Survivor Planet III

by Juliet Cardin

  “Ayres and I were hiding out. Moving from galaxy to galaxy, always on the run. Somehow this man caught up with us, Lourde is his name. He said he escaped from Calixtus. He and Ayres knew each other.”

  “Go on.”

  “Well, he had this coin. Said he used it to escape. He lost one of the two pieces, as you know since you’ve got it. Ayres took me to Earth and left me there. I was tired of running and we were tired of each other. Lourde worried for my safety and left me the coin. That way, if there was trouble, they could pull me to them.”

  “How would they know if you were in trouble?” he asked doubtfully.

  I tapped the side of my head. “We’re linked, remember?” Please buy this bullshit…

  “Hmm.” He stood up suddenly and reached for me. The look in his eyes was no longer angry, but became lusty. One hand wrapped round my waist while the other moved to my breast. “I’ve wondered what it’d be like...” He didn’t need to clarify what he wanted.

  I braced my hands against his chest. He possessed strength, but nothing remotely close to Ayres’. “I thought you wanted to know about the coin?”

  “If you’re linked as you say, he should know you’re in danger. So why hasn’t he pulled you to him?”

  “I have to be holding the coin,” I ground out, struggling against his roaming hand.

  “Is it just the two of them together? Lourde and Ayres?”

  “Y…yes. I don’t know. Possibly.”

  “So if he rubbed the coin, and I was holding it, he’d get me instead?”

  “You really want to go up against Ayres?” I stared at him incredulously. He really was insane.

  He paused, becoming thoughtful. “No. But if I gave the coin to one of my men—well armed of course—Ayres wouldn’t be expecting that now, would he?”

  Damn it! What he said made perfect sense. The man could cross over, and kill Ayres and Lourde, maybe Kenix as well. If he succeeded, Baynar could pull the man back again with the smaller coin. If he didn’t succeed and Baynar pulled back a dead body, he’d just send someone else—as long as the man still possessed the coin, and if corpses could be transported.

  Unless…. “Ayres will kill your man and take the coin the second he arrives. He’ll be on guard. He’s one of the best Roamyn warriors Calixtus has ever seen. You really think it would work? That you’d take him by surprise? And Lourde too? You’d fail, and then you’d lose the coin as well. Even if you kept the little piece, what good would it do you? They’d be onto you.”

  Angered, he slapped my face hard, making me fall to the ground. “You are a stupid slut,” he snarled.

  “Sorry to ruin your grand idea, but you wanted the truth,” I reminded him. Plus, I didn’t want to let on just how much his revolting idea scared me.

  “Maybe I’ll let you return to your precious Ayres. Although, you won’t be quite the same way he remembered.”

  His nasty look spoke volumes. He would rape me, beat me, and send me back to Ayres in a bloody, half-dead heap.

  I met his gaze, challenging him. “Then he would have nothing to lose, would he? And that would make him a very dangerous man. You want to spend the rest of your life on the run? Always looking over your shoulder? ’Cause know this, there will be no peace. No mercy.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “We’ll see.”

  Then he reached for me again.

  Chapter 18

  As the dirty, vile pig began pawing at my clothes, something happened to me. My head grew dizzy and my vision began to blur. Light danced before my eyes and pictures flashed round at record speed in my mind. Not Lara’s life, but my own. The life I’d shared with Ayres. All the way from the beginning when I’d first thought myself mad, through to the last moment we were together. I could see his face as clearly as if he were with me now. A feeling of peace and contentment washed over me. Almost as though Ayres held me in his arms. I no longer felt alone with a sadistic madman.

  Forcing myself into the present, I concentrated on the man before me. The man who had denied me and the man I loved, not to mention so many others, our freedom. Our chance to live our lives the way we wanted. Instead, we lived like outlaws in the dregs of the universe on a planet no one in their right mind would dare call home.

  I’d never see my real home again—not without the threat of discovery and death looming over me and the ones I love.

  With that realization came rage.

  As though possessing a will of its own, my body switched into battle mode. With clear, cold determination I pulled up my knee—hard. As Baynar froze, I brought my right arm across my chest, made a fist, and swung my elbow back with force cracking it into the side of his head. Baynar groaned and rolled off of me, one hand on his nuts, the other on his cheek. Catlike, I leapt to my feet. Seeing him lay there, stunned and helpless, I snatched up the coin and tucked it deep into my pocket. I didn’t know if or when my allies might rub it and I couldn’t take the chance it’d wind up in Baynar’s hands again. Seeing a small dagger on his desk I slipped it into the side of my boot, recalling how I’d foiled Baynar’s plans a year ago by stabbing him in the leg. Fearing backup may come running down the hall at any moment, I locked the door. And recalling that painful kick to my ribs, I gave him one in return, relishing his cry of pain. Then I straddled him and began punching him in the face. I wanted to kill him, but first I wanted him to pay.

  “You…piece…of…shit!” My words accented each blow.

  Suddenly his fist shot out and hit me hard in the chest. I fell back. Using the momentum to his advantage, Baynar twisted his body so that he came out from under me. Gasping for breath I wiggled away from him, dismayed when he clamored to his feet.

  “I’m a piece of shit?” he snarled. He leaned over and slapped my face, making my head snap sideways. “You and that bastard and his brother left me on Taleon to die! Some of my men did die. Their deaths are on your hands.”

  I shook my head. Using a chair for leverage I got to my feet and faced him. The metallic taste of blood was in my mouth and I knew my lip was cut. My face stung where he’d struck me and I felt lightheaded. My breath came out in ragged pants. “You dare? How many deaths are on your hands? How many men and women from Earth have you killed? Hundreds, thousands?”

  “We created you,” he snapped.

  “Fucking with our biology doesn’t give you the right to play God, you egotistical bastard!”

  Both of his hands flew up to grasp the top his head as though he suffered from sudden pain. His face twisted with an incredulous expression. “You know nothing! If it wasn’t for me you’d all be dead.”

  I stared at him in shock. “What are you talking about?” He looked so serious that he almost had me fooled, but I waved my hand in denial of his statement. “You’re a bullshitter. You lie to save your life.”

  “Save my life? From who? You?” he asked sarcastically.

  My limbs began to tingle and without a doubt I knew Ayres had found me and linked. I cocked my head and fixed him with a deadly glare. “I will kill you. Ayres and I both will kill you.”

  He stared at me as though I were crazy. “Idiot. Ayres can’t help you now.”

  “But he is here. With me. Let me show you…” Fighting Cade had been difficult. Yet together, Lara and Ayres and I had done some damage. And he’d been a warrior. The worthless coward before me was nothing in comparison. Baynar moved toward his desk, taking a step back for every one I took forward. Perhaps he saw something in my expression, be it self-assurance, resolve, or even madness. Whatever it was, his features betrayed his indecision and his growing fear. He held up one hand before him, while the other searched around the desktop behind him.

  “Looking for the coin?” I stopped advancing. At his single nod I informed him, “I have it.” Then I slipped the dagger from my boot and held it up. “I have this as well.” Not that I needed it, but I enjoyed watching the blood drain from his face. “Tell me again how we’d all be dead without you,” I cajoled. His eyes were fastened on t
he blade, mesmerized as I tipped it from side to side.

  “It’s true,” he affirmed, forcing his gaze back to mine. “You have no idea what they want to do.”

  “Who?” Not that I’d believe a word from his lying mouth.

  “The council. They’ve brought forth a motion—I’m against it. As pathetic as Earthlings are I couldn’t agree to...”

  That set me off. Everything I hated about Roamyns boiled down to this single man. Before me I no longer saw just Baynar, but the corruptness of his entire planet. I cut him off mid-stream with a roundhouse to his jaw. He dropped to his hands and knees. Taking a step back I regarded him coldly.

  “Earthlings may not be perfect, but at least the majority of us possess a trace of humanity. Unlike you filthy, bloodthirsty buggers. Did you know your precious Roamyns hacked the Seers so they could place bets on your demise?” He stared up at me in shock, blood dripping from his nose onto his uniform. “Ah, I can see that you didn’t.” I laughed—a cold, heartless sound. “The end of you may not bring about a resolution. But it will send a message. Humans aren’t as advanced as you guys, but I intend to tip the scales in our direction.” I pulled out the coin and held it up. “With the help of your most brilliant out-cast, he and Ayres and I will bring Earth up to speed. Soon Calixtus will see we’re not going to lie down and take your shit anymore. With knowledge comes power. Roamyns will soon figure out we’re a force to be reckoned with. Not that you’ll be around to see it.” He caught me off guard when he suddenly leaped up and made a dive for the coin. And as his body collided with mine I felt myself begin to scramble. Becoming a million pieces, I began to soar through the abyss.

  And yet, I was not alone. Another traveled beside me.

  Chapter 19

  As soon as I solidified I had to struggle for air. Bearing down on me was Baynar’s heavy weight. With Ayres’ help, his body was soon dragged off of me.

  “Two of them! How’d we manage that feat?” I heard Lourde’s excited exclamation.

  Ayres knelt down beside me. “Are you all right, Amanda?”

  I nodded, my eyes glued to Baynar’s prone form, worried he might leap up at any moment. Ayres gave me his hand and helped me to my feet. I noticed we were in the alcove where all of our equipment was set up. Kenix stood before the metal table, beside him was the treacherous Lissa. He appeared relieved at my safe arrival, while she avoided my glare. Though her presence pissed me off I was at least glad to see the cut, red cheek she sported thanks to the wallop I’d given her earlier.

  “Took your time retrieving me.” The anger in my voice was due to my recent encounter and Lissa’s foul presence.

  “I couldn’t find the coin,” Lourde admitted. He reached out and put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing slightly. “I put it back in my pocket as soon as you left. I needed both hands to keep an eye on the monitor. When I saw that you suddenly disappeared, I came running, figuring there must be trouble. When I reached Ayres, he said you’d just vanished, but he hadn’t seen you toss the coin. I reached for my coin, but it was gone. It must have fallen out of my pocket. As soon as I backtracked and located it, I did rub it. Nothing happened.”

  “This idiot took it from me.” I nudged Baynar with my foot.

  Ayres leaned down and lifted Baynar’s head off the ground by his hair. “Out cold. What the hell happened?” He stood up and narrowed his gaze at Lourde.

  “He must have found the other coin. The one I lost when I escaped.” From the stunned look on his face I could see that both of us transporting here simultaneously was paramount on his mind.

  “That’s exactly what happened,” I informed them. Tightly grasped in my hand was the coin. I handed it over to Lourde who inspected it with a smile, seeming pleased to have the missing small piece returned. “I was aboard the Lariton, I think. They must be getting ready for the game on Taleon. Baynar was as surprised as me.”

  “You could have been killed,” Ayres informed me.

  Now that the heat of the moment had past, I felt pain in my body, especially my hands. Eyeing my fists, I could see bruising on my knuckles. “I admit I was scared—at first. But then I felt you connect with me.”

  Ayres stared at me in confusion. When I looked at Lourde he shrugged. “If you two connected, I had nothing to do with it.”

  “Okay, that’s weird. I definitely felt you there with me,” I insisted.

  He appeared to ponder this revelation for a moment. “I was thinking about you,” he admitted. “I wasn’t linked onto you though. Not like when you were on Earth and I could concentrate and link us in the beginning. My tracker’s not even turned on.”

  “But that’s impossible. I felt you. You took control of me and I was able to fight Baynar easily.”

  Ayres took my hand. “I’m glad you were able to fight him. Looks like you did a good job of it. If feeling me there gave you confidence, then so be it. But don’t undermine yourself, either. You trained hard on Taseeus.”

  My head flicked in Lissa’s direction. “Don’t tell that skank where we’re hiding out! She’ll betray us all.”

  Lissa had the decency to flush with shame. Surprisingly, it was Kenix who came to her defense. “Amanda, I discovered Lissa in Graneden. It was she who approached me, with Oro.”

  “Oro? He’s just as much a deceiver as she is,” I snapped. “What the hell were you doing in my town?”

  “You’d mentioned it to me, and when I was allowed to return to Earth I decided to go there…since you couldn’t.”

  If that was her twisted way of honoring me she was crazier than I had been. “So, lucky you. You get to return to Earth with your evil sidekick. Congrats on winning the game by the way,” I sneered at her.

  “I’m sorry. I never meant to betray you and Ayres. And Oro and I didn’t stay together. He remained on Calixtus. He only found me when he became worried for my safety. I know you’re pissed, but you can freak out on me later,” Lissa said.

  “No, I can freak out on you right now.”

  I began to stalk toward her but Kenix put himself between us. “She’s right. There are bigger issues that need our attention,” he informed me.

  “What issues?”

  “The fate of Earth,” Ayres said.

  I turned around and faced him. “What do you mean? What’s happened?”

  “Nothing yet,” Kenix informed me. “But apparently Calixtus has big plans.”

  “What kind of plans?” Something niggled at the corner of my memory. Something Baynar had been bleating about.

  “Destruction of the Human race,” Lissa informed me. “Oro heard about it and came to warn me. It was just dumb luck we happened to run into Kenix—Oro recognized him.” She gave me a direct look from behind Kenix. “And yes, we told him everything.”

  She meant how she had lied to Ayres and me about Oro’s death during the game, and how she waited until our guard was down before stabbing Ayres, almost killing him. The thought of it made me seethe.

  “Oro returned to Calixtus to see if he can learn anything else,” Kenix said.

  This was all too much. “Wait a minute! All this information came from Oro? He’s full of shit! No doubt he has an agenda. He probably told you his bullshit story to make you think he’s pro-Earth. He’s not. He’s most likely plotting right now to sell you to the highest bidder. You’re a wanted felon on Calixtus, you know?” How dense could he be?

  “Do you take me for a complete idiot?” He held up a hand. “Don’t answer that. I’m not just going on Oro’s word. I have my sources as well, and the information has been confirmed.”

  “What information? Tell me what’s going on.” Did I have to pry it out of him with a crowbar?

  Ayres filled me in. “The council has voted in favor of playing a game of a different sort on Earth. Most of the population will be destroyed. In the end only the strongest will be standing. They want Earth back to the way it was in the beginning, when they controlled everything. They want a return of the games there.”

 
“What? But why? They still take what they need from us,” I demanded.

  “Human’s have become a liability,” Kenix informed me. “The Akkadians show great interest in them, and frankly, dealing with those slimy alien bastards is more effort than it’s worth. The council feels it’s best to wipe the slate clean, and to maintain a stronger presence on Earth.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Never did I imagine that Calixtus would sink so low as to wipe out billions of innocent people. It wasn’t Earth’s fault. “Is there nothing we can do?”

  “Yes. There’s hope,” Lourde pointed at Baynar. “Believe it or not, he’s against the council in this regard.”

  “Baynar wants us saved?” So that was what he’d meant. All of us stared at the man lying on the floor.

  “Is he breathing?” Lissa asked.

  “Shit!” Lourde and Ayres said at once.

  Ayres knelt down and slowly turned Baynar over.

  “He has to be all right, I didn’t hurt him that much. Unless somehow the transport did something to…” My words of speculation and deniability froze in my throat.

  It hadn’t been the transport or the beating I’d dished out that had killed him. That much was obvious.

  It was the dagger protruding from his chest that had done the job.

  Chapter 20

  “This might pose a problem,” Lourde pointed out the obvious.

  “Now what do we do?” The fear in Lissa’s voice matched the fear creeping up my spine.

  “I didn’t mean for it to happen,” I said. “He jumped at me, trying to get the coin, right before we transported here.”

  “What’s done is done,” Ayres said. “I can’t say that I’m sorry.”

  Neither could I. Not really. It’s precisely what we’d come here to accomplish.

  “Earth is finished without him,” Lissa cried, as panic overwhelmed her.

  “Relax you dumb bitch,” I snapped. “No one knows he’s dead but us.”