by Naomi Lucas
Her dad pulled her up with a grunt. “There’s no time for them.”
“And Gunner?” she hissed.
“He has his own agenda. You know that as well as I do.” He grabbed her arm violently and jerked her forward. She slid several steps before she fought him. His hold on her arm tightened painfully.
“I’m not leaving!” she shrieked.
“They’re neutralizing the fucking ship, boy! If we don’t leave, we’ll die! Hard vacuum doesn’t give a shit whether you are a pirate or not!” He dragged her to the pod and she resisted the whole way, but the more she struggled, the harder he pulled. Pain speared up her forearm. A rush of adrenaline surged through her just as they reached the pod’s doors.
Leveraging all of her weight and muscle, Elodie jerked backward and wrenched her arm free. The momentum flung her on her ass and tripped her father. She skidded away as she rose to her feet.
“Dad,” she mustered, breathless from fear and adrenaline. “I told you I’m not leaving.”
Another explosion had her careening to the side, sending her back to the floor. Her fingers strained over the metal as she scrambled to stand again, holding her ground. Suddenly, the lights flickered overhead, diverting her attention just long enough for her father to slam into her and wrap his arms around her back. He lifted her off the ground until her feet no longer touched the floor.
“Ely! Stop fighting!”
She couldn’t stop fighting. She wasn’t going to leave Gunner.
Elodie sank her teeth into her dad’s shoulder. Curses filled her ears, and his hold on her faltered. A second. It was enough to pull away and get her feet onto the ground. But he was stronger than her and she knew she was going to lose the battle. There was no way her dad was going to let her stay on the ship.
“Please,” she begged. She knew he was going to win and send her off into space, and if that happened she knew she would never see Gunner again. “Please!”
“Fucking hell,” her dad roared and shoved her into the pod. “I’m trying to save your life!”
“And I’m trying to save his!” She twisted around, screaming and pummeling his chest. His fist came out of nowhere and she had no time to dodge it.
Pain exploded in her head and stars cascaded across her vision as she slunk back into the tiny space. Elodie clutched her brow as blood pooled out of her nose. Her senses flooded with shock. He hit me.
“I will beat you into that pod if that’s what it takes to save your life!” His word struck and she hunched into herself, clasping her nose, unable to move as her dad entered the small space in front of her. “I’m sorry, boy.” His voice was gruff and grief-stricken.
Tears streamed from her eyes. “I’m sorry too.” Her hand inched toward her hip to grasp the pipe attached to her side.
“You’ll forgive me when—”
She slammed it into his shoulder, and he never finished the sentence. Elodie struggled around him until she was free of the tight space. She knew his shock would be as short-lived as her own.
Energy sizzled through her as she knocked him back, aiming for the shoulder she had hit with all her might. Her dad dropped, dazed, and stared wide-eyed back at her as she stepped out.
“You’ll forgive me too, Dad, but I’m not leaving him,” she whispered. The escape pod sequence clicked in the background and a countdown began. Goodbye, Dad.
“Goodbye, Elodie.” He said right before the panel door closed between them. She took another step back as the pod drifted into the wall, away from her and into the endless grey haze that filled her vision. And then, it was gone.
Elodie stood there, staring at the place where her dad had just been.
Last time it took them less than a half-hour to say goodbye. This time it took them mere seconds.
She wiped the blood from her nose and took another step back, and then another. The rest of the men had already left and there were only empty spaces where the other pods had once been.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath just as the lights went off overhead. The noises deepened as darkness cloaked her. She waited until her eyes adjusted to the subtle glow as several emergency outlets powered on.
What’ve I done? Dizziness assailed her, and a pounding, piercing headache began to form behind her eyes. Elodie unzipped her jacket and lifted it to staunch the remaining blood coming from her nose.
“Ely?” someone said from behind her.
She spun around. A shadowy figure appeared in the distance, bent out of shape and clutching the wall. Elodie lifted the pipe in front of herself defensively and took a step back.
“Elodie, it’s me.”
“Gunner?” she breathed.
The figure groaned and leaned into the wall as another tremor went through the ship. She rushed forward, then stopped. A red aura, almost too dark to notice, illuminated from his eyes. It cast his sharp features in muted shadows and gloom, but as her focus shifted and she bridged the last remaining steps between them, she noticed the flare wasn’t reflecting his mood; it was weak.
His back hit the wall with an agonizing grunt. He slid to the floor as she reached forward, dropping her weapon, and cupped his cheeks.
“Oh my god, Gunner.” Fear and worry numbed her. “Are you okay?”
Elodie didn’t wait for his answer before peeling back the remaining shreds of his clothing to check his wounds. The material was soaked with blood. She hoped that it wasn’t all his. She’d seen him in several damaged states after fighting, but never like this. It was almost as if every time he left her, he came back to her in an even worse state than before.
“I’ll be fine,” he groaned, resting his head back, and hooding his eyes.
“Y-you don’t look fine!” Elodie fought back a fresh wave of tears, dropping the wet clothes to her side. “Stay here! I’m going to go find a medical kit.” She moved to stand up, but he caught her wrist in a grip.
“Don’t bother.”
She tried pulling her arm from his hold, but he only tightened it further. “We need to get you medical treatment right now,” she argued, her nerves fraying. “The ship—”
“—is being boarded.”
That stopped her. “What are they going to do with us?”
Gunner smiled weakly. Weakly. It wasn’t a word she’d ever associate with him and it struck fear into her soul.
“It’s the damn government. They kind of...” he flipped his hand, “found us. You should’ve seen how many ships are out there. I’m feeling rather insulted.”
Elodie shook her head. “I don’t understand? Does that mean you got to the bridge? Did we stand down?” She reached up and pushed back the loose, wet hair of his bangs.
“Everything is over.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That doesn’t answer any of my questions.”
He chuckled and pulled her into him. She let him press her into his side, even though he was covered in grime, but so was she, so what did it matter? Elodie rested her cheek on his chest. Gunner’s arm hooked around her shoulder and held her close. Something was off. He’s no longer warm...
“We’re safe.”
Elodie clenched her eyelids shut and curled into him as much as she could, draping her leg over his middle. “Gunner...you’re cold. Why are you so cold?”
“Weak.”
Her heart hurt. “What happened?”
“A lot,” he laughed softly. “I got captured by these damn pirates and they stole my ship.”
“I mean...”
“I was hit with an explosive that rebooted my mainframe. They beat me soon after I awoke. A shit ton more happened over the next couple of weeks. I just haven’t had a chance to regroup yet, but I’ll be fine.”
He sounds so tired. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
She heard the heavy, impending sound of footsteps nearby, accompanied by yells.
“I hope not. It’s been entertaining...”
Her lips twitched into a small smile.
Chapter Twenty Three
Not long after the soldiers boarded the pirate ship, she and Gunner had been cuffed and carted off. A day had gone by since then and she’d been left alone in a small room with nothing but silence to pass the time.
The biggest difference, though, was that this cell had solid walls on every side except for the opening. That aspect, despite all that had happened, hadn’t changed.
There were a few other notable differences. She was clean, she didn’t have to pretend to be someone she wasn’t, there was a soft cot and a toilet, and she received regular meals throughout the cycle. No one bothered her, and it was beginning to drive her crazy.
She paced the small space inside. Her confinement would’ve been easier if she knew what had happened to Gunner and her dad.
Countless men had flooded the hallways of the pirate ship, boarded from elsewhere, and they had neutralized everything within. That’s where they had found her and Gunner, and the rest of the men from the brig that had not made it into the escape pods.
Her fingers touched the healing bruise on her arm. The throbbing ache of it had already begun to fade.
The soldiers had taken her away from Gunner and brought her to the medical bay on one of the ships of the small armada that had come to their rescue. She’d seen some of the other prisoners from the brig throughout, but for the most part, they’d been kept separate from each other.
The quiet man who had been in the unit across from her was alive though. And she hoped, in some way, she had helped make that happen.
Gunner made that happen. She buried her face into her hands and thanked the stars that it had been the Peace Keepers that had picked up on the distress signal, and no one else. Elodie tensed and released her muscles, hoping—mentally screaming—that Gunner was okay. She hadn’t seen him since their capture. Maybe they realized these cells couldn’t hold him and took him somewhere more secure.
Her eyes darted around her cell, over the creature comforts that she now had. Her life could’ve ended up so differently.
She touched the walls and the contraptions, feeling the gears and then feeling herself just to reassure that this wasn’t all a dream. That she wasn’t just about to wake up and be back among the smoke and men; returned to her cell on the pirate ship.
Elodie knew when she dreamed; dreams were in sepia, not white, like the room she was in. But she couldn’t stop clenching the bedding in her hands and feeling the smooth walls to save her life.
She knew her sleep would be haunted by her time aboard the pirate ship; the recruitments, the beatings, the fear. But it gave her hope that Gunner was also in her dreams.
Her Cyborg with sharp ears and sharp teeth.
“Hello?” Elodie called out after pulling her hand away from the wall. No answer. Hours had gone by with no answer.
She moved to the bars and gripped them. There was a small hallway leading from her cell, white and crisp, clean and gleaming, and there was a door several yards away that remained shut.
The soldiers didn’t know yet whether or not she was part of the pirate crew. She couldn’t blame them for being careful. Those that could vouch for her were also under suspicion, probably being held somewhere else. Maybe they kept the women in separate cells from the men.
Elodie released the bars and cupped the back of her neck, kneading the strain from her muscles.
Suddenly, the door opened, and she dropped her arms. Please let it be Gunner.
An unfamiliar man in a dapper black suit entered the space. Buttoned and ranked. The proof was on his jacket lapels. All the soldiers on this ship looked the same. They blurred together with their stiff, tailored clothing, and their regulation shaved heads.
“Elodie?” he asked, approaching her.
She cleared her throat and nodded. “Yes. Is Gunner okay?” she blurted out. “Have you found the escape pods that shot out of the pirate ship? Why am I being held? Where are the others? Please, tell me if Gunner is okay...”
The man continued on as if her questions had never been asked. “Have you, at any time, been in cohorts or affiliated with Captain Juke’s crew?”
“No... Never except for my dad. I was forced onboard and locked up in the brig.”
He looked at her steadily with a face she couldn’t read. It was handsome even in its coldness, but it didn’t have guns on its cheeks so it meant nothing to her.
“Have you, at any time, remained loyal or connected to someone who joined his crew after your arrival?”
Elodie rubbed her hands. “Yes.”
“Who?”
“My dad, Chesnik. We were brought aboard together and after several weeks of incarceration, he accepted recruitment.” Her mouth dried up as she said it. Was she saying too much?
“And did you remain in contact with him after he joined Juke’s crew?”
Elodie licked her lips. “He released me from the brig... He and Gunner released everyone from the brig,” she added, dryly.
“As you say. Would you be able to recognize those among the prisoners from those prisoners who had accepted recruitment after being captured?”
“I might be able to, but I’m not sure. I kept my head down most the time. It was safer for me that way.”
“But if you saw them, would you recognize, or at least try to recognize those who worked for Juke and his affiliated organization and distinguish between them and those who escaped with you?”
She paused. “Yes, some I would know. Does that mean I’ll get to see them?” She didn’t want to see them but it was her best chance of knowing whether her dad had been captured. Gunner wouldn’t be among them, not with his history working for the government, but the possibility of it filled her heart with fleeting hope.
“In time.” The suited man turned to leave.
Elodie gripped the bars. “Wait! Please! Please wait,” she begged, her voice hitching. When he stopped and turned back to face her, she could’ve cried. “What happened?” Elodie swallowed. “We were...escaping, and suddenly the ship was off kilter and Gunner had to...get to the bridge to stop it.” She closed her eyes briefly as his bloody body came into view. “Is he okay?” Not knowing was slowly killing her inside. “Anything, please just tell me anything. I can’t stand the silence,” she shook her head. “There’s been too much noise in my head for far too long.”
“Elodie,” he eventually said. “How long have you been in space?”
“My whole life,” she answered quickly.
His eyes crinkled and he nodded. Sadness. Pity. She didn’t know.
“Why?” she asked.
“You shouldn’t bother with a man like him.” He was talking about Gunner. “The smartest thing you can do, when this is all over, is to go back to Earth or one of the other colonies, and try to forget any of this happened.”
She wiped her cheeks, not realizing they were covered in her tears. “I can’t.”
His face softened.
“You don’t understand. I can’t. He’s my friend,” her words hitched. “I love him. It doesn’t make sense.” She dried her face. “I know, but I need to tell him that. I need to at least tell him that before...” She couldn’t find the right words. “Before this all comes to an end.” Elodie turned her face into her shoulder. Gunner’s jacket was no longer around her frame, having been stripped and taken away from her in the medical bay.
The soldier stared at her as she tried to compose herself. She waited for him to say something—or to leave—and the longer he stood there watching her, the harder it was for her to maintain any semblance of composure.
Years she had cultivated her brave facade, and now, all of her work had been stripped away.
“Never follow your nightmares.” His voice was sad and she closed her eyes.
Elodie listened to his footsteps as he walked away, and she continued to listen long after he was gone and the door had been shut behind him; she was back within the uncomfortable silence, alone.
�
�YOU SHOULD LET HER go,” Stryker sighed. His projection was displayed in the center of the cabin.
Gunner slammed his fist into the wall. It wasn’t the first time. There wasn’t much wall left to abuse. He clenched his fist and it came back out of the paneling tangled in wires that sparked against his flesh.
He should let her go. He just didn’t want to. A day had come and gone since the Peace Keepers subdued Juke’s ship and boarded it. They came like a swarm shortly after, accompanied by a battalion of bots and men, to cleanse everything from within.
They had found him on the floor, twisted and deranged. Elodie had covered him, tried to protect him from the guns that were leveled at him. He’d been a shell of his former self, still hungering for more blood, with the taste of Juke’s cartilage in his mouth. He’d never wanted Elodie to see him that way.
But damn had it had felt so good.
It had been sublime. A gruesome climax experienced through a crimson lens, and she’d been his reward at the end. But as he gazed into her worried eyes, reason returned and he hated that she’d seen him like that.
I should let her go.
He shot a look at Stryker. The Cyborg wore his mask like always, thick and sharp around his face. He didn’t envy the snake, but if it were him, Gunner would never wear a mask. Anyone who came within striking distance would be doing so at their own risk.
Stryker refused to acknowledge that the poison he spewed could be a good thing.
“It’s for the best,” Stryker added.
“The best?” Gunner’s eyes burned.
“You’re an unpredictable motherfucker. I’m surprised this woman let you get close at all. You have a tendency of making everyone walk in the opposite direction of you and it’s not just because you’re an asshole, but because their life usually depends on it.”
Elodie had let him close. But did she really have a choice? So close.
She had let him in and then she’d let him stay. Gunner had never felt more at home than he did with her. Her touch was bliss. He wanted to sink himself into it, drown in it, and never reach the surface.
Gunner stopped himself, pulling at his hair, shutting the thoughts down. Bringing forth phantoms of her tortured him. The memories played perfectly in his head, every nuance recorded for eternity, every detail his to scrutinize and overanalyze.