Bandits (24 page)

BANDITS

Gabe held Haden’s right hand man by the neck. The e
x
ertion of their face off ended with Haden’s men either dead or captured. Gabe turned to Bry. His father looked back, his e
x
pression angry and grave.

“Take the living out and turn them over to the Zukar Cou
n
cil,” Bry told his crew.

Gabe reluctantly released his victim to his father’s men. His anger was unabated. The possibility that Haden had killed his brothers’ filled him with such rage and pain that he couldn’t contain it. Even killing Haden didn’t ease the ache.

His father walked over and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Gabe, a lot has happened. Haden has killed the Sekin Zukar. I guess that was why he wanted this treasure. He thought he could control it. Can’t believe the bastard wanted to rule the Zukar and control the King with it. We won’t let the King find out about this. He would never let Daniel survive, even if Daniel found out a way to defuse it. The King and the Galactic Council would blame Rayne for the destruction of Merwin, and because Daniel’s father isn’t alive to take the fall – Daniel will be hunted and put to death because of it. If he doesn’t get back in time, we could all be se
n
tenced to execution by way of torture.”

“What do want me to do?” Gabe asked.

Bry ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “You need to find your brothers. Take some of my best men with you, and bring them back alive.”

“I thought you’d never ask. I’ll find them. I know where they were heading, because I ditched out on the job
to see my girlfriend. If I hadn’t I’d be with them now
. I’d know if they were dead, and I’m not feeling that at all,” Gabe asked.

“Me either, son. Go. Take one of the mini jets from the ship. I’m going to wait for Daniel and Jade to return,” his father said.

Gabe frowned at him in thought, “I don’t suspect they’ll show up for a long time.”

“When Rayne left to go in search of this treasure he r
e
turned in a day’s time. He swore to me he was gone for at least a week, but I was his back-up. I timed him and waited for his ship to return. He got back within only hours. It was like his ship disa
p
peared, then just reappeared out of thin air. If that’s where D
a
niel’s going, and Daniel comes out alive, he’ll be back within a few hours. If he doesn’t come back, none of them will ever return,” he said sadly.

“What has Haden done?” Gabe asked, frustrated at the state of their world.

Bry’s face looked pained. “He may have caused a war b
e
tween the Zukar and the King. The death of our world…, and the bastard may have killed your brothers and sister in the process. I wish I could kill him again. He has recruited a lot of others to his cause. We can’t figure out how deeply this goes, but we’ll start by stopping this destruction. Rayne wanted to leave with this trea
s
ure a long time ago. I begged him to stay, convinced him we both could keep it safe. Hell, I was wrong, and my mistake killed him and maybe everyone I care about.”

“Don’t worry Dad. We’ll fix this, and Daniel will return. I know him, and he will bring Jade back safely. I won’t let you down. Michael and Franz will come home too – alive.” Gabe allowed his father to pull him into a quick hug before he ran limping toward the ship.

Tingling, pain, healing, light, and Daniel felt at one again. The weightlessness and floating he experienced came to an end as abruptly as it had begun. Groggily, he moved his head. The firm, smooth surface of a floor beneath him gave him support. Determ
i
nation to stand filled him, and he pushed himself up. Slowly opening his eyes, they focused on the being before him. The realization that he was no longer on his ship hit him, and he fought to push himself up. He stood unsteadily, then shook his head and locked his muscles in place. With a swallow, he stared ahead.

An imposing alien with skin of light was in front of him. It stood about two feet taller than Daniel’s six feet. Thickly corded multi-colored muscles covered its body, as lights within its tran
s
parent skin somehow appeared to move. The light within it shifted and snaked throughout the being’s body from its head to its toes in a slow, languid motion. The colors held within it reminded Daniel of the cool colors of the pakeet – at least before Haden touched it.

Daniel’s mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. He moved his tongue around and cleared his throat. “Is this Pu
r
gas?”  His voice came out deep and hoarse.

“Ah, he must be the strongest. He’s first to awaken from their travels. Impressive. We chose well,” it said in a deep, r
e
sounding voice. Two other beings of similar height and color stood on either side of it.

“We? Chose? I’m here to find a way to defuse a device called a pakeet. My father found this treasure, and it has been activated. It’s destroying our world. I need your help,” Daniel forced out gruffly.

It stared at Daniel, unflinching. Daniel swallowed back his fear and glanced over as Faulk started to stir. He watched Faulk reach over to shake Jade and Nickel, before lifting his eyes back to the alien in front of him.

The
being
stood watchful of Daniel for a moment longer, as if studying him for flaws. “We don’t help. If you want your a
n
swers, you have to prove yourself worthy. If you aren’t worthy, none of you will live. Your planet will die, and so will its people. You however, will be ours, and your death painful and long. Your choice,” it said.

Daniel looked at it, squarely in its white eyes. It had no pupils, and Daniel had difficulty judging its nature, so he assumed it was male.

Faulk came up to stand next to him and the others fo
l
lowed as they confronted the being’s challenge. “We can do it. Accept its challenge,” Faulk said clearly.

“Yeah, let’s do it. Dad would have wanted us to,” Nickel said.

Jade spoke up. “We have no choice.”

Daniel stepped forward. “Why should I trust you?  How do you know of this treasure? Was it yours?
From your race
?”

“The device you speak of is ancient. It has lived far lon
g
er than even I. It was created by accident. Our forefathers put the power of our world into this living being. Unfort
u
nately, the pakeet is easily manipulated. If its keeper doesn’t protect it, those who are evil will affect its outcome. It was never meant to go unprotected. Time is slipping, and I need to know your answer,” it said.

Daniel narrowed his eyes at the being. “Yes, we will take your challenge and win.”

“I knew you’d say that.” Its jagged mouth looked like it grinned.

Daniel felt fear prick his neck. A searing pain, like that of a burning cut ran up his arm. The others cried out behind him. A glowing design that felt like fire appeared on his arm. He stifled a scream and let out a grunt instead.

“What is this?  What have you done to us?” Faulk yelled out.

“That is your map. Each of you have your own challenge, except that female there. She’s not of the blood promised to us, and is therefore unable to withstand her own challenge. If she survives, she becomes one with you.” It tilted its head to the side as if sizing Jade up to see if she would make it out alive.

“What do you mean by becoming one?” Daniel asked.

“The answers you seek are only gained by wining. It b
e
gins!” it said.

Nickel disappeared, breaking into a million pieces of light. Faulk and Jade followed in the same manner. Daniel stood alone, facing this being that held the fate of his world in its hand. “What have you done with them? Tell me now!”

It stared back at him, unaffected by Daniel’s reaction. “Use your map. You may want to save the female before she meets her fate. Make sure you aren’t long in your journey for you and your people will be lost.” Within seconds, a light burst forth from their chests and they disappeared.

Daniel searched around the chamber where they had been teleported. He’d heard of teleportation, but he’d never known of any race or being that had been able to perfect it. Teleportation was always considered a distant possibility, but he’d never known it was a reality. He couldn’t believe his father had found a species that had the intelligence to master such an amazingly intricate technology. Much less, a species who could create a living thing that destroyed and rejuvenated worlds.

The smooth walls of the room were beautiful beyond Daniel’s comprehension. The silky sandstone like walls were living, moving strands of gold, bronze, and colors. Daniel couldn’t begin to describe what moved through the walls and the floor of the chamber.
So this is where you got the materials for the ship.
He r
e
called the unique metals that made up his father’s ship. Large statues that resembled the beings that had stood before him flanked the four corners of the chamber from floor to ceiling. The statue’s colors were unmatched to the species they represented.

With a shake of his head, he brought himself out of the dazed awe of his surroundings. Daniel tilted his head to and fro as he searched for a way out. He touched the burning symbol on his arm. Its searing heat increased, and a 3D map rose up from his arm. The map was red. Jade’s green outline was r
e
vealed within its depths. He wasn’t far from her, maybe a few miles.
I can make it. Where the hell is the exit?
 

He ran around the chamber and touched the foot of the statue in front of him. In seconds, he felt the tingling, then weightlessness of his first experience. In an instant, he was tel
e
ported out of the enclosed hidden chamber. His last thought was that the chamber where those beings were worshipped was locked tight, and their followers had to be invited in.

He stood, whole again. Tingling pricks of shock ran through his body in a wave. With a shake of his head, Daniel stretched and then looked around him. His body adjusted, and the discomfort was gone. He pivoted around as he studied the Planet Purgas.

Large green leafy trees stood high in the sky. The leaves were wide and long and hung down from the trees. Shading the light from the bright sun above, they moved and shifted in a heated breeze. The ground beneath him was soft and moist. There were sporadic bodies of water that littered the path in front of him. The place was so hot it was almost unbearable. It took Daniel a moment to adjust since the air was so moist and heavy. Thankful that the aliens allowed him to keep his wea
p
ons, he checked his weapons belt to make sure it was tig
h
tened. He pulled out his knife and went forward into the swamp like foliage before him.

The neon red map on his arm burned as he ran. Jade’s l
o
cation was a cool spot on his skin. He felt he was getting closer to her with each step, but he knew his journey would not be easy. He had the sick feeling that he was being watched and followed.

Noises of flying beasts filled the air. Daniel couldn’t see them because the leaves were too dense where he had traveled. The map on his arm got extremely cold when he changed dire
c
tions. He retracted his steps, and it warmed up when he felt a cool dot that seemed to track Jade.
Man, these bastards are way more advance and probably even more deadly.
He started to wonder if this was the home planet of the beings. The planet seemed much wilder than they were. Not able to shake the feeling of being hunted, he started to run.

Rustling noises of something behind drew near. The fee
l
ing of several unknown animals working together it seemed, circled around him in the brush, keeping hidden. His breathing kicked up, and a slight shock of apprehension ran up his back as he assessed what could be after him. He watched the sway of the branches and saw something run past him in a blur. Quickly turning his head from side to side, Daniel assessed there were four beasts tracking him. Whatever it was that tracked him was large - very large. The glimpse he caught of them was brief, but he knew they had scales
.
C’mon! I don’t have time for this!
  Daniel grabbed his gun and said a prayer that he could bring one of these things down.

The noises stopped suddenly. Daniel kept running in hopes that the beasts found another prey. His gut told him his wish went unanswered and his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Holding his gun firm while he ran, he slid to a stop when one of the beasts ran at him head-on. He shot his gun without hesit
a
tion. The bullet hit its mark, piercing the eye of the seven-foot beast. Another attacked him from the left, and Daniel quickly threw his knife at its eye and shot it in the chest.

Two more of the creatures stood in front of him. Their scaled skin shimmered in the streams of sun that sneaked through the leaves above them. Their faces contained one large eye, devoid of lashes or hair. He could see no nose, but its lips were slits in a protruding face. Its neck flared out like a cobra, and its body was pure, solid muscle. It stood on two lean, muscled legs clearly built for speed.