Dating Outside Your DNA (22 page)

couldn't take out two people at once. She didn't have that  kind of  training. God, she was dead.

Get hold of yourself!

Lyraka needed to relax or she wouldn't be able to stay blended  in with her surrounding. If the woman continued in the same direction,  she would pass right by Lyraka. She would take the woman out  with  the knife, then go after the man. Very carefully, she reached down  and brought the knife out of its scabbard. She barely breathed as the  woman stepped even with her, then one footstep past.

Lyraka quickly slipped her hand around the woman's neck,

knife to her throat. "You are so dead. I just slit your throat."

"Shit!"

"Shh, remember, you're dead."

The woman pulled a tag from her pocket and slipped it around  her neck. Lyraka looked at it, then had to stifle her laughter as she  read the words, I'M DEAD.

The girl slid down the side of the tree and sat on her butt. Her  frown turned to a grin as she shrugged. "Roan said you were good."

A flash of jealousy rushed through Lyraka. The woman's lips  were full and pouty, and she was pretty. Lyraka didn't eve n want to  think of Roan talking to the other woman, maybe even kissing her.

Lyraka immediately stopped thinking about it when she heard a  slight rustle behind her. The girl's partner was coming toward her.  She was quickly coming to the realization that focusing wasn't going  to be a strong suit for her.

She looked around the tree. The guy kept glancing to each side  as he slowly moved forward. Looking for the woman probably. She  slipped her weapon off her back and aimed.

Suddenly, it all seemed too real. What if the gun wasn't fake?  Could she really end someone's life? Cold bloodedly kill them? Her  hands trembled and her palms became sweaty.

There were people that she had to reach or they'd be  slaughtered. Could she let someone innocent die because she had to

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take a life to save one? Yes, she could. She lined the man up in her  sights again. She had the shot. All she had to do was squeeze the  trigger.

The man jumped, and whirled around. Blue paint decorated his  back. Another blue paintball splattered in the center of his chest. She  whipped around. Johnny shot again. Another paintball sped through  the air and splattered all over the man.

"I'm dead already," he growled. "Good thing I have a vest on or  I'd be shoving that gun down your throat. Paintballs sting like a son of  a bitch."

Johnny grinned. "I wanted to make sure you were good and dead." He turned his attention to her. "What happened? Get cold feet?"

Reeka stepped behind him. "Looks like she downed one of them." She nodded toward the woman who was still sitting on the ground. The girl gave a slight wave, then held up her I'M DEAD tag.

"Good job," Link said.

"She still couldn't take the shot."

"Give it a rest, Johnny. You always play the same old song over and over." Warren winked at her.

Alesha had the map unfolded and was looking at it. "I think we need to head more to the north." She pushed a button on her watch, then turned a little to her left. They were all staring at her when she looked up. She blushed. "Compass. Never leave home without one. "

Alesha might look like a bubbly cheerleader without a care in the world, but the more Lyraka was around her, the more she thought the other woman might be a nerd.

Warren dropped an arm across Alesha's shoulders. "You carry a compass, you like numbers.  I think we were made for each other."

"I'm a lesbian."

He moved his arm as though she'd burned him. "Really?"

"No. But I thought it might shock you into remembering we're on a mission and this isn't the time or place to flirt."

"It worked," he grumbled .

She folded the map and put it away. "After the mission is

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completed will be another story," she said without missing a beat.

"Speaking of which, do you think we can get back to it." Johnny

slung his weapon over his shoulder.

He was right. "Okay, I'll  scout and make another sweep of the

area," Lyraka said.

And hope like hell she didn't have to kill someone.

"You were right. She's good," Gavin whispered.

"Told you so." Roan couldn't stop the feeling of pride that came  with Gavin's words. Lyraka was  a natural at this even though she  didn't have the confidence yet.

He watched through the binoculars from the camouflaged perch  high in the trees. It wasn't a big space but from this vantage point and  with the glasses, they could see almost everything that went on.

"What do you think about Johnny?" Gavin lowered his glasses  and rubbed his eyes.

"I think if you look up dickhead in the dictionary, you'd see his  face."

Gavin laughed. "I think you're right." He lowered his binoculars.  "You don't think he's l aying it on too thick, do you?"

"Nah, Johnny?" He laughed. "Of course I do, but they're buying  it all hook, line and sinker."

He raised the binoculars again and watched as Lyraka  methodically scoured the area, being careful to watch out for booby  traps.  They would come later, when she was tired.

"Damn, she's fast. All I see is a blur."

Lyraka stopped, cocking her head to the side.

"Shh," Roan whispered.

Had she heard them? Maybe. They were still a good distance  away. Then again, she might have only heard a wild animal scurrying  away. Apparently she thought so, because she went back to scouting  the area.

Yeah, she was good, but would she get past the traps and the final

test in this exercise?

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Chapter 18

T
he air might have been cool this morning when they first started the mock mission, but it was hot and muggy now. A fine sheen of sweat covered Lyraka's entire body. It wasn't pleasant.

She took a cautious step forward, then jerked her foot back just in time as a heavy net flew into the air, bounced twice, then swayed back and forth before coming to a stop. Her breath caught in her throat, her hand flying to her chest as her heart pounded.

That had been way too close. Whoever had set up the booby traps knew what they were doing. She frowned. Probably Roan. He would make this exercise as difficult as possible. Not that she blamed him. She would do the same if their roles were reversed. Better to get caught now than later.

She scanned the area before cautiously moving to the next tree. There was a whi rring noise. She ducked and rolled. A water balloon splattered against the tree, barely missing her. She must've tripped a wire. Did it reset?

She darted back in the direction the water balloon had come

from, going toward it from an angle. Sure enough, there was a  machine camouflaged by bushes and limbs. She waved her hand in  front of it and another water balloon shot forward and splattered  against the tree. Motion sensor. Clever. She looked around the base  until she found a switch and disabled it.

Pride  swept through her. Pride that it had missed her, pride that she'd been able to disable it. Pride that she was leading her team safely.

Hadn't she read something about pride going before a fall? She pushed that thought away. Besides, she'd also read somewh ere that

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you should take pride in your work.

She quickly gauged her location. The team shouldn't be that far

behind her. She made her way back to them, wanting to warn them

there were booby traps.

In only a few minutes, she spotted Johnny, front man in the

group. Figured. The guy really hated relinquishing control.

"I think it's all clear ahead." She stopped in front of Johnny. He

raised his gun. She dodged when he fired.

"Shit! Don't sneak up on me like that. The next time I might

have real bullets."

"Don't be so trigger happy." Ray nodded toward her. "How's it  look up ahead?"

"There are booby traps. I took out what I ran across, but we  should stay on guard in case there are more. I think if we continue the  direction we're going, we should be okay."

"We're getting close." Alesha opened the map, folding it just so  the area they were in was displayed. "Maybe a quarter mile farther."

"Good. I'm starved." To prove his point, Ray's stomach growled.

"For once, I agree with you about being hungry," Warren  said.

Lyraka noticed everyone looked a little frazzled. The physical  exertion wasn't as bad as the mental stress. Everyone wanted to  perform well. It was no wonder they were a little edgy.

Everyone except maybe Reeka. She was practically bouncing  on her  toes, ready to move on. Lyraka's mother had told her that  Nerak was perfect. The planet had no wars. They were at peace, but  they had trained warriors just in case. She figured it would be like  training for something you would never get to use. No wonder Reeka  had left. She was finally getting to put her skills to the test.

"The sooner we rescue the captives, the sooner we get out of  here." Lyraka turned, stepping off the path and a little to her right  since Johnny seemed intent to push his way past. As soon as she set  her foot down, she heard a barely perceptible click. "I stepped on  something." She bit her lip, looking at everyone.

"Well, move off it," Johnny said.

"No! Don't move." Warren hurried forward. "What happened?"

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"When I set my foot down, I heard a click."

"It could be a cluster bomb. If you let off the pressure, it'll blow  up you, and everyone around you. Not that I think it's a real bomb or  anything. They probably filled it with paint, but if we get splattered,  we're all considered dead."

"Great going, Lyraka." Johnny grimaced. "We're all screwed  because of you."

"Shut up, Johnny. If I can diffuse it, we'll be okay," Warren said.

"You said cluster bomb, right? Sorry, but I doubt anyone is that  good. I'm not failing this exercise because of her." His gaze narrowed  as Johnny looked at each one of them. "You want to be an agent,  right? Who's coming with me?"

No one spoke up.

"It's okay." Lyraka didn't want anyone to fail because of her.

"Go ahead and finish the exercise. You have to save th e hostages.

They're what's important."

"We're a team. We stay together," Link said.

"Then all of you stay. I'm outta here," Johnny ground out. He moved forward and was lost in the trees in only a few moments.

"Good riddance," Warren muttered.

"Can you  diffuse it?" Lyraka didn't want them to die on her account, and if this was real, it would mean their death.

"We're about to find out. Okay, first thing is to see what I'm working with. Don't ease the pressure. I'd just as soon not get an eyeful of paint. "

Warren lay down on the ground, carefully brushing the debris out of the way.

"Is it a bomb?" Alesha whispered as if even the sound of her voice might set it off.

"Can't tell. I don't suppose anyone has a ruler?"

Alesha pulled one out of her back pocket. Warren's eyebrows

rose.

"What?" She frowned. "I use a ruler for a lot of things."

Link laughed.

Warren took the ruler. "Okay, I'm going to slide this under your

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foot and take the pressure, but don't ease up." He slid the ruler

beneath her foot, and  without looking away said, "You guys might

want to take cover behind a tree or something. There's no reason for

anyone else to be splattered."

They hesitated.

"Go," Lyraka said.

Everyone stepped behind a tree for safety.

"Okay, it's do or die." He slid the ruler a little farther beneath her

boot.

A drop of sweat slid between her breasts. She had an incredible urge to wiggle her shoulders, but instead, she held her breath and tried to think of something else.

What if this was real? She would never see  Roan or her mother

again. Was this really what she wanted to do for the rest of her life?

"Raise your foot nice and slow."

She took a deep breath and raised her foot.

Warren began to laugh.

She frowned, looking down at him. "Did you diffuse it?"

He moved the ruler. She jumped behind the tree nearest her.

"You stepped on a branch. The clicking noise was when it  snapped."

"Oh, God, I thought we were going to die."