The human’s eyes widened for a split second when he squeezed the pilot’s throat. This time there was no hesitation. He tightened his fingers as he lifted his opponent, who tried to free his gun from its holster. One violent twist and bone snapped. He dropped the dead man at his feet, stepped over the corpse and limped to the vehicle.
You know how to fly it. Trust your instincts if your mind is fuzzy. The woman’s words repeated inside his mind as if she whispered them into his ear.
Familiarity tugged at his subconscious when he climbed inside, closed the door, and the dash automatically lit when it registered the presence of a pilot. His fingers moved before he gave it thought, flipping switches. It was sobering when he realized he knew what to do but had no memory of ever being inside a vehicle like the one he now commanded. The engines came to life and he flew high above the roof, his hands on the controls.
Link to it and it will tell you where to go. You have active receptors that make it possible for your mind to talk to computers.
He examined the rounded hub near the ceiling where he assumed the main access to the onboard computer would be, focused on it, and a strange tingling began at the back of his head.
Command?
It wasn’t audible but he heard the computerized voice inside his mind. Locate 895589. He thought it instead of speaking the words.
Images flashed through his brain and he knew where to go. His hands controlled the shuttle as he sped higher into the sky and away from where he’d been held prisoner. The woman’s features lingered in his mind.
* * * * *
He knew he’d reached his location. The buildings were old and no sign of life could be seen from the windows as he landed the craft directly in front of the largest structure. Streetlights were on as he peered around but most of them had been damaged. It was dark, there were tons of places someone could hide, but he remained there with the engine running. He wasn’t sure what to do.
Locate 895589, he commanded the computer.
He is here, it responded. Shut down the engines and walk inside. He waits.
Call signal 895589 was an individual. That surprised him. He’d thought it was a place. He followed instructions, shut down the engines, climbed out and approached the building cautiously.
The door opened before he reached it and he paused, alert. He fisted his hands, ready to fight if need be. A tall man stepped out into the dim light and surprise reverberated through him. He stared at the male, glanced down at his arms, before looking back up.
“That’s right,” the deep voice stated, “we’re both cyborgs.” He tilted his head. “You’re damaged. Come inside. They have air drones that fly over this area every hour.” The cyborg motioned with a hand. “Fleet, get rid of that transport before they realize it’s gone and begin tracking it. The scrambling program will only work for so long before they are able to lock on.”
Another gray-skinned cyborg, wearing all black, stepped out of the darkness, barely spared him a glance, then jogged to the parked shuttle. The engine came on before he reached it.
“I am called Freedom. It’s what I give. What are you called?”
He paused, thinking. “I don’t know.”
“You’re black and blue with bruising. For now we’ll call you Blackie. It fits with your injuries and your hair color. Come inside quickly. You are safe.”
The name didn’t matter. “I thought you were 895589.”
“It’s a code we put together for this mission. Come with me now.”
He followed the other cyborg inside and the second the door closed the dark interior changed as lights began to snap on overhead. He stared at the dozens of other gray-skinned individuals. A few were female but mostly they were male. Cots were neatly placed along one wall where they obviously slept. They silently watched him.
“This is one of many safe houses, or in this case it is an abandoned warehouse. These are others who have been rescued, as you were.” Freedom studied him. “We’ll get you clothes and medical attention. You’ll feel better when you’ve rested. We shouldn’t be here too long. We move often to avoid detection. The countdown ends in twenty-two days.”
“What countdown?”
“We are escaping Earth.”
“Why?”
A woman approached. “They did a number on you. I have the ability to download information. Prepare.”
Images were thrust inside his mind. He staggered as they assaulted him. He saw cyborgs such as himself being killed by the dozens. They had been created by Earth Government for the military, to function as expendable soldiers and to work dangerous jobs. A female cyborg was surrounded by seven pale-skinned human men. They attacked her and tore at her clothes. She fought back, killing two before one of them drew a weapon. She died after being struck by explosive bullets, big holes tearing apart her chest.
Someone grabbed him around his waist to hold him up.
“Enough, Jazel. He’s weakened,” Freedom ordered. “You know better than to force a link. It’s a form of assault. Don’t do it again.”
“I apologize. He asked why.” The horrible image of the dead cyborg female faded instantly as he opened his eyes to stare at the one who had put it there. “That is why we must leave Earth.” She blinked at him. “They plan to kill all of us.”
“Damn it, Jazel.” Freedom shook his head. “You could have just told him that Earth Government has ordered our mass destruction and we have decided to live. Turn off your emotions until you learn better control.”
The woman backed away, dropped her chin, before returning to the group. “He needs information, not coddling.”
“I’m sorry,” Freedom rasped. “She’s angry. We all are. We have inside help from some humans who are freeing cyborgs when they are able. You will begin remembering more once you’re stronger. They auto-load us with information during our growth periods.”
Blackie managed to regain his footing once he caught his breath. “The guards attacked the woman who helped me escape. We need to go back and rescue her.”
“Hellfire is fine. They won’t kill her. You aren’t the first she’s led to safety and you won’t be the last.”
“Hellfire?”
“That’s her code name. She will plan her own escape before the countdown has ended. She will be fine and join us when we flee Earth.”
“She’s not a cyborg.”
Freedom chuckled. “She saved your life. That’s all you should be concerned about.” He released Blackie. “Have a seat on one of the bunks without bedding. We’ll get you tended to.”
Chapter One
The present
Blackie sat up sharply in his bunk and smacked his head on metal. “Fuck!”
The cot above his squeaked and Gene’s head appeared upside down to his left. “I bet you won’t do that again.”
“Sometimes I dislike you,” he growled, rubbing the injured spot. “I forgot where I was.”
“We’re on the Bridden. Bad dream? Your breathing increased 7.3 minutes ago.”
He carefully maneuvered out of the sleeping berth and stood, watching his roommate turn onto his side to stare at him from the upper bunk with a concerned look. “I remember where we are. Now.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“Were you contemplating the Markus Models? I’ve had a few bad dreams about them. They are creepy things.”
“It wasn’t about the fleshy androids.” He turned and walked over to the mirror, checking to see if he’d have a bruise. He wasn’t bleeding at least.
“Was it about Fleet? I know he’s recently been harsh with his assignments. He’s grooming you for leadership.”
Blackie glanced at his friend, realizing he wouldn’t give up until he had an answer. “I was reliving part of our escape from Earth.”
“That wasn’t a bad thing. It was the best day of my life.”
It wasn’t his best day but he kept that to himself.
“It was stressful. I was cert
ain we’d all die but we got away without massive casualties.” Gene’s voice deepened. “It shouldn’t cause you to experience bad dreams.”
Blackie turned back to the mirror and adjusted his head to peer at the darkened mark at the top of his forehead. It wouldn’t bruise but it would be tender for a few more minutes. He hated to remember the day the shuttle landed to pick him up. He’d searched for Hellfire onboard but she hadn’t been present. In space he’d contacted the other ships they’d stolen, only to discover she wasn’t among the survivors.
She’s long dead. She had to have been killed during the escape. Those thoughts always disturbed him.
“You were rescued from one of the termination centers. You were spared the fighting the other cyborgs endured while fleeing the detention camps.”
He rolled his shoulders and faced his friend. “That’s accurate.”
“Is this about that woman who rescued you? The one you told me about? I thought you stopped dreaming about her a few years ago.” Gene slid out of his berth.
He thought he had too. “I had another one.” It would be pointless to lie. It was Gene’s gift to detect deception.
“She’s got to be really old by now if she’s still alive. You know how they age.”
“I believe she was killed for saving my life.”
“She knew the risks. All of them who helped us did. Do not feel guilt. It was her choice.”
He evaluated his emotions. “I’m angry.”
“You were injured and outnumbered. She gave you instructions while you were heavily drugged. They were orders you would have followed under those circumstances. To go after her would have been suicide and she told you to leave her behind.”
“She promised to meet me.” He instantly regretted the words, knew they revealed too much.
Gene’s gaze softened. “You said you didn’t know her long.”
“She was very memorable.”
“Obviously.” His friend sighed. “We should get ready for our shift. Use the cleansing unit first. You look like hell.”
Blackie winced. Hellfire.
* * * * *
Eve gazed at the monitor, bored. “Where are you? I’m sitting right here, smack-dab in the middle of where you should be.” She glanced at the flashing emergency beacon lighting up her console. “Screaming to get your attention.”
“I guess you’re not seeing anything since you’re muttering to yourself?”
She turned her head to glance at the other woman. “Nothing yet, Danica. Our calculations were either wrong or pirates got them.”
Danica snorted. “We’re not that lucky and those bastards are too damn mean to go out that way. They could probably scare those freaks.” She rubbed her arm. The healing cut that she’d earned during battle was evident. “We could go out farther.”
“We run the risk of coming into contact with pirates if we venture deeper into the Bevias sector.”
“So? It beats the shit out of sitting here playing games with the computer. I could totally go for a round with those mutant bastards after the last encounter we had.”
“We blew them up and there were no survivors. I’d say that was a win. There’s no reason to feel slighted.”
“But they targeted my favorite section of the ship. It’s toast.”
“Get over it.” Eve watched the monitor again. “It’s not our job to clean out this sector. The military can deal with them.”
“Speaking of jobs, we aren’t even going to get paid for this. We could be at the way station on Titan right now.” A wistful sigh filled the room. “Where men are.”
Irritation flashed inside Eve as she glanced at her crewmate. “Is that all you think about?”
“Yes. Maybe I could bag a twofer in one of the bars. Some of those criminal types are pretty hot. I could take him back to my quarters, have some fun and just keep him in cuffs afterward until we reach an outpost to hand him off. We’re going to have to pay for those repairs we need somehow. You’d be thinking about those kinds of things too if you weren’t a robot.”
The snort was instant. “Is that how you see me?”
“You may as well be. When did you forget how to have fun and live a little? You’re all about hunting bad guys lately.”
“They attacked three space stations and killed everyone aboard. The military isn’t going to do anything about it but I am. They are deserters no one wants to bring attention to. They stole a shuttle and are targeting innocent outlanders.”
“You realize you’re holding me hostage since you won’t let me off this floating junk pile, don’t you? What are you going to do if we find them? We’re heavily damaged from our encounters with pirates. You wouldn’t signal that luxury liner we passed two days ago. They had men aboard. We could have at least asked for a ride back to our home solar system while they towed this hunk of junk to the nearest space dock. What did I ever do to you to deserve this?”
“You’re still alive.”
“Bitch.”
Eve smiled. “Whiner.”
“You said it yourself. The military doesn’t even have the balls to go after these assholes or put up a reward for their capture. They want to wash their hands of the entire mess as if it doesn’t exist. Why do we have to be the ones to hunt them? Do you have a death wish? Has living lost its shine? I don’t want to die.”
“I don’t, either, but someone has to go after them. They aren’t targeting military or drone ships.”
“Why does it have to be us?”
She turned in her seat to study Danica. “You know why. We can’t ignore innocent people being slaughtered. We’re better than that and we care.”
Danica threw up her arms. “You’ve lost your mind. I’m going to my room. I can at least look at vids of men if I can’t see any real ones.” She stood.
“We can take a ride deeper inside the sector and find some pirates if you’re really intent on hooking up with a guy. It shouldn’t be too hard to capture one for you to keep in your room as a sex slave.”
“Ewww! That’s just sick. I might be desperate but they are mutant freaks. I want someone who looks good and who isn’t insane.”
“Picky, picky.”
“That’s not funny. I’m gone. This is the thanks I get for being so loyal to you.” Danica stormed out of the room.
A hint of guilt pestered Eve. It might have bothered her longer but a light suddenly beeped on her monitor. She pushed the button on the coms. “Contact! Get your ass back here now.”
In seconds Danica returned, rushing to take her seat. “What is it? Who is it?”
“Unknown.” Eve waited for the computer to get a lock on the vessel and identify it. “It is coming our way.”
“It better be a freighter full of hot, long-distance haulers.”
“I’ll cut the signal and hide us behind the moon if it is. They’ll think it’s an echo once we disappear off their screens.”
“No.”
“We can’t exactly dock with them to say ‘hi’. Do you want to start a riot?”
“Yes.”
Eve turned to glare at her sister. “I never want to see a bunch of men fighting each other again, thinking the winners get to drag us off to bed. It was disturbing and we barely made it out of there in one piece. I didn’t want to end up being someone’s sex slave until we were able to escape.”
“They were ugly but these ones might be younger and attractive. It was kind of flattering, how they were willing to beat the shit out of each other that way. Look on the bright side. We were hot commodities and only the strongest would have won. There’s something to be said for that.”
“You worry me.”
“Incoming intel.”
“I’m seeing it.” Eve scanned the scrolling information the computer displayed and tensed. “Pirates. There are three ships, closely grouped. They must have docked together to pool resources.”
“Hide us.”
Four additional blips showed on the monitor. Dread pitted inside Eve’s stoma
ch as she read more information as it was displayed. “It’s a trap.”
“No shit.” Danica’s voice came out high-pitched. “It’s a cluster of those fuckers coming at us from all sides and we’re in the middle. They are undocking to spread out. You rang the dinner bell with that distress signal and they are about to serve us up.”
“Seal all sections of the ship and prepare to blow the seals if they board us. We’ll use rapid decompression to expel them into space.” Her hands trembled when she flipped on the engines. “It’s not an option to run since we can’t escape. We’re in battle mode. Charge our weapons.”
“Already on it.” Danica paused. “Damn it, Eve. It’s going to be a miracle if we survive this. There are twenty-three ships in all now that they’ve separated. Make that twenty-four. We don’t stand a chance in hell with those odds. Think it’s too late to hide?”
“They have too much coverage with their combined scanners locked on. They’d just follow us and we’ll be trapped inside a crater.”
“At least they’d have to come at us head-on.”
“We’re better off in the open. The good thing about these old transports is their solid hulls. We can ram them when they try to come alongside us to board.”
“Great.”
“Do you want a bright side?”
“If you say anything about how I was lonely and now there’re at least a few hundred pirates who want to get their hands on me, I’m going to have to get out of this chair to smack you.”
Eve laughed, some of her fear replaced by humor. “I was going to say the criminals we were chasing probably fell into this same trap and that means they are dead but now that you mentioned it…”
“Fuck you,” Danica grumbled. “Not funny.”
“I wouldn’t say ‘fuck’. We’re women and you know what they are going to do to us if we’re taken alive.”
“Gang-raped to death by mutant freaks.” Danica muttered a string of foul curse words. “So not happening. The only man who’s touching me is going to be sexy looking and not covered in radiation sores.”
Haunting Blackie Page 2