Ecstasy Bound (26 page)

“Kam must have come across an Egesa for him to issue the alarm,” Leila said, looking over Braden and his injuries.

Erik nodded. He’d been about to issue the same alert from medical, when Kam’s warning had come over the comm system.

“I hope he’s all right. And Halah. I imagine they’re together,” she continued, her voice sounding shaky.

“At least Halah has her electrical powers.” Erik glanced back at Leila. He worried that all this was finally getting to her. “They won’t be totally defenseless.”

“Those powers won’t do her or anyone with her much good unless she can get close enough for hand to hand combat,” Laszlo reminded him, coming forward.

Erik couldn’t understand why this damn shelter wasn’t stocked with weapons.

“Why isn’t this shelter outfitted for battle?” he asked Laszlo.

“We were in the process of upgrading. We’d removed a lot of the old supplies and some equipment but hadn’t finished refurbishing all the underground facilities yet.”

“And you picked one of the unfinished ones to bring us to. Wonderful.”

“I didn’t know this was going to happen. Not like this. This one had the research equipment I needed.”

Not like this.
What the hell kind of research was so important that he had to disappear to do it? Every explanation Laszlo gave seemed to be a half truth at best.

Erik’s frustration kicked up a notch but he was too concerned about the others to worry over Laszlo’s words. For now. Besides, he was tired of trying to figure out Laszlo’s riddles. The man rarely spoke straight out and it had become more than irritating. “If Briggs, Brianna, Josella and Pitch are still in the conference room, they should be here any minute. That’s not far.”

“But they’re not armed.” Laszlo headed back toward the rear of the room and retrieved Braden’s disruptor. “They might need cover.”

“Wait. What are you doing?” Leila asked.

“I’m going after them. Without Briggs, everything falls apart. Earth will not listen to us if their representative ends up dead. They already look on our motives with uncertainty and consider our actions suspicious.”

“Once Daegal arrives on Earth, they’ll trust us.” Erik wasn’t so certain involving Earth so deeply in their fight was wise. Though, because of time constraints, he supposed they actually had little choice in the matter. Still, he would rather have developed a trained military among the planets in their own quadrant. They might have faced political roadblocks but he’d be more trusting of the outcome.

“Their response depends on whether Daegal attacks right away or tries to woo them over to his side with empty promises and lies about us. We need Earth now just as much as they need us. Though they don’t know that. Yet. I’m not taking a chance on Briggs getting killed.”

“We should give Brianna and the others a few minutes.” Erik looked up and down the corridor. “Putting yourself in danger—”

“I’m going.”

Laszlo brushed past him and disappeared from view around a side corridor.

Leila sighed and her attention returned to Braden. “Daegal’s evil has no end.”

She was right but all Erik could think about was Laszlo’s impulsiveness. He should have waited. Brianna and Pitch were very capable officers.

Laszlo was an icon to their people. Finding him alive would inspire loyalty and commitment among Xylon’s survivors. If he got himself killed, it would definitely make the reorganization of the Warrior fleets harder. It had been hard enough when he had disappeared before Xylon was destroyed.

Only those closest to the man had their suspicions and doubts about him. Everyone else would follow Laszlo without question and that’s the kind of loyalty they needed right now.

“Erik, Braden’s coming around.”

Erik closed the door and locked it, not wanting to leave them exposed to the Egesa.

He activated the outside monitors, so he could see anyone coming. He walked over to Leila and Braden. “Hey, buddy.”

“Alexa?” he whispered.

“Safe. Dematerialized out.”

“I-I can’t get a reading on her.” His voice was barely audible and scratchy.

“You took a hit to the head,” Leila said. “It might have affected your chip.”

He reached into his jacket. “My vid-comm.” He cringed as he moved.

Erik reached inside to get it for him. His stomach clenched as he looked at the readout. Nothing had registered. Shit! Had the transport-connector worked or not?

“She’s fine,” he lied, doing his best to control his expression. Were they dead? His heart sank at the thought. Nobody could do anything to help Alexa now, so he saw no reason to worry Braden. He’d do the worrying for all of them and tell his friend later, after they got out of here.

“Just rest,” Leila said. “We’re safe in the decon room.”

“Everyone?”

“Not yet,” Erik informed him. “They’re on their way. The alarm has been issued.”

Braden tried to sit up.

“Not so fast.” Erik pushed him back down, then slid the vid-comm into his own jacket, not wanting Braden to see the blank screen.

“You shouldn’t try to get up,” Leila warned, shaking her head. “You’ll need a few more hours at least. Your leg and side are already healing nicely but your head will take more time. Don’t worry. Erik has everything under control.”

She smiled at him and he smiled back, though he felt very out of control at the moment. When he looked back down, he saw that Braden had passed out again. “Is he really going to be all right?”

“I think so. Rest is the best thing for him right now.” She turned toward the monitor. “Where is everyone?”

“They’ll be moving slower, especially since they’re unarmed for the most part.

Keeping to the side and service corridors and the sublevel. The Egesa will stay in the main areas of the facility at first while they get a feel for the place and check out any schematics they can pull up on the main computer.”

“We should have agreed on a code. Kept our location secret.”

“They
will
expect the message they heard was coded and assume decon is a trap or a decoy. At first. They won’t descend on us immediately until they assess the situation.

At least that’s standard military procedure. You know that.”

She scratched her head. “Yes I do. Or did. I’m so worn out that my brain is mush.”

His heart went out to her. He wanted to hug her close and tell her everything was going to be all right, though he wasn’t certain himself. But they all had to stay strong and alert right now until the danger passed. Letting their guard down, even to comfort one another, would need to wait. “Being direct as Kam was will probably give us a little extra time while the Egesa are trying to figure things out. But eventually they will check out this room and try to get in.”

“Let’s just hope everyone makes it here before the Egesa do. If not, then we’re going to have a big problem.”

They were going to have bigger problems if Alexa and the triplets weren’t safe. For now, he was going to assume they’d arrived at their destination and for some reason the vid-comm just wasn’t signaling. It was the only way he’d be able to maintain his sanity.

* * * * *

“All right,” Kam said. “Up the ladder and decon is around the corner.” He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. The air was really thin. He and Halah hadn’t finished with their repairs yet. The malfunction had involved different areas and they’d only fixed the first of three key elements.

“I should head up before the rest of you,” Josella said. “I’ll be able to smell if an Egesa is near.”

“No way,” Halah said. “I’m armed. My electrical powers, combined with my jacket shield, gives me the most protection. I’m going up first. I know their scent too. If they come up on us fast, I might be able to take out one of them before they realize what’s happening and get us a weapon.”

“You don’t know their smell as well as I do. I can give us more lead time to get away or to set up an ambush.”

“Then you follow me and stay close.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Pitch said. “You ladies are not leading the way. I’m head of security. It’s my job. Move aside.”

“Don’t even think of starting any of that male bullshit, Pantera,” Halah said, giving him a serious look of intimidation. “I still outrank you, so back off.”

“In your own head. Laszlo hasn’t officially reinstated your rank.”

“That’s a minor point, given the gravity of our situation. I’m sure he—”

“Everyone calm down,” Kam responded to the argument. None of them were thinking clearly and military protocol was breaking down. “I’m going first. Without the equipment down here interfering, I’ll be able to sense them even with my weakening sensors. Halah is second for a quick defense. Josella, a close third in case I miss sensing someone. She’ll be able to pick up odors in front and back in that position. Pitch, take the rear to make sure we’re not hit from behind.”

Halah cocked an eyebrow at him.

Kam held back the smile that threatened to take over his face. Technically, she outranked him too. But given her position, her rank was like Torque’s used to be, mostly for show, as Pitch indicated, until fully reinstated by Laszlo.

Torque had been given back most privileges of rank but not his ability to command.

Halah had never held a command rank but as a Class 1, when in good standing, she ranked higher than his own Class 2 position.

Still, he assumed her acquiescence and started forward. He might catch hell for it later, but for now, he figured the fastest way to shut them all up and get everyone moving was to take charge with a no-argument attitude.

They all hesitated and stared at him. Then at her.

Halah grunted. “Fine. Let’s go, before we end up ambushed,” she replied, falling into step behind him.

The others followed.

Movement caught Erik’s eye. He looked up at the monitor and saw Torque coming down the corridor fast. He punched open the door and moved to the entry, weapon at the ready just in case. “Hurry. Get in.”

Torque rushed inside and Erik backed up to the control panel to close the room.

“Did you come across any Egesa?”

“Yep.” Torque raised a weapon and waved it in show.

“An electro-zapper?” Erik frowned. “Hell, that’s a crappy weapon. Not much more powerful than a pain inducer, except skin contact isn’t necessary with that model. What was a soldier doing with that?”

“He wasn’t a soldier.”

Interesting. “What was he?”

“We didn’t chat, Erik.”

“Funny. What do you think?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. An advisor maybe, who wandered off on his own.

Where’s—” Torque’s eyes widened. “Braden?” He rushed over to the portable bed.

“What happened?”

“He got cornered in medical,” Erik told him, following him over.

“He’ll be all right,” Leila added quickly, touching Torque’s arm. “He was hit in the head, side and leg. He’s been in and out. Sleep is the best thing for him right now.”

“Alexa and the babies?” Torque asked.

“Dematerialized out,” she answered.

Torque looked at Erik. “Quadrant Port XST?”

“Yes.” At least he hoped so. “We’ll send armed rescue ships for them after we get out of here and to our base on the Ice Moon.” Torque must have overheard him and Braden in the control room, discussing the backup plan. Or maybe Braden had told him about the plan. Either way, he was glad that Torque knew. Torque’s and Braden’s relationship had been shaky for years but this tragedy, as well as recent incidents before this happened, had brought them closer again.

“Erik,” Leila said. “Don’t you find it odd that Laszlo never asked about Alexa and the triplets?”

She was right. Laszlo hadn’t asked. “He probably overheard you tell me what happened.” Though his natural suspicions had him wondering where Laszlo was concerned, especially since neither he nor Leila had mentioned the exact location where
A
lexa had gone. He would have thought Laszlo would be curious about that,. Unless Braden had informed him of the plan.

“Look.” Torque nodded toward the monitor.

Kam, Halah, Josella and Pitch were headed their way. Erik stepped closer to the entry. “Get the door, Torque. I’ll give them cover.” He readied his weapon.

Torque moved in front of the control panel. “Wait. We’ve got a problem. Two Egesa are coming the other way. Those bastards are setting up an ambush.”

“Warn them.”

“No need. Kam’s sensed their presence,” Leila said. “He knows they’re coming. He and the others are backing away.”

“All right,” Erik began. “The Egesa will have to go right by the decon room door to continue after them. Once they pass, open it and I’ll fire. I’ll be able to get at least one.

It’ll be enough of a distraction for the others to get well away.”

“We’ll both fire,” Torque said. “Leila, take over the controls. We can down both Egesa and clear the path for the others to get to us.”

“With that nothing weapon, you have?” Erik wasn’t comfortable with Torque facing an enemy with anything so weak. His shot would have to be spot on or…

“If I get one in the eye, he’ll go down. I’ve done it before with a laser zapper, which is a very similar weapon. I used to practice on dung-rats.”

“Nasty rodents. Hard to hit.” Leila moved over to the controls. “I trust Torque’s ability but what makes you think the Egesa are after Kam and the others and not simply headed here?”

“They’re moving too fast,” Erik said. “The Egesa spotted our people on one of the monitors and are headed to intercept. I’d bet my rank on it.”

“I hope you’re right. Because if they hesitate when they get to the decon door, opening it will be tricky if not downright deadly.”

“They’re getting close,” Torque replied. “Are we set?”

“Whatever you decide, do it fast.” Leila fingered the controls.

“I’ll go low and take out the one on the right,” Erik said, crouching down. “You go high and take the one on the left,” he told Torque. “You’re going to have to wait until he turns completely. Once he does, if you miss, one of us could end up dead.”

“I’m not going to miss.”

“Get ready,” Leila warned. “If either of you gets hit, I’m closing up the room. All right. Opening. Now.” She hit the button and the doors whooshed apart.

The Egesa turned at the sound. Erik fired first, getting one Egesa in the neck. He crumpled. Then Torque fired, piercing the other Egesa in the right eye. The creature got off a shot but it flew wild. He crashed to the corridor floor.

Erik hesitated a moment to make sure neither Egesa was moving. When he was certain, he stepped forward and nudged each creature with his boot. “It’s clear!” he called out to the others.

Kam, Halah, Josella and Pitch came around the corner. Torque handed the electro-zapper to Pitch and took the disruptor from the Egesa he’d shot. Erik handed Kam the other Egesa’s disruptor.

“Everyone inside,” Leila said, stepping over to the door. “Before any more of them show up.”

“How many are down here?” Pitch asked.

“Unknown,” Erik answered.

Kam looked around the room as everyone filed in and the door closed behind them.

“Where are Alexa and the others?”

“Alexa and the triplets dematerialized out,” Erik told him. “Braden came up with a backup plan, using a transport-connector that Briggs had. They’re safe on an orbiting repair station.” The more he said it, the more he was apt to believe it, or so he kept telling himself. “Laszlo went in search of Brianna and Briggs. Braden took a hit.” Erik motioned toward the back of the room. “He’s all right, just out cold right now.”

“What about Delemar?” Pitch asked. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

“Delemar is dead,” Torque answered.

Everyone looked over at him.

“Broken neck.”

Nobody said anything. But everybody suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

After a tense moment, Erik pulled Torque aside. “What happened?”

Torque shrugged.

“Don’t brush this off. I want a report, Torque.” He lowered his voice. “Did you kill him?”

Torque’s eyes narrowed. When he answered, his voice came out tight and low.

“That’s the way I found him, Erik. It’s what he deserved. I’m not going to feel sorry for the man or give it another moment’s thought.”

Erik didn’t know whether to believe Torque’s words or not. He was still hurting over Tara’s loss and was more than capable of exacting revenge if he chose to. But if he truly hadn’t killed Delemar, then that meant someone else had. One of the Egesa? Or one of them?

* * * * *

Sam circled back around a connecting corridor, trying to take the Egesa soldier by surprise while the creature continued to track Brianna. Luckily, the Egesa was alone.

If more soldiers came upon them, they’d be in trouble. But if he could down this one, they could get a weapon and they’d at least be armed if any others intercepted them before they reached decon. Also, another advanced weapon would come in handy later, on Earth.

Brianna had told him what to expect but he hadn’t yet gotten a close look at these creatures that were supposedly half-lizard and half-humanoid looking.

When he eased around the corner, he saw and smelled the Egesa. Damn! Big bastard. With enough muscles to be a professional wrestler. The creature smelled as if he hadn’t bathed in a month.

From the back he looked fairly human. Bald. One hand held his weapon, the other hung down by his side. Longer nails than what he would have expected, almost like claws. He wore some sort of brownish-gray uniform and heavy boots.

Sam started to make up the distance between them, moving as quietly as he could.

He heard Brianna making noises up ahead, causing a distraction.

Something must have alerted the Egesa though, obviously a well-trained soldier, for he suddenly stopped, whirled around and raised his weapon. Sam froze at the sight of the Egesa’s yellow eyes and the thin tongue that flickered out from his mouth.

He knew his mistake, his hesitation, had just cost him his life. The sharp sound of a shot filled the corridor.

His heart clenched. But he didn’t go down.

The Egesa’s eyes widened and he toppled forward, falling on his face. When he hit, the crash sounded deafening and the corridor floor rattled.

Sam’s heart about stopped beating, then raced triple time. He saw Laszlo with a weapon in his hand and Brianna standing close by, worry evident on her face, which gradually turned to relief as she looked at him.

“Now you’ve seen one up close,” Laszlo said, stepping nearer. “Don’t freeze up again.” He pulled the Egesa’s weapon out from under him and handed it to Brianna.

“Let’s go,” Laszlo ordered. “We need to get to the decon room fast.”

Sam fell in step behind Laszlo. Brianna took up the rear. He felt lucky to be alive.

He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

* * * * *

Erik paced. “Where are they?” The oxygen couldn’t be cut off until everyone was accounted for. He refused to sacrifice even one of their people.

Worry rolled through him. If a group of Egesa arrived at the decon room first and tried to get in, he couldn’t go ahead with their plan, for the others wouldn’t be safe. He couldn’t even dematerialize them in from another location. Decon security would have to be disengaged first and they couldn’t do that from inside the room. He could leave the room and—

“Here they come. Laszlo and the others,” Pitch announced, looking at the monitor.

“Leila, get the door. We’ll provide cover.”

Kam and Torque stood at the entrance, acting as the primary line. Pitch, with the weakest weapon, hung back as did Erik, who watched the monitor. No Egesa looked to be in the immediate area.

“Now,” Erik ordered.

The door slid open and Laszlo, Briggs and Brianna hurried inside.

Without warning, three Egesa suddenly appeared around a blind spot from the opposite corridor.

“Egesa!” Torque warned.

“Fire!” Erik shouted, issuing the order at almost the same moment.

Kam and Torque got off shots immediately, driving the Egesa back.

Laszlo and Brianna turned, ready to fire if necessary.

“Close the door!” Erik kept aim with the others, knowing the soldiers wouldn’t give up now that they’d found them. “Leila!”

“It’s glitching!” The doors slid partially closed, then stopped.

They all fired at once, trying to keep the Egesa at a distance.

The Egesa regrouped and surged back toward them, returning fire. Their protective uniforms prevented any direct body hits.

The doors finally whooshed completely closed. Right before the room sealed, several shots hit the doors and one flew into the room, barely missing Erik’s cheek. The blast hit the far wall. It left a deep black scar but that’s all the damage it did.

“Is everyone here?” Laszlo asked.

“Yes,” Erik told him.

“Then cut the oxygen.”

Torque moved to the control panel and began the procedure. “It’ll take a few minutes.”

“Braden?” Brianna rushed over to her brother.

“He’s all right,” Leila explained. “Hit in three places, but already healing fast. He needs sleep though.”

“Where’s Alexa?”

“She and the babies dematerialized up to the old repair station. A backup plan Braden devised using Briggs’ transport-connector.”

“Look,” Pitch said. “The Egesa have transport-connectors.”

“They can’t get in,” Laszlo and Torque said at the same time, both staring up at the monitor.

“It looks like they’re doing something to the door now,” Briggs said.

“Energy balls.” Halah moved next to Kam.

“Are they strong enough to blow the door?” Josella asked.

“No way.” Brianna stepped up beside Briggs and laced her arm through his.

Laszlo stepped closer to the monitor and his eyes widened. “Those aren’t energy balls. They’re nuclear orbs. Hit the floor!”

Everyone dove just as the door blew inward. Debris and shards of metal flew everywhere. Two more Egesa joined the other three and all five surged into the room, firing blindly through the smoke.

Pitch, Torque, Laszlo and Kam rolled to their knees and fired back. Erik scrambled to the control panel and hit the overhead lights, punching them to maximum. The glare would blind the Egesa, whose eyes were extra sensitive to bright lights. He heard them wail in pain and then in frustration as their shots missed their targets.

In the chaos, Halah got behind one of the Egesa and zapped his neck with an electrically charged chop. He went down immediately and she grabbed his weapon.

Briggs dragged Braden from the medical table and overturned it to use as a shield.

Leila crawled behind it with them, pulling Josella along with her.

An Egesa headed their way and Erik took him out, getting him in the knee, then the head.

Torque wasn’t wearing his Warrior jacket, with its built-in protective shield, and he suffered a hit to the arm. But his shot got an Egesa in the neck and the creature toppled.

Brianna’s weapon jammed. “Shit!”

Erik saw an Egesa take aim at her. Damn it! Pitch was standing in his line of fire.

“Brianna! Move!”

Her head snapped up.

Before Erik got a clear angle, Briggs rushed forward and tackled the soldier from behind. They crashed to the floor, Briggs landing on top. He grabbed the Egesa’s head and snapped his neck.