The Pack-Retribution (19 page)

She sighed. Now what? After she located the source and killed him—then what? Would it end? Would the innocent be free? Would Mars be the Mecca of peace for the rehabilitated criminals and their families? She didn’t think so. Now it seemed it would only be the place for Earth’s discarded, for their throwaways and troublemakers. Like her and Team Underground. The Mars Security Force was tasked with making this a home for those that were just pawns in it all.

A large gust of wind lapped her back as she came up to a seemingly barren patch of sand. She mentally communicated to her helmet the code to open Valens’ hidden home. The one he’d whispered in her ear the night he asked her to be his girlfriend. She swallowed the ache of her new cloak of loneliness and watched the sand disappear. The ramp leading to the garage opened. The bike rolled down the slope. She stared at the sand while it seeped through the miniscule holes in the paved driveway before the fissures closed up.

The lights in the garage kicked on and she parked Cal’s—now her—motorcycle, she supposed. A sad upturn of her lip mirrored the pain of her losses. Squeezing her fist tightly, she fought against the shivers of her grief, fighting back tears. Tonight she didn’t like the answers she sought…and found. Corruption in the Force still was going strong. Monev was rising from the dead. What did her parents have to do with it? Or Cal? She guessed because of their position, or maybe their connection to her—they all had been doomed.

Shamira slid her hand down the door’s cool metal frame and typed in the code to open the entrance. She heaved a sigh while the door opened.

“Ahem.” Special Andrews stood just inside the door. His short brown hair was thickly waved with his blue eyes kindly observing her.

“Oh, uh…Special Andrews uh… Mr. Andrews, I didn’t expect you to be up.” Shamira fought to look at ease and not tensed like she felt. She’d rarely seen him. When she was with Valens he was usually out working, designing and building the gadgets used by the force on Mars and Earth.

“Just call me Jason. Valens warned me you kept late hours.” He nodded in the direction of the hallway behind him. “Your sister’s been crying for you.”

“Sure, I’ll go see her. Um, thanks for having us.” Shamira started past him. The large room with scattered pillows, and brightly colored couches were a blur when she started on her way to Mina’s room.

Special Andrew’s hand snagged her arm to stop her. “When you’re done with her, come see me. I’d like to talk to you.”

“Okay, Spec… uh, Jason.” She headed to Taren’s room. Digging deeply for words she could use to comfort her little sister, she plastered a sanguine smile on her face. The words she was seeking to make this all seem better were hard to find, especially since she was the one who’d brought this vendetta on her family. She endangered their lives and snatched Taren’s new parents from her. She’d make it right, though. She would do whatever it took to take care of them all—avenge them all.

She heard Taren’s crying and her heart broke. Mina was whispering to her softly. “It’ll be okay. Your parents are strong. They’ll make it.”

Taren cried louder with wet, sobbing hiccups. “I just…only…had th-them for a year.” She sniffled. “They were even better than my real mom who…sold, me to the bad…ba…d men for dream.”

Mina smoothed Taren’s hair back. “Your sister will save them, like she saved us. She’ll do it, and get who did this to your family.”

Shamira walked in the room. “Yes, I will. I will.”

Taren’s cries turned to a whimper. “Meera! H-have you seen them?” She ran toward Shamira and wrapped her arms around her hips.

Unraveling Taren’s arms, Shamira bent and returned her hug. Burying her nose in Taren’s sweet smelling hair, she held Taren through her sobs. “I thought you weren’t coming back.”

“Umm, I’ll always come back for you—always count on that.” Shamira turned her chin toward Mina. “And you too.” Pulling Mina close, she whispered, “You too.”

Chapter 29

Shamira tucked the girls in bed together. She glanced about the room’s pink and yellow decorated walls and pictures, before returning her gaze to her sister. She faked a calmness she didn’t feel, hoping it would put Taren’s fears at ease.

Taren frowned at her with lazy eyelids, fighting sleep. “Where are you sleeping?” She tucked the teddy bear Mina gave her under her head like a pillow.

Shamira lifted an eyebrow. “Why? You’re not planning on going on a stealth mission to my bed, are you?”

Taren smirked. “’Course not. At least not on purpose. I sleep walk.”

With a nod, Shamira tickled Taren’s stomach. “Yeah right.”

Mina giggled. “You’re such a liar, Taren. You told me when Shamira gets home you were going to sleep—Ow!”

Taren elbowed Mina and shrugged. “Big mouth!”

Shamira got serious, “Hey cut it out you’s. I got some questions. Uh, about the Mons.”

They both quieted. Taren frowned. “That was a bad place. The worst ever. I’m glad you burned it down.”

Mina nodded. “Me too! David told me that Valens…he made sure Tiger stayed there. David said Tiger would never bother us again.”

“He’s right. Tiger won’t ever bother you again.” Shamira grasped their hands. “Do you know if Tiger had anyone help him? You know, visit him there that looked just as mean or had a tattoo on their cheek?”

They stared at her quietly as though confused.

Taren whispered. “Keeper. His name was Keeper.”

Shamira closed her eyes briefly, gathering herself for the next answer to her question. “How’d you know who he was, Taren? Did he…hurt you?”

Taren sighed. “He beat me up. He wanted to see if I was strong enough to train.”

Shamira rubbed her thumb soothingly on Taren’s hand. “What did he do exactly?”

“Beat me,” she whispered. “But I kept getting up.” A tear fell from her eye, slowly making its way onto the teddy bear’s white fur. “Then one of the other kids told me to pretend to sleep if I didn’t want the bad man to take me with him.” She sniffed. “So when he hit me once more, I fell back and didn’t move, not even a little bit.”

“I’m sorry. So sorry…”

“The night you saved me—us—he was supposed to come back for me. He said I was strong, but he would break me. He said he would make me like him…an assassin.”

Shamira gathered Taren in her arms tightly. “You’re safe now. Okay?”

“I know, you’re here. But Mom…Dad, are they?”

“They’re fine. I may be able to see them in the morning. You too, soon after that.”

Taren hugged her tightly. “I’m glad. Glad. And…Meera, you’re the best sister ever.” She kissed Shamira’s cheek.

“Thanks squirt, so are you.” Shamira eyes watered. “Well, go to sleep. I’m tired and you are too. Mina’s already knocked out.”

“What’s new, she’s always snoozing on me.” Taren snuggled up with the teddy bear.

Shamira gave Taren one last playful pinch on her cheek and left the room.

David and Manny stood in the hallway waiting for her.

“You finished with her? She’s been like that all day. We even tried giving her candy,” David said.

“Thanks for taking over for me guys. Where’s your room?”

Manny pointed. “Across the hall. You know, so we can protect the girls if something jumps off.”

Shamira rolled her eyes.
Manny’s been around Anthony too much.
“Good place to stake out trouble.”

“Well, you know me, I know how to take care of things.” Manny smacked his teeth and punched his fist into his palm.

David made a fart sound under his arm then snickered at Manny. “Don’t listen to him. How’s Mom and Dad? I mean really.”

“I haven’t been able to see them. They are guarded, but getting better. I’ll be able to see them in the morning, I hope.” She pushed them in the direction of their room.

“Oh, Valens told us he would take us to see them as soon as they were better.” Manny climbed up onto the top bunk bed.

“Yeah, he said we could ride on the backs of their motorcycles.” David punched his pillow. “I’m just ready to get my own, though.”

Manny rolled his eyes.

“Hey, you boys remember when you were held by Monev?” Shamira stood by the bed and tucked Manny in, who surprisingly let her. Then bent and did the same to David.

David frowned. “I don’t try to remember.”

“I was mostly on the streets. Except the time I got away from them and stowed away on the trash truck leaving the Mons.” Manny sat up, resting his head in his hand.

“On the street, did you know of any places where Monev guys hung out that we didn’t blow up?”

Manny bit his lip, thinking. “A few places, I guess. Mostly by the Mons and in Sector 3 or the barren lands. Kids on the street warned about not going there if you didn’t want to get caught.” He shrugged. “I had a hunger problem and went there thinking I could get some food and steal some money to last me for a while. I wanted to stowaway on one of those ships to Earth. I thought I could find some family there since my dad got shot at one of the gaming hells.” He leaned back on the pillow looking up at the ceiling.

“You miss him much?” She caressed his face with the back of her hand.

“All the time. He was a good dad. He just sorta made some bad choices. He really was rehabilitated. Monev tried to recruit him. When he refused, they shot him and came after me.”

“I’m sorry. We’ll—” Shamira was cut off when Manny sat up and hugged her tightly before lying back down.

“I’m happy now. I have a big family who loves me…just as much as my dad did. I miss him, but I love my new mom and dad just as much. And having a little brother ain’t too bad either.”

David’s foot hit the bottom of Manny’s bed. “He’s a good sparring partner too!”

She chuckled. “Yeah he is, and a great brother. I’m lucky to have the two of you guys to protect us.” She ruffled both of their heads.

David mumbled. “I told you I’m getting too old for that stuff. I’m almost a teenager.”

“You’re still a little bugger to me though. Both of you!” She waved as she walked out the door.

Shamira headed straight to the labs where Specials Andrews would be. It was where Valens and his father did all their inventor stuff. Valens had shown her their super-computer once. She was awed. His father actually designed it so it would take his engineering designs directly from his memory, transmitted by brain waves, to create synthetic prototypes of his devices. Valens perfected the tool by improving the prototyping with metals and synthetics he’d researched. They were a great team. Shamira often wondered why Valens chose to do the Security Force task team work over his first love of inventing.

The long hallway leading to the large silver door was painted a calming forest green. Pictures of Earth and Valens’ mom littered the walls. Her pale blonde hair mingled with Valens’ and Mina’s as they rested their heads on hers for the picture. Seeing Valens as a grinning kid made her want to seek him out, and let him prod her for answers like he was so good at doing. But she wouldn’t—couldn’t—drop the ball now.

She stood in front of the lab door, and pressed her fingertip on the gel-pad. It opened. Special Andrews was sitting at the desk, typing away while looking at the 3D computer screen.

“Have a seat. I’m just about…finished.” He swiveled in his chair.

Shamira plopped on the cushions of a gray oversized chair, directly across from Special Andrew.

He smiled at her, Valens’ smile, and her heart instantly ached so she turned her gaze to the computer behind him.

“Designing something new?” She nodded at the image of a device that appeared to fit snuggly on the head of its wearer, a hat with micro-computers within.

“No, that’s something Valens was working on for you. I’m just helping him. He’s…ah, stopped working on it.”

She blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall. Composing herself first, she returned her gaze to Special Andrews. “Oh. Well, thanks for taking it over. What is it?”

“It’s a prototype for you to communicate to your team telepathically. Great idea, but a bit challenging to create. We’ll finish it though, when he’s ready.” He cleared his throat. “But that’s not why I asked to speak with you. There are several things I want to discuss. First, know that I believe you and Valens have something special. I don’t want you both to throw it away, because of all that’s going on. You can work through this—your parents did.”

Her eyebrows dipped. “What do you mean? I thought their relationship was always close. They never mentioned any problems.”

“Hmm, well, maybe they forgot about them. They’ve been married over twenty years, sometimes when it’s good and strong, you forget when it wasn’t.” He crossed his leg, laying his ankle flat on the other. “But in the beginning, they didn’t even like each other. Your father was best friends with Cal, and your mother was dating…Renu—Cal’s twin brother.”

Shamira bit her lip “What? She dated, Renu? A killer and traitor to the force?”

“Hmm. Well, he didn’t act like a killer. He was rather charming, charismatic most would say. It was something about him that just…well, drew people in. He actually out-shined Cal and was considered a true contender to your father as Head of the Mars Security Force.”