He pulls back to meet my gaze. “Thanks for helping.”
“Of course.”
“Does that mean—”
“No. Not until your father apologizes to both of us.”
“But what about today?”
I huff. “That was an emergency, I’m not that petty. But I’m still pissed at him.”
Niall cocks his head to the side. “If I was a betting man…my money would go to you relenting instead of my father apologizing.”
“Your father’s that stubborn?”
“No. You’re that curious. Plus could your ego stand it if Beau found those stolen files instead of you?”
I growl at him ’cause he’s right. Damn it. I try to step back, but his hold is like being wrapped in iron.
“You’re pretty when you’re pretending to be mad, Mouse.”
That’s cheating. He can’t call me pretty while insulting me…can he?
“And that jumpsuit shows off all your lovely curves.”
He runs his hands down my sides. His electric touch races over me. I shiver.
“You’re just trying to distract me.”
“If that’s what you want to call it…” Niall leans in and kisses me.
I decide that he can distract me all he wants. But I’m the one to break it off many long minutes later. “You have to get up at oh-so-early tomorrow.”
“I thought we agreed I’d be the sensible one.”
“Consider this a one-time thing. Besides, if your father believes I’m distracting you from your duties, he’ll make it harder for us to be together.”
Niall sighs. “It didn’t take you long to figure him out.”
“Well, I’ve been on probation for fifteen days.” Huh. That went pretty fast. “Although I think I should get time off my sentence for helping out. Maybe when I’m asked to assist Beau again or if he needs me to search for those files, I can negotiate.”
Niall’s forehead crinkles as he gives me a pained look. “I’m enjoying having you close by and knowing you’re safe.”
“Yeah, but having no privacy and being escorted everywhere sucks.”
“With the cameras and with you living with your parents, we won’t have much privacy then either.”
“Ah, but you forget who you’re dating,” I say. “Once I’m back on my own terminal, those cameras are mine.”
Niall just shakes his head. “I’m too tired to lecture you. Besides, you’re almost eighteen A-years, I’m willing to wait.”
“And Officer Sensible is back.”
He sports a lopsided smile. “Miss me?”
“Go to bed before you fall over.”
“Not until I get a good-night kiss.”
I’m happy to oblige and I run my fingers through his hair, leaving behind spikes.
Stepping back, Niall arches an eyebrow at me. “Was that necessary?”
“You needed to look like you’ve been kissed, Toad.”
“Why do I have the feeling I’m going to keep paying for that?”
I beam an innocent expression, which he doesn’t buy at all. “Do you want me to recite the lecture I received after you left? Or do you just want the highlights—like how space boys have sex with girls at every planet because they know they won’t ever see them again?”
He rubs his face with his hands. “I really need to get some sleep. Night, Mouse.”
“Chicken,” I call after him.
Over the next couple days, Niall and I confirm that each of sixty-three pits on a Warrior planet represents another Warrior planet, and one represents itself. The alien designations don’t match ours, which makes sense. The first pit we open on a Warrior planet has always been numbered one. I’ve a feeling that, in the future, the pits will be renamed. Instead of a numerical label, it’ll reference the Warrior planet’s name.
I continue to work on the General although I’ll admit it takes all my courage to go into the pits. The shadow-blobs hover at the edges of my vision. They haven’t hurt anyone nor have any of the techs reported seeing anything. Niall and I agreed not to try to convince my parents and his dad about them. After being accused of stealing the Xinji files, our credibility is shot.
The techs have reassembled a number of Warriors in Pit 1. They’re missing pieces and cracks zigzag through their bodies. And I wonder why we even bother. They’re dead.
Yes, I know that sounds…strange. But, to me, they no longer have that essence. Their hearts are broken. Even the General. His chest is about as complete as I can make it, but it won’t matter in the end.
This afternoon, Niall is helping me assemble the General’s arms. The pieces need to be held in place until the adhesive dries, a two-man operation. The fact that this is his day off and he’s with me instead of drawing, sleeping or hanging out in the rec room with his friends fills me with a strange buzzy warmth. It’s hard to stay focused on the delicate work and keep from brushing against Niall.
When we finish the General’s left arm, I step back and almost jump out of my skin as a shadow-blob grazes my shoulder.
Niall grabs my arm, steadying me. “What’s wrong? Is it—”
“Yes.” I glance around and they appear…thicker… than before. “Let’s take a break.”
He peers at me. “Your skin is like ice. We should leave.”
“No. I want to get his other arm done. Let’s go down in the factory.”
“Why?”
“I just need…can we go? Now.”
“All right.”
Beau and Menz are guarding the hatch. Keir is my escort and she says, “Field trip, woo hoo!” before following us below.
As soon as I near the hearts, I relax. There’s that peace. The workers glance at us, but then return to whatever it is they’re doing. As long as we don’t get in the way, we’ll be fine. I tell Niall about the eight symbols on the hearts.
“We should see if they match the pattern of the planets,” he says. “How many hearts have been found?”
Good question. I scan the closest table and count them, then I multiply by the number of tables for an estimate. “Well, more than sixty-four.”
Then without warning, a bone cracking cold seeps into my body. “Freezing,” I chatter, stepping closer to Niall who wraps his arms around me and pulls me against him.
“Wow, you’re not kidding. We should—”
He never finishes his sentence. Two things happen at once.
All the lights go out.
And Beau cries out in pain.
Nineteen
2522:167
Everyone is stunned into silence. Niall’s hold on me tightens. In the complete blackness, I see impossible things. I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again just to make sure they’re not a figment of my imagination. But standing next to the rows of hearts are rows of ghost Warriors. Yup, they resemble the ones in the pits above, but these guys are white and a bit translucent. However, they don’t float. Actually they don’t move at all. Creepy, but not in a shadow-blob way. Oh great, I’m using shadow-blobs as a point of reference. Just kill me now.
A second cry galvanizes everyone. The techs all start talking at once.
Keir turns on her flashlight. “Remain here, I’ll go check—”
“No,” Niall says, releasing me. “You’re required to stay with Lyra, I’ll go.”
“You’re not armed,” she says.
“We should all go,” I say. I sense rather than see their objections. “I’m the only one who can see them.”
“Them?” Keir’s voice is incredulous.
The emergency lights click on. The dim yellow bulbs are weak in comparison. But better than nothing. The ghost Warriors disappear.
Another yell is followed by the sizzle of a pulse gun discharging. Both Keir and Niall run for the ladder.
I turn to the techs. “You’re safe down here. Stay here until you hear an all-clear.” Then I race to catch up to Keir and Niall. “Keep your flashlight on,” I shout to Keir as she reaches the top. “Aim the beam at the
shadows.” Which really sounds idiotic.
Niall steps off the ladder and crouches as if ready to fight. When I poke my head above the floor, he says, “Stay close to me.”
The light is just as dim up here. I scan the scene in front of me. Beau is lying on the ground. His arms are pressed to his stomach and his shirt is soaked with blood. Fear sweeps through me, leaving behind a numb panic. Menz is standing astride Beau as if protecting him. He’s firing his gun, but not hitting anything. There’s a long cut down his right arm dripping blood.
The shadow-blobs have them surrounded. Instead of listening to my advice, Keir dashes to join Menz. Before I can warn her, she collides with one of the shadow-blobs. It moves so fast, it’s just a blur of motion. She yells as two long gashes crisscross her arms and chest. Dropping the flashlight, she collapses back, firing her gun, but the pulse goes right through the blob without any apparent harm. Shit.
I yell to Menz and Keir, “Your pulse guns don’t work. Use your flashlights!”
Menz spins around to face me, but just stares as if I’d spoken another language. Keir’s panicking and shooting as she scrambles to get away. Except she’s heading toward more shadows.
Niall curses and steps toward Keir. I grab his arm. “They’re in a circle around the guys about two meters away from them. And there’s another circle about a meter behind Keir.”
“Got it.” He rushes to Keir.
“Stay low,” I call.
Niall dives for the flashlight. He scoops it up, switches it on and swings the beam in a circle around him. The shadow-blobs back up. A few disappear in a poof. Nice.
“Keir, rally around Beau,” Niall orders. His harsh commanding tone snaps her from her freak out. “Go now!” He aims the light at Menz.
She lurches to her feet and bolts over to them.
“Lyra, you, too!”
I finally climb from the hatch and hurry over to the group. Beau’s eyes are squeezed shut. He’s conscious but in lots of pain.
“Hold on, Beau. You can do it.” I take his flashlight. Keir reaches for it, but I yank it away. “Grab Menz’s.” The man is still standing there. He’s no longer firing his weapon, but by his death grip on the handle he’s not going to release it anytime soon.
Niall joins us. “Back to back.”
Keir spins so her back is to Niall’s. Oh. I turn so they’re behind me.
“Lyra, where do we aim?” he asks.
I check. The hole Niall created has disappeared as more shadow-blobs have moved in. “They’re all around us. Keep sweeping the light in an arc.”
Keir, Niall, and I swing the light back and forth.
“Is it working?” Keir asks after a few minutes.
“Yes, they’re keeping their distance.” And I poofed a couple of them, but I’ve no idea if they just reform in the darkness and come back.
Sometime…later, Beau groans in pain.
“We can’t wait for the lights to come back on. We need to get him to the infirmary,” Niall says. “Any ideas?”
As long as we keep the flashlights in motion we should be able to move. “Menz, can you carry Beau?” I ask.
“Huh?”
“Officer Menz, pick up Officer Dorey. Now,” Niall orders.
“Uh…yes, sir.”
There’s a grunt and a cry of pain. “Sorry, Beau,” Menz says.
“Next?” Niall asks.
“We walk our protective circle toward the hatch,” I say. “Keep sweeping the lights.”
“We all take exactly one step on my count. Understand?” Niall asks.
The three of us say yes in unison. A good sign.
“All right. One.”
I’m facing the hatch so I step forward. The crunch of clay under the others’ boots is reassuring.
“Two. Three. Four.”
It takes twelve steps to reach the hatch.
“Now what?” Keir asks.
I move to the other side of the hatch. “We can’t leave the techs down there. They can join our protective circle and help carry Beau. Then we move our circle to the exit.”
“Niall?” It’s Keir again.
“She’s right,” he says. Niall calls down to the techs to come up.
They emerge and start asking questions right away.
“Be quiet!” Niall uses the same voice he used to get Menz to pick up Beau.
They shut up and I wish I could see their expressions, but I’m too busy keeping the shadow-blobs away.
“Follow my orders, no matter how strange, and we’ll explain everything to you when we reach the lab. Understand?”
A general yes amid some mutterings.
“Good. I need two of you to help Officer Menz carry our injured man.”
There’s a shuffling of feet and a grunt of pain from poor Beau.
“Does anyone have a flashlight?” I ask.
A few have head lamps. Niall adds them to our circle and instructs them on what to do. Then we move toward Pit 3 in the same step-by-step fashion. Halfway through Pit 2 the emergency lights go out. Everyone freezes.
“Keep moving,” Niall says. He calls the steps.
With the added darkness, the shadow-blobs increase in number. “Sweep faster,” I call as one darts between the swings of the light and slashes. A tech cries out and drops his light.
“Lyra, status,” Niall says.
“There’s lots more. We need to move faster.”
He doubles the pace. After two more people are injured, he triples it. A couple of the techs start pushing to go faster.
Niall uses his command voice. “Stay together.”
It works until we reach Pit 1. A faint glow from the archaeology lab beckons in the distance, and, except for the two holding Beau, the techs all bolt. Niall keeps his flashlight’s beam trained on their retreating forms, while Keir and I cover more area.
“Keep moving,” I say as I duck a shadow-blob that snakes around my light. It clips my shoulder. Pain burns, but there’s no time to think about it. I aim the flashlight into its core and it poofs.
Niall resumes counting and now we’re jogging with him in the lead. Menz and his helpers pant with the exertion and I’m now “running” backwards. As we near the brightness of the lab, the bulk of the shadow-blobs drop back into the darkness, but a few still find gaps to attack. The cuts on my arms, legs and sides add up, but I’m too focused on keeping the shadow-blobs at bay to register pain.
Confused and shouting voices drown out Niall’s and there’s a shuffle of feet. Beau groans. I glance behind me. A group of people carry Beau into the lab. Keir and Niall are at the entrance. And I’m…not. How did I get so far behind? Breathing is hard as fear presses all the air from my lungs.
“Lyra, come on!” Niall shouts.
He aims his light at me. A good idea until Keir copies him. The added brightness sears my eyes. I turn around, but my vision is just a white haze. Backing up, I keep swinging my light, but I’m blind. A sharp needle of pain pierces my left hip. Stumbling, I fall on my butt with a cry. A blurry motion alerts me and I thrust my light in that direction, bracing for another attack. But there isn’t one.
Shouts finally penetrate the buzz of terror in my ears. I recognize my name before strong hands hook under my arms and lift me to my feet. Another person joins us and they half carry me to the lab. It’s only a few steps, but each one hurts from my feet to my shoulders.
Only when I’m safe in the lab do I see who’s holding me. Niall and Keir. They’re covered in cuts. Blood stains their ripped clothes. Dirt streaks their faces.
“Wow,” I say, lightheaded with relief. “You guys look terrible.”
They exchange a glance.
“You should sit down.” Niall guides me over to a chair.
But sitting hurts too much. Black and white spots swirl in my vision and the loud buzz is back. “I need…” I slide to the floor.
“Lyra!”
“…to lie down.” It’s better on the cool ground. Niall kneels next to me. I wave a we
ak hand, shooing him away. “Go help Beau and the others. I’ll be fine.”
He disappears for seconds…minutes…hours… hard to tell when the base is spinning around. There’s lots of noise and commotion in the lab, but I’m happy to stay in my spot despite the burn and throb of my injuries.
It’s not hard to miss when the rest of the security officers arrive. Radcliff’s voice cuts through the din, demanding an explanation. I debate if I should pretend to be passed out or not to avoid talking to him. But he’s soon shouting orders, and the ruckus fades to an abstract noise—something that doesn’t concern me.
Niall returns to my side…later…with a nurse in tow. The nurse crouches beside me and examines me. When he touches the wound in my left hip, I yelp and slap his hand away as a hot poker of pain explodes inside me.
“This injury is severe,” the nurse says.
Ya think?
He gestures and two white-clad helpers rush over.
“Take her to the infirmary.”
“No, no,” I protest. “Beau first and Keir!”
“Officer Dorey is already in surgery,” the nurse assures me.
“Is it bad?”
“No need for you to worry about him.”
Does that mean that other people are already worried? It’s one of those frustrating non-answers that adults use so you don’t get upset. And you know what? It never works.
Before I can call him on it, he says, “Off you go.”
The two men scoop me off the floor and dump me on a gurney. I struggle to sit up. “I can walk.” Pain stabs into my hip so the words come out weaker than I intended.
Niall grabs my hand. “Relax, Mouse.”
His cuts are still raw although they’ve stopped bleeding.
“As long as you come with me,” I say.
“Of course.”
“And let them tend to your injuries.”
“My father already ordered me to report to the infirmary.”
There’s a…glint in his eyes. “How long ago?” I ask.
Instead of answering he says, “Let’s go.”
The men wheel me into the hallway. Niall keeps pace, holding my hand and not meeting my gaze. Which means he should have gone before and probably refused. I squeeze his hand and he glances at me in concern.
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