Cosmos' Promise: Cosmos' Gateway Book 4 (10 page)

Rico gripped the unusual pistol Cosmos gave him earlier in his hand as he jumped over a low wall onto a set of stone steps leading down to the center courtyard. Garrett watched his friend for a moment before he followed him. His eyes moved to the center area again, narrowing on the slender figure of the taller woman who fought fiercely against the man still holding onto her.

Yes,
he thought savagely,
it was definitely time to kick some ass.

*.*.*

Cosmos ran along the upper rampart to the far side. A narrow door sealed the end. Raising his palm upward toward the door as he ran, he sent out a small pulse of energy from his gloved hand. The door exploded inward, ricocheting against the back wall before falling limply to the side.

“Damn, I need to adjust the intensity of this thing,” Cosmos muttered as he climbed over the mangled door to the stairs leading down.

“Cosmos, I’ve detonated one of the sensors. It has pushed the men back for a moment but I don’t think it is going to last long,” RITA2 whispered in his ear.

“Why are you whispering?” Cosmos growled out.

“Oh, I just thought it added to the adventure and mood,” RITA2 said cheerfully. “In all the movies the heroes are always whispering to each other during a mission.”

Cosmos shook his head as he wound his way down the stairs.
Only he would get stuck with a computer that was as weird as Tilly
–
in a very good way,
he quickly added with a slightly guilty conscience.

He jumped the last couple of steps once he reached the bottom. He stopped as he came to another door. He quickly accessed the sensors in the area. The corridor leading to Terra was on the other side. Pulling a small tubular device from his waist, he aimed the laser cutter at the metal surrounding the lock. Within seconds, the beam cut a ragged line around it. Cosmos pushed the door open at the same time as he reached out to Terra again.

Terra,
Cosmos called out silently.
Honey, I’m almost to you. Can you hear me? We are going to have to move fast. We only have eight minutes to get the hell out of here.

Cosmos? I’m locked in another room,
Terra responded with frustration.
I can’t see a thing. The light I have barely cuts through the darkness and I don’t want to drain the charge on it.

I know, sweetheart,
Cosmos responded.
RITA2 was able to open the door with the help of some sensors I’ve deployed. In just a minute, a charge will destroy the locking mechanism. When it does, you are going to have to move fast. Turn to your left and head straight down the corridor and make a right at the corner. There is a door and stairs leading up to the rampart surrounding the fortress. I have a transport waiting for us. Rico and Garrett are with me. They are trying to help the other women that were taken.

There are men in the corridor,
Terra said fearfully.
I can hear them trying to get in.

I’ll take care of them,
Cosmos replied.
You just be ready to run the moment the lock is blown.

Alright,
Terra answered.
Just… just be careful.

I will,
Cosmos promised.
Be ready… now!

Cosmos rounded the corner on silent feet. There were three warriors in the corridor. Two of the warriors were working on the door leading into the room where Terra was hidden while the other stood over a huddled figure sitting against the wall. He could hear the sobs of the older woman who was begging the men to let her go. Cosmos let out a loud roar, charging at the men just as the sensor inside the locking mechanism of the door exploded with a small pop.

Cosmos aimed the modified laser pistol he had developed, using a design similar to the one the Prime warriors had, at the men. He fired three quick shots hitting each man in the chest. The pulse of energy knocked the men backwards where they collapsed. The door to the room holding Terra swung open and she tumbled out, almost tripping over the legs of one of the downed warriors.

“Cosmos!” Terra cried out, running toward him.

Cosmos wrapped his arm around Terra’s narrow waist, pulling her into him and brushing a hard kiss over her lips before pushing her behind him as four other warriors came into view further down the long corridor. He stepped in front of Terra as one of the warriors raised his arm and fired at him. The energy shield pulsed around both of them.

“Go!” Cosmos demanded. “Get to the transport up on the rampart and get the hell out of here. RITA2 will guide it.”

“What about you?” Terra asked, gripping Cosmos arm.

“Don’t worry about me. Go!” Cosmos ordered as two more shots were fired at them. “Now! We only have five minutes left to get the hell out of here before RITA2 turns the defense systems back on.”

Terra nodded and stumbled backwards before turning and running. She heard the sound of laser fire behind her and prayed to the Gods that Cosmos would be protected. She gripped the edge of the doorway, turning to watch the men retreat as Cosmos fired on them. Biting her lower lip in indecision, Terra turned reluctantly and began climbing the steps.

*.*.*

Cosmos let out a curse as another round of fire lit up the shield of his suit. He could see the power levels beginning to drop with each hit. He wanted to follow Terra but he needed to get the old woman curled against the wall up and to safety first. He couldn’t leave her defenseless.

Aiming, he fired a couple of shots forcing the men to duck back behind the corner. Reaching down, he gripped the woman’s arm and pulled. He winced when the woman let out a loud screech of terror.

“Chill out, will you! I’m just trying to help you, damn it,” Cosmos growled in a low voice when she started fighting him. “You need to get up and move.”

“Please don’t hurt me,” the woman wailed.

“Damn it! I’m just trying to save your ass,” Cosmos said, yanking her up and shoving her behind him. “Now move your ass or I’m going to knock you out. I’m running low on power and the defense systems will be up again in less than three minutes.”

“I have to stay,” Lady Mey ‘Toc Keila pleaded. “This is my home. I am in charge of protecting the women here.”

“You are ….” Cosmos started to say but was cut off by the flash of a warning signal indicating he had less than twenty percent power left in his suit. “Listen, I don’t have time to argue with you. If you want to stay, I’ll get RITA2 to seal you in one of the rooms until the defense system is back online,” Cosmos growled out in frustration as several more shots hit his suit and the power dropped to a dangerous level. “Shit! RITA2, open a damn door then seal it behind her before I get my ass shot.”

“On it, honey,” RITA2 replied in a cheerful voice. “Second door behind you. Shove her butt in the room and get the hell out of there. DAR is booting up and you have more company approaching.”

“More… Damn it all to hell,” Cosmos cursed loudly, roughly pushing the old woman through the door that RITA2 had opened. “How many and who the hell are they? Can you dismantle or shut down their systems?”

“Oh, I don’t think Dumbass would appreciate that. There are fifteen battle skimmers approaching. J’kar, Borj, Derik, and a host of others are coming in hot and heavy. Something tells me they are not going to be happy to discover you are here anymore than these other guys,” RITA2 replied with a deep sigh. “Damn, but they are really something else when they are all protective and angry - even Dumbass is hot.”

Cosmos ignored RITA2’s observation of the desirability of Prime warriors, especially Terra’s dad, and instead gripped several small explosives in the palm of his hand. They weren’t powerful enough to do more than stun anyone approaching but it would give him time to get up the stairs without a bunch of guys shooting at his back. The power of his suit was depleted and unless he could patch into the MFV to recharge it, he was shit-out-of-luck.

Tossing the explosives, he turned and sprinted up the stairs taking them two at a time. He stumbled as the explosives detonated but was able to keep his feet under him as he fell against the wall. He pushed off, reaching the top of the stairs in time to see Terra fighting with a couple of warriors who had scaled the wall to the upper rampart. He paused for a brief second, watching in amazement as she twirled around, knocking one warrior off his feet and opening a long slice along the arm of the other warrior who had grabbed her. The moment the warrior released her, she brought her knee up into his groin bringing him to his knees. The other warrior who had been knocked backwards down several of the stone steps had regained his footing and was preparing to attack her again.

Cosmos charged the man from the side, wrapping his arms around the man’s waist as he tackled him. He landed on top of the man and struck him several times, hitting the warrior in the chin, nose, and throat. He was able to stun the man long enough to reach for the pair of wrist cuffs he had on the utility belt around his waist. He quickly slapped the thick band around one wrist before flipping the man over and gripping the man’s other wrist. The warrior fought briefly but Cosmos let go of the man’s arm just long enough to grab a handful of hair and quickly slammed his forehead into the stone floor, taking care of any resistance. He had just immobilized the one he had tackled when he felt his body being lifted as he was grabbed from behind. A moment later he was airborne. His breath left him as he slammed into the low stone wall surrounding the upper part of the fortress.

Cosmos vaguely heard Terra’s outraged cry before the shadow of the remaining warrior hovered over him. He fought to regain his breath, searching for his other laser pistol when the man’s eyes widened in surprise before rolling back in his head as he collapsed. Terra stood over the inert body holding one of the helmets from the MFV between her hands.

“Take that, you… you jerk! Weak female, my ass,” she growled out breathlessly.

Cosmos grinned up at her as he climbed to his feet. “Remind me never to piss you off,” he said huskily as he brushed a tender kiss along her lips.

“I hate to put a rush on things but DAR will be back online in about thirty seconds,” RITA2 replied just as an explosion shook the area as one of the hovering skimmers exploded. “Mm, I take that back. He is back online now.”

“My father…” Terra cried out as she watched as another one of the skimmers exploded.

“Tell her not to worry, Cosmos,” RITA2 replied. “DAR knows not to attack them. I warned him about the incoming skimmers and he knows who the good guys are, not to mention that killing the leader of the planet isn’t a good idea.”

Cosmos watched two of the skimmers on the ground lift off before rapidly disappearing over the south wall of the fortress. “Why didn’t the damn defense system knock those ships out?” Cosmos asked as he turned back around to watch Garrett, Rico, and a taller woman dressed in a long gray gown rush up the stairs.

“He couldn’t take a chance with the females on board,” RITA2 replied. “His defense protocol is to protect the women. His programming prevents him from harming a female under any circumstance.”

Cosmos turned his head and watched as several of the incoming skimmers engaged the two remaining skimmers while three went after the two vessels that had taken off. He looked back as his men reached the top of the rampart and hurried toward him and Terra. Garrett pulled the woman behind him while Rico looked like he was ready to erupt into a Berserker’s rage.

“Love the suit but you need to work on the damn battery life,” Garrett snapped out as he pulled the woman closer to him when she tried to pull away.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Cosmos said, ignoring Garrett’s comment. “I’m not going to give Teriff a chance to take Terra again.”

“I’m not going,” Rico said stubbornly as Cosmos turned toward Terra.

Cosmos looked over his shoulder with a dark frown. “What the fuck do you mean you aren’t going? We have to get the hell out of here!”

“I said I’m not going. I’m going after the girl,” Rico said turning away from Cosmos, Terra, Garrett and the other woman. He grabbed a helmet off the MFV that he and Garrett had arrived on. “I’m taking the MFV.”

“Like hell you are, Rico,” Garrett growled out turning to Cosmos. “Open the fucking Gateway and take the women. I’m going with Rico.”

“What in the hell is wrong with you two?” Cosmos asked, stunned. “Rico, let Teriff and the others go after the woman.”

“I can’t,” Rico said in a quiet voice as he sat on the MFV and powered it on.

“Why not?” Cosmos asked exasperated with the two men he trusted the most to follow orders and get a job done.

“This is ‘why not’,” Rico responded holding up his left hand. A series of small circles showed clearly in the center of his palm. “I have to go after her.”

Cosmos cursed loudly as he watched Rico lift off without another word. “RITA2, you make damn sure that DAR doesn’t fire on Rico!” He ordered as he watched the MFV glide over the wall and circle back toward the south and the mainland.

“I have to cover Rico’s back,” Garrett said reaching for the helmet in Terra’s hand. “I can’t let that crazy son-of-a-bitch go off alone. Maria would castrate me if anything happened to him. Take the woman back and keep her safe until I return.”

“No!” The woman said pushing back against Garrett with an angry frown. “I am going.”

Garrett looked fierce as he shook his head. “Like hell you are!” He growled out.

The woman smiled nastily as she pulled the laser pistol that had been at his waist up and leveled it at his chest. “Like ‘hell’ I am. That is my sister they took. I will not be denied.”

Cosmos ran his hand through his hair as he looked back and forth between Garrett and the woman then back down to where Teriff was exiting one of the attack skimmers. His breath exploded out of him as he realized exactly what it felt like to be in the middle of a Mexican standoff. He glanced at Terra who was watching with wide-eyed amusement as Garrett and the woman stared at each other.

“Fine!” Cosmos exploded as he looked back down at Teriff who was shooting daggers at him. He handed his helmet to the woman. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on but I am taking Terra with me right now. You two cover your asses or I’m going to be sending in Avery and her crew to come get you out and that is going to piss a LOT of men off,” he promised as he gripped the portable Gateway device tightly in one hand while he wrapped his other arm around Terra, pulling her against him.