Kierra's Thread (Argadian Heart Trilogy Book 2)

by Adrianna Dane

  He remembered Odon’s laboratory. The scars he carried were vivid reminders of this hideous place, also known as the training room, or torture chamber, to bondage servants. Odon took delight in his experiments and the pain he elicited from his victims during those sessions.

  When Jarek awoke, his mind had reached instinctively to follow the silver thread to Kierra, to be assured she was safe. For a moment he forgot she was free and no longer in need of his protection from Odon. He was thankful not to find her, which meant she was not close by. He shut his mind, locking himself off completely.

  Jarek attempted to look around, to determine how many guards were in place, and to see if any other of his crew had survived. But he was prevented from movement by the collar attached to the bars jutting out from the wall. He was truly immobilized. Between the arm and leg locks and the collar there was no chance of escape unless Odon should happen to release him.

  As he became more aware, he realized there were small discs with wires attached to his temples. He attempted to follow where they led, which appeared to be a microreader set on a table diagonal to the cage he was entrapped in. A male in a lab coat sat before the microreader. By shifting his gaze to the far left he could just make out the table.

  Then he heard movement to his right. He tensed, knowing it came from the entrance to the lab. The door slid open and then echoed as it slammed shut. Heavy footsteps followed.

  “Well, well, my property has been returned.”

  Odon came into view. He hadn’t changed much over the years. Tall, broad, and hairless. His eyes, black and emotionless as death. The smile he offered Jarek did not reach his eyes. A veneer of triumph seemed to deepen the swagger of his approach.

  Odon strode toward Jarek, stopped, and studied him. Jarek remembered that look, that assessing gaze of an owner for a newly purchased possession, eyeing it for flaws or imperfections. It was the look of someone weighing the cost of merchandise against its usefulness.

  Jarek could feel Odon’s jubilance and tensed as the commander reached out to touch Jarek’s chest. Laying a palm against the discoloration, he sought to dominate Jarek with a demand for submission.

  Jarek refused to look away, to cower. Odon pressed until Jarek winced. “You still color nicely, Serdionese.” He leaned forward. “Have you missed our little sessions, pet?”

  When Jarek refused to answer him, Odon pulled his hand away, closed his fist and slammed it into Jarek’s bruised muscle.

  “Answer me, when I ask a question,” he barked.

  Jarek tried to gather breath, to master the pain as it reverberated through him. “I’ve missed nothing you have to offer,” he ground out. “You might as well kill me now and get it over with. Where’s the rest of my crew?”

  Odon’s laughter echoed throughout the room. “All dead. I had no use for them. But you? No, no, pet. I have something new to try on you. I’ve waited a long time for this.” He tapped the side of Jarek’s temple. “I enjoyed the taste of your rebellious nature. In your mind you fought me, but your body was mine to do with as I pleased. You bartered your body for the life of the female as I remember. But your mind—that you refused to submit.”

  He turned and walked toward the table containing the microreader. He looked back at Jarek. “Not this time.” He reached into a case that lay on the table next to the microreader and lifted out a syringe. He held it up to Jarek. “This will give me what I want from you. Submission of your body and your mind.” He laughed. “And you’ll even think it is by your choice.”

  Jarek tensed as Odon came back to him. “The drug will open your mind—every dark and hidden corner, every locked door. I was working on it even before you left. You were a challenge I meant to break. My way.” He reached for Jarek’s arm. Jarek tensed, trying to pull away, but knew it was useless.

  His thoughts were the one thing Odon could never force from him. Submission of his body was one thing, but his mind he’d kept free. What was Odon up to? Odon jabbed the needle into his arm, keeping eye contact with Jarek as he did it. Slowly, he pressed the plunger.

  Jarek felt a burning sensation run through his veins as the drug entered his system.

  “The drug will open all those locked doors you so protectively kept shut.” Odon removed the syringe and tossed it aside. “And once the doors are open, the microreader will alter your patterns. One by one each of your memories will be shifted to the form I dictate. You were the only one I was never able to conquer completely. You refused to surrender. But that’s about to be rectified. I will own everything about you when we’re finished.”

  Jarek felt the locks in his mind breaking, disintegrating beneath the onslaught of the acidic drug coursing through him. He fought against it, sweat breaking out on his body.

  “No!”

  Odon’s laughter echoed inside his head. The locks on the doors melted, hot, molten acid spreading through his mind, and one by one the doors shattered. His mind screamed in impotence.

  “Do you see, pet? You are helpless to fight it. Unlike the Nanus process that blocks thoughts, I have created a drug that actually molds the thoughts and memories into the form I desire. A few more adjustments and it will be ready for use on new Enforcer recruits. Much stronger than the Nanus process. More reliable. The antidote your puny Freelions have created will be worthless on this new force.”

  Jarek could not let him succeed. All they had worked for would be lost. The rebel forces would be defeated. There had to be a way to fight the drug.

  But as each door disintegrated and the last one broke free, he knew a bitter defeat. Kierra’s thread. He had to find a way to sever the thread. Kierra must never be touched by the warped horror Odon would seek to create from Jarek’s memories. His mind felt like it was on fire.

  “You will not succeed, Odon.”

  “And how will you stop me, pet? Soon, any memory you have will have been created by me. And once altered, it will not be recoverable. In the thoughts I create for you, the female will never have existed.”

  Jarek fought against the bonds that held him. He would not succumb easily. He must destroy the link between himself and Kierra. She would seek him out and what Odon would create would be nothing but a monster housed inside the shell of the Serdionese she’d once known.

  Jarek was losing the battle, he could feel it. His strength was ebbing. What he must do was find a way to destroy himself from inside his head before Odon could use him for his own devious purposes. But how? First the thread.

  What he needed to do was reach each room before Odon changed the memory and destroy it beyond repair. In that way the memory couldn’t be used against him or anyone he loved. Kierra would be safe. What would be left of him he didn’t know. Probably a shell with no substance. It was what he must do to protect the people he loved.

  “I believe he’s ready for us to begin.” Odon spoke to whoever was at the microreader ready to do as he commanded.

  Jarek sensed there was little time left to accomplish his purpose.

  “You will never own me, Odon. I vow I will see to it and to your death.”

  “We shall see, pet, we shall see. You hold a strong mind and that will make this all the more pleasurable as I mold you like a piece of soft clay. Mine to form in any shape I please. Or to destroy. What I render here will soon be an army to once and for all defeat the rebellion. You are but the first. But you shall not be the last.”

  * * *

  Kierra paced the command deck. “Are we almost there?”

  “Yes,” Devon responded as he punched in the coordinates to the safe landing site well hidden from the compound. “Now sit and strap in.”

  She turned and made her way to one of the seats next to Eluria and engaged the safety harness. “Do you have a plan on how we get into the compound?”

  “Yes. I’ll explain when we land. Let me get us on the ground first.”

  Fear for Jarek had her wound tightly. She knew she needed to control the panic rising inside her. But the same thing kept chanting
over and over inside her head. She had to get to Jarek quickly.

  Leaning back in the cushioned seat, she closed her eyes and concentrated. They were close enough that she might reach him through thoughtwalk. Concentrating, she found the thread and followed it. Slowly, she allowed herself to float along its luminescent length into the darkness.

  She’d never done it like this before. He usually met her part way before she reached him. And then she saw the golden light. But something was wrong. The yellow was tinged with a red mist and the light pulsed as though the colors battled.

  As she reached the arch of light, a dark shadow fell over the entrance, blocking her from entering. It materialized and she drew a relieved breath as she realized it was Jarek.

  “Do not come further,” he commanded her.

  “Jarek, we’ve come for you. It won’t be long. Are you all right?”

  There was a loud creaking sound and a crash behind him. She glanced over his shoulder and was shocked to see the carnage of broken hinges and shattered doors. She attempted to step around him, but he stopped her.

  “You must go back, Kierra. It is too dangerous.”

  She searched his face. His eyes were strangely dark. It was as though swirling gray clouds filtered the light. “What has he done to you?” She reached out to touch him, but he stepped away from her.

  “You can’t help me. He’s drugged me and it’s not safe for you. He means to manipulate my memories, get inside my head. He’s discovered some new way to change the mind. I can’t let him succeed.”

  He grabbed her by both arms, intent on turning her away. “We must find a way to cut the thread that binds us.”

  Kierra fought his grip and finally broke free. “Never!” She ran past him into the red mist.

  “Kierra! Come back.”

  She ran to the first door and looked inside. The memory that played out held her rooted to the spot. Oh Symion! What had Jarek suffered in order to protect her?

  He jerked her away from the door. “You will not stay here. Go back. Now.”

  “These are memories you locked away from me, aren’t they?”

  He didn’t answer her, but tried to force her back from the broken doorways.

  She dug her heels in and refused to move. “Stop it, Jarek. Where does he have you?”

  “Leave, Kierra.”

  “No. Devon and Eluria are with me. We will get to you. You just need to hold on.”

  “The drug has already done its damage. It won’t be long before he begins to reshape…everything. Warp the memories until there’s nothing left.” He leaned closer to her. “He means to remove my memory of you. I don’t know how I will react if he does. I won’t take the chance I will hurt you if he succeeds.”

  “You would not hurt me. Tell me where you are?”

  He shook her. “Haydon, Kierra. You know what he’s capable of. How can you say I won’t hurt you when he attacks the cells of my brain, destroying and manipulating to his own devious plan? The best thing you can do if you do find me, is destroy whatever’s left of the shell.”

  “No! One way or the other we are going to find you. Make it easier and faster by telling me where you are. Or don’t. But if you don’t, it will simply put us in more danger as we try to locate you.”

  A hiss escaped his lips. “You are too stubborn for your own good. You’re going to get yourself killed.”

  “Well?”

  “I’m in the lab. Tell Devon he must destroy the microreader. Find the drug and destroy all traces of it. It’s your only chance.”

  She reached out to him. “I’ll tell him, Jarek. Hold on until we reach you. Promise me.”

  He looked away from her. She raised her hands and cupped his face, forcing him to look at her. “Promise me.”

  “I’ll do my best. Leave now. There are things I must do.”

  “Jarek.”

  “What?”

  “Do not attempt to cut the thread that binds us.”

  “Kierra—”

  “No. I mean it. I love you, Jarek. If you are destroyed, we both die whether you sever the cord or not. You are the reason I live. Do you understand?”

  “Don’t do this, Kierra. There won’t be anything left of the man you knew. If he succeeds, there will be no memory of us.”

  “I’ll find you before that happens,” she vowed. “Promise me.”

  He sighed. “All right, I promise.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Now go. Quickly.”

  She turned and passed through the arch to the silver thread. As she followed it, all of a sudden she realized just how fragile was the bond. If something happened and the thread was severed, what would she do?

  This wasn’t the time to panic. He’d promised her and she must trust he would keep the promise.

  Through the darkness she passed onward until she settled back into her own mind and memories.

  Opening her eyes, she blinked rapidly for a second. The ship had landed and Devon was powering down.

  She turned to Devon. “He’s in the laboratory. We must hurry.”

  “How do you know?” He glanced her way.

  “I thoughtwalked and found him. I don’t have time to explain. They’ve done something. He says there is a drug and that you must be sure to destroy all of it.”

  “Do you know how to get to the laboratory?”

  “Yes. I’ll get us there. Can you get us inside?” Kierra forced the emotional dark memories of Odon’s compound from her mind, focusing instead on the layout, and the quickest route to get inside.

  “I have a plan,” was all he said.

  She unbuckled the safety harness and stood. “We must hurry. They are trying to destroy him and we can’t let that happen.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “We go in through the main entrance.”

  “That’s your plan?” Kierra gasped. “Surely you jest.”

  Devon turned to Eluria. “Do you have the lenses I asked for?”

  Eluria opened a compartment in the console and pulled out a small case. She walked over and handed it to Devon.

  “My appearance of an Enforcer will get us in.” He nodded to the two Freelion crew members who had accompanied them on the mission. “Corbin and Torak will act as my prisoners. Once we’re inside the compound, we will disarm the guards and disable the surveillance equipment.”

  “Why don’t you simply take us in with you?” Kierra asked. “It would save time. We need to reach Jarek.”

  “You will wait outside in the brush until it is safe.”

  “He’s playing the big protective taman and brother, Kierra,” Eluria inserted before Devon could respond. “It’s all right for him to put himself in danger though.”

  “You do realize, Devon, both Eluria and I survived up until now without your protective presence.”

  “As you say,” he responded, “before my arrival. There is no need for either of you to put yourselves in danger.”

  “And what if there are more guards than you anticipate? What then?”

  A feral look came into his eyes, and what she could only term as an overly self-confident smirk crossed his face. “I’m more than capable of handling the situation.” He turned away from her, leaning forward, he inserted the lenses.

  When he turned back, Kierra gasped and instinctively stepped away. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. His eyes now appeared black, and with his white hair, it altered his appearance to that of a seemingly emotionless deadly Elite Enforcer.

  He apparently saw her reaction and moved toward her, but again she was unable to stop herself from retreating until she was cornered by the console.

  “Kierra, I’m not going to hurt you.”

  She shook her head, trying to clear the hated memories. It was difficult. “I know you won’t. Give me a moment.”

  “If you can’t put your fear aside for Devon, how will you deal with the real Enforcers in the compound?” Eluria asked her. “We’ll be surrounded by them.”

  “I know that. I expect them t
o look like Enforcers. It’s just after these weeks with Devon, the lenses—it was unexpected, that’s all. Let’s go. We can’t afford to wait any longer.”

  Eluria holstered a diffuser from the weapons rack. She pulled out another belt and second diffuser and handed them to Kierra. “Do you think you can handle one of these?”

  “I have no choice,” Kierra responded as she clasped the belt around her hip and holstered the weapon.

  Eluria turned back to the rack and pulled out two lethal-looking daggers. She sheathed one in the band at her thigh and handed the other over. “For back up. In case they come too close to use the diffuser.”

  Gingerly, Kierra grasped the dagger. The severity of what she was about to do weighed on her. She’d never taken another person’s life. Her time with the rebel forces had been spent in the lab, not out in hand-to-hand combat with Tribunal Forces. Slowly, she sheathed the knife in the scabbard attached to the belt.

  Eluria moved to a cabinet and pulled out telecom units and handed one to each of them. Kierra inserted the black disc-like device into her ear. As soon as it was in place, small black wires emerged to secure the device in place.

  “All right,” Devon said. “Let’s do this.” He pinned Eluria beneath a hard, unemotional black gaze. “You remember our agreement.”

  “Yes,” she said with an exasperated sigh.

  “What agreement?” Kierra asked.

  Devon said nothing, but quirked an eyebrow at Eluria. She hissed. “He’s the expert here, or so he thinks. I follow his orders without question.” She blazed a fierce look back at him. “Unless I feel his life is in danger. I will not stand by and watch if I deem he could be hurt.”

  “You will follow my orders. All of you. I know how they work. You don’t.”

  “You don’t know how Odon works,” Kierra murmured.

  Devon turned to her. “I know his training, I’ve seen how they fight. I will handle them. Just follow my lead and we will get Jarek out safely and destroy this drug he’s concerned about.”

  He walked over and pushed a button near the outside hatch and it slid open. “The ship is hidden here, but once we are outside I will engage the cloak. Their tracking mechanisms shouldn’t be able to pick up a signal once I do that. Let’s get moving.”