Torkel's Chosen: A World Beyond Book 1

by Michelle Howard

  Torkel nodded. It puzzled him too. Their teams never had problems in the past yet now they couldn’t catch a break no matter how much stealth they employed. No one should have known about the time change on the critical mission.

  He stared at the Marenian they’d managed to capture. Arlo. His profile in the wanted system database had given them his name and a load of charges but the slaver was surprisingly tight lipped. Maybe he needed the right motivation to talk.

  “I’m going in. Send Kyele if I’m not finished.”

  Faruk looked at him askance. “You think he’ll spill to the unit leader of the Jutak warriors his people hate?”

  He knew Marenians had a hard on for him. Torkel hoped to connect with him on that level. He strode through the doors and entered the detainment room knowing Faruk could hear and see everything discussed.

  At Torkel’s entrance, Arlo jerked in his restraints. His lips curled in a snarl. “Look who decided to show. Traitor to your own people.”

  “Slavery is illegal off Marenia,” Torkel responded and leaned against the wall opposite the lone chair where Arlo was bound to his seat. He was very aware of how Marenians viewed him and his role with the Jutak warriors.

  “The government would make anything for profit illegal if they could,” Arlo sneered as he leaned his head back in the chair. His black eyes burned with the desire to strike at Torkel in some way. “You let them mutilate you. Have you no pride?”

  Torkel let a taunting smile play about his mouth and rubbed the smooth skin at his temples. “Yeah, kinda nice that my parents cared enough about me to have the horns removed.” He folded his arms over his chest. “This way I don’t have to walk around with a reminder of my unfortunate heritage greeting me every morning when I gaze in the mirror.”

  Arlo roared and rocked in the chairs as he struggled with the bonds. Torkel didn’t worry. The cloth-covered, steel ropes were meant to hold an angry Marenian in full battle mode with his muscles amped. Torkel had personally tested them.

  When he settled, Torkel shook his head as if disappointed. “See. That’s why I’m glad to claim Enotia as my home.”

  “Your birth mother should have drowned you instead of leaving you out with the garbage.”

  In his youth Torkel had questioned that himself. Marenians weren’t known for mercy. Not only had his mother not drowned him, she or his father had left him on the peaceful, loving Enotia. A world full of people who valued children.

  As an adult, he didn’t worry much any more about the why and how of his life. Torkel shrugged his shoulders. “I’m here now and you’re going to be locked up for a long time unless you have something of interest to report about Lothar’s whereabouts.”

  Arlo snorted then chuckled. “Don’t you have it all figured out, Jutak?”

  “Why don’t you tell me?” he straightened from the wall and approached Arlo. “The government can be convinced to go easy on you. Maybe twenty instead of a forty year stint on the Dorlo prison colony.” Torkel tossed out the name of the roughest penal system they had. The one where Arlo would surely be sent for his crimes against the planetary alliance and violating slave laws in the Catlon area.

  “Not everyone on your precious Enotia loves having a Marenian on their elite Jutak forces,” Arlo taunted.

  Torkel let the lazy smile play about his mouth. “Names, Arlo or you’re just flirting with me.”

  The Marenian turned red and jerked uselessly in the bindings. “Your days are numbered. When it’s all over you’ll be the one dead. Or maybe they’ll let you live. To suffer.” He relaxed in the chair with a laugh.

  Torkel played over the statement, looking for the answer to the hidden meaning. Arlo wanted to tell. The urge to talk gleamed in his midnight eyes. He wanted to reveal who the leak was if only to rub it in Torkel’s face. “I guess you’ll miss all my struggling, seeing as how you’ll be spending your days at Dorlo.”

  “Your government and your laws can kiss my ass.”

  “And a hairy one it is, I’m sure.”

  Torkel laughed at the rejoinder and turned as Kyele strolled in flipping that damn knife of his in the air.

  “I’m told you needed me to see what we could get out of the Marenian.” Kyele kept his eyes on Arlo as he spoke to Torkel.

  The Marenian stilled. Torkel understood why. Danger circled the airspace around Kyele. The room crackled with Kyele’s suppressed energy. His friend took the long way around the table until he stood directly behind Arlo. He leaned over the Marenian’s shoulder and set his knife on the edge of the table. Inches from Arlo’s reach.

  Arlo’s gaze shifted to the table, his fingers clenched in the ropes.

  “I’ll let you have a go at me with my favorite knife if you answer a few questions my friend and I have,” Kyele said in a low voice, then straightened and came around the table.

  “Jutak bastard,” Arlo growled.

  Kyele tapped a single finger on the table between the two. “Lothar. Knife. Where is he? When is he planning to show at the next slave auction?”

  Arlo was almost salivating. He wanted the knife badly. Torkel stared at Kyele but his friend was in a stare off with the Marenian.

  “Send the suare out and I’ll talk.” Arlo licked his full lips and tipped his head in Torkel’s direction.

  Torkel bit back a grin at the slur. Suare was Marenian slang for someone that accepted credits for sex sharing. Name calling never bothered him and he’d heard worst from other Marenians on raids when they recognized Torkel’s lineage. “I’m out.”

  He offered Arlo a jaunty wave and closed the door behind him, returning to the viewing room with the two-way mirror.

  “Faruk went to his quarters,” were the first words Jaron muttered, eyes on the two men in the room. “Kyele’s crazy as all get out.”

  Torkel stood beside him. “He’ll get answers though. Arlo’s dying to match arms with him.”

  Jaron turned a stunned look at him. “You think Kyele’s really going to let him get the knife.”

  Torkel shrugged. “He wouldn’t have offered if he didn’t mean it.” Plus, Torkel had no doubt who’d win in a match between the two. Kyele was a deadly bastard who didn’t believe in second chances. Arlo was a fool to think his size gave him an advantage over the leaner Jutak warrior.

  Kyele’s lips moved. Arlo answered, his legs jittering on the floor. Kyele asked him something else that had Arlo laughing when he replied. Next Kyele pushed the knife closer then went behind Arlo to undo the ropes.

  “He’s crazy,” Jaron snapped, running toward the door.

  Torkel grabbed his arm, halting his flight. Arlo snatched the knife up as soon as he was free and swiped at Kyele who stood within easy reach. One minute his friend was there and the next he was behind the big Marenian, his arm around Arlo’s throat, the knife’s edge at his jugular. The only sign of Kyele moving was the fading dark swirl of black smoke.

  “Okay. I’ve never asked cause to each his own but what the…”

  Torkel ignored Jaron and leaned closer to the window.

  Kyele whispered something in Arlo’s ear that had his gold skin paling. He forced the Marenian back into the chair and bound him in the ropes. Kyele tossed the knife in the air, caught it by the hilt and strolled out.

  “Crazy damn bastard,” Jaron said in stunned surprise.

  Kyele joined them. “He claims not to know Lothar’s movements. Says none of them do.”

  “Did you believe him?” Torkel would take Kyele’s opinion any day.

  “Yes.” Short and sweet.

  “What else?” There had been more exchanged in there.

  Kyele’s eyes glittered. “He hinted that the traitor is closer than we think and laughed. I got the feeling Arlo thinks he’s not going to face justice.”

  Jaron frowned. “They’ll send someone to assassinate him before he reaches Dorlo.”

  It was a typical Marenian safeguard maneuver. “Then this was a waste and we’re no closer than we were before.”


  “Let him escape.”

  “What?” Torkel froze and tried to see if Kyele was joking but as usual he couldn’t read the man’s straight face unless he wanted him to.

  Kyle leaned a hip on the counter behind him, his back to the two way mirror. “If we control his escape, follow him to where he scurries off to, it might lead us to Lothar or someone else in the organization who’s more willing to turn on him.”

  Torkel liked it. “Tell Faruk and have Team Two tail him. I want something, Kyele even if it’s only the name of the leak.”

  “And if it’s someone close?” Jaron asked.

  Torkel didn’t flinch. “No quarter.”

  Jaron agreed. “Team One has first shift. I’ll have Gregir bring him something to drink. Loosen the bonds and let the Marenian overpower him.”

  “Use Arak,” Torkel corrected. “He’ll heal faster if the Marenian decides unnecessary force is necessary.”

  Kyele cracked a smile. “Better hope the kitty doesn’t kill him by accident.”

  “Warn Arak to have a care,” Torkel added to Jaron, seeing the wisdom of the precaution. “We want him to actually get away.”

  “On it.”

  The men separated when they left the room. Torkel headed to the recreation room, knowing Rydak would be there waiting for an update. They might need him to read the Marenian’s thoughts even if it caused his team leader excruciating pain. Torkel hoped it didn’t come to that. He skipped the elevator and took the stairs while his mind tried to figure out the puzzling facts. The answer was right there, he just needed to see it clearly. He reached the appropriate floor no closer to figuring out a solution. Torkel shoved the stairwell door open harder than necessary.

  The explosion rocked the building as he turned down the narrow corridor.

  Chapter 18

  Alarms shrieked overhead. Torkel braced a hand on the wall for balance as the floor shook beneath his feet. The door to the recreation room burst open and Rydak raced out. Weapon up and at the ready, he paused when he spotted Torkel. Torkel waved him over as they ran back toward the stairway door. He tapped the mini-communicator in his ear to patch into Jaron.

  “Jaron, update. What the fuck?!” Torkel asked as he leaped down the stairs two at a time to head back to the Comm Center he’d just left. Thunder boomed over head but the building built for such attacks rumbled and held firm

  Jaron’s voice came through on a shout. “Blast on the back end. Heading there now, cameras out. I can’t see shit.”

  Torkel stopped on the second floor landing of the stairwell as the direction of the attack sunk in. His quarters were on the back end. There had already been one attempt to get Faye. Could this be another? The thought congealed in his stomach as he turned and headed back up. Rydak didn’t question his change in direction but the two men were side by side as they ran up to the third floor.

  “Arlo’s out, too,” Jaron added. “Arak loosened his bonds as we planned but the explosion distracted him. Arlo managed to get by him. Have your guard up.”

  Torkel cursed and cursed again, his heart beating double time. The Marenian wouldn’t care who he hurt or killed in his bid to escape. “Warn the others. Have everyone on a central line with the communicators.”

  “On it.”

  “Get a hold of Faye on the communicator in my room, Jaron.” The team lead should be wired in to everyone and would have access to reach his Chosen.

  “Already tried. Communicator’s out. Nothing.”

  Let her be okay, Torkel prayed as they reached the fourth level. He slammed the door open, chest heaving as he ran through. Across the way, the elevator doors on his floor opened and Arak joined them sprinting through the widening gap as soon as they parted. Acrid smoke curled around the ceiling, white strobe lights flickered in an eerie pattern on the walls as the alarms continued to sound.

  “The hit was concentrated in your quarters, Torkel,” Arak announced, zooming passed them.

  “Breach! Breach! We have a breach in unit leader’s quarters.” The over head speakers blared the message.

  Fear spurred Torkel on.

  ***

  Sleep eluded Faye. She’d decided to wait up for Torkel but her eyes kept drifting. The thump behind her startled Faye enough she sat up on the sofa. A dark dressed man leaped from the shadows. Fear spiked as she launched from the sofa but the intruder snagged her around the waist and they fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

  Faye screamed, her fists beating against the chest pinning her down. He must not have expected her to fight back. When he curled up to protect himself, she rolled away and jumped to her feet. Faye took one step but he grabbed her foot and she hit the floor hard, her elbows took the brunt and red hot fire shot up her arms.

  “Noooo!” This couldn’t be happening again.

  “Breach! Breach! We have a breach in unit leader’s quarters.”

  The overhead announcement startled the intruder enough for Faye to scramble away but he lunged and landed on her back. The barrel of a black laser angled inches from her face followed by glass shattering. Faye lifted her head to see broken frames where the balcony doors once were. Another man stepped through the wreckage from outside.

  “Grab the bitch! Let’s go!”

  Faye froze and terror numbed her limbs. A Marenian. Unlike the first attacker, he wasn’t masked. Two black horns extended from his forehead, the one on the left misshapen and twisted.

  A dark hood was thrown over her head. Blinded, Faye only had her other senses to rely on. Impressions flashed through her mind. Rough hands, harsh voices from her two kidnappers and barked orders. Adrenaline surged within. Her hands were yanked behind her back and cuffs pinched her wrists moments later.

  “Who are you? What’s going on?” She asked, panic lending her strength as she bucked. Her head hit the floor with a thump as she was shoved aside. More noises and scuffles. Then someone lifted her in their arms.

  “Let’s go!”

  Cool air hit her arms and legs. For a moment Faye was airborne. She shrieked as her body jerked and swung suspended from a harness of some sort around her waist. More hands grappled with her body as she was lifted and carried once more. Pounding footsteps and a loud roar filled her ears.

  The man holding her cursed and his gait sped up. Faye bounced in his hold, arms jolting in pain as her legs flopped about.

  “Torkel! Help!” She fought against her abductors. Her fingers curled and tore at the arms around her. If she stalled them long enough Torkel and his men would have a chance of stopping whoever sought to take her away.

  “Shut her up,” a voice snapped over her shoulder.

  The heavy blow landed on the side of her face and pain burst beneath her eye. Faye cried out but her assailants didn’t slow. Stars splayed across her vision and darkness crawled in. The creak of a door and suddenly she was tossed on a hard floor. She hit hard. Rough hands turned her onto her back adding pressure on her cuffed hands and pulling her shoulders back awkwardly.

  “Where you’re going no one will hear you scream again.” The voice niggled at her conscious but she couldn’t place it. “Hope you enjoy it Earthling whore.”

  The door slammed close and the vibrations of a hover car taking off rumbled beneath her.

  Soul deep terror roared through her.

  ***

  Torkel’s muscles swelled as he hurdled through the hall. When he reached his empty quarters, anger and fear took over. He raced to the balcony, boots crunching over glass fragments. Arak reached his side.

  “They’ve got a few minutes on us.” With that, Arak braced one hand on the railing and leaped over.

  Torkel glanced down as Arak landed on his feet and took off running. Rydak jerked on his arm. “Let’s go back down. We can’t make that jump and they didn’t leave a cable for you to rip your hands open this time.”

  Torkel hesitated. Going through the building to get down would take longer. Urgency strummed through his veins. He had no choice. Unlike Arak, he wouldn’t survi
ve a jump that high off the ground without a safety net. He took off almost leaving Rydak behind.

  “Torkel, Kyele’s on the move. They’re getting in a black hover car,” Jaron reported in his ear.

  He wasn’t going to make it. Wasn’t going to get to her in time. “Faye? My Chosen. Do they have her?”

  Not even a second passed before his worst nightmares were confirmed.

  “Affirmative.”

  Worry crashed into the pit of his stomach. Torkel growled, hitting the steps two at a time as he leaped to the bottom. He burst through the lower door and into the back of the building only to have his men converge on him.

  “They’re gone, Torkel.”

  Torkel fought their hold. He had to get to Faye.

  “Listen.” Faruk got in his face. “We plan it out. Same as always. We’ll get her back.”

  It wasn’t enough. Arak prowled over. Desperation had Torkel panting. “Their scent, did you get anything?”

  “Nothing,” Arak snarled. “The fire and the chemicals used to create the bomb have everything messed up.”

  “Kyele.” Torkel searched the night for him even as he questioned the location of his team member.

  “He lost the trail three blocks out,” Jaron answered, fists clenched. “He’s on his way back.”

  “Why?” Torkel snapped. “Why have they taken her?”

  It didn’t make sense. What did they want with his Chosen? His knees weakened.

  “We’ll get her back, Torkel.” Jaron steadied him with a hand to the shoulder.

  Chapter 19

  Blinding light hit Faye’s eyes the moment the hood tore from her head. She barely had a chance to orient herself before the guard shoved her forward. Faye stumbled into the dark, abyss. She blinked and made out the walls of a damp cell. Small and tight. Memories of a childhood accident teased along the edges of Faye’s memories. Youthful screams. Bone numbing terror.

  The horrible stench forced back the past and made her eyes burned. Mildew, waste and food gone rotten. The Marenian pushed her again until she tripped and fell on the floor. The chain around her wrists was removed only to be replaced with a single chain on her ankle. Faye tugged and realized the length was imbedded into the stone wall high above a dusty pallet on the floor.