she knew it was a miracle he’d even agreed to this much.
He carefully chose a spot for her on the bank of the river, high enough that she looked down at the area where the boat was. Except now it had disappeared again. Morgan stepped out, and when she wanted to go for him, Zanr held her back. “Later. We will find and question him later.”
She nodded, but she still wanted to grab Morgan and beat the stuffing out of him.
Zanr crouched next to her. “I have set the cloak to cover you here. If anyone enters behind me, shoot them.”
She nodded. Should she mention that she hadn’t managed to pass the shooting-range requirements during her training? She’d planned to take the course again, but now she wished she was better at everything so that she could protect Zanr.
He pressed his forehead against hers for a moment, then turned away and she sighed. “Pssst, Zanr.” He glanced back at her. She pouted her lips the way he’d done before. “Kiss goodbye.”
He came back to her, kissed her, hard and fierce, his tongue invading her mouth. Then he turned without a word and disappeared. Rose clutched the laser pistol with shaking hands. That alien sure could kiss.
He went up to where Morgan had stood before and he must’ve done something bec
ause the cloak went down and the glowing wires were visible again. He ran down to the boat with that amazing speed. She held her breath when he disappeared into the long boat via the hatch on top. She couldn’t hear anything. What if Zanr was in trouble? He might be able to defend himself against humans, but what about the Zyrgin that was working with the scientists?
She settled into a more comfortable position, determined to make sure no one sneaked up on Zanr. A shrill alarm went off inside, and the boat became visible again.
Gunshots and shouting above the alarm came from inside the boat. Zanr might think he was bulletproof, but in such close quarters, someone was going to get in a lucky shot. Rose bit her lip. As if he stood next to her, she knew Zanr would tell her to stay put. But what if they’d captured him? Or shot him? What if the bomb was in there and it went off?
She had no choice, she had to go in and guard his back. Go into that small, dark, enclosed space where she would be trapped without a way out if she lost her bearings. Her feet wouldn’t move. She sat as if petrified to stone, and she’d never loathed herself as much. “Move,” she shouted at her legs, but they wouldn’t budge. All she could think through the panic was that the submarine was like the ultimate coffin. Like that shallow grave in the basement. Like a suitcase.
Seeing spots in front of her, gritting her teeth, she crawled. Made her palms and then her knees move. What made the experience even more terrifying was the fact that she couldn’t feel anything beneath her palms.
It took forever to reach the river. She crouched at the iron plank that led from the bank of the river to the boat. She lifted her hands and realized she’d lost the weapon Zanr had given her.
“Idiot,” she whispered to herself. Luckily she had her own laser pistol. Every fiber of her being fought her with the need to run away from the dark, enclosed space beyond that hatch.
Rose squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. She could do this. She’d allowed Parnell to bury her every few weeks for almost a year. Zanr needed her. For him she could do this.
Trembling, her stomach roiling, she crawled over the iron slab until she reached the opening to the submarine. Inside, the lights flickered on and off in a steady, disorienting beat. Along with the alarm blaring unrelenting soul-destroying noise, it was seriously disruptive to the synapses. Every time the lights came on, it showed horrific glimpses of a massacre: a fallen body, oddly broken; then it went dark then light again; an arm torn off a man who’d probably tried to take Zanr on in hand-to-hand combat; darkness. Please let it be Zanr that caused this havoc and not the traitor Zyrgin or a human. Please let Zanr be safe.
Rose wanted to call out, but didn’t want to let them know she was there or to distract Zanr. She needed to get inside, see if Zanr needed help, but she couldn’t make herself move.
“Talk, human. Give me the codes to disable the nanos or I will cut off pieces of you until you regain your memory.”
“Fuck, you freak,” a terrified male voice screamed. He might be afraid, but he was braver than she’d be if Zanr stood over her with hands dripping blood. And she had no doubt they dripped blood.
A terrible scream echoed around the metal hull and Rose’s stomach became serious about expelling its contents.
“No…no…no…stay way. I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you.” He blubbered some numbers.
Rose forced air into her lungs and quietly, carefully climbed down into the large coffin, steadily make her way toward Zanr and the unfortunate man who now babbled everything he knew.
She stepped over bodies and avoided puddles of blood, and the lights still did that steady on-and-off beat that threatened to drive her crazy.
She stepped through an opened hatch and saw Zanr standing over a man cradling a bloodied hand to his chest.
The lights went out and stayed out.
A harsh whimper tore out of her body, starting deep in her gut, and moved up her throat to escape past her trembling lips.
She was alone in the darkness, buried alive, and no one would ever know she’d died there. Alone and afraid in the dark. Parnell had forgotten her, and no would know to come and get her out.
Warmth around her. “You are with me, my breeder.” She breathed in his unique smell, whimpered because she was afraid and ashamed of her own cowardice. She didn’t even care that he smelled like fresh blood, as well. “K…K…Komodo?”
“Yes, your Komodo, I have you. Hold onto me, I have to call for warriors to take these weapons.”
Rose willingly clung to him while he grunted. He seemed to be able to see in the dark. Soon she saw daylight and she almost cried with relief.
“Is the bomb here?”
“Yes, it is a nuclear bomb that will destroy the continent if it is detonated.”
Rose hurried toward the daylight streaming in, in front of them. “But it won’t go off, right?”
“No, they have not finished building it. My fellow warriors will remove it to a safe location and dismantle it.”
He helped her to the ladder. “I will go up first. I will help you out when I am sure it is safe.”
She nodded, feeling shaky. “I can get out by myself.” If it meant getting out of this oversized coffin, she could levitate out of here.
Silence, then, “You are a very stubborn breeder.” He jumped up and out.
“At least I’m not boring.”
A big, clawed hand reached out, and she grabbed it. He pulled her out as if she weighed nothing and carried her to the bank of the river. Rose took deep gulps full of breath. “I’m sorry. I thought you needed help. I didn’t think I’d fall apart like that. You must think I’m a real coward.”
He cupped the back of her head and held her closer. “You are the bravest human I know, my Rose.” Her body jerked and she felt fire in her shoulder before she heard the laser shot. The pain spread to her side. Zanr roared.
***
Zanr put Rose behind him, set the cloak to cover her, and tracked the angle of the shot, and returned fire, but he was focused on Rose. He heard the human cry out, and flashed his fangs. He’d track and kill the human later.
Holding Rose in his arms, he ran to the hoverbike and called Viglar on the emergency channel. By the time he reached the building where he’d left his shuttle, Viglar confirmed he was halfway there.
Zanr held Rose and ran into the shuttle. He barked out orders, and a slab extended out of the wall. He carefully laid Rose down and applied the bandage the way Viglar had instructed him. It would keep pressure on the wound and stop the bleeding long enough for Viglar to reach them. Human skin was fragile. Unlike the Zyrgins, they couldn’t seal wounds with flame. He didn’t care about his honor in that moment, about being a warrior. All that was important was that she lived.
She stared up at him with big eyes. “Did you get the code?”
He wanted to tell her yes, that she would be rid of the nanos soon. But she’d asked him never to lie to her again. What if she died and he didn’t give her hope? Or what if she lived and realized he’d lied? “I got some codes from them. It isn’t guaranteed that they are the correct ones. When Viglar has healed your wounds, we will see if they work.”
She nodded, but it was a weak movement. If she had internal damage, he would make sure it took the human a long time to die. Every minute he had left would be agony.
“Zyrgin traitor?” she whispered.
He stiffened, but they’d been in this together from the beginning. She should know. “It is not a Zyrgin. He is working with traitors on the home world, but he is from one of the conquered planets. He was there—installed the primitive cloak for the boat, but they haven’t seen him for more than a month.” He suspected the Zyrgin had finished setting up the resistance and had left for the next planet where he wanted to incite violence against Zyrgin rule.
“Not very supe…”
He heard Viglar’s shuttle land and stroked a trembling hand over her head. “Viglar is here, my breeder. You will be fine now. You will be all right.”
Viglar cleaned her wound and sealed it shut afterward. “The bullet missed all her major organs. She will recover.”
Zanr nearly sank to his knees. He’d been convinced he’d lost her. “I got codes out of the human to shut down the nanos.” He gave the sequence.
Virlar took his tablet and worked for a long time. When he looked up, Zanr knew. “It’s the wrong codes?”
“Yes, I guess the human made up random numbers. We will have him interrogated, but I doubt he knows anything useful. Our only chance is that they find it on the equipment in the ship bound for the home planet. They have gone through most of the inventory already.”
“If they don’t find it, do you think you can deactivate them?”
“There are billions of combinations that I would have to try. I have been working on a way to get the nanos out of her system without deactivating them.”
“Will it work?” He would do anything, give anything, if it meant Rose would live.
“I do not know. All the simulations were unsuccessful. But I will keep trying.”
Chapter Eighteen
Rose woke and groaned at the discomfort in her side. Not just her right side, but her right shoulder was stiff, as well.
“Stay still, my breeder, you have been wounded when you ran into the submarine against my orders.” The last was said pointedly.
“I promise you, next time, I’m staying put.” She opened her eyes and looked around her and frowned. They were back at the house she’d woken up in the first time. “The nanos?”
“The code the human gave us is wrong, and we couldn’t find any other codes for the nanos on that boat.”
Panic gripped her throat. She didn’t want to die yet. She had her whole life ahead of her. She wanted to scream it at him, but battled the panic. He wasn’t responsible for her being infected with nanos.
