“No one will believe you.” Eogan started the vehicle and backed it out of the hiding place. “You did not accept that I wasn’t from Earth.”
“That’s because you look human. Other than a strange need to kill people, you seem pretty normal to me.”
“I only execute others when it is necessary or when I am following orders.”
“We could argue that all night. Right now, I need to know about these Albireons.” Hester wasn’t going to let him keep her from knowing the truth. “Where are they?”
“They live underground.” Eogan pulled onto the road. “Usually below military bases.”
“So the government must know about their plans.”
He sped up as soon as they were away from Gobekli Tepe. “Your governments have made treaties with the Albireons in the hopes that they will not attack Earth.”
“That makes sense.”
She couldn’t fault their logic. They were working with an alien race that was obviously further advanced than humans. They could be risking total destruction if they didn’t agree to a treaty. There was only one problem that Hester saw.
“If they work below military bases, how come the government hasn’t figured out what their real agenda is?”
“The Albireons have too much power now.” Eogan drove toward the lights of Sanliurfa in the distance. “It would require the combined efforts of all countries on this planet in order to defeat them.”
“And none of the world powers are willing to do that.” Hester finished in a dry tone. “They all want the technology so that they can create better weapons.”
“They have those ordnances already.” He looked at her. “Now, it is a problem of maintaining the status quo. No one wants to admit that they are afraid. It is a matter of national pride.”
“They’re playing chicken with the human race.” Hester swallowed back her disgust.
“What does a bird have to do with the Albireons’ plan to destroy Earth?” Eogan’s tone was hesitant.
“It’s a saying to describe two people charging at each other at full tilt, and each hoping the other one swerves away first. Neither side is willing to admit that they might be wrong because it would look weak.”
“That is a strange term for what they are doing. You are right, though.” Eogan eased his speed as they approached the outer edge of the city. “It would be better to help each other.”
“It’s obvious you were kept locked away from the reality of what happens on this planet.” Hester looked out the window. She couldn’t believe that a man as intelligent as Eogan didn’t have a clue about what motivated humans.
“I understand your species better than you think.”
She gave him a sharp look. “Can you hear my thoughts?”
“That is not possible with humans.”
Hester leaned back. It had to be a coincidence that he had spoken about what she had just been considering. People didn’t read minds. There were some who claimed to be clairvoyant and psychic, but that wasn’t the same. Just in case, she’d better have a care about what she was thinking.
“Where are we going?”
“I am going to continue my mission.” Eogan pulled over to the side of the road. “I will take you home. Where is your hotel?”
“You’re planning to dump me?”
It had been too good to be true. Gorgeous men did not stay by her side for long. There was always a more exciting, more beautiful woman waiting a few feet down the line.
“I am not abandoning you.” His voice was sincere. “It is too dangerous for you to be with me.”
“You’re going to try and fight these Albireons.”
“Yes.” Eogan’s voice was harsh. “They must be stopped. Soon they will be too strong to defeat.”
“You can’t possibly overthrow an organization like that alone.”
“I will have my fellow Hunters with me.” He shifted in his seat so that he was looking at her. “I cannot risk your life by taking you with me.”
“What if I don’t care?” Hester hated to beg, but she was at that point. “I came here to explore new ideas and now it’s happening. It’s unfair to leave me now.”
He hesitated a second and then shook his head. “A Hunter’s first duty is to make certain women are protected.”
It felt as if the air had been emptied out of her balloon. She should be used to it by now. Romance happened to other women, not her. She had her studies and her career and that was more than enough for most people. That didn’t keep her warm at night, though.
Buy a dog.
That’s what her mother always told her.
This was the closest she’d ever come to an honest to goodness adventure, and she was lucky to be alive. Her fellow explorers were lying dead on the roadside. She was acting ungrateful and that had to stop. Tonight’s exploits, and a pet, would have to hold her for the rest of her life.
“Take a right at the next intersection. My hotel is about a mile down the street.”
Eogan turned back onto the road. “I did not mean to offend you.”
“I’m used to it.” She looked out of the window and watched the dimly lit streets go by. “I’m alive and I have you to thank for that.”
“I can sense you’re upset.” Eogan’s voice was soft. “I’m not deserting you. I am protecting you.”
“You have rules and I understand.” Hester sighed. Who was she kidding? She was disappointed and unhappy, and she had no right to be. “I came here to look at the ruin and to find out if UFO’s and aliens were real.”
“Then you have accomplished what you set out to do.” He wheeled into the parking area for her hotel. “Your safety is important to me. I will search for you after the Albireons are overthrown if it is possible.”
“Are you trying to tell me you might die?”
For the first time Hester considered the danger that Eogan might be walking into. He’d already told her that the combined effort of the world’s governments might not be enough to defeat the Albireon threat. She was selfish and self-centered to only consider her problems.
“There are many Albireons and they have power on this planet.” He stopped the car. “It will take a great many Hunters to destroy them.”
“I hope you survive.” She reached for the door knob. “Thank you for saving my life.”
“Keep safe.” His voice was low. “It might be best if you left Turkey immediately. I would hate to think that the Albireons and their allies have targeted you because you were with me.”
Hester gulped. “I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll take the next plane out of the country. I don’t care where it’s going, I’ll be on it.”
It was a shame to relinquish her dreams, but necessary. There was no point in seeing ancient ruins if you didn’t live long enough to tell others about it. Home had never looked so good or welcoming.
Eogan passed the backpack to her. “There will be a time when it is safe for you to return. Do not despair about these things.”
Again he was reading her mind.
She reached for the pack and accidently touched his hand. A shiver of awareness raced through her body and settled like liquid heat in her inner core. She was headed for disappointment by letting herself be attracted to this guy, but she couldn’t stop her body’s reaction. She gave him a shaky smile and backed out of the car. The sooner she ended her connection with Eogan the better for her heart.
“Good luck.”
He nodded and drove away.
She watched him leave until she lost sight of the jeep. It was probably the last time she’d see him so she lingered as long as possible. Hester shrugged and headed for her room. She was alive. That was more than the companions she’d set out with this evening. When she reached her room she threw the backpack on the bed and plopped down beside it. What a mess she’d made of her vacation. She’d have plenty of time to relive it later. Right now, she had to get herself out of this country as fast as possible.
What if someone had seen her lea
ve with Steve or the others tonight? When the bodies of her companions were discovered, they would want to question her. What could she possibly say? I was attacked by some strange men and saved by an even stranger alien. That would get her locked up in a mental institution at the very least. For certain, her career at the university would be in jeopardy.
She couldn’t risk the police questioning her.
The sooner she left Turkey, the safer she’d be.
Hester rolled off the bed and reached for the phone. She needed to call the airline and find a flight. She dialed the hotel switchboard and was waiting for an answer when there was an abrupt knocking at her door followed by the turning of the doorknob. Frowning, she looked to make certain she’d locked it. That’s when the sound of something solid hitting the door filled the room.
The door shuddered.
Something hit it again.
Her heart stopped for a second and then started to beat at a frantic pace. Her eyes darted around the room looking for something to use as a weapon. There was nothing. She hefted her backpack in her hands. It was heavy enough to do damage. Wood splintered and then the door was kicked open.
Hester stood as if paralyzed.
Two men dressed in long black overcoats and black fedora-styled hats entered the room.
“Put the phone down.”
She shook her head.
One of the men snatched the receiver from her and slammed it back into its cradle. The other man grasped her arm and pulled her out of the room.
“You are coming with us.”
Chapter 9
Eogan had driven only a couple of miles down the road before he regretted leaving the human woman alone. If he were being watched, they would know that she had helped him. That meant she was in danger. He stopped the jeep and took a deep breath. He had almost disobeyed the most important law of the sacred code.
Protect women and children.
To the death if necessary.
His actions may have put a woman in jeopardy. He had to remedy this situation and make certain she was safe before leaving to fight the Albireons. First, he had to contact the other Hunters. It was paramount that they knew he was free and what his plans were. If he died, then the others needed to continue his work.
He focused and sent out a message to the leader of the Hunter unit that was also stranded on this planet. Mind connect was a secret that only Hunters knew about. They could communicate telepathically. He had never met Ardal, who was Rioge clan. This would be the first time connecting and it might not be as easy as it would normally have been in battle.
“Ardal, this is Eogan.”
It took several seconds and a couple of tries before he had a reply. “I am listening.”
“Partlan advised me to contact you once I was above ground. I have escaped.”
“Good. Where are you?”
“Sanliurfa,, Turkey. They tried to ambush me and have sent others to ensure that I am dead.” Eogan tilted his head from side to side to ease the tension in his neck. “My implants have been removed. They have no control over me.”
“I expected no less from a fellow Hunter.” Ardal paused. “Partlan and a team are in London. Can you get to them?”
“I will make that my destination.”
“I will alert them to your plans.” There was a short pause before another mind connect message came through. “It is good to know you are alive. We are the last of Rioge clan. I am anxious to meet with you and discuss the changes that have happened since landing on this planet.”
“As am I.”
“By Cygnus and Warrior make it to us safely.”
That was the end of the connection.
Eogan had a destination and a purpose.
He was no longer a prisoner to the humans who wanted to control Earth. He was free to be the warrior and Hunter that he had been destined to be since his creation. It would be difficult to travel without papers, so he would have to stay away from the traditional means of transport. There was one thing he had to do before leaving this city and country.
Hester had risked her life by staying with him.
He had to be certain that she was safe.
He turned back in the direction of the hotel. The closer he got to where he’d left Hester, the tenser he became. It was an unusual sensation. He had never felt fear for himself. The only humans he’d known were those who held him captive or fought with him. He’d never cared about what happened to them.
It was different with Hester.
She had an effect on him.
The likeliest explanation was that it had been many years since he’d been close to another person. Isolation, and then the missions he’d been forced to perform, had taken away any real sense of belonging. He was alone and adrift from his fellow Hunters. Until he helped Partlan escape, he had no idea that any of his brother warriors had survived.
He slowed the jeep when the lodging came into sight.
His eyes narrowed when he noticed a new car in the parking lot. It was a large black sports utility vehicle. The humans that he’d worked with had driven identical vehicles. It was out of place in a small hotel on an isolated street. He parked and was about to open the door when two men came out of the building holding a woman between them.
It was Hester.
Eogan’s heart raced and he fought back a surge of anger. He should never have left her alone. A wave of fear and distress knotted his stomach. It was so powerful that it took his breath away, and he knew without a doubt that it had come from Hester. She was terrified. The men pushed her into the SUV. There was only one option for him. He would follow the vehicle and when it stopped, he would free her.
He sent her a wave of strength.
She probably wouldn’t be able to receive it, but he had to try. She needed to know that he was going to rescue her. He kept his lights off as he followed. They made their way through the city streets at a brisk pace, and drove north on the road to the airport. At the terminal, the vehicle turned away from the main buildings and continued to drive on a side street that ran parallel to the runways. It stopped past the runways at a gated, metal hangar.
There was a helicopter waiting on the tarmac.
It was a trap.
Somehow, they had found out that he’d travelled with Hester on his way back from Kobani. If they had followed him, then there must be another implant or tracking device on him. He didn’t have time to worry about it right now.
He had to rescue Hester.
If possible, he would try and salvage the helicopter. It would be useful in their escape to London. He parked the jeep several yards away from the hangar and reached behind his seat for two assault rifles and a pistol. He checked the ammunition, swung the strap of one of the rifles over his shoulder, and pushed the handgun into his waistband.
He took a deep breath and calmed his heart beat. There was no room for error. He blocked all thought of Hester’s fear from his mind and focused on his enemy. They must be eliminated. They had threatened a woman and only death would stop them. He eased the door of the jeep open and closed it with a quiet click.
A fence surrounded the helipad.
The gate was at the far end, so he kept low to the ground and crept toward the opening. He climbed the chain-link barrier and dropped down into the enclosure without detection. He used the building and the dark of night to hide his approach. The sports utility vehicle was stopped beside the helicopter, and as of yet, no one had exited.
They were waiting for him.
He crouched low to the ground and took aim.
He blasted out the tires of the SUV so that a hiss of escaping air echoed in the still night. He took aim, and ignited the fuel truck that was parked at the helipad. The loud boom of the explosion, and fire filled the area. The doors of the vehicle were flung open and a barrage of bullets volleyed up the side of the building that had hidden him. Eogan’s reactions were faster than the snipers. He’d left his initial position and was now behind a shed on the opposite si
de.
He shot two of the gunmen dead.
Only the driver, and probably one other person inside the car remained.
He was proved right a few seconds later. A man holding a gun to Hester’s head, exited from the far side of the vehicle, and walked several feet onto the tarmac. The driver sped off. Eogan shot a barrage of bullets into the driver’s side window. The SUV swerved out of control and crashed into the burning fuel truck.
“Enough,” the man holding Hester, shouted. “There is no way you’ll get out of here alive.”
Eogan sprinted away from behind the shed and moved closer to Hester. Several wooden boxes that were lined up for transport, gave him cover. The overhead lights shone on Hester’s abductor and Eogan had a clear shot from this vantage point. Soon the man would die.
“I was informed you were dead.” The man shouted as he twirled in a circle holding Hester close to him. “You may have a reputation of being invincible, but no one is that good. Come out or the woman dies.”
“Let her go first.”
“I don’t make deals with killers.” The man snarled his words. “You will die this night. We no longer have a use for your expertise.”
Eogan took aim.
He shot the man between the eyes.
Hester screamed as the man fell and took her with him. Eogan stood just as a blast rang out from the helicopter. The bullet flew within inches of his head. He had been so focused on saving Hester that he’d made the near-fatal error of thinking the chopper was empty. It was a rookie mistake.
The blades of the aircraft started, sending a gust of wind over the tarmac He crouched low and took aim. He was too late. The helicopter took off into the air. He rushed to Hester and watched the chopper leave with a sinking feeling.
She was trembling when he reached her side.
“Are you hurt?” His voice was curt.
Hester shook her head. “Is he dead?”
“You are safe.”
Eogan freed her and then pulled her into his arms. He could feel the frantic racing of her heart against his chest. It felt as if his heart pulsed at the same rate. He sent her calming thoughts and within seconds, she had stopped shivering and her breathing returned to normal. Her fear was subsiding.
aHunter4Gotten Page 6