“They didn’t know what those men intended.” She looked up at Franklin, noting the look of terror in his eyes. “At least I don’t think they did.”
“Why did you abandon Hester?” Eogan’s voice reverberated throughout the small cell.
“Everything happened so fast.” Steve Jackson spoke in a shaky voice. “One minute we were being blocked by a jeep and the next these armed thugs were dragging Josh and Hester away from the vehicle. Franklin saw his break and he took it.”
“You did not come back to help.” Eogan’s voice held disdain. “That is the action of a coward.”
The taunt seemed to motivate Franklin into action. He pulled on Eogan’s hands and bucked his body in an effort to escape. It was futile. Hester knew that Eogan wouldn’t let the man down until he had the answers he needed.
“Please just tell him why you ran.” Hester’s voice was more of a plea than an order.
“How do I know I can trust him?” Franklin’s mouth twisted into a sneer. “He’s just some guy you picked up along the way.”
How dare he suggest that she was in the habit of picking up strangers in foreign countries?
Hester sensed the cold determination building in Eogan. She should defuse the situation, but after Franklin’s last remark, she no longer cared what happened to him. Instead of helping her, he’d been concerned with saving his own skin. Eogan was right.
Franklin was a coward.
Indignation and fury burned inside of her.
“You were a stranger and look where that got me.” Hester didn’t hide her contempt. “Since I met you, I’ve been shot at, nearly raped, watched men die, kidnapped, bugged, and thrown into a cell with you. I did, however, get to see Gobekli Tepe.”
She turned away and walked to the far corner. Anger was clouding her judgement and she needed a few minutes to calm down. All the testosterone in the room was making that impossible. She crossed her arms and sat with her back against the wall, her legs stretched out in front of her. She shut her eyes and leaned her head against the cool stone of the prison cell.
“You have upset her.”
Eogan’s voice had a soothing effect on her. The only good thing about this crazy situation was that he was still with her. She didn’t know how she would have survived this ordeal without his strength and support. She sighed and opened her eyes. Nothing had changed. Eogan was still holding Franklin high against the wall.
“Let me go.” Franklin twisted his body from side to side.
“We didn’t mean for Hester to be hurt.” Steve’s voice was a calm in the middle of the storm. “It was important that we get away from those men.”
“Why go there in the first place?” Eogan asked.
“We had an assignation with another contact.” Steve’s voice was apologetic. “I should have insisted that Hester stay in the city, but I didn’t see any harm in bringing her along.”
“Who was this person?”
“Don’t tell him,” Franklin shouted as he frantically increased his struggle to break Eogan’s hold.
“We’re all in here together. That means we have to trust each other.” Steve was the voice of reason.
“Enough.” Hester was tired of listening to their arguing. “Put him down Eogan.” She jabbed a finger at Steve and then Franklin. “You two had better start talking. Why was a transmitter hidden in my bag, and who were you going to meet?”
Eogan released Franklin.
The man fell to the ground with a thud.
Hester hid her smile. Eogan turned to her and she saw a twinkle in his eye. He’d done it on purpose and she couldn’t fault him. It served Franklin right. A little embarrassment was a small price after everything she’d been through in the past twenty-four hours.
“That was uncalled for.” Steve put a hand under Franklin’s arm and helped him stand. “This man is trying to save humanity. He deserves better treatment.”
Eogan was walking toward her.
He stopped at Steve’s words.
“How is he going to do that?” Eogan’s voice held mild curiosity.
Hester couldn’t see Franklin saving the world unless it was with a peaceful demonstration. He certainly didn’t look to be someone who could do battle. Look at how he’d behaved when they’d been stopped outside Gobekli Tepe. He and Steve had run away at the first sign of trouble.
“He’s a leader in the H.R.F.” Steve voice held a note of awe.
Eogan crossed his arms and glared at the two men. “Explain.”
“We don’t have to tell you anything.” Franklin brushed his pants off. “You’re nothing but a bully. People like you are why the world is at risk.”
“Humans were in trouble long before I crashed on this planet.”
Eogan’s words hung in the air for a few seconds before Steve cleared his throat. “Did you say crashed?”
Hester’s protective instincts kicked in. She knew Steve was concerned about aliens being on Earth because of their past conversations. She was less certain of Franklin, and she didn’t trust him. Eogan was capable of defending himself, but she didn’t want this to escalate to a fight before she found out about this supposed organization that Franklin was involved in.
She stood and went to Eogan’s side. “Explain what H.R.F. means. That’s the least you can do after abandoning me.”
“I don’t owe you anything.” Franklin straightened his shoulders. “You’re just another one of those silly people who think that every alien that comes to Earth is a friend. Now you might find out what is really happening on this planet.”
“You will speak to her with respect or I will not be responsible for what happens to you.”
Franklin put his hands on his hips. “What is with you and this protection stuff?”
“Women are to be obeyed.”
“Where the hell did you come up with that?” Franklin shook his head. “Every word from your mouth is crazy. Where did you pick this guy up?”
“The Sacred Code is what I follow and Hester did not pick me up. I found her being attacked, and helped.”
“How?” Franklin snorted. “Did you talk them to death with your craziness?”
“I killed them.”
Steve raised his eyebrows and looked at her for confirmation. “They shot Josh and the others. I was seconds away from being raped when Eogan stepped in and took care of the men.”
“And you wonder why you’re in this place?” Franklin shook his head. “How can you possibly stay with a lunatic?”
“I insisted.” Eogan crossed his arms. “When they boarded the ship we were on, I knew they meant her harm. When the time is right I will kill them too.”
Steve pushed his glasses up his nose. “Is this true?”
Hester nodded. “He’s very good at killing.”
“Did you escape from an institution for the criminally insane?” Franklin moved back.
“I have been trained since birth to be a warrior. I uphold the Sacred Code and the punishment for disobeying is death.”
Steve who had been watching Eogan closely took a step toward him.
“I’ve read something like that before.” Steve’s voice rose in excitement. “It was when I was doing researching on the internet.”
Eogan stared down at him. “Reading is not going to help you in this situation.”
Steve shook his head. “You misunderstand. I remember an organization of men who hired their services out. They said the exact same thing. They had been trained since birth to be warriors. They called themselves Hunters.”
Eogan didn’t say anything. Hester reached an arm out to him. “Is it possible that this group is similar to you?”
Eogan nodded. “They are the ones I seek. I have been in communication with their leader, Ardal.”
Steve took a step back. “You’re a Hunter?”
“Yes.”
“Help us escape.” Franklin seemed to forget his earlier aversion and moved closer to Eogan. “We’ll pay you.”
“Hunters
have been bred and trained to be the best warriors in the universe. I fight with honor.”
“We’re a good cause. Steve and I were trying to join the H.R.F. and that’s how we got captured.”
“What is the H.R.F.?” Hester was tired of hearing the letters without knowing what they stood for.
“It’s the Human Resistance Force.” Steve spoke in a solemn voice. “What most of the world doesn’t know is that there are aliens who are controlling our planet and killing humans.”
She frowned. “So this is a group who is trying to kill these extraterrestrials?”
“It is crazy to attack them.” Eogan crossed his arms. “They have strength in too many places for any siege to be effective.”
“What do you know about this?” Franklin scoffed. “One minute you are upholding some code by killing people, and the next, you think you know about aliens.”
“I know the Albireons intimately.” Eogan’s voice was low. “I have been held captive by them for over thirty years. I know what their weaknesses are and where they are hiding.”
Franklin’s eyes widened. “How come you’re still alive?”
“I was controlled by humans who worked with the Albireons. I was sent on many missions to kill. I have no love for their race or the people who work with them.”
A renewed appreciated for what Eogan had suffered welled up within Hester. It was as if it had happened to her. She was overwhelmed by the despair and isolation of his situation. It was atrocious that Eogan had been used as a weapon by those monsters. They’d exploited him because in their eyes, he was less than human. He was an alien without emotions or feeling. It was wrong.
Anger and outrage filled her.
Those men deserved to die.
“I will kill them when the time is right.” Eogan’s voice echoed in her head.
She felt a whisper of a connection in her mind and knew that it was Eogan reaching out to her. He’d heard and sensed her thoughts. It was an intimate awareness. One of attraction and belonging, and she delighted in knowing that it was only between the two of them.
She turned to Steve. “Were you planning on meeting with this group while you were with me?”
“I meant to tell you about them, but there was no time.”
“How did they find out about your plans?”
Steve gave her a sheepish look. “I don’t think I believed there were really aliens controlling humans. I wasn’t as careful with my communications as I should have been.”
Everything was now clear. She’d been communicating with Steve on the internet for months. They had discussed the possibility of extraterrestrials being on the planet in the past and the present. If he’d told her about a movement to rid the world of these beings, then she would probably have agreed to join.
She looked at Franklin. “What is your connection? The trouble didn’t begin until you joined us on our trip to Gobekli Tepe.”
“I made contact with someone in the H.R.F. and they were going to meet us at the site.”
“So it was a trap and you lied about being a leader in their organization.” Eogan shook his head. “You should have scouted the ruins before going there. I doubt there was ever a legitimate meeting.”
“You’re wrong.” Franklin’s face reddened. “I made certain.”
“Were you introduced in person or was it an internet communication?”
Franklin opened his mouth to speak and then shut it. He glanced down at the floor and then shrugged. “They seemed to be real.”
“Does the organization exist?” Hester had to know.
“Yes.” Steve cleared his throat. “I found mention of them, but it wasn’t through regular channels. They are very secretive and elusive.”
“They would have to be. The Albireon reach is far. Few live to talk about them.”
“So what does that mean for us?” Franklin whined.
“It means they will kill you. First, they will demand information about this H.R.F. organization.”
“We don’t know anything.” Franklin’s voice rose hysterically. “There’s nothing to find out.”
“They will make certain that you have no knowledge before they end your life.”
“Great.” Franklin rolled his eyes. “Are you trying to scare us? It won’t work. We’ve been sitting in this cell for hours and have had plenty of time to prepare ourselves.”
“They will use torture. Only your death will assure them that you are telling the truth. The methods on this planet are primitive.” Eogan spoke matter of fact. “Do you know how to withstand pain?”
Steve’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “Surely it won’t come to that. We have rights.”
“These people work outside of the laws of any country.”
A shiver went through Hester. They had tracked her because they thought she was involved with the H.R.F. Pain was not something she was comfortable with. She hated needles. Going to the dentist sent her into a panic attack. She doubted she’d ever be able to withstand torture, especially when she didn’t know anything.
“It will not come to that.” Eogan turned to her. His eyes were intense and sincere. “I will make certain you are safe no matter what.”
Hester blinked to stop the tears that threatened to overcome her. Eogan would risk everything to shield her. He had already proven that. To have a man protect her at all costs was more than she had ever hoped for. She had envisioned her years ahead as a lonely spinster who had her research and teaching to keep her occupied.
In that moment she knew the truth.
She loved him.
Hester gave him a tremulous smile and leaned her head against his chest. “Thank you.”
There was a loud banging outside the cell and before she could react, Eogan turned to the door and stood in front of her. When she tried to move, his arm blocked her. She heard the door open, but all she could see was Eogan’s back.
“There’s no point in hiding her.” A man’s gruff voice filled the air. “You and the woman are to follow us. Schneider has some questions.”
Chapter 15
Every muscle in Eogan’s body tightened as he prepared for battle. Hester’s fear was palpable. She had to know that he would not let these men harm her in any way. The connection between them was growing, and he knew deep within his being that she was his pair bond. He would die protecting her, but his death meant nothing if she was still a prisoner.
Hester’s safety had to be ensured before he attacked.
That required timing and patience.
He would act only when he knew that he could free her from this prison. Their jailers thought they had the upper hand. They didn’t realize they were dealing with a Hunter and that gave him an advantage. One he would use when the time was right.
The man motioned them to the door.
Eogan’s hand curled around Hester’s waist and he brought her close so he could shield her with his body. She was precious to him. He would guarantee her survival. He sent a wave of comfort and squeezed her arm in reassurance. In a few seconds he felt her relax.
“Move.” The lead man ordered. He pointed his weapon at the door before turning to their companions. “You two stay here.”
Eogan’s tension eased. His only concern was Hester. If he survived, he would consider coming back for the others, but only if she insisted. They had abandoned her to die. They had no honor. There was no value in saving such men.
Hester’s breathing rate increased as they left the cell and were steered down a narrow passage. Eogan did his best to send her comfort. Until she was outside of this underground structure, real peace wasn’t possible for either of them. Instead, he kept sending her a mind connection. Soon you will be free. He wasn’t sure if she could hear him, but her body eased beside him.
They were led into an interrogation room with a table and four chairs.
“Sit. Colonel Schneider will be in to talk with you.”
When they were seated she leaned toward him. “Do you think they�
��ll let us go?”
“No.” Lying to Hester wasn’t a possibility. “I am ready for battle.”
“Is that wise?” There was a quiver in her voice.
“It is necessary.” Eogan reached for her hand. “These men are ruthless. They have much blood on their conscious. I will not let them have yours.”
A tremor went through Hester. “Promise you will stay safe. I couldn’t continue if something happened to you.”
Eogan lowered his voice. “A Hunter’s bond is present even in death.”
“I need a live man.” Hester’s tone was strident. “A voice in my head does not replace years of loneliness.”
Eogan’s heart lightened. She sounded irritated. It was a sign she was getting tougher, and she needed strength for the fight ahead.
“Is that an order?” he asked.
“You bet.” Hester leaned back in her chair. “I’m not the only one walking out of here alive.”
“It is my greatest wish to do your bidding.” Eogan heard a disturbance in the hall and inclined his head in that direction. “Take cover when I start.”
Hester straightened her shoulders. “Just give me the word.”
No further conversation was possible. The door opened, and Colonel Schneider walked in accompanied by three armed guards. Eogan eyed up their weapons and assessed what was necessary to overpower them. It should be easy. The man closest to him was holding his gun with a light grip. Once he had taken him out, the rest would fall.
“I’m glad to see you two are getting comfortable.” The colonel threw papers on the table. “You’ve left a wake of dead bodies behind you.”
“You’ve fabricated that.” Hester put her elbows on the table. “I’m not strong enough to kill anyone.”
“Maybe not you Dr. Adams, but your friend here is more than capable.” Schneider glared at Eogan. “It’s a funny thing about you. I ran your picture through our computer recognition system and it came up empty. I find it hard to believe that a man as skilled in killing as you, wouldn’t be on someone’s data bank.”
“You must be mistaken then.” Eogan clamped his lips tight. The longer they stayed in the dark about his identity, the easier it would be to escape.
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