My Cyborg Savior (Crimson Romance) (19 page)

Galen snorted. “A rousing endorsement.”

“Well, I could lie, but that won’t get us anywhere.”

Galen strode to the door, and peeked out. “All clear. Let’s move.”

They moved silently this time. The senator took each corner alone to make sure no one was there. They would have to duck into a room if someone was coming.

“We’re close — one more corridor and we’re free.” He turned the corner and froze.

“Dr. Boris, it’s good to see you.”

Fuck. Torin and Galen slipped backwards and Torin pulled on door handles to find an empty room to duck into.

Jamila groaned and shifted on Galen’s shoulder and he froze.
Come on, baby. This is not the time to wake up.
Torin waved at him frantically and he dashed for the door the man held open. He silently shut it behind them and leaned against it.

Galen glanced around the room and spotted a cyborg frozen in a chair, gaping at them.

“Shit, Torin, are you nuts? There’s someone in here.”

“We didn’t have a choice. Everything else was locked. I don’t know why this dude’s cell wasn’t.”

The man growled low in his throat. “Because this isn’t a cell. I’m here by choice.”

“Dude, you’re strapped to a chair.”

His eyes narrowed. “It’s to keep me still during the experiments.”

Galen felt bile rise in his throat. He’d been there before. They needed to get this man out. But they couldn’t risk it. Not when he was well and truly working for them.

“Someday we’ll get you out.”

The man’s upper lip curled into a sneer. “I don’t want out. This is where I belong. I’m doing a job I enjoy. The government knows what’s best for its citizens. I’m doing good work and you’re a traitor. You’ll see the light or you’ll be executed. I hope I’m there for that.”

Torin glared at him. “Can we shut him up?”

Galen shook his head. “Nope. I remember giving those speeches to the men who rescued me. He’ll spout the government’s good intentions until he loses his voice. What do you think drove my wife away? She said I scared her, but I’m convinced my political speeches made her stark raving mad.”

Torin chuckled but it was hollow. “We can’t get him out, can we?”

Galen sighed. “No, but at least we know about this place. We’ll send a team in to liberate it.” His hands trembled with rage. “I hate this shit. They need to leave people alone. Get real recruits for their armies. Something. Anything.”

The new cyborg shouted. “There are traitors in here. Traitors. Somebody stop them. They’re taking a woman.”

Jamila jerked on his shoulder and tried to sit up. He shifted her on his shoulder so she fell back down his back. She screamed under the tape and hit his ass with her bound hands.

“Easy, girl. Come on. It’s Galen, stop screaming. Sit tight and we’ll get out of here.”

She didn’t pause in her screaming and his heart sank. She was brainwashed. She might not even remember who he was, and even if she did, she’d never believe he was here to help her.

Torin stepped behind him. “Hey, Jamila, come on. Snap out of it. We’re here to help you.”

Her struggles and screaming suddenly ceased. Her hands balled in the back of his shirt and instead of hitting him, a muffled noise that sounded like it could be his name came from her.

He ran his hand up the back of her thigh. “Relax. We’re getting you out of here. We have to keep you tied. We don’t know if you’re — ”

His voice broke and he couldn’t finish his sentence. But she didn’t try to pound his back again, and the screaming ceased.

The senator poked his head in and the cyborg started shouting again. They quickly rushed out of the room and shut the doors.

“Let’s get out of here. Now. Everyone on this planet probably heard that bastard shouting.”

The whoop of an alarm made everyone jump.

“Fuck. Run.”

They made a mad dash for the door at the end of the hall, following the senator’s lead.

He pressed his thumb to the exit’s key panel and there was a loud buzz. The light above the door flashed red and it didn’t open.

“Shit. The facility is in lockdown.”

Galen glanced at Torin. “Try to kick it down, while I go in through the computer system.”

Torin immediately lifted his foot and pounded it against the door. Galen closed his eyes and started hacking the system. Their safe guards were up. He had to watch his back. Once they’d determined that cyborgs could hack their computer systems, they’d started adding special viruses when safety systems went off. Viruses that could kill a cyborg by shutting down the computer that controlled his brain. Boom, dead. It wasn’t a way Galen wanted to go. And that was if they wanted you dead. He’d seen one man hacked and go right back to the government. All the deprogramming wasted. Galen was the superior hacker, which was why he’d asked Torin to take on the door.

He found the switch for the door and tripped the locks. It burst off its hinges as Torin kicked it one last time.

They rushed onto the ground and ran headlong for the waiting shuttle. The wiz of stun guns being discharged filled the air. Jamila curled tighter onto his back, and screamed. Torin dropped like a stone in front of him.

Galen snatched Torin’s hand and dragged him the rest of the way to the ship, and up the ramp. His foot caught the edge and he fell the rest of the way, yanking Torin with him. Jamila squeaked as he came down hard on her legs. She managed to stay sitting and not whack her head on the floor. Cyrus sank into the pilot’s seat.

Galen took a deep breath and shouted. “Computer, close the doors and lift off. Now. Don’t wait for the doors to close fully.”

“Unadvisable.”

“Do it, you piece of shit.”

“Affirmative.”

“Damned straight.”

Bitingly cold air whirled around them as the ship shoved itself at full speed into the air. The gears closing the door screamed in protest, but kept moving. The ramp slammed closed and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Computer, full burn. Head for the following coordinates.” He kept the coordinates to himself as he transmitted them directly to the ship.

He gripped Jamila and Torin tight as they jolted forward.

When the pressure lifted the senator sighed and turned in his chair. “That was close.”

“Don’t jinx us. We aren’t out of danger yet. If we get into trouble we’re screwed. Torin is the superior pilot, and he’s out.”

They waited in silence for the telltale rocking of the ship that would signal they were being fired upon. Nothing happened.

He sat up, carefully taking his weight of Jamila’s legs.

She slowly pulled the tape off her mouth. “Why the hell am I taped? Let me out.”

Torin groaned and sat up clutching his head. “I hate those fucking stunners. I’m going to have a migraine for days.”

“Yes, how terrible for you. At least you’re not tied up. Galen, come on, loosen my hands.”

Torin grinned. “Nope, you get to stay like that until we’re back on a bigger ship, and one of our doctors can check you out.”

Her gaze snapped to his. “Galen?”

“Yep. That’s the deal. We don’t know if you’ve been brainwashed or not.”

She glanced away. “They tried. They — ”

He grabbed her and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. “You don’t have to talk about it now. We’ll talk about it later. In private.” He wasn’t sure he could hear what they’d done to her now. Not without turning their jumper around and going on a suicide mission to do as much damage as possible. Besides, he was sure she would regret telling those things in the company of Torin and her father. Not that they would mock her, or be bad listeners, but it was a very private matter.

Her eyes welled with tears and she nodded before laying her head against his chest. He had to resist the urge to squeeze her against him.

“I should have been straight with you that day in the shuttle. I had more than one reason to come back with you. I was going to take the fall for you. I suspected you would be wanted for supplying the Haven district. I love you, and I couldn’t let them execute you for that.”

She pulled back and looked up at him and he wiped tears off her cheek with his thumb. “What did you say to me? Something about love?”

He smiled and pressed his lips against her forehead. “I love you, Jamila.”

“It’s about damned time you said it.”

He snorted. “I’ve loved you since I found out you were giving food and medical supplies to people in need, even when the government said it was wrong.”

Her father cleared his throat sharply. “I don’t like this. I cooperated with Galen to save you, not so you could run off and marry him. I don’t want you associating with them. They’re dangerous criminals.”

Rage boiled in the pit of Galen’s stomach. He’d kill this man before he let him take back his daughter. “We are what you made us. We’re tired of doing horrible things to help subjugate others. Besides, you have no choice. She’s wanted now. And most importantly she’s mine. I won’t give her up because you have a problem with my people.”

Her father crossed his arms over his chest. “Maybe I won’t help you find your daughter if you don’t?”

Torin snorted. “How about we hold you captive and torture you until you do.”

Jamila pressed her fingers over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

Cyrus rolled his eyes. “That won’t work. Where the government wasn’t willing to commit its full resources to finding my daughter, it will come after you if you take me. I know too many secrets, and too many men are counting on me to vote their way on several issues. Several issues you would find very important, that I could help you with.” He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and lacing his fingers together. “You think life is hard now? What if the government unleashes its full wrath on you? You might think they’ve been hunting for you, but they haven’t even been trying. And if you don’t do exactly as I ask, things could get very bad for you.”

Jamila threw her bound hands up in there air. “Shut up! Really, you’re going to discuss this now? You can’t wait to threaten the man I love and try to take him away from me? I know you want your world to be exactly like you want it, but doesn’t my happiness mean anything to you?”

Cyrus straightened, grimacing in pain. “I want what’s best for you.”

“And that’s Galen. Even being captive on his ship I’ve felt more alive than I have in the past year. Maybe longer. Doesn’t that matter?”

The old man’s eyes glistened with tears and he glanced away. Galen never suspected that the bastard had a heart, but he clearly felt something.

“I love you, Jamila. I don’t think I can live without you. I’m already living without your mother. It was my fault that she killed herself. She felt ridiculed, and unloved, and let it consume her. I want to keep you close. To protect you.”

“And by taking Galen from me, you’ll be making the same mistake twice. I’m wanted in the core planets now, as well as ridiculed.”

“I can find a safe place where you’ll survive.”

“I don’t want to survive. I want to
live
. I want freedom, and love, and most importantly I want to help those people on that ship. People that are injured. People that lost everything because the government you work for thinks they deserve to die. You’re going to help Galen find his daughter, and you’re going to vote favoring the genetically engineered and the cyborgs from now on. Please, Daddy.”

He nodded. “I don’t know if I can bear not seeing you again.”

She stood and stumbled to his side. She clasped one of his hands in hers. “If you can fix this war with the cyborgs, maybe someday you will.”

“You come back to me if you’re ever unhappy.”

Annoyance flared but Galen kept his trap shut. This was their moment. But he would make sure she was always happy from now on.

Cyrus cleared his throat. “Torin, get up here and set this thing down on the third planet.”

“Daddy, what about helping me escape? What will they do to you?”

He snorted. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll lie and say I was coerced. No one will believe me and I’ll get death threats. Thus is the life of a politician. I’m hoping I won’t get assassinated helping these people.”

He patted her hand when panic flashed across Jamila’s face. “I’m joking, pumpkin.”

Everyone knew that was a lie, but she didn’t press him about it.

• • •

Jamila leaned on Galen as they walked back from the infirmary. She’d been thoroughly checked for every device they could conceive of. She’d also had some annoying little gnat of a psychiatrist analyzing her for brainwashing and secret orders, and whatever other worries they had. When they determined she had no weapons, no tracking or communication devices, and was not going to snap and kill someone, they’d released her. Though she’d been told she was still required to meet with the psychiatrist weekly, and she would be watched. It was creepy, but they had good reasons.

“I’m so tired, Galen. I don’t think I’ve slept since I was taken into custody.”

He squeezed her shoulder. “We’re almost there.”

He’d been tense and silent since her father had disembarked from their shuttle. She could tell he was worried about her.

She glanced at him. “Galen, I can’t talk about it. They didn’t have long, but they were … inventive.”

She flinched as horrific images of the violence and death they’d showed her flashed through her mind. The remembered pain echoed through her limbs.

She jumped when Galen pressed a finger over her lips. “Don’t think about it. Don’t worry about telling me. I remember. And one day, when you can talk about it, you’ll come to me, and I’ll always listen. You can tell me anything. And if you feel like you can’t, you are required to see that psychiatrist. Tell her.”

She nodded as they stepped into Galen’s chamber. “I want to forget for a while.”

He nibbled her neck. “I can think of an excellent way to forget about it.”

She giggled. “Really? Now? What happened to me getting some sleep?”

“Well, we can make time for it. Can’t we always make time for this?” He slid his hands into her pants and cupped her mons.

She snorted. “At that time, I was trying to distract you and get you to do what I wanted.”