“It is the date of the Denebrics Campaign. We were successful and freed many Kaladin that had been taken captive on the outpost.”
Grace bit her lower lip. “How did you get to Earth?”
“We crashed here almost a year ago.” Partlan kept his voice calm. “We were being transported for execution and Ardal, our leader, chose to let us die with honor. We fought the extinction order and took over the spacecraft.”
“Extinction order?” Grace’s voice was hesitant. “Does that mean what I think?”
“All Hunters were order executed. There was a civil war on our planet and the Kaladin lost. The Holman took over and feared that Hunters would not obey them, so we were deemed obsolete. All breeding facilities on Cygnus were demolished. Our genomes were destroyed and any existing Hunters were terminated.”
“Genocide is what we call it on Earth.” Grace shivered. “How can you speak of it so calmly?”
“We were bred and trained for one purpose. We serve by protecting and fighting. To die with honor is the best we can hope for.
“You make it sound as if you were machines.” Grace’s fingers fluttered against his arm. “I’ve seen you injured. You’re flesh and blood like any other human.”
“We were bred to obey the Kaladin. We do not question our orders. That is why the Holman thought that we would go willingly to our death.”
Grace nodded. “I’m assuming other Hunters fought too.”
“No. All others obeyed the extinction order.” Partlan put his shirt back on. “We were the last to be executed because we were away on a mission when the orders were given.”
“So you are the only Hunters left?” Grace’s voice sounded hollow.
Partlan nodded. “Less than half our unit survived the crash.”
“That explains why those guys who kidnapped us are so eager to get their hands on you.” Grace paced the small cell. “If you are human, but have modifications, then that means they want to understand what those changes are.”
“Perhaps.” Partlan rubbed the back of his neck. “They may also want us for our fighting ability.”
“If they have your genes, they’ll make more of you.” Grace’s voice was dry. “No, I think they need you for experimentation. If that is what they intend, then there is no need for me. I’m just here to make certain that you don’t fight them. They have no intention of keeping either one of us alive.”
“Escape is imperative.” Partlan’s tone was decisive. Grace finally understood the danger that they were in. She would not fight his protection of her.
There was a shuffling noise outside their cell. Partlan moved to the side of the door and crouched. He steadied his breathing and slowed his heart rate. His course was clear. He would kill the person who came through that door and fight for their freedom. He could not let Grace stay in this place and die.
There was a scraping sound and then the unbolting of a lock.
The door opened a crack.
Before Partlan could attack, a voice sounded in his head. “I am Eogan, clan Rioge. Are you a Hunter?”
Chapter 11
Grace’s mouth dropped open at the size of the man who came through the entry. Partlan had been set to attack, but for some reason he stood and stepped away from the door. The newcomer had the same dark hair and eyes as Partlan. He slipped through a tiny opening of the door and closed it with an almost silent click. He glanced at her before his eyes dropped to the ground and he turned to Partlan.
“Hunter?”
Partlan nodded. “I am Partlan, clan Obair. Team leader, under the command of Ardal, protector of the High Council.”
The stranger nodded. “Impressive.”
Partlan took a step toward her. “Grace Kelly, this is Eogan. He is also a Hunter. Grace and I were kidnapped in Los Angeles several hours ago. Can you tell us where we are?”
“You are at a secret facility in Australia.” Eogan’s voice was clipped.
“No.” It felt as if a hammer hit her in the chest and knocked the breath from her. How had they gotten all the way to Australia? “Why?”
“This facility monitors communications world-wide.” Eogan leaned against the door. “I believe someone mentioned Hunter on a newscast and they sent scouts to see if it were true.”
Grace winced. “The Walters. They complained to the media about how the FBI had treated Partlan.”
“What did they do?” Eogan’s tone was serious.
“We shot him.”
Eogan nodded and turned to Partlan. “Have you recovered?”
“There is an ache, but the wound has closed.”
“Good. If you’re going to escape, then you must be fit.” Eogan glanced at the ceiling. “Are there cameras?”
“I can find none.”
Eogan walked away from the door. “There is one outside of your cell and I moved it so that if you stay close to the wall you can avoid being seen.”
“How long have you been here?” Partlan crossed his arms. “We have not heard of a Hunter working alone on this planet.”
“I have been at this place for several years, working for the different agencies that have been in charge. In recent years, the mission of the facility has changed. It is located so that no one may spy on it. There are secret areas that only a select few know about. You are in one of those areas.” Eogan’s eyes narrowed. “Understand, I do not do this by choice. I was taken when I was a child and my training and implants were tampered with. I am at the command of the humans.”
“Did you crash land with Catal?” Partlan stepped closer to her.
“You know Catal?”
“He is now part of Ardal’s unit. He has completed his training and is no longer a mercenary on this planet.”
Grace raised a hand. They were talking about things she didn’t understand. It all sounded very military though. It also seemed to confirm Partlan’s story about being from another planet. “I thought you were all guns for hire.”
“We are warriors who follow our own code, not the rules of humans.” Partlan glanced at her and then motioned for her to come near.
He wasn’t making sense, but nothing was. She took the couple of steps needed to be beside him. He gripped her arm and pushed her behind him. When she tried to step away, his grasp strengthened. She was getting tired of his caveman tactics. She was a trained federal agent. She could take care of herself.
“I won’t hurt the woman.” Eogan’s words echoed in the cell. “I may have been forced to work for the humans, but I have not forgotten the Sacred Code. Women and children are to be protected always.”
“How can I know that they haven’t sent you in here as a trick?” Partlan eased his hold on her arm.
“The word of a brother and the vow of a fellow Hunter.” Eogan sounded sincere.
Partlan hesitated a second and then released her arm. She rubbed the area where his hand had been as she came out from behind him. The two men were glaring at each other, until Partlan nodded and relaxed.
“I will trust you.”
“I mean no harm.” Eogan took a step closer. “You are the first contact I’ve had in over thirty years. The silence has been painful.”
“I cannot imagine.” Partlan cleared his throat. “Why can I not reach my unit?”
“There is an energy field that makes this place invisible to communication listening devices. It also makes it impossible to connect to someone outside. You are the first Hunter I have sensed since I was brought here.”
Grace shook her head. They were talking in riddles, and all she wanted to know was what the escape plan was.
“How soon can we leave this place?”
Eogan looked at her. “I will have to arrange the escape. You are down seven levels and it will be noticed if you leave.”
She had been right about the number of floors they had passed. Never had she thought those floors were below ground. Her heart stuttered and panic clouded her brain. For the first time she let herself think about what that meant. It was da
rk below ground. The walls could cave in and they’d be buried alive. Her breathing came in gasps. Her knees weakened, forcing her to sit on the ground. Partlan knelt beside her.
“Breath.” His voice held concern.
She shook her head. Words jumbled in her mind, but nothing came out. Out of nowhere, the sensation of peace came over her. The knot in her chest loosened and she forced out a breath. Partlan’s hand rubbed her back and she leaned into the comfort he gave. Her next breath was easier.
“I will not leave you. There is no need to be afraid.”
“What’s the problem?” Eogan was beside them now.
“She fears the dark and small places.”
“Claustrophobia. Make her stand and walk.” Eogan’s tone was authoritative.
Partlan helped her up and then held her close, as they walked back and forth in the room. The tension in her body eased and her heart rate returned to normal.
“I feel like an idiot.” Grace could have kicked herself for her reaction.
“It’s normal for newcomers to this facility to experience what you did.” Eogan lifted her face to his and frowned. “Your eyes have not returned to normal, but your breathing is better.”
“Is it being below ground that affects people?” Grace straightened away from Partlan.
“Probably, but it’s safe. Everything has been reinforced. There’s no way signals can penetrate to this level, so we can use that to plan your escape.”
“Don’t we need to contact someone to help us?” Grace couldn’t envision how they would manage to get to the surface without assistance.
“It’s a dead zone, with arrays of blocking frequencies surrounding it. Nothing comes in, or goes out, unless it’s designed to.” Eogan crossed his arms over his massive chest. “Between Partlan and myself, we’ll be able to coordinate a plan.”
Grace’s eyes narrowed. There was something that Partlan wasn’t telling her, but her brain refused to deal with it. If they had a secret way for them to get out of this hellhole, then she wasn’t going to spoil it with questions. All she wanted was to go home and have a long soak in her own bathtub. If she could, she would have turned the clock back four days, and let Partlan walk away after he’d delivered the Walters’ boy to his parents. Then, all of this would disappear, like a bad dream.
“How were you able to get to us?”
“They no longer believe I will disobey them.” Eogan’s eyes were distant. “Until I sensed you near, I had no reason to. I thought I was alone on this planet.”
“We are brothers and fight together. You will escape with us and we will find our way back to the unit.” Partlan clenched his hands into fists. “The humans have done you a great dishonor.”
“I’m not leaving.” Eogan shook his head. “I have only just discovered the existence of more Hunters. It’s too soon for me to make a decision. Besides, if we both escape they will track me and that will endanger you.”
“You will follow us after we have gone.” Partlan’s words were a statement. “It is necessary for you to know what has happened to the rest of our brothers.”
Eogan frowned. “Have you found a way off this planet?”
“There is no home for us. All Hunters were ordered executed.”
“Why?”
“There was a civil war on Cygnus and the Kaladin were defeated by the Holman. It was feared that Hunters would only obey the Kaladin so we were ordered terminated.” Partlan’s voice was emotionless. “We were luckier than the other Hunters. Our leader, Ardal, chose to allow us to die fighting. We disobeyed the execution order and fought for control of the ship carrying us to our death. That is when we crashed on this planet.”
Eogan cleared his throat. “How many Hunters survived?”
“We number over one hundred.” Partlan’s voice held pride. “There are also those who crashed when you did. They are at least eighty strong and now form part of Ardal’s unit. All of clan Rioge was exterminated. Ardal will be thankful one of his clan survives.”
“For years, I thought I was the only Hunter on this planet. Now, I have much to hope for.”
“There is even more. We are able to live a normal life. Much has happened since we have removed our implants.” Partlan rubbed an area over his right forearm. “We have learned that many of our legends are true. Three of our unit have found pair bonds and are mated.”
Eogan’s eyes widened. “Is this true?”
“What’s a pair bond?” When there was no answer, Grace pulled on Partlan’s arm. “Explain this please.”
Eogan was the one who spoke first. “Legend has it that a Hunter is destined to bond with one mate for life. They share a bond that cannot be broken even by death. That is why a Hunter is forbidden to mate. His bond is so strong that he will disobey orders to protect his mate. All else is forgotten, if a Hunter’s mate is in need.”
“Our implants had been deactivated when we were loaded onto the prison ship, so we were no longer receiving enhancements.” Partlan’s tone was quiet. “On earth, it was discovered that part of what the implant did was to ensure that we would not form a pair bond.”
“You weren’t allowed to marry?” Grace’s voice rose with indignation. “What kind of people were these Kaladin?”
“We were bred to protect them. It was forbidden for a Hunter to mate.”
“Ever?”
“A Hunter may not be with a woman.” Eogan’s voice was matter of fact. “It might distract him from his duty, which is to protect and follow orders.”
“So you guys have never had a relationship with a woman?” She didn’t bother to hide her disbelief.
“Never.” Partlan’s eyes locked onto hers.
There seemed to be a silent message that he was trying to convey. She inhaled and broke contact. For a second, she’d thought she’d heard his voice in her mind telling her that they were connected. That had to be her imagination. She’d never been a person who believed in anything telepathic or supernatural, and she wasn’t going to start now. She was tired and stressed. That was the only explanation.
Partlan turned back to Eogan. “Have you never felt a connection with a woman?”
“No.” Eogan shook his head. “My implants are still effective. When I was first captured, the enhancements that the Kaladin had put in place were tampered with. Once the humans understood what they were, they altered them to fit their needs.”
“You must remove them.”
“They have other ways to control us.” Eogan’s tone was dry. “There’s a constant bombardment of electrical energy that affects behavior. I think it interferes with the connection between Hunters outside of this compound. Today was the first I had ever sensed another brother. I knew that meant you were within these walls. It was easy to find you.”
“You cannot stay here.” Partlan’s tone was insistent. “They will know you helped us leave.”
“I am useful to the humans. They trust me. I can come and go as I please within the compound. I’ll be able to arrange your escape.”
“There must be another way.” Partlan lifted his chin. “I will not leave you here to face these monsters alone. We will attack the whole compound.”
“It won’t work.” Eogan lowered his voice. “It’s vast. It’s a multi-national effort that is at a level higher than most heads of state. Some of this planet’s oldest organizations and moneyed families signed a treaty with the Albireons when they first came to Earth over seventy years ago. In exchange for technological advances, they allowed the Albireons control.”
“You cannot expect me to leave a brother behind?”
Grace bit her lower lip. Escape sounded as if it would be dangerous, even if they all went together. To attack the whole unit was asking for disaster. The odds were against them. They needed a different plan.
“They trust me.” Eogan’s tone was persuasive. “Until now, I didn’t know that there were other Hunters on this planet. The humans kept me alive because I was clan Rioge. All of the others that were captur
ed, have been killed.”
“That means they intend to kill us too.” Grace’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yes.” Eogan nodded. “They frequently send me on missions outside the compound. On my next mission, I will contact you. From there, I will make my escape.”
“Are you certain they will not discover that you arranged our release?”
Eogan crossed his arms over his chest. “I am the last person they would suspect. They truly believe that I can’t disobey an order. Their implants have kept me doing their bidding since, I was a child. It will be a relief to no longer obey.”
Partlan hesitated a second before nodding. “If you do not contact us, we will come back to free you.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Eogan opened the door. “I’ll let you know when it is safe to leave.”
A second later, Eogan was gone. Grace frowned. How was he going to let them know? They didn’t have any cell phones.
“Is he going to come back here? That could be dangerous.”
“He will not risk seeing us again.”
“Then how will you know when to leave?”
“Eogan will use mind connection.”
Grace tilted her head. The term sounded strange. “What’s that?”
Partlan took her hands in his. “Hunters can connect without words.”
“Like telepathy?”
“Something like that. We sense when one of us is near or in danger.” Partlan hesitated a second and then continued. “The same connection is possible between pair bonds.”
“The women you mate with.”
Grace’s voice was a whisper. Her heart was pounding and she had to force herself to breath. This connection he spoke of, sounded like love. That was a fairy tale, not reality. A bond like he was describing didn’t exist. She had secretly longed for it since she had been a little girl. Life, and men, had forced her to forget her dreams of a forever love.
“We only mate with one woman. That woman is our pair bond. If she refuses us, then we will never mate with another.”
“That’s pretty drastic.” Grace tried to pull her hands away from Partlan, but he held tight, his gaze never wavering from her. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Why are you telling me this?”
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