Saven Deliverance

by Siobhan Davis

  The shield is lowered, granting us entry, and the boys maneuver the ship into one of the warehouses which is actually a ginormous hangar, crowded with aircraft of all shapes and sizes. People buzz about the place with electric urgency.

  Logan claims my hand as we alight from the craft. My mouth turns dry, and I smooth a hand down the front of my shirt and pants combo as nervous excitement filters through me. Jarod is the first person I see, and I take off like a rocket, flinging myself into his arms. He lifts me up, his arms holding me at the waist as he gives me a quick once-over. Planting my feet on the ground, he draws me gently into his warm embrace, and I hug him fiercely. “Missed you,” he croaks.

  “She missed you too,” Logan says from behind me, adding, “in case you misconstrued that less-than-subtle greeting.”

  “Still a jealous ass,” Jarod smirks, releasing me as he moves to Logan, slapping him on the back. “Good to see sovereignty hasn’t gone to your head,” he jokes.

  “Rest assured, his Neanderthal persona is alive and thriving,” I tease, returning to Logan’s side and slinging my arm around his waist. He kisses the top of my head.

  The thud of numerous boots hitting the steel floor captures our attention, and we all turn, watching Vin advance with a couple of familiar sandy-blond-haired green-eyed boys at his side. Jarod’s lips twitch knowingly, and I pierce him with pleading eyes. He chuckles under his breath.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Luc says, winking at me as he smoothly dips down, planting a quick kiss on my cheek. “Good to see you again.”

  “Who the hell are you?” Logan predictably demands, not even attempting to hide his irritation.

  Jarod throws back his head, laughing as Zac, Luc’s twin brother, eyes Logan with blatant wariness. I note his aversion to aliens hasn’t waned in the slightest.

  I rub Logan’s arm. “Luc and Zac were in charge of the off-shot rebel movement that Jarod and Vin had aligned themselves to. I met them the last time I was on Earth, in the underground subway warehouse.”

  “Luc,” Vin says, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Knock it off.” Vin extends his hand to Logan. “It’s real good to see you. Thanks for coming.” His warm brown eyes meet mine and he pulls me in for a super-quick hug. “Great to see you, although I wish we had better news to share.”

  My smile fades. “We saw some of the devastation on our way here. It’s even worse than I imagined.”

  “Let’s walk,” Vin suggests with a shrug of his shoulders and we all follow suit. Logan grips my hand tight, still glaring at Luc even though he’s hanging back, eyeing Dali up now as if she’s his next meal.

  Vin escorts us to a sizable meeting room with a long, wide table occupying the center of the space. Numerous boards are pinned to the wall, framing a large wall-mounted screen. A coffee station rests alongside the far wall, and I sprint toward it, my mouth salivating at the prospect of a cappuccino after weeks of deprivation. Jarod chuckles, nudging me with his hip. “Need a fix?”

  “So bad, you’ve no idea,” I moan, watching as he prepares our drinks.

  “Do that again,” Luc says, coming up behind me. “It’s super-hot.”

  I jerk around, pushing him back a little so he’s not all up in my personal space. I catch Logan’s eye as he watches me from the other side of the room, noting the fresh scowl on his face.

  “Do what?” I eye him suspiciously, as Jarod takes a sip of his coffee.

  “That little moan you made at the back of your throat. I’m getting all the feels.” He sends me a saucy wink.

  Jarod splutters, spraying a layer of coffee all over the wall. “Dude, seriously, don’t. Just don’t.”

  Logan is exactly one second away from exploding.

  “Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you quit flirting before my husband”—I enunciate the word so there can be no mistaking what we are to one another—“uses his considerable alien powers to nuke your womanizing ass.”

  Luc turns pale, and Jarod and I break into convulsions at the same time. At least Logan’s fury has ebbed a little. “Don’t even joke about that, and don’t ever say similar stuff in front of Zac.”

  “Oh, don’t worry, your brother made a lasting impression on me. I’ll be staying out of his way.”

  “He’s not all bad,” he says, pouring sugar into his mug. “Just naturally suspicious.”

  “I guess that’s a smart trait to have in these times,” I say, watching Jarod with hawk eyes as he stirs my coffee.

  “Knock yourself out,” he says, extending the mug of coffee goodness in my direction.

  I place my face over the steaming liquid, inhaling deeply as a satisfied moan slips out of my mouth. Jarod chuckles.

  I wander over to the table, clutching my mug between both hands as if it’s the most precious cargo on the planet. Taking a seat, I watch Logan chatting closely with Vin at the far corner of the room. They both have serious expressions on their faces. Zac plops into the seat across from me, eyeing me over the rim of his mug. I fold my arms, staring back at him. He takes a sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving mine. “Where’s blondie?” he asks, finally speaking.

  “Who?” A line furrows my brow.

  “The silver-haired freak you showed up with last time. The one that went apeshit on Luc.”

  “Ax has recently been inaugurated as leader of Torc,” I retort, immediately on the defensive. “He had to stay there.”

  “So, you’re screwing him, now?” He jerks his head in Logan’s direction.

  Irritation prickles my skin, but I’m not getting into the whole Ax-slash-Logan situation with a virtual stranger. “Why are you such an ass all the time?”

  He shrugs. “I speak my mind. If that makes me an ass, so be it.” He drags a hand through his hair as Vin coughs, drawing everyone’s attention.

  “It’s time to get down to business. Take a pew,” he says. When everyone is seated, Vin switches the screen on and proceeds to show us footage of Virginia and the Carolinas, which are the main areas the Amaretti have targeted so far. Vast tracts of land have been leveled, and all that’s visible is burned, charred remnants of what used to exist there. Other parts of the state are in better condition, with some structures still standing. As the camera sweeps over the landscape, intact buildings mingle with partially demolished high-rises resting on wobbly structures that look on the verge of complete collapse. Cars and trucks lie overturned on the road, and felled trees lie horizontally across the broken asphalt, blocking public access. Famous landmarks lie in ruins, barely identifiable under the mountain of rubble and debris. People wander the streets in various states of attire, their distressed faces mirroring the misery of their surroundings.

  My heart feels like a solid block of lead in my chest, and my mouth swirls with a bitter aftertaste. All this was happening while I was in space, and I can’t help feeling like I’ve let everyone down.

  The screen dies and the room is submerged in silence. Dali is the first to break it. “I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “So much needless loss of life.” She shakes her head sadly.

  Zac leans forward in his seat. “Who are you and why are you apologizing?” His eyes narrow suspiciously.

  Win stiffens as she replies. “I am Dalitza of the Amaretti, acting queen of Amara.”

  “What the actual fuck?!” Zac leaps up out of his chair, shrieking at Vin. “What is with you, man?” He draws a weapon from the belt strapped to his hip and points it at Dali. Everyone holds their collective breaths, and fire races through my veins. Haydn moves for his gun. “Don’t even think about it, alien,” Zac warns him, maintaining eye contact with Dali. He clicks a button on the side of the weapon, and a narrow red beam locks on a point mid-center of Dali’s forehead. “If anyone moves, I’ll shoot.”

  “Zac.” Vin cautiously approaches him.

  “Back off, man. I mean it. Tell me why I shouldn’t shoot her? Her father has killed hundreds of thousands. Maybe this is the way we send back a message.”

  His finger pushes on t
he trigger and I rise, fiery flames frolicking on my wrists. “I can and will incinerate you before you get a chance to harm my friend. Trust me on that.” I let the flames dance higher, and Jarod curses as Vin’s eyes pop wide. Zac looks shell-shocked, but he hasn’t budged and his weapon is still pointed at Dali, poised and ready to fire. “Perhaps a visual might help.” I flick my wrist up slowly, aiming for one of the boards pinned to the wall. A fireball shoots out, demolishing the board and leaving a large hole in the wall. The people holding a meeting in the next room take one look at me and run screaming into the corridor.

  Zac stumbles back, tumbling to the floor, the weapon flying out of his hand. Vin reacts fast, swooping down to retrieve it. “Everyone, please, settle down. We are all on the same side here.”

  He gestures at me, and I retract my incendio ability, sitting back down.

  “Ho. Lee. Crap.” Jarod whistles under his breath, bumping my shoulder. “I want me that gadget.”

  I can’t keep the smile off my face. “You’re not afraid of me?”

  “Nah.” He nudges my shoulder again. “You’re still you.” He shrugs as if it’s commonplace to see one of your friends transform into a human fireball.

  I hug him briefly. “You are the best, Jarod.”

  “Man, you are hot!” Luc says, still staring at me with a gobsmacked look on his face. “Like, literally, hot.”

  “Can you laser his mouth shut or something?” Logan asks me, drilling Luc with a deadly look.

  “Dude,” Luc replies, holding his palms up, “she’s your girl, got it. I’m only trying to lighten the mood so butthead over there”—he gestures toward his twin, who is still on the floor, looking like the wind has been knocked out of his sails—“calms the hell down.”

  Vin helps Zac to his feet, steering him forward. Perching on the edge of the table, Vin gently pushes him back into his chair. “Cool it, Zac. Dali is a friend and an ally, and she is here to help us determine the best way of defeating her father. She doesn’t support his actions, and she is as keen as we are to halt this with minimal casualties.”

  Zac shoves Vin’s hands away. “A little warning would’ve been nice.” He scowls, and Vin sighs in exasperation.

  “And listen to your angry tirade for days before they arrived?” Vin elevates a brow. “No thank you.”

  “Chill, bro. Seriously, the people in this room are not our enemy.”

  “Fuck off, Luc,” Zac retorts.

  “Zip it, you two. Focus or you can leave.” Vin pins them with a cautionary look.

  Luc taps two fingers off his forehead. “Understood, boss man.” I’ve never met two people who look so alike yet behave so completely differently.

  “What options have you explored?” Logan deftly changes the subject. “And what’s the latest on the president?”

  “I have a meeting set up for this afternoon with the president and his cabinet in Wisconsin. They are expecting you,” Jarod confirms.

  Vin walks to the top of the table, pulling a digital screen down from the ceiling. Red and green markers are dotted all over the map incorporating the Sovereign Northern States of America, Unified States of West and South America, Independent Republic of Central America, and the Eastern Seaboard States. “Red indicates the presence of Amaretti ships, green are the Saven ones.” You can tell instantly that Amaretti ships outnumber the Saven three to one. “As you can see, the largest group is clustered along the Eastern Seaboard States, stopping short of New York. That’s not a coincidence, given the heightened Saven presence in our capital city. All our neighboring governments are working with us to contain the threat, and the same is true of other parts of the world. If there is any positive to come out of this alien invasion, it is cohesion between all races and nations on Earth.”

  Logan stands up. “Vin, he’s here.” Vin nods and Logan strides to the door, poking his head out in the corridor. He steps back into the room a minute later with a stern-looking dark-haired Saven male, resplendent in the standard military regale. “This is Officer Aerav. He was on the ground in Virginia at the time of the attack, and I asked him to come here today to update us on the situation.” Logan pulls out a chair for him. “Make yourself comfortable.”

  I get up and fix a glass of water, before returning and offering it to him. He looks up at me with inquisitive eyes. “Thank you, Mistress Sadie.”

  Luc falls off his chair laughing, and Jarod isn’t far behind him. My cheeks flush red.

  “It’s Sadie,” I say, working hard to keep my voice pleasant. It’s not his fault that Saven traditions are so archaic. It serves as a reminder of how much work we’ve to do—the Saven are so set in their ways. “Just call me Sadie,” I suggest. He pulls at his collar, clearly uncomfortable

  “Or you can call her Queen Sadie, if you prefer,” Logan adds, noticing his discomfort. “It’ll be official as soon as things settle down.” Luc stops laughing, staring at me slack-jawed for the second time in minutes. “Whenever you’re ready,” Logan tells the officer, retaking his seat beside me.

  The officer clears his throat, resting his hands on top of the table. “My ship was stationed in Virginia when the Amaretti attacked. There had been little movement of any sort for weeks. Ground inspections ceased shortly after we arrived, and we’ve been patrolling the streets and keeping a watchful eye on the enemy. Without warning, swarms of Amaretti soldiers flooded the streets, killing randomly. We fought back, as did the humans, but we were outnumbered and outmaneuvered. We retreated to reassess and plan the best line of defense, and that’s when an influx of additional ships crowded the sky. They opened fire immediately, demolishing everything in its path.”

  He pauses briefly to draw a breath. “I contacted my superior, and he told me to focus on evacuation, so we herded up as many humans as we could and left with them. By morning, the whole state was razed, and everyone was dead with the exception of those we lifted to safety. I spoke to my peers in North and South Carolina, and their reports are the same. Massive casualties and complete annihilation.”

  He speaks in a monotone voice, displaying no emotion, but it won’t be long before that changes. The medical team that came to Earth with us has already started inoculating the guards.

  “What have they been doing since?” I ask.

  “Nothing, My Queen. They remain airborne, locked in position.”

  “Thank you, Officer Aerav. You are dismissed.” Logan gives him a grateful nod, and Haydn escorts him out of the room.

  “I’m going to ensure everyone is in the auditorium in time for the meeting,” Haydn advises us both, exiting the room.

  “Dali, what do you think your father is planning next?” Logan asks.

  “We’ve discussed this already, Logan, and my views haven’t changed.” Frustration bleeds into her tone. “My father is trying to position himself so he can negotiate. By threatening the humans, he hopes to force the commission to act leniently in his regard. This is a power play and I suspect the next move is ours.”

  “That’s not exactly helpful,” Zac snaps. “We need to know what your father is going to do. Where he’s going to strike next.”

  “I don’t have a hotline to his mind!” Dali retorts, throwing her hands in the air.

  “But you obviously know why he’s doing this. Why is he even bothered with Earth?” Zac sends her a stern look.

  “Our home planet is crumbling, and we can’t stay there much longer. Earth is a viable option, and my father has fixated on claiming it for our people even though there is no need anymore because I’ve already identified a new planet we can call home.”

  “So why the hell is your father still here?” Zac shakes his head in consternation.

  “Because he’s a stubborn old coot,” Dali replies, massaging her temples. “And he doesn’t like being told what to do. Plus, I’m sure he’s been apprised of the new arrangement in the galaxy, been told about the new commission, and he’s aware that he risks incarceration the second he re-enters our solar system. He values h
is freedom too much to take any chances with it.”

  “I don’t get it.” Luc scratches the back of his head. “If the Amaretti on Earth know this, why do they still support him? It makes no sense.”

  “I don’t think they know what’s occurred in the galaxy. The forces he has here are the only ones that remain loyal to him and he will manipulate the situation to keep it like that. I’m fairly certain none of my people on Earth know I’m acting queen or that we’re already in the process of moving to a new planet.”

  “Well, let’s tell them then,” Zac proposes.

  “It’s not that simple,” Vin cuts in. “We’ve been trying to breach their comm systems for months, and they’re impenetrable.” A frustrated expression appears on his face. “Let’s not get sidetracked. It’s something to consider, but, for now, let’s move on.” Vin focuses on Logan. “What’s the score with this new commission?” Logan and Dali explain who the U.P.C. is and what has been happening in outer space. Luc quits his inept flirting, and Zac forgets his hatred, as both of them listen with sharp focus to everything that’s being said.

  “If your father needs to garner favor with the commission and the recent attacks are part of some game plan, how can we move the process forward without risking any more lives?” Vin asks Dali.

  She sits upright in her chair, wetting her lips in an obvious nervous tell. “I think I should go and talk to him.”

  “What?” Win pipes up. “When did you decide this?”

  Gently, she unfolds his clenched hand, unknotting his tense fingers. “This has always been my intention, but I knew none of you would agree, so I chose to hold it back until the right moment.” Her eyes skim over the room. “This is the right moment.” A new layer of tension is brewing in the room. “If we can’t get word through to my people, let me try and get through to my father instead.”