All’s Fair in Blood and War (The Kurtherian Endgame Book 4)

by Michael Anderle

  16

  The Etheric

  Bethany Anne and Michael dropped Alexis and Gabriel's hands once they were on somewhat solid ground.

  The twins let go of K'aia, breaking the circle completely.

  K'aia turned around unsteadily to take in the strange new environment. She batted at a tendril of mist that was tickling her face. “What is this place?”

  Bethany Anne left Michael and the twins to explain. She took a few steps away and paused to search the mists for any sign of the scout ship. ADAM!

  Her heart rate spiked when there was no reply.

  Bethany Anne, you need to take it down a few levels.

  Bethany Anne didn’t hear TOM.

  Michael saw Bethany Anne walk away, and her posture made it clear she was on the hunt.

  He had expected to find the dumpster and ADAM’s ship immediately on entering the Etheric. Since neither were in sight, and he sensed other minds in the near distance, he could only deduce that there had been an attack and ADAM had acted to save lives.

  Michael understood his wife's distress. However, emotion was not his driving factor, and there was more at stake.

  He turned to the children. “There are people here. You three will find them and return to this point in the speediest manner possible. Stay together, and be ready for anything.”

  K'aia's bewilderment was no less than it had been when they arrived. “What kind of anything?”

  “Nothing to worry about,” Gabriel teased. “Just don’t wander off.”

  “It is perfectly safe for you to look around,” Alexis told the nervous Yollin. She threw a glare Gabriel’s way. “We’re all fitted with trackers, and you have limited access to Phyrro to guide you if you get lost.”

  “Remember that you have an objective,” Michael chided. “There are people relying on the three of you. Look for the dumpster, since they will most likely be too afraid to go too far from it.”

  Alexis tilted her head. “What about you and Mom?”

  Michael indicated Bethany Anne, who was now some distance away. “We’re going to search for ADAM’s ship. Gabriel, you are team leader.”

  Alexis made a face. “Why Gabriel?”

  Michael’s lips pressed together. “Because the team will be relying on you to locate the people you are searching for.” He nodded in the opposite direction from the one Bethany Anne had taken. “Good luck, and if you get into any trouble, we are only a few moments away.”

  Alexis, Gabriel, and K’aia looked at each other after Michael headed out.

  K’aia was first to speak. “So where do we find these people?”

  Gabriel looked at Alexis. “I can sense them, but only generally.”

  Alexis pointed and set off in the direction Michael had indicated. “This way.” She chatted as they walked, passing on what she knew about the realm to K’aia. “Things can get weird here. Like, if you see a storm, go the opposite way.”

  Gabriel nodded. “Oh, yeah. But it’s calm enough right now.”

  K’aia looked at the swirling mists skeptically. “It doesn’t look very calm. Let’s just get these people to safety. I don’t like it here.”

  Alexis paused at the revelation. “Really? I love it in the Etheric. It’s so peaceful just to be here and feel the energy currents wash around.”

  K’aia waved her hands. “Yeah but you’re all, like, powered by this place.”

  “If you’re sticking around, Mom will probably have you go in for more enhancement,” Gabriel pointed out. “Then you’ll be ‘powered’ by the Etheric, too.”

  They got back to walking while K’aia chewed that over.

  She was distracted from trying to decide how she felt about being given that responsibility when a dark shape materialized out of the rolling mists. “Is that the dumpster?”

  They edged a little closer.

  Alexis eyed the dimensions. “It looks to be the same size as the space in the alley.”

  Gabriel wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, it smells. I’m going to take a guess and say we found it.”

  K’aia tilted her head. “I hear voices. Are they singing?”

  “It’s a pretty big group, and yes, they are singing,” Alexis confirmed. “Weird. We should get closer so I can work out how many there are.”

  “Wait.” Gabriel held an arm out to stop Alexis from rushing over. “Call first. We might scare them.”

  Alexis nodded, seeing the sense in her brother’s reasoning. They approached carefully, keeping their senses peeled. “Hello?” she called. “Is there anyone here who needs help?”

  The chorus in the dumpster cut out immediately.

  “It’s okay,” Alexis continued. “We came to get you out of here.”

  A tremulous voice called from inside. “We’re dead…aren’t we? Have you come to take us on to the next place?”

  A child began to cry, and there was an angry murmur among the others before the singing started up again.

  K’aia’s mandibles clicked quietly. “There are infants in there.”

  Gabriel nodded somberly. “I can feel their confusion and fear.”

  “That can be dangerous,” K'aia told them. “People make bad decisions when they're scared. I saw it in the mines, although sometimes I was able to help.”

  Alexis raised an eyebrow. “How do we help these people? If Mom was here, they'd see her and feel safe.”

  Gabriel nodded. “K’aia, what did you do to help people in the mine?”

  She shrugged. “Mostly just talked to them when the guards weren't watching. Let them know they weren't alone.”

  Gabriel scrunched his nose. “It seems too simple, but it’s worth a try.” He walked over and tapped on the side of the dumpster. “Hello? You’re not dead, you were brought into another dimension to save your lives by our AI friend. We came to rescue you all.”

  “Do you think you could come out of there?” Alexis added hopefully.

  There was a shuffle, and the lid rose a fraction. A hammy-looking man looked out at the three of them. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Alexis and Gabriel. “You’re just kids. How did you get here?”

  Gabriel gave the man a friendly smile. “We came with our parents. What say we get you all out of there so we can go back to the outpost?”

  A child screamed inside the dumpster. “No! There’s monsters!”

  Gabriel held out his hands, his voice projecting complete calm and assurance. “Our parents took care of the Ooken who attacked the outpost. It’s safe, I promise.”

  The dumpster lid rolled back, pushed open by five of the occupants.

  A woman straightened up to get a look at them. She narrowed her eyes at Alexis. “You look familiar… But we can’t leave. We have children and elderly. What if we end up walking around in circles in that mist until we die?”

  Gabriel reached up and touched the woman’s hand. “I promise that won’t happen. Our parents are a short walk away from here, and they will take you back.”

  The people in the dumpster murmured among themselves for a few minutes, then the man who had spoken first nodded. “Okay.” He looked to figure out a way to get his leg over. “We believe you.” He muttered before throwing a leg up, just missing another person. “My nose might be dead now.”

  Gabriel’s smile was pure sunshine. “Great. Let’s get you all out of there so we can get going.”

  K’aia held out her arms. “Here, pass me anyone who needs help.”

  It took a short while to get everyone out, but they were finally all assembled in front of the dumpster and ready to leave. They went slowly to accommodate the elderly woman, who bitched merrily the entire way about not having had rejuvenation therapy before she left the Meredith Reynolds to survey the rings.

  Alexis glanced at her brother as she moved to help a young girl who had wandered out in front of them. When did you work out how to do that on purpose?

  How to do what? Gabriel asked.

  Persuade people to do what you want, Alexis clarified. Yo
u didn’t do it on purpose?

  No, Gabriel replied. I just really wanted them to not be scared anymore so we could get them to Mom and Dad.

  Alexis continued walking, turning Gabriel’s words over.

  Michael walked beside Bethany Anne, blind to the mental scent she had been tracking since they’d parted with the children. His focus was on monitoring Alexis, Gabriel, and K’aia. Have you still got a lock on ADAM?

  She looked at him with frustration creasing her perfect features. Yes, but it feels wrong—like there’s too much of him.

  TOM interjected, What you are feeling is the main portion of ADAM’s brain.

  The yucky bit that we agreed not to talk about ever?

  Well, yes.

  Then how—

  Bethany Anne interrupted Michael as she was hit by a massive spike in her pain level. She clapped a hand to the base of her skull, stumbling a step before she recovered her balance.

  Michael had a steadying arm around her waist in an instant. What happened?

  Bethany Anne brushed his concern off with a wave. A headache, she told him. TOM is supposed to be keeping it under control.

  TOM’s concern came through clearly to both of them. Sorry, I let go to block the Kurtherian brain so you can focus on the chip in his scout ship.

  Michael frowned. This is what is causing your headache?

  Mmhmm. Bethany Anne rubbed the back of her neck as the pain ebbed. Can we get your shit together, TOM? How am I supposed to find anything when my brain feels like it’s being constricted by barbed wire?

  Working on it. There was a pause. And?

  A grin lit Bethany Anne's face as she turned slightly to her right. It’s gone, and now I know where ADAM’s ship is.

  Michael held out a hand. Lead the way, my love.

  Bethany Anne took his hand, and they ran through the mists until the scout ship came into sight. She was at the scorched scout ship almost before Michael noticed she’d dropped his hand.

  ADAM!

  >>Bethany Anne?<<

  Bethany Anne felt a rush of relief when she heard ADAM speak. You’re okay. What the fuck were you thinking?

  TOM interjected on ADAM’s behalf. How is your head, Bethany Anne?

  She frowned. Still good. Why?

  >>You were in pain?<< ADAM sounded regretful. >>That was probably my fault. I’ve had a bitch of a time since I got here trying to get hold of you, but something blocked me at every turn.<<

  Michael turned to Bethany Anne with an icy look she knew was all for TOM.

  She shrugged. It’s done now. ADAM is back inside my head where he belongs. No more mysterious headaches. I will think of a suitable way to thank TOM when we get back to the Izanami.

  ADAM’s laughter echoed over his backdoor link to TOM. >>Trust you to land yourself in the firing line trying to get me out of it.<<

  TOM, for his part, was mysteriously quiet.

  Bethany Anne waved at the ship, and it rose a short way off the ground. I think Jean might actually attempt murder if I leave this one behind.

  Michael turned to her, his eyes slightly unfocused. The children were successful. They have around twenty people with them who are in need of a ride home.

  Bethany Anne laughed aloud as she set off, determination in her stride. Queen Bitch’s inter-realm taxi service coming right up.

  Federation Deep Space Research Outpost, QBS Izanami

  The ArchAngel II Gated in within a few minutes of Bethany Anne requesting pickup for the rescued people.

  Admiral Thomas came aboard the Izanami to supervise the transfer of the traumatized researchers and their families personally.

  Bethany Anne took him to one side once they were aboard the transfer Pod. “You need to make sure that they all receive Pod-doc treatment.” ADAM, your job is to make sure not a one of them remembers seeing me, Michael, or the children—and especially not even a hint of the Etheric.

  >>Got it.<<

  And don't disappear this time.

  >>Will I have to say it a million times? I'm sorry.<<

  Bethany Anne relented at the sincerity in his voice, but not much. Just don't make me have to come and search for your ass. I swear I'll find a way to beat it if you ever scare me like that again.

  Admiral Thomas shuffled beside her, eager to get the rescued people on their way to the Helena, from which they could be transferred back to Yoll. He looked at her. “You still plan to follow the trail of the Leath ship?”

  Bethany Anne nodded. “Yes. Izanami has been tracking Loralei since she left to follow them. She came out near our seventh location. I want the superdreadnoughts ready to Gate in at short notice.” She made a face at his fidgeting and waved him off, shaking her head. “Go. I can see you’re itching to leave. We’re heading for location seven as soon as you’ve gotten through your Gate.”

  “Then I won’t keep you a moment longer.” Admiral Thomas walked off, turning back to raise his hands in a wide shrug. “What can I say? The shit has hit the fan.”

  Bethany Anne snorted. “You can relax. The shit might be adjacent to the fan, but it hasn’t hit just yet.”

  17

  Ooken location, Municipal Center

  Akio fended off multiple tentacles as well as the blades the Ooken he was fighting wielded in its hands. He noted that John was in some trouble, but not enough for him to intercede just yet.

  All teams, you can relax. Bethany Anne has recovered ADAM, along with a number of survivors.

  John did not relax when the Admiral’s update came over the comm.

  Relaxing would, in fact, have been the worst thing he could have done, since an Ooken guard had a tentacle around his neck and it was getting tighter by the second. “You,” he grunted, “are a monumental ass.”

  The announcement had nevertheless had the positive effect of cutting through the last vestiges of the grip his opponent was attempting to put on John’s mind, freeing him to concentrate on the physical aspects of the fight.

  Anything that prevented him from becoming some Ooken’s midnight munchie was good in John’s book.

  It took only a second to assess just how far up Shit Creek he'd found himself. His arms were pinned to his sides by the same tentacle, prohibiting him from ripping the fucking thing off and using it to give the sneaky bastard a taste of its own medicine.

  The wishful thought, however, led to an idea. It wasn’t an idea he was proud of by any stretch, but Akio had his hands full with his own guard.

  “I’m John-fucking-Grimes, you fetid beaked sack of dried foreskin!”

  John leaned forward, then smashed the back of his helmet into the Ooken’s beak, stunning it before it had a chance to change tactics. “Mind-fucking still needs permission, asshole!”

  As he felt the impact, he instructed the faceplate of his armor to open. He didn’t think about what he had to do next, just sank his teeth into the tentacle and tore a huge chunk of the meat away.

  Akio finished with his guard and happened to glance over at the exact moment John spat out the chunk of tentacle along with a globby spray of Ooken blood. Really? You could have just called.

  The Ooken screeched in rage and pain, then redoubled its effort to drag John into its waiting jaws.

  “Hey! No smooches!”

  John jerked his head back when one of the Ooken’s suckers caught his face. “I’ll eat you before you ever get a taste of me!” he roared as the burning line over his left eye healed.

  He broke through the tentacle with another bite and flexed his chest to make room to free his arms. “Definitely does not taste like chicken!” he bitched, spitting out a stray scrap of meat as he took a couple of steps to give himself room to work.

  I would have thought it would have a distinct sushi flavor, Akio retorted with a glib smile. He jogged up the stairs toward the entrance. Ika, perhaps.

  John chuckled as he pivoted and drove a fist into the Ooken’s open beak. Fuckers haven’t got a single redeeming quality. They don’t even have the decency to taste nic
e when they’re forcing you to bite them.

  His punch broke through the Ooken’s delicate soft palate and went straight into its brain.

  He tried not to gag when the Ooken collapsed and its brain fluids ran down his forearm. Not that cannibalism should be a thing, but we’re fucking delicious. At least if a human gets eaten, they don’t give the fucker who ate them indigestion.

  Akio thanked the stars he hadn’t eaten yet that day. His lip curled at the mess. How did it even get hold of you?

  John pulled his fist free of the dead Ooken, grimacing at the brain matter coating his armored glove. Damn thing suckered me while I was taking care of the first one. Maybe Scott's tinfoil hat joke wasn't such a stupid idea. He wiped it off and headed up the last few steps with Akio close behind.

  He flung a last bit of mucus-y gunk at the wall where it made a splunk sound and grabbed his two corpses. “Okay, that’s just nasty. Let's get these hidden and get inside before the Ooken get here.”

  Akio nodded, dragging the remains of his guard into cover. “I can hear them, they are aware of the deaths of these three.”

  John grunted, pulling the door open. “It's not news.”

  There was no one inside the administration building,which was closed for the night, exactly how they’d planned it. They crossed the high-ceilinged atrium and hopped the counter to access the back of the building.

  The first floor had nothing but meeting rooms. They headed up to the second floor and found more of the same. The door at the top of the next stairwell opened into a corridor going left to right.

  Akio regarded the corridor with a look of utter disdain. How wonderful…yet another identical corridor.

  John indicated the left-hand side to Akio. Quick search. It has to be on this floor. When you find anything that looks like the records room, call. I’ll do the same.

  Akio made his way to the nearest door, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. How much would you like to bet that he did it?

  John considered it while he stopped to try one door that looked out of place. Scott’s tinfoil hat? Sure, I'll take that bet. Don't forget who he's partnered with. Eve would tear him to shreds and share the photos with everyone—including Cheryl Lynn.