Saint (Gateway Series Book 2) (17 page)

Katalya’s words both stung and frightened Stone.

“It’s her right to go after the Association,” added Thay. “And anyone between her and the Association. Maybe she’s got a little Iroqua in her.”

“This is crazy,” Stone declared. Shaking his head, he exhaled loudly and turned to follow Mori.

In a few seconds, he had caught up to her. “Ino’ka,” he called out as he grasped her arm.

Mori quickly spun around. He could see the anger in her eyes. “What is it? We—I don’t have time—”

“Listen to me,” he demanded and he grabbed her other arm.

“Let go of me,” she demanded.

“Ino’ka, just hear me out,” Stone spoke in Akota, hoping it would help to clear her senses. “I know Ohcumgache was a friend—”

Stone felt Mori grasp his right hand and force her left arm free. “He was family,” she grumbled. “When my parents…when I was left alone, there were no elder males in my family—they had all died fighting your people—” She spoke slowly as she stared into his eyes. “So his aunt took me in and raised me as her own until I was accepted to the academy. He…he was more than a cousin, more like a brother…but I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

Stone’s anger grew from someplace deep inside. “How dare you!” he snapped. “Don’t you think I have felt loss, seen friends die on the battlefield? I turned against my entire planet and you try to tell me I don’t understand.”

“Family is just more than a name and a lineage to us,” she replied.

“Do you think I don’t know that,” he retorted. “I thought we were together in this.” He eased his grip on her other arm and placed his free hand on her cheek. “You’ve changed my life and even though I feel like I’ve been swept up in a tornado, I know I’m doing the right thing. I just need your help to understand why you are being this way.” As he looked into her eyes, he saw her tensed facial muscles relax and the normal Mori return.

“We are in this together, Ty,” she replied as she placed her hand on his chest.

He could see a tear forming in the corner of her left eye and her cheeks grow flush.

“There’s just so much,” she whispered. “The team. Sandwick. And I still can’t forget that, that place the Humani sent me. I haven’t been able to talk with the
wichasa wakhan
since we left and the thoughts are starting to visit me at night again. The guards and the pri—”

Stone pulled Mori in close to him. He could feel her tremble as he held her.

“And then Henry,” she huffed as she let her emotions flow. “I need to be strong, a leader, not just for my team but for our people. It’s expected of a…” She paused.

Stone could sense her hesitate.

“…of a Ka-itsenko,” she continued.

Stone could tell she was holding back, but now wasn’t the time to pry further. He gently stepped back so that he could look into her eyes. He understood the weight of command but could only try to understand the hell that was her captivity on Capro.

“You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of,” he said softly. “You’re one of the bravest warriors I have ever seen and you did everything you could’ve to save Henry.”

“But it wasn’t enough,” she said, looking toward the deck.

“All we can do is try.” Stone’s thoughts went to him rushing toward Martin and Jackson. He pulled her in close and held her tight. “Sometimes we just can’t get there in time.”

Chapter 13

“Just follow me, honey, and we’ll work out the details upstairs,” smiled Bianca.

The middle-aged and rotund Technician 2nd Class Yancy was having the best day of his life. His life usually consisted of pawning his furniture to pay a loan shark and working twelve to sixteen hours a day on the administrative polis’s environmental conditioning systems to buy it back at a markup. But Yancy couldn’t remember such a banner day. He normally left Hanagus’s bar filling out IOUs or by signing an authorization for the “establishment” to withdraw from his earnings, but today was different—wonderfully different. In just a few hours, he had won over 3,000 credits and even drawn the attention of the house entertainment boss, the beautiful Bianca.

“Sounds…good…to…me,” huffed the out-of-shape Yancy as he eagerly but slowly followed Bianca up the two levels of stairs to the relaxation rooms.

Noticing the man was lagging behind, she stopped and turned to smile. “No rush, honey. You’ll need to save your energy for what’s coming.”

Energized by her comment, Yancy picked up his pace, at least for a few steps until his poor conditioning overcame his rush of lustful energy. Finally reaching the relaxation level, Yancy took in a deep breath. His head was spinning from a combination of the excitement of actually winning a game of triples, the thought of seeing Bianca naked, and the lack of oxygen in his lungs.

Bianca paused, allowing Yancy to catch his breath again. “Let’s step inside and get down to business,” she said with a smile as she unlocked and opened the door to room number eleven.

As he stepped into the door, Yancy’s excitement and anticipation were instantly replaced with surprise and confusion. Inside the room stood a group of heavily armed people. He turned to run but was met at the exit by a tall wiry Terillian warrior with a painted face and a small tuft of hair running over the middle of his otherwise bald head.

***

Stone could see the fear on the chubby technician’s sweat-coated face as he turned away from the exit, which was blocked by Thay.

“Here ya go,” said Bianca as she reached behind Thay and pulled the door closed.

“So this is our guy,” asked Mori clearly unimpressed with the sight in front of her.

“He’s what you asked for,” replied Bianca. She gave a quick glance to the terrified technician. “Exactly what you asked for.”

“You can take the money,” offered the trembling Yancy. “I knew this was too good to be true,” he mumbled under his breath. “Stupid.” 

Stone stepped toward the man. As he did, Yancy fell backward against the door and onto the floor.

“Please don’t hurt me,” he pleaded.

“Get up,” demanded Thay as he pulled the man back to his feet.

“We’re not going to hurt you,” said Stone. “Now come over here.” He pointed toward a small chair.

“We’re probably not going to hurt you,” amended Thay with a smile.

Yancy glanced quickly toward Thay and then shuffled to the chair.

“What do you want with me?” he asked. “I don’t understand—”

“Just shut up and listen,” interrupted Mori as she sat in the chair next to Yancy.

“I always end up in these fucked-up situations,” Yancy grumbled.

“Maybe you should think about why that happens,” commented Orion with a chuckle. “And maybe get directions to a gym.”

“It’s okay, honey,” interjected Bianca. “Just listen to them. It’s not as bad as you think.”

Stone noticed Yancy glance toward Katalya and Magnus. As he did, Magnus responded with a growl that showed his unusually sharp canines. Yancy quickly shifted his gaze downward, staring at the desk separating himself and Mori.

“It’s usually worse than I think,” sulked Yancy.

Stone looked toward Bianca in amazement at the man’s sad state.

“Like I said.” Bianca smiled. “Ex-act-ly what you asked for.”

“Enough delays,” declared Mori as she leaned in toward Yancy. “I am Major Mori Skye of the Scout Rangers.”

“I am—”

“I don’t care who you are,” Mori interrupted. “Just be quiet while I tell you what you’re going to do.”

Stone saw the fire in her brilliant green eyes radiate against the multicolored war paint on her face. Her gaze clearly unsettled the already frightened Yancy.

“You clearly have a weakness for gambling and women,” she continued. “A weakness, among other obvious excesses, you can’t afford.”

“But I—”

“I think I told you to shut up,” interrupted Mori as she pulled her pistol from its holster and placed it on the desk.

Yancy slouched back into the chair in an act of acceptance and submittal.

“Like I said, you’re basically a fat, drunk deviant. But that’s okay and today it might actually get you everything you’ve ever wanted.”

Stone saw Yancy’s posture straighten at the promise of some reward.

“What do I have to do?” he asked.

“Just give me your access card, passcode, tell us what you know about the security of the maintenance underground, and confirm the schematics I’m going to show you.”

“I can’t,” professed Yancy. “If they find out—and they will—they’ll kill me.”

“Or maybe you can die right here,” offered Thay as he stepped toward Yancy, his tomahawk drawn.

Yancy recoiled and twisted his body away from Thay’s direction.

“Wait,” ordered Mori. “That won’t be necessary…if you cooperate.”

“But—”

“Again, shut up,” replied Mori, cutting off Yancy’s reply. “This is where being a compulsive loser actually pays off for you. We know you can’t stay here after you give us the information. So…” Mori looked toward Bianca.

“Keep the credits you have, plus another 15,000,” said Bianca. “And Hanagus will make sure you get off Port Royal tonight.”

Stone saw Yancy’s eyes open wide when he heard the amount Bianca had offered. “Where will I go?” he asked.

“Lima 6,” answered Bianca. “There’s quite a few little smuggling towns there.”

“Just your kind of cheap, low-rent hole-in-the-wall whorehouse and gambling pit infested place,” added Orion sardonically.

“And with your new financial status,” continued Mori, “you should be able to make a nice little life—well, what you call a life—for yourself.”

Stone could see Yancy weigh his options: death at the hands of the Association, death by tomahawk, or the chance to be king-swine in his own little pigpen. It didn’t take long for him to decide.

“I’ll do it,” he said. “But you have to assure me I’ll get off Port Royal tonight.”

“You’ll be on an undeclared flight leaving in four hours,” answered Bianca. “Until then, you and I will spend some quality time together in this room.”

A contemplative and anxious smile came to Yancy’s face.

“Okay then.” He smiled. “Let me see the schematics.”

Over the next few minutes Yancy verified the accuracy of the maintenance area plans, divulged details about the security protocols, and generally spilled his guts on everything he knew about the administrative polis.

“That’s all I know,” declared a now-relaxed Yancy.

“I think we’ve got enough,” said Stone. “This might actually work.”

“Well, let’s hope it does,” replied Orion as she rose from her seated position on the bed in the center of the room. “I’ll have
Hydra
ready for our inevitable quick getaway.”

Mori stood, walked toward the door, and turned to face the group.

“We’ll split into two groups and meet at maintenance access 1-863 at 2330. We’ll enter the maintenance area and make our way to section 1588, we’ll grab Councilmen Ferrous, get the info, and be back at
Hydra
by 0150.”

“And we’ll get all cozy in here.” Bianca smiled as she walked over to Yancy.

“Yes,” said Yancy under his breath.

As Stone watched, Bianca straddled Yancy’s chair and ran her hand down the length of his arm. He could see the sweat start to bead once again on Yancy’s bulbous face. Suddenly he heard a metallic clink and Yancy’s smile turned to a scowl.

“What did you do?” Yancy asked loudly, pulling on his hand, now handcuffed to the chair.

“You silly boy,” said Bianca, laughing as she backed away from Yancy. “I’m staying here to keep you quiet, not to keep you happy.”

“You bitch!” he yelled. “You sa—”

Before he could finish his word, Mori’s knife was pressed against his throat. Yancy froze, afraid to move.

“You’re gonna stay right here and keep your damn mouth shut,” she whispered in his ear just loud enough for Stone and Bianca to hear. “And if anything you’ve told us is a lie I am going to come back here and skin you alive myself.”

Mori slid the razor-sharp blade over Yancy’s neck, causing it to bleed ever so slightly. She then stepped in front of him and leaned in close. “Betray us and this will be the last face you’ll ever see. Do you understand?”

Yancy nodded his head in nervous acknowledgment.

“Good,” said Mori as she stepped back from the once again terrified Yancy and looked toward the group. “Let’s get going.”

***

“This way, Paladin Martin.” The teenage girl smiled, her smooth blonde hair falling to her neckline with two sharp tufts running the length of her jawline.

As she entered the room, Martin did a quick tactical assessment. There were a dozen or so dressed exactly like the little lamb that had led her into the room; they wouldn’t be a problem. What did draw her attention was the five others positioned strategically in the dimly lit room. They wore hooded cloaks but she could make out protrusions that clearly indicated weapons of some kind. And centerline toward the opposite wall sat a man in a lone chair. As Martin walked toward him, he rose from his seat to meet her.

“Welcome visitor,” he replied in a soothing voice.

Martin looked over the sandy-haired, bearded man with almost luminescent blue eyes. After a moment she spoke. “You must be the one they call the Saint,” she said.

The man paused. His lips tightened and his brow furrowed. Martin could tell he wasn’t used to being addressed directly. As he looked upon her, she saw several of the people in the room gravitate toward the man. In a few seconds, six or seven of the white-shirted ones stood around the man. He tilted his head slightly in puzzlement.

“I said,” repeated Martin more loudly, “you must be the one they call the Saint.”

More people in the room moved toward the man.

“Hmm,” the man finally responded. “I am indeed the Saint. And as for you…” The Saint turned toward the girl who had escorted Martin into the room. “My child, what did she call herself?”

The girl turned her head toward the floor. “She is Paladin Martin of Humani, Saint.”

“And why have you come to us?” he asked.

“I’ve come to speak with Envoy Sterling and her companion and escort them back to Alpha Humana by order of the ProConsul Astra Varus.”

“Oh yes, I do remember them.” He smiled. “You have to give Astra Varus my regards, but it seems after a few days surrounded by the speakers of the Word, they have decided to join us.”

“Join you?” quipped Martin. “I think I’d like to see that for myself. And by like,” added Martin, “I mean I will need to see it.”

“Hmm,” he replied as he turned back toward Martin. “So very demanding. And what is this title Paladin? I have never heard of such a thing. I can tell you are Humani by your bluster, but you don’t look like a typical diplomat or envoy.”

“Because I’m not,” replied Martin.

“Well then, what exactly does that make you, Paladin Martin?” The Saint’s smile poorly hid his growing frustration. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the armed men spreading themselves out in all directions around her. As the men positioned themselves, Martin slowly, methodically raised her hands behind her head and tied her hair into a tight ponytail.

“You will answer me?” repeated the Saint, his voice cracking slightly as his anger showed itself.

Martin smiled. “I’m guessing that even on this rock you’ve heard of the Humani myth of the raven that heralds the coming of a malevolence?”

Martin saw a smile come to the man’s face as he gave out a short, muffled laugh. “So you are Astra Varus’s little raven, here to be the harbinger of some wickedness that will befall us?”

“No,” she replied coldly. “I’m the thing the raven warns you about.”

Martin could see the anger boiling over in the Saint.

“You’re arrogance knows no limits, Humani,” he growled. “You, a nonbeliever, come into my chambers and in the presence of my followers disrespect the embodiment of the Word.”

“I don’t know what this Word is, but this is your last warning,” said Martin as she placed her hand on her sword.

“Blasphemy!” he shouted. “My priests will tear you apart so that this room may be cleansed of your wickedness.”

“If that’s the case,” replied Martin as the metallic reverberation of her sword being unsheathed echoed through the room, “you might want to get some more help for these five.”