The Shadow Order - Books 1 - 8 + 120 Seconds (The complete series): A Space Opera

by Michael Robertson

  Once the other three had slid through the tunnel, Seb let Sparks lead the way and he followed behind her. SA, can you take the rear? You’re the best fighter here. We need to make sure we don’t get ambushed.

  She didn’t reply to him.

  The double doors at the end of the hall were about eight feet tall and six feet wide. When they got there, Seb watched Sparks open them, poke her head out into the corridor, and peer both ways along it. “Looks clear,” she said.

  Best to double-check, Seb looked out too. They were halfway along the corridor. Single doors ran down either side of it. They looked like they led to smaller rooms. At either end, there were double doors like the ones they were about to step through. He couldn’t see any guards or soldiers anywhere. He held his breath as he listened, but couldn’t hear anything other than the hum of the ship. “I wonder where everyone is?”

  Seb stepped aside to let Sparks pass him. “They’re probably in their daily devotional,” she said. “I’d imagine somewhere on this ship there’s a large room dedicated to worshipping the Countess. Also, we landed on the top level. From the map, I’d say most of the activity is happening below us. Other than through the ship’s hull, the only way to get up here is to pass quite a few security checks. We lucked out with where we chose to latch on.”

  A look at Reyes and Seb saw her raise an eyebrow, but she kept her response to herself. Luck had played very little part in it.

  “I’ll only consider us lucky if we kill her and all get off this ship alive,” Seb said. Nothing ever went well for them, so why would it start happening now of all places.

  “I thought we only killed when we had to,” Sparks said.

  “You think we should let the Countess live?”

  Instead of answering him, Sparks moved off down the corridor, leading the way with her computer as their guide.

  They’d only walked for about ten seconds before Seb shivered. The cold grey metal space didn’t have much insulation, and in just a thin top and trousers, he hadn’t dressed for it.

  When Sparks reached one of the single doors on the corridor, she stopped, turned back to the others, and pressed a long finger across her lips.

  After she’d opened the door and peered into what looked to be a small room, Sparks pulled back out and motioned for Seb to do the same.

  Just one guard in the room. It sat in a chair in the middle of the space surrounded by monitors. At least eight feet of pure muscle, the white-skinned beast looked like it could punch through walls … were it not asleep.

  A deep breath to slow his world down, Seb saw the weak spot on the creature’s throat. It helped that it slept with its head lolling back, facing the ceiling, its large mouth opened wide. Before he entered the room, Seb tore a strip free from the bottom of his shirt, exposing his midriff.

  Her eyes fixed on Seb’s navel, Sparks smirked, looked up at him, and winked. “Are you trying to arouse it or kill it?”

  “Neither! If I can tie its head to the chair while gagging it, then we can pin it down and tie the rest of it up. The main thing is to silence it before it can make a fuss.”

  “Wouldn’t it be easier just to kill it?”

  “I’d rather not kill anything else.”

  “Unless you have to …”

  “Unless I have to.”

  Two steps into the room—the piece of fabric stretched between his hands—Seb held his breath and leaned towards the creature. If he punched the thing in the throat, his metal fists would shatter its larynx.

  Before he could gag it, the beast opened its red eyes and stared fire at Seb. It inhaled to call out, but Seb cut it short with a chop to its throat.

  The creature grabbed its throat, its eyes looking like they could pop from its face as it fought for breath. It made too much noise, so Seb continued with his plan, wrapping the cloth through its mouth as he ran around the back of its seat and pulled.

  Seb’s arms bulged as he fought to hold the creature in place by its head. He watched its pale face turn red. Sweat beaded its brow and a large vein swelled on its forehead.

  Although the beast bucked and thrashed, Seb held on against it.

  Three or four long minutes later, Seb sweating almost as much as the brute, he watched the beast finally fall limp in the large chair.

  Sparks sidled up next to him and stared down at the dead monster. “I thought we didn’t kill.”

  When Seb looked at her, he suddenly understood why she’d said it. “You killed the beings in the gene farm, didn’t you?”

  “No.”

  Seb raised an eyebrow at her.

  “They tried to shoot me. It was self-defence. Honestly.”

  “I trust you.”

  “Sometimes there’s no other option, right?”

  A deep sigh, Seb looked at the dead guard. “Right.”

  Images from all over the ship popped up on the multiple monitors. Every one looked as quiet as the one before it. They watched them for a minute or two before Seb said, “Maybe they’re running a skeleton staff. The Countess is minus an army, after all.”

  “Do you think she’s even on here?” Reyes said.

  While raising her computer to show the others, Sparks said, “Only one way to find out.” She pointed at a room at the end of the corridor just a few metres away from them. “This is where her quarters are. We’re going to have to go and see because I can’t imagine we’ll get a glimpse of the place from in here. If anywhere is free from surveillance, it’ll be that room.”

  Chapter 58

  They reached the double doors at the end of the corridor without further incident—not that they’d had to travel far.

  A look at the card reader next to the doors, Seb watched Sparks walk towards it with her mini-computer. “This is going too well,” he said.

  A gentle nudge from Reyes. “We can only deal with what’s put in front of us. We have the skills to react to whatever we need to. No need to create problems that aren’t there.”

  After several quick taps against the screen of her computer, Sparks turned the red light on the door’s lock to green.

  Seb winced in anticipation of an alarm, but none came. Maybe they weren’t expecting them. And why would they be? The beings who ran the gene farm couldn’t have told the Countess they were coming.

  The double doors slid open, revealing the large room beyond. A throne sat in the centre of it, much like it did in the Crimson Palace. It faced the other way. Before Seb stepped in, Reyes grabbed the back of his shirt.

  When he turned to her, she said, “I think I should go and get the ship ready. We might need a quick getaway after we’ve put the Countess down.”

  Although Seb frowned at Reyes, SA’s voice came through to him. She’s right. She wants to stay and fight, but she’ll be much more use to us if she’s ready to get us out of here.

  After Seb nodded at her, Reyes ran away from them in the direction of the ship. Her steps, although light, certainly weren’t soundless in the long and abandoned corridor.

  Seb stepped into the large room first. Before he had time to take the place in, the throne spun around to face them. The red robed figure of the Countess sat in it, her dark hood staring straight at them.

  Sparks locked the doors behind them and Seb watched SA draw her blades. Bruke then raised a semi-automatic blaster, and now Sparks had secured the doors, she did the same.

  In this situation, with only one enemy, Seb chose to leave his gun sheathed in his belt. The cold metal of it pressed against his back. He clenched his fists while stepping forwards. “Normally we don’t kill,” he said, “but sometimes the justice system isn’t equipped for dealing with the kind of crimes you’ve committed.”

  The Countess’ hood twitched as if she was about to speak. But she didn’t.

  “Slavery, murder, terrorist activities, extortion … you don’t deserve to live.”

  The sound of the group’s steps closed down on the Countess, and Seb heard something coming back from her: heavy and laboured brea
ths.

  Just a few metres separating them, the Countess shook her head but still didn’t speak.

  A sting burned Seb’s tired eyes as he continued to watch her without blinking. He moved closer, tense and ready to fight. “It had to happen sooner or later. You can’t live a life like yours and not have it come back to bite you on the arse at some point.”

  An almost asthmatic snort, the Countess’ breaths sped up and she shook where she sat. But Seb still couldn’t see her face in the darkness of her hood. He stepped closer still, holding his breath. Tension turned the air thick, waiting for the spark.

  So close he could smell the rotten stench coming from her, her breaths hot and heavy. His world in slow motion, Seb leaned forwards with a shaking hand, pinched the material on her hood, and threw it backwards to expose her face.

  The sight forced him to stumble back a few steps, and although he opened and closed his mouth, he couldn’t get his words out.

  He finally said, “Gurt?”

  Chapter 59

  The sound of an alarm rang out, the shrill tone of it snapping through Seb and forcing him to jump back another step. Yet he still remained transfixed on his dead friend. How had the Countess brought him back to life?

  But then Gurt’s face changed, the illusion moving aside to show the true being beneath.

  The creature, although about the same size and build as Gurt, had a much smaller head. Almost ape-like, it was vibrant green like a tree snake. It had bruises, cuts, and blood all over its face from where it had clearly been beaten. On the brink of death, it seemed to take a great effort for it to speak. “The Countess wanted to give you a message; she isn’t as stupid as you think.”

  A fireball of an explosion went off inside the creature’s head, lighting up its eyes and mouth like a jack-o’-lantern. Seb covered his face with his hands. The backs of them got splattered with hot wet chunks. The heat from the fireball lifted sweat on his skin. When he looked at the others, he saw they were covered in blood and flesh too.

  The bright white lights in the room then dimmed and turned red. They pulsed in time with the loud alarm.

  SA, Seb said, you need to show the others what you can do. They won’t hear me over this noise.

  No.

  Come on, don’t be so selfish.

  You don’t understand.

  I understand you’re putting us at risk because you want to keep your gift to yourself. If you don’t tell them, I will.

  Shut up, Seb.

  The words stung and halted Seb momentarily. Accompanied by SA’s glare, it cut deep. But he had no time for his feelings, especially when a voice came over the tannoy system.

  It took a few words for Seb to identify the deep boom as female. “You think we didn’t see you coming? I thought you were smarter than to walk straight into a trap.”

  SA, we need you to help us.

  SA didn’t even look at him this time.

  We’ll die if you don’t.

  Just focus on the fight.

  Before Seb could say anything else, he saw that each of the four walls had double doors in them like the ones they’d entered through. Three of them opened. The ones they’d entered via remained closed. A stampede of Crimson soldiers poured into the room. They were all dressed in the crimson robes of their queen, their faces hidden in shadow.

  The four Shadow Order members pulled together, their backs facing the still-closed doors as they readied themselves for the oncoming threat.

  Sparks let rip first, sending a pulse of laser fire from her automatic blaster. She blew four guards away. More replaced them, jumping over their fallen comrades without breaking stride. It seemed like an impossible fight. There were more guards than the four of them could kill.

  As one, the group moved closer to the doors Reyes had exited through. Sparks had locked them, so hopefully they’d stay locked. They needed to avoid being surrounded.

  As Sparks continued to fire, Seb said, “Be careful, those guns overheat.”

  At his call, Sparks let go of the trigger, the blasts dying for a second before she ripped off another line of shots. If she waited too long, they wouldn’t last past the first minute of the battle.

  A stream of knives flew away from the group quicker than Spark’s automatic rifle could send out blasts. It slowed the soldiers down, but they were still making ground on them.

  SA, they won’t be able to hear my instructions over the alarm. You have to show them what you can do.

  They were now just a few metres away from the locked doors. Drag the soldiers with you over to the other side of the hangar away from us, SA said. Get to the far corner.

  You want me to go over there on my own?

  Yes. You’re the only one that can do it and avoid being shot.

  As hard as he found it to trust her at that moment, Seb shouted at the other two, “Follow SA’s lead.” He shared a look with her before he made a break for it. The Crimson soldiers filled each of the doorways and fought from there. Those at the front knelt down so the ones behind could shoot over them. They sent two lines of blasts at Seb as he ran.

  It took all Seb had to avoid the laser fire, the other three taking out the soldiers while they focused on him. What am I? Target practice or something?

  Just get to the far corner. I’ll deal with everything else.

  How will you do that if you won’t talk to them? I feel like you just want to get me away from them so you can keep your secret safe. You’re putting us all at risk here.

  SA ignored him, and when he got to the farthest corner away from the others, he turned around to see the soldiers had moved from their positions and were closing in on him. Although the others took some down, the Crimson Soldiers’ lives were cheap. They could afford casualties.

  What are you doing, SA? Seb said. You’re going to get me killed.

  Shut up and hold your breath.

  Is that a joke?

  DO IT!

  Seb held his breath and looked across the room at SA. She glared at him. He’d clearly crossed a line with her. She then slammed her hand against the control panel by the door behind her.

  A second later, a frigid rush of air pulled on Seb’s back. It ripped him from his feet and dragged him out of the airlock behind him.

  Chapter 60

  As Seb flew backwards out of the open airlock, a pressure clamped his chest, threatening to crush the air from it. It dared him to breathe, but SA’s words rang through his mind. He pressed his lips tightly together. He had to trust her.

  Panic accelerated Seb’s pulse to see the fear surrounding him. Many of the soldiers being dragged from the airlock had had their hoods ripped back, revealing twisted faces. In a hopeless attempt to do something, he flailed his arms and legs as if he could swim against the force dragging him into oblivion. He couldn’t.

  The cold of Seb’s surroundings ran through his extremities first, needles of pain threatening to destroy any feeling he had in his fingers and toes. Then he crashed—back first—into something hard and metal. He hadn’t seen it coming and it damn near winded him. But he fought against his desire to gasp and kept his breath held. The metal object continued forward, taking him back into the ship with it.

  When Seb re-entered the ship, he looked across at SA, his vision blurred from where his eyes watered. She was stopping herself from being dragged outside by holding onto a handle near the double doors. She reached out to press a button next to the card reader. The same button she’d pressed to launch him out into oblivion.

  After she’d crashed her hand against it, the airlock slammed shut, cutting a Crimson soldier in two. Seb stared at the red bloodstain as the throne room re-pressurised. Only when he had nothing left, Seb finally trusted he could breathe again. He gasped and fell forward, fighting to get his breath back, barking like a seal.

  Unable to speak, Seb felt like his lungs had shrunk. But he shouldn’t panic. He’d get his breath back; he just needed to calm down. It took a great effort for him to crawl over to the clos
est wall and lean against it, his body still heaving with his need for air.

  Seb watched the mech that had dragged him back in. She faced the crimson soldiers with her two fists stretched out in front of her. They then folded down, revealing two Gatling guns in her wrists. They protruded like they were bones running through her forearms.

  Despite how many soldiers they’d flushed out up until that point, a flow of them still ran in through the three separate doors. The mech’s guns whirred as she cleared one of the doorways in seconds. She then turned to the next two and did the same, tearing the soldiers to shreds in a spray of blood and flesh. Being the main aggressor at that moment, she drew the soldiers’ fire. The red laser blasts bounced off her seemingly impenetrable shell.

  The three doors didn’t stay cleared for long. The mech returned her focus to the first door and took out the next wave to burst from it.

  Yes, you’re hearing me, SA said, but we don’t have time for questions.

  It took for Seb to look at Bruke and Sparks, confusion on Sparks’ face, fear on Bruke’s, to realise SA had addressed everyone. See, he said, I knew you could do it. This is what we need.

  A dark stare at Seb, SA then said, Sparks and Bruke, you stay here and fight with Reyes and me. She then threw a knife across the space into a Crimson soldier that looked like it had died. From the way it twitched at the killer shot, it had clearly been acting. Seb, I can see the Countess getting away.

  A look to where SA pointed, Seb saw the tall figure in a crimson robe. Because they were surrounded by robes and he’d been dragged outside, he’d lost track of which one the Countess was. But now SA had pointed her out and she was running out of there through a separate, smaller door, it seemed so obvious.

  Can you get to her if we hold the soldiers back?