Defiant (Battle Born Book 13)

by Cyndi Friberg

  The warning in Sedrik’s firm tone helped her calm down. As long as they weren’t going to force anything on her, she remained in control.

  “Either way, you need to come with us, and we’re leaving now.” Awareness flared back to life in Drex’s gaze and his fingers gave hers a little squeeze.

  “Can we make this a daytrip, or should I go get my suitcase?” she asked with a nervous smile. Being as far away from the Resistance Force as possible held undeniable appeal. Besides, even if she was reluctant to admit the fact, she and Drex had unfinished business to address.

  Drex thought for a second, then looked at Raylon who was seated in the pilot’s seat, “Ask Morgan to have a runner fetch Jenna’s things. The transfer should only take a matter of minutes, but there’s no telling where the images will lead.”

  Chapter Five

  Drex watched Jenna react to the Triumphant.

  “I still can’t believe something that big…stays up here.” Her eyes were open so wide she looked comical, but he understood the reaction. He’d been raised around spaceships and advanced technology, and the Triumphant had still taken his breath away the first time he saw it. Deck upon deck of the mobile base filled the viewscreen and they were still at least ten minutes away. Ships, some small agile shuttles, some mid-size fighters, launched from multiple decks as they hurried off to complete various missions.

  “I know I’ve seen it before, but wow.” She shook her head then smiled. “Just wow.”

  “Humans are distrusting enough without knowing this is up here,” Sedrik told her, his expression cautious. “I’d appreciate your discretion on this.”

  Uncertainty narrowed her gaze for a moment, then she nodded. “Of course. I haven’t said anything and I won’t.”

  They arrived a short time later. Raylon skillfully flew the Phantom into one of the landing bays, but remained seated as everyone else prepared to disembark. The governor was headed back to Lunar Nine. He’d just agreed to play chauffer, so they didn’t tie up two of the valuable covert shuttles.

  “Torrin is waiting for us in the officers’ dining hall,” Drex told Jenna, once they reached a main corridor. “Sedrik will have a runner deliver your bag to your cabin.” She nodded, still rather dazed. “Unless you’d rather stay with me. My cabin is much nicer than yours.”

  Her head snapped around and she looked at him. “As if. The cabin I had before is just fine.”

  He smiled. At least she was back in the moment. “Why did you let a stranger into your house?” The detail had been eclipsed by her other revelations, but her carelessness still bothered him. His mate was entirely too trusting—except with him.

  “I thought she was a reporter and I was going to harass her for being so inconsiderate.” Color stained her cheeks and she looked everywhere but at him.

  Pleased that she comprehended her mistake, he allowed the subject to drop.

  “Abaddon’s message claimed that he has one third of the U.S. military under his control.” He stopped walking and turned her to face him. “Is that possible?” The combined force of every human military was no match for the battle born, but the U.S. nuclear capabilities could cost the battle born unacceptable losses before they were left with no alternative but to shut down the humans by force. “We don’t want a war with Earth.”

  “Most humans don’t want that either,” she insisted, “but the Resistance Force is not most humans. And I haven’t been able to confirm or disprove the claim. If that many of our people are ready to turn traitor, they’ve given no overt indications.”

  “Then it could be a bluff?”

  “It likely is a bluff, but we’re not taking any chances.”

  He nodded with a sigh and they continued on down the corridor.

  It was late morning, so the midday rush had yet to begin. Torrin sat alone at one of the tables, but he stood as soon as he saw Jenna. The mercenary was dressed in faded jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt. The shirt was tight, accenting his sleekly muscled build. Black hair was drawn away from his face, making his angular features appear lethal. His eyes were an unusual combination of gray and green, with golden phitons so faint they were barely noticeable. Drex didn’t know much about him, other than Sedrik trusted him, and Torrin had proved his loyalty on several vital missions in the past few weeks.

  Drex looked at Jenna and tensed.

  All the color had left her face and her bottom lip trembled. “Th-that’s Torrin?”

  “He’s not as ferocious as he looks.” Actually, Drex had heard that he was, but Torrin wouldn’t harm a female. The battle born refused to deal with anyone who would. “He’s dangerous. I won’t pretend otherwise, but he’s no danger to you.”

  “I’d rather have Indigo do this.” She turned toward him with wide, pleading eyes, and Drex felt his heart melt.

  Apparently guessing the reason for the delay, Torrin walked toward them. His rolling gait and narrowed eyes were so inherently predatory that Drex was glad Jenna’s back was turned.

  “I’ve just devoured three little pigs, silly girl. I have no reason to bite you.”

  Drex didn’t understand the strange comment, but it made Jenna smile. She took a deep breath and turned around. “Sorry. I’m still a little leery of strangers.”

  “Terrorist attacks will do that to you.” His intense gaze remained on her face and he made no move to touch her. “My name is Torrin Havier and I’ll only do the transfer if you want me to. No one else has a say in this.”

  Understanding the warning, Drex held his tongue and allowed Jenna to make up her mind.

  It didn’t take her long. She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “Being able to manipulate the images with a computer will be a tremendous help. I’d like you to do the transfer, but can I ask a rude question first?”

  “Ask anything you like.”

  Torrin was being remarkably considerate. Maybe his reputation was exaggerated. As if hearing the thought, Torrin suddenly looked at Drex and flashed a menacing smile. Okay, maybe not.

  “I’ve known many people with extraordinary abilities,” Jenna told him, “but I’ve never even heard of anyone who can interact with machines.”

  “That’s not a question.” His smile softened, becoming almost playful as he looked at Jenna.

  Drex slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to his side. The bastard was flirting with her.

  “How do you do it?” she asked bluntly.

  “Trade secret. If I told you, I’d have to kill you, and you’re much too sweet to die.”

  She just stared at him, gaze narrowed and uncertain. “I can’t tell if you’re serious or not.”

  His playfulness evaporated and he looked as stern and serious as Sedrik. “Suffice it to say I have technological enhancements as well as biological abilities. Does that assuage your curiosity?”

  “Let’s get this over with.” She licked her lips and her body tensed again. “Should I sit down?”

  “Only if you’re too tired to stand. Do I have your permission to begin?”

  “Yes.”

  He brushed his fingertips against her temple and then smiled. “All done.”

  Her eyes rounded again. “Seriously?”

  With a chuckle, he walked back to the table where he’d been sitting. “Actually, I still need to transfer the information, but I’m finished with you.” He picked up a datapad, then returned to where they stood. “There you go. The file name is Jenna.” He handed the datapad to Drex and started to leave. He’d made it to the archway leading to the corridor when he stopped and turned back around. “This place fills up fast in about fifteen minutes. You should find a private place to explore the images. Your mate is much more appetizing than the food.”

  Jenna twisted out of Drex’s light hold. “How did he know we’re compatible?”

  They hadn’t spoken about their kiss gone wild since it happened. He hadn’t been avoiding the issue, they just hadn’t been alone. “When I kissed you the other night, my scent trans
ferred to you.”

  “You marked me?” She was clearly not pleased with the idea.

  Nothing he said would change the truth, so he didn’t try to twist it. “I didn’t set out to mark you, but yes. For five more days you’ll wear my mark.”

  She looked as if she’d object, then shook her head and motioned toward the datapad. “I’ve seen people with those, but I’ve never used one. What all can it do.”

  Not willing to subject her to a rush of curious officers, he reached down and took her hand. “I’ll give you a full demonstration as soon as we get you out of here. Your cabin or mine?” He punctuated the question with a grin.

  * * * * *

  Naked and fully relaxed for the first time in weeks, Arton the Heretic closed his eyes and soaked up the sun with every pore of his exposed skin. The cool mountain breeze contrasted sharply with the sun’s warmth, creating the perfect environment for meditation. He sat in the grass at the edge of a small lake a short distance from the open meadow where the Outcasts landed their ships, or more often, their shuttles. He’d returned to Telluride, Colorado, with Kage Razel because Arton was desperate for a few hours of fresh air and a setting not generated by a computer. Kage, leader of the Outcasts, had a series of meetings with various faction leaders within his mercenary army. Kage always kept himself busy, but the past few weeks had been downright manic. They were preparing for a mass exodus to the uninhabited planet they intended to settle and such a monumental move required in-depth planning.

  Arton had an important role to play in the relocation and his planning was just about finished. All of the pieces to his complex puzzle had been located and very soon he would set them in motion. Once he did, there would be no turning back.

  “There you are!”

  Kage’s deep voice snapped Arton out of his light trance and he reluctantly opened his eyes.

  “I’ve been searching all over for you.”

  Arton rolled his shoulders then stood and casually reached for his pants. He frequently meditated naked, so the overlord didn’t react to finding him unclothed. “Why were you looking for me? I thought your meetings would run late into the evening.” Arton wasn’t ready to return to the confinement of the Relentless. Kage’s ship might be the fastest, most technologically advanced in the outlaw fleet, but it was still a spaceship.

  “I need you to run an errand in the meantime.” Most of Kage’s head was shaved, but a wide strip of long hair ran from the center of his forehead to his nape. The breeze caught in the long dark strands, making the dramatic style comical. Though highly intelligent and accomplished, Kage used his barbaric appearance to convey menace. Arton knew him too well to be intimidated by the show.

  “What sort of errand?”

  “I keep hearing about a man named Torrin Havier,” Kage told him. “There are all sorts of rumors about him and I want to know more.”

  Knowing they would need every able-bodied Outcast in the coming years, Kage had been recruiting heavily and perhaps a bit too quickly. “What have you heard about him?” Arton preferred to vet prospects fully before inviting them to join. And proper assessment took time.

  “I’d rather not say. I want you to make your determination without being influenced by anything I’ve heard.”

  “Fair enough. Where can I find him?”

  Kage rubbed his stubbly chin as he gazed out over the lake. “On second thought, he’ll respond more openly if this doesn’t come from leadership.” Kage looked at him, dark eyes intense and reflective. “Everyone likes Rex Dravon. Go see if my favorite pirate will play nicely for a change.”

  Rex considered himself a smuggler, not a pirate, and he definitely had a mind of his own. Still, when specifically asked to do something for the brotherhood, he generally agreed. “Is the Marauder here or at Outpost L.A.” Though built by Rodytes, the outpost was operated by civilians. The sprawling series of connected bio domes was submerged in the Pacific Ocean, so it had been protected from the tragedy that obliterated a good portion of the city. Outpost L.A. was one of the few places on Earth not controlled by the battle born, which meant it was one of the few places left in this star system where the Outcasts were still welcome.

  “Rex should still be at Outpost L.A., which is why I thought of him. Torrin was spotted there this morning. If Rex doesn’t answer on general coms, take my shuttle and go talk to him in person. Unfortunately, you should make it there and back before my meetings finish. If not,” he shrugged, “I’ll find one of the local females to entertain me.”

  * * * * *

  Drex hadn’t been exaggerating. His cabin was much nicer than hers. Jenna looked around, trying not to let her envy show. The main room was half again as big as her entire cabin, yet he had a separate bedroom besides. “What did you do to deserve a cabin this nice?”

  He smiled, unruffled by her grumbling tone. “I’m a visiting dignitary, not an uninvited guest.”

  He had a point. Neither of her visits to the Triumphant had been instigated by the battle born. The first had been necessary to save her life, and today she had basically crashed their exit party. “Maybe I’ll sleep on your couch. It looks more comfortable than my bed.”

  His smile turned wicked and he quickly closed the distance between them. “You’re welcome to join me in bed. It’s much more comfortable than the couch.”

  “Somehow I don’t think I’d get a lot of sleep if I foolishly agreed to that.” She sidestepped him and moved to the small round table near the refreshment station, complete with nutri-gen and recycler. “So show me what that thing can do.” She motioned toward the device Torrin had given him.

  “It’s called a datapad and it can do most anything the ship’s computer can do. It’s simply an access point to the central network.”

  She pulled out a chair and sat. “Then let’s see what Torrin managed to recover.”

  Drex sat beside her and set the datapad on the tabletop. His warm gaze searched hers for a moment and it looked as if he’d say something. Then he sighed and activated the datapad. To her astonishment, a holographic display arose from the flat screen, presenting Thea’s memories in full color and three dimensions.

  She already knew Thea had lost her family in L.A. Still, her utter devastation was extremely hard to watch. Drex let the images run without commenting or stopping to make adjustments. Obviously, he was also uncomfortable watching a stranger’s suffering. The next set of images featured a silver-haired man. Was he a relative or friend?

  “Can you pause it?” she asked, when a clear image of the man was on screen.

  Drex said a Rodyte phrase and the image froze.

  “Handy.” She smiled at him. “Can you identify the man? He’s obviously important, but he appears after the devastation.”

  He spoke several words in Rodyte and an illuminated graph mapped the man’s face. A few seconds later, a faintly female-sounding voice said, “Elintarit, Jacob Romero, fondit lotar Riverside, California.”

  She didn’t need to understand Rodyte to know that was his name and city of residence. “Does he have a criminal record?”

  Drex asked the computer then shook his head after a much longer response. “Not so much as a parking ticket. His home wasn’t affected by the impact, but it’s probable that he knew people who were. Riverside is about sixty miles from the crash site.”

  “Thanks. We can move on.”

  Most of the images were from Thea’s perspective, but a few featured her in the action rather than showing the scene from her point of view. The current image showed her moving a small box of miscellaneous items into a walk-in tent. “Why is she seeing herself in this image?”

  “I’m not sure. It could be a dream rather than a memory.”

  The anomaly was distracting. Jenna summoned one of her own memories and tried to see if it was from her point of view or if she saw herself in the memory.

  Drex paused the playback. “Where’d you go? You’re not even looking at the display.”

  “Sorry. Are your memor
ies first person or do you see yourself in them?”

  He thought for a minute then shrugged. “Depends on the memory. The more impactful the incident, the deeper I sink into the image.”

  She was a character in some of her memories, while others were from her point of view, but there didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to why. “I don’t think it matters. It just caught my attention. We can move on.”

  Thea sat around a campfire eating dinner with a group of others, and then the images shifted. She sat at a round table with five other people. They all faced a large video display, but the scene kept fading in and out of focus. It seemed distorted or obscured. Jenna knew from past experience that the memories people fought against were often the most important.

  “Abaddon, do you want…”

  She couldn’t tell who spoke or make out the rest of the question, but one thing was clear. The person on the display was Abaddon. “Can you back it up to the beginning of this image? Maybe slow it down.”

  “Sure.” He used verbal commands to slow down the image then restarted it from the beginning.

  Jenna sank into the image, pouring energy into her psychic sensitivity. She heard voices, but couldn’t decipher specific words. Through the image threaded a sense of fear, almost like suspicion only less specific.

  “She doesn’t trust him,” Jenna concluded.

  “Who?”

  “Thea doesn’t trust Abaddon.”

  “They were speaking with Abaddon?” Why did Drex seem surprised? “Are you certain?”

  That was odd. She’d heard the phrase clearly. Apparently, her Sensitivity was augmenting the digital images. “One of them referred to him by name. Didn’t you hear that?”

  He shook his head. “Both the image and sound are distorted.”

  “Damn it.” With a soft groan, she pushed back from the table and stood so she could stretch out her back. “This is the sort of thing my visions are good for. I’ll often see things more clearly once my power takes over completely.”

  “Do you need to meditate?”

  She shook her head, dreading where this was heading. “I can’t bring them on intentionally.”