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Chapter Twenty-Six

Moonside on Europa.

C arne snorted. “Permission to land denied.”

“Fine by me, Carne. I’ll just free your prisoners and issue an official statement to the Galactic News. They might be surprised to find I’m very much alive.”

He laughed. “They won’t believe you unless you travel to Earth.” He tapped the console. “Then again, I would like another opportunity to kill you, and since you’re being so obliging, by all means, land.”

The screen flickered to black.

“Now we have the red carpet rolled out for us,” Dez muttered. “Sonja will take over the shuttle when we disembark. She has piloting skills and will land out of firing range. The codeword to order the shuttle’s return is ‘humpback.’”

“Those with blasters will head out first.” Drafe scanned the compartment before resting his gaze on Vic. “No heroics. You have survived so much. Dying now is stupid.”

“I equipped the shuttle with gas canisters in case Vesalius is not friendly.” Caah tossed a grin. “When we fire those, wait for them to collapse and the air to dissipate before we disembark.”

Dez pursed his lips. “Could work.”

“Good thinking, Caah.” Vic squeezed Caah’s shoulder.

“If all else fails, I added laser canons for sticky doors.” He chuckled. “Was fun tweaking your human weapons.”

Drafe tapped his chin before clasping Vic’s hip. “I would suggest we land a distance away and go in on foot. Caah, Vic and I will take them by surprise. Once the area is clear, Sonja will fly the shuttle and land. Let’s save our arsenal for emergencies.”

Vic bounced on her toes, loving the idea of a little action.

Dez shook his head. “You don’t have suits. It would be suicide. Europa may have oxygen in its atmosphere, that doesn’t mean it's survivable and not at these temperatures.”

She grinned and double-tapped her neck device. The shield rippled as it formed. “Has two hours of oxygen and traps our body heat. We’ll be fine.” With another double-tap, she deactivated it. “Everyone know the plan?”

They nodded.

“There are bound to be medical personnel. What we want are the chief surgeons, the director of the facility, someone in charge.” She met each gaze. “If you have to fire, aim to wound or disarm.”

“Agreed. For all we know, these people are as much prisoners as we once were.” Dez checked his blaster then strapped it to his thigh.

“Landing the shuttle one klik from the facility.” Caah spun its ass and lowered it with the slightest of bumps. As he slid off the pilot’s seat, a brunette woman with a ponytail and a scarred cheek took his place.

“Remember ‘humpback.’” Sonja ran a delicate touch over the console.

“I like the name Vesalius .” Dez sidled closer to Vic. “It’s a pity we’ll have to change it.”

Vic grinned. “Got any ideas?” With vengeance so close, she couldn’t stem the flow of adrenaline. Her leg bounced as each second brought her closer to her target.

“Rebirth?” He twisted his mouth.

She shrugged. “The naming of it is up to you, Dez. Just don’t die on me.”

“Carne contesters are hard to kill.”

She frowned, flashes of Ande’s death gainsaying Dez’s words. “But we can die.”

He nodded and left her to lean against Drafe, who wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer. “Same applies to you, gevatia . There will be no dying today.”

“The almighty Drafe Arrak has spoken,” she teased before snatching a kiss.

“No, because Aehort has shared a vision. You live, my female.” He chuckled. “But it pleases me that you think me all-powerful.”

She wasn’t about to mess with his ego by implying that wasn’t what she meant. Besides, parts of him were mighty. “Bless Aehort. He should be here.”

“He is inside me and you. Learn to listen for him.” Drafe cupped her cheek, trailing his thumb down her neck. She shivered and nuzzled his palm. “Listen for me.”

“I’ll open the door a little. No need to freeze us all.” Sonja tapped the console. The door groaned as it inched open.

Vic activated her shield and slipped through the crack. After waiting for the door to start closing, she hurried to catch up to Drafe and Caah, jogging toward the red ship but a blip on the horizon. She smiled. Yet another thing she wanted to thank Sebastian for—a free ship.

As fit as she was, by the time she climbed the ice shelf circling the base, she gasped for air. Men in suits patrolled around the red cruiser, military blasters in hand.

“A dozen. That means four apiece.” She counted on her fingers. “They’re a little blinded by their helmets. We can strike from behind.”

“That is the coward’s way,” Drafe said. She would swear before the Q.C.C. that his scowl traveled through the neck device.

The urge to roll her eyes gripped her, but the infantile action was wasted on Qaldreth warriors. “Got any other ideas?” She arched a brow. “Divide and conquer. They’re expecting us, so anything we do will be met with their full force.”

Caah gestured to the ground. “Drop from the ledge. If we land well, we can disarm three.”

Drafe peeked over the edge. “The rest will fire at us, but at least it will be face to face.”

“As long as we can start this instead of debate it, I’m in.” She peered at the soldiers closest to her. The drop was significant, two levels high. She would need to land on her cybernetic leg to absorb the impact. “Ready.”

She waved at Drafe and threw herself off.

“Vic.”

Laughing, she dropped on top of a guard, crushing his spine, then fired at the closest two, before rolling behind the landing pad of the cruiser.

Confusion reigned with the rapid-fire of blasters.

They aimed for the ledge, not realizing that Caah and Drafe had split, both planning to fall from separate positions.

Sliding under the cruiser, she duck-walked across, prepared to add cover fire.

As Drafe and Caah plummeted, she fired, drawing the soldiers’ attention. Seven more died.

“They’re everywhere,” a soldier screamed and banged on the door to be let inside. He died, smearing blood down the steel while his oxygen escaped in a hiss.

“Where’s the twelfth man?” Vic asked, unable to see anyone’s legs but Caah and Drafe’s.

Behind you.

At Aehort’s warning, she spun and fired without hesitation, catching the soldier by surprise.

“Got him,” she chuckled. “See, what did I say? Easy.”

“You will receive chastisement when we return to the Aroagni ,” Drafe growled as he hoisted her from under the cruiser.

“Oh, am I due for a good spanking?” At the idea, heat uncoiled in her core. She pinched her thighs together. Now wasn’t the time.

“I am right here.” Caah tossed her a glare. “ Burro Lento , humpback.”

Sonja responded, “Roger that, Caah. En route now.”

“So, any ideas how to open the doors?” Vic smiled and pointed at the sec cams.

Caah scanned a panel with his wrist. It flickered green while he typed on the holographic images glowing in his skin. The panel flashed red. He pursed his lips and continued.

“You do know there’ll be a fresh wave waiting for us.” She pressed her shoulder to Drafe’s.

“I expected as much.” He tugged a ball out of somewhere. “One of Caah’s gas canisters.”

She studied his body, layered with his thick symbiotic armor. Where were the pockets? “I knew there’s a reason I find you incredibly sexy.”

He chuckled. “Only one reason?”

“I cannot wait for time away from you two.” Caah raised his head to glance at them. “I am a little envious, to be honest.”

“Find your own female.” Drafe curled his arm around her waist.

Caah jerked back, and a slow smile formed. “Good idea. Perhaps I will return and help Dez repair this—” The doors glided open amid blaster fire between the growing gap.

Vic bolted forward and pinned herself to the door, firing on those foolish enough to be in her line of sight. Drafe did the same on the other side.

“Like fish in a barrel,” she called.

By the time the doors had tucked into the walls, bodies littered the entryway. Alarms blared, and red lights flickered. The facility was on high alert. More boots thundered closer, as if Carne had endless security.

“Dying for Carne isn’t worth it. Toss out Sebastian Carne, and we’ll spare your lives.” She smiled at Drafe who frowned at her. “Had to try,” she whispered.

When he drew a symbol over his neck, his shield shimmered to black. He strolled into the facility and shot six times.

She gaped, mesmerized by the pale gray circles from where his shield had taken fire. “And you couldn’t share that with me?”

Drafe’s frown knitted his brow. “No, you would use it without thought. Once is all the shield can spare.”

“Once?” She huffed. “We could have ended this a while ago.”

“I would prefer you save yours for when it is necessary, gevatia .” His eyes faded to pale yellow. “I will not lose you.”

“So you don’t believe I can do this?” She huffed. “I need all the information to make informed decisions, Drafe. Look at me, I have survived without your assistance.”

“Fine, but no heroics, Vic.” He captured her hand and drew on her palm a zero with a line slashed through it.

“I promise.” She captured his hand and kissed it through the shield.

A blast of air whipped at the bodies in their suits.

Snow eddies spiraled up. She followed them as they twirled until her gaze rested on the sleeping giant of Jupiter looming over them.

The Burro Lento landed behind the cruiser.

The prisoners disembarked, sprinting toward them.

The dead soldiers across the doorway kept the doors open.

As soon as the last person entered the foyer, Caah kicked aside the bodies and slipped inside before the doors sealed shut.

All gasped, able to breathe again. Snow coated their hair and eyelashes. Many shivered, rubbing their exposed arms.

“Ready?” Dez scanned his people.

Drafe led the way, single file along the passages.

Employees in white coats screamed and threw themselves down.

Dez made lightwork of capturing and placing them under guard in a large lab.

So they went, capture personnel, kill soldiers.

When they reached the end of the corridor and an elevator, Vic spun on her heel and grabbed the closest med tech.

“What is under us? How many levels?”

The man squeaked. She tightened her grip on his shoulder until he winced.

“There are six more levels.”

“And what is on them? What should we expect?” Drafe shoved his face into the man’s. The poor thing’s eyes bulged.

“Level two has security and storerooms, living spaces, and entertainment areas.” He swallowed so hard, his Adam’s Apple almost popped out of his throat. “Levels three to six are labs and patients. You want level seven which is for top-secret projects only. That’s where Carne will be.”

Useful. Vic studied his beaded forehead then glanced at the lab Dez guarded. “Any chance we can convince your people to surrender? We’re not after them.”

The med tech nodded, sweat trickling down the side of his face. “Let me…speak to them on the comm system.” He raised a trembling finger to point at a black box behind her.

She released him. He sagged then stumbled across the corridor to lean on the button. “Don’t fight them. They want Carne. We can live, survive this, and return to our families.”

“Thanks, McCarthy,” she read his name off his keycard now in her hand. “Is there another way down?”

Caah strode along the passage, a bright grin on his dark face. His white hair and eyes glowed. “I deactivated the vids. They cannot trace our progress.”

“The stairs.” McCarthy pointed at a door but mere cracks in the paneling. “May I join my people?” At Vic’s nod, he scurried to the door Dez hovered in and slipped past him.

The old man and a few of his people broke off and hurried to join her. “Are we going down?”

“Not in the elevator.” She leaned on the button, summoning it. As soon as the doors opened, she aimed her blaster. It was empty. Dipping her head inside, she pressed all the buttons, going down six floors.

With a grin, she strolled to the hidden door, swiped the keycard she had stolen from McCarthy, and slipped inside.