Page 69

Ash gave Aculus a curt nod and they started running again. Sadness filled her that they were forced to leave Vintor behind.

The guys took the stairs three at a time. Her eyes widened when they emerged on the ground level. There were bodies lying everywhere. She didn’t know what she expected, but somehow the sight was more horrific than she imagined. Abby hid her face in Ash’s armored chest.

“What the fuck?” Brennan bellowed. “You massacred all these people just to get us?!”

“The majority of them are stunned. We did not use lethal force. Your people are the ones responsible for the dead you see,” Aculus replied, sounding disgusted.

“Sorry,” Brennan apologized to their rescuers with a shake of his head.

“I think the humans have brought their entire force, but we have an extraction plan,” Scala reported.

“We’ll wait for your signal, Captain.” Aculus nodded to his Osivoire friend.

They hung back against a wall. She couldn’t see around Ash’s large body, but it sounded like pandemonium outside. The chaos grew then oddly became quiet.

“Hold on tight,” Ash rumbled to her.

She glanced out the window before tucking her head into his shoulder. Five silver spaceships had landed in a tight semicircle around the entrance, forcing the Air Force to retreat to a safe distance. One was positioned with its ramp close to the door.

“Go,” Scala instructed.

Ash guarded her back and head as they made a break for the cruiser. She didn’t breathe till they were finally up the ramp.

Abby screamed when a blast rocked the ship, knocking her and Ash to the floor. He shielded her body, but she still felt the searing heat rushing through the entrance. The flash was blinding, and her ears rang from the explosion. He swiftly picked her up and continued running.

“Are you okay?” Ash bellowed as he set her down, his hands turning her head left and right to check for injuries.

“Yeah,” she murmured and blinked in shock.

Before the stars in her vision cleared, he’d disappeared. She found herself sitting against the cruiser hull with her stunned sister nearby. Hope’s clothes were crumpled, her hair in disarray.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Hope stammered.

Abby staggered to her feet and entered the small loading bay. The door on the cruiser was already sealed, so she couldn’t see what was going on outside. There were several armored men standing over something on the floor.

“Get her out of here,” Ash roared.

“Wait. What happened?”

“I’ve got the females.” Aculus quickly approached her.

She caught a glimpse of blood and pale charred skin.

“Dad!” The agonizing scream ripped free as Aculus scooped her up and rushed out of the bay. “Let me see him! What happened?” She batted at the bony man’s chest.

“Abby, it’s not a good idea. We’re going to get him back to the ship and into the sanative capsule.”

“Where’s Dad? What’s going on?” Hope asked when they reentered the short corridor leading to the control room.

The horrific sight of her injured father lying on the floor kept replaying in her mind as Aculus set her down.

“No. No!” Hope cried, seeing the expression on her face.

“We will do everything we can,” Aculus replied softly as he led them to the control room and helped them into their seats.

“Why are you saying it like that?” Hope demanded. “Somebody tell me what happened!”