Captivate (Alien Cadets Book 2) Read online

  She must have been right about it being morning. She’d expected a lot more resistance, but Faal must have taken most of his soldiers with him to the negotiation.

  The elevator stopped at the next level – the only other level it serviced – and Claire only did a quick check before dashing out. Instead of opening onto the hustle and bustle of the main shipping bay, Faal had paid for a private berth with its own business lounge. There were distant sounds from the vast shipping cavern, but this small offshoot was practically cozy. There was recessed lighting, comfortable chairs in intimate groupings, and even a stocked cabinet full of expensive alcoholic drinks.

  Claire didn’t care about any of that. She had to put space behind her. She briefly pondered trying to wedge the elevator open with one of the chairs, but they all looked expensively heavy.

  Instead, she headed straight towards the tunnel that led toward the main shipping cavern. If she could get there, she might have a chance.

  Unfortunately, Claire heard and felt a ground-car approaching before she’d gone more than a few steps.

  She backtracked and threw herself behind a large Merith reclining couch. It wasn’t quite tall enough for her to get all the way underneath it, but she was relatively hidden.

  The ground-car stopped just shy of the ‘lounge,’ and Claire heard four of Faal’s soldiers get out. She didn’t dare look, but she could tell Faal wasn’t with them because they spoke freely to each other. Apparently Faal had taken quite a few extra guards today, hence the need for separate transportation.

  They headed past her and into the open elevator.

  Claire had to assume that Faal was only a few minutes behind them, at the most. She could never get down that long, bare tunnel to the main cavern now. She would be a plain target. The guards got on the elevator.

  Claire had an idea. This was a special berth for wealthy businessman to do business-y things without having to leave the port, right? And what was a conference room without telephones of some sort? In this case, it would probably be a complimentary contact board or panel... there it was!

  The large liquor cabinet was made of some dark heavy wood, but one of the panels was slightly different. It was probably faux wood and now she could see the contact points. As soon as the elevator door closed, Claire jumped up and ran to the cabinet.

  It responded to her touch and Claire asked for the Spo embassy. She danced back and forth on her toes, wondering how many minutes or seconds she had before Faal arrived.

  A Spo appeared on the screen. “Thank you for contacting the Spo embassy. If you wish to inquire –”

  “I need to talk to Basher! Right away – it’s about human security.”

  “The Spo are no longer affiliated with the Rik nation, if you require assistance –”

  “I’m not a Rik, you blithering – I need to talk to Basher Kapur. It’s about Sam and Nat and Akemi. They’re in danger.”

  The Spo flushed a disgusted color, but the screen went blank and then Basher was there. He looked sweaty and his black hair was messy.

  “Claire? What – where are you? Nat is telling me that the Rik were here...Did you use my token? Did you –”

  “Shut up. I only have a second.” She gave him the location of Faal’s ship. “Sage will bring Akemi here, got it? Faal will try to double-cross him, but if you have enough time –”

  Claire felt Faal’s ground-car only when it pulled up into view.

  ***

  Basher was in the medical quarters, having finally gained entrance to the embassy. Sam was splinting Nat’s sprained thumb and trying to piece together what had happened to her.

  She and Sam crowded around him as he took Claire’s call.

  But now Claire turned away from the screen, and they didn’t have a wide enough angle to see what she was looking at.

  “Claire!” Nat spoke up now. “Can you tell us –?”

  But Claire was clearly not listening. She’d taken a few steps away and turned to her left. In profile they saw her raise her hands and start to speak, and then they saw a spurt of blood. Her leg collapsed under her and she fell to the ground.

  Nat gasped quietly. They clearly heard Claire’s painful cry.

  Then one of Faal’s guards came to the screen and shut it off without looking at them.

  Basher was gripping the tablet so hard his knuckles were white. He was furious with Claire for using him to help the Spo, but he’d be lying if he said his major feeling was anger now.

  He forced himself to think clearly. Faal may have shot Claire, but he wouldn’t kill her yet. He didn’t want her dead if he actually planned to trade her for Akemi.

  “What the heck is going on?” said Senator Fontley. “I hope you mean to explain this.”

  Basher had almost forgotten the senator was there. He’d been following them around, full of self-congratulation and inappropriate advice. He’d only taken in the foggiest outline of Nat’s explanation, and he kept repeating, “See? I told you all along the computer wasn’t to be trusted! The Rik either. Vicious and deceitful. Good riddance.”

  They’d largely ignored him, hoping he would take himself off and tell the Spo of his victory, but he’d stuck with them.

  “It’s – we have to get to that ship,” Basher said. “Both Claire and Akemi will be there, but probably not much longer.”

  Sam shook his head.“If he’s taking stolen property, let’s just alert Seltan authority not to release his ship.”

  Basher struck the door in frustration.“They wouldn’t do it. Not for stolen property. Maybe not even for kidnapping. Particularly not if we can’t prove he participated in the theft. And we all saw him enter and leave here without either Claire or Akemi! =He’s…Faal.”

  Nat nodded. “Let’s go.”

  What else was there to say? At least the space port was a short drive from the embassy.

  Basher sent his partner a message, asking for back up, and started for the door. “Senator, this could be a dangerous situation. I think it would be best if you remain here.”

  “Nonsense! If Faal is indeed involved, he and I have developed something of a rapport...”

  Sam helped Nat limp towards the door. She’d also twisted her ankle during the brief fight, though she insisted it wasn’t bad.

  Basher looked on with impatience, which surprisingly the senator noticed.

  “You go ahead,” Senator Fontley said to him. “You can get there faster with your partner, and Sam and Nat and I will follow in a separate vehicle.”

  For once, Basher was grateful to him for his suggestion. He didn’t particularly want Nat at this encounter anyway, as she was both injured and too emotionally involved to think clearly. He was happy for her to go more slowly with Senator Fontley. With any luck, the senator would get lost on the way and they wouldn’t get there until the confrontation was over.

  Basher agreed and was out the door before Sam or Nat could protest.

  ***

  Senator Fontley had been blessing the gods of fortune for the past hour, and he smiled paternally as he shepherded Sam and Nat out of the medical quarters.

  He had just cleared the largest hurdle of his life and come off the victor. The director had blatantly exposed him and they had dismissed it. Dismissed it! His acting had been perfect, absolutely perfect.

  Then, to top it off, the horrible computer had disappeared – stolen by a group of Rik! At one stroke they had removed one of the last threats to his imposture, and reinforced their image as deceitful, unworthy allies.

  Fontley’s blood sang through his ears and his heart was pounding fast. There remained one smaller hurdle. Sam and Basher had heard the accusation of the Rik director. Could he leave those loose threads unsnipped? No. It would be madness. He felt in the tingling of his skin that this was his moment. His power was high, his luck was firm. He’d noted Basher’s impatience and with great presence of mind offered to accompany Sam and Nat. Basher’s ready agreement had confirmed his feeling. This was the moment to act and remove
his final barriers.

  This feeling must be the lauded intuition that humanity boasted of, Senator Fontley thought complacently. It was the final confirmation that he was, and ever would be, human.

  Sam and Nat preceded him toward the front exit. This was the perfect moment to be rid of them both. He would be alone with them and could blame their death on the rogue group of Rik who had just invaded the embassy. It would be a most plausible story. They had come upon the thieves, and Nat, overcome with emotion for her sister, acted rashly. Sam tried to rescue her but sadly they were both killed in the conflict. Senator Fontley was the only one who escaped.

  CHAPTER 43

  Claire clutched her leg and moaned in pain. The pellet had hit her outer thigh and blood drenched the leg of her pants. She didn’t think a bone had been hit, but she wasn’t nearly clear-headed enough to be sure. The warmth of her own blood shocked her, and the smell of it seemed to be the physical embodiment of the pain.

  “You are continually without proper respect,” Faal said coldly, as if she were a student in need of a reprimand. “I have engaged in a pact of honor with your friend, and yet you ignore the implicit bindings of the game and place us both in a shameful position.”

  Claire ground her teeth. “I didn’t make you shoot me. You are the one who violated the terms.”

  Faal snapped his beak in anger and turned away from her. “Tie up the wound,” he told his guard. “Make it tight. I don’t care if she loses the leg, but she mustn’t bleed out.”

  The Merith’s rough hands pushed Claire onto her back and she stifled a scream. He roughly wrapped a length of linen around her thigh and knotted it tightly. As he cinched the knot down, Claire did scream, unable to contain the burning pain.

  She may have lost consciousness for a moment, but the guard was still crouched over her when she managed to open her eyes. On second thought, there seemed to be a lot more of Faal’s soldiers standing around, so maybe she had blacked out for a moment. His soldiers must have come back down the elevator from the ship.

  Yet another ground-car was arriving in their secluded cavern.

  Only Sage was in it, and Claire was thankful that he’d not brought Juliet.

  He emerged from the car slowly, taking in the visible weapons and positions of Faal’s guards.

  He grimaced when he saw Claire. She instinctively raised a hand to tell him to go, and he flinched at the sight of her bloody fingers.

  “Faal, while clearly not all the parameters of our deal have been upheld,” Sage gestured at Claire, “I am here to complete the trade in honor.”

  “Did you get away without pursuit?” Faal asked.

  “Yes, or near enough,if you don’t waste my time.” Sage pointed to the rear of his ground-car. “The computer is in here, but I will not unlock it until Claire is in the car. I assume you wish some assurance...”

  He pulled Claire’s glasses out of his pocket and held them out to Faal. “The computer can communicate through the glasses.”

  Faal looked impatient. “Yes, I know.” He held them up before his one, large eye. “Sentient being known as Akemi, confirm your presence.”

  ***

  Akemi only needed a moment to orient herself. She’d expected something like this.

  Faal of Merith II. I do so identify myself as Akemi, formerly human, and now sentient technology. I would like confirmation that Claire is here and well.

  Faal didn’t answer her, but he instinctively looked at Claire. She lay on the cavern floor. A rough bandage was tied viciously tight around her leg, but the wound was still bleeding sluggishly. Claire’s skin looked waxy and slick, and her mouth was a thin line.

  You hurt her! I was told that her safety was part of the deal!

  Faal still didn’t answer her. He folded the glasses decisively. “I am willing to complete the trade. Put Claire in the car.”

  ***

  “But –” Claire was shocked. “You’re really going to let me go?” She still wasn’t alright with trading Akemi for herself, but she’d never believed that Faal would honor his agreement in the first place.

  Sage quickly came to her side and hoisted her to her feet. Claire tried to help with her good leg, but was indifferently successful. “Why are you letting me go?” she asked Faal, dizzy with pain as she leaned against Sage. “You wouldn’t...”

  Faal’s eye narrowed with displeasure. “You know nothing of what I would or would not do, but you shall come to have a much better appreciation of my talents during your six months of freedom. Have you heard of the Merith death chambers? They have not been used extensively for two generations, but now that the Rik are without standing, I have fodder for a new campaign. And when I come for you at the end of your grace period, you will know exactly what is coming.”

  Sage was dragging her to the car. He froze when Faal first spoke of the death chambers, but then resumed quickly.

  Claire could barely take in the sense of his words, but as Sage opened the car, she saw the round bulk of Akemi’s computer in his bag.

  “No... No!” she braced her hands on the edge of the car as Sage gently tried to slide her into it. “We can’t do this, Sage. She’s a person. He’ll torture her, or... or...”

  “Or what?” Sage hissed, trying again to push her into the car without hurting her leg. “She’s a computer! He can’t hurt her the way he can hurt you. Damn it, the way he’s already hurt you.” Sage tried to pry her fingers off the door, but Claire wouldn’t let go. She tried to put her whole focus into her fingertips.

  “Just wait!” she said. “Just wait a minute.”

  Faal clicked his claws together. “If you think I will wait until...”

  The quiet hum of yet another ground-car coming toward them interrupted Faal’s words.

  It slid with breakneck precision into the cavern and stopped inches from Sage’s car.

  With a rush of relief and something more, Claire saw that it was Basher. His Spo partner was with him, but she was disappointed that it was only the two of them. Basher knew how dangerous Faal was...

  “Apparently you did not get away as cleanly as you thought,” Faal said. “I am tired of this, and begin to wonder if it is worth the effort.”

  He tossed the glasses to Sage, who automatically caught them. Without his support, Claire’s good knee buckled and she slipped.

  Two of the guards surged forward and pulled her away from Sage. One held her under the armpits and the other lifted her feet.

  Faal nodded. “I will acquire the computer another time. Good day.” He turned toward the elevator and his guards retreated with him. The two carrying Claire stayed next to him and the others closed in behind.

  ***

  “You must stop,” Basher commanded. “It’s illegal to take a human captive or slave.”

  The rear guards ignored him, except to hold their guns a little more fixedly in his direction as they backed to the elevator.

  Basher looked at his partner and at Sage, and neither offered a sudden solution. He’d tried to decide the best way to deal with Faal, but Basher hadn’t expected for the alien to just ignore him and walk away. Once they were on his ship, Faal could take off almost immediately. Eventually they could get Claire back through legal proceedings... but what would happen to her in the meantime?

  Basher had expected intrigue, or negotiation, or outright violence, but not this. Sage looked horrified as well. Basher had never expected to have that much in common with him.

  There seemed to be some small delay while they got Claire onto the elevator, but Basher couldn’t see exactly what it was. He edged closer to them, his partner just behind. It looked like Clare had hooked her arm around a pole just outside the elevator.

  He glanced back and saw that Sage had opened up the glasses and put them on.

  “That’s right,” Sage was saying. “Faal changed his mind and took her anyway.... Yes. Alright.” He tossed the glasses underhanded to Basher.

  Basher pushed them on his nose and continued to get cl
oser to the elevator. He held his gun in both hands. He heard Claire give a sudden cry, and then the rest of the guards entered the elevator.

  We have to save her. Throw the glasses to Faal.

  “No.” The doors were starting to shut. “We’ll figure something else out...”

  Akemi was angry now. She turned on the anti-theft protocol.

  You idiot! Throw the glasses to Faal. You know it’s the only thing we can do in time.

  “Ow!” Basher pulled the suddenly hot glasses off his face. Akemi was deadly serious if she’d start hurting him.

  He hated himself for what he was about to do, but he knew that Akemi was right. The analysis of the situation didn’t take long – there were many ways to save Claire, but only one in the next thirty seconds.

  “Wait!” Basher said. He threw the glasses into the elevator just as the doors slid shut.

  CHAPTER 44

  Nat sat in the back of the ground car as Senator Fontley drove, with Sam directing him. Her thumb throbbed and her thoughts seemed to pulse in time with the pain. She couldn’t focus on what to do next, she could only think of Akemi, cut off and trapped in that box.

  For a moment, when she’d fought the Rik, Nat had felt clear-headed and alert in a way that she hadn’t for a long time. But now she was back beneath the waves, that one brief breath of clarity and fresh air slowly seeping away.

  On the edges of her abstraction, Nat was dimly aware that Fontley was still talking about the negotiation that had just ended, but she didn’t care what he had to say. All that mattered was Akemi. A small part of her mind whispered that Claire mattered too, that she also might be someone’s sister, someone’s friend, but Nat pushed that thought away. She would just find a way to save them both.

  Nat was startled when Sam reached back and rubbed her knee. “It’ll be alright.” he said, squeezing her knee until she made eye contact with him. “It’s going to be a beautiful day.”