Grai's Game (First Wave) (12 page)

Banatar watched Grai for a moment and marveled at how he hadn’t noticed the obvious before now. He took care of and cleaned up after his youngest brother like a father would a son. From what little he had learned of their past, he had little doubts that Grai had been thrust into the role of parent and protector of his younger brothers at a very early age.

After spending the last few days surrounded by the survivors of extinct species and hybrids of all kinds, he was still surprised at the depth of care and concern this man showed for all of his people. Including the humans and Valendrans.

From what he, Ivint and the Tezarian’s could tell, Grai and his brothers hid nothing from them. Scaden and engineering techs from the Valendran ships had even boarded and toured Koda’s ships and were currently helping with repairs and upgrades.

The resources Grai had established on the planet had astounded Ivint and Banatar. Rather than take by force, he had struggled and fought hard for everything he had amassed. He had manufacturing facilities that employed not only his people, but humans in low wage, low employment areas. He paid them above-average wages with generous benefits.

Major distribution channels, covert facilities and embedded agents around the world were just some of the tactics he used to
keep up with his brother’s machinations. A lot of which was stopped due to Grai’s constant vigilance.

Banatar no longer had any doubt that his
people; his children survived today because this strange man had been assisting them without his knowledge for more than a hundred years. His respect for the man had grown over the last few days.

Seeing his parental reaction to his baby brother really didn’t surprise Banatar as much as it solidified in his mind that there was much more to this man than the name of the species that spawned him. 

“Wow, they weren’t kidding. There are hundreds of videos of meetings stored in these files.” Lagor muttered to himself as he worked to retrieve everything he could.

Banatar helped Grai clean up the trash and spills littering the room, glad that the over-powering smell had greatly diminished once it was cleaner. Once finished, both men pulled up chairs next to Lagor.

“Show us how to pull up what you’ve saved already.” Grai requested as he grabbed his own comm.

Banatar and Grai listened intently before Lagor turned back to his task, leaving the two leaders to view the files already retrieved.

Ivint, Reven and Dread found them hunkered at the control panel a few hours later.

Ivint smiled as he saw the two men with their heads bent together as they attempted to determine the identity of a man they were watching on a vid.

“I swear that’s the head of that African Terrorist group… they kidnapped a dozen school girls around six months ago…” Banatar was saying, his eyes squinting at the screen as he tried to dig through his memory for the man’s name.

“He beheaded all
the men in the village… I know who you’re talking about! I can’t remember his damn name!” Grai muttered in frustration as he scratched his head.

“Pull up the recognition scanner. It should work.” Reven suggested moving to stand behind the two men, his bright blue eyes
now swirling with green.

He and Ivint had been paying attention to the chatter through the Shengari’
and knew that they needed to go to Grai and Banatar in the control room.

“It’s
Baramora Oraka.” Cristali said, barely glancing up from her own screen.

“
Oooh!” Grai and Banatar exclaimed at the same time.

“Damn that’s it!” Banatar added grinning at Grai.

Grai just grinned and added the name to the long list they had started of all humans working with his brother.

“How many have you
found?” Ivint asked, pulling up a chair alongside Reven.

“We are at over a hundred right now, but Lagor and Cristali are still pulling files with more vids.” Grai answered honestly, sparing a glance from the screen to give a respectful nod to the High Councilor.

Reven whistled low, “There are that many humans willing to see others killed for nothing more than money and power?”

“You’d be surprised what some of these people are capable of…” Cristali muttered before turning back to her screen.

“A lot of these people are part of the cult my father started here over a thousand years ago. With nothing more than empty promises of wealth, power and enslaved women and children for their pleasure in the after-life, they will fanatically fight anyone they think stands in their way.”

“It was the whole basis of what my father had taught them. Worship him as a God and anyone who doesn’t agree is to die. He wanted these people to constantly fight to the death.
It entertained him. And if they were fighting and spreading hate and fear, then they weren’t looking too deeply into the flaws in my father’s cult teachings.”

“It also gave him a way of using the planet’s own population as a way to destroy any possible resistance to his takeover and
their subsequent destruction. The more people are drawn to watch one thing; he is working behind them to create more chaos.” Grai explained, opening the next file with a disgusted sneer.

“Grai, it’s almost seven am. You should go now.” Cristali reminded Grai, again without looking up from her screen. The shy, quiet woman had a way of blocking out everything around her while she worked but could remember anything if she saw or heard it only one time.

Grai looked quickly at the time on his comm. He needed to leave now if he would make breakfast with Tricia and Tristan in time. Looking behind him, Ivint and Reven had stood up and allowed him room to scoot his chair back and stand.

“I think we’ll join you. Since we started the bonding, I’ve been a lot hungrier than normal.” Ivint said, rubbing his stomach and looking to Reven.

“I agree. I’m starving. How about you, Banatar?” Reven asked.

“Yeah, I could definitely eat. Since Lagor and Cristali are saving the files, we can pick up when we get back.” Banatar
stood and stretched, the hours he’d spent in the chair looking at the files with Grai had cramped him a little.

Grai waited while Banatar stretched before leading them out of the control room and headed towards the main dining hall on the Echo Four level.

They had only gone a few steps before Grai was stopped by one of the hybrid women.

“Grai, we need to think about getting the children reunited with their
relatives as soon as things calm down a little. I know, now is really not the time. However, with the High Councilor and the other Valendrans here now, they are getting very curious, about whether or not they have families.”

“I hate to say it, but I think some of them are worried that their families don’t want them because they have been here…” Megan paused for a moment and looked to the High Councilor before lowering her eyes, her words trailing off.

“Nothing could be further from the truth!” Ivint countered heatedly.

“Perhaps the High Councilor, Banatar and I can speak to them after breakfast and assure them that they have not been forgotten. By any of their people.” Grai suggested, hoping to quickly erase any fears the children may be having.

“That would be wonderful! Thank you!” Megan said, her smile making her golden eyes swirl with the blue of her beast.

Megan skipped down the hallway towards the children’s level, Ivint following her movements as Grai added a trip to the children to his schedule for the day.

They got another few hundred feet down the hallway before they were joined by Dread and Viper, who followed in step behind Ivint and Reven.

“How are the
bondings progressing? Have there been any problems?” Ivint asked. They all knew that he was wondering if anyone was showing signs of madness or violence, but knew he wouldn’t ask it outright.

“Everything has gone very well. We have had no unusual problems at all. I spoke with
Drago earlier, and he said that dozens on the ships, including Scaden and Cari, have fully bonded and are adjusting perfectly. Amun and Jess are also close to full bonds.” Dread replied, his pride in the beast species evident in his tone.

Dread had never understood the Valendrans desire to sever their connection with their beasts and was glad to see that the Valendran beast species was again being allowed their freedom through their hosts.
Dread didn’t believe that any species should be subjugated in such a fashion. It had never been the intent of any of the world Gods for it to be like that.

Ivint smiled to himself at the news that Scaden and Cari had already fully bonded. He expected no less from them. The first mated couple of a hybrid and Valendran. First Valendran twins. Now the first mated and beast bonded couple. They were determined to leave their mark on both worlds it seemed
, he thought with pride.

The animated conversations in the dining hall didn’t slow at the arrival of the group. If anything it got louder as a wide variety of people called out greetings. Grai and the others returned the waves, nods and calls while making their way to the center table.

It was the longest table in the room and was traditionally reserved for the section commanders who needed to be able to get in and eat quickly at times. Grai, Ivint, Banatar, Reven and the Valendran commanders also shared the table now as well. Including Dare and Balduen, who were already seated on the far side of the table.

Grai left the group and made a beeline for
Tricia, who was leaning down and tucking a blanket around Tristan as he lay back in a stroller near the head of the table. Tricia believed that even though he was in a coma, he could still hear and she wanted him to hear, and remember the sounds of his friends and family as much as possible. As an encouragement to fight, to come back to them.

Grai wasn’t sure if it was true or not, but he was willing to believe or try anything if it
brought his son back to him. Walking to the stroller, he leaned down and easily picked up the frail little body into his arms and hugged him closely.

“How’s my little warrior this morning?” Grai asked quietly, unable to keep the gruffness out of his voice.

He closed his eyes as he fought the wave of sorrow that hit him at the feel of Tristan’s ribs poking through the thin shirt that covered him.
He was deteriorating so fast, he thought, feeling crippled by the pain that thought caused him.

It wasn’t until he heard the silverware clatter to the table and a chair scrape across the floor, before he looked up to see Dare walk out of the room, Balduen on her heels. He closed his eyes and cursed his stupidity in not hiding his emotions better. He
did not intend to hurt them in any way.

“It’s alright. She’s having a hard time, but she’s coming around. She’s a smart girl. Give her time and she’ll be fine.

Grai wasn’t sure who at the table was more shocked at Banatar’s words, him or… everyone else. He was more than happy to note that he wasn’t the only one staring open-mouthed at the man.

“What? It’s true! Now sit and eat and enjoy your family, we have a lot to do today and a lot to go over.” Banatar said pretending to ignore the stunned faces around him.

Granted, Dare was his daughter, and he loved her more than life, but Grai hadn’t done anything to her. Her captivity and impregnation orchestrated by his father’s people before he took over. Banatar hated what she had gone through, but knew that placing the blame on someone whose only crime would have been not stopping it to save his own son, was unfair. He knew Dare felt that way as well. Her stubbornness was the only thing keeping her from admitting it.

Banatar could see that it was getting to her, the true love and affection that Grai had for his son and Tricia. His kindness towards his people and patience with their needs and his obligations to them.

He was a good leader and a kind man, and it did not go unnoticed by any of the Valendrans or Tezarian’s.

Chapter Eleven

Hours later, the men were surrounded by the happy faces of the twenty-seven children under the age of sixteen that were currently at the compound.

Grai had explained to them earlier that normally the children were housed in a private group home that he ran through a shell corporation. Until he knew for certain that his brother didn’t know about the children or the group home, he had them brought down here to ensure their safety.

“Amun, Megan will be sending all the data on each of the children. We’re going to need identifications as soon as you can get them. I have to warn you that it may be a little difficult, and it may yield more than one result.”

“
We’ve learned that some of the hybrid children, found and mated with other hybrid children.” Ivint said through his comm, amazed that Grai had been able to save that many of their children. That the young hybrid children had somehow been drawn to one another from what they had told him.

What had surprised Ivint the most had been the number of female children. Out of the twenty-seven, twenty of them were female. They had not seen twenty females born of their species in over a
thousand years. It only solidified in his mind how important this planet was to their people.

An internal alarm began sounding a soft beep, until Grai pulled out his comm and activated it. Cristali came on the small vid screen
, her expression one of worry.

“Sir, we’ve got a private incoming from Rab on the emergency channel.”

Grai looked to Megan, the Valendran hybrid taking care of the children and nodding her head; she began sending the children from the room and into another with the promise of a snack.

Moving to a desk in the corner, Grai typed on the pad until he was able to bring Cristali on the screen.

“Connect now.” Grai ordered as the children left the room, before turning to the others.

“When we realized the depth of infiltration my father and brother had accomplished within the governments and religious communities around the world, we started sending in our own people to help find and remove them when we could. The way Banatar has done.
In fact, we have people working alongside most of Banatar’s.”

“Rab is a human ally
who works with one of Julou’s people in Africa…” Grai explained before seeing Rab’s face come on the screen.

“Grai! I am so glad to see you my friend!” The
dark-skinned man uttered, appearing on a smaller screen within the one with Cristali on it, out of breath as if he had been running.

“Rab, what is wrong?” Grai asked, knowing that it had to be bad for the normally calm and rational man to appear so upset.

“Have you seen the news about the Ebola outbreak that occurred about a hundred miles south of us?” Rab asked, looking behind him as if to make sure no one was listening to him.

Grai thought for a moment and shook his head, nodding to Cristali to pull up the information.

“No, I had not heard. Is there something unusual about this outbreak?” Grai asked curiously. Something was terribly wrong. Not only was Rab’s behavior an indication, but he could feel it.

“
Unfortunately, yes. Bratan left yesterday to check it out when we heard from some locals that the bodies had been desecrated, and evil controlled the village. I received one message from him last night. He managed to tell me that it wasn’t Ebola, that the bodies had been ripped apart. He said whatever had killed them was still hunting… humans.”

“I lost the signal in the middle of him
speaking, and I have not been able to reach him since then. In light of the message, you had sent to us regarding the dark ones… I just thought you should know. Should I send a team out to search for Bratan?” Rab asked nervously, looking over his shoulder again.

Grai looked to Ivint and Banatar for a moment before turning back to Rab, noting the concern that was etched on their faces.

“No, I want you to stay there for as long as you think you are safe. If you are not, go to your extraction location and wait for me there. I will be heading to you shortly with a team. We will find Bratan and check out the village.” Grai assured his friend, the fear he felt weighing heavily in his stomach.

“Thank you! Truly, thank you my friend. I am very concerned about Bratan.” Rab sighed, visibly relieved.

Grai nodded, understanding how Rab felt. He was very concerned as well. None of this seemed right to him.

The screen went dark as Ivint asked, “What is wrong? What is Ebola?”

“Ebola is a disease that causes massive internal bleeding, almost certain death and is highly contagious. It is not unusual for it to occur in that part of the world.”

“The problem is that if Bratan thought that the deaths were caused by something other than
Ebola, then we may have found the location where Dagog is testing the new dark ones. The ones that can take orders.” Grai said, somehow knowing that he was right as he said it.

“Cristali, we’re heading to you. Get us all the information and maps that we need of the area.” Grai told the woman on the screen before turning and heading to the door. Ivint and Banatar following closely behind him.

Ivint decided to use his new abilities to contact Reven, Balduen and the Tezarian’s through the Shengari’, to meet them in the control room they had been in earlier.

They reached the control room just as the others rounded the corner to the room.

“Come. Grai can explain when we get inside.” Ivint said, holding the door open for everyone to enter the room.

Grai immediately went to the large table on one side of the room and began pulling the maps up on the reflective surface in a 3D projection.

Looking around the room, he made sure he had everyone’s attention before beginning.

“We have one of Julou’s men in place in Africa. He’s part of a team there that act as a humanitarian mission while keeping Dago
g’s numbers from taking over that part of the country.”

“Bratan heard through locals that an infectious disease outbreak nearby wiped out a village, but that the bodies were desecrated. When he went to investigate the last transmission received was this…” Grai said before nodding to Cristali.

The screen in front of the table lit up with the familiar face of Bratan. The obviously large man was sweating profusely and trembling.

“It… it’s definitely not Ebola.” The man paused and looked around the wooded area behind him.

“The bodies were… I don’t know. The only thing I can compare it to would be a wild cat attack. But no cat, no animal on this planet did this to these people.”

“Whatever it is, it’s still out there. It’s been tracking me since I arrived. I can’t see anyone, but I can feel them. Rab, you need to…” The vid went dark and Grai turned to the others.

“What are you thinking it is?” Dread was the first to ask.

“I think it’s my brother testing out the ability of the new dark ones to take commands. The one thing you can count on with him is that, like my father, he sticks with what works. This is the same way they have tested their prototypes for thousands of years.”

“On this planet, he picks an obscure village or town somewhere that he thinks can easily be
covered up by his friends in government and uses the unknowing residents to test his weapons or biological warfare… in this case possibly the new dark ones.”

“Either way, I have a missing man that I need to find. Whether it’s the dark ones or my brother’s men, I need to do something before they hurt anyone else. There are too many other villages in the area that they could easily reach with people who do not deserve to die.” Grai said, pointing to the other village locations on the map, four of which were very close to the one that had been destroyed.

“Viper and I will go with you.” Dread offered while Viper nodded his head in agreement.

“It looks like you should have at least five small t
eams, maybe four or five people in each one. Each team should come in from different points, here and here…” Balduen pointed to the locations on the map in front of them.

“It would prevent anyone still there from escaping as we approached. It’s a good idea.” Grai agreed, nodding at Balduen
in thanks.

“I will lead a team with Dread and Viper.” Reven offered without hesitation.

“No. I am sorry, but this is not the time for that until we know what we are dealing with. We need those who are not only fully beast bonded, but familiar with bonded combat.” Grai told him, looking to Ivint to help him lessen the rejection.

“He’s right. We have no idea what new
capabilities, they have added to these new dark ones other than the ability to command them. Until we know, we need to let Grai handle this.” Ivint agreed, understanding why Grai was taking only those familiar with bonded combat.

Just the few days that he had been bonding he had noticed times of confusion where the voice of his beast got mixed in his mind with his own thoughts and those
speaking on the local Shengari’ path.

In battle, you would have your own thoughts running through your head, your beast calling out dangers they see that you may not and the voices of the
other's fighting, drifting into your mind from the local Shengari’.

Th
e confusion that could create in the mind of someone untrained in blocking certain thoughts, could get someone killed in a combat situation. There was a skill in being able to fully immerse yourself in the bond, allowing your mind to meld with the mind of the beast, becoming of one mind.

It took a lot more practice to use your beast skills in combat than any of them had first realized. Reven must have realized it too as he just nodded his head in agreement to Grai.

“I will lead another team.” Balduen offered to the surprise of everyone. No one expected him to want to be anywhere near Grai, the calmness he had displayed the last few days surprising them all no less than this offer.

“Thank you.” Grai said, deeply moved that the man would put aside their differences to work together.

“That gives you four-team leaders. When do you plan on leaving?” Ivint asked, glad that Balduen offered to go. Although his trust in Grai was growing every day, he still felt better knowing that one of his people would be on this mission.

Grai looked at the time and sighed. It was almost dinner
time, and he had promised to spend it with Tricia and Tristan. He was torn. He wanted nothing more than to spend some time with the both of them. However, his need to be with them warred with his need to find Bratan, to ensure that other villagers weren’t in danger.

“Go see your family. I think that between us battle hardened men we can figure out a good plan for your approach and extraction. Meet us back here in… three hours and we’ll finalize everything.” Ivint told Grai with a huge grin on his face as if Grai had
broadcasted his thoughts. Grai could feel a slow heat creeping up his cheeks.

“Thank you, I’m sure that anything you come up with
will work well.” Grai nodded with respect to the men before turning and leaving the room without another word.

He strode down the hall quickly, sending out requests through the Shengari’ as he went to find out where his mate and child were. Getting confirmation of their location, he redirected his path to the one that would get him there the fastest.

Two levels and eight hallways later he stood at the edge of the water listening to the laughter echoing around the large chamber.

He watched for a moment as Tricia sat on a ledge near the natural waterfall and pool area, Tristan cradled in her lap. His enhanced hearing allowed him to hear the song she sang softly to their son.

Blinking away his tears, he cleared his throat loudly and spoke kindly to all the children playing in the water nearby as Tricia carried Tristan through the shallow pool to Grai.

Holding up one of the large towels kept in a cabinet near the door, Grai wrapped Tricia and Tristan in it and led them to the door.

“You’re going somewhere aren’t you?” Tricia asked with a half-smile. She knew something had to be going on if he was searching her out at this time of the day.

Grai quietly explained the situation to Tricia as he led them to their private quarters. Once inside he placed a dry towel on the bed and took Tristan from her arms.

“You go get a shower, and I’ll get our boy dry and changed.” Grai offered with a smile, laying Tristan’s damp body on the towel and gently peeling off his wet T-shirt.

“I’ll be right back baby.” Tricia promised, leaning up to place a kiss on Grai’s cheek
as, he bent over their son.

“Hurry back.” Grai suggested, the heat in his eyes unmistakable. Shivering despite the comfortable temperature, Tricia ran off to the shower.

“It’s just us guy's now little warrior. Mommy’s getting a shower. Let’s see about getting you all nice and dry.” Grai said as he gently dried and changed Tristan into clean clothes and a clean diaper.

Grai cleaned up the mess so Tricia wouldn’t have to do it later and grabbed Tristan’s favorite book. Sitting with his back against the wall at the head of the bed, he pulled Tristan into his arms and read to him while he waited for Tricia.
Making sure he did all the different voices for the characters that Tristan had always loved.