by J. M. Hagan
The instant his airway was cut off, Cane clutched at his clothing desperately. Thumped his shoulder with weak strikes that were so ineffective they brought a smile to Vorjool’s darkened lips.
He felt Claudia and Malora’s pain…
He saw a galaxy ablaze…
His senses came alive with feverish intensity. His heart thumped his ribs mightily. A pulse surged across his brain. An electric wave that danced and spread through his entire body.
Cane grabbed hold of his wrists and squeezed with all his might. The crushing pressure was so much that Vorjool had no choice but to let go of him.
His brain got so hot it felt like it was cooking in his skull. Warm blood streamed from his nostrils, as a throbbing pain pounded in his head. His eyes rolled back. A deep growl clawed its way up his throat and developed into a ferocious scream.
The light fixtures all around them blew to pieces.
Tables flipped into the walls. Plates, glasses, chairs, smashed to bits.
Terrified, Vorjool looked around in shock as a great pulsing energy coursed through the world around them.
Cane screamed his lungs out.
A piercing boom sounded.
A wave of psionic energy exploded from his mind.
Vorjool was hewn. The blast of psionic energy flung him high in the air – he crashed down on the ground floor.
21
They were coming to the building; Jeriko slowed as they neared the alley. Jack’s heart almost stopped when he saw a body in a pool of blood.
He hopped off the bike right away. Raced over and saw the victim’s face was a bloody pulp. A gunshot was near his heart. He took a breath of relief when he realised it wasn’t any of his crew and checked for a pulse that wasn’t there. Jeriko ran behind him and peered over his shoulder.
“That’s, Kal,” said Jeriko, taking out his pistol.
“He’s dead…”
Jeriko cocked his gun. Jack drew his own and then hurried to the back door. Inside, everything was quiet. The place was a god awful mess, and there was blood everywhere. There were bullet holes in the back door. The double doors leading out of the kitchen were open and hanging off their hinges, the glass broken on both sides.
He spied Claudia from the corner of his eye. She was on the ground, a thick lump of swelling on her head. Jack raced over. He shook her. “Claudia!” She opened her eyes only briefly. “Wake up!” He shook her again.
“J, Jack…?”
He lifted her up and made sure she found her balance. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, putting a palm to her head. “I think so.”
Jeriko came over to check on her and Jack took the opportunity to hurry on inside.
“No, Jack!” cried Jeriko. Then he charged in after him.
His eyes were drawn to red speckles on table cloths all around the room full of broken tables, smashed glasses, bottles, and broken ceramic plates.
The colour flushed from his cheeks. His stomach swirled when he noticed the front door was ajar.
Flushed and sweating, Jack went out the front to the street and quickly scanned the area seeing no indication of which way Vorjool had made his escape. He went back inside and saw Jeriko making his way up the stairs.
“It’s Cane!” he cried.
Jack followed. A blizzard raged in his gut. When he made it to the top of the stairs, the sight overwhelmed him.
Cane was on his back. His face was red and black all over. His hands were littered with cuts and thick as clubs.
“Jesus Christ, what’ the hell?” he blared in English, too shaken to even consider speaking in rovian as Jeriko checked his pulse.
“He’s alive. But barely.”
Jack pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and turned on the spot sounding a moan of desperate relief.
“He needs medical attention immediately, or we’re gonna lose him,” said Jeriko.
“Where is Malora?” Jack begged, still finding no trace of her.
Jeriko shook his head at the question, then placed an emergency call on his PDP. Jack was turning, muttering, shaking all over. “Did she chase him?” He tried calling her PDP, but there was no answer.
“Jack, look at me. Jack?”
He was too busy examining the destruction. The blood sprays that dotted the walls and table cloths. The broken tables, chairs, and light fixtures.
“What happened here?” he begged, rubbing his vexed forehead.
“Jack,” Jeriko prompted him again. “He’s gone. Vorjool, isn’t here. Malora’s either in pursuit…or she’s been taken.”
In his fury, Jack punched through the wall next to him. “I should’ve been here,” he roared, extracting his bleeding hand from the hole he’d made. “First, Anderson and Siena, and now this?!”
He dropped to his knees over Cane. Brought his bleeding hand beneath his chin and let it drip, as he squeezed a trembling fist.
Author Note
Thank you for reading Starmen Episode 3 Zero Hour. This marks the end of Season 1.
I hope you enjoyed it.
If you feel so inclined, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Every review helps so much.
The story will continue with Episode 4.