Lindsey's Rescue: A World Beyond Book 3

by Michelle Howard

  Only the glare he shot the officers as they trekked through the house revealed a spark of emotion.

  “Senate Leader Baruk?”

  His head jerked up. Mala must have heard the news and returned. She hesitated at the doorway, her face pale as she closed the distance between them. Her fingers twisted together as she blurted, “Lindsey went to town.”

  “What?”

  Zadal drew near.

  Mala glanced from him, then back to Baruk. “S-she wanted to surprise you and planned a meal from Earth.”

  That didn’t explain anything. “Everly wouldn’t let her cook?”

  “No.” Mala shook her head. “Nothing like that. She wanted to make an Earth specialty but wasn’t sure what she needed. I recommended Yalene’s because it’s where we order household goods. Emjor loves it there and prefers ordering in person because Yalene’s such a pleasure.”

  Baruk waved down one of the officers roaming his home. “Tell Granger to send someone to the inner city of Teeve. A shop run by a woman named Yalene.”

  The youth dashed off.

  They waited another hour. Everyone refused to leave the foyer which was cramped with people. Mala continued to shift on her feet, worry evident in her face.

  “Senate Leader! Senate Leader, we have something.”

  Baruk jumped and spun as another door slammed open and five officers burst through the door, Officer Grange in the front yelling. “Your wife has been taken.”

  “What?”

  Grange grinned in triumph. “The place you mentioned was key. We found signs of a struggle and a witness who claims to have seen a woman taken. They’re being interviewed at our headquarters for a description of the woman and her assailant. It’s a start.”

  “Are you saying someone took Lindsey?” Zadal uttered the question in the same shock Baruk knew his face reflected.

  Who would do this and why? Baruk glanced around at the servants who’d stayed in hopes of news on Lindsey. Tears gleamed in Mala’s eyes as she leaned into Kimsha’s side. Kimsha’s mouth tremble, his arm flexing as he tightened his hold.

  “I’m afraid it looks like this is an abduction case.”

  Granger’s announcement sent Baruk staggering back a step as pain ripped his heart in shreds.

  “There’s no need to keep men searching the grounds. I’m heading back to be involved in the questioning.” Grange shared a look with Baruk and Zadal. “I promise to report back immediately, Senate Leaders.”

  Still in disbelief, Baruk closed the door behind the last officer. He dismissed everyone and went to his office for privacy. Zadal followed. Baruk dropped into the chair behind his desk. Zadal sat opposite him, his shoulders slumped.

  Unable to keep from asking, Baruk said, “Do you think she’s going to be alright?”

  “Maybe.” Zadal’s doubt was clear and the ache in Baruk’s chest expanded.

  “How did this happen?”

  Bitterness slipped through Zadal’s tone. “My fault. Everything I touch gets destroyed.”

  Baruk pushed passed his own dismay and worry. “What are you talking about, Zadal? This has nothing to do with you unless you’re directly responsible for snatching Lindsey.”

  Zadal’s tormented eyes met his. “She’s not meant to be mine.”

  “She’s ours. Are you going to let Lindsey down now when she needs us most?” Arctic chill entered his words. Baruk wanted to beg Zadal not to do this. To not let him down. He couldn’t do it alone. His heart had a jagged tear from Lindsey’s absence.

  Zadal lowered his head and confessed. “I love her.”

  “Then we fight for her because I love her too, and we’re fools for not telling her first instead of each other.”

  “You’re right.” Zadal raised his head, a slight smile about his lips. The despair of earlier faded a bit. “We never tell her we had this weak-willed conversation.”

  Baruk’s spirits lightened. Lindsey would be returned safely. He could do this with Zadal at his side. “Deal.”

  “Now what?” Zadal asked. “Are we going to hold hands and cry or have you devised another means to unman me?”

  Baruk went to the side bar Mala kept stocked in case he entertained visitors. He poured liquor into two glasses and handed one to Zadal. “There’s nothing else we can do tonight so we’re going to get drunk and pass out. Then tomorrow morning we’re going to use every resource at our disposal and get our wife back. Any objections?”

  Zadal tossed the drink back and slammed the empty glass down in answer. “More.”

  Not for the first time in their marriage they were in total agreement.

  Chapter 27

  Defeat had a stench. Or maybe lack of a proper means to bathe oneself created the stench. Lindsey huddled against the wall, ignoring the chains about her ankle. Her prison cell lacked more than bathing facilities. Bugs crawled about, biting areas not covered by her torn clothing. Muck on the floor oozed between her bare toes. None of that took into account the battering her body received when she attempted to fight and escape.

  Her jailers otherwise known as Marenians tossed scraps of food into her cell occasionally along with rank water.

  A groan to Lindsey’s left forced her to lift her head. To her horror, another woman had joined her as a cellmate. She recognized her immediately. She’d met Faye Reid months ago when they’d both headed off toward a future full of hope. Based on their whispered conversations, Lindsey learned that Faye had married a military man known as a Jutak warrior. A bad ass group of guys similar to SEAL’s from their home world. They’d both discovered love only to have it snatched away.

  “Hey,” Lindsey whispered, seeking a distraction from their growing despair. “Do you wanna see something?”

  Faye turned in her direction, brown eyes weary. Lindsey’s friend was slowly declining in this hellhole. Not that she was doing much better but Lindsey had one week on Faye. One week to accept and adjust to the fact that aliens had kidnapped her for a lewd sex ring.

  “Sure, Lindsey. What is it?”

  Lindsey smiled, uncaring when the sores on her lips cracked and bled. Her tongue darted out and swiped at the wet spot on her mouth. Then she rolled up the shirt sleeve on her left arm up. Faye gasped at the sight of the yellowish-green marks lining her arm from the stupid alien who’d squeezed too tight. Ignoring them, Lindsey pointed at her birthmark on the inner side of her upper arm. “Look, an anchor.”

  Faye peered closer and squinted. “Really?”

  “Well, okay maybe some would say it’s an upside down T but why be ordinary.”

  Faye’s gaze shifted to meet Lindsey’s and a doubtful look spread across her face. “An anchor?”

  Lindsey’s chuckled turned into a cough, forcing her to press a hand to her side when sharp pains followed. “As a birthmark, it’s pretty cool. What about you?”

  Faye sat back, the chains around her ankle clinking against the ground. “No birth mark.”

  “Huh.” Lindsey slouched back against the wall and coughed more before settling. Her friend needed cheering up. “Tell me about this hottie of yours again. No man is that wonderful.”

  The comment earned her a weak grin and Faye scooted closer to sit shoulder to shoulder until they shared each other’s meager warmth. “He’s a Jutak warrior.”

  “Like a SEAL,” Lindsey added.

  Faye chuckled. “Yes. Torkel is brave and strong.”

  Her friend perked up whenever they talked about her Chosen as the Enotian’s called husbands. “What’s he gonna do when he gets here?”

  “He and his team are gonna kick Marenian ass.”

  No matter how many times Faye said the words, they caused Lindsey to smile and cling to the thought of being rescued. Hell, if Jutak warriors were as good as the SEAL version on Earth, they’d be home soon.

  “Keep talking, Faye.”

  Lindsey drowsed and listened to Faye. She hated that her friend suffered too, but there was something reassuring about having another person with her. F
ingering the bracelet on her wrist, Lindsey’s thoughts drifted to her husbands. How were they handling her disappearance? Did they think she ran away?

  Her sudden laugh sent her into another coughing spasm. No, they wouldn’t think that. Baruk and Zadal knew she was happy in her marriage. Lindsey had made no secret of her feelings. She couldn’t have tailor made a better situation for herself. But that left her with a bigger worry.

  What if these criminals managed to sell her? Would their positions as Senate Leaders allow them to track her or would they be forced to put on a public face? Her fingers clenched on the bracelet as she fingered the links.

  “What are you doing?”

  Faye’s voice pulled Lindsey from her thoughts. Faye tapped the simple gold bracelet Lindsey wore with three gems clustered together. The memory of her supposed punishment made her smile.

  “It’s a birthday present from one of my husbands.”

  Surprisingly, the Marenians let her keep it after she bit the guard, who tried to remove it. Lindsey had reacted like a terrified, feral animal, unable to understand anything said and terror guided her every action. Nothing, however, could save the jeweled hair pins Zadal had gifted her when the same guard back-handed her and yanked her to her knees by fisting a hand in her hair. Tears had spilled down Lindsey’s cheeks as she tried to grab at them from the floor. Then the guard had deliberately crushed the decorative pieces with the heel of his boot.

  Thinking about it caused her throat to close.

  “It’s lovely,” Faye answered after another look before slumping on her side. “How did you end up here?”

  The million dollar or liko question. “I’m not sure.”

  Lindsey couldn’t figure out why someone would kidnap her unless it involved ransom but she’d managed to piece together an ugly picture. This was a slave ring of some sort. A group of criminals collecting women to auction off to the highest bidders. It didn’t matter what condition they were in as long as they breathed and could be used sexually.

  Faye insisted her Chosen would come. Lindsey hoped so but so far it wasn’t looking good for either of them.

  ***

  4 weeks later

  Lindsey counted the scratches she managed to gouge into the crud on the cell floor to track the time. Four weeks, five. Her head lolled to the side. She wasn’t sure any more. The only thing helping her to hang on was her friend. Except things weren’t looking good for Faye. For some reason their captors went out of their way to be rough an aggressive with the woman, constantly goading and jeering.

  They didn’t treat Lindsey much better but she got the impression they had buyers lined up for her. She wasn’t sure what they planned for Faye and Lindsey did what she could to draw their attention and resist.

  Boots scuffled and the gate to her cell clanked open. Lindsey pushed herself upright, hoping they brought Faye back. The Marenian spoke in a gruff voice, licking his lips as he gazed at her. She didn’t understand a word without Faye to translate but it didn’t take a genius to guess.

  “Kick rocks, sucker!” She ruined her grand moment with a deep cough.

  “Suare,” his friend growled and tossed a bundle in her direction before the bars slammed shut and he left. The bundle moaned and Lindsey’s heart leaped.

  “Faye?” She rolled the body over and choked. “Oh, Faye.”

  Bruises and bleeding cuts marred Faye’s face. Her top lip hung over the bottom, swollen and split. Both eyes cracked open, revealing slits of familiar brown.

  “Wake up,” Lindsey begged. “Please, Faye.”

  How much more could her friend take? For some reason Faye was subjected to repeated interrogations. Simple smacks and punches initially, though two of her fingers were broken on her first day. The beatings were getting worse if that was possible but Faye wouldn’t share what took place other than the basics.

  In shame, Lindsey prayed they never wanted to question her in the same manner.

  “I’m okay,” Faye mumbled.

  Careful of the arm Lindsey believed to be broken, she helped her friend sit up. Every day the guards came and took Faye away to question her about her Chosen and his team of men. So far she didn’t tell them anything. Part of Lindsey wished she would if only to keep the Marenians from coming back.

  Lindsey gathered the thin blanket, their only source of warmth and wrapped it around Faye’s shoulders as they crowded together to share their body heat. The cell had taken on a chill and water trickled in from above. Her own condition worsened at the same pace as their prison cell.

  Each cough accompanied a burning sensation in her chest. Lindsey no longer believed they’d make it out alive but refused to admit it aloud. She needed to hang on. As long as Faye said Torkel would come and rescue them, Lindsey would fight to survive.

  “Tell me about your Jutak again,” Lindsey whispered as weakness sent trembles down her arms. The blanket slipped but she pulled it back up.

  “Torkel is brave and strong.”

  Lindsey swallowed. The familiar words drowned out the sound of animals scratching at the remains of food on their tray. “Like a SEAL.”

  “Yes,” Faye agreed and then shifted.

  Lindsey tried to help but she could barely lift her head anymore. “He’s coming right, Faye?”

  “Yes.”

  Lindsey pretended not to hear the note of doubt. Please let him come. Lindsey blinked back tears, wishing Baruk and Zadal were here to hold her. “We’re gonna be okay, Faye. Earth girls kick butt. Every romance book says so.”

  ***

  Lindsey fought as long as she could but nothing stopped the shivers racing over her body. Cold. So cold. She curled into a ball, unable to stay awake for longer than five minutes at a time. Days blurred together and she grew too weak to mark the ground and track time. Not even Faye’s stories helped. Too sick to focus, she barely heard her friend’s whispered words any more.

  The door to their cell opened and Faye screamed. Were they going to beat her friend again? Lindsey wanted to open her eyes but she didn’t have the strength.

  “What are you doing? You can’t take her!”

  Lindsey smiled. Tell him, Faye.

  Someone picked Lindsey up. One of the Marenians she decided when he snarled and growled something at Faye. How she wished she understood the strange language. Faye cried out and belated terror shrieked through Lindsey’s brain. What if they wanted to torture her instead of Faye.

  She tensed in preparation to fight but her body betrayed her from lack of strength and Lindsey could only lie limp as she was carried away.

  Shadows bounced on the walls and male grunts came from under her. She squinted as they entered a room with bright lights. When Lindsey caught sight of the familiar stage she cringed against the body of the person who carried her. Then she fell to her knees as he unceremoniously dumped her on the floor.

  Cheers came from beyond. Shouts in various languages flew about the room as the bidding started. Familiar. All too familiar during her time here as a prisoner she’d become used to this specific place although she’d yet to be purchased. If these scumbags knew better or actually cared about making a sale, they’d take better care of the merchandise.

  Pushing up to her knees, Lindsey wiped off her palms which slipped in unknown fluids on the filthy floor. Staring into the audience, she made out aliens of every shape and form. Some bore similarity to her fellow prisoners, others she’d never seen before. All stared at her on the stage as an overhead light left her no way to hide.

  The horned Marenian standing next to her kicked at Lindsey’s leg and muttered garbled words. When Lindsey didn’t respond fast enough, he pulled on her arm until she was on her feet and ripped the last of her dress down the front. The crowd roared, coming to their feet and shaking their fists.

  A hacking cough burned her chest as she swayed on her feet. Furious yelling came from someone behind them and then Lindsey found herself pushed backward.

  A short man in a stained long sleeve shirt and pants
torn at the knees jumped on the stage and pointed in her direction. Lindsey flinched, tripping over the guard, who shoved her away. This time when she fell to her knees, she hit the floor hard and didn’t bother rising.

  The Marenian and the man in the stained clothing bickered back and forth. He looked human except his skin was extremely pale and his thinning hair was almost gone. When he caught her glance, he leered, never looking away from her bare breasts.

  Lindsey dropped her gaze instantly. Unfortunately, everywhere she looked, the men eyed her, making no attempts to disguise their lust. It took everything she had not to scream. The Marenian punched at the black watch on his wrist, his lips curved in an evil grin. Then he tossed her roughly toward the human and four men dressed in similar clothing jumped from the front row with broad smiles.

  Slowly, the truth penetrated her fevered brain. She’d just been sold.

  Chapter 28

  “I’m afraid I can’t let you take the woman.”

  Lindsey perked up at the words that sounded a near match to English. Too bad there wasn’t much she could do from the tiny cage her new owners placed her.

  “We bought. She go to Tulu. Service men.”

  His words spoken with a staccato speech pulled Lindsey closer to awareness. Crawling forward, she mustered the strength to grasp the bars of her cage and peered through them. A figure cloaked in a dark hood stood amongst the five in ragged clothing.

  “How much?”

  The man with the pale features made a slashing motion with his hand toward the hooded guy. “No price. Service men.”

  Lindsey’s stomach rolled at the repeated statement. Then one of her new owners reached inside the cage and ran a hand over her dirty hair.

  “Pretty. Soft.”

  His skin held the same pale cast. All of them looked as if they’d been kept from the sun for months at a time. Another stroked through her hair and Lindsey pulled back sharply.

  “Off of me!” Her order would have sounded better if it didn’t come out weak and raspy from her sore throat.