A low dull pop sounded.
He fell to a crouch and scanned the dark tree line and the nonexistent path he’d just tread.
Nothing. Yet, something had to be there. Excluding the wildlife-deficient forest, there were only Paul and psychic bad guys. Where in the Hell was dumb-ass Paul?
His gut twisted.
Paul had to have his hand in the cookie jar. He turned and carefully backtracked to the point he had to choose between where he found Paul in the forest or following Paul’s path. He scanned the ground for boot tracks.
Two fresh boot prints sank into the meal of some finely-ground sediment.
What had to be Paul’s footprints trailed off along the base of the white wall. He followed them for about ten minutes to where Paul sat, leaning against a boulder near the looming palisade.
Paul wasn’t facing him. Nor did Paul notice any movement from his approach. The man was busy waving an arm.
Pointing? Or astral projecting. Jake quietly stepped along until he could make out a few of Paul’s words.
“I’m trying to delay him until your supply ship arrives,” Paul said.
Whose supply ship?
“Give me a chance to make this work, Voldon.”
The stinking traitor. Time to kick the ball back to Paul and play a game of chess. Maybe putting control back in earth’s corner just might buy him some time. And Goro. Now the commander had the right to probe Sevra’s thoughts. And they’d know if Paul was behind Kindrist’s attack. If the worm tried to kill my child.... The only way to end this charade and head home was to fake a problem. A delay. He started running across a bunch of loose gravel.
Paul’s head jerked in Jake’s direction.
Perfect. Jake dropped into a slide to first base, tumbled down an incline, rolled to a stop near Paul’s black combat boots, and grabbed at his ankle. “Shit,” he whispered a curse, trying to appear the mercenary who feared he’d given away their location.
His thigh hurt where the rocks had gnawed into his leg though.
The ache wasn’t truly an injury. Paul needed to think the ankle was broken. He rubbed his ankle for effect and locked onto Paul’s curious gaze. “Damn. I think my ankle’s broke. Fuck. I can’t fail Kindrist.... and the baby.”
Paul’s brow pinched. “You serious, man?”
Dufus would ask. “Hell, yes.” He shoved up to feign an injury by trying to walk, limped, and fell on the other leg’s thigh.
“No way. What cursed luck.” Paul hopped up and hurried over to kneel at Jake’s side. “Are you serious?”
Well, a foiled plan had to be serious. “Yes.”
“What happened? Why did you come back?”
Stupid question from the guilty party. “I heard a twig pop. Who walked on it? I don’t have any weapons.”
Paul sighed and swatted at the seat of his pants. “It’s just your heightened arousal, man. You’re hearing things. Didn’t they school you on what you’d experience?”
“No. I was in the crash-and-burn course because they wanted to get my butt over here to blow up my eardrums.” He grabbed his ankle and groaned.
“I told you we should have waited until we shifted,” Paul said.
Yeah. Like I’d give the seasoned were-beast a chance to trick my ass after Paul’s strength magnified. “Hurry. Get in there. I’ll wait here. If anything looks suspicious, I’ll create a distraction. We’ve got to think about our wives.”
Paul inhaled loudly and studied the unyielding expanse of rock.
Well, he obviously had no idea how he would explain this one to Voldon. “The Cause is counting on you.”
Paul’s assessing gaze locked onto Jake’s.
What thoughts whirled inside his head? Maybe the traitor was more intelligent than his actions suggested.
“We have to do this together. Goro sent a team. I need you,” Paul said.
Like Hell. He rubbed his lower leg for show. “You know as well as I do that this was my first mission, a training mission. You were sent to help me. You don’t need me. I’m the rookie. Get in there and kick some alien ass.” Lies were so lovely in times laced with imminent threat.
Paul nodded and scanned Jake’s ankle. “Are you going to be okay here alone?”
“I may have fallen down a hill, but I know how to take care of myself.”
“That doesn’t look the case now.” He smacked his lips. “If they’ve detected you, I can’t help you from inside the fortress. You’re not exactly mobile.”
Go, moron. Incriminate yourself. “I’m dead anyway. It’s time to save the free-thinking universe.” He nodded toward the fortress. “You’ll be safer without me anyway.”
“When you shift, your bone will heal. Just hang in there.” Paul rose and stepped along Gameddaron’s wall. “I’ll come back for you, man.”
Don’t bother.
At least, fifteen minutes passed before the gawky traitor was well out of sight where the wall’s white base turned. Nothing else moved aside from wind blowing trees in the distance.
Poor Paul’s plans were foiled. Hopefully, he struggled to think of Plan B. Or the bastard had plopped down to remote view and consult with Voldon again.
And Voldon’s supply ship was coming. Time to get my human ass out of here.
Chapter Twenty One
The pod fighter shimmered into existence beyond the trees like a mirage beyond Jake. The ship must have detected his fluctuating biostats and presented itself. His biostats were definitely elevated by the way his body twitched warnings about his upcoming transformation. And the cure to the waves of nausea trying to slow him down was tucked into a little hole inside the ship. He grabbed the cockpit’s smooth rim and climbed into the dark recesses of his spacecraft.
“Please state your password,” the computer stated.
“Thunderbird.”
“Welcome back, Straightarrow. Your biostats are elevated.”
Duh. Leave it to a female computer to state the obvious.
Something shot into his thigh.
He gasped and flinched. “Damn. That felt like you drove a nail into my leg.”
His racing heart suddenly calmed.
Thank God for another reprieve from becoming a mindless killer beast. “Let’s head back to The Seeker, computer.”
“What about your mission, Straightarrow?”
“I’ve done what I was sent to do.”
“The compound still stands.”
“Paul is placing the explosive as we speak. But I’ve got what Goro sent me to retrieve.”
“As you wish.” The pod fighter shivered into motion and darted into the blue sky.
The trip back to Goro couldn’t pass fast enough with the shrinking blue planet.
“Straightarrow, I’ve detected an explosion on Gameddaron’s surface.”
What blew? “How big was the disturbance?”
“A Class 2 explosive detonated. Paul was successful in reaching the fortification’s center.”
Damn. Paul actually came through. Why? “I need to beat him back to the starship.” To enlighten the commander before Paul and Sevra had another opportunity to attempt to kill Kindrist.
“Paul’s pod fighter hasn’t taken off yet.”
The man would be suspicious of Jake’s escape. The only way to explain such a feat with a broken ankle was to chalk all up to what a person could do when facing death.
The ship lurched toward black space.
It was good to see something else lurching besides his need. Was Kindrist okay? And what happened to a were-assassin whose mate was killed? Surely there was more to that future than suicide?
* * * *
“Strako has just docked, heard of the past few days’ events, and is headed to your personal quarters,” Forty Three announced in mindspeak to Kindrist.
A visit from the Illusian would help the time pass as her soul mate attempted to destroy a neural network. Kindrist pushed out a reply channel. “Thank you.”
But Strako wouldn’t take the new
s of Jovull’s passing well. Nor would he be silent about his fears of Sevra’s allegiance. Still he was coming to visit. To illuminate the dark days of war. And rarely did a mercenary have such a treat. Kindrist rose and paced out a circle around her meditation bench.
Had Strako’s mission been successful? He was a man who could move mountains. Throw in his earthling mate’s ability to set things ablaze and the couple equated to invincible. Unless the enemy held a torch.
Her door whisked open.
Strako’s Illusian bioluminescence blazed with the blinding essence of a sun in her doorway.
She couldn’t help but squint.
“I apologize, Red Trekaar. But Rosa must tend to chores before we can appeal to the mercy of Beast Tamers.” He strode into the place, his shoulder-length white hair raking the upper threshold.
A visit is a visit. “I see Destiny has granted your safe return as always.” She produced the calm shallow bow expressing her satisfaction with the mission’s end results and met his stoic almost-white blue gaze. “You’ve heard about Jovull?”
He snorted and claimed a spot at her portal, gazing into deep space. “Destiny has a wicked sense of humor.” His all-knowing angelic gaze locked on hers. “So you now carry the child of legend. I had to see for myself.”
She nodded as if an earthling’s fears and respect of angels were some earth legend she’d adopted for truth. But Strako had the persona of a heavenly angel. One who would fight for justice and who could shift into an equally-menacing were-assassin.
“You wear the white garb of a psychic crew member well, my friend.” His mouth stretched into a genuine smile.
If only I felt as complete in this drab clothing.
“Your mate is taking out Gameddaron?”
Hopefully. “He’s not into failure.”
“You mean the volatile earth mercenary you’ve observed over two years?”
Of course. She granted him one nod.
“The universe would not abandon us, Red. He’s Jovull’s replacement.”
Her heart sank for her mentor. “For me, it is a fair exchange, trading Jovull’s sharing of old tales for the comfort of a mate.”
Strako nodded and turned back to the stars. “Can you link Sevra to your attack?”
“No.”
“We must before she torches The Seeker.”
* * * *
When Jake finally climbed out of the cockpit into the docking-bay’s piercing light, Goro and Sevra waited. Was Kindrist conscious yet? Not to mention his little friend was back. The syringe’s contents just weren’t cutting the lust.
“Where is my husband?” the leather-cloaked Sevra demanded.
Goro waved a hand as if backhanding her, but his hand paused six inches from her unflinching angry mask. “Welcome back, Straightarrow. The mission appears successful. Where is Weatherford?”
Shit, time to limp. Anything to learn whether Sevra had attacked Kindrist while he was off sniffing out skunks. He threw a leg over the cockpit’s side and groaned. “I was injured. Paul went ahead alone. I figured I’d slow his escape down. So, I managed to make it back to my ride and left the trained guy to tend to your dirty work.”
Hopefully, that sounded good. He slung his supposedly injured leg over the spacecraft’s side and slid off his space mount.
His boots hit the metal deck with a clang.
He sucked in a breath, bent his knees, and pretended the impact hurt, clutching the cockpit’s hard edge with a strained grasp. “Shit.”
Goro’s contemplative mask never wavered.
Sevra’s face twisted with disgust.
What were they waiting for? “You think someone can help a poor guy get to the infirmary? I could use some medical attention. Or a stick. I’ll hobble there myself. Do you think you could hand me a god-damned stick?”
Goro nodded Sevra toward the exit.
The woman hissed Jake’s direction, then grimaced, turned, and departed in a series of haughty strides.
Not good. The snake could be heading for Kindrist.
Only when the door whisked shut did Goro’s mask twist with an inkling of conspiracy.
The man needed to get his crap together. Sevra was on the hunt for Kindrist. “I need to see a medic, healer, whatever you call them, Goro.”
“You will receive whatever treatment you require. Give the transportation a few moments. We’ll get you over to the sick bay.”
Why the delay? Kindrist had to be well if the commander wasn’t worried about Sevra heading off alone. Since Goro appeared suspicious, it couldn’t hurt to say the obvious about the mission. “Paul followed through without me.”
Goro nodded. “He is quite responsible. How bad is your injury?”
What to add to that questionable statement without giving up the goose? Anyone could be listening. “Far worse than it would have been if I could have relied on Paul to return and help me escape. It looked like I was toast back there in the forest. So, I headed for the pod. Kindrist needed me to.” That was no lie.
Goro nodded his now-serious mask. “No one will ever state you are any less responsible than Weatherford.”
The commander said nothing about Kindrist. She had to be fine. Feigning an injury was best for now. “How is Kindrist?”
“Red Trekaar is well. So is her child.”
“Good to hear. Does she have a guard?”
“Two. One is a being nobody dares to cross. You will meet him soon enough.”
By the time the transport cart ushered Jake’s propped up foot to the cold sterile clinical table, Goro announced Paul was close to docking.
A slim quiet woman in standard white starship attire with long dark hair twisted around her head in an otherworldly fashion strode toward Jake’s medical table.
What was she up to?
“Straightarrow, this is Ligna, our medic.”
Medic? Whew. At least, he wouldn’t have to worry about what healers did. He stared into her neon pink eyes. Rat eyes. Was she going to rat out his feigned injury? “Nice to meet you.”
She nodded. “And you. So you’ve hurt yourself in duty to save free-thinkers? So, noble a sacrifice.” She reached for his calf.
He cleared his throat and shot her a wink. “The ankle.”
Ligna almost winced but reached for his boot lacing and focused on his leg.
Did she think he flirted with her? Strange. These folks were out there. “Let me.” He bumped her bony hand away and removed his combat boot.
Well, the truth about his ankle would surface now or never. He leaned back on an elbow and watched her.
Her palm draped his ankle.
A tingle tickled through his foot, then turned into prickling needles like his foot was waking up from a deep sleep.
Her accusing gaze slid to his. “Are you a self-healer?”
And mother never believed in miracles. “Yes.” Something about this whole side trip to the universe’s nowhere suddenly became the perfect scenario for deceit. And Paul would never know.
Goro inhaled deeply. “Is our star human repaired, Ligna?”
She turned to the commander, her tickling touch sliding away. “There was no pain transfer. He must be a self-healer.”
Goro nodded at her.
Ligna gracefully bowed her head, turned, and departed in what had to be a flowing natural ballet step.
And no one was the wiser about his fake injury. So much bizarre silence played out before him like the craziness you hear in really old black-and-white flicks.
The door slid shut at her heels.
Goro shot him a wary glance. “Self-healer? So, you have two psychic abilities.”
The commander needed to know who he could believe. Jake wagged his head. “Survival of the fittest.”
Goro’s black eyebrows arched as he shot Jake a speculative glance.
Time to drop the killer hint. “Paul came through in more than one way though.”
Goro nodded. “We’ll discuss this in my star-chart chamber.”
Smart move.
“Paul has docked, Straightarrow. Would you like to walk down to the docking bay to congratulate him on his success?”
“Sure.” He shrugged and shoved off the table.
Paul would revel in the glory of his mission. Until facing Voldon. Voldon didn’t seem like the type to understand one of his morons purposefully blowing up one of his fortifications. Jake followed Goro into the bright passageway and strode at the commander’s side.
Just what would Voldon do to Paul for destroying the fortress?
They made their way back to the docking bay in silence.
The typical mode of free-thinker operation. Not bad for prisoners of war or soldiers. Just strange when everyone knows what’s going on except the new chump shanghaied by the Black Widow and reborn into sex stud. Nobody back home would believe this. Especially when the stallion had fathered a colt. “Where’s Kindrist?”
“She’s in your quarters. And she has been informed of your arrival. I told her to remain where she is until we’ve debriefed Weatherford. She’s safer there.”
No one was safe with a traitor aboard. And his wife sported a torch. Kindrist would be ashes any moment. “Are you certain Kindrist’s guards are reliable?”
“The only people who can tread down her corridor without detection are earthlings. They’re on our side.” Goro shot him a wary look. “And Weatherford just landed in the docking bay.”
Paul didn’t have a drop of mercenary in him. How in the Hell had that social reject gotten the better of Kindrist? Or was another earthling behind the attack? “Who else aboard aside from the nutcase in The Chamber is an earthling?”
Goro shot him a speculative glance. “Darla never leaves her sanctuary. She fears us all. The two other earthlings normally aboard were off on missions when Kindrist was attacked. One has returned. And her mate is the guard nobody dares cross.” Goro turned back to the oncoming door of the docking bay. “Besides, you’re all tagged.”
The silver hatch whooshed open.
Paul strode toward them, wearing a smile. “Hey, man, how did you get back to your pod fighter?”
Nothing suspicious in that question. “I hear I’m a self-healer. More power to the universe, eh? I’ve got two psychic powers! I must have healed myself on the return flight because hopping on my mangled ankle was agony. But they say something kicks in when your ass is toast. Maybe the pain kicked my dormant psychic gene into action.”
Skhye Moncrief - [Feral 01] Page 18