by Anna Hackett
The other part of her wanted to scream at everyone—I’m the one responsible for all of this. You living deep underground, dressed in second-hand clothes and all your loved ones dead, because of me.
She wasn’t sure she could be free and easy, like Elle. And she was damn certain she’d never radiate happiness.
Avery reached the door, jammed the box between the wall and her hip, then slapped a hand to the door lock. She quickly grabbed the box again and as the lock beeped, she pushed through the door.
Delicious scents assailed her. She had to admit, the food in the base was good. Definitely much better than the frozen dinners she’d lived on before. Since she’d been pulled from that alien tank—and thank the lord, she hadn’t been in there long enough to start the transformation from human to alien—she’d quickly gotten used to eating well here at Blue Mountain.
The man in charge, General Adam Holmes, ran the base with smooth precision, and she couldn’t fault the work he’d done. He’d worked hard to transform the former military base into a home—with living quarters, a school, an infirmary, and dozens of storage rooms for any and all scavenged goods they could find. Still, at the end of the day, it was a military base as well, home to those squads who went out to fight the aliens every single day.
“Took your time, Av.”
Avery set the box on a shiny silver workbench and looked up at the enormous man nearby.
The massive giant of a man didn’t seem to have a name, going simply by Chef. He was six foot eight with massive shoulders, skin the color of black coffee, and most often a wide, easy smile. He was the friendliest man she’d ever met…unless you messed up any of his food.
Then he could be downright cranky.
“Keep your hat on, Chef. I had to work my charm on Old Man Hamish. You know he begrudges every floret of broccoli that leaves his gardens.”
Chef made a harrumphing sound. “Bring it over here. I need to get that spinach in the stew.”
She set down the vegetables he’d asked for. “Heaven forbid we don’t have enough spinach in your masterpiece.”
“No respect,” Chef muttered, but his teeth flashed white in his face.
She shook her head, smiling. “Temperamental.”
“Don’t know why I put up with you.”
Avery started unpacking the rest of the vegetables. She knew they were lucky to have the fresh stuff at all. The shelves behind her were stacked with cans and dry goods that had been scavenged over the year and a half since the invasion, but slowly those stocks were dwindling, and eventually, they would run out. “You put up with me, Chef, because no one else will work with you.”
“We both know you won’t stay working in here for long.”
Her hand paused, clutching a leek. She deliberately placed it on the chopping board. “Trying to get rid of me already?”
“Nope. But, girl, you have skills…they’ll decide to use them.”
Avery closed her eyes. First Hamish, now Chef. She should have kept her mouth shut about her past employment. It was true, she wanted to be out there, fighting, helping bring these aliens down, but for now, she was grounded. “I have some pretty mad kitchen skills, too. You need them.”
Chef snorted. “Girl, you can barely boil water. That’s why I make you chop and stir.”
She shot him a smile…just as the kitchen door slammed open. She turned and froze. Not again.
Roth Masters strode in, still wearing his lower body armor. On top he wore a simple, faded, green T-shirt that stretched across a broad chest and shoulders. The neckline was soaked with sweat and his dog tags hung in the center of his hard chest. His rugged face was set in hard lines, his sandy hair falling over his forehead, and his ice-blue eyes were laser-focused.
On her.
Chapter Two
Avery stiffened. The leader of Squad Nine was over six feet of alpha male. He oozed his take-charge, in-control attitude like pheromones.
Cranky, stubborn, alpha-male pheromones. At least, they were to her. She eyed the corded muscles in his biceps, and the hint of the ridges his T-shirt clung to, her gaze drawn there against her will. She’d always been attracted to raw strength and power. How could such an annoying man come in such a delectable package?
He paused near her. “Agent Stillman.”
Avery ground her teeth together and resumed unpacking her box. “Masters, I’ve told you, just Avery will do.”
“I need you to come with me.”
He had a smooth, deep voice for such a muscular, rugged man. If she closed her eyes, that voice conjured up the image of a handsome man in a tailored suit.
“Now,” he continued.
Her chest went tight. “We’re going to do this dance again? For the third time this week?” She spun and faced him, her hands on her hips. “Me and you across a table, you battering me with questions I can’t answer.”
“Won’t answer.”
“I don’t remember!” She slapped a hand against the bench, and ignored the sting to her palm. “Why can’t I get that through your thick head?”
He took a step closer, crowding her close. “Because I saw the records on that damn alien ship. You starred in all of them. You met with those fuckers before the invasion. You negotiated with them.”
Avery heaved in a breath. That negotiation was something she’d clearly sucked at. She just loved having Roth Masters rub her face in it. And on top of that, he was a big fat reminder that he got to go out there and fight, and she didn’t. Anger stormed through her blood. She leaned in, until they were barely an inch apart. “And for my trouble, I got shoved in an alien genesis tank, remember?”
His hand shot out and gripped her arm.
She ignored the zing she felt where his fingers touched her skin. Instead, she let her training take over. She chopped a hand to his arm, saw him flinch, and broke his hold. I could take you, Masters, if I really wanted.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. He grabbed her other arm, fingers biting into her skin.
“I don’t remember anything, Masters.” Except fear, and pain—horrible pain. Her mouth flooding with fluid, and burning through her body. No, she wasn’t going there. She straightened her spine. “I don’t remember.”
His fingers tightened on her arm, but he was silent, watching her.
She lifted her chin. “My clearest memory is you. Pulling me from that tank.”
Those eyes like chips of ice. She remembered those in glorious detail.
He’d been the one who’d pulled her out of the tank. He’d stopped her hurting herself or anyone else. He’d held her with those strong arms. And she saw those pale-blue eyes in her dreams.
Stupid. She also remembered that in her disorientation, she’d attacked him. In the scuffle, she’d given him a black eye, while he’d been careful not to hurt her.
“Girl’s been through enough, Masters,” Chef said, his voice rumbling with displeasure.
Masters was still staring at her. Then his jaw firmed. He tugged her away from the bench. “We all have. I need answers.”
Avery sighed. “Fine. Let’s dance.”
***
Roth turned and put his hands on his hips. Special Agent Stillman sat at the battered metal table in the interrogation room, her face composed. They’d been at it for an hour, and he’d gotten nothing.
She looked tired. There were dark circles under her eyes. When she caught him staring, she lifted her chin, her eyes sparking.
She had spirit, that was for sure. She’d looked the same way when she’d come out of the tank—wet and bedraggled, but fighting. He turned away, looking at the one-way mirror back into the corridor. He knew his good friend, Captain Laura Bladon, head of the interrogation team and the prison cells, was out there, observing.
He turned back. “Okay, so you say you can’t remember anything about the invasion or how you ended up in the Genesis Facility.”
Avery huffed out a breath. “Yes. I’ve mentioned that, about a hundred times.”
“Wh
at’s your last clear memory? What do you remember?”
A crease appeared on her brow and she tapped one long finger on the table. “I believe it was the first meeting we had with the Gizzida.”
“So they made contact and asked for a meet?”
She nodded. “They contacted the Coalition leaders, told us they were here in our solar system. We suspected they may have contacted other world leaders, as well. But they swore us to secrecy, so it was never confirmed.”
“How did they communicate?”
“They had someone translating.” She rubbed her temple.
“Okay. Where did you meet them?”
“The meeting was arranged in the central Australian desert. We didn’t want to alarm anyone, so they flew down in a smaller ship to the meet.”
“And then what happened?”
“Their ship…it was larger than the ptero ships they use down here, but not as large as that monstrosity they invaded Sydney in.”
Roth nodded. It made sense they’d have something in between. “Go on.”
“It looked like some giant kind of insect.” She rubbed her temple again, her frown deepening. “After it landed, a group of raptors emerged. All large humanoids, with thick skin, reptilian-like features.”
“And the translator?”
“He—I think it was a he—was a raptor. He had a very heavy accent, but he spoke English.” She stared off at the wall. “He seemed smaller than the others.”
Roth grunted. His tablet lay on the table, lights blinking as it recorded their conversation. “What did they ask for?”
Now she was rubbing her temple vigorously. “They told us they came from the…some system. What we call the Alphard system. They…they said they had an armada of ships waiting on the other side of the moon. They could wipe us out.” She winced now. “Uh…I think they…damn headache.”
“What did they want, Stillman?”
“I…” Hazel eyes, an intriguing blend of green and gold, looked up at him. “I don’t know. I can’t remember.”
Dammit. “You need to remember. The survival of the human race could depend on it.”
She shoved to her feet. “Don’t you think I know that?”
He couldn’t tear his gaze off her face. She always looked defiant to him, but right now he saw a flash of something else—pain? Vulnerability?
“You might be the perfect soldier and never make a mistake. But the rest of us mortals can’t say the same.”
Roth felt a muscle tick in his jaw. He was far from perfect. “I’m just a soldier.”
“I know you were part of the Special Operations Command.” There was a slight sneer on her face. “An elite group, the best of the best. Even though everyone knew SOC was just the military’s assassins.”
Roth released a breath. “This isn’t about me. It’s about what you know about the aliens.”
Avery pressed her hands to her head. “You think I’m not trying to remember? I go to bed every night knowing I did something wrong and billions died. Something I can’t damn well remember. I toss and turn every night trying to get my head—” she thumped it with her palm “—to release something, anything that might help.”
Sympathy charged through him. Jesus, maybe he’d pushed her too hard. “Stillman—”
“You know what, screw you, Masters.” She wrapped her arms around herself.
There was a hard knock at the door, then it opened. Captain Laura Bladon stepped inside. Her red hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her face was set in hard lines. “Enough.” She jerked her head at the door.
Roth watched Avery round the table and drop into the chair. With a sigh, he followed Laura out.
“You’re pushing her a bit hard, aren’t you?” the former Navy Intelligence Officer said.
Roth pressed his hands to the edge of the one-way mirror and watched Avery. Hell, who was he kidding, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. A part of him wanted to go in there and pull her into his arms. Comfort her.
Frowning, he wondered who she’d been spending time with. She’d come out of the alien lab uninjured, unlike so many others who were still recovering from terrible experimentation, but she was obviously suffering some aftereffects. Dammit, maybe she really didn’t remember.
“She’s the key, Laura. She knows something that can help us beat these aliens, I know it.”
“This is the third time you’ve had her in here this week. Push too hard and she might break. Then you’ll get nothing.”
So far, all he thought Avery wanted to do was knee him in the balls, or gut him with something dull and rusty. But Laura was in charge of the base’s prison and interrogation team because she was good. She knew what she was talking about.
He raked a hand through his hair and looked again at Avery. He was pushing her too hard, and he knew, deep down, it wasn’t just about her. It was about his own dark secrets, his own guilt.
She lifted her head, staring at the mirror like she knew he was there. Stubborn fire burned in her eyes. He didn’t think she’d break. She was too damn tough for that.
“Let her go,” he told Laura. Then he turned and walked away.
***
Avery tucked the small scraps of leftovers from the night’s meal into her pocket. Out in the base’s dining room, she could still hear the murmur of voices and the tinkle of cutlery on plates.
“I’m out of here, Chef,” she called.
“Righty-o, Av. Have a good one.”
She waved and slipped into the tunnel. The corridor was empty and she hurried in the direction of the western exit. It was the perfect time, with everyone still busy with dinner.
She passed close to the Hawk hangers and heard people talking. Probably the quadcopter mechanics carrying out maintenance. The small fleet of Hawks were vital for getting the squads in and out on their missions. They’d apparently lost one, just before Avery had come to the base—and they’d almost lost Hell Squad in the crash, too. So they were extra careful with the remaining ones. She itched to be in there, her hand running over smooth metal, preparing for a mission.
Hunching her shoulders, she turned a corner and headed for the ladder to the surface. She climbed up quickly, bypassed the security on the hatch at the top and climbed out.
Avery stood for a second and simply breathed in the brisk night air. It wasn’t cold. Summer was coming, and she could smell it in the spring-laden breeze and the promise of warmth. Still, up here in the mountains, the nights stayed cooler.
She hurried into the trees, and wondered if he’d be waiting for her.
She reached a fallen log and sat down. Gum trees towered above her and through the leaves, she could see the stars. They made her stomach tighten. Before the Gizzida, she’d looked at the stars in wonder, now she looked in dread. It made her wonder how many other warlike, advanced species were out there with their gazes turned toward Earth.
Chafing her arms with her hands, she forced her thoughts away from aliens. Masters had peppered her with questions on them enough for today. She chewed her lip. Not that she really blamed him. He was a man dedicated to protecting others. He wanted to help. Hell, she’d been exactly like that in her job. Before.
“Dino?” she called out quietly. “You there?”
All she heard was the buzzing of insects and something rustling high in the trees. Probably a possum. She tapped her fingers against her thigh. It wasn’t like him to be late.
“Special Agent Stillman, you know civilians aren’t permitted out of the base at night, or alone.”
With an internal groan, Avery turned. “Every damn time I turn around…”
Roth crossed his arms. He was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt that was stretched dangerously tight over all his muscles. Couldn’t the guy find a bigger size? She knew the clothing store at the base was a bit limited for choice, but still.
“I’m not planning anything devious. I just needed some air.”
“How did you get out without setting off the alarms?”
> “Special agent, remember?” She could hack a military-grade encryption if she had to. She hadn’t forgotten everything.
He glanced around. “I heard you calling for someone.”
She rolled her eyes. “Right. I’m planning a secret military coup with the aliens. My contact should be here any second.”
His blue eyes narrowed. She felt so incredibly irritated that the ‘annoyed and suspicious’ look made his face look sexy.
Suddenly, there was the patter of footsteps and a small dog leapt out of the trees and landed on the log beside her.
Roth relaxed. “A dog.”
“Yep. Masters, meet Dino. Dino, this is Mr. Stubborn Masters.”
The dog shoved his wet nose into her shirt, searching for the food scraps. She laughed and patted his matted brown fur.
Masters stepped closer. “He looks like a mutt.”
“Definitely. I think he has a bit of everything in him.” She gave Dino the scraps and he scarfed them down. She smiled. “No manners.”
“Dino?”
She shrugged. “Seemed appropriate, considering.”
Masters moved until he could stroke the dog. “Needs a bath.”
“I tried to brush him once. He wasn’t a fan.”
Masters leaned against a nearby tree. She felt his gaze on her like a physical thing. “Did you have a dog as a kid?”
“Hell, no.” When he raised an eyebrow, she shrugged. “I was in the system. Unless a foster home had a dog, I couldn’t have a pet.” She couldn’t have anything. She felt him scrutinizing her and shifted on the log. “Did you just follow me out here to catch me doing something I shouldn’t be doing? Or did you want to interrogate me some more?”
“I spotted you sneaking out—”
She jumped to her feet and faced him. “I wasn’t sneaking!” Okay, maybe she’d been sneaking a little. “Well, not much. I just needed some time alone.”
“Do you…have any friends at base?”