by Stone, Layla
When she was almost next to him, he cried out and swiped a piece of glass at her face. Pulling back and using her arm as a shield, she felt the sharp weapon slide down her sensitive skin. The pain was quick, and it stunned her for a moment. Long enough for the hunter to roll away. Getting her bearings back, she scrambled to follow. He ran towards the back. Not wanting to be stuck in the corner, he turned, looking like he was ready to charge.
Instead of attacking him, she moved from side to side, hissing as she went, letting her illumia fill the place. By the time he realized what she was doing, he couldn’t get past without touching one of the bursts, and he knew it. His eyes hard, he charged forward. He crossed into several layers before he reached her. Instead of moving, she stood still and watched him lose control of his body.
His form curled up—half on his side, half on his face.
Turning back to Yon, her eyes seemed to always know where to find him. Ansel was still there by his side, and now Pax had made it, too.
On the far side of the containers, the Boore female watched everything from a safe distance. Yelena doubted that anyone even knew they were being watched.
Yelena hoped the female would be too scared to attack as she moved forward. She was almost to Yon when the female finally noticed and reacted by turning into a black shadow and rushing to the other side of the room. Yelena watched and moved accordingly so the female never got behind her.
The scared female didn’t move again, and Yelena moved in by Ansel.
Yelena looked over at Yon and saw that his eyes were open, but he wasn’t moving or speaking, which was odd for him. Ansel’s hands were covered in dark grey blood, along with his clothes.
“Is he going to be okay?” she asked.
Ansel didn’t look in her direction as he spoke. “Someone shot him with his own gun. Clipped his internal medscope. I had to break into his chest to replace it. His heart just started beating a few seconds ago. And I’ll have you know, I did it without any light, which was irritating.”
He only just started breathing? She didn’t know what that meant, but she worried that was a long time to be dead. “Does he need to get back to the ship?”
“Of course, he does,” Ansel said snidely.
Yelena didn’t let that tone get to her. Instead, she reached her arm around Yon and patted Pax’s arm. “Can you help me carry him?”
Pax grabbed hold of her arm and squeezed her hand. “I really liked the light show you gave, but I can’t say I liked not being able to see anything else. Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she lied. She would not be entirely okay until she saw Yon safely back on the ship. With the immediate threat over, all she could think about was how selfish she had been to send him down to the lab without backup. He’d told her it was dangerous, and she didn’t listen.
She wished she could go back and stop herself from being so emotional.
Pax pulled Yon over his shoulder and stood up with a slight sway. She took hold of his free hand and put it on her shoulder. “Follow me.”
“Yeah, that’s probably for the best.” Pax held on as they slowly moved through the galley.
Looking at the female who was eyeing her every move, Yelena told Pax, “By the way, the containers weren’t full of experiments. They are from the Outworlds. Sci said they can manipulate shadows.”
“One more reason to not like Outworlders. Seriously, why couldn’t I have that ability?” Pax stepped on a piece of metal and jerked back as he tried to find his balance. Yelena held still so he could use her as an anchor. When he was straight again, they began walking once more. This time, she made sure to scan the floor as they went.
In her periphery, she saw a shadow following them. Yelena didn’t act on it but decided to tell Pax, “There’s one following us to your right. She’s a female and hasn’t attacked. Once you get Yon in the lifepod, I’m going to see if I can get her to take a water pack or a nutrient bar.”
“You have a good heart, sweets, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. She’s probably just going to try and escape when she sees the doors.”
“Going outside is a bad idea. The planet is dead. No life.” And Yelena didn’t think the female would survive on her own.
“And slightly radioactive, hence the evo-suits.”
Yelena and Pax had made it through the office and medical room. Inside the hallway, it took longer because she had so many android parts to move out of their way. Finally, she and Pax saw the starlight escaping from around the edges of the exit doors. Pax walked out into the light, holding Yon tightly.
Yelena couldn’t help herself as they passed. She reached out and touched the side of his face, hoping he would be okay.
When Yelena turned around, a dark shadow was hiding in the corner. She sniffed the air, letting the Boore know she was there. It took several moments before the shadow regained her form, but again, it was still dark, and no one would have been able to see her but Yelena.
The female made a series of clicks and pointed in the direction that Pax had gone. Yelena shook her head, not sure what the female wanted, but Yelena wasn’t going to let her out into the harmful planet.
The clicks got louder, but Yelena didn’t move to engage. Ten minutes later, Pax returned by himself. “Yon is on his way back. I’m going to grab Veeda, but we are going to have to wait for the recovery ship. There are no more lifepods nearby.”
While Pax talked, the Boore kept looking at the door as if she were waiting for someone else to walk in.
That’s when Pax questioned her. “Are you going to hang out by the door?”
“The female is right in front of me. She’s watching us and the door. I’m not going to let her leave.”
“That’s creepy,” Pax said, holding out his hand as if he could touch the Boore. But he was facing the wrong direction and too far away.
That’s when Yelena saw Ansel move out from the medical room, one hand waving back and forth as if trying to keep anything from attacking while the other hand skimmed the wall. On his shoulder was the bag of food and water she had brought.
“Ansel,” she called, letting Pax know who had joined them.
In response, the Numan said, “I hate being here. I hate smelly labs, and I hate being left behind like garbage.”
The Boore turned back into a shadow and moved farther away. Pax headed towards the doctor. “I wouldn’t have left you. And you know that.”
“You did leave me. Even if it was just for a second to take your precious best friend to safety. You left me instead of letting me follow. But that’s what I expected. Use my skills and then forget about me. Forget that I’m in hell, reliving this nightmare. Except this time, no one poured acid in my eyes. I’m just in the dark because the power is out. It’s fine. I’m always fine.”
“Okaaay,” Pax said, drawing out the word. “Follow my voice and come to me.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child,” Ansel snapped but headed to Pax.
“I was going to go get Veeda. Did you want to stay here with Yelena and the shadow girl or come with me?”
Ansel stopped and let the bag drop. Yelena watched as his shoulders lifted and flopped like a petulant child. “Just kill her and be done with it. It’s not like she’s going to live long anyway. She looks like a withered fruit.”
“Who are you talking about?” Pax asked.
“Veeda. Who else looks like a withered rotten fruit?”
“You of all people want me to kill someone? What has gotten into you? You save everyone. Always. I remember you even trying to save the Angny gladiators.” Pax held out his hand and felt around until he grabbed Ansel’s shoulder.
Ansel tried to shrug him off. “If you knew her like I do, you’d have already done it.”
Pax turned the male around and pulled him as he walked down the hall. Both of them hitting debris as they went. Once they were out of sight, the Boore solidified again.
She clicked again and used her hands to point to the door, but nothing
made sense. Instead of trying to communicate, Yelena grabbed the bag, unzipped it, and pulled out a water package.
She opened it and placed it on the floor, then grabbed one for herself. Yelena covered the top, tilted back the packet, and drank down the contents. When she finished, she waited to see if the stranger followed suit.
Tentatively, the Boore moved forward, bent down, and grabbed the pouch. She tipped it up and drank. Yelena smiled, pulled out another water, showed her how to open it, and they both drank a second package.
There was a hum in the air. A second later, the lights flickered on.
Yelena watched as the Boore faded into a dark shadow and zoomed back towards the medical room. Yelena followed. When they reached the bay, it was full of people, and all the containers had been broken.
A large group of Boore turned as one, and it felt like every pair of red eyes had zoomed in on her. Immediately, there were clicks and a few screams, but it was the alpha who got Yelena’s attention. The male she’d fought earlier was up and walking around. She didn’t know if that was normal, but she would have liked it if he’d stayed unconscious a little while longer.
Turning around and hoping not to draw too much attention to herself, she slipped back out and rushed to the hall, hoping that Pax would find her before the Boore did. There were far more than a handful of males, and she wasn’t confident she could take them all out.
Pax came running around the curved hall holding Veeda’s old, decrepit body. The female’s wrists and ankles were tied together, and Ansel was slogging behind.
“All of the Outworlders are free. Thought you should know,” Yelena announced.
“That’s fine. There is a ship on top.”
That’s when she heard a scream and saw the alpha at the medical door, looking at her with something that could be determination. Yelena kept her eyes on the Boore, holding her arms out to show possession of the males behind her.
The alpha screamed at her.
“I’m so done hearing those bastards screaming,” Pax said, rushing to the exit. Ansel followed, and Yelena crouched to keep the threat in front of her. When she was all the way out, the doors slammed shut behind her. Pax secured them with a lock she had seen on the ship in controlled areas. When he was done, Pax reached down and picked up Veeda from the floor, then threw her over his shoulder and led the way.
On the ship, Pax left Veeda’s body in the cargo space for Ansel to take care of. Ansel didn’t do anything to aid the female, which Yelena was okay about, but the way he looked at her, it was as if he were looking through her. As if the other Numan didn’t exist. Then he said, “It’s like all the darkness inside her is eating away at her skin, consuming her one breath at a time.”
Yelena agreed but didn’t say so. Now that she was off the planet, she had so many concerns hitting her all at once. Mainly, if Yon was going to be okay.
The ship vibrated as they left the planet’s atmosphere. Yelena let her knees bend and slid down until she felt the cold metal below her, soothing her.
To her surprise, Ansel took in a deep breath, blinked, and turned from Veeda to Yelena. His eyes alive and focused, he said, “You’re hurt.” As he moved towards her, she held out her hand to keep him back.
“I’ll be fine.”
Ansel’s voice was back to being light and warm. “You’re bleeding, and we need to get that to stop before you bleed out or it clots, and I have to reopen it again to make sure the wound is clean. Medscopes can do wonders, but they do not clean all wounds. They only heal most of them.”
This was the Ansel she knew. “Why are you acting differently?”
He winced. “I’m sorry about what happened down there… I…”
“You were gone. As if all the life were sucked out of you.”
Ansel lowered his head. “Yes, it likely appeared that way. But I promise,”—he lifted his head, sincerity in his tone and expression—“I’m good now. Please, let me help you. I don’t want you to get an infection.” He held out his hand to her, and she took it. He pulled her up and led her to medical. She wanted to trust him but seeing him the way he had been in the lab had left a deep-seated doubt. There was something wrong with Ansel, and she didn’t think that anyone else knew.
23
Not Me
Yon was in medical with so many tubes coming out of him that he looked like he could be a Numan experiment.
His mind was muffled, and he tried calling out to Ansel, who was talking to Rannn, but his voice didn’t work. Nothing worked. He screamed again mentally. But again…nothing. Then he saw Ansel glance at him as if he were no one. He didn’t even walk in his direction. Ansel moved right into the lab. Being passed over like that pissed Yon the hell off. But that only lasted for a second because soon, Yon realized that no amount of telling his arms and legs to move did anything to change his limp and unresponsive body.
What is wrong with me?
* * *
Yon didn’t know how much time had passed. He had been calling out to Ansel, Rannn, Pax, and even Seth of Stars for help. And no one came. When the lights in medical dimmed, signifying lights-out, he watched as Yelena walked in and straight to him.
A piece of him wanted to tell her to leave. He didn’t want her to see him like this. But he couldn’t say those words. And even if he could, he didn’t want to shove her away anymore.
She looked into his eyes and said, “When I was going into surgery, I was scared because I couldn’t move. But Sci was there in my mind to help me understand what was happening. I heard you still have your cerebral blocker on. I wanted to know if I could take it off. I promise it will help.”
Yes! He wanted that. But he didn’t know how to say so. In reaction, he decided to blink several times.
“Is that a no?”
No! It’s a yes!
She looked away as if she were checking to make sure they were still alone. “Pax warned me that you’d be furious if I took off your blocker, but I hate not knowing if you’re okay.”
His chest felt as if it were about to explode. He needed to talk to Sci—anyone who could hear him and help him understand what was wrong with him. He blinked again and again.
Yelena’s voice was barely above a whisper when she said, “I’m sorry for asking you to go down there. If I hadn’t, you’d still be healthy and walking and…yourself. I’m so sorry that you were hurt so badly. It’s all my fault.”
It’s not your fault. Yon wanted to tell her that and more. If he were smart, he would have waited. Or maybe he wouldn’t have opened the containers like an idiot. Either way, Yelena was not to blame.
That’s when Yelena moved her hand to where he couldn’t see it, but he never felt her touch. Not once. And that…scared him.
Yelena held up the blocker. “Sci can hear any thought you have. Just speak the words in your mind, and he will respond—but in pictures.” She shrugged. “I guess he can’t communicate in words.”
Yon had heard that but didn’t think he would have remembered it if she hadn’t said so.
Yelena looked him over, grabbed his hand, and said, “I’m really sorry. But don’t worry, by the time you are back to being you, I’ll be gone. I feel like that’s best, considering if I wait until you get better, you’ll still banish or discharge me.”
No. Seth, no. She can’t leave. He would never discharge her.
More than not being able to move, he hated when Yelena slipped from his bed and returned to the entrance. As the doors slid open, she turned back. He wished he could chase after her.
He regretted so many things in his life. First on his list was everything that he’d said before he left for the planet.
Don’t leave. Please don’t leave.
Yelena turned back and walked out. He felt a crushing blackness in his chest. He screamed her name as long and as loudly as he could. But nothing came out of his mouth, and that broke the last piece of him.
Staring at the door, he was suddenly overcome with shame. He was the reason she was wa
lking out on him. He had not controlled his words, and he knew that if he’d treated her with honor and respect, she would be by his side right now.
Knowing that he was the cause of this made the bleakness that much more potent. Internally, he thrashed again and wished he could go back and change everything, but it was too late. Time never moved backwards.
Closing his eyes, he was awash in misery. He had made the mistake of thinking that his life on Lotus Adaamas had been hell. That was before he knew real hell—in the arenas of Angny. But this…this was not hell. This was a dark abyss that he would never be able to fight his way free from.
Eventually, he would be able to move because Ansel would figure out a cure. The Numan was known for that, and Yon trusted him to do that for him. Because if he were stuck in a limp body until he decayed, he would lose his mind.
A life without light, without Yelena’s smile, her kiss, or her scent and soft whispers was not one he was willing to live. He was never going to want anyone else, he knew that down to his core.
Yelena was young and in her prime. They could have had a long life together, children, a home that bumped up against a mountain and overlooked a lake. All that could have been his, but he’d ruined it. It was all his fault.
24
Without Yon
Yelena waited outside medical. Vivra had told her that Ansel and Sci had gone back down to the lab to deliver food and water packages to the Boore and to try and communicate with them. That had been three days ago. Yelena hoped to catch the Numan today.
She needed to know how Yon was. He hadn’t been in the medical bed for the past few days, and she had not seen him around. He couldn’t have been back at work because Vivra had said there were thousands of messages waiting for him in his inbox.
The elevator opened, and Ansel walked out. Yelena straightened her back and waited for him to come within range. When the doctor saw her waiting for him, he pulled his mouth up in a warm, welcoming smile. “Hi, Yelena. What can I do for you?”