“Yes, yes, of course. I just wasn’t sure what you meant by Bond Mates,” Trent added.
His Bond Mate’s giggles tickled his ears.
***
The shuttle set down in a clearing next to a grand structure. It reminded Trent of a medieval castle, except that the walls were made of wide planks of wood stained an almond color instead of stone. The door and windows were round in shape and much larger.
Exiting the craft, he surveyed the surrounding countryside to discover the source of the wood. Trees, large by Earth standards but still only about half the size of a great redwood, dominated the hills. From above, the area had looked like a rainforest, as the thick intertwining tree tops formed a solid canopy similar to the Amazon. At surface level, he felt more like he was standing in an old American national park somewhere in the west. The space between the tree trunks contained significant undergrowth, but not to the extent of a jungle.
He squatted to scoop up a handful of light red dirt. Rolling it around between his fingers, he examined it for fertility.
Amanda stepped beside him. “Lovely.”
“It’s certainly beautiful.” He sucked in a breath. “But I don’t think this ground would produce much of a corn yield.”
“Really? That’s your complaint?” She slapped him across the shoulder. “I doubt they’ve got a lot of interest in planting corn. Boy, never thought I’d end up marrying a hick.”
“Consider yourself lucky.” He stood, rubbing his hands together to rid them of the dirt. “It’s not a complaint, just an observation.” He dragged a forearm across his brow. “Certainly hot and humid enough for corn. It’s worse than Iowa in August – and that’s saying something.”
“I feel heavy,” she commented, shooting Trent a ‘don’t you dare go there’ look.
“Me, too. Hido, what’s the gravity here?”
Hido didn’t responded, he was busy staring off into the horizon at the home he’d not seen for so many years. Long seconds passed before he answered, “About thirty percent stronger than that of your world.”
“God, I’m just happy I can breathe the air,” Amanda said.
“Let me take you inside to meet the Elders who will guide you along your journey. Then I must leave you for a little while, as the Forum is expecting my initial report and the full data set we have brought.”
Nodding, they followed him through the heavy round door.
Again with the circles. I’ve got to ask about that sometime.
A stone floor met their boots. On the opposite end of the large room stood two older Bearcats draped in white robes. Cylinders of light poured through the windows, landing on the hosts and giving them a majestic appearance. Trent assumed they were old because their fur looked grayer than Hido’s, but he couldn’t tell for sure.
Hido held out his arms to gesture for Trent and Amanda to hold back as he advanced to the Elders. Once in front of them, he lowered onto a knee and bowed his head. An Elder placed a hand upon his head and uttered words that didn’t translate for the human observers. The language was probably an ancient dialect used only for religious purposes, like Latin, Trent thought.
Whatever was said, Hido stood and glowed with pride.
“Come, come,” he said. “Meet the leaders of my clan. They’ve been equipped with a listening device so that they can understand you.”
Trent and Amanda moved forward. Aware of the proper protocol, they stood silent and motionless before the Elders.
One of them spoke. “I am Elder Anako Ty, and this is Elder Pico Gra. It is an honor to meet warriors of Earth. Your people have shown great bravery in battle. I myself fought your kind when I was younger.”
Trent went for flattery. “I’m fortunate that I never met you on the field of battle.”
Anako smiled. “One of us certainly is.”
Pico placed a hand on Hido’s shoulder. “We will take good care of your friends. Be off and fulfill your duty.”
Hido bowed and ran back to the shuttle.
“Please follow us,” Anako said. “We will show you to your rooms. Until you are bonded by our ways, you must sleep in separate spaces.”
“We understand,” Trent said.
As the Elders turned to walk away, Amanda leaned close to his ear. “I feel like I’m back in high school. I want to do it so bad now.”
***
Hido didn’t go directly to the Warrior’s Forum. He ordered the shuttle pilot to make a short jump one hill to the east. There, a valley opened up with a gentle rocky stream running down the center.
Exiting the shuttle, he walked to the water with his eyes closed to enhance his other senses. He savored the moist wind rustling his fur and the tall grasses tickling the exposed areas of his body. At the water’s edge, he knelt to submerge his hands in the cool flow.
This location held many tender memories for him. His Bond Mate and son had spent countless nights by this stream. It was their spot, their special place. Even now he could almost hear the laughter of his son as he played in the water, trying to catch fish with his bare hands. Those were but distant memories.
His family hadn’t survived the decades of his absence. His young wife had succumbed to the simple decay of time, while his son fell valiantly in combat before he could have offspring of his own. Now, all Hido had were memories and this spot.
The bitterness of the Kitright theft was too great and the mighty warrior soon found himself weeping for a life lost.
Chapter Ten
The Hunt
The ad hoc CIA team found themselves fortified inside an apartment in Naperville that served as a safe house for the agency. Unknown to them, Trent used to sell insurance just a few blocks down the street.
“You did what?” Frost asked, massaging his temples. He joined the group via a holo projection from his office in Virginia. “A man? You kidnapped a person? Why?”
“Look at these readings,” Thomas urged, holding the scanner up. “He is the Center. The readings don’t lie, and I know I’ve seen this guy at our other stops. He is kinda hard to miss or forget.”
“That’s impossible.” Frost flipped his hand in the air, turning toward the pale man who was laid out on a living room couch. “The Center has to contain far more VI processors than you could fit in a person. There simply wouldn’t be enough room left for natural body functions.”
Jones finished running an in-depth medical scan. Her lips twisted as she read the results. “Actually, Mr. Frost, I think you’re right. Natural body function is the last way I’d describe this guy’s plumbing. Get a load of this.”
The tablet on his desk beeped.
“Christ,” he muttered. “He has no red blood cells - at all. They’ve been completely replaced with nano cells. Several organs have also been replaced, genius. The processing power to perform the life-sustaining purpose of the organ only requires a small fraction of its total capacity. The rest is used for its true mission.”
“Yeah,” Jones said, “wait till you get a load of his brain.”
Thomas filtered through the data. “It’s totally nonorganic!” She gasped. “I didn’t know this was even possible!”
Frost’s holo flickered. “Neither did I. There’s been research in this field, but nothing definitive. Certainly nothing on this level.” He lowered the tablet and looked off at the wall. “This rogue element somehow has access to tech beyond what even I thought was available.”
He returned to the data, scrolling down with his pinky. “Uh, not everything about this man is beyond me. The termination code embedded in the nanos are certainly high-end, but decryption happens to be our specialty. Here, Major, I’m sending you some hacking protocols. Transmit them body-wide and that should prevent any self-destruct orders from being carried out.”
Gabriel joined the discussion from behind the group. “Is he even human? I mean, is he an android or something?”
“I don’t think so,” Thomas said. “His DNA looks legit. If anything, I’d say the term cyborg is most
accurate.”
“Aren’t we all cyborgs?” he retorted.
“Yes,” Thomas answered. “But this thing – man or ‘it,’ is in a different category.”
“Okay,” Jones said, “I’m ready to shut down his self-destruct. Three, two, one.”
Dead silence filled the room as they all stared at the pale man.
“What?” Frost asked. “It didn’t work?”
Jones read her scanner, her eye lids drew back. “Bloody hell!
“What?”
Jones shot to her feet. “This whole time there’s been an embedded tracking signal broadcasting in an usual frequency. I’ve never seen anything like it. That’s why we missed it.”
“What does that mean?” Gabriel blurted out, jolting to her side.
“It means we’re fucked,” Thomas answered.
“I’m getting a warning,” Frost cut in. “The building’s been breached by unauthorized persons.”
“Shit.” Thomas drew her sidearm. The others quickly followed.
Gabriel and Jones moved toward the door.
“I’m sending you rendezvous coordinates now,” Frost said, madly tapping away on his tablet. “Get the Center and yourselves out of here now. I’ll have an armed team waiting for you at these coordinates. Good luck.”
His image disappeared.
“Must be nice,” Thomas said, “to skip out just when the fun is starting.”
“The hall is clear,” Jones declared, after consulting a security panel. She ran to the couch and threw the ghost man onto her shoulders. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Gabriel opened the door. He and Thomas covered both ends of the hallway, then Thomas led the small convoy down the hall with Gabriel bringing up the rear.
Two armed men ran around the corner. Thomas was ready. She double-tapped each of them without a thought, the rounds impacting squarely on their chests. The enemy agents dropped like bags of sand.
I’ve never killed a human face-to-face before.
She put her emotions in a box for later.
Another set of attackers appeared far down the hall from Gabriel. He dropped to a knee, firing several rounds. Two struck one of them in the chest. The other dove for cover to escape. His target stayed behind cover, so Gabriel slipped into the stairwell with the others.
Thomas checked the steps. “Clear!”
“Move it!” Jones ordered, hot on Thomas’ heels. “We need to get out of this building now!”
The prey’s panicked footfalls slammed onto the steps. The concussions echoed in the vertical tunnel. Above, a door flung open, banging against the wall.
Not stopping, Thomas opened the door to the underground parking level with a hard kick. It flew clean off its hinges. From shooters hidden among the still cars, shots rattled around them. Glass shattered and carbon fiber vehicle shells cracked. Her combat instincts ignited as she dove for cover. Rolling to a knee, she returned fire over a trunk.
***
Gabriel and Jones held inside the stairwell. Rapid steps from overhead grew closer.
“Get out of here, Major,” Gabriel said. “I’ll take care of these assholes and catch up with you two in a minute.”
Jones nodded. “Good luck.” She crouched low. “Cover me!” She rushed to join Thomas.
Gabriel sprinted up the stairs, taking the enemy by surprise. In one movement, he disarmed one of the hooded attackers with a slap of his wrist as he planted the end of his gun firmly in the chest of the other and pulled the trigger. The man’s chest exploded. His partner recovered with surprising quickness to knock the gun out of Gabriel’s hand and land a blow on his chin.
The hit sent Gabriel reeling back. It stung like hell. He realized he was fighting another enhanced human, a first for him. Regaining his footing, he met the next attack with a sweeping block.
The two super soldiers’ limbs burst into a spasm of blurred strikes, blocks, and counter-strikes. Gabriel’s experience slowly built an advantage as he gradually scored more blows. His opponent weakened until he dropped his guard for a microsecond.
It was all Gabriel needed.
Delivering an open palm thrust to the chest, he knocked the wind from the man’s lungs, forcing his arms to come together below his chest. Seizing the opportunity, he struck the exposed larynx with stiffened fingers. A loud pop signified the organ’s rupture.
The fatal strike would have sent any normal man to his knees to await approaching death. However, an enhanced fighter still possessed dangerous minutes of active, desperate, life.
To hasten his opponent’s trip to the afterlife, Gabriel took hold of him and threw the stunned man down the stairs. His head impacted against the wall with a sick crack. The falling corpse revealed a round red stain, smearing it downward as it slid.
At the door, Gabriel witnessed Jones and Thomas conducting a fighting withdrawal, gradually retreating in the direction of their car. This lured their attackers into view of the broken doorway, as they informed Gabriel via thought-speak.
With a gun in each hand, he ran out, weapons blazing. “Hooah!” he roared, adrenaline pouring into his bloodstream. His barbaric battle cry rang out as shot after shot found their target until the magazines ran dry. The swift flanking assault reduced the final threat to a tattered bloody mess.
His lungs heaved air in and out as he looked upon his work, dropping the spent guns onto a gory corpse. It had been a long time since he’d killed a human. He’d prayed he’d never have to do so again.
“Gabe!” Jones shouted. “Move it!”
Her words pulled him from the fog. He sprinted to rejoin his friends.
***
Fasting for half a day before a medical procedure is annoying. Fasting for three days will turn a normally happy, easy-going human into a cranky asshole. Bearcats have a slower metabolism, giving Hido a certain lack of sympathy for Trent and Amanda. He didn’t understand why they were irritable during this cleanse before the adoption ceremony. It didn’t help that Hido took every opportunity to stuff his face with local delicacies he’d desperately missed.
A frustrating lack of sexual activity didn’t help their mood, either. Funny thing about sex, sometime you don’t know how much you want it until you’re told you can’t have it.
With the fasting mercifully over, the time for the ceremony arrived.
In black robes, Trent and Amanda knelt several paces back from an altar of fire. Hido, wearing tan, sat near the flame as Elders Ty and Gra presided over it. Only the light from the fire lit the dim room. The Elders’ white robes glowed in the darkness. Behind them, a table piled high with food taunted their watering mouths.
Let’s get this show on the road. I’m hungry!
Ty uncrossed his arms and held them widespread. “Trent Maxwell and Amanda Roth, you are lost souls floating aimlessly without a clan to guide you across the vastness of this universe.”
Gra matched the pose. “No one should be forced to endure the darkness alone. Is there one among Clan Kazi who will welcome these unattached wanderers into our camp? To share the warmth of our fire and spoils of the hunt? Who will welcome them into the light?”
Hido spoke next. “I, Hido Kenti, will welcome them. I will make space around the fire and at the feasting table. I will teach them our ways and history.”
Ty and Gra crossed their arms.
“Come forward,” Ty said to Trent and Amanda.
They advanced to join them at the fire. Its warmth silently struck their faces as Ty and Gra took positions behind them.
Ty reached down and placed his huge paws on their heads. “Do you join your honor with that of Clan Kazi? Will you defend its people with your life and carry its standard into battle?”
They answered in unison. “Yes. Our honor is your honor and our lives are one with the clan. We fight for our honor, we fight for our clan.”
Gra raised his hand. “Hido Kenti, rise and welcome your clansmen into the sacred circle around the fire.”
Hido rose, holding a t
an robe in each hand. He approached them and promptly removed each of their black robes, exposing naked bodies.
Amanda had not been excited about this part of the ceremony but Trent assured her that their alien eyes wouldn’t find her human female form of any interest.
Hido pulled the new robes over their heads.
“Rise, Trent Maxwell and Amanda Roth of Clan Kazi.” Standing, they embraced a grinning Hido.
“Let us now feast,” Gra announced.
They needed no further encouragement to attack the various foreign eats awaiting them. Hido had guaranteed them that all of the food was compatible with human chemistry.
As they savored the meal, Trent noticed a small bowl of fine black powder. Taking the bowl, he smelled the contents and rubbed a pinch between his fingers. The scent and texture seemed familiar.
“Hido,” Trent said, examining the tips of his fingers. “What is this?”
“That is gee. It’s a seasoning.”
Amanda grabbed a pinch from the bowl and studied it. “I feel like I’ve seen this before.”
“That is because you have, Sergeant. In fact, you launched your attack against my base through a gee mine.”
Trent’s eye’s bulged. “Seriously? That whole fight was about a spice?” He shook his head. “We assumed that given the level of defense, the planet had to be producing some type of vital war material.”
“It was and is, General.” Hido finished, chewing a bite. “My people are only capable of tasting a few flavors. Our taste buds are dull compared to those of humans. Gee is a fairly recent addition to our culinary experience. It has become a critical commodity and important to our economy. A disruption in the supply of gee could cause significant damage.”
“Actually,” Amanda said, “our people have fought several wars in our history to control spice supplies and their trade routes.”
Trent looked at her, a bit dumbfounded,
She arched an eyebrow. “What? You think you’re the only person to read a history book?”
***
In a rush to complete the cultural formalities, Trent and Amanda hiked deep into the forest the next morning. A Bearcat knife, an empty bag, and a pair of Bearcat child-sized black leather outfits were all they carried.
The Last Revenge (The Last Hero Trilogy Book 2) Page 8