Preservation_Age of Expansion_A Kurtherian Gambit Series Page 11

  “It’s what friends do,” Lars stated simply.

  “I’m in position,” Nona said over the comm.

  Lars’ mouth dropped open. “Damn. That was fast.”

  “I told you,” Fletcher stated.

  “How is it even humanly possible she got there so fast?” Lars asked.

  “I’m not certain that Officer Fuller is human, actually,” Fletcher said, fastening the cloaking belt around his waist. He offered Lars one last look of appreciation before activating the belt and disappearing.

  ~~~

  It was much easier to hide when the goal was to be caught.

  Lars was instantly transported back to his childhood, when he and his brother would play bounty hunter in the woods. He would pretend to be the fugitive, and Dequan would be the bounty hunter. Dequan would give Lars a fifteen-minute head start, but Lars didn’t like the hiding part of the game as much as fleeing. He’d use his fifteen minutes to position himself in the perfect place to be found, giving himself the best advantage for escaping.

  Dequan expected his brother to run deep into the forest to get a head start on him, so his surprise was always entertaining when he found Lars close by after his time was up. Dequan would find him waving from the opposite side of the ravine, or on the other side of the creek, which Lars would have to cross with cautious precision in the Spring months.

  Now, Lars stayed low as he negotiated his way through the jungle on the island of Anara. Although he was Kezzin like Rosco’s crew, he wasn’t dressed the same as the guerilla members. He was dressed to blend in with his surroundings, even though the path he’d chosen was not easily visible from the cave or the compound.

  Lars had studied the island from the cloaked Q-Ship, mapping out the best route as he watched the routine of the guards. It would have been easy to bomb the island from the safety of the ship, but they’d also be destroying the resources the natives desperately needed. Fletcher had promised the tribe that the island would go untouched, and Lars was going to help him keep that promise.

  When he reached the large mound of boulders that lay halfway between the caves and the compound, he halted, putting his back against the rock and letting out a sigh of relief.

  “I’m here,” he said into the comm.

  ~~~

  Fletcher couldn’t believe how smoothly everything was going. Nona and Lars were both in place, and soon he would be, too.

  The cave entrance was only twenty feet up a steep scree. Getting up there wasn’t the hard part. The hard part was getting up there, cloaked, without alerting the two guards that flanked the entrance.

  Fletcher chose a path that went to the left of the entrance. It involved a steeper climb, but it put him exactly where he needed to be—against the eastern facing side of the cave—and he wouldn’t be in the guards’ direct line of vision.

  Listening to the distant mumbling of the guards, Fletcher searched for grips on the rock. There were plenty of cracks for him to wedge his toes into, but finding solid handholds was growing more challenging as he ascended.

  Taking a shallow breath, Fletcher felt around the smooth section of the rock, trying to find something he could pinch onto. His father had taught him how to rock climb, and his words came back to him now. ‘Every climb is merely a problem to be solved. There is always a solution.’

  Fletcher spotted a large grip to the left, a jug. If he could transverse over a bit, he would be able to pull himself up on it, nearly completing the crux of the climb. Using resistance, Fletcher pressed his hand into a slate of rock and pinned his toe to the same piece. He shoved off, suspended in air for a moment before his left hand caught the hold. His feet flailed in the air for a few seconds, attached to nothing. Fletcher brought his other hand around on the jug and lifted his body up, finding footholds.

  With sweat pouring down into his eyes, he paused, taking small sips of air. Fletcher wiped his forehead against his shoulder and glimpsed the view beneath him. His breath caught in his throat. Looking down is always a mistake. The ground seemed to taunt him from thirty feet below. He hadn’t realized how far he’d come, or how high the cave was from this angle.

  Shoving away his fear, Fletcher pushed off the jug with one hand, reaching for his next handhold. He only had a few more feet to go until he would be on the wide ledge that ran around the cave.

  The jug shifted under his hand. Fletcher jolted, falling a few inches. His feet scrambled against the rock, looking for a safer hold. With great effort, Fletcher pressed off the jug and caught a new grip. The rock broke away as the force of his weight left it, and he watched it tumble past his feet and roll down to the ground.

  “What was that?” one of the guards called out in alarm.

  Fletcher looked up to see the two guards hurrying around the side of the cave, looking his way. If he weren’t cloaked, they’d be staring straight at him. With both of his hands required to hold onto the rock, Fletcher was a sitting duck. If they spotted him, they’d open fire, and he’d fall to his death. He had to hope the cloaking belt didn’t fail right then.

  Cementing his body to the rock, Fletcher tried not to even breathe, counting the seconds as the guards scanned the area.

  “Loose rocks is all,” one of the guards finally said.

  “Come on, it’s almost time for break,” the other said, waving his partner back to the entrance.

  Fletcher exhaled in relief and heaved himself up onto the ledge, not making a sound. When he’d regained his composure, he straightened fully.

  “I’m in position,” he whispered over the comm.

  ~~~

  Lars checked his watch. They had three minutes until the two guards from the compound would cross by this rock structure on their way to relieve the guards at the cave entrance. Plenty of time to climb up to the top of this boulder and give these guerillas a little show.

  “The guards are leaving the compound now,” Nona reported over the comms.

  “What?” Lars whispered. “They’re early.”

  “You can do it,” Nona encouraged, her voice a hush.

  Fletcher couldn’t say anything, Lars knew, since his position was the trickiest—right outside the cave entrance.

  “Yeah, I’ve got this,” Lars assured, and he scrambled faster, over the side of a large rock, diving for the one above.

  It was an easy climb, just a series of large steps. He only hoped that the descent would be as easy.

  “I’m here,” he said over the comm when he was crouched below the peak.

  From this angle, the guards in the lookout tower on the south end could spot him.

  “The replacements are passing your location on the ground in three, two…now,” Nona stated, her voice an excited hush.

  Lars popped up and jumped onto the boulder. He stared down at the trail below, roughly twenty feet down. Two guards were marching along the path, heading for the cave entrance in the distance. From his vantage point, he could spot the guards stationed there, which meant they could see him, too. He tensed, looking around.

  Being bait was incredibly nerve-wracking when the fish weren’t biting.

  The guards continued striding for the cave, too involved in their conversation to look up. The guards positioned by the entrance were focused on something to the side of the cave.

  “Alert! Intruder!” the lookout from the tower yelled.

  “Finally,” Lars breathed.

  The guards on the ground whipped their heads up, narrowing their eyes at the sight of Lars. The ones by the cave entrance reacted immediately, scrambling down the side of the rock and nearly slipping in their pursuit.

  The lookout, having been shot, fell from the top of the tower, as Lars wheeled around and leapt off the boulders. He landed with a hard thud, rolling before stopping his momentum.

  He sprinted through the jungle, not at all trying to be stealthy, leaves and vines slicing at him as he passed. He only needed to outrun these thugs and make it back to the Q-Ship in time.

  Only a little farth
er, he told himself, pushing forward on his toes, nearly blinded by the thick vegetation he passed in a blur.

  ~~~

  The compound had broken out in complete chaos.

  The guards backed up, finding refuge inside the structure, which made it impossible for Nona to pick off any more of them. She’d taken out both lookouts from her place high in a tree. Then when Lars had been spotted, she had knocked off the two brutes standing on either side of the compound. That left two more, but they had retreated inside the open shelter.

  Nona swung down from the tree, landing low on the sandy ground. She pulled her gun from its holster, keeping her weapon steady as she scanned the darkening forest. The compound had fallen silent.

  The cowards are hiding. That was fine by her; she was excellent at this game, especially cloaked.

  Striding toward the entrance, Nona checked over her shoulder. Lars should be back at the ship by now.

  “I’m in,” Fletcher stated over the comm.

  Everything is going according to plan so far, Nona thought, entering the cool shade of the structure.

  The thatched roof was held up by large support beams, and mesh nets hung from the rafters. In the center, stacked crates formed a makeshift room, but didn’t reach all the way to the ceiling.

  Sliding her back along the first wall of crates, Nona stepped sideways, pausing when she came to a corner. She peeked around the pillar of crates, and caught movement on the other side of the compound. A Kezzin was fleeing, setting off to the west where the ships were docked. He was almost too far to reach.

  Nona holstered her pistol, pulling her sniper rifle off her back and quickly taking aim. She fired once, shooting the retreating Kezzin in the back, and he fell flat. She lowered her rifle, feeling pride growing in her chest at the quick kill.

  Behind her, she heard a click.

  ~~~

  Lars could smell the salty air of the ocean. Light filtered through the leaves as he progressed, the jungle thinning. Only a few more yards. He burst out into the open air of the beach and halted.

  Two Kezzin holding rifles stood in front of him, blocking his path to the cloaked Q-Ship.

  “Hands up!” one of them ordered.

  Lars’ hands twitched by his sides. He was fast, but he wasn’t sure if he was quick enough to outmaneuver both guards.

  “I’m lost,” he lied. “Me being here is an accident.”

  “An accident?” one of the Kezzin growled. He pointing at the closest tower using his rifle. “Is it an accident our men were killed?” The Kezzin’s eyes were hollow.

  Lars knew they were murderers, but there was something supremely sinister about these two.

  Lars’ fingers twitched by his gun.

  “Take off your boots!” one of the brutes said.

  “You got the boots the last time,” the other complained.

  “And I’m getting them this time.”

  Lars decided these weren’t the type to negotiate with.

  He shot his head to the side, like he’d heard a noise beside them. As he intended, this caught the attention of both guards, momentarily distracting them. When they checked over their shoulders, he reached for his gun and yanked it up, firing off a shot at the closest Kezzin.

  The pirate flew back, nearly knocking into the cloaked Q-Ship. The other Kezzin fired in response.

  A stabbing pain shot through Lars’ shoulder, and he went soaring backward from the close-range assault. His gun fell to the sand with a muffled thud. Clapping his hand over his injured shoulder, he coughed, feeling an obstruction in his airways.

  “Now I’ll have to take the boots myself,” the pirate said, aiming his weapon at Lars’ head.

  He couldn’t believe this was how it was going to end—looking down the barrel of a gun, and one of his own, a fellow Kezzin, about to pull the trigger.

  ~~~

  Nona stiffened, her finger moving back over her trigger. She had only one option.

  Dropping her body weight, she ducked and slid around the corner of the crate, getting behind cover. Gunshots zipped by, too close for comfort. She spun, angling her rifle around the side of the crate, and fired at a figure. She was too late; he had slid back behind the crates on the other side.

  Fuck!

  Although she was still cloaked, this Kezzin knew her location. Thankfully, she also knew his.

  A shuffling noise caught her attention, but Nona couldn’t tell if the pirate was coming around from the left or the right. Actually, it sounds like it’s overhead. She looked up at the ceiling to spy only open rafters and the backside of the thatched roof.

  Then she remembered that the crates behind her didn’t reach all the way up to the ceiling. Nona spun around, her rifle at the ready.

  Pulling himself up onto the top crate, roughly fifteen feet off the ground, was the Kezzin. He surveyed the ground, trying to locate Nona’s cloaked form.

  She took a step back, considering how to handle the enemy. Maybe I can disarm and restrain him…

  Then the Kezzin pulled an automatic weapon from behind his back.

  Where the fuck did that come from?!

  He pointed the gun at the ground, a vengeful menace on his face. This pirate wasn’t taking any chances.

  Fueled by preservation and directed by instinct, Nona aimed at the Kezzin and fired once, hitting him straight in the chest. He stumbled back a step and fell over the side of the crates, crashing to the ground.

  Nona took a deep breath to steady herself, but the sound of gunfire in the distance stole the moment she had to refresh.

  Lars!

  She bounded for the jungle.

  ~~~

  When the guards at the entrance to the cave were pulled in Lars’ direction, Fletcher slipped inside. He could have shot them to gain entry, but it was best if Rosco got as little warning of the attack as possible. As it was, these goons would be in radio communication with each other, which meant Fletcher had to be fast.

  The cave was lit by fire, and the tunnel was surprisingly wide. Fletcher blinked as his eyes adjusted. Ahead, he could make out the back of a rather large Kezzin, easily taller than Lars. The pirate reached for the radio receiver that was squawking on his belt.

  This is it, Fletcher thought. The communication that will send everything into chaos.

  “What’s that?” the Kezzin said into the radio.

  A voice crackled from the other end, the perfect cover for Fletcher’s footsteps.

  “Did you say ‘invasion’?” the Kezzin asked.

  Fletcher pulled a length of wire from his pocket, readying himself.

  “There’s a sniper—” The voice cut out.

  “Nacha?” the Kezzin asked. “Nacha, where’d you go?”

  Fletcher said a silent prayer as he swung the wire around the Kezzin’s head. When it was at the large alien’s throat, Fletcher yanked with all his strength, pulling his target backward.

  The pirate’s arms flew into the air, and a gurgling sound echoed from his mouth.

  Fletcher nearly flew back from the weight of the Kezzin pressing against him, but was able to secure their position beside the cave wall. He tightened his grip on the wire and yanked again.

  The pirate fell still.

  Fletcher allowed the Kezzin to slip from his grip, quietly depositing him on the ground. He was a little surprised that he’d been able to take down the much larger alien.

  “What?!” a voice boomed from nearby. “Not on my island!”

  Fletcher let out a hot breath. He’d imagined this moment for years…The chance to face his father’s murderer. Each time, it ended in blackness. Fletcher could never visualize how he’d finish Rosco.

  He took a step forward, eager for what came next.

  ~~~

  Lars always thought he’d close his eyes when faced with his death. It surprised him that he now blinked back at his would-be murderer, not even flinching as he stared up the length of a gun. The pirate sneered down at him, no decency in his eyes, as Lars lay in th
e sand, injured and bleeding.

  A shot rang through the air.

  Lars thought he was numb, and that the bullet had ripped through him, about to end his life. Maybe I’m in shock. Maybe, in death, there is no pain.

  He pulled his eyes away from his murderer’s to look at his torso, where he expected to see a fresh wound. There was nothing.

  The goon in front of him screamed and dropped his gun. Lars couldn’t understand why there was a bright, crimson stain blossoming across the pirate’s shirt in the center of his chest, growing fast.

  Slapping his hand over the wound, the brute fell to his knees, confusion written on his face.

  Lars pushed up onto his hands, though his shoulder screamed from the effort. He shuffled backward as the guard fell forward, landing on his face.

  Behind him, standing like a warrior returning home to find their land pillaged, stood Nona. Her face was contorted in a fierce expression. At the sight of Lars laying wounded, she sprinted forward.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine thanks to you,” Lars said, grimacing as he tried to stand.

  Nona helped him up, checking over her shoulder for more guards.

  “Did you get them all?” Lars asked, leaning on her a bit more than he liked.

  “That was the last one on the ground,” Nona stated, opening the cloaked Q-Ship. “All that remain are the ones in the cave.”

  ~~~

  Fletcher slid around the corner, his back firmly pressed against the cave wall. In the next room, the firelight was brighter.

  “What do you mean no one is answering?” Rosco yelled.

  “I don’t know, sir,” a voice said. “I can’t explain it.”

  “Well, go out there and see what’s happening,” Rosco ordered. “If it’s those damn tribespeople, I’ll roast them over their own fires tonight!”

  Footsteps drew closer. Fletcher threw out his arm as the Kezzin came around the corner, knocking the goon in the throat. Fletcher reached his other arm around the guard’s neck and pulled out his gun, pointing it forward. Grateful this Kezzin wasn’t as large as the one he’d just killed, Fletcher pushed his catch forward, using his body as a shield.

  Rosco had heard the assault and was holding up his gun, pointing it straight at Fletcher when he came into view.