She then casually strolled toward the house where the knocking sound was emanating from. The moment she reached the front door, it flew open.
Jovani stood framed in the doorway. “Nicely done,” he said.
Iza put the dog down, and he ran inside. “What’s going on here?” she asked, waiting for her eyes to adjust as she stepped into the darkened residence. “You were supposed to go back to the Verity.”
“There were complications,” Braedon said from the adjacent living room.
“Yes, we noticed. What’s your father doing here and how did he find you?”
“Him showing up here might be a coincidence,” Braedon said. “My dad, he found me, but I don’t think he was looking for me, specifically. I think he’s looking for them.” He pointed to a red-haired man and lean woman with a crop of short brown hair, who were huddled on the floor away from the windows.
“Oh.” Iza looked them over. “Why?”
“They’re scientists.” He gave her a significant look.
“Wait, you think your father is the one snatching them?”
Braedon nodded.
“What does he want with you?” Iza asked the man and woman.
“We’re not sure,” the man replied. “All I know is that someone offered us an obscene amount of credits to join a secret project, and when we declined, they came to take us by force.”
Iza placed her hands on her hips. “Who are you and what exactly is it you do?”
“Elyse, metaphysicist,” said the woman, raising her hand to speak.
“Natanael, astrophysicist.” The man placed his hand on his chest.
Iza stared blankly at the both of them. “I’m sorry, you’re going to have to be more specific than that.”
Natanael rolled his eyes impatiently and pointed to the woman. “Space and the universe.” Then to himself. “The effects of space and time on us.”
Iza nodded, but she still wasn’t sure it made any sense to her. “Am I missing something? What’s the connection between them and your father?” she asked Braedon.
“My father was looking for a map. It was supposedly inside a wooden-like box impossible to open. Remember when we first met, I was trying to get away from one of my father’s thugs? They were after me because I’d stolen the Verity. Back then, my father had been using it to transport some things he didn’t want found. I didn’t realize the box was inside when I took it. Later, when I found it, I realized it was important and stashed it back inside one of the cargo hold containers. I ran into a little financial trouble and Karter Hyttinen agreed to impound the ship, hold it for me until I could pay to get it out. I never in a million years thought he would sell it out from under me. Then, I ran into you and when you mentioned getting a H3X, and your vicinity to the one I’d lost, I knew it couldn’t be a coincidence. When I went back for the box, though, it was gone. I’m pretty sure Karter has it now, which explains why my father didn’t shoot him out of the sky when he showed up threatening to take it from you.”
Iza nodded in understanding. Karter had leased her the ship, but he didn’t have the box or the sphere inside it. In fact, she could hear it humming even now. Iza knew Victor Arvonen wanted it, but she still didn’t know why.
“Where does he think this map leads?” she asked.
“I’m not sure, but he’s obsessed with finding whatever it is,” Braedon said, scratching his head.
The sphere had quite a few etchings on it, but Iza wasn’t sure how it could work as a map. However, it was a new clue that she didn’t have before.
“If he’s snatching scientists like us, then I suspect he believes the map isn’t of Taran origin,” Elyse speculated with more enthusiasm.
“Aliens?” Iza snickered.
“Yes, it shouldn’t surprise us that species other than ourselves have populated the universe,” Natanael continued. “Consider the history of our own worlds. We’ve barely scratched the surface and we’re finding more planets each day. Especially now that the Taran government is encouraging new technology research and colonization, I suspect the Taran Empire could double its reach by the time our grandchildren are old.”
Iza waved a hand to dismiss his philosophy. “Later. Right now, we need to get out of here without that Arvonen shuttle spotting us. Whose house is this?”
At the question, the white fluffy dog nudged her with his nose. Iza and the others looked down and laughed.
“Yours, huh?” Iza turned to the others. “How did you know to send him out to grab me?” She scratched him behind the ears.
Jovani shrugged. “We didn’t. He ran out the back door on his own. It wasn’t until you brought him back that we realized what he’d done.”
“What, really?” Iza stared at the animal as it stared up at her. “Well, aren’t you special?”
He barked in response and wagged his curled tail happily.
“To answer your question, though,” Jovani said, “the place was empty and we let ourselves in.”
“These biometric locks are so easy to hack. People think they’re safe, but—” Braedon cut off at the sound of the Arvonen shuttle making another sweep along the street.
“And we’re not safe here, either.” Iza began putting together a plan to get the attention of Trix in their own shuttle.
“Yeah, we need to move soon.” Braedon peeked out the window. “They’re searching the houses on foot now.”
“They’ll find us and take us, like they did the others.” Elyse clutched Natanael’s arm. His features were neutral, but there was a sheen of sweat on his face and his cheeks had two bright red circles on them. He was probably just as frightened as she was.
“Do you know where he took the others?” Iza asked.
“No, only that several of our colleagues, leaders in their fields, have been missing for over a week. No one has heard from them since,” Natanael replied.
Iza would ponder that information later. For now, she needed to make sure they all got out without getting themselves caught. “Do you still have your pulse gun?” she asked Jovani.
“Yes, but we won’t to be able to shoot our way out of here. I can hold off a couple, but I’m not sure how many more are on that shuttle. They could have someone actively shielding their heat signatures the way I’m doing for all of you.”
It was then that Iza noticed the fine sheet of sweat on his brow and realized it wasn’t from the heat outside, as the house was cool. He was using his abilities to keep them hidden.
“I’ll need you to push yourself and do your mind thing. That, combined with my distraction, will help Trix find us, and we can get these scientists someplace safe.” She sighed. “However, that doesn’t solve the Arvonen One problem. Right now, there’s no one on board to protect the Verity. Cierra is there alone, with no idea what’s going on over here.”
She had no idea how to deal with that particular wrinkle. If the Arvonen One struck out at the Verity, not only would it strand them on Galminus, but they’d lose Cierra, their cargo of sheep, and their home.
“We’ve got Jovani,” Braedon said. “If we can’t get through the dampening field in time, he can reach out to her and so she can get to safety before they can fire on the ship.” He looked at Jovani to confirm.
Jovani nodded. “She’ll be my number one priority if they spot us.”
Braedon bit his bottom lip in worry. “I might be able to keep them from firing on us, but I’ll need access to your shuttle’s controls, and we’ll have to be outside the dampening field.”
Iza looked at both the harried scientists. “You’ll need to keep up.”
Before they could answer, the front door flew open, and everything went sideways.
CHAPTER FOUR
The room was upside down from Iza’s vantage point on the floor, where she had been pulled underneath Jovani to cover her from pulse fire.
Jovani telekinetically threw both of the large men back, closing the door quickly behind them. He was moving so fast, Iza had hardly caught her breath when he pulled her to
her feet and prodded her toward the back door.
“Those look like the same guys from Kinterin,” Braedon said, rushing the scientists out the back door ahead of Iza.
“Yep, get the scientists to the shuttle. Trix is waiting for you at the coordinates you sent us.”
“What about you?”
The small dog was alerting the entire neighborhood to their location and his displeasure at having his front door knocked in.
“Oh, no!” Jovani stopped short. The panic in his eyes told her she wouldn’t like what came next.
Iza’s body lifted into the air as a large explosion leveled the house behind them. She fell hard and fast. It was exactly like a nightmare she’d had once. She braced herself for the impact of the ground, screaming the whole way down. Only when she felt the soft touch of the grass under her back, indicating she was on solid ground again, did she risk opening her eyes.
How did that happen?
Jovani must have used his abilities to lower her softly to the ground, and the dog was happily licking her face. For a minute, the only thing she heard was the ringing aftermath of the explosion.
Iza stared at Jovani’s mouth. He was saying something, but she couldn’t make it out over the buzzing in her head. Jovani grabbed her by the hand again and raced forward, but he was going in the wrong direction.
“Wait, the shuttle is back that way.” Iza pointed with her free hand.
Jovani shook his head, and this time she heard him. “No, we need to let Braedon and the scientists reach the shuttle. Trix can come and get us after we lose the Arvonen shuttle.”
“But the dampening field,” Iza countered.
“It can’t dampen this,” Jovani said, tapping his head twice with one finger.
The dog’s curled tail wagged happily at this game of chase, excited about whatever would come next.
“Settle down, you,” she said. “Can’t you do something about him? Use your telepathy to tell him to beat it or something?” Iza waved a hand in the general direction of the dog prancing at her feet.
Jovani smiled and shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that.”
“This must be the most exciting thing to happen to you in your whole life,” Iza said to the dog. He was quiet now, at least, so he wouldn’t give away their position. However, he wouldn’t stop following her no matter how many times she pointed him away.
While they ran down the street, dodging knee-high bushes and racing between houses and trees, a loud boom sounded behind them. They stumbled in the yard of the next cottage house, falling to the ground for long enough to look back. Though Iza couldn’t see the source of the sound, it reminded her that it wasn’t safe for any of them yet.
“They’re bringing reinforcements. We need to keep moving,” Jovani said as he jumped to his feet. He grabbed her hand and tugged her along after him.
The dog had taken their momentary rest as permission to get comfortable, and he was now laying down in the grass with his legs spread in all directions, panting. Their escape must have exhausted the poor thing. Iza looked around for a fenced area where she could secure him in, since it was clear he wouldn’t leave her side.
A low engine roar sounded above. Iza was about to take cover when she realized it was her shuttle. She breathed a sigh of relief as Trix lowered the craft over open pavement in the middle of the street between the trees.
Jovani ran to it and held out his hand to help Iza on board. In spite of herself, Iza looked back at the white dog with the brown markings as he ran anxiously back and forth, then hopped on his hind legs, begging to follow them. He howled in pain as Iza climbed aboard.
“Bomaxed dog,” Iza said, shaking her head at her irrational feeling of guilt for leaving him behind. He already had a family somewhere down there, even though his house had been leveled. “He’s better off down there. Space is no life for a dog.”
Jovani put a hand on her back. “We could drop him off somewhere where it’s safer.”
“What if his people come looking for him?”
“He seems determined to be with you.” Braedon shrugged. “Maybe you’re his chosen person.”
Iza glared at him, and he lifted his hands in surrender.
“Uh oh, we’ve got company,” Braedon called out just before a volley of pulse fire hit the hull.
Iza couldn’t take her eyes off of the dog.
Jovani groaned. “This is ridiculous.” He used his abilities to telekinetically lift the small dog onto the ship.
As soon as his legs touched the deck, the dog leaped into Iza’s arms, licking her face in gratitude.
“What are we going to do with you?” she asked him.
“We can decide later. Strap in,” Jovani said.
Iza put the dog down and wiped the wet from her face while she raced to a seat next to the two bewildered scientists. As she secured the flight harness, the dog, in a move of pure genius, tucked himself in underneath her seat behind her legs.
“Trix get us back to the Verity double-time. We need to get going before they discover where we are,” Iza instructed.
“That will be impossible, since the Arvonen One is now between us and the Verity,” Trix replied from the pilot’s seat up front.
“What?” Iza swiveled to look out the viewport.
To her horror, the Arvonen One flagship hovered in the sky half a kilometer from their position. Worse, their weapons were hot.
Iza swore as Arvonen One fired. The blast rattled the shuttle, prompting the dog whimper beneath her.
“Keep us low, Trix,” Iza ordered, hoping that would make them a difficult enough target to buy a little time. “We need another rendezvous option with the Verity. Can you contact Cierra?”
“What for?” Braedon asked from the seat next to Trix.
“You can fly the shuttle and Trix can interface with the Verity. But we would need to switch the ship from manual to remote, and Cierra is the only one on board.”
“Maybe…” Braedon didn’t seem convinced.
Iza didn’t have the time or patience to argue. “Trix, get Cierra on the comms.”
“The dampening field is still in place,” Trix reminded her.
“I can get past it, hold on,” Braedon got to work.
The shuttle rocked from another blast. Trix dove the shuttle below the top canopy of the trees lining the street to get as much cover as possible.
“Hurry, Braedon!” Iza urged.
“I’m working on it!”
“Arvonen One requests that we surrender,” Trix said, then banked hard left to avoid another hit.
Iza scoffed. “Screw that.”
A minute later, Cierra’s voice came through. “Yes, Captain?”
“Cierra, we’ve run into some trouble in the form of the Arvonen One. I need you to switch the Verity’s control matrix over to auto so Trix can remotely bring you to us.”
“I don’t know how,” Cierra said. Her voice quivered with nervousness.
“We’re dead out here if you don’t.”
“Hey, you can do this, Q,” Braedon cut in before Iza could yell at her any more for slowing them down. “Listen, go to my station at the front of the flight deck. Put in the sequence exactly as I say.”
“Okay,” she said. There was a pause while she got into position. When she spoke again, her voice seemed far away and afraid. “There are so many lights. I don’t know what I’m looking at.”
“Don’t worry about it at all. Just listen to me,” Braedon said calmly. “There’s a blue button on the bottom right. It should be flashing. Do you see it?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Press that one twice.”
“Okay, I did it.”
Braedon smiled. “Now, there should be a row of yellow buttons on the left. Press the third and the fourth ones together, and then press the green one that comes up.”
“I don’t see the green one.” Panic pitched Cierra’s voice.
“The Arvonen shuttle is now closing in from behind.” Trix
sounded a little panicked herself.
“We need to make a run for the Verity,” Iza decided. The approach with Cierra was wasting time they didn’t have. “Try to stay ahead of the shuttle and avoid Arvonen One.”
“Arvonen One is preparing missiles. We will not sustain a hit of that magnitude.”
“I’ve got it, hold on,” Jovani said as the shuttle spun out of the way of the larger ship and raced toward the Verity. Iza had witnessed him do some incredibly things with his telekinetic abilities, but she wasn’t convinced that blocking a missile blast was within his capabilities.
“I need the cargo door open, Braedon!” Iza called out.
“Cierra, do the sequence again in the same order, make sure that you hit the two yellows at the same time.”
“Oh! I see the green one now.”
“Good girl, now sit back and let us do the rest,” Braedon said beaming with pride. “Trix, I’ve got the shuttle.” He turned to the console and input the commands.
Braedon and Trix coordinated their movements to intercept above a park. The Verity’s cargo door opened to receive the shuttle—a tiny target, but a necessary risk. Braedon deftly lined up the approach, and the shuttle slotted into berth, coming to rest with a jolt a safe distance from the pen housing the sheep.
Braedon grinned. “Am I good or what?”
“Get us out of here!” Iza unstrapped her harness.
“Yes, Captain.” Trix closed the cargo hatch, then a moment later sent the Verity on a steep upward trajectory.
Iza hopped out from the shuttle and ran up the stairs to the flight deck, with Trix, Jovani, and Braedon close behind. Cierra was standing in the back corner of the room when they arrived, her arms crossed.
“Good work,” Iza told her and she dropped into the captain’s seat.
“I’ll be in my cabin.” Still trembling, Cierra rushed from the flight deck.
Maybe this will convince her to go live on a planet again, Iza thought to herself, but she knew that was wishful thinking.
“Sensors indicate that the Arvonen One is moving into an intercept course,” Trix warned.
Naturally. Iza studied the location of enemy craft on the holodisplay. “Braedon, do your best to stay ahead of them while we get to the jump point. Trix, plot a course for Beurias.”
Divided Loyalties (Verity Chronicles Book 2): A Cadicle Space Opera Adventure Page 4