by L M Lacee
When they were ready, Darby shut down all her tech and placed the house on standby self-destruct mode. If it became necessary, she would burn the house down.
The plan was for her and Heather to stay on board the Warship until they left, while Peyton and Melody would hide somewhere else. For the moment, they would monitor Peyton from the shuttle hidden behind the school.
Knowing the signal would have been received and acted on, and as she knew no one named Dabby, she shrugged and said. ‘I have no idea who you are talking about.’
Thanikis raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh, surely you do, a short female, rather plain I am told. All brains, no beauty is the saying. An old one granted, but I am sure you are well versed in it.’
Both men laughed as if Thanikis had said something funny. Peyton saw Ian White sit back in his chair, happy it seemed for Thanikis to take over the questioning.
Eww a burn! Peyton shrugged again as she answered. ‘Actually, I don’t think I have ever heard the saying. You must be as old as it is reported you are on the Undernet, if you say the saying is old.’
Thanikis’s eyes sharpened, and he snarled at her implied reference to his age, which by human standards was very old indeed. He slammed his hands down on the table and demanded in a cold, hard voice. ‘Where are my Warriors?’
Peyton smirked as she asked. ‘How did you lose them, are you gonna get in trouble? Will you be punished, maybe spanked?’
Thanikis skin tone deepened to almost charcoal as she made reference to spanking. It was widely known on the Undernet that he liked his bed partners to spank him, apparently it turned him on. Peyton suspected the color denoted embarrassment. Of course it could have been temper.
Ian White moved restlessly in his seat as Thanikis snarled at her, showing sharp white teeth. She just stopped herself from laughing at his posturing, she supposed his expression was meant to scare her. It appeared she hit a nerve, Melody would be so proud of her.
Thanikis asked again sharply. ‘My Warriors, where are they?’
‘I do not know what you are talking about.’
‘I can make you talk.’
Peyton shrugged once more as she stated. ‘You can try.’
‘I have drugs and other things you have never heard of at my disposal.’
He did not want to show her how desperate he was but he needed the Warriors back or dead. Either option would work for him now. Over the last two days he had repeatedly sent the code out to kill the Warriors on Earth and expected to see bodies all over the world. So far he had seen none, and none had been reported. Either the code was not working, or that bastard Roeah had received help to circumnavigate or negate the effects of the implant. His scientists assured him the Earth scientists were incapable of doing so, but they were unable to explain why there were not headless bodies strewn all over the world.
Afraid of the repercussions he would face, if he returned home without something preferably Roeah’s head on a platter. Failing that, every Warrior in cuffs on the missing warship would do. As none of those things had happened in the last forty-eight hours, he had manipulated Ian to come up with this plan.
Questioning, this female and all the others his informants had supplied to him, on the slim chance they could give him a clue as to the whereabouts of the Warriors. His biggest fear was Roeah had taken all the Warriors and left this cursed world, while he sat here waiting for relief ships to arrive.
Peyton drummed her fingers again on the table. She wanted to ask if these males knew about shosole but was fearful they would confirm what she suspected. Deciding being a coward right now was not an option, she asked. ‘Would they be the same drugs as shosole? I mean, it is the Coalition that allows its manufacture. And you are the one who oversees its distribution here on Earth, right?’
Thanikis leaned back in his chair, a smug smile on his face and she knew she was right. She turned to Ian White, the Ambassador for Earth, and watched as his expression never changed.
‘Aww! Say it’s not so? You know this is happening and do nothing.’ She blew a breath out as she whispered. ‘I bet the Government knows too. God, how sad for us, we have put our trust in the wrong people. Instead of lining your own pockets, you are meant to be protecting and caring for us, shaping our world for the future.’
She stared sadly at Ian White, who stared back impassively as she asked. ‘How do you think allowing that shit on our world will make it better, you know it won’t? You and the ones in power will live to regret what you are doing. I only hope our world is not destroyed before that happens.’ Peyton shook her head and softly cursed them both. ‘I hope you and the people you both work for get everything you deserve, for what you are doing to our people and our home world.’
So saddened she could not speak anymore, she sat back in her chair and looked between the smug and the contemptible Ambassadors and knew that between the two. Earth’s fate had been sealed. She hung her head and wanted desperately to cry, the last kernel of hope for her world, dying in her heart.
Once she and her people left Earth, they would never come back. Her precious world had been sold for its commodities, DNA being just one.
Peyton sat as the ache that had started in her heart on the day the world had changed grew. She wanted to wail and rage against the unfairness of it all, hadn’t humanity already suffered enough. But she knew she would say nothing. Because ultimately, the ones who had sold the rights of every person on Earth, for thirty pieces of silver were not in this room.
Instead, she stared at her hands, refusing to look at either man. As Thanikis listed what would happen to her, if she did not tell him what he wanted to know. The list was very long, imaginative and impressive. If Peyton wasn’t who she was and knew for a fact, she could leave the building, she would have been terrified.
However, when he started explaining what would happen to her sisters and the Warriors, fear tightened her throat and caused her heart to race. After several minutes, Thanikis finally stopped threatening her and Ian White leaned over the table, once more the affable Ambassador and said. ‘Look Peyton, can I call you Peyton?’
She lifted her head and stared at him with cold green eyes but still did not reply, when he realized she wasn’t going to answer he said. ‘Look, you and I don’t want any of that to happen, neither does the Ambassador we just need the Warrior's back. Tell us how to locate them and we will let you go. No harm, no foul. The Ambassador will even find you a nice male to have babies with. You want babies, don’t you? Of course you do all our women want babies.’
When she still didn’t speak, his lips tightened and his voice hardened as he too added his threats to Thanikis’s.
‘Tell me what I want to know, and I won’t have my soldiers visit with your little town and all your friends. My soldiers would like that, unlike the ones that collected you, they are all male and if I remember rightly, your town is populated by females only, is it not?’ He laughed, as did Thanikis, before saying. ‘I am sure there will be plenty of willing women to satisfy my men.’ He shrugged as his eyes narrowed. ‘If they aren’t, my men will not care, and when they are finished with them. They will be sent off to the pleasure planets out there.’ He waved his hand about, indicating space, she assumed.
He grinned as he told her. ‘I am told they love human females. It would be a shame if all your friends ended up there and if you think I don’t mean it, think again.’
Peyton looked inside her vault of knowledge, but before she could find anything to use, she was enclosed in a net of warmth and heard a voice speaking. It was like listening to a song being sung by a chorus of heavenly voices, only deeper and more menacing.
The Star Child raged. You dare to threaten our Daughter, the sisters of her heart and our chosen.
The room was suddenly engulfed in flames, all except the table and chairs where they sat.
Ian White shouted. ‘What the hell is this?’
Thanikis cried, horrified. ‘No… No. It is impossible. This cannot be, you are a myth.’<
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Nothing is impossible Thanikis of Jenersar. You who are your Emperor’s brother. You should have studied your histories as well as you studied the art of exploitation. We have asked our Daughter what we should do with you. We wish your deaths.
Both males paled as the words registered on their conscious minds. They stared fearfully at Peyton as the Star Child stated. Our Daughter says we must stay our hand for now. So I will do as she asks, although I will remove all memory of this conversation.
Which they did, and the knowledge of Peyton placing a code in Thanikis and Ian White’s tablets. They then implanted both males with the suggestion that they should release Peyton. Because it was obvious, she did not know where the Warriors were and was not responsible for their disappearance. The Star Child told Peyton that they had taken her recommendation, which she did not remember making, and had punished both males. As she would not allow their deaths, they had rendered them impotent for a period of time. They assured her it was a fitting punishment.
Peyton wasn’t sure their timing and hers was the same, so she was unsure how long the males would remain impotent. She could not find it in her heart to feel sorry for them and was sure she heard the Star Child giggle before they departed.
A minute later the flames disappeared and Peyton was sitting demurely in her chair. Both men were once again in their own seats.
They blinked several times and shook their heads as they stared at each other. Knowing something had taken place but unable to see anything amiss in the room or with Peyton, who said innocently. ‘As I have already stated, I know nothing about the Warriors.’
‘We understand you say that Miss St. Hill, but understand we must ask when rumors surface.’
‘Of course Ambassador White and the threats?’
‘Remain in place, if we find you have lied.’ Thanikis told her with a sneer.
Peyton nodded. ‘I am sure you will find I have not. May I go?’
Ian looked sideways at Thanikis who gave a small nod, then Ian assured her. ‘Of course… of course, the Ambassador and I have no more questions for you.’
He smiled a smile that made her stomach clench as he said with a touch of menace. ‘We know where to find you, if in the future we need to speak to you again.’
Peyton nodded without a smiling, she needed to get out of this room quickly. In the depths of both men’s eyes, she read the knowledge they knew something had happened, and they suspected it had something to do with her.
Ian White stood and said. ‘Thank you for your time, Miss St. Hill. My soldiers will see you to the train.’
Calmly she stood, her mouth was so dry she could not reply, so she just nodded. Within seconds she found herself in the corridor where she was once again being escorted by the same two soldiers down the long hallway.
Just before they made the exit, the soldiers slowed then stopped. ‘Miss St. Hill, could you tell General James, that Sergeants Mike Thomas and Henry Adams, say hello and we are using everything she taught us.’
She whispered. ‘Do you have water?’
He handed her a small bottle; she drank it dry then said. ‘I thank you and yes I will. Now you need to be careful, and whatever you do, make sure you have a way out.’
They started walking again as he smiled down at the small, feisty woman. Whatever had taken place in the room had not seemed to worry her too much. She seemed paler than when they had left her, but still just as steady. ‘Don’t worry, our General has that covered, we are as protected as we can be.’
‘Good, it was nice to have met both of you.’
They arrived at the door to the train where two female soldiers were waiting. One tall and one of medium height, both a little older than Peyton.
‘Take her back to her town and make sure you are careful with her.’ Ordered Sergeant Thomas.
The smaller woman nodded her head and said. ‘Of course, Sergeant.’
He looked at Peyton and saluted her with a smile. ‘Miss St. Hill, until we meet again.’
She smiled at both soldiers. ‘Take care, and I hope we meet again too.’
Then Peyton looked at the two female soldiers, the taller woman said. ‘If you would come this way please.’
She had an accent which caused both male soldiers to give her a hard look, but they did not stop them from leaving. Peyton moved quickly when she noticed sweat on the women’s faces and the trembling of their hands.
Something was not right, but as she felt nothing but worry from both women, she did not argue about leaving with them. With Peyton in the lead, they quickly stepped into the ground train where twenty soldiers armed with rifles and in ill-fitting uniforms waited tensely.
One of the soldiers was holding a rifle upside down, when the taller soldier entered, she motioned with her hand for the woman to correct her hold on the weapon. The woman went red and quickly turned the rifle the right way up, almost dropping it in her haste.
Peyton put her head down to hide her smile and grabbed a strap as the train started to move. Her eyes traveled to the soldier’s feet and saw trainers, dress shoes and boots. Stranger and stranger was this new escort; she raised her eyes and carefully looked at the soldiers and saw they were all young, soft faced, frightened women.
THIRTY-TWO:
Within minutes they arrived at the train’s destination. She and twenty-two soldiers, in their ill-fitting uniforms, walked from the exit and away from the shuttle she had arrived on. Her two guards led her around the side of a large building and with all the other soldiers crowding around them, walked to a line of large land movers.
It looked like all the transporters were filled with women, teenagers and even younger children, their faces crammed against the windows. Peyton stopped and looked at as many as she could, seeing the desperation along with fear and worry.
She nodded her head once and walked into a half empty mover. Her guards and the twenty pretend soldiers all entered behind her. She took the seat indicated by one of the females while the others all moved to the back of the transporter.
Leaving three or four rows of empty seats between Peyton and the shorter guard who took the seat next to hers. Once she saw everyone was seated, she called out.
‘Go Jean.’ As the transporter pulled away, she turned to Peyton and said. ‘I am Penny Tonne.’
The woman was around Peyton’s age, maybe a little older and a few inches taller than her, she was slim with honest hazel eyes. She pulled her hat off and her shoulder length strawberry blonde hair spilled out, running her hands through it.
Peyton asked. ‘Have I been kidnapped?’
‘Dear God, no, but I am sure it looks like it. We are here to ask to join your people. We know all about who you are, what you are doing, and we desperately need to leave. There is not one woman or girl here that wants to be a baby machine or end up on a pleasure planet. I beg you to take us.’
When Peyton said nothing because she was wondering if she could stop Melody attacking the convoy before she found out what was going on.
Penny became desperate. ‘I know who your traitor is, and we swear we are all clean. No drugs, no diseases and no spies.’
‘You can guarantee that?’ Peyton asked, her eyes on Jean, the bus driver.
Penny shook her head, saying. ‘Oh, hell no, I am hoping you can.’
Peyton laughed as she looked at Penny. ‘Did you work for them?’
‘Yes and no, I was a secretary in the shipping department. I found out what was happening today. We stole the uniforms. Well, actually Trina did, and we all stole the transporters and took the risk. Trina knocked out the shuttle pilot, and then we just waited until they said you were leaving.’
‘Who is Trina?’
Penny smiled. ‘The tall woman who was with me.’
‘I see, and if I hadn’t come out?’
‘We knew someone would come get you.’
‘How did you get all these women?’
‘As I said, I worked in the shipping department.’ She made a fac
e and quietly told her. ‘I found out what was being shipped.’ She lowered her voice more as she said. ‘Most of these women and teenagers were slated for pleasure planets. The younger girls were to be servants and eventual breeders. Jean, Trina and I broke them out from the holding compounds.’
‘Good job, how do you know about me?’
‘Jean is a computer systems analysts and an Undernet hacker.’
Jean waved to Peyton over her shoulder as she drove. Penny told her. ‘She tapped into your site, we went from there.’
Peyton asked. ‘Okay, Jean hon, did you by any chance make sure we could find out if any more women are being transported?’
‘That I did, Madam… That I did.’
Peyton asked, ‘What’s your full name Jean and where do you come from?’
‘Jean Harding and I am all the way from New Zealand Madam.’
‘Damn, that’s a fair way, Jean.’
‘Yeah, it is. Trina is from my neighborhood, Australia.’
Peyton turned around to look at Trina, who was smiling. ‘Wow! I am pleased to have met you both.’
Trina smiled. ‘Us too, Madam.’
Peyton turned back around and asked Penny. ‘How many are with you?’
‘Just on a thousand.’
‘Okay, do you have a secure tag please?’
Penny handed one over to Peyton, who tapped in a code. ‘Jean, can you have them pull up here, please?’
Jean slowed the mover and flashed her lights. All the other movers stopped behind her on the side of the road.
Peyton said. ‘The answer is yes, we will take you all. Tell your people to grab what they have. We are out of here.’ Quietly, she asked Penny. ‘How many know who you picked up?’
Penny murmured instantly. ‘Myself, Jean and Trina.’
‘Okay, it may be a good idea to keep it that way.’
Penny nodded. ‘That is probably for the best.’
Four minutes later, five shuttles landed and within minutes they were in the air.
Peyton tapped her pilot on the shoulder. ‘Yes, Lady.’
