Enforcer (Battle Born Book 11)

by Cyndi Friberg

  “I have no use for Earth currency. You may pay me in gold and precious stones.”

  Royce tensed. Shadow Leader had authorized him to pay Chelsea half a million dollars. These images were far more damning, and just disturbing enough to guarantee they’d go viral. “How much?”

  “Two million. None negotiable.”

  The greedy bastard. “I’ll have to get approval.”

  Kage waved his hand again and the video icon disappeared. “You have twenty-four hours and then I offer them to the battle born.”

  Chapter Ten

  Alyssa took a deep breath to calm her nerves, then activated the call to her father. The Phantom was tiny compared to the other spaceships she’d encountered, but it was capable of moving about undetected by human or Rodyte technology. It was also invisible to the naked eye, which Alyssa found astonishing.

  Her father answered his phone on the second ring. Dakar had programed the Phantom’s communications system to emulate her cell phone, so she wasn’t surprised that her father accepted the call.

  “Alyssa,” Martin sounded impatient, not worried. Typical. “You’re almost a week past our scheduled check-in.”

  “There were complications. Where can we meet?”

  “Where are you?”

  “Not far. Should I come to you?”

  “Why not. There’s nothing suspicious about a loving daughter dropping by to visit her old man.”

  Sarcastic jerk. Why had it taken so long for her to break free of this man? “I’m on my way.”

  She told Dakar the address and he converted it into specific coordinates, then brought up an aerial image of the estate.

  “Very nice,” he muttered as he zoomed in on the main house. There was a detached five-car garage, guest cottage, her father’s workshop, as well as the mansion itself. “I didn’t realize I’d married money.” He glanced at her and grinned.

  “I happen to know your family has money too, so don’t give me a hard time.” She tended to tense up whenever she dealt with her father, but this time was even worse. She felt like a rubber band stretched to its absolute limit. The slightest pressure would snap her in two.

  “Relax, my love. You look like you just robbed a bank.” After squeezing her hand, he turned back to the control matrix as their destination rapidly neared. “I could probably set down on the roof, but they’d hear us. I’ll land in the back corner of the yard, on the other side of these trees.” He pointed out the area on the viewscreen. “Then we can stream into the house. That way they won’t know where we left the ship. Under no circumstances can your father gain access to this ship.”

  “Understood.” She took a deep breath but it did little to ease her anxiety. So much of her life had been focused on pleasing her father, so much energy wasted. Now she was about to throw it all in his face and turn him over to his enemy. He’d manipulated and used her countless times. This should feel liberating, a justified comeuppance for a ruthless jerk. Instead, it made her sad.

  Dakar expertly landed the ship and released his safety restraints, then pivoted to face her. “You need to talk this out before we go in or you’ll give us both away.”

  She sighed, knowing he was right. “I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with my father, but part of me still wants to save him.”

  He took her hands between his and leaned forward, bringing their faces closer together. “We need to deescalate the threat and gain information. Your father won’t be seriously harmed.”

  “Just indefinitely detained?” She shook her head. “For Shadow Leader, I think that will be worse.”

  “Have you forgotten about the explosion?” Challenge crept into his voice and determination hardened his expression. “Eleven people died that night. Someone has to be held accountable.”

  After a thoughtful pause, she nodded. The images were with her still. As soon as she thought about the explosion, the smell of smoke filled her nose and she could taste the bitterness of fear. “You’re right. If he ordered that attack, he deserves whatever the tribunal gives him. There’s no excuse for what took place that night.”

  He released her safety restraints and drew her to the edge of the seat. “But he’s still your father. Don’t expect this to be easy.” Before she could reply, he kissed her and flooded her mind with warmth and reassurance. “I’ll be right beside you the entire time.” She nodded and pushed to her feet. He stood as well, then led her to the middle of the shuttle. “Foyer okay, or should I target a different room.”

  “The foyer is fine. He knows we’re coming.”

  She closed her eyes as the bio-stream engine wiped reality away. Sounds and sensation faded to utter nothingness, then everything returned in a sickening rush. She groaned and clutched her belly, fighting to keep the contents of her stomach.

  “Welcome home.”

  The bitter sarcasm in her father’s tone cut through the last of her daze. What the hell was wrong with him today? He was never this openly hostile. She blinked several times then opened her eyes. They were surrounded by armed guards, weapons drawn and pointing at her and Dakar.

  Martin turned his head and spoke to someone standing in the library, just out of Alyssa’s view. “Activate your shields.”

  “Already done.” A stranger stepped into the doorway, a cruel smile bowing his lips. He was huge, taller and more beefy than Dakar, and his clothing was downright bizarre. Black leather-like pants clung to his lean hips and muscular legs, while his chest and arms were bare except for the wide straps securing his weapons. A red cape was attached to the straps and his entire upper body was covered in raised black and gray markings.

  “Kage.” Dakar swore under his breath, then louder, “Should have figured you’d be in the middle of this.”

  Kage? This was Kage Razel, leader of the Outcasts? Her father had mentioned him several times during mission prep, but she’d never even seen an image of the man.

  “Are the weapons necessary?” she asked her father. “What do you think we’re going to do?”

  “It’s not what you’re going to do that worries me, daughter dear. It’s what you’ve already done.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” She didn’t need to fake impatience and anger. The emotions were all too real. She hadn’t expected a warm reception, but this was ridiculous.

  “Mr. Razel here has—”

  “Overlord Razel,” Kage corrected.

  “Whatever,” Martin sneered. “Overlord Razel has just expanded his ship’s shields to encompass this house. Your lover will not be able to bio-stream out.”

  She looked at Dakar then back at her father, shaking from the effort it took to remain calm. “You haven’t even heard my explanation. Yes, the mission failed, but it wasn’t my fault. Why are you treating me like a criminal?”

  “When you didn’t utilize our extraction plan, I knew one of two things had happened. One, you’d been discovered and were a prisoner. Or two, you’d succumb to the seduction of one of your genetic matches. Either way, you’ve been compromised. You’re clearly under the influence of the battle born.” His hostile gaze shifted to Dakar and burned even brighter. “With my blood flowing through her veins, I honestly thought she’d be able to resist. Apparently, I was wrong. Are you Sedrik or Dakar?”

  Dakar said nothing. He stood tense and ready, hand covering the hilt of his weapon, gaze subtly scanning their surroundings. There were five guards plus the Outcast. It was unlikely her father would engage in a physical altercation. Delegating violence was much more his style.

  Anger welled inside Alyssa, but she found the cold emotion strangely calming. If Shadow Leader had disregarded her so easily, perhaps he’d show more interest in one of his soldiers. “The rebels have Kelsey. They’re holding her hostage to ensure my cooperation.”

  Concern flashed through Dakar’s gaze and his voice sounded in her mind. What are you doing?

  Just play along.

  “Cooperate with what?” Martin narrowed his gaze, clearly suspicious of h
er motives.

  “They want Royce Marsden, of course. They still think he’s the head of Solar Warden.”

  Martin looked from Alyssa to Dakar, then back. “You’re supposed to negotiate an exchange, Marsden for Kelsey?”

  “Yes, but it was never my intention to follow through. I came back to warn you that they’re gearing up for a major offensive. Blood demands blood. It’s the battle born way.”

  “I had nothing to do with that explosion,” he snapped. “It was Royce Marsden’s disaster from beginning to end.”

  “A true leader is responsible for the actions of his men,” Kage pointed out.

  Alyssa looked at him, surprised by the criticism. He pursed his lips in an air kiss then winked. Baffled by his behavior, she shifted her attention back to Martin.

  His agitation was palpable. “I don’t want a war with the battle born. That was never my intention.” He fisted his hands and stared into the distance, likely struggling for a new strategy. “If I give them Marsden, will they call off the attack? They can do what they like with Kelsey.”

  It was cold comfort to realize it wasn’t just her he disregarded. Shadow Leader didn’t give a damn about anyone but himself. What little compassion remained for her father shriveled up and died.

  “That wasn’t the offer,” Dakar finally spoke. “We need to return to my ship so I can get approval.”

  “Then you must be Dakar. Sedrik wouldn’t need to ask permission.” Martin looked proud of his deduction. Then his expression darkened and he turned back to Alyssa. “Couldn’t even get that right, could you? If you had to fuck one of them, why couldn’t you have chosen the general?”

  Ignore him. Dakar sent a soothing wave of warmth flowing through her mind. We’ve listened to more than enough of this kaunashit. Get the front door open and be ready to run.

  It was five, maybe six, to one. Did he really plan to take on everyone?

  Determined not to alert the guards to the coming attack, she sneered at her father. “You’re a selfish son of a bitch who doesn’t give a damn about—”

  Dakar didn’t wait for her to finish her angry tirade. He drew a dagger from the sheath strapped to his thigh, then lunged for the nearest guard. As he moved, the dagger morphed into a long, lethal sword. With a few lightning-fast motions, he neutralized the first guard and spun to confront the next.

  The guards stood in a circle, so each hesitated to use his gun. It would be too easy to hit each other if their shot went even slightly off target.

  She rushed toward the front door and frantically unlocked the barrier. Dakar had given her one task and she would not fail him. He felled the second guard with a pulse launched from the hilt of the sword. She’d never seen anything like it, anything like him. He moved with the fluidity of a dancer, yet swung with incredible strength.

  Guards three and four attacked together. They each held knives and were working as a team. Dakar expertly held them off, but he couldn’t seem to gain the upper hand. The last guard still had his gun pointed at Dakar, but Martin stood on the opposite side of the foyer. If he fired and missed, he risked hitting Shadow Leader.

  In a sudden flurry of aggression, Dakar drove one guard back and got off a shot toward the other. The energy pulse sent the man into convulsions as he fell to the floor. Dakar focused on the fourth guard, his sword slicing and jabbing with mesmerizing speed.

  Suddenly the fifth guard turned from Dakar and pointed his gun at Alyssa. “Stop or she dies!”

  Dakar growled in fury and looked at her. His opponent took advantage of his distraction, driving him back with a vicious serious of blows.

  “Drop it, now!” Number five tried again, but four didn’t allow Dakar to stop.

  Five fired and the shot whizzed past her right cheek. Had he missed intentionally?

  A pulse blast echoed the shot, dropping the guard. Alyssa gasped and looked at Dakar, but he was still working to subdue the fourth guard. Her gaze shot to Kage and he bowed from the waist, offering her a gallant smile as he returned the small handgun to one of the many brackets on his chest straps.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Martin shouted at the Outcast.

  Dakar finally dropped the fourth guard and ran toward her. He took her by the upper arm and dragged her out the front door before she could puzzle through Kage’s motivation.

  She squinted, momentarily blinded by the midday sun. They ran beyond the range of Kage’s shields, then Dakar activated the bio-stream engine and transported them back to the Phantom.

  * * * * *

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Martin yelled, infuriated by the unacceptable turn of events. That was the problem with traitors. They were completely undependable. “Whose side are you on?”

  “An alliance requires participation on both sides,” Kage sounded bored, but lethal warning gleamed in his dark gaze. “I’ve done everything you asked of me, but you’ve yet to reciprocate.”

  “I don’t control the Evonti. I told you I’d talk to them the next time they access one of the portals.”

  “Not good enough.”

  Martin glared at the irrational barbarian. “What would you like me to do?” He ground out the question between clenched teeth.

  “You have a way of contacting them, or you’re a bigger imbecile than I thought.” Kage took a step toward Martin, towering over the older man. “My men are tired of waiting and so am I.”

  “I’ll send a message, but I can’t guarantee they’ll respond. The Evonti are unpredictable.”

  “I’m assisting you for one reason and one reason only. My men want their magic unlocked. You promised the Evonti could do that for them.”

  He didn’t include himself in the statement. Was Kage not battle born? Martin had often wondered about the bastard’s origins. He seemed somehow different from the other Rodytes Martin had encountered. “I’ll contact them immediately, but it can take a day or two for them to respond.” If he didn’t need Rodyte technology to counter Rodyte technology, he would have told the arrogant brute to go to hell. Unfortunately, too many of his plans required Kage’s involvement to have any hope of succeeding.

  “This is your last chance, human. Move the situation significantly closer to what I want or our alliance is at an end.” He looked at the fallen guards and laughed. “You need better bodyguards.”

  God, he hated this bastard. “Are you volunteering?”

  He scoffed. “Hardly. If you were in my good graces, I might have been willing to work something out.”

  “I told you, I will contact the Evonti. What more do you want?” He hated the shrillness creeping into his own voice. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “You shouldn’t have interfered.”

  That brought Kage’s head snapping back around. “I should have let him shoot your daughter?” He sounded genuinely appalled.

  “That’s not the point,” he said firmly, as if he were speaking to a rebellious teen. “He was my man. She is my daughter. It had nothing to do with you.”

  “You’re right, but I have a soft spot for females.” Kage shrugged and flipped his cape back over his shoulders. “Contact me when you have progress to report.”

  “What about my bodyguards? You’re right. I need better protec—”

  The useless barbarian disappeared before Martin could finish his sentence.

  * * * * *

  “Now what do we do?”

  Alyssa sounded so dejected that it tore at Dakar’s heart. “We return to Lunar Nine and come up with another strategy. None of us were overly confident in this mission anyway.”

  “If you expected him to see through it, then why waste our time? And what about Kelsey? Is se released or not?” Her frustration was more obvious than her hurt, but he could feel both pulsing across their empathic connection.

  “I’m not sure about Kelsey, but our time wasn’t wasted. We gathered important recon. Royce Marsden is to blame for the explosion, not your father. Do you agree that his reaction was genuine?”

 
She nodded. “He was pissed. It was obvious.”

  Dakar checked the ship’s controls to ensure they were on course and all systems were functioning normally. Phantom shuttles basically flew themselves after the pilot entered a destination. “So we’ll focus on Marsden until your father becomes complacent. He’ll eventually make a mistake and we’ll be there to take advantage of it.”

  She nodded again, but her mind was still racing, her emotions too convoluted to decipher. Adrenaline was doubtlessly making her antsy, but her father’s ruthless disregard had also taken its toll.

  “That weapon you used, what’s it called?” She needed to work through her emotions, but she didn’t seem ready to talk about any of it.

  “A flexblade.” He pulled it from the bracket on his leg and handed it to her hilt first. “Many battle born officers have them.”

  “Only the officers?” She looked at him then back at the weapon, turning it this way and that.

  “They’re expensive and extremely hard to control. It takes years of practice to master one.” She pointed the blade away from her body and squeezed the handle. Her effort made him smile. “It’s more complicated than squeezing the handle. Each flexblade is literally tuned to its owner. Only I can send mental impulses to the nanites telling them what to form to take. It also launches energy pulses.”

  “I noticed.” She turned it hilt first and handed it back to him. “It’s impressive, and so are you.”

  He accepted the praise with a warm smile and snapped his flexblade back into its holder.

  “Why did Kage defend me?” she asked a few minutes later. “That was so weird.”

  He stilled, possessive urges surging to the surface. “What are you talking about?”

  “When the last guard threatened me, Kage shot him.”

  “I heard your father yell, but I didn’t see what Kage had done.” If the alliance between Solar Warden and the Outcasts was in trouble, Sedrik and Raylon needed to know about it. Of course, it might not have been any more significant than Kage defending a female. Most Rodyte males were protective of females. It was instinctive. “I can’t explain his behavior. It could be a number of things.”