The Pack-Retribution (11 page)

The alarm clock went off. “Screw! I’m going to be late.”

She jumped up and hurriedly dressed. Her hands fluttered across the safe in the back of the closet and reached in to grab her weapons belt. A smile slipped on her face, because tonight they’d be one step closer to finding these killers.

Chapter 17

Shamira opened the door to meet Valens’ sister, Mina, staring up at her.

“I was just about to knock.”Mina’s beaming smile brightened. “I’m staying the night with Taren.”She twisted her black braid with her fingers.

“Oh, okay. Everybody just got home a few minutes ago. They’re down in the game room having a junk-food fest while my mom is in the training room.”

Mina’s thumb tapped at the handle on her bag. “I know the way.” She scooted around Sharmira and skipped into the house.

The door closed behind her. Shamira jumped off the porch to meet the others. They waited in front of her house on their motorcycles. Except for Anthony, who drove the sports car he won in a card game between her, Hedi, Mitch and Valens.

“Pearl, come out.” She waited for her motorcycle to drive from the garage and smirked at Anthony who was grinning at her from the driver’s seat. “You know that is a no-go, right? There’s no way we can sneak up on anybody with that ride.”

“Why not? She blends in,” Anthony replied.

“No. Take Valens’ motorcycle. It’s safer.”

Anthony groaned and mumbled a curse. His eyes were still filled with merriment. “Girl, you lucky I like you. I don’t usually let chicks boss me around.”

Shamira climbed on Pearl and Valens slid in behind her with a chuckle. “Who are you kidding? You know this girl can whip your butt and make you do what she wants,” she laughed.

“Throwing her weight around again, Valens. You better check her,” Mitch snorted.

The other guys agreed, laughing.

“Can we just focus?” Hedi huffed. She winked at Shamira before letting out a whistle.

Leaning forward in her seat, Shamira got serious. “Let’s ride to the perimeter of the Outlands, to Meccan. We can park the rides and go in on foot so they won’t hear us coming. I researched the place and saw pictures of the terrain. I have an idea where they may be hiding.”

Valens tightened his arms around her while they drove. “I’ve been asking around. The people that live in the Outlands are pretty much harmless. Some are too poor to live in the Sectors. So, they built shelters on the West portion of the land because of the sand management towers. They also tap into the generators underground for warmth. But we can’t be careless, we don’t know who might be there waiting for us.”

She revved her engine and slipped between cars that littered the border of Sectors 7 and 6. “Freaksheep may have moved on. There’s no guarantee he’s still out there. If he got clean on his own in that short of time, he had help. I’ll bet my life on it.”

“So, what did you tell your parents we are doing tonight?” Valens asked.

“Double date, with you at Sector 6 virtual beach and restaurant.”

“Oh, they actually bought that?” Valens’ eyebrow lifted. “They know you hate anything that has to do with Earth.”

“True, but they know I’ll go anywhere with you and Hedi just to shut the both of you up. Besides, it’s easier for Hedi to fake the signal to something that’s close to our location, and Oasis Hawaii is the closest hangout spot near the Outlands.”

After forty minutes, the scattered line of buildings ended. Two miles later, they arrived at the sand-swept edge of Sector 6. The dimly lit paved, one-way road dead-ended. Rocks formed an unevenly stack for them to drive through. They rode several more miles to one of the rock forests. Large red rocks seemed to glow in the setting suns and stood like small mountains that littered the vast wasteland of sand and small rock. The temperature dropped due to the limited underground heating pipes and generators. The air quality dipped also as they drove deeper into the Outlands. The air filtration towers that processed breathable oxygen were fewer and farther between.

The adrenaline built within Shamira’s stomach. No one knew they were showing up, and yet she wondered if there were any more surprises coming. Odds were someone would be waiting for them. She’d have to admit, being the hunter was much more enjoyable than being the prey. After today, she’d have to turn the tables for good.

“Almost there, park our bikes at the end of Rock Haven. We have to go in on foot in case they have it guarded.” Shamira lifted her hand and pointed.

The scattering of rocks opened up the way to the portion of the Outlands called Meccan. She’d figured that if anyone tried living in the Outlands, Meccan would be the only place they’d be able to survive. They could plug into the underground piping lines and kick up the only air filtration tower in the further portion of the Outlands.

Valens moved his hands from her waist to her thigh. They drove around the last of the boulder at the end of Rock Haven when she shared her thoughts, “The people who live there aren’t killers. They wouldn’t have guards. It’s too hard for regular folks to get their hands on firepower here now that Monev’s shutdown.”

Shamira bought the cycle to a stop, kicked on the brake and breathed the thin air of the barren land. Glad night hadn’t come just yet, her shoulders relaxed. They’d have just enough time to make it. “I hope you’re right, but everyone has ways to get what they want don’t they?”

“Guess so,” Valens answered, “Here come the others.” He got off the bike to meet Anthony.

Mitch’s hand was on his gun. “I’m ready. I got a new toy Valens souped up for me.”

Shamira licked her lips, admitting she was ready too. “Hey, Valens, did you bring the glide pads?”

Valens tucked his gloves in his pocket. “You know me…I come prepared, or you would end up getting killed.” He eased off the black backpack. With a teasing smile, his eyebrow lifted as he dug inside. “You all know, you act like I’m Santa Claus.”

Anthony laughed and grabbed four of the glide pads from Valens when Valens’ hand cleared the bag. “Hell ya man, you are. The only person in my life to give me a present. My dad’s thing is hanging out, not gifts.”

“First one to give me one, too. Except, my adoptive dad is starting to go a little overboard with gifts. I had to tell him to stop.” Kurt added a low chuckle in his throat. “I told him the cookies he leaves out for me at night are all right, though. Too bad the old man never got married and had kids of his own. Good for me, I guess.” Kurt’s eyes became glassy for a moment, before he turned away.

Lips thinning, Dion squeezed Hedi. “You’re lucky. My adoptive father’s an ass. Hates that I’m in the Mars Police Force training program. Said he didn’t get why they would even consider a thief and a killer for the program. Then told me I joined the beat cops because I’d never be good enough to be a real Security Force Elite Officer. The bastard. As soon as we get promoted and do our year on Earth, I’m never looking back. All he is to me is a place to sleep.” Venom filled his words.

Hedi tilted her chin toward Dion worriedly. She interlaced their hands. Then she grasped the flat oval piece of metal that Valens gave her and stuck it to the bottom of her shoe. “Well, my birth mom isn’t exactly used to having me around, either. She asked if I’d been hurt like she was when I was captured by Monev. I told her…what the hell did she think would happen to a little girl taken by grown men? The same men who assaulted her in front of me and kidnapped us both. Ugh!” Hedi sniffed, and wiped a stray tear away.

Shamira’s heart sank. She reached out to her. “I’m sorry Hedi, I…”

Hedi planted a fake smile on her face and a saucy grin appeared. “But that’s in the past. I got out of it by showing them I’d be worth more stealing money from Earth officials by hacking into their bank accounts and ciphering off millions of dollars. After that…they mostly left me alone. Until Thor.”

Anthony finished putting on his tags and pulled Hedi into a bear hug. “You’re safe now, Hedi. All of us would kill to protect you. Thor will never have the chance to hurt you again.”

Hedi pinched Anthony’s cheek and stepped out of his arms. She threw a genuine smile at Shamira. “You boys are okay, but my BFF can handle it all-by-herself. Heck, she made sure to teach me how to do it also.”

Shamira’s heart warmed. “Hedi, you did just fine before I came along.” Hedi didn’t realize how important Shamira found their friendship to be. Shamira put a hand on the clubbed saber at her side. Its handle was heavy in her hand as she handed it to Hedi.

Hedi shook her head. “No. No…don’t you dare give me that. It was a present from your father.”

“I know, but you use it if we get in trouble tonight. Just like I taught you, okay? It would mean a lot to me if you did. Besides, I want to use the new globes Valens made for me.”

Tears fell from Hedi’s eyes. “Okay, just for tonight, and then I’m giving it back.” Hedi wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Here I go again, being the weak link.”

Dion reached over and held her hand. “Shhh. Don’t say that about the love of my life.”

Shamira straightened, her eyes watered. She blinked back the unshed tears. Taking, a deep breath, she pushed away the horrible images Hedi’s confession flashed in her mind. “Listen, we go in there and question everyone. I want to know if there is still drug production and selling going on. We need to find out the names of the suppliers. And where is Freaksheep? How he got clean and who cleaned him up? Last though, find out who’s been raiding the destroyed Monev stomping grounds trying to bring back the dead. Until we figure out who’s doing this…it’s going to get a lot worse.”

“We got your orders.” Mitch’s face filled with anxious anticipation. “But can we fly now?” He tapped his foot on the packed ground and lifted several feet in the air. Then he bent in a surfer pose and took off.

“Ye-ah bo-oy!” Anthony followed. “I’ve been waiting to try these babies. Yeah!”

Shamira held in her laughter, trying to remain serious. It was hard around them to stay angry and focused on revenge. They softened her. The only one she could count on to stay somber was Mitch, and even he couldn’t stay surly. Hopefully, she could keep the dark room to her soul closed and behind her…just a little longer.

Chapter 18

Flying several feet in the air reminded Shamira of surfing on waves she’d only seen on Earth virtual reality games. She had to admit to loving it. Only thing was, she knew sand kicking up in your face hurt a heck of a lot more than water. She pulled down the tight black mask. Tucking it in snug into the neck of her shirt, she wondered if she should’ve worn her cadet uniform instead of her form-fitting sand-colored suit.

The others were behind Valens, and to the side as she glided through the windy desert. Shamira forced her enhanced sight several miles ahead. Searching for heat, light, or any sign of life. After a bit she spotted the faint sign of a fire. She pushed further. The orange hue of heated bodies of all sizes gathered about half a mile ahead. “I see people, and fire.”

“It’s right where you said it would be.” Valens pointed. “There’s the air filtration tower.”

She lifted her chin at the large metal cylinder that rose up out of the ground toward the sky. “They’re right above the heating pipes. We need to go on foot.” Her hand raised then slowly lowered to signal the others.

They landed and walked through the sand toward what appeared to be a small village of people who’d made homes from rock and tents. No one talked. The time for laughter was behind them. Their hands were poised over their weapons but they hesitated as kids darted around the small encampment.

Kurt walked up next to Shamira. “Families. There are families here.”

A ball of apprehension sat heavy on Shamira’s chest. “It looks that way. But I know from my past that looks are deceiving. Just be ready for anything.” She didn’t want the mishap that happened at Nan’s to happen again. But she had to take the risk. There was no choice in the matter.

Valens held up his hand. “Let me go first. I may know some of them.”

Mitch snorted. “Who don’t you know? I agree, Valens should go first. He’s got a way of bugging people into letting him help them.”

Valens tossed a frown at Mitch. “Thanks…I think.”

They cautiously approached the small village of people. Young kids ran back and forth out of some of the rock dome homes and tattered patched tents. A few adults stood around the scattered fire pits had vented tops. There were barriers strategically placed to stave off most of the sand that wasn’t managed by the sand towers.

Valens led the group into the encampment and held up his hands at the frightened gasp of the women cooking at the fire pits.

Stepping forward, Valens’ face looked calm and friendly. “Sorry to scare you, miss, but I’m here looking for my father’s friend. They call him Freaksheep.”

Shamira’s eyebrows lifted at Valens’ obvious lie.

One of the women stood. Her ragged layers of clothes swayed around her. The scarf was covering her hair, but making her sunken cheeks look harsh and severe. “He doesn’t live here. Comes and goes like most of them.”

Shamira walked up, but Valens moved over just in front of her. He bowed his head and said, “Good, well at least I’m closer to finding him. Um, ma’am, I’d like to give you some credits for your trouble.” Valens reached in his pocket and pulled out some small-computerized chips of credits.