Bladen

by Arcadia Shield

  “We will,” said Grace. “She deserved better. We will make sure the Fraken know never to do this again.”

  Bladen pulled Grace into a tight embrace and rested his chin on her head. “Are you ready for the next step?”

  “What’s that?” asked Grace, her voice muffled against Bladen’s chest, wishing she could just stay in his arms and forget about everything else.

  “Now, we get out of here and get free.”

  ***

  Bladen struggled not to keep touching Grace as he watched her swipe tears from her cheeks and step back from his embrace. There was a look of determination in her eyes he’d not seen before, and he hoped he had something to do with that.

  “Where are we going?” asked Grace.

  Bladen reined in his desire to draw more moans from her lips and took her hand, instead, before leading her across the sand and away from the relative safety of the rocks. “We’ll try at the main entrance of the game first. There are always comms posts by the entrances and exits in any game.”

  “And you know how to activate it?”

  “I don’t,” said Bladen. “But it’s an easy entrance point for the Fraken. They will most likely begin there and work their way through the game as they try to locate us, using comms posts as central meeting stations so they can report their findings. We can stake out that area and wait for a Fraken to emerge.”

  “That could take a while,” said Grace.

  “They will come,” said Bladen. “They want us dead. And if we have to, we can always take a Fraken and force him to open the comms link and get our message to Axen.”

  “I’m happy to dish out some punishment to the Fraken,” said Grace. “After everything they’ve done to us, it only seems right.”

  Bladen tightened his hold on Grace’s hand. “Agreed. It’s time they helped us.”

  The journey to the entrance of the game took just over an hour, and Bladen could tell Grace was struggling, her breath shooting out of her in painful gasps with every step she took. But every time he asked, she refused to slow down. She knew how important it was for them to get to the comms link and get out before the Fraken found them.

  “Almost there,” said Bladen, as the hot sun beat down on them, making sweat trickle along his back.

  “Great. I'm looking forward to meeting our welcome party.”

  Bladen smiled and then slowed, and he pulled her against a rock face. “It will be around this corner. Be ready for anything.”

  “Let’s go,” said Grace.

  “No. You wait here,” said Bladen. “If the comms post is active, there will be Fraken guarding it.” His fears were confirmed as he ducked his head around the rocks to see four Fraken standing by the comms post. The light on the top of it confirmed the comms post was active. It was just what he needed.

  He returned to Grace’s side. “We’ve got company.”

  Grace bit her bottom lip. “Do you want me to distract them?”

  “No, there are other comms posts. We’ll try the next one.”

  Grace nodded as she wiped her hand across her forehead. “Show me the way.”

  Fifteen minutes of tracking across the hot sand brought them to the next comms link. Bladen cursed as he spotted it and yanked Grace backwards. It was also active and surrounded by Fraken.

  He retraced their steps until they couldn’t be seen. “We’ve got the same problem. They must know how we’ve been communicating messages to the outside world.”

  “We can’t keep searching,” said Grace. “My lungs aren’t going to take much more.”

  Bladen gritted his teeth, seeing how pale Grace looked, despite the sun beating mercilessly on her.

  “Aren’t there any other options?” asked Grace.

  “Well, Thunde and Jessie flew out of the game,” said Bladen. “Are you hiding a spare ship I can pilot?”

  “No, but why don’t we find one?” said Grace. “The Fraken could have flown into the game.”

  Bladen ran a hand through his damp hair, knowing Grace wasn’t going to be able to travel much farther on foot. A ship would be the perfect solution to get them out of the game, but capturing one was risky and reckless. “Let’s see what we can find.”

  Chapter 19

  Grace wiped the sweat off her face as she crouched next to Bladen. They’d tracked the Fraken through the blazing desert in the hopes of finding a ship, without any luck. Now, they were back at the main game entrance, watching for an opportunity to get to the comms post and send the message.

  They’d been watching the post for hours, and Grace’s throat burned and a headache pounded behind her eyes. She needed more water and sleep, but she wasn’t going to show weakness in front of Bladen. She had to remain strong and on her feet for a little longer, just until they got out of this game and to safety.

  Grace’s eyes felt gritty with sand as she kept them trained on the Fraken surrounding the active comms post. Every now and again, a Fraken would activate the comms link and a screen would come into view as they relayed messages. She longed to charge out and take down the Fraken and get them out of their way. They needed to get to that comms post or capture a ship. And although they’d watched several hover in the sky above them before shooting off, none had landed.

  The Fraken were also on high alert, all dressed in their molded black body armor, lightning sticks in hands, as patrols passed by regularly. It would only be a matter of time before a troop discovered them watching, and Grace’s skin itched with sweat and sand as their opportunity to get out slid away slowly.

  “Won’t all of this look odd to the audience?” Grace whispered. “It’s not usual for Fraken to be patrolling games like this, is it?”

  “The audience won’t have a clue what’s going on,” muttered Bladen. “The Fraken are experts at manipulating game footage. They will have seen us working together and you killing Sonia. I’m sure that would have been popular. The Fraken are probably replaying that footage in slow motion.”

  A hiss of anger slid from Grace’s mouth, but the firm touch of Bladen’s hand on her shoulder helped calm her. She would get her revenge on the Fraken for what they did to Sonia.

  “The Fraken will keep the game pretense going for as long as possible. It means the audience will keep placing bets on who dies and how. Before I joined the game, there were rumors flying about concerning problems with the games. The Fraken hate any bad publicity, because if anyone thinks the games aren’t being handled honestly, the number of bets goes down, and the Fraken don’t make so many e-credits.”

  “Something I’m not going to lose any sleep over,” said Grace.

  “The Fraken tyranny and all their bloodshed is coming to an end. It’s something Axen has wanted for a long time, and now we get to help him.”

  Grace turned and smiled at Bladen before gently taking his hand. “And I’m going to help with that.”

  ***

  A hot swirl of pleasure slid through Bladen at the thought of Grace being by his side. But it was tinged with worry. He’d seen how easily she’d fallen apart when the game had first begun, her mind fractured by being so poorly treated. Was it selfish of him to expect her to carry on fighting against a race who had harmed her so badly? Should he let her go, get her a safe place to stay, and give her time to rebuild herself? Bladen didn’t want to do that, but he wanted what was best for Grace.

  “Is everything okay?” asked Grace.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Your skin shifts color along with your mood.”

  Bladen blinked in surprise. “It doesn't.”

  Grace grinned at him. “You literally wear your internal conversations on your skin.”

  Bladen scrubbed a hand along his arm. “I'm blaming you for that. That's never happened before.”

  “I don't mind, it makes you easier to understand.” Grace touched his face. “And I can tell something is wrong.”

  “I was thinking you might like a break after this,” said Bladen. “Some time away from the fighting c
ould do you good. The Fraken have not been kind to you.”

  “They’re never kind to anyone,” said Grace. “Would that break be with you?”

  Bladen loved the idea of spending time alone with Grace, without the threat of the Fraken over their heads. But his presence would be a distraction and he’d be a reminder of her time in the game. “We’ll see. Take some time to think about what you want to do. Life on the run from the Fraken won’t be easy.”

  “I’m under no illusions as to what it will be like when I get out of this game,” said Grace. “But I don’t want to slink away from all of this, now that I know what’s going on.”

  “No one would think any worse of you if you decide not to be a part of this,” said Bladen. “After everything that’s happened, I won’t think any less of you.”

  Grace dropped her hold on Bladen’s hand and her eyes narrowed. “But I will. I can’t walk away from this, knowing what’s going on.”

  “Perhaps you should,” said Bladen, hating the way Grace’s glare speared into him. It felt like she was stabbing him as her dark eyes glinted in anger. “You’re not a soldier; you haven’t been bred to fight like I have.”

  “No. But I have years of experience dealing with the wounded, soldiers who have gone into battle. I’ve seen what it does to a person. I know I can help make things better. I can heal people. I can even heal you.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

  Grace’s lips thinned. “I’ve seen how you react in battle. You turn into a machine, and your emotions disappear.”

  “It’s how it should be,” said Bladen. And he had always been like that, until Grace arrived and made him want to fight for her, instead. “I can’t turn into an emotional mess every time something bad happens.”

  “Like I do?”

  “No, not like you do.” Bladen pushed against the frustration inside him. “The way you react is normal and expected. It’s how you should react when bad things happen. But I’m different.”

  “I get that you’ve got genetic modifications so you operate well in battle,” said Grace, “but that doesn’t mean you’re immune to feeling stress or thinking about the people you’ve slaughtered. That has an impact on you.”

  “Those things don’t concern me.” Bladen heard the lie in his voice as soon as he spoke. He remembered the nightmares that shook him out of his sleep, of the lives he’d taken and opportunities that had been ruined because of his blade and fists.

  “I know that’s not true,” said Grace, her tone softening. “It has to impact you. And I understand that. I can help you and others move on from that if you let me. And if this next battle is going to be as big as I think it is, you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

  “But you’re... damaged,” said Bladen. The instant he said those words, Bladen realized the mistake he’d made.

  Grace’s top lip curled up and she took a step back. “Is that what you think I am, damaged goods? I'm not good enough for you?”

  “You’re more than good enough for me,” said Bladen. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Yes, it is. You don’t think I’m up to the job. Are you regretting agreeing to take me out of this game? Is it too much hassle for you?”

  “I don’t think that.” Bladen winced as he remembered that was exactly what he thought when he first encountered Grace dancing naked in the sand. “To begin with, you did alarm me. Your behavior was erratic.”

  “And you shove down your emotions so hard that, when they finally surface, you don’t know what to do with them.”

  “That is deliberate,” said Bladen. “I suppress my emotions so I can do my job properly and kill without feeling regret or anger or anything.”

  “But that’s not normal,” said Grace. “You need to feel those things so you know you’re alive. Otherwise, you’re no better than Sonia.”

  “I’m more than a cyborg. And I choose to shut down my emotions. I suppress them with drugs, so I don’t have to deal with any of this.” He waved his hands at Grace.

  “This!” Grace glowered at him. “This is real. This is what life is all about. You take drugs to hide behind, and you’re not being true to yourself.”

  “I am,” grated out Bladen. “Maybe you’re the one who needs some emotional suppressants. Could keep you alive for a bit longer.”

  “I don’t want to be alive at all if I’m like you.”

  They glared at each other in silence, angry sounding huffs shooting out of Grace’s mouth as she glared at Bladen.

  “Maybe I do have plans of my own that don’t involve you and whatever crazy scheme you imagined you’re a part of.” Grace turned away from Bladen and looked at the comms post.

  Bladen clenched his fists. Everything he said only made things worse between the two of them. “You could be right. Better you find somewhere safe to go when you get out of here.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “I have contacts in numerous galaxies. I can find you somewhere to hide until you’re safe from the Fraken.”

  “I don’t need your help,” said Grace. “I’ve been doing fine without you in my life, so far. I can look after myself.”

  Bladen shrugged and forced his fingers to unclench. This kind of confrontation was not something he was used to. And he hated to admit Grace was right, but these emotions unsettled him. When things got this tense, he settled the dispute with his fists. That wasn’t an option with Grace, and he needed to get control before he did and said something he’d regret.

  “Let’s focus on the Fraken, for now. We can decide what you want to do when we’re out of here.”

  “If we get out of here,” said Grace.

  Bladen bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood. “We’ll get out of here, no matter what I have to do to achieve that.”

  Grace made a quiet grunting sound and folded her arms over her chest.

  “We just need to pick the right battle,” said Bladen. “If we charge in unprepared, we won’t have enough resources to deal with all the Fraken.”

  “I want to help.” Grace’s tone sounded tired. “I wish you believed in me enough to know I’m not a burden to you. What do I have to do to prove I’m good enough?”

  “Nothing!” Bladen raised a hand to touch Grace's slim shoulder but stopped himself. He didn't want to risk seeing her pull away from him.

  “Don’t be so quick to write me off because I don’t have your muscles,” said Grace. “Being on a battlefield puts you in the direct line of fire, sometimes. I’ve killed before. The enemy would get through the battle lines and try to take down the resources they found. And you saw what I did to Sonia.”

  “Just because you’ve done it a few times doesn’t mean you need to do it again,” said Bladen. “I’m here now. I can do all of that for you. You don’t need to fight any more if you don’t want to.”

  Grace let out a sigh. “You don’t understand. I want to do it. I need to help you with this. I’m not going to sit back and watch you play the tough guy. I’m tough, as well.”

  A surge of anger ran through Bladen, and he grabbed Grace by the shoulders and shook her. “You’ll get yourself killed if you go out there against the Fraken.”

  Grace spun around and pushed him away. “You can’t control me.”

  “I’m not trying to,” said Bladen. “I want to keep you safe.”

  “It doesn’t matter, anyway,” said Grace. “We’ve got bigger things to worry about. I’m a tiny part in this, and I’ll get out of your way as soon as I can.”

  Bladen gritted his teeth and nodded, ignoring the lance of pain in his heart. “I think that’s the right decision.”

  “Let’s stick together for as long as we have to and then we can go our separate ways. You can join whatever fight it is you’re planning to have, and I can get on with my life on Earth.”

  Bladen ground his teeth together. He wanted Grace to know he wanted her with him, but he knew how dangerous that was.

  Shouts rang out next to the comm
s post, and they both turned to see what was happening.

  Bladen grabbed hold of Grace’s arm. “There’s a ship coming. I can hear it. And the Fraken are putting down a docking clamp on the sand. It’s going to land.”

  “Then it’s ours,” said Grace.

  Bladen narrowed his gaze as he watched the Fraken fighter vessel descend and engage with the docking clamp to stop it from sinking into the sand. It was a small black craft, with winged tips at the back. It would not have a large crew, perhaps only a pilot and co-pilot. But there would be space on the vessel for fifteen Fraken, and it looked like the ones on the ground were preparing to board.

  As much as he tried to focus on what they needed to do, Bladen kept returning to his argument with Grace. He knew she would stand by his side and do whatever she needed to get out of the game. But his stomach clenched at the thought of her putting herself at risk because of him. He wasn’t worth such a sacrifice. Grace was human, and that meant she was much easier to break.

  He shot a swift sideways glance at her pale sweat-soaked skin. He never wanted to hurt her or cause her any pain. She deserved so much more.

  “The Fraken are moving away from the ship,” whispered Grace. “Now’s our chance.”

  “Wait! There’s information coming through on the comms post. Must be a message from the troop commander.” Bladen watched as the Fraken stood in a neat formation in front of the comms screen as it lit up.

  “It’s just the distraction we need.” Grace glanced over at Bladen. “Do you want to risk it?”

  “I can use my camouflage to get close to the ship,” said Bladen. “But they’ll spot you as soon as you move.”

  “You could go without me.” Grace looked at the sand. “I will understand if you need to get back to your friends. I’m too much trouble to have around.”

  Bladen grabbed hold of Grace and pulled her to him, his heart aching with the sadness in her voice. As much as he knew he should stay away from her and that he was dangerous for her, he couldn’t do it. He loved her softness and her determination. “We’re going together. And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you think you weren’t wanted. I want you here by my side. But the risks are...”