The Colossus Collection : A Space Opera Adventure (Books 1-7 + Bonus Material)

by Nicole Grotepas

  “Will you be going back to Itzcap?”

  “I’d thought about it,” she answered carefully, her eyes locked on his face to watch for a reaction. He didn’t betray anything.

  “If you go, the thing is, Holly. We lost something of infinite value in that skirmish when we lost Jamie. Not just the man, who I will miss. He was a good agent. We also lost the thing he brought back from Shakti.”

  “I thought you didn’t get anything from Shakti,” she said. “At least nothing that you needed or wanted.”

  “Jamie wasn’t aware. He thought he was after something else. He did bring something back. But he thought it was nothing. He thought it was a souvenir for my son.”

  She clenched her teeth and nodded.

  “Does that bother you?” Dave asked, noting her face.

  “Just the constant secrets. That’s all.”

  “Everyone comes away with scars, Holly. If you decide to go back to Itzcap. If you decide we’re still on the same team. If you do these, things, I’d be indebted to you if you retrieved that souvenir.”

  25

  Holly climbed the stairs to the Bird’s Nest, but stopped in the stairwell. She’d heard something familiar. Her heart pounded, she paused to listen to make sure she was right.

  “Yes, lass, it was a brutal night for me,” the voice said.

  She raced up the rest of the stairs and burst into the room. “Shiro!”

  “Ah, Ms. Drake,” Shiro said. He reclined on the sofa, his feet up, his cane on the floor just out of reach of his hand dangling over the edge like he was exhausted. When Holly came in, he sat up, laughing.

  “Where the hell have you been?” she crossed the room to him. He rose and she embraced him, casting aside all decorum. She’d missed him.

  Holly let go and sat down on the chair next to the sofa. Charly and Darius complained of already hearing his story, but he recounted what happened to Holly. He’d hidden in a large public trash bin. At first he thought he’d be able to exit quickly, but there was always someone around. Before he had a chance to leave it, a trash collector came and took the bin. It was taken to a facility that sorted the refuse and broke it down into basic parts. Shiro was forced to figure out a way to get around that, but it took quite some time. He ended up hiding in the facility and sleeping there. But, at least he wasn’t in the hands of what he believed were former Shadow Coalition members.

  “Any sign of Iain Grant?” Shiro asked.

  “Not yet. I’m hopeful he’ll turn up.”

  “He’s probably washing dishes to pay for his ticket back to Kota,” Shiro said, laughing.

  They talked about what happened to Holly and Odeon—who still hadn’t returned from his errand—and they discussed what they might do next. “Obviously Xadrian isn’t going to pay us for the last job. I don’t think I want to make him do that, either, since we lost Jamie.”

  Shiro’s expression went serious. “Sad business, that.”

  “Yes, it was. And I’m sorry I didn’t just run.”

  “Think nothing of it. Normal reaction,” Shiro said.

  Charly suddenly gasped and stared at something behind Holly. Holly twisted in her chair. Iain stood in the doorway, still wearing the clothes she’d last seen him in, the beginning of a grizzled beard covering his jaw and chin. She resisted the urge to run to him and hug him tight, too aware of their audience.

  “Someone took my bag from the rental house,” Iain said, when he caught Holly noticing his clothes. “And I haven’t brushed my teeth. I came straight here.”

  “Thanks for the warning, chap. I was going to plant a big wet one right on your lips, but I won’t now.”

  Holly laughed. “Come in. We were getting worried.” She didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt shy. Maybe because she’d been so raw with emotion over where he was, whether he was safe, and if she would die never knowing. “We brought your bag back. It’s in the corner.” She nodded to the corner just off the stairwell. “I didn’t want to lose it. The rental was only booked for two days.”

  Iain strode over and got his bag. “Well, good to see all of you. Right now, I’m going to go freshen up.”

  “Yes, do that lad.” Shiro said, laughing and waving his hand in front of his nose.

  “Come on Shir, it’s not like you didn’t spend some time in the trash. No one’s pointing out how bad you smell, are they?” Charly said. “Iain, there’s a lockerroom in the basement. I can show you where it is, or just ask Torden on your way down.”

  “We’ll be here when you get done. Definitely take care of yourself,” Holly said.

  He took his bag and disappeared back down the stairwell.

  Holly let out a long breath, a sigh really. She’d hadn’t realized how tense she’d been, not knowing if he was ok. And still, she wanted to run down the stairs after him and hold onto him for hours and never let go. But, if he really hadn’t been able to clean up for days—like she hadn’t during her night in the cave—she wanted to respect his privacy.

  “When he gets back, and when Odeon returns, we can figure out what our next move is,” Holly said.

  “‘Next move is,’ Drake? You serious?” Darius asked. He’d been researching something at his bay of v-screens.

  “Yes, I’m serious. You don’t think we’re just going to let those bastards take over the 6 Moons again, do you? Plus, they have something. I need to get it back from them.”

  “Back? Did they take something of yours?” Charly asked.

  “Sort of.” She wasn’t sure about sharing everything she knew at the moment with her crew. It was all still solidifying in her mind. Getting locked into a specific course of action before she was sure didn’t sound wise.

  * * *

  Odeon returned and deposited a bag laden with supplies on the coffee table. Everyone was in the Bird’s Nest now, including Iain, who had changed clothes and looked a bit fresher since his visit to the facilities in the basement.

  “How’d you pass the time, Iain, back on Cobalt Bay?” Shiro asked, standing with his back to the wetbar counter. He held a mug of kasé in his hands. The fragrance of the drink wafted through the room like spice.

  “Don’t ask,” Iain said, sounding gruff. “And don’t hold your breath. I’m not sure I’ll ever talk about it.”

  “Can I interest you in a drink?” Shiro asked. “I’ll trade you a drink for your story, old chap.”

  Iain laughed. “No chance, Shiro.”

  Odeon watched Iain thoughtfully and then made eye contact with Holly. “These things are ready, Holly. Iain Grant, we all went through unpleasant circumstances after we lost Jamie. I’m glad you survived.”

  “Thanks Odeon. You’re all a sight for sore eyes,” Iain said, his gaze settling on Holly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save Jamie.”

  Holly needed to move this thing along. They had very little time to get going on her plan before they missed their window. “I’m going back.” She said, simply. She stood up and strode to the window overlooking the street outside.

  Everyone looked at her.

  “If you go back, I’m going with this time,” Charly said, the first to break the silence.

  “I’ll be on comms again, because you know I’m not going out there,” Darius said. “But this time we need a backup plan. Since the last communications set was hacked, it could happen again. I recommend getting a new system that has tighter security.”

  “Good thinking, Darius, which is why I’ve just gotten Beatrice Le Tissier’s best system. That’s where Odeon was. He also got a few supplies for a medic kit from Shig Soliss.”

  “For me?” Iain asked.

  Holly dipped her chin to acknowledge his question. “If you’ll go again with us. But, well, I know this last one was a bit crazy. So I understand if you don’t want to go.”

  “What is it you’re going after, Holly?” Iain’s expression was careful, and she knew it meant that he didn’t want to go. It was hard to blame him. In a way she didn’t want him to go either—he was too val
uable to her, she realized. If something happened to him…but, well, he was always an amazing crew member, quietly pulling his weight, gravely making hard choices and staying cool under pressure.

  “I’m going back to the warehouse. Jamie left something there—I don’t now what it was. Something that he’d brought back from Shakti.”

  “I thought that mission failed,” Odeon said.

  “It did,” Holly said. “As far as he knew. But he brought something back.”

  “Another dangerous mission for a possibility?” Iain asked. The muscles of his jaw rippled beneath the two days growth of beard.

  “Not that alone. I’m not about to hand over the 6 Moons to the Shadow Coalition. They’re stirring. Something’s happening. I’m going back to that pit of snakes to break them up and scare them. Or whatever works. Action versus inaction. And none of you have to go. I would never make you. You know what the possibilities are. You know the dangers. But who else is going to look into this? Anyone? Have the Centau been paying attention? Do they even know or care? I care. The kids are leaving Elan’s school. I have to find out why and stop whoever’s persuading them to go.”

  She paused and looked from face to face of her crew. They were loyal. They tried hard. They never gave up.

  “You know the risks. I want you on my side, but it’s your choice. Whatever you decide, I leave on the next zeppelin. I’m going back to the warehouse before the Shadow Coalition can slink back into the darkness.”

  26

  “But are we surprised?” Charly asked, with the binoculars pressed against her eyes.

  “Not really. It’s what I expected, actually,” Holly said, standing beside Charly.

  Darius had booked the same rental near the warehouse, knowing that it was situated in such a way that they could observe the warehouse safely before making their move.

  Holly took the proffered binoculars and studied the busy scene happening at the warehouse. A steady stream of suited Shadow Coalition members walked in and out, through the open roll-style door. Occasionally Holly and the crew had witnessed a delivery truck exiting or entering the warehouse.

  Iain came to stand with them at the floor-to-ceiling windows. He folded his arms, squinted, and gazed out the window. “They’re moving.”

  “That’s why we had to hurry,” Holly said.

  “Do you know where the item is that you’re here for?” Iain asked, keeping his eyes focused out the window. His low voice held an especially gravelly tone today.

  “Not really. I’ll know it when we see it,” Holly answered, putting the binoculars down. “It’s never going to not be busy. I’m beginning to think that our move needs to be something loud, something drastic. We can’t wait for the place to be empty. By then everything in it will be gone, and we’ll have missed our chance.”

  “But where is it? Is it in the warehouse? If we go in, will we find what you’re after? Or is the point then to take out the Shadow Coalition?” Odeon asked from behind her. He was moving through warm up exercises, using his Ousaba in the moves, balancing and practicing lunges while extending the Ousaba with each move.

  “I don’t know. I wondered if maybe—” Holly cleared her throat “—we should find Jamie’s body. Check his clothes.”

  Charly made a loud noise that sounded like a wild bird in the jungles of Joppa. The shorter human, the hand-to-hand fighter of the crew, stared at Holly, her eyes wild and shocked. “What the hell, Hols? Are you literally suggesting that we find a dead body and search it for some random object?”

  Holly felt her face turning hot. “Yes.” She avoided Charly’s gaze, could feel the weight of Iain’s stare and the curious look in Shiro’s eyes directed at her.

  “We should have checked his body back before we left the first time,” Iain said.

  “We didn’t precisely have time,” Shiro point out.

  “I just hope it’s still where we left it,” Holly said. “Whatever it might hold could be very important.” And whatever it was he’d had, she wanted it before Xadrian or Dave could get it. If it was important to them, it was important to her. She still didn’t know what was going on with those two, but she wouldn’t trust them till she knew she could. Again. They’d been acting far too weird of late to give her any confidence that they were playing fair and being honest.

  They finished an hour or two of observing the activity at the warehouse and adapted their plan to what they saw. They readied to go in and clean house before the warehouse was cleaned out and the former Shadow Coalition members were gone.

  Holly’s whip was fully charged. Her knives were in their positions. And her heart was in her throat. They would first go find Jamie’s body, search it, and then head to the warehouse and attempt to locate it there. Everyone was prepped, Iain had his new medic kit and the aether gun. Charly brought up the rear, and Odeon and Iain led, while Holly and Shiro held the middle together.

  Down the stairs to the main floor, and out into the street that was one row of warehouses away from their target. They headed up the inclined street, passing four warehouses and then entered the alley where they had originally sequestered Jamie’s body. Around three days had passed since they’d left him there. Holly was prepared to find no sign of him, but she held onto hope—just one victory, she thought.

  But, either luckily or unluckily, when they came to the stack of crates against the side of the warehouse, there was no sigh of Jamie’s body. It was gone.

  “Damn,” Holly cursed.

  “I’m glad it’s gone, honestly, Charly said. “My idea of taking care of business doesn’t include searching the clothes of the dead.”

  “Now we’ll never know what they were after,” Holly muttered.

  “Who?” Charly asked.

  Holly ignored the question. “Let’s go back to the warehouse, then. Whatever it was, they’ve probably got it anyway.”

  “Let’s stick to the plan,” Shiro said. “Watch each other’s backs.”

  “Yes, well, we kept it simple so that when we’re overwhelmed by their sheer numbers we cannot fail,” Odeon said. Holly saw the resolve in his profile when he turned his head, scouting their route back to the warehouse.

  Simply like they owned the warehouse district, the five of them strode toward the rolling door of the warehouse like they belonged there. The Shadow Coalition members working to clear out the joint didn’t notice them at first, perhaps due to the sheer insanity of their move—walking right up to the door like they belonged.

  When they reached a cluster of thugs who were busy discussing their plans, Shiro made a decisive move, which Holly was glad to see, that he was taking the initiative and such.

  “Yoo-hoo,” he said, drawing his sword. The metallic clink of his sword leaving its scabbard startled the henchmen. They stopped talking and turned, almost as one, their faces masks of surprise. The cephalopod tattoos denoting their loyalties were visible on their necks, running beneath their collars. Holly knew it—they were former Shadow Coalition members. She would continue to simply consider them Shadow Coalition members. Because whatever was happening, they were coalescing out of the wreckage.

  “What the hell?” One of them said. A Constellation who looked like he’d seen too many fist-fights. His nose was crooked like it had been broken and healed badly. His ears were lumpy and his hair was buzzed—an unusual cut to see on a Constie.

  “This is private property,” a female thug said, drawing a long-bladed knife. A male counterpart also drew a long knife and stood next to her.

  “Good,” Odeon said. “Then no one will care when we knock you out and stop your operation.”

  “We have company,” a human male shouted. He was tall and dark-complexioned and very obviously seemed to be the leader, from the way he handled himself. “Everyone here, now!”

  Holly pegged him as the one she’d go for first. If he was the de facto leader, she wanted to defeat him fast and break up the reunification.

  Shiro took the knife-wielders, while Odeon went began wh
ipping his Ousaba around, taking out those who’d come running to answer the rallying cry of the de facto leader. As they neared them, Odeon hit them in the face or swept their feet out from under them. Charly joined Odeon, careful to give his club a wide berth.

  Iain began maiming the approaching minions from a distance with his aether gun, staying near the heart of the battle with Holly.

  “If you get the chance, Iain,” Holly said before he got to absorbed in the fight, “look for something out of the ordinary. A souvenir we might have gotten on Shakti station.”

  Holly’s whip flicked on, a violet pool of aether poured out, reassembling into a thin rope of light. The vibrant glow of the curling end was beautiful in a battle. It sang to her like a work of art. The gun was a destructive force that she’d admired, but there was something less utilitarian, and more graceful about the whip. She’d never felt more unified with a force than she did with the aether whip.

  The de facto leader laughed as he watched her intentionally causing the whip to coil at her feet. It swirled in the dusty concrete, kicking up a cloud that accentuated its glow.

  He wouldn’t laugh for long, she could guarantee him that.

  She waved her arm so that the whip curled over her head and came down with a crack. That stopped everyone in their tracks. The aether whip was a force of its own. She thought of it more like wind and thunder now that she’d been using it a while. When an enemy saw or felt it coming at them, they knew it wasn’t something to laugh at.

  Her opponent’s eyes went wide. But as soon as what he’d seen registered, the whip had already looped around his legs. Holly jerked hard on it, which swept his legs out from under him. He didn’t appear to be armed, which was fine with her—it would be an easy battle.

  Holly dragged him toward her. In response, he cried in pain, flipped onto his stomach, and tried to crawl away. For a moment, she felt terrible about what she was doing. He seemed so helpless.