Shades of Gray (37 page)

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Authors: Lisanne Norman

BOOK: Shades of Gray
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“I know,” she said quietly. Her heart was beating faster now, and she could feel herself breathing more rapidly.
Dzaka, hold your Fire Pack back with Carrie and Ashay. Watch these main doors. We’re heading for the parking lot and the rear of generator 7.
Aye,
his son acknowledged, moving forward till his Pack flanked Carrie and Ashay on both sides.
Red and orange plasma flares blossomed across the surface of the force field where it lay diagonally across the far side of the Palace courtyard.
“Watch the doors,” Ashay advised. “Others the laser turrets are targeting.”
The actinic glow of the force field was beginning to flicker and darken, not only at ground level, but also across the surface of its dome where the fighters were still targeting it.
A
t worst, we’ll wear it down, Dzinae,
Kaid sent.
It can only absorb so much damage before it fails.
Take care,
she sent back, eyes straining to see him among the flares of multicolored lights.
Of course, and don’t look for me, focus on those doors!
I need to know where you are.
On the HUD,
he replied briefly.
Switching her attention back to the main entrance to the Palace, she glanced at the HUD display, finding the telltale that was Kaid easily among the others. From the look of it, he and his Pack had already made it to the far side, taking out the turrets as they went. Now all that held them back was the force field itself.
Once more, red and orange flares lit up the night as they began bombarding the wall between them and the generator
Light lanced toward her, but Ashay was already lifting her out of its path as he simultaneously sent a fusillade of shots toward the suddenly active security post flanking the main entrance.
Six more streams of energy joined his and seconds later, the turret and guard post exploded in a shower of debris. Already Dzaka’s Pack was targeting the other post, and she barely had time to get one shot off before it, too, was destroyed.
The force field ahead was suddenly shot through with red and green, and then they were pitched into profound darkness as generator 7 was finally destroyed.
“7 down,” she heard Kaid say in clipped tones over the Command channel.
“Copy. Backup on the way. Proceed to east side entrance,” Kezule replied.
“Acknowledged. Dzaka, Ashay, rendezvous with me now.”
“On our way,” Dzaka replied.
 
She reached Kaid’s side just before the area was suddenly swarming with loping Touibans heading for the main doors.
They’ll distract any defense while we break in the side entrance,
Kaid sent to her.
A loud explosion from inside the covered parking area momentarily drowned out the terse conversations among the rest of their Fire Pack.
“Turret out, door open,” said Jurrel. “Preparing to advance.”
Carrie could hear the pleased tone in his voice.
“Go,” said Kaid, heading up into the covered area ahead.
As she followed, she tracked Jurrel on the TAC map on her HUD. He and his Pack were edging into the open corridor, keeping to the safe zone where the turret set above the side entrance couldn’t reach them.
Dodging among the parked vehicles, Carrie found herself wondering how Ashay, at over seven feet tall, could possibly manage to keep himself under cover.
He stays out of the light, hugs the walls,
sent Kaid from just in front of her.
Worry about yourself—stay focused, Carrie!
I am,
she replied tartly, following him as he and the others dashed across the last open space to the back wall.
“Turret down” said Jurrel. “Safe.”
“Copy,” said Kaid, carefully edging his way around the gaping hole where the door had been and into the small yard beyond.
“Any news on 2, Alpha One?” he asked. “Until it’s out, the force field cuts right through the central courtyard.”
“2 down!” Rezac’s voice filled her helmet. “Field is failing.”
“Copy. Proceed to west target entrance. Pack Leader, you hear that? Generator 2 is down. The field should collapse any time now,” said Kezule.
“Understood,” Kaid replied. “T’Chebbi, take point. Jurrel, follow her.”
“Copy,” they both replied.
 
The side entrance led them into a narrow street, empty in the torrential rain, between the tall buildings of the west wing of the Palace. In a rolling advance, they proceeded along it until Kaid called a halt.
“Central courtyard ahead,” Kaid said. “Packs Two and Three, report.”
“Target area appears clear,” said Jayza. “Continuing toward captives.”
“Copy.”
Rezac?
Barracks empty as we anticipated. Almost at cells now.
Take them to rendezvous immediately. They are noncoms at this time. On no account are our Brothers to join us.
Understood.
“Packs Seven and Eight, the power plant is at the far end of the main courtyard. Six, you’re still with me, making sure they get there. Move out!” he ordered.
“Force field is down, Pack One,” Carrie heard Kezule say as the sickly blue-white glow that lit the night ahead of them suddenly went out. “Contact with Control Team established. Internal security is now ours. It is safe to proceed into the Palace.”
“Copy,” said Kaid, gesturing his Pack forward.
Kusac made it,
he sent to Carrie.
Good.
03:25 hours local
 
Like shadows, they slipped from doorway to garbage dumpster, working their way silently toward the far end of the courtyard. At the exit to the last building, they stopped while Jurrel and T’Chebbi scouted ahead, one down either side.
“Reception committee,” said Jurrel from his vantage at the north end of the alley. “One large gun emplacement dead ahead, ten soldiers, not armored. In front of small fountain.”
“Two more this end, and thirty troops,” said T’Chebbi. “Guarding corridor into Palace.”
“Maaz’ih, Shartoh, Dzaka, take positions,” he ordered. As the heavy gunners loped forward, Carrie could sense Kaid weighing the odds.
“Looks like a pitched battle ahead of us,” he said, his tone a slow drawl. “We need a clear path to the covered street that heads north out of the courtyard. Once we’ve got it, we hold it till Packs Seven and Eight return.”
“In position,” said Shartoh. Moments later, the other two checked in.
“You know the drill—take ’em out,” Kaid ordered, his voice sharpening to a crisp command.
“They’re moving civilians in front,” said Jurrel.
Do it now! Before. . . .
Carrie began.
“Go!” Kaid repeated, cutting over her thoughts.
The silence was shattered by the dull
crump
of successive explosions, followed by the sound of rapid gunfire. Carrie shut her mind and tried not to think of who was being wounded. There was no choice—what were a few deaths against the whole City and Palace, to say nothing of the worlds beyond that.
“Done, but need backup! Coming out of the woodwork at us!” called Jurrel as the shooting continued.
“Move out and engage,” Kaid ordered, gesturing them forward with a wave of his arm. “You know your targets!”
Carrie followed close on his heels, Ashay loping alongside her as they stopped at the entrance to the courtyard.
Focus only on the job!
Kaid’s sending jerked her gaze away from the bodies lying sprawled in unnatural positions around the smoking ruins of the gun emplacements.
Aye
, she sent, fingers tightening on her rifle.
“Carrie, take out the damned trees. I can’t see past them,” Kaid ordered, ducking into the store doorway.
Ratcheting the grenades into active mode, she raised her rifle and fired. There was only a slight kick against her armored shoulder, then, seconds later, the palms surrounding the central fountain exploded in a spray of shards of wood and pulped greenery.
“Better,” he grunted, diving toward the fountain wall for cover.
Carrie had no chance to follow him as gouts of energy from the doorway opposite tracked his path.
The next ten minutes passed in a haze of chaotic activity. It was followed by moments of intense silence, broken only by sporadic shooting as each side tried to maneuver to their advantage.
Sweat began to trickle down her back until the suit’s internals sensed it and compensated. She could sense Kaid’s hand with its missing finger begin to ache, feel him flexing it to ease the pain—and his instant reassurance that he was fine.
Stay there!
Kaid’s sudden order was followed by a compulsion to remain that shocked her to the core as he and the rest of his Pack, on fours, dove out into the open and raced for the remnants still blocking access to the covered street.
She watched them rear up suddenly, vibro swords and knives drawn, the blades edging their tails slashing as fast as their weapons. It was over in the blink of an eye, and then they were back in the lee of the central fountain’s low wall.
“Seven and Eight, go!” Kaid ordered, sliding into a controlled stop by the low wall.
“On our way,” she heard Dzaka say as his and Jurrel’s Packs raced for the entrance.
The air was filled with the whine of energy weapons and the sound of their explosions.
“T’Chebbi, report,” said Kaid curtly, glancing over to where she and Ashay still hid in the alleyway.
“Both guns down. Need backup. More of them coming from Palace.” Her tone was terse.
“Understood,” he said.
As soon as he lifted his arm to gesture her and Ashay forward, she began to run, fear lending her extra speed. Sliding to a stop on the loose gravel that now peppered the courtyard, she flung herself down into a crouch beside Kaid, Ashay hunkering down behind her.
“I need you and Ashay to remain here and cover us,” he said. “Use those warrior instincts of yours.”
Through his visor, she saw his canines gleam white as he flashed a smile at her. She nodded.
He turned away, his attention now focused fully on his Pack and relieving T’Chebbi. “On our way,” he said, rising to his feet.
Command Room, Palace of Light
 
As Zhalmo left the Control Room to check in on those by the elevator, Zsurtul got to his feet. Tilting his head from side to side to ease the cramp in it, he moved over to where Kusac sat perched on the edge of the console nearest the door.
“Zhalmo. She is a good fighter,” the Prince said quietly, lowering his head so it was level with the Sholan’s. “A perfect choice for a bodyguard.”
“Indeed,” said Kusac, looking at him thoughtfully. “Kezule’s choice.”
Zsurtul met the amber eyes with his own, forcing down his species’ natural instinct to look away. “Beautiful too.”
“Beautiful and deadly, the best combination,” Kusac agreed. “And her loyalty and friendship know no boundaries.”
Zsurtul nodded, his mind drifting slightly as he gathered his courage. “They say you knew Carrie was your natural mate as soon as you met her,” he said in a rush. “Is this true?”
Kusac blinked then looked away. “Why do you ask?”
“Did you know?” Zsurtul asked again, wondering where his newfound courage came from.
“Yes. I knew, and so did she,” he replied. “But why should . . .”
“I think I’ve found mine . . . In Zhalmo,” he said quickly before he changed his mind.
Kusac’s amber eyes regarded him again, seeming to look right into the core of his being. Then the Sholan nodded. “I believe you.”
Zsurtul felt suddenly weak with the release of tension and clutched at the console to steady himself. “You do?” Somehow he’d expected the Sholan to deny the possibility.
“You don’t need my belief, Emperor, only your own.”
Zsurtul found himself nodding his head slowly in agreement. “You’re right, of course. I intend to make her my Queen.” He winced inwardly at the implicit challenge in his voice.

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