Through Uncharted Space: A Phoenix Adventures Sci-fi Romance (13 page)

Dakota’s heart hammered in her chest. She couldn’t quite believe they’d made it safely to the bottom.

Then Dare was tearing their harnesses off. “Come on, it won’t take them long to work out that we took the maintenance carrier down. They’ll be on us before we know it.”

He helped her down onto the platform. They moved through the shadows, heading for the entrance.

“
Nomad
?” Dare said. “Come in,
Nomad
.”

“Dare?” Dakota heard the faint sound of Rynan’s deep voice from Dare’s earpiece. “What the hell’s going on?”

“We’re under attack. We’re off the mountain and back in the city, but we are nowhere near the shuttle. We are at the base of the city’s cable car. There is a group of soldiers after us, and we can’t trust anyone. Someone sold us out.”

Rynan cursed. “Okay, let me work out a—”

The comm cut off.

Dare tapped his ear. “Fuck.” His silver gaze collided with hers. “That must mean they’re here.”

They sprinted out of the cable car station and out into the quiet street. This late, there was no one around and no lights on in the surrounding buildings. Dakota searched the nearby shadows, but nothing was moving or looked out of the ordinary.

They moved down the street. “This is the route back toward the landing pads,” Dare said. “We’ve got to get back there as quickly as we can.”

But she knew it was a long way, and the longer they were out in the open, the greater chance their attackers would find them.

They moved down a few more streets until they reached a square with some lovely trees and lush grass. It was probably pretty during daylight hours, but now, with a lone streetlight lighting it, the long shadows looked menacing.

They were halfway across the square when she saw a tall shadow pull away from the trees. She tugged on Dare’s arm. The shadow moved toward them with a swaggering stride she recognized.
Oh, no.
Horror curdled in her gut.

A man stepped out in front of them. “Ms. Jones, I’ve gone to a lot of trouble to track you down.” He smiled, and it made her feel slimy and unclean.

He was a big man, with broad shoulders and the rough look of a soldier. His face looked like it was hewn from rock.

“Who the hell are you?” Dare demanded.

“My name is Korrdo.”

Dare stiffened.

Korrdo smiled. “You know who I am.”

“I know you’re the sick fuck who works for Maxir Sander. And I know you’re part of that fucked-up cult, Golden Nova.”

Korrdo’s smile dissolved. “We are not a cult. We are visionaries who fight for what is right.”

“Best we don’t have this conversation,” Dare suggested. “You aren’t going to convince me that blowing up innocent people on starships or in markets is what is right.”

“The galaxy cannot be constrained by the rules and whims of self-appointed overlords. Anarchy must prevail. Lives will be lost in the struggle.”

“They aren’t self-appointed,” Dare said. “They’re voted in by the people you kill. Sure, they aren’t perfect, but at least most of them aren’t out to kill for no damn good reason.” Dare shook his head. “There is nothing you can say that’s going to make me believe you are one of the good guys.”

“It doesn’t matter. You’ll be dead shortly.” From behind the man, more shadows materialized from the darkness, all dressed in black. “I see the charming Ms. Jones is snuggled up beside you. Has she been using her wiles to seduce you into doing what she wants?” Korrdo’s gaze narrowed. “She’s good at that. Rubbing that tight little body of hers against you and whispering promises that she has no intention of keeping.”

Dakota felt Dare stiffen.

“Oh, she didn’t mention that? That she promised herself to me? Of course, it was all so she could steal from me.”

Dakota looked up at Dare, wondering what he was thinking.

Korrdo took a step forward. “I’ll be taking Ms. Jones with me, and the map.”

“I don’t think so,” Dare drawled.

Dare launched himself at Korrdo. He moved so fast that Dakota gasped.

She’d seen him fight against the fake monk on the
Nomad
, but this? This was different.

He jammed an elbow into Korrdo’s neck. Korrdo staggered back and Dare landed three hard blows to the man’s head and chest. Korrdo swung out, but Dare sidestepped and then grabbed Korrdo by the back of the neck and swung him around.

Dare fought with a blank face, completely focused on taking down his opponent with merciless efficiency. She couldn’t look away.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Dakota from behind, lifting her off her feet. She struggled against the brawny arms of one of Korrdo’s men, trying to break free. When the goon squeezed her—hard—she groaned.

Dare’s head jerked up, looking her way. Behind him, she saw one of Korrdo’s men throw something to Korrdo. The big man shook the weapon and she saw a stun baton extend out.

“Dare!” she screamed. “Watch out!”

He was already turning, but Korrdo swung the baton like a bat. It slammed hard into Dare’s side. She watched his body jerk and then Korrdo activated the stun.

Dare’s body shuddered under the electric charge. He fell heavily to his knees, his chest heaving.

No.
She slipped her hand down into the folds of her skirt and gripped the knife strapped to her thigh. In just seconds, she could leave her captor bleeding and get away.

Korrdo stepped up beside Dare, touching the stunner controls. “I’ve just set it to maximum. You come with me quietly, and I won’t kill him.”

Dakota’s gaze flew to Korrdo’s. His face looked hard. She’d seen him kill before, during the short time she’d spent at the Golden Nova colony.

“If you want to do this the hard way…” He pressed the end of the stun baton to the back of Dare’s head.

“Dakota, get out of here,” Dare said.

She sucked in a breath. All her life, everything she’d done, had been to save herself. Her hand was wrapped around her knife. Two seconds, and she could be free. She could run.

And Dare would be dead.

“Go,” he ordered, his tone hard as space rock.

She’d never had a partner, a man, a family. She’d never had anyone that she needed to put before herself or her own plans.

Dare’s silver gaze bored into her. Like a shout in her head, she could feel him urging her—ordering her—to escape.

She released the knife. “I’ll go with you.”

“No!” Dare roared.

Korrdo retracted the stunner and Dakota felt her shoulders sag. But then he moved, slamming his elbow into the side of Dare’s head. She heard the crack of bone on bone, and winced. Dare landed face down on the ground, out cold.

Korrdo stalked toward her. “Now, my sweet Ms. Jones, it’s just you and me.” He reached out and lifted the orb from her chest. “And this pretty map to Golden Nova’s treasure.”

Chapter Eleven

Agony.

Pain stormed through Dare. His head was foggy and he couldn’t think straight. Every single one of his muscles ached like they’d been set on fire.

He tried to push himself up off the pavement and work out where the hell he was. He blinked a few times, seeing nothing but darkness and shadowed buildings.

Korrdo. He frowned. Panic seized him.
Dakota
. Golden Nova had taken Dakota.

He got one foot under him, fighting through the pain.

Suddenly, he heard the roar of engines, and felt a burst of air. He looked up and saw a shuttle hovering above him.

“Dare? Dare, do you copy?”

Rynan’s voice rang in his ears. Dare fumbled to reach his earpiece.

“Dare?” Justyn this time. “Damn you, big brother, talk to us.”

Dare touched his ear. “I’m here.” His voice was little more than a croak.

“We lost contact with you,” Ry said. “What happened? Are you and Dakota okay?”

Dare managed to get to his feet. “We got ambushed. Korrdo took Dakota.”

Ry’s harsh breath hissed across the line. “Korrdo? As in Korrdo Drach, Golden Nova’s second-in-command?”

“That’s the one. He stunned me and knocked me out.” Dare looked up at the shuttle.

“I had Nissa bring the shuttle to you remotely,” Justyn said.

“Thanks.” Dare saw the back ramp of the shuttle lower. The end was only a few meters off the ground. He ran and jumped, gritting his teeth at the pain that flared through his body.

He pulled himself onto the ramp and into the shuttle. He settled into the pilot seat, taking over the controls. He needed to find Dakota.

He hadn’t told her, but he’d slipped a tracking device inside the waistband of her skirt. He set the shuttle’s scanners searching for her.

A sharp wave of nausea rolled over him. He sucked in some air, and realized he wasn’t going to do Dakota much good in this state. He moved back to the rear of the shuttle and opened a cupboard marked Medical. He yanked out a med kit and shuffled around inside it until he pulled out a pressure injector. He dialed it up to the strongest stimulant he could find. Not only would it block the pain, it would give him enhanced strength…for a period of time. He jabbed it against his neck and pressed the button. He winced as the stimulant hit him.

He was on the clock now. He had to get Dakota back before the stimulant wore off, because when it did, he was going to crash. Big time.

“Dare?” Ry’s voice. “The system just notified us that a Class Five stim has been used. Tell me you didn’t use it.”

“Already took it.”

Rynan swore. “That stuff is dangerous. Without the antidote, when you crash, at best, you’ll be out for hours, and at worst, you’ll go into cardiac arrest. What happens if you’re in the middle of a fight—”

The comp beeped. Dare spun. The scanners had picked up her location. “Don’t have time for this argument right now.”

His brother sighed. “Just get Dakota and get back here. ASAP.”

Dare sat back in the pilot’s seat, checked the comp, and set the shuttle moving.

As he moved over the sleeping city, it didn’t take him long to find her. He spotted Korrdo and his goons moving down a path alongside a narrow waterway. Dakota was still struggling and being dragged along by Korrdo.

When they saw the shuttle, they picked up speed.

Dare set the shuttle on autopilot and still locked onto Dakota’s signal. He grabbed a pair of laser pistols and gun belt from the shuttle’s hidden weapons locker. He checked their charge, then holstered the pistols at his hips.

He waited for the shuttle’s side door to open. Beside the door was a built-in zip line and retractor reel. He attached the end of the zip line to his belt. By now the stimulant had fully hit his system, and he was buzzing with energy.

He took two steps and leaped out of the shuttle. He whizzed downward and felt the zip line system slow his descent. He touched down gently on the ground, bending his knees.

As he disconnected the line, Korrdo’s men rushed at him.

Dare kicked the first one in the gut. Then he blocked a hit from the next, spun, and slammed his foot into another man. The final fighter was a woman. She came rushing forward, spinning knives in her hands. Dare whipped out his laser pistol and shot her in the shoulder before she got any closer. She stumbled back with a cry.

He fired at one of the other men who was getting back to his feet.

Ahead, Dare saw Dakota fighting with Korrdo. She had a scrappy street style—ducking and weaving, moving quickly, and not letting Korrdo get hold of her.

Dare stalked toward them, both pistols aimed.

“Dare?” Ry’s voice. “You’ve got more bad guys incoming, and you’ve also got Sullan authorities on the way. You guys aren’t exactly being discreet.”

“Roger that. We’ll be on our way shortly.”

Dare charged forward, his focus narrowed to Korrdo. He aimed both pistols at the Golden Nova man.

Korrdo looked up and his eyes widened. He was turning to face Dare when Dakota took advantage of his distraction. She kicked out, landing her foot between the man’s legs. Korrdo let out a strangled cry, and at the same time, Dare fired his laser pistols.

The man staggered backward, clutching his chest. Dare fired again, sending Korrdo spinning and falling to the ground.

“Dakota!” Dare roared.

She launched herself at him at the same moment he reached for her. They slammed together. He cupped her face.

“You’re okay?”

“I’m fine. What about you?” She patted his cheeks. “He stunned you and hit you hard. You shouldn’t even be upright—”

“I’m fine.” He grabbed her hand. “You should never have gone with him—”

Her answer was an infuriating roll of her eyes. No one had ever ignored Dare’s authority like this woman.

“Let’s get out of here,” she suggested.

Suddenly, the thunder of footsteps and shouts echoed down the waterway. Dare turned and saw a large group of uniformed Sullans rushing toward them.

Shit
. The shuttle was still hovering above them, but he didn’t have time to recall the zip line.

He studied the nearby buildings. “We’ll have to climb up that building to get onto the shuttle.”

Her eyes widened. “Again? Really?”

“Dakota, you are the bravest woman I’ve ever met.” He pulled her up into his arms, and with the stim still in his system, her weight didn’t even slow him down. He leaped onto a small balcony. “Hold on.”

He used a wall of plants to climb up onto the roof, Dakota clinging to him.

On the roof, he ran across the flat surface, aiming for the shuttle.

He saw the shuttle spin and move closer. The side door was open, the zip line dangling out the side of the craft.
Thank you, Nissa.

“Trust me?” he asked Dakota.

Luminous blue eyes looked up at him. “I don’t trust anyone.”

Dare tightened his grip on her, and picked up speed. Below them, he could hear the Sullan authorities climbing the building.

Dakota gasped. “Dare, what are you doing? It’s too far!”

Dare leaped off the building, using all the extra strength the stim gave him, and flew into the air. Dakota yelled. Below, the shocked Sullans looked up from beside the still waters of the canal.

With his free hand, Dare snagged the zip line.