Page 22 of Grumpy Alien Billionaire (Mates of Veritas #2)

CHAPTER 22

LANZ

T he amphibious assault craft bobs gently on the dark waves, the low hum of its engine barely audible over the sound of the ocean. I grip the edge of the craft, my claws digging into the reinforced metal. The cannery looms in the distance, its silhouette jagged against the cloudy sky. My scales itch with impatience, and I force myself to stay still. Waiting is the hardest part of any mission, but this time it’s worse. Tyler’s in there, alone, and every second feels like an eternity.

“You’re going to dent the hull if you keep that up,” one of the warriors mutters from behind me. I glance over my shoulder. It’s Krel, his blue scales glinting faintly in the dim light. He’s leaning casually against the side of the craft, his plasma rifle slung over his shoulder.

“Maybe I’ll dent your face next,” I snap, but there’s no real heat behind it. Krel grins, showing off a row of sharp teeth.

“Relax, Lanz. Your human’s got this. She’s tougher than she looks.”

“She’s not my human,” I growl, though the words feel hollow. Tyler’s more than that. She’s… I shake my head, refusing to finish the thought.

“Sure she’s not,” Krel says, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “That’s why you’ve been pacing this boat like a caged animal for the past hour.”

I glare at him, but he just chuckles. The other warriors exchange amused glances, but they know better than to join in. Krel’s always been the one with the big mouth.

“Focus,” I bark, turning back to the cannery. “We’re not here to chat. The second we get the signal, we move. No mistakes.”

“Yes, sir,” Krel says, still grinning. “But if you’re so worried, why’d you let her go in alone?”

I clench my fists, my claws digging deeper into the metal. “Because she’s capable,” I say through gritted teeth. “And because she insisted.”

“Sounds like she’s got you wrapped around her little finger,” Krel teases.

I spin around, grabbing him by the front of his armor and lifting him off his feet. “One more word, Krel, and I’ll throw you overboard.”

He raises his hands in mock surrender, still grinning. “Alright, alright. I’ll shut up.”

I drop him back onto the deck and turn back to the cannery, my heart pounding. The link between Tyler and me is faint, but it’s there. I can feel her nervousness, her determination. She’s scared, but she’s holding it together. That’s my girl.

“Any minute now,” I mutter, more to myself than anyone else.

The warriors shift behind me, their weapons at the ready. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife. We’re all waiting, every muscle coiled like a spring.

“You think she’ll pull it off?” Krel asks, his voice quieter now.

“She’ll pull it off,” I say, my voice firm. “She has to.”

The words hang in the air, heavy with unspoken fear. I stare at the cannery, willing the signal to come. Every second feels like an eternity, but I’ll wait as long as it takes. Tyler’s in there, and I’m not leaving without her.

The cannery’s lights snap off like someone flipped a switch, plunging the entire structure into darkness. My heart skips a beat, then kicks into overdrive. "That's the signal," I growl. "All right, soldiers. We're outnumbered, and outgunned, but we never let that stop us before. We beat the Grolgath in the future. Now we're going to beat them in the past."

Krel cracks his neck, his grin sharp enough to cut glass. "I'm gonna hit those Grolgath so hard, their children will be hatched dizzy."

I pivot toward him, my golden eyes narrowing. "No cowboy bullshit, Krel. This isn’t Horus IV. This is surgical. My jalshagar is in there."

The word hangs in the air like a thunderclap. Krel’s grin falters for a second, his eyes widening. He glances back at the other warriors, who exchange solemn nods. The mood shifts instantly—no more jokes, no more bravado. This just got personal for all of us.

Krel steps forward, his voice steady. "The Grolgath will not harm so much as a hair on her head. Not while we draw breath. She is the bravest of us all."

"Also the prettiest," I add with a smirk.

The amphibious craft skims across the black water, the roar of the engine drowned out by the pounding of my heart. I grip the edge, my claws leaving faint grooves in the metal. The cannery looms ahead, a hulking shadow against the night sky. We blast our way up through the floor, the sound of the explosion echoing through the empty space. The interior is dark, and seemingly deserted.

"Spread out, teams of two," I say softly. "Watch your six and don’t pull the trigger unless you’re sure."

Krel falls in beside me, his plasma rifle at the ready. "You think they’re hiding in the shadows, waiting to jump us?"

"Wouldn’t put it past them," I mutter, scanning the darkness. "Stay sharp."

We move through the cannery, our footsteps silent on the cold concrete. The air smells of salt and rust, and the faint hum of machinery echoes in the distance. My scales prickle with unease. Something’s not right.

"Lanz," Krel whispers, his voice tense. "You feel that?"

I nod, my grip tightening on my weapon. The air is thick with the scent of Grolgath, but there’s no sign of them. "They’re here. Somewhere."

We press on, the tension mounting with every step. The cannery is a maze of corridors and machinery, and every shadow could be hiding an enemy. The faint link to Tyler pulls me forward. She’s close. I can feel it.

"Stay with me," I mutter to Krel. "We’re not splitting up."

"Wouldn’t dream of it," he replies, his voice tight with tension.

We round a corner, and there, in the dim light, I see her. Tyler, crouched behind a stack of crates, her eyes wide with fear. Relief floods through me, but it’s short-lived. Behind her, the shadows shift, and a Grolgath steps into the light, its milky white eyes fixed on her.

"Tyler!" I shout, raising my weapon.

She turns, her eyes meeting mine for a split second before the Grolgath lunges.

I squeeze the trigger, and the plasma bolt hits the Grolgath square in the chest. Its body convulses mid-air, scales sizzling as the energy rips through it. The smell of burnt flesh fills the air as it crumples to the floor, twitching once before going still.

Tyler doesn’t hesitate. She bolts toward me, her eyes wide but her steps steady. I catch her as she throws herself into my arms, her small frame trembling against mine. Her hands clutch at my armor, and I can feel her heart racing through the thin fabric of her shirt.

“You’re okay,” I mutter, more to myself than to her. My claws brush against her back, careful not to scratch her. “You’re okay.”

She pulls back just enough to look up at me, her blue eyes searching mine. “I knew you’d come,” she says, her voice shaky but firm.

Before I can respond, the crackle of gunfire echoes through the cannery, followed by a panicked voice over my comms. “Lanz! We’re pinned down on the factory floor! They’ve got us surrounded!”

I curse under my breath, my grip tightening on Tyler. “Stay behind me,” I order, pulling her close as I turn toward the sound of the battle. “And don’t let go.”

She nods, her fingers gripping the edge of my armor as we move. The factory floor is chaos—plasma bolts lighting up the darkness, the sharp tang of ozone mixing with the metallic scent of blood. My team is huddled behind a stack of crates, their weapons trained on the shadows where the Grolgath are hiding.

“Lanz!” Krel shouts, ducking as a bolt whizzes past his head. “They’ve got us cornered!”

I step forward, my plasma rifle raised. “Hold your fire!” I bark, my voice cutting through the din. The weapons fall silent, the sudden quiet almost deafening.

“Bob!” I shout, my golden eyes scanning the darkness. “I know you’re here. Let’s talk.”

For a moment, there’s nothing. Then, a figure steps into the light. Bob, his green scales glinting faintly. He’s calm, almost casual, as if this is just another day at the office.

“There you are, Lanz,” he says, his voice smooth and unhurried. “I was wondering when you’d show up.” He tilts his head, his frills twitching slightly. “Now, I’m not going to negotiate with a Vakutan, but if you wish to surrender, I might be persuaded to let you and some of your men live.”

I feel Tyler’s grip tighten on my armor, her breath hitching. I don’t take my eyes off Bob. “Funny,” I say. “I was about to make you the same offer.”

Bob smirks, that infuriating, smug twist of his lips that makes my scales itch. I don’t hesitate. I squeeze the trigger, and the plasma bolt blasts through his chest, leaving a smoking hole where his heart should be. He crumples to the floor, his milky white eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

“One down,” I mutter.

But then another Grolgath steps into the light, and my stomach drops. It’s Bob. Again. Same green scales, same smug smirk, same milky eyes.

“What the—” I growl, my grip tightening on my weapon. “More shapeshifting tricks? I’ll kill Grolgath no matter what they look like.”

I fire again. The second Bob drops, his body twitching as it hits the floor. But before I can even take a breath, a third Bob walks into the light. I shoot him too. And then another. And another.

The dead Bobs start piling up, their bodies creating a grotesque mound in the center of the room. The new ones have to climb over their fallen brethren, their movements eerily calm, like this is just another day at the office. My plasma rifle grows hot in my hands, the power cell draining with every shot.

“Lanz,” Tyler whispers behind me, her voice trembling. “What’s happening?”

“Stay behind me,” I snap, my eyes never leaving the next Bob as he steps into view. I fire again. He falls. Another takes his place.

My weapon beeps—a warning. Low power. I curse under my breath, my claws digging into the grip. One more shot. I take it. The Bob in front of me collapses, but another is already climbing over the pile of bodies.

My rifle dies with a soft click. I toss it aside, my golden eyes narrowing as the latest Bob steps onto the mound of his own corpses. He adjusts his tie, his smirk widening.

“Not shapeshifting,” he says, his voice smooth and unhurried. “Cloning technology. I’m not sure you have enough shots to take all of me down.”

"So that's why Gordo saw so many Grolgath here," I say. My golden eyes scan the pile of Bob clones, their green scales glinting faintly in the dim light. "They were all your clones. Where is Gordo, anyway?"

Bob laughs, a sound that grates against my scales like nails on glass. He steps forward, his smirk widening. "Oh, he’s down in the bowels of the cannery," he says, his tone casual, like we’re discussing the weather. "With the other test subjects. It takes a lot of raw material to make clones this quickly."

My stomach churns, bile rising in my throat. I look at the mound of dead Bobs, their lifeless bodies sprawled across the floor. Each one came at the expense of a human life. My claws flex, the sharp tips digging into my palms. "You’re a monster," I growl, my voice trembling with rage.

Bob shrugs, adjusting his tie like he’s just finished a business meeting. "Necessary sacrifices," he says, his tone dismissive. "You of all people should understand that, Lanz. Or do you think your hands are clean?"

I throw my laser pistol down, the clatter of metal against concrete echoing through the room. My claws extend, the sharp tips glinting in the dim light. "You shouldn’t watch this, Tyler," I growl. "It’s not a side of me I like people to see."

"Lanz—" she starts, her voice trembling, but I give a sharp shake of my head.

"Stay back," I snap, my golden eyes never leaving Bob. "This is between me and him."

I launch myself at Bob, my claws slashing through the air with deadly precision. The first clone goes down in a spray of green blood, his body crumpling to the floor. Another steps forward, and I tear through him too, my claws ripping through scales and flesh with savage fury.

"Come on, Lanz," Bob taunts, his voice echoing through the room. "You’re going to have to do better than that."

I don’t respond. I don’t have the breath to waste on words. My claws are a blur, slicing through clone after clone, their bodies falling to the floor in a grotesque heap. Blood splatters across my scales, the metallic tang filling my nostrils. My muscles burn, my lungs heaving with the effort, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop.

"Lanz!" Tyler’s voice cuts through the chaos, but I don’t look back. I can’t. If I do, I’ll lose focus, and that’s exactly what Bob wants.

The clones keep coming, their milky white eyes fixed on me, their smirks identical. I tear through them, my claws ripping through flesh and bone, my body moving on instinct. The pile of dead Bobs grows higher, the floor slick with blood, but still they come.

My arms ache, my legs trembling with exhaustion, but I don’t stop. I can’t. I’ll tear through every last one of them if I have to. I’ll rip Bob apart with my bare hands if it’s the last thing I do.

At last, the room falls silent. The last clone collapses to the floor, his body twitching once before going still. I stand knee-deep in the dead, my chest heaving, my scales slick with blood. My claws drip with green ichor, my body trembling with exhaustion, but I’m still standing.

"Lanz," Tyler whispers, her voice barely audible over the sound of my ragged breathing.

I turn to her, my golden eyes meeting hers. "It’s over," I say, my voice hoarse. "For now."

But even as the words leave my mouth, I know it’s not true. This is far from over. And as long as Bob’s still out there, Tyler’s not safe. Neither is anyone else.

“Krel, take a team and secure the perimeter. The rest of you, with me. We need to find the prisoners.” I can still smell Grolgath, faint but acrid, clinging to the air. Not Bob’s clones. Something…different. Older.

We move deeper into the cannery, the silence broken only by the rhythmic thud of our boots against the concrete floor. The air grows heavy, thick with a metallic tang that makes my scales prickle. The stench of blood is stronger here, mingled with something else… something sickly sweet.

We find them in a vast, underground chamber. Humans, dozens of them, strapped to metal tables, their eyes vacant, their bodies pale and emaciated. Tubes snake from their arms, connected to humming machinery that lines the walls. The air shimmers with a faint, green haze, the source of that sickeningly sweet smell. Cloning vats, row upon row of them, filled with a viscous, green fluid.

“By the Precursors…” Krel whispers, his voice hushed with horror.

I clench my fists, my claws digging into my palms. This is worse than I imagined. Far worse. “Get them out of here,” I bark, my voice tight with barely suppressed rage. “Now.”

The warriors move quickly, their faces grim as they work to free the prisoners. I scan the room, my golden eyes searching for any sign of Gordo.

“Lanz!” a weak voice calls out.

I spin around, my heart leaping into my throat. Gordo, slumped against a far wall, his fur matted with blood, his breathing shallow. Relief washes over me, so potent it almost buckles my knees.

“Gordo!” I rush to his side, kneeling beside him. “Are you alright?”

He coughs, a weak, rattling sound. “Peachy,” he rasps, his voice strained. “Just a little…lightheaded.”

I help him to his feet, my arm supporting his weight. “We’ll get you out of here,” I promise, my voice thick with emotion. He’s alive. He’s alive.

Later, after the prisoners are safe and the cloning technology secured, I find Tyler standing on the loading dock, watching as the last of the equipment is loaded onto a Veritas transport. The rising sun paints the sky in shades of pink and orange, casting a warm glow over her face.

I walk toward her, my heart pounding in my chest. “It’s over,” I say, my voice still rough with exhaustion. “You did it.”

She turns to me, her blue eyes shining with a mixture of relief and something else…something that makes my scales tingle. “We did it,” she corrects, her voice soft.

I reach out, gently cupping her face in my hand. “No,” I say. “You did it. The future, the present… they both owe you a debt. Anything you want, Tyler. If it’s in my power, it’s yours.”

She looks at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine. Then, a slow smile spreads across her face, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Okay,” she says, her voice playful. “I want you to keep me as your special pampered pet, forever.”

I laugh, the sound echoing through the morning air. I pull her close, my lips finding hers in a kiss that’s both tender and fierce. “Forever,” I whisper against her mouth.

“I love you, Lanz,” she murmurs, her voice barely audible.

“I love you too, jalshagar ,” I reply, my voice thick with emotion. Now and forever.