aHunter4Ever (13 page)

There was a keypad on the door.

He swallowed back his fear and focused on Grace. “
Tell me the code.
”
Over and over, he repeated his request, until there was a faint response. He
swore he heard the numbers nine, eight, and four in his mind. He punched them
in. Nothing happened. He tried reversing them. Again, nothing.

He focused on Grace. “
How many?
”

The response was faint, but he heard a four. He needed one more number.
He punched in each combination of the three digits with other numbers, until
the number eight unlocked the door.

He eased his breathing and readied his weapon.

He flung the door open.

Grace was strapped to a steel table and there were two Albireons on
either side of her. One of them had a needle in her arm. Partlan clenched his
jaw as he fought to control the surge of anger and disgust that filled him. He
slammed the door shut and shot the first Albireon in the head.

Grace’s eyes widened and then she twisted her body in an attempt to break
free of her bindings. The second Albireon turned toward the wall.

He had the syringe filled with Grace’s blood in his hands.

His fingers were a few inches away from an alarm button when Partlan
reached him.

He pulled him up by his neck, grabbed the syringe, and shook him. All the
pent up fury and disdain he had for the race came through as he gripped harder.
They had dared to touch Grace and for that they would die. He held tight until
the life drain from the creature and then, he threw him to the ground and shot
him between the eyes to be certain he was dead. Albireons were notoriously hard
to kill. They drew breath not only from their lungs, but also from breathing
holes on their skin.

He would not hurt another human.

Partlan took the syringe over to the sink and broke it. He turned the
water on and washed all of Grace’s blood down the drain. No one would use
Grace’s genetic material for their experiments.

“Partlan.” Grace’s voice sounded weak.

He turned to her. “Are you harmed?”

She shook her head and pointed to the machine in the center of the room.
“They used that to pump a sedative into the air. It’s made me weak.”

Partlan went to the apparatus and pulled the plug from the wall. He made
certain it was off before going to Grace. He tugged at the bindings, but they
held firm. He grabbed a knife from the instrument tray beside her.

“Do not move.”

Grace inhaled. Her eyes were on him as he sliced through the leather
bindings. When her hands were free, she rubbed her wrists and waited while he
worked on the restraints at her feet. She sat and swung her legs over the edge
of the table the moment she was released. Partlan grabbed her to him and held
her tight.

“You called to me and I heard.”

“Thank God.” Grace’s voice was a low sob. “I thought you were dead and
that there would be no escape from these monsters.”

Partlan edged away far enough to look down at her beloved face. He
brushed a hand over her cheek and curled her hair behind her ear. Even bruised
and covered with dirt, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His
heart should have exploded with the joy that rushed through him as he held her.
Instead, it beat strong and steady.

He had found her.

Now, they had to escape.

He cleared his throat. “Eogan has a plan, but we need to get to the
surface.”

Grace nodded and jumped down. Her body trembled and she grabbed the edge
of the table to steady herself. After a few seconds, she straightened up and
shook out her legs.

“I’m ready.” She walked to the door. “Do you have an extra gun?”

She was a true warrior.

She was perfect.

Partlan grinned as he pulled the pistol out of his waistband and handed
it to her. “I did not see anyone when I came to get you. There is a camera at
the end of the hall, but I have pushed it upwards. Stick close to the wall and
we should be safe.”

Partlan opened the door. “Stay behind me.”

“I can take lead.” Grace tried to move ahead of him.

“It is best that you stay hidden behind me.” Partlan was in command mode.
“If we are detected on their surveillance they will only be expecting me.”

“And you want me to be a surprise.”

“It is a simple plan, but effective.” Partlan’s body blocked Grace as she
wedged close to him.

Grace put her hand on his back and stayed near as he sidestepped down the
hall.

They came to the intersection where the elevator was located. He pressed
the button. The whirling noise let him know the car was in motion. He stood to
the side and waited for the doors to open. The car was empty when it arrived.
They rushed in and pressed the button for the upper level.

He sent out a mind connection to Eogan.
“We are in the elevator. What
do we do when at the top?”

“I’ve secured a four wheeled vehicle for you.”

“Any guards?”

“Two at the doors to the outside. I’ve taken care of the two at the
elevator. Several truck engines are running. The noise will provide cover.”
Eogan
hesitated a second.
“Above ground is where most of the video surveillance
is.”

“How many guards can they mobilize?”

“There are over forty on standby. You need to get out of here as fast
as possible. Surprise and speed are your best weapons.”

“You will be there?”

“Yes.”
Eogan’s voice was firm. “
Turn right at the elevator.
There’s a small guard office. I will be waiting for you.
”

Partlan braced himself at the door opening. He raised his pistol and
steadied his breathing.

Grace raised an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?”

Partlan shook his head. “Eogan is waiting for us above.”

The elevator came to a stop.

He motioned Grace to the other side of the door. She nodded and readied
her gun. He had no intention of putting her at risk, but it was good to know
that she could defend herself if something happened to him. He cocked his
pistol as the door opened.

The area was clear.

Partlan stepped out of the elevator and motioned her to stay behind him.

“We’d better move fast or we’ll be overrun with military types.” Grace’s
voice was low.

Partlan nodded and turned to the right. The air was filled with exhaust
fumes and the noise of the running trucks. Eogan’s cover was effective. The
office was where Eogan had said it would be. A large truck was parked in front
and blocked them from the cameras.

He opened the office door a crack and scanned the room. Eogan glanced up
from the bank of computers he was working at. There were two guards dead at his
feet. Partlan motioned Grace to enter and then he shut the door behind them.

“I’ve sent the video feed into a replay loop.” Eogan stood away from the
desk. “That should buy you a few minutes.”

“We’ll need it.” Grace leaned against the wall. “What’s the plan?”

“There’s a fully stocked All-Terrain Vehicle by the side door.”

Eogan picked up two guns from the dead soldiers. He popped out the
magazines and checked the cartridges before handing the weapons to Partlan.
Then, he pulled what looked like a scanner from his inside jacket pocket. He
flicked it on and held it out to Grace.

“What are you doing?” Grace jerked away.

“I need to know if they put a chip in you.” Eogan motioned for her to
hold her arm out and then he scanned it. A loud ringing sounded where the
needle had been inserted into her. “We have to get that out.”

Grace’s expression was dazed. “They took blood from me, that’s all.”

“They injected the chip first and then let the syringe fill up.” Eogan
put the scanner on the desk and took out a small black bag from his pocket.

“How quickly can you get it out?” Partlan glanced out the office door.

“It moves up the bloodstream and implants into soft tissue at joint
junctures. If we put pressure on her arm, we should stop it from progressing.”
Eogan unzipped his bag and handed Partlan a rubber tourniquet. “Put that just
below the elbow. I doubt it has moved far.”

“It happened less than ten minutes ago.” Partlan helped Grace out of her
jacket and then held her arm. A tremor ran through her and he sent her a wave
of calm.

“I’m fine.” Grace’s voice shook. “We might be able to use this to our
advantage.”

Eogan scanned her arm again and stopped about one inch from where the
needle had been inserted. “Put your thumb just above the area so it doesn’t
migrate when I cut.”

Partlan applied the pressure where Eogan instructed and then watched as
he used a scalpel to cut into Grace’s arm. Grace’s muscles tensed for a second
and then relaxed. Eogan used tweezers to poke about the incision. He pulled out
a small oval of metal with leg-like protrusions. It looked like a silver bug.
He held it up for them to inspect and then put it on the desk.

“I never felt it.”

“They microchip every human who comes into this facility, including the
employees.” Eogan put the chip into a small plastic bag and handed it to
Partlan. “It’s a precaution in case there’s a problem or a prisoner escapes.”

“I told you the Albireons were to be feared.” Partlan placed a couple of
strips of adhesive over Grace’s incision. “We can use the chip to mislead them.”

“Anything to throw them off the scent.” Grace shrugged into her suit coat
and flipped her hair over the collar. “We have to get out of here.”

“The ATV is ready. I will distract the men while you punch in the
security code to open the doors.”

“Are you certain you will not come with us?” Partlan

“I’ll follow when the time is right.” Eogan put the scanner and black bag
back into his pockets. “If I leave now, they’ll double their efforts to find
us. I’ll contact you when it is safe.”

Partlan shook his head. It was unheard of for a Hunter to deliberately
separate himself from his brothers. They worked as a team. That is how they
survived. Years of training had made them effective, but then Eogan had not had
the same training. To do something alone, was risking failure and death.

“What is the code?” Partlan handed Grace a second weapon.

“Four, eight, nine, three.” Eogan opened the door and pointed in the
opposite direction. “The side door is at the end of that line of trucks. Once
you’re outside head north toward the MacDonnell Ranges. When you get through
the outer fence, head southeast.”

“Why southeast?”

“It’s easier to meet up with the road and get to the town. You can also
follow the creek bed.” Eogan lowered his voice. “The town is twenty miles away
and has an airport. That’s your best hope of getting out of here before they
capture you.”

“Anything else I should know?” Partlan eased his shoulder muscles and put
an arm around Grace. To lose her before they were free was not an option.

“There’s more than one fence around the perimeter. I put wire cutters on
the ATV.” Eogan pulled a folded paper out of his jacket and pushed it into
Partlan’s hands. “Here’s a map. They patrol the area day and night. Use evasive
tactics. The boundary around the facility is prohibited, so if you run into
someone, they’re either an employee or security.”

Partlan nodded. “We will hide until the search quietens down.”

“It’s desert and mountain. There’s some scrub trees and rocks, but not
much cover.”

“Understood.” Grace glanced around Partlan to look outside of the office.
“I’ve had basic survival training for all terrains.”

“You’ll need it.” Eogan slipped through the opening. “Give me the chip.
If they spot you, I’ll send this off in the opposite direction.”

The sound of gears grinding and then an engine being revved, filled the
upper level. Partlan waited until he heard voices yelling from the direction
Eogan had gone, before grabbing Grace’s hand and moving toward the side door.
They would only have a small window of opportunity and he could not waste any
time.

Footsteps sounded near him.

They ducked behind one of the large trucks just as a guard ran by them.
He was headed toward Eogan. Partlan eased around the vehicle. No one was in
sight, so he motioned Grace to follow him to the side door. There was a keypad
at the large metal entryway.

“Ready?” He looked back at Grace. “You get the ATV started while I get
this open.”

Grace pointed to a square shaped, smaller vehicle that was parked away
from the trucks. “That one?”

Partlan nodded. “Go.”

Partlan keyed in the code that Eogan had given him. The keys lit up and
then there was a clicking noise as if a latch were unlocking. There was a loud
whirring sound and then the doors slid open about four feet before stopping. It
was just enough room to get the small vehicle through. He raced to Grace and
jumped onto the ATV that she had already started up. She pulled away with a
speed that sent them up in the air before settling back to the ground. He
leaned close so that his body would shield her from danger.

They emerged from the side of a mountain.

Partlan squinted to protect his eyes from the blinding intensity of the
sun’s glare. Ahead of them was a series of white domes and buildings. That
looked to be the main facility and they needed to head in the opposite
direction. Grace turned left and they skirted the edge of a dark reddish
mountain until they reached a gorge that headed north.

“This must be where Eogan wanted us to go.” Partlan pointed to the opening.

“Are you certain?” Grace looked back at him. “There’s a road. That
suggests an entry point for vehicles and a gate.”

“We will try and detour around the gatehouse.”

Grace headed down the road. Partlan sensed her unease, but there was no
way around a confrontation. Escape and safety were their priorities. They were
on a dirt road inside of the facility, driving a vehicle with an insignia on
it. They should blend in.

A small guardhouse was within sight when Partlan noticed another road
heading north. He touched Grace’s shoulder and pointed. She veered to the left
and detoured several hundred yards before the guardhouse. With any luck, they
would assume that they were supposed to be there. They continued unhampered
until they reached the first fence.

Grace slowed and came to a stop.

Partlan grabbed the bolt cutters and threw a rock at the fence. Nothing
happened. It was not electrified. He cut the chain-link fence. They drove
through and continued for several minutes until another two fences blocked
them. Ten feet separated the last two fences. Beyond the barriers were
mountains and desert.

Freedom.

Partlan eased himself off the vehicle and after ensuring it was safe, he
made quick work of opening the chain links.

Grace glanced behind her. “Hurry. I see dust from approaching vehicles.”

“Drive.” He held the links apart.

She sped through the opening. Partlan ran to the second fence, where he
repeated the same process. Grace raced through and waited until Partlan jumped
on behind her.

“Drive north.”

“We don’t have a compass.”

Partlan pointed in the direction of the mountain range in the distance.
Grace took off. Dry, parched land surrounded them as far as they could see.
Behind them, billows of dust were filling the air. One plume was where they had
cut through the first fence, and then a second billow was coming from the
western side of the base.

It was imperative that they reach cover soon. He did not want to chance
being tracked by thermal imaging equipment or helicopters. They needed to get
as much distance between them as possible.

“They have sent out reinforcements.” Partlan spoke above the roar of the
all-terrain vehicle. “Gun it.”

Grace nodded and even though the vehicle moved faster, their pursuers
were still gaining on them. There was no way they could outrun them. Partlan
needed to throw them off their track. He scanned the vast desert in front,
looking for an area with a variation in topography.

“Turn left here.”

“That’s opposite of where the airport is.”

“This vehicle is too slow. We need to find a place to hide until
nightfall.”

“You think there is a cave or rock outcrop there?”

“It’s our best chance.”

Partlan pointed in a northwestern direction. “Head there.”

It looked to be a small outcropping of stone. They were still several
miles away and beyond that was a drop in the terrain. If he planned it right,
Grace would be in hiding before he sent the vehicle off in the opposite
direction. He would be within an easy distance to run to the outcrop and yet
far enough away from the trajectory of the ATV that no one should guess where
they were hidden.

“Stop.”

Grace hit the brakes. The vehicle came to a grinding halt within a billow
of red sand. Partlan jumped off and opened the storage container. He rummaged
through until he found a length of nylon rope. It should keep the engine going
when it was tied around the thumb throttle.

“Run to the outcrop and hide. I will catch up to you.”

“I can’t leave you here alone.” Grace crossed her arms over her chest.

Partlan had no intention of wasting time arguing. “If you are captured,
then all is lost.”

“I can help.”

Partlan climbed back on the ATV He handed her two bottles of water and a
backpack from the storage. “Getting to safety is the best thing you can do to
help me.”

A muscle tightened in her jaw. “What happens if you don’t come back?”

“Follow Eogan’s directions and get to the airport.”

Grace glanced over her shoulder. “That’s not what I mean. How am I
supposed to go on if you’re dead?”

The steady beat of Partlan’s heart stuttered to a stop. He inhaled a sharp
breath. “I will come back to you.”

“Men say that, but they never mean it.” Grace’s voice was low. “You’ll
leave like the rest.”

“I will never leave you, not even in death.” Partlan gazed into her deep
blue eyes. “You are as necessary to me as breathing. I will always be with
you.”

“Promise.” A tremor ran through Grace’s voice.

“Yes. I have every intention of returning to you alive. I need to set up
a decoy position so that we can escape.”

Grace held his gaze for a second and then nodded. “I’ll meet you at the
outcrop.”

Partlan watched her run in the direction of the rock before turning back
to the vehicle. He forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He needed to
lead their pursuers in his direction. That was the only way he would be able to
keep Grace safe.

He spun the tires of the ATV and kicked up enough dust so that there
would be no mistaking where the vehicle was. When the plume had encompassed
him, he let the vehicle lurch forward. He twisted the throttle and sent it
speeding in a westerly direction.

He drove until he was certain the men from the compound were following.
Then he stopped. He set the emergency brake and wrapped the rope around the
thumb throttle and tied a tight knot. The engine revved at full speed and when
he released the brake, it sped off on its own. Ahead, were miles of
uninterrupted
desert.
The vehicle should continue its
journey unhampered.

Partlan backtracked toward Grace.

The ground was hard packed and he made certain he left no footprints. He
ran at top speed. For the first time since landing on this planet, he was
thankful for his improved speed. He needed to be with Grace. Her words showed
that she wanted him near also. It gave his feet wings.

When the outcrop was within sight, his ears picked up the almost silent
turning of a rotor blade. He scanned the horizon and saw a sleek black
helicopter coming toward him. If they found him so close to the outcropping,
then they’d find Grace too. He sent out a mind connection and a wave of urgency
to Grace to stay hidden.

He turned away and headed toward a group of low growing scrub trees. It
would be difficult for thermal imaging to see him, and he would be hidden from
the human eye. He sent a message to Ardal with their location and plans. If he
did not survive, Grace needed protection.

He reached the trees just as the helicopter hovered above the rock
outcropping.

His breath caught and he sent out another message for Grace to stay
hidden. He was too far away to stop them. All he could do was come into the
open and force them to capture him instead. He readied himself to jump out when
the helicopter dipped lower, throwing up red sand and dust into the air.

The pilot was going in for a closer look.