Righteous Fury (To Protect and Service Book 2)

by Tracy St. John

  Nursery. Kimi’s heart dropped. “Fuck. How many babies?”

  “Over a hundred.”

  “And fuck me again.” Her concerns about their welfare remained, but she had to have help. Even the untrained kind was better than nothing. She made a decision and offered a hurried prayer that she wouldn’t regret it. “Anyone ready to tag along? Blow some bastards to hell?”

  Not surprisingly, Bared Teeth was the first to volunteer. “Hell yeah. I could use some target practice on a few of these alien shitheads’ crotches. I’m not as badass as you, but I know how to shoot.”

  “Glad to have you with me. Anyone else up for a quick lesson on these guns, then on to glory?”

  Three more opted in, including Preggers. The instruction was hasty, and not thorough by any means, but time was at a premium. Once Kimi was satisfied her squad was at least rudimentarily prepared, she gave her final instructions.

  “I’ll take point, going camouflaged so I can look around corners and check rooms. Preggers, you’re with me, giving me directions. You lead, I’ll keep up. The jerks here are used to seeing you walking the halls, right? If they catch sight of you, it won’t be a big deal. If you halt, the rest know to find cover.”

  “Got it.” Preggers was pale but resolute. Hope had given her something to fight for once more. Kimi hoped she wasn’t serving her up to death on a platter.

  My options are next to nil. If I’m getting any of them out of here, they’ll have to stick their necks out too and hope for the best.

  “Let’s go.”

  With Preggers giving the go-ahead after looking out the door, they filed out.

  Chapter Twenty

  Kimi pulled her hood up and camouflaged. Bared Teeth muttered, “That is so freaky.”

  Ignoring her, Kimi told Preggers, “Okay, we’re heading out. Walk normally, and I’ll keep up. Everybody else, keep about ten feet behind us.”

  They set off, with Preggers directing them to the left, down a stretch of corridor. The area smelled the same as the area they left: acrid with the stench of sweat, piss and shit. There weren’t any doors for a distance, just yards of gray walls and white floors. When they did pass doors, all were closed.

  “They lead to other areas of the compound. Living quarters, training areas for Hanos’s soldiers, tactical rooms—a bunch of shit. They’re kept locked,” Preggars whispered to Kimi.

  “The bastard has his own army. This place needs a nuclear bomb tossed on it.”

  “I’d love to see that.”

  Voices, raised in excitement, filtered to Kimi from the distant bend in the hall. Preggers slowed. “That doesn’t sound normal.”

  “Tell the others to stop. I’ll run ahead and see what’s happening.”

  Kimi jogged ahead while the rest waited. Despite the camouflage, she stopped at the corner. Her program warned that there was technology available that could detect a cloaked person. While the suit was an excellent tool, she’d be an idiot to rely on it too much.

  She peered around the corner. A group of two dozen Gilothean men stood on either side of an open doorway. They were armed and ready to fire their pistols into the room beyond. One yelled at whoever was within to set down their weapons. “Obey, and you’ll be allowed to live!”

  Interesting. Kimi ignored a flash of hope and raced to the women. She deactivated her camouflage to share the situation.

  She explained the scene to Preggers. “Where does the door the soldiers are grouped around lead?”

  “It’s another fuck room for condemned breeders.”

  “I guessed that. I’ll bet you anything that’s where my friend Raven is. She must be leading the standoff.” Kimi eyed Bared Teeth. “Here’s the plan. I’m taller, so you’ll crouch down behind the corner and fire on those bastards. I’ll shoot high. If we run out of ammo, whoever’s behind us will hand us their weapons. If Hanos’s assholes rush us, everyone fires on them. Do your best to stay under cover. Got it?”

  Though they were wide-eyed with fear, they nodded. A woman, visibly trembling, said, “I’ve learned the hard way how these shitheads think. They’ll probably kill us all no matter what, since the other group decided to resist. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

  “The only way out is through,” Bared Teeth agreed. “Lead on, Officer.”

  Kimi jerked her head toward the bend in the corridor and set off. She listened to the soft padding of the bare feet following her, of the yells of the Gilothean issuing his last warning to the other group.

  She and Bared Teeth got into position. The dark-haired woman, crouched at Kimi’s feet, glanced at her. Kimi checked the other three, who were poised to give up their weapons if needed. She nodded.

  “Now.”

  She and Bared Teeth leaned out and fired on the soldiers.

  The initial volley was too easy, and Kimi wasted half a dozen of the enemy before the rest of their number started to turn. Her programming had taken over, sighting and firing and weighing the danger in the mere two seconds that passed before Hanos’s men reacted. They went down in massive sprays of blood. Explosive ammo was messy.

  The soldier who’d been yelling before shouted as he sighted her and Bared Teeth. “Those bitches are loose too! Hit them!”

  “Get back!” Kimi yanked Bared Teeth behind the corner as their opponents opened fire. Kimi activated her suit. The instant the shooting stopped, she popped out. Unseen, she took out another five men.

  “She’s camouflaged! Lay down suppressing—”

  The squad leader was drowned out by a fresh surge of fire. More fell, but not by Kimi’s efforts. As she watched, several women spilled out of the doorway, led by Raven in her camosuit.

  Kimi whooped in triumph, aiming carefully and tearing apart the panicked soldiers heading in her direction. Seconds later, they all lay still, the walls dripping with their blood.

  In the silence that followed, Kimi called out, “Raven, it’s me! Don’t fire!”

  “Kimi! You okay?”

  Her bestie visibly sagged with relief as Kimi deactivated her camo. They raced to each other, hurdling the bodies. They hugged as the others huddled close.

  Not caring about the tears streaming down her cheeks, Kimi said, “Awesome job, gal pal. I’m glad you got loose too.”

  “It wouldn’t have ended well if you hadn’t come when you did. The bastards had us pinned down until you started firing.”

  The air suddenly blared with sirens. “Someone wasn’t paying attention, were they? The alert’s rather late.” Kimi had to yell over the cacophony.

  “It’s not good news, even delayed. More company is coming.”

  “We’re heading for the nursery.”

  Raven paled at the word nursery, but she didn’t falter for an instant. “Lead on.”

  Kimi motioned to their mom-to-be. “Come on, Preggers. You’re up. Which way to the babies?”

  With Kimi and Preggers on point and Raven watching their asses, the combined forces of the women moved on.

  Less than a minute later, they reached the nursery, located around another bend in the corridor. Gawping at the large chamber with the huge, glassless window, Kimi and Raven groaned in tandem.

  Rows of metal bassinets lined up with military precision. There was movement in most of them, on the stained mattresses. More babies rolled and crawled on discolored gray floor mats, when they weren’t lying still and crying.

  “Holy hell. How many kids?” Raven demanded.

  “Over a hundred. This is the first wave of the breeding program. As soon as the children can walk and do small tasks, Hanos will sell them.” Preggers seemed unaware of the protective hand she placed on her own swollen stomach.

  Kimi glanced at the others who’d come along as backup. Horror and confusion lit most of their expressions. “None of you are the mothers. Or at least, not all of you.”

  “Those not condemned sleep in another wing. Remember, the majority of those put in the fuck rooms were proven unable to carry children.”

  �
�How are we supposed to take all these babies out of here, Raven?” Kimi hoped her friend had a suggestion, even a bad one. She was at a complete loss.

  “I don’t think that matters now. Listen.”

  Beneath the wails of the unattended babies came the rhythmic thumping of approaching footsteps.

  Kimi ignored the door a few feet away, electing to climb through the huge window instead. The sill was only crotch-high. “The party’s starting up again. Let’s get ready.”

  The rest joined her, either vaulting over the windowsill or rushing through the door. Sizing up the situation, Kimi barked orders. “Hide the kids and yourselves under whatever cover you can find. Cluster the cribs toward the rear and put the empties in front of them as a barricade. Make it fast!”

  They raced to give themselves and the children as much protection as they could. The mats were set against the wall of bassinets they created, affording extra, if flimsy, concealment.

  As they constructed the barricade, Preggers sighed, “So much for you blowing Hanos’s head off.”

  “Yeah, well, you can’t win them all.” Raven managed to sound downright cheerful.

  “We might yet, if we can hold them off long enough.” Kimi let none of her doubt through.

  “How? My collar’s gone. Vendeen can’t track me without it.”

  “Silly girl with your outdated tech. Unless Hanos thought to play with my programs, and the scan says he didn’t, Laaruu can find me. My tracker’s installed in the computer interface.”

  “Nice. I do like the outward sign of Vendeen’s ownership, but I might have to upgrade. If your facechanger manages to show up in time.” Raven’s mood darkened. “Quick rescue or quick death. I’ll take either over the fuckatorium I woke up in.”

  “Incoming! Everyone down!” Kimi shouted as the Hanos’s soldiers appeared on the other side of the window.

  The women’s screams were lost in the barrage of heavy shooting. The world narrowed to firing their guns and hoping.

  As Kimi shot and ducked bullets, an object flew over the bassinet barricade to land at her feet. It rolled toward Raven. Though it resembled a shiny black ball with a red button, Kimi’s program set off an alarm in her head that insisted she run. Unfortunately, she had nowhere to go.

  “Is that what I think it is?”

  “Shit!” Raven grabbed it and hurled it through the window. Not a moment too soon; it detonated an instant after the bad guys sprang aside.

  Almost immediately, another was tossed in, landing in almost the same place as before. It was Kimi’s turn to throw it back.

  “You shoot! I’ll throw!” Raven shouted as more grenades came flying in. She was a whirlwind as she caught them in midair and pitched them out as fast as they came. Kimi laid down cover for her, keeping the soldiers from gunning down her friend when they weren’t dodging the blasts.

  Their armor must have provided some sort of protection, she reasoned grimly. Otherwise, those grenades should have taken their owners out when Raven tossed them.

  Their foes realized they were making no headway in using grenades against them. The hailstorm of explosives stopped, ending with two lobbed in at once. Raven caught them and windmilled, releasing the grenade in her right hand, closely followed by the one in her left.

  She’d no sooner released it when it went off in a burst of bright red, orange and yellow. Kimi instinctively ducked and covered, feeling the sting of shrapnel strike her. She barely felt the hits, a vision of her exposed friend foremost in her mind.

  “Raven!”

  She glanced in the dark-haired woman’s direction, expecting the worst. Her fears seemed confirmed when she saw Raven crouched down, holding a now fingerless hand before her grim face.

  The shine of metal peeking through burnt “skin” allowed Kimi to breathe again. Shaking off the horror, Kimi popped up to shoot two Gilotheans trying to come through the window. The other attackers dove for protection as she unleashed a barrage.

  As she paused, Raven’s voice reached her. “Well, hell. Good thing it’s not my shooting hand. Vendeen’s going to be pissed at the cost of replacement.”

  She rejoined the fight. Kimi, Raven, and Bared Teeth continued to hold off the enemy as the babies wailed. Preggers crawled close to Kimi.

  “You three are the better shots. The rest of us couldn’t hit a barn from twenty paces. We’re saving our guns and the ammo for when you run out,” she shouted.

  “Good plan.” Kimi’s magazine count was racing down to zero.

  “We just ask that you leave us enough ammo to finish ourselves when we lose.”

  Kimi glanced at Preggers, then returned to the fight. Anger mixed with guilt. “Sorry it didn’t go as I’d hoped.”

  “It’s all right. The end Hanos had for us was far worse.”

  More of Hanos’s men were clustering close to the window, some not crouching to hide behind the wall beneath it. Panic turned their faces ashen. The fire increased, though fewer shots split the air over Kimi’s head.

  She realized what was happening. “The cavalry’s here! Our pet dicks showed up!”

  They’d apparently come in force, because Hanos’s soldiers jumped into the nursery and scrambled about, desperate for a place to hide. Kimi, Raven and Bared Teeth blasted without mercy, mowing down their antagonists as they attempted to escape the larger force coming at them.

  Moments later, it was over. Or it seemed to be. The sound of footfalls advancing reached Kimi, despite her hearing having been compromised by the nonstop shooting seconds before.

  “Vendeen! Daagiis! Are you out there?” Raven called.

  “We’re here.”

  Kimi could have screamed with joy as Laaruu and Raven’s sweethearts hove into view on the other side of the window, with a contingent of camosuit-clad Paatiin and Gilotheans. The loudest shout came from Daagiis, however.

  “Raven!” He beamed with delight as he and Laaruu scrambled over the wall and bodies to reach the barricade of bassinets. The pair began flinging the obstacles to the side.

  Laaruu’s turquoise gaze met Kimi’s. He didn’t speak. Perhaps, like her, he couldn’t.

  Raven betrayed little emotion. “You’re late. As usual.”

  Vendeen had used the door to come in. He scowled at Raven. “Do you know how much those damned arms cost?”

  “Since you’ve never bought me a ring, it equals out. Diamonds are forever, but robotic limbs are a lifesaver.”

  Kimi ignored the thread of their back-and-forth as she and Laaruu cleared the final obstruction between them. The next instant, she was in his arms, kissing him passionately.

  The embrace ended all too soon as far as Kimi was concerned. “Love that tracking.”

  “I’m glad I had it installed. I’d show you how relieved I am to see you in one piece, but we need to get out of here.”

  “He’s right. We’re outnumbered, having lost half our complement due to mutiny.” Daagiis and Vendeen clutched Raven between them.

  Raven snapped into ranger mode, duty her everlasting guide. “There are a lot of women in this wing to evacuate, as well as babies.”

  Vendeen gazed at those who’d stood with her and Kimi, at the babies they held protectively to their chests. Kimi was amazed to note they’d lost no one in the battle.

  He snapped a nod. “Let’s grab everyone and go.”

  Kimi was impressed he didn’t hesitate when it came to rescuing the abductees and children. Maybe Vendeen wasn’t so bad after all.

  It was bizarre to see babies tucked under the arms of warriors poised to blast the first enemy to cross their path. And scary—if Hanos’s thugs showed up, their fire would likely hit the children. The rescue party had no choice in the matter, however. The little ones had to be carried, and those who’d come with Kimi and Raven weren’t enough in numbers or strength to do it.

  Fortunately, there had been no encounters with Hanos’s men, though the alarms had been going off for at least five minutes. No matter what the delay was that caused the
soldiers to not be in their faces yet, Kimi welcomed it. Every second brought them closer to escape.

  It was easy to coax the coherent females of the two fuck rooms. With nothing but rape and death to look forward to, they had nothing to lose. The catatonic victims, seven in all, had to be carried by the men.

  Another wave of Hanos’s fighters showed up, and the air blistered with firing and screams. Kimi found herself next to Laaruu. As if they were well-oiled machine, they tore through the advancing hostiles with their guns. Each concentrated on the most threatening section at a given moment and warned the other of what to watch out for.

  I love fighting beside him. Kimi was shocked that she enjoyed the unending fire and exploding bullets whizzing around her. She and Laaruu were well-choreographed, the dance they performed to dodge and destroy an intricate masterpiece. It was as if they could read each other’s minds, figuring out not only the enemy’s next move, but their partner’s as well. Given they had many of the same programs, it was little surprise they were in such perfect sync.

  Fortunately, the enemy numbered less than half of Vendeen’s and Laaruu’s forces, allowing the rescue party to finish off Hanos’s men with only a few injuries. None of the children were wounded, and five women had been merely grazed.

  Kimi and Laaruu glanced at each other at the same moment and exchanged victorious grins. A surge of pure affection swept through Kimi for her master.

  Damn him. Had he made her fall in love with him?

  To hide her unexpected concerns, she said, “I can’t believe they didn’t send a bigger force against us. Don’t they have video monitoring or any kind of surveillance system?”

  “We have ships in orbit blocking their frequencies. They know we’re here, but not exactly where. Which is a good thing, considering we detected life signs of ten times our number in this complex alone. They’re having to search the area for us, rather than come in a united force.”

  Kimi could have asked for more information, but the seconds were flying by. The group stepped over the dead and hurried to a door which Preggers said led to the breeding females.