Laura Jo Phillips (3 page)

Mara sighed, reached for a satchel and began packing her food for the trip.  Yes, losing her remaining sons would be difficult, she decided.  But not as difficult as losing her own life would be.  If she was lucky, this trip would be successful.  If she wasn’t lucky, perhaps the lives of her remaining sons would buy her a few more months.

Feeling better with that optimistic thought, Mara quickly finished her packing, gathered up all of her bags and satchels, and called for a car to drive her to the nearest base.  This was going to be the last trip, she told herself.  This time she would succeed. 

Chapter
3

Summer started to take a deep breath when suddenly Lio stepped around the screen and into the alcove.  Darleen swung the statuette at his head with more force than accuracy, catching him a glancing blow just above his ear.  Lio stumbled sideways, emitting a short “oof” as his hands rose to clap against his head.  Darleen stumbled, and Summer stepped forward, jabbing him with the baton.

Lio’s “oof” became a hoarse yell and he fell to his knees.  His yell rose when his knees crashed against the hard marble floor, and continued as Summer held the baton against his shoulder. 

A part of her cringed at the knowledge that she was causing another being so much pain, but the more base, kill or be killed portion of her mind was in control, and it was savagely pleased.  She had seen the multitude of white scars on Darleen’s skin, scars that covered every inch of flesh Summer could see, including the woman’s face.  Skin that was now an artificial, shiny silver, covering a body that was devoid of all hair, and far too thin. 

Summer saw movement from the corner of her eye and looked up in time to see Darleen preparing to slam the statuette into Lio’s head once more. 

“No,” she said sharply.

Darleen hesitated, her wide blue eyes meeting Summer’s in surprise.

“He has information in that head,” Summer explained.  “I think we should keep him alive long enough to see if we can get some of it.”

Darleen reluctantly lowered the statuette and gazed thoughtfully at Summer for a long moment.  “What do you intend to do with the information you get from him?” she asked.

“I will free every woman who has been abducted,” Summer said.  “I don’t know how many there are, or where they are, but I will find them, and I will free them, or account for every one, and I will not stop until I do.”

Darleen smiled.  “I’ve been imprisoned in this office for a very long time, and I’ve overheard a few tidbits which I will gladly share with you,” she said.  “And, even better, I know how to make this piece of garbage tell you anything and everything you want to know.  But I want something in return.”

Summer glanced at Lio, who was now sprawled on the floor gasping for air with tears streaming down his face as she continued to hold the baton against him.  She lowered the setting on the baton to three.  She could not risk taking it off of him completely until they restrained him, but she could not continue to hold it at the highest setting, either.

“What is it that you want?” Summer asked, hoping that the woman didn’t want money, since she didn’t have any.

“I want to go with you,” Darleen said.  “I want to stay with you until you reach your goal, which is also my goal.  I also want to destroy every single person involved in the slavery ring.  The buyers, the kidnappers, the pick-ups and the trainers, the drivers and the couriers.  Every single person who knows about this and has done nothing to try to stop it.”

Summer looked into Darleen’s blue eyes and tried to measure the depth of the woman’s anger and pain.  She discovered that they were both too large for her to comprehend.  She herself had been treated quite well compared to what this poor woman had been put through.  She considered Darleen’s offer, asking herself again what her Father would do.

“It’s a deal, but on one condition,” Summer said.

“What’s that?”

“You have to do what I say, Darleen.”

Darleen’s eyes narrowed.

“If we have twenty women to free, and you decide to go after the person in charge of the compound instead of helping me to free them, then I don’t want, or need, you with me,” Summer said flatly.  “I need someone who will help me free the women.  After that, I will gladly help you destroy those holding them.”

Darleen nodded.  “It’s a deal.”

Summer nodded as well, then took a deep breath.  “Now, how about you tell me how we make this guy cooperative.”

Darleen smiled again, a feral expression that made Summer glad that the woman was on her side. 

“Lio always bragged about having been given two
Prime Controllers
.  One for me, and another for back-up.”  Darleen lowered herself carefully to the floor in front of Lio’s chair and felt around until she found a raised switch.  She pressed it and a hidden drawer slid out from the side of the chair.  Darleen reached in and removed a silver case which she quickly opened.  Inside, lying in a bed of protective foam, was a silver object that looked like an injector of the type med-techs used to give vaccinations.  Only this was much larger, with a thick needle and a metal reservoir instead of the usual clear plastic.

Darleen pulled the injector out of the case and held it out for Summer to see.  Summer knew what it was.  She hadn’t seen one before, but she still knew.  She looked Darleen in the eye for a long moment, then nodded slowly.

“Yes, if that’s what it takes, then that’s what we must do,” she said firmly, though her lips felt numb with shock at her decision. 

Darleen crawled over to Lio, grasped his head by the hair and roughly turned it until the back of his neck was exposed.  She placed the end of the thick needle against his flesh and pushed hard until it penetrated the skin, then she depressed the plunger and injected the Controller nano-bots into him.  She withdrew the needle with a little grunt of satisfaction.

“How long does that take to start working?” Summer asked, still holding the baton against Lio’s shoulder, though it was on the lowest setting now.

“I don’t really know,” Darleen said as she struggled painfully back to her feet.  “I’ve seen a lot of women come through here over the past year, but I don’t think any of them had the same Controller you and I have.  Besides which, they already had their Controllers by the time they got here.”

“Then how did you know how to do that?”

“Lio likes to talk.”

Taking the hint, Summer didn’t ask more about it.  She really didn’t need to know the details of what had been done to Darleen.  The condition of the woman’s body was more than enough information.

Summer felt torn.  She didn’t want to continue to subject the man to the torture of the pain baton but at the same time, she could take no chance that he would do anything to interrupt their escape. 

“I suppose we should call for help now,” Summer said. 

“Yes, I think that would be a good idea,” Darleen agreed.  “I don’t think anyone will come in here without Lio’s permission, but you never know.”

“I have the vox, but I don’t even know where we are, let alone who to call,” Summer said. 

“We are in Badia, I know that much for certain,” Darleen replied.  “I think we are close to the spaceport because I hear shuttles coming and going sometimes when Lio leaves the window open, but I don’t know the address, or even how big the building is that we are standing in.”

“Do you know of anyone specific we can call for help?” Summer asked hopefully.

Darleen hesitated.  She knew who the best people were to call, and she knew they had the power to get help to them faster than anyone else on Jasan.  At the same time, she knew that those people had reason to want her either dead, or in prison for the remainder of her life.

Well, she thought, death and imprisonment were both preferable over what she had endured the last year.

Unfortunately, she had no idea how to reach either the Dracons or the Lobos.  She doubted very much that Lio had their private vox numbers stored in his directory.  Besides, they were at least four hours away.  She didn’t think they could count on being undiscovered for that long.  Eventually someone was going to come looking for Lio, and since he was supposed to be at a meeting, that would probably happen sooner rather than later.

“Try asking the vox to connect you with Emergency Services,” Darleen suggested.  “I know I’ve heard Lio mention your name, and I think that the Dracon Princes have been searching for you particularly, so give them your name when you call, but don’t mention mine.”

“Why not?” Summer asked.

“The Dracons and the Lobos have reason to dislike me,” Darleen replied.  “Good reason.”

Summer’s eyes narrowed angrily.  The idea that they would not receive help because someone didn’t like Darleen was infuriating.  She was very surprised, therefore, when Darleen chuckled softly.

“I appreciate your outrage on my behalf,” Darleen said.  “But I promise you, they have very good reason for their feelings toward me, whatever they may be.”

Summer shook her head and decided to let it go.  Now was not the time for what her mother used to call a
confession session
.  She reached up and tapped the vox in her ear to activate it.

“Directory assistance,” said a mechanical voice.

“Emergency Services please,” Summer said.

“One moment.”  Summer was prepared for a long wait and was surprised when a real voice spoke in her ear a few seconds later.

“Badia Emergency Services, how may I be of assistance?” said what sounded like a very young male voice.

“My name is Summer Whitney and I have been abducted and held against my will,” Summer began.

“Excuse me, Miss,” the voice interrupted.  “Did you say your name is Summer Whitney?”

“Yes, I did,” Summer replied.  She opened her mouth to continue when the voice interrupted again.

“Your name is on our priority sheet, Miss Whitney.  If you will hold for one moment, I will put you through directly to Prince Dracon.”

“I don’t have a lot of time,” Summer said.  “We could be discovered at any moment.”

“Don’t worry Miss Whitney, I have already recorded your exact location and notified local authorities.  Two Tactical Teams are being dispatched to your location immediately.”

“Thank you,” Summer replied with relief.

“You are welcome, Miss Whitney,” the voice replied.  “Please give me just a few moments and I will have you connected to the High Prince.”

Chapter
4

Faron Lobo sat holding his eldest daughter, Varia, in his arms.  Varia was currently sleeping, which was a relief to the entire household.  The baby was only three months old, but she had a set of lungs on her that rivaled High Prince Garen’s for both capacity and sheer volume.  Faron smiled as he wrapped a lock of her dark blue hair around his finger.  She looked so angelic.  When she was asleep.  

His vox beeped softly in his ear and he reached up to tap it.  “Yes?” he said, keeping his voice low so as not to awaken Varia.

“The Princes are unavailable and I am taking calls in their stead,” he said.  “You are speaking with Faron Lobo, Prime Guardian.  I have full authority to act on their behalf.”

Faron’s eyes widened with surprise and excitement as he listened to the Emergency Services operator.  “Excellent, patch me through,” he said. 

He looked up and met his youngest brother’s questioning gaze.  “Ban, call the Katres and tell them Summer Whitney has been located and they need to reach her at all speed,” he said, then rattled off the address the operator had given him.  “Extreme measures may be taken to secure her.”

Ban was talking to the Katres before Faron was finished speaking, but Faron knew he heard every word he’d said.  A moment later his vox beeped again and he tapped it. 

“Faron Lobo here,” he said.

 “My name is Summer Whitney,” Summer began again.

“I know, Miss Whitney,” Faron interrupted.  Summer was wondering if she would ever get to finish a sentence, then decided she was being ridiculous.  If they wanted to help without long explanations, then she should be glad, not frustrated.

“I have already been informed of your location, Miss Whitney.  There are ground troops on their way to you, but it may take them a few minutes to arrive.  Are you safe for the moment?”

“Yes, I think so,” Summer replied.  “We are in a locked office in a big building, and I don’t think anyone will come in, but I don’t know for sure.”

“We have contacted a high ranking male-set who just happen to be in Badia right now and they are already on their way to you.   They will probably reach you before the troops.  What is your condition?”

Summer had to think about that for a moment.  It had been a very long time since anyone had asked her how she was.  “I’m okay, but there is a woman here with me who will need medical attention,” she said. 

“Shall I contact Emergency Medical Services for her?” Faron asked.

“One moment please,” Summer replied.  She placed her hand over the vox and whispered to Darleen.  “Do you want Emergency Med Services now?”