The image of the female screaming in agony as the saw ripped through her flesh, muscles, and bones made her stomach revolt again. Talia heaved until there was nothing left, and then a few moments longer. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sat back on her haunches and hung her head. The man on the table could have been Rava or Gianva. The thought that her two men could have been strapped to that table made her heart hurt. That poor female and male, they belonged to someone. They were someone’s daughter and son, perhaps someone’s lover.
“What have we done?” she whispered.
“Are you okay?” Gianva knelt beside her, placing a large hand on her back after brushing her hair away from her face.
Rava took up the other side. She looked at them both with watery eyes. Her bottom lip quivered. “I had no idea,” she whispered.
Each man took one of her hands and gave them a squeeze.
“We do not believe that you are responsible for the atrocious acts to our kind,” Gianva assured.
She nodded. “I know, but I was part of them. I was part of SAAB, in my own way. I thought I was working for the government, but I knew what it was all really about. What if something I did put them on those tables?”
Her tears were falling in earnest now, and she didn’t bother stopping them. Gianva kissed her on the forehead. “You do not have a mean bone in your body, my love.”
“He is right,” Rava said and then spoke in his own language. The way the words and syllables rolled off his tongue was beautiful. She gasped. She should have realized English wasn’t their native tongue.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
Rava pressed his lips to her knuckles. “It means my heart, our heart.”
“It’s beautiful.”
He smiled and nodded. “Our language is beautiful.”
The three of them sat in silence for a long moment. Finally, Rava spoke.
“You do realize that now we have seen this, our people will want our government to cut all ties with the humans. They will declare war and any peaceful alliance we once had will be gone. We can’t hide what we know from our people.”
She nodded. The image of Rava and Gianva lying dead on a battlefield tainted with blood raced through her mind.
“We’ve got to do something,” she said.
Gianva nodded. “I agree.”
Thoughts began to swirl in her mind as a plan began to take root. Her eyes lit up as she climbed to her feet and dusted her robes off.
“I have an idea. Come on.”
She offered her hands, and they each took one, and together the three of them entered the cave.
Chapter Thirteen
Talia had laid out the plan for the group, and everyone thought it would work. The children were the main concern as they wouldn't be as fast as the adults would. They needed to find a way to make sure they were protected above everything else.
She arranged it so that each child would have one adult on either side of it. They would go in groups and walk but spread out but quickly. If danger attacked from any side, the plan was the adults would circle the children, and would move the rest of the way like that. They needed to leave the cave first and then to cross about four hundred feet of open plains, before they ducked into the forest.
She thought the plan was solid. The men would carry supplies on their backs. They'd prepared to leave in three days. They would have one group make a trial run on day two and then they would head out with all the supplies, children and humans - away from the cave.
“I’m impressed,” Rava said after she’d gone over the plan and dismissed them. He brought his face to hers and kissed her lightly.
“Thanks, this is something I would do back home.” She’d helped lots of refugees escape terrible situations and been under fire a few times in her career. Before she joined up for this mission, she’d been staking out a potential terrorist cell. Talia leaned up to kiss him more thoroughly, when someone yelled her name from the cave entrance.
Chi ran in breathing heavily and bent over. Her eyes were wide. She’d been at work, because Talia thought it was important for her to maintain a normal routine.
“They're coming. They have weapons. We have to go.”
What kind of weapons? Talia was worried. She’d tried to find a gun from one of the others she’d came up with. She knew some of them had gone to great lengths to hide them but she’d been unsuccessful.
“I don't know what they're called. It's like a stick - it looks foreign. They’ve been tracking you, Talia. I don’t know how. They know you’re here,” she suddenly looked even more stricken, “They may know I’m here.”
Talia’s heart hammered against her ribs, as fear stole through her. They were supposed to have more time. Now they only had a matter of minutes before their pursuers were in the cave. If they didn’t act quickly, everyone would be slaughtered, even the children.
“I'm going to assume they have guns,” Talia said. “New plan.” She went into emergency mode. “Change of plans,” she yelled and shouted got the Klaskians to get everyone back to her, with the kids included, in five minutes.
There was a cacophony of panicked voices, but everyone moved quickly. Some had been listening to Chi and knew what was happening. To her relief, she saw they came back with the bags of supplies. At least they were a little prepared.
“How long do we have?” She asked Chi.
“I heard their plan and ran. We probably have what you would call minutes before they arrive.”
“Alright I need my lookouts,” she pointed to the three she’d passed binoculars out to yesterday. The three aliens came up and stood in front of her.
“You three and myself are going to stay at the back of the cave as a barrier for those leaving. They’ll see us first, and they’ll shoot us first.”
“No,” Gianva said, “that’s not a good plan.”
“It’s the only one we have.” Talia said putting a hand on his arm, “They are coming for me, hoping I will lead them to everyone else. I’m tough, I’ll be okay.”
"I will stay with you," Rava said in a tone that said she really couldn't argue with him.
"Okay, Gianva I need you to see the first group off. Count to ten and then send out the second group and go with them."
Gianva nodded, but he didn't look happy. She could see that he wanted to protest but knew he wouldn’t. The safety of the people in the cave was the most important thing. She didn't know for sure they'd survive this. Panic tried to clutch her, telling her that it very well might be the last time she ever saw Gianva. The thought of being without him left half of her heart missing. Both men had claimed her heart, and they had both become a vital part of her. She needed them, but these people needed her more. She couldn’t dwell on the what-ifs. She had a job to do.
She placed her hand on Gianva’s arm and gave it a squeeze, trying to give him her strength. "The rest of us will send the third group and follow after."
Everyone knew what they were supposed to do and they all made their way to the back of the cave. The Klaskian men had made some weapons and had arrows that they lit on fire to shoot at the enemy. They shot off several as they headed to the back of the cave hoping to slow them down.
Talia stayed in the front until the last Klaskian man had gone down the narrow tunnel that led out the back. She heard the shouts of the men coming to take them and realized they weren't out of danger yet, not by a long shot. When she turned around Rava waited for her and held out his hand.
She ran towards him and down the tunnel where the first group already left. They didn't have a lot of time. She could hear the men yelling as they encountered the flames at the front of the cave. It wouldn't take them long to realize the humans had fled.
Once they did, it wouldn't take a long time for them to circle around and start chasing them. She heard the unmistakable sound of a gun going off in the cave. The sound reverberated throughout the entire cave, sending particles of dust and bits of rock raining down on them.
&
nbsp; "They're warning us," she said. "Go fast little guys, please."
She found herself praying for the children. She didn't know what lengths the leaders of Klaskar would go to keep their secrets.
She moved to the exit and watched group one move through. The open plains made her extremely nervous, and she glanced back and forth looking for the men with guns to show up. She didn't see them yet but knew they were still in the cave.
The second group started to run on Gianva's mark, and she realized they would never make it. They were going to be picked off. The sense of urgency propelled her.
"I have to distract them," she said, and before anyone could stop her, she ran back down the tunnel and into the cave. Her heart beat fast, and adrenaline drove her forward pure and simple. She’d run into danger many times, but this one was different because of what was at stake.
She stopped and listened.
"They're not here; they’re running out the back, sir." One man's voice said.
"We can catch them, sir," another said.
Talia jumped out from her hiding spot, "Hey." The Klaskian men were preparing to go back out of the cave. There were six of them though she couldn't be sure if there were more outside. To her satisfaction, only two of the, had guns. They raised them at her.
“I doubt you know how to use those,” she teased. “How many of you came to fight me, just you six? I’m kind of insulted, really.”
In her head, she was pleading with the rest to run, run.
Just keep them talking. Keep their focus on her and give everyone else enough time to escape. As long as they were safe, that was all that mattered. It wasn’t that she wanted to die, but she had finally come to terms with what her mission was about. She’d thought it had been to bring the humans back or kill them. She now knew differently. Her mission had been to save them. Even if that meant she had to die, she was prepared to do just that. There wasn't a way for her to time it, but the longer she distracted them, the better the human's chances of escape were.
The one whom she assumed had shot the gun, tried to shoot it again. It didn't go off, and he looked surprised. She prayed they only just thought they knew how to use the rifles. It was a strange choice for the Earth to give them to hunt down humans. He swore and fiddled with it as the other put his gun on her.
Pain unlike any she'd ever felt before radiated from her stomach and up her body. She thought for a minute she'd been shot, but she hadn't heard a gun go off.
She couldn't move and cried out. The men gave her a strange look, and two advanced on her. The other didn't bother trying to shoot her, and she wondered if the gun was even loaded.
Fighting through the pain, she kicked out catching one in the stomach. He bellowed and punched her hard in the face. She hit her knees and swung her leg out to trip the two before they could grab her again. Blood ran down her face and into her mouth. The bastard had split her face open. It hurt, but it simply drove her forward. She wanted their blood.
Two more came at her as another pain shot from her stomach and down her legs. If she hadn't already been crouched, she would have fallen over.
Sarah appeared to her left and started fighting one of the Klaskians. Two more human women fought the other two. A dark-haired woman easily took the gun from the one who had jammed it and hit him in the face with it. Soon, they were down.
Talia couldn't get up. The pain continued to get worse and seemed to move throughout her whole body, forcing her to the ground. She leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes.
"Are you okay Talia," Sarah bent down into her face.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be with the others,” Talia gasped. Sweat slicked her forehead, mingling with the blood and running down the side of her face.
Sarah shrugged and rolled her eyes. “I’m not really good at following orders,” she said with a wink.
“Did he shoot you?” Sarah asked.
Talia shook her head as Sarah gently moved her hand away from her stomach to search for the source of her pain.
“I don’t think so. The idiot didn’t know what the hell he was doing.”
This time, as a current of pain ripped through her, it forced her back to arch away from the wall. She squeezed her eyes together as the pain rolled like a wave over her. Finally, it subsided, and she was able to breathe again.
“What. The. Hell?” she gasped.
When she opened her eyes, she found Sarah smiling back at her. The overwhelming urge to punch the other woman would have won out if Talia wasn’t in so much pain. “What the hell are you grinning like an idiot for,” Talia said between clenched teeth. Another pain ricocheted through her, causing her to clasp her hands tightly over her abdomen.
“The girls have gone out to take care of the other men waiting to pounce on our little party. As for the pain, it will soon pass.”
Talia’s eyebrows shot up.
“What? Why? What’s happening?”
Sarah’s smile widened.
“Sarah, I swear if you don’t wipe that stupid grin off your damn face and tell me what the fuck is going on with me, I’m going to wipe it off for you.”
Unaffected by her threats, Sarah beamed. “You're having implantation pain. Congratulations, you're pregnant.”
It took a minute for those words to sink in. Talia went through several emotions as Sarah helped her to her feet and out of the cave. She was thrilled, scared, and angry because she was pregnant and got hit in the face, and in agony.
"Oh," was all she managed. Rava had been waiting for her. After taking in her appearance, he rushed to her side.
“What is the matter? Have you been hit? Are you okay?” His hands touched and gently prodded, inspecting every inch of her body.
Talia shook her head. “I’m fine. One of the guards struck me in the face, but aside from that, I am well.”
Rage contorted Rava’s face as he turned toward the mouth of the cave. He took two steps before her hand shot out and grabbed him. “What are you doing?”
“No one lays a hand on a woman. Especially, if that woman is mine. I’m going to kill him,” he said frankly.
“Please, Rava. Don’t worry. He has been taken care of. We have more important things to worry about.” Another pain pinched her stomach, this time it wasn’t as bad as before, but it still caused her to suck in a sharp breath.
“You are injured,” he said, looking over her. His brow furrowed in confusion when he saw no other injuries.
Confused, he looked at Sarah, who was standing there grinning like an idiot. "She's having implantation pains," Sarah said gleefully as she hopped up and down, clapping her hands like an excited child. Talia still wanted to strike her for her excitement at the pain she experienced, but now it was a chore even to lift an arm.
Rava’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. He stared at her for several long moments, causing her to grow uneasy.
“Say something,” she whispered.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her from the ground. He spun them in circles before setting her back on her feet and pressing his warm mouth to hers. He didn’t care that she was sticky with dirt, sweat, and blood and she loved that he didn’t care. She was his and G’s for always. She knew it as sure as the air she breathed and as sure as the life that grew within her.
His kiss was like a magic elixir, giving her body strength. The world around her swam until the clearing of a throat pulled her back to reality. Rava pressed his forehead against hers.
"We'll celebrate properly when we're safe."
He lifted her into his arms. “What are you doing?” she protested as he started running.
“I’m carrying you.”
She rolled her eyes up at him. “I know what you’re doing. I just don’t know why you’re doing it.”
“You have to be careful, now that you’re carrying our child. If anything were to happen to you, it would destroy us.”
His arms tightened around her as he hugged her tight
ly to his chest. She breathed in his earthy scent and wrapped her arms around his neck. She knew there would be no way to talk him out of it, so she let him have this one.
His feet moved swiftly over the plains, surprising her. She had no idea he could move so quickly. Everything around them was a blur, and it seemed as if his feet never touched the ground. Behind them, the women followed at their own pace. Rava kept his speed brisk, careful not to leave the others behind. There was no way to know if back up would follow the unconscious Klaskians and she didn't want to find out.
As soon as they were in the new cave, Rava placed her back on her feet. However, another burning pain scoured through her, causing her legs to wobble. She gripped the cave wall for support. No one had informed her that there would be this much pain, but then again, she hadn’t truly intended on becoming pregnant. As the pain became more than she could bear, her legs buckled. The ground came rushing up to meet her and the darkness at the edge of her vision swallowed her. Her last thought was at least they’d made it to safety, for now.
Chapter Fourteen
Talia
When she woke up, she was lying on a comfortable cot, although she had no idea where they were. For a minute she allowed her eyes to close again and then everything came rushing back to her. They were running, and she was pregnant and in pain. Rava took her hand and kissed her forehead gently.
“We’re safe?” She started to sit up, but he pushed her back down gently.
“For now, but you’ll leave this location for a safer one soon,” he sighed and wouldn’t meet her eyes, “I’m not going with you.”
“What, how can you say that,” she asked again trying to sit up.
“You're with child, my child. I can't in good conscience run away and leave my people. I have to let them know what's been going on; the torture. I can't go with you. I want to, but I need to stay here and take care of some things first. You'll be in good hands. My child will be safe.”
The Alien Paradise Page 6