Finding Jess (First Wave)

by Mikayla Lane

  He held Jess’s hand as she continued ahead toward the dim light they could see around the corner of the high foliage path they were walking through. They passed members of the forward team who’d arrived before them to make sure the area was safe, as they entered a large clearing around a one-story home.

  Amun stiffened at the sight of the large alien who had slashed Jess’s throat and fought the urge to rip him apart with his bare hands. When Jess left his side and started towards him, the only thing that stopped him from following was Scaden’s hand on his arm.

  “Let it go, my friend. From what Cari has said, he was nothing more than a father figure to her.” Scaden held tightly to Amun while Jess was enveloped in the large male’s arms.

  “It is so good to see you girl! And look at how wonderful you look!” Julou said beaming at Jess. He was amazed and delighted at the transformation in the girl’s body. He had hoped that the Valendran’s could heal her, but had worried that the damage would be too much even for their technology.

  “Are you well Julou?” Jess asked stepping from his large arms, so she could scan him for injuries. She and Julou turned at the sound of a throat clearing behind her.

  “I apologize for my rudeness High Councilor Torenson. I truly thank you for what you’ve done for Jess, she looks wonderful.” Julou couldn’t contain his smile as he gave Jess another quick hug before stepping up to Ivint. He crossed his right arm over his chest and gave a slight bow of respect. Ivint nodded his head at the gesture.

  “It is nice to meet you Julou. Jess has been quite the champion of yours.” Ivint smiled at the obvious affection between Jess and Julou. He felt much more confident in this meeting knowing that the man cared enough about Jess that he wouldn’t want her in danger.

  “Jess has always been someone’s champion, but her own. She has a beautiful soul that has been the only light in the dark for some of us these past few years.” Julou’s words caused a heated blush to break out on Jess’s face, and she ducked her head slightly.

  “I can truly see how that would be the case. She mentioned that you know where we can find our brother Banatar Demetrios. Did my old friend look well the last time you saw him?” Ivint asked directly. The breastplate had been bothering the hell out of him since they’d begun walking to the house. He couldn’t describe what it was; it wasn’t an itch or a pain. It felt almost like a slight electric tingling throughout the piece.

  “I figured that you’d want some confirmation that I actually had met the man, so I went ahead and drew a picture of him for you. I’m not much of an artist, but it does look like him.” Julou reached slowly into his back pocket and pulled out a thick, rolled-up piece of paper and handed it to Jess and gestured to her to give it to Ivint. He carefully made no threatening gestures that might alarm the highly alert team that was surrounding him and the four men he had brought with him.

  Randor immediately stepped up to Ivint’s side as he unrolled the picture, so he could look at it. The drawing was an exact replica of how Banatar had looked the last time he had seen him. The alien's drawing showed an amazing talent, the detail so perfect it almost looked like the curved mouth was going to speak. He nodded quickly at Ivint and then stepped back.

  “Do you know how we can contact him?” Ivint asked rolling the picture back up again. He needed something to do with his hands, so he wouldn’t be tempted to rub the armor on his chest in an effort to alleviate the tingling.

  “I know how to get in touch with one of the girls whom Jess helped escape. She was the one who told Jess about Banatar while she was held captive. She said that she works for Banatar and can make contact with him. I’ve already called her and told her about you, and that you would most likely want to see him for yourself. She’s supposed to call me back shortly with an answer.” Julou pulled a cell phone slowly out of his front pocket and showed it to the men around Ivint. Julou looked around nervously, something was wrong here. He could feel it.

  The only warning they had was a bright flash that shot through the darkness toward them. Jess watched almost in slow motion as the light struck Ivint in the back, throwing him forward several feet on to ground in front of her. She saw him start to pull himself to his feet when Reven threw his body over the top of his, flattening him back onto the ground.

  Tarvok grabbed her hand and dragged her to the ground next to Ivint, placing his body in front of hers and looking towards the direction the blast had come from.

  “You stay the hell down and keep Jess safe; you hear me?” Reven said angrily to Ivint.

  “Did you see that Reven? The bolt didn’t even hurt me! The breastplate absorbed the blast!” Ivint said excitedly. That blast should have torn a hole through his body big enough to cut him in half.

  “Yes I saw it. It may not work again so we’re not taking any more damn chances. I told you this was a bad idea! I want you to take Jess and port now! Report!” Reven said into the comm.

  “Sir, we’ve not been able to locate the shooter. The High Councilor, sir…” The voice trailed off.

  “The High Councilor is fine. But he won’t be if that shooter tries to take another shot at him. Find him!” Reven looked around the area and looked for a safe place to hide Ivint, Jess and Gibly, who had been uncharacteristically silent since they arrived here. He gave silent thanks to the One for that.

  “I told you to port Ivint! This isn’t time for games!” Reven whispered angrily.

  “The port stone isn’t working Reven; they must have put a shield over the area after it was cleared. We’re on our own, unless we can find the device and neutralize it.” Ivint replied with frustration. That meant that the comm’s would not reach anyone outside of the shielding device.

  “Get them to the house, I’ll provide cover.” Julou told Reven, wanting to get the Valendran leader and Jess to safety. He didn’t want their leader’s death on his hands, and he loved Jess like his own child.

  Reven had no idea what was in the house, if it was a trap, but they are out in the open and defenseless right now. He had to take the chance on the house. He nodded his head to Julou, who spoke to his men and turned his attention towards where the pulsar shot had been fired.

  Jess looked around Ivint to find Amun; she finally spotted him crouched on the ground behind a fallen log near the entrance to the path back to the SUVs they had driven there in. He looked like he was in a heated discussion with Scaden, who was behind the log with him. She was relieved to see that he looked unharmed, as did Gibly, who was pacing between Scaden and Amun.

  She listened as Tarvok ordered his team to close in on the cabin and prepare to launch cover fire. His dark-green eyes stared at hers for a long moment, and somehow she knew what he wanted to know. Shaking her head, he nodded his back. She leaned her head against the ground in embarrassment and anger and waited for Tarvok to pick her up and carry her into the house.

  She knew she’d never make it as quickly as the rest of them and would only put them in danger if they had to wait with her while she tried. She lay quietly while the men planned their run into the house for cover. Then everything became a blur of yelling and shots being fired.

  One moment she was on the ground and the next she was lying on a wooden floor in the dark with Tarvok covering her body with his own. She listened to the heavy breathing around her as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

  “Did anyone get hit?” She heard Amun ask from somewhere not far away and to her left.

  “I’m fine! Everyone else ok?” Ivint said with much more enthusiasm than she would normally expect in a situation such as this.

  “When this is over my friend, we will meet in the sparring room over the new gray hairs you’ve given me.” She heard Reven say from the direction that Ivint was in.

  There was a chorus of affirmatives that there were no injuries, before Reven got back on the comm.

  “We need a report!”

  There was nothing more than silence for long moments, while everyone waited tensely for a reply. When it final
ly came, it was much more chilling than they expected.

  “Your teams are surrounded and disarmed; and you cannot port with the shield in place. You are to step outside with your hands and weapons raised within two minutes, or we will begin shooting your men.”

  The stream of curses that rent the air made Jess very grateful it was dark enough that they couldn’t see her blush.

  “I knew this was a trap!” Reven growled.

  “Don’t look my way; all my men are in this room. If I hadn’t seen the High Councilor take that first hit myself, I would have thought it was you guys. I don’t know who the hell that is or how they found us. That voice sounds familiar though, but I just can’t place it.” Jess heard Julou growl back at Reven.

  “What do you want us to do Reven?” Scaden asked from beside his father.

  “We can’t let them get Ivint or Jess. Where the hell are you going?” Reven demanded scrambling off the floor after Ivint.

  “I am going outside before they start shooting my men. Tarvok, you keep Jess in here until we know what is going on.”

  Jess saw Ivint’s shadow in the open doorway before he disappeared outside. With the door open and the light from outside shining through she could see more of the room and watched as all but Tarvok and Amun followed Ivint out of the door with their weapons raised. She couldn’t figure out if they were brave or stupid.

  Amun crawled over to Jess and watched in fascination as a deep look passed between Tarvok and Jess. He could swear they were communicating in their own way and felt a small pang of jealousy. Holding her hand in his, he turned his attention to what was going on outside.

  The men had formed a circle around Ivint and watched guardedly as a group of twenty came out of the woods to surround them. Dressed completely in black from head to toe, their features were entirely hidden; only their eyes appeared out of the slits in the balaclavas; they were wearing.

  It wasn’t until their weapons were seized that they watched a lone man come out of the same path to the road that they’d used earlier. When he came into the light, Randor immediately tried to step forward and was pushed back roughly by two of the men.

  “Banatar? What the hell is the meaning of this?” Randor yelled at the approaching man.

  “Randor?”

  “Yes, you fool! Damn it man, you almost killed the High Councilor with that pulsar blast!”

  “What are you talking about Randor? What are you doing here?” Banatar growled angrily as he parted his men to stand in front of Randor.

  “This is Banatar? What is the meaning of your firing upon your own like this? You could have harmed that poor female inside!” Ivint huffed down at the man indignantly, the two guards trying hard to hold him back from Banatar.

  “Ivint Torenson? This isn’t possible! How did you get here? Were you taken hostage?” Banatar looked at the men with Ivint and Randor with confusion.

  “Banatar, they came back. They found us. Finally. We’ve been looking for you and the others. These are all our people from Valendra.” Randor told the startled man.

  “What?” Banatar asked stumbling backward, looking around at the men in their group.

  “Banatar, I am truly High Councilor Ivint Torenson. This is my son Scaden. My combat commander Reven Debreskii…” Ivint proceeded to introduce each of the men in their group to the shocked man.

  “By the One… get them under cover! Return their weapons and get me that sniper now!” Banatar began shouting orders as his men began herding the group into the house at a fast pace.

  “What the hell is going on Banatar?” Ivint demanded once they were inside the house as Banatar’s men began handing them back their weapons.

  “We have a problem sir. See my people did not fire that pulsar blast. We assumed it was a deal gone wrong with the Relians. If we didn’t fire it, and you didn’t fire it, then we need to find out who did.” Banatar answered respectfully.

  “Jess? Jess is that you?” Jess looked up at the man decked out in the bulletproof gear heading towards her. She shrank back in fear as the man reached a gloved hand towards her.

  “Oh Jess! It’s me, True!” The entire room watched in fascination as the man removed his balaclava to reveal a full head of dark auburn hair tied at the nape of her neck. Her full lips were broken out into a beautiful smile as she beamed at Jess.

  “True?” Jess asked in surprise. She’d really never thought she would ever see her again once she’d helped her escape the camp. Pushing herself to her feet, she threw herself into True’s arms and hugged her tightly.

  The men were amused and dismayed as they watched the two women hug and talk to each other so fast they couldn’t understand but every other word they were saying.

  “You brought a female? To battle?” The innocently asked question brought the entire room to a dead silence; the rest of the Banatar’s men becoming tense once again.

  “Is that the Jess that helped you escape?” Banatar asked walking towards the females.

  “Yes! Look they rescued her and even fixed her legs Daddy!” The girl told her father, tears of happiness rolling down her porcelain cheeks as she hugged Jess tightly.

  “Jess, you have my gratitude for saving my daughter.” Banatar hugged both girls as they squealed and pretended to be crushed.

  “Sirs, we’ve run scans on the entire area under the shield and the only humanoid heat signatures we are detecting match the count of our men and the Valendran party.” A round of curses erupted around the room as the news came over the comm. Banatar walked over to Ivint and Reven and bent his head to theirs in whispered conversation.

  “You can’t be serious!” Ivint growled loudly before quieting his voice.

  Everyone looked expectantly at the three men as they turned toward the group.

  “All teams unmask and prepare for the shield to go down. Recon at Alpha, Jericho, Delta and Omega. The Valendran teams with you right now, will be going with you.” Banatar spoke into his comm.

  The Valendran males watched in dawning anger and respect as all but two of the twenty masks revealed females and not the all-male force, they had thought it had been.

  “Teams you are to go with Banatar’s forces to their Recon point. You will receive full instructions from there.” Reven said reluctantly into his comm.

  “Everyone in this room will be coming with us.” Ivint informed the room in general.

  Wary and protective of the female warriors the males paired up with each of them as, they followed Banatar and Ivint back to the road.

  “Climb on my back, Amalaya.” Amun offered as he kneeled down.

  “Oh seriously girl, do it! Wait until I show you my room when we get there! And my rings! Girl those things you made me Rock!” True chattered happily. Amun laughed at the way True jumped from subject to subject so fast you had to really pay attention, or you’d be lost.

  Jess seemed shell shocked by her friend’s constant chatter and absently climbed onto Amun’s back. He wished he’d known that was all it took to make her spellbound, he’d have tried it on her much sooner.

  “Wait! Wait! What do you have Gibly?” Scaden asked the cat.

  “I found when I caught bad man. But he kick me and got away. He drop this.” Gibly said, and then licked the front paw he held limply at his side.

  Amun gently slid Jess off of his back and waited until True had helped steady her before heading to Gibly’s side with his medkit. Jess had followed and let the cat lay in her lap so Amun could look at his foot.

  “That was very brave of you Gibly. Don’t you worry; Amun is going to make you better.” Jess said comfortingly as she stroked his silky coat.

  Scaden, Ivint, Reven and Banatar stared intently at the object in Scaden’s hand before cursing loudly. It was a Valendran belt comm.

  “Damn it! All teams hold for alternate location. Reroute to Echo Charlie Halo immediately.” Banatar said angrily into his comm.

  “It’ll be easier at this location to inspect your men in a protective environme
nt and see which one is missing their comm.” He explained to Ivint and Reven.

  “I agree. We can’t take them back to our bases until we know who did this. Gibly would you be able to recognize him if you saw him again?” Ivint asked the cat.

  “Yes. He not nice man.” Gibly growled.

  “Jess is right Gibly; you were very brave. I am grateful you were here.” Ivint told the cat with a smile.

  “Well we know it isn’t one of us here but show your belt comm’s as I pass you anyway,” Reven ordered.

  After they were sure that the shooter was not among them, they continued to the road with Amun now carrying Gibly while True walked with Jess, chatting the whole way.

  There were quite a few more vehicles on the road when they finally emerged and began to split up into the vehicles. True helped Jess into one of the vehicles and sat beside her, while Amun laid Gibly in her lap and took the seat on the other side of her with Tarvok in the front seat next to one of Banatar’s warriors.

  There was little time to talk with True keeping up a running chatter the whole way. However, they did learn that the driver's name was Jax, and she had been found by Banatar in an orphanage when she was only four years old; she’d been with Banatar and his warriors for thirty years now. And they found out that they were being taken to their main compound in the area.

  The other teams were being taken to the same compound, but being brought into separate entrances that will be heavily guarded while they are searched.

  True explained that they had a couple of hundred hybrid women working around the world to help bring down the Relians and their hold on the planet. Banatar had been saving and training them since the original outpost crew split up. Some of the girls were found in orphanages; others rescued from the Relians and a few begging on the streets alone.