Survivor Planet III (15 page)

Danny peered over my shoulder. “Hey, I know where that is.”

“You do? Good. Would you mind taking me out there?”

Danny reached around me and picked up the note. The look in his eyes became blank as though he stared right through the paper he held. Then he raised his eyes to mine and his gaze suddenly became frightening. Lightening fast, he grabbed hold of my wrist.

“What the hell?” I cried, tugging away to no avail.

He shook his head as though to clear it but still held on tight to me. “Stupid, stupid girl!”

That wasn't Danny's voice.

“What's the matter with you?” I asked.

He flung the paper back onto the table and reached for my other wrist. I eluded him by putting it behind my back. Raising my booted foot I kicked him in the knee making him loosen his grip on me. I brought my other hand around, made a fist, and punched him right in the nose. While he was momentarily dazed I slipped away and reached for the knife I'd returned to my boot back at Lindove. When he went to lunge forward I waved the sharp dagger before me, halting him in his tracks.

“Back off asshole. What's wrong with you? Was this all some kind of ploy to get me to take you to Ayres? What did they do to you on that ship?” I demanded.

Danny's face twisted into an expression that tugged at something in my memory. “Think you're the only one with a trick up their sleeve?”

“What are you talking about?” He didn't sound like himself at all.

“Do you really think after all the attempts on my life I wouldn't put a back-up plan into motion? I have Lourde to thank for that. At least he did one thing right.”

“Still don't know what you're talking about,” I reminded him.

“It's me, you idiot.”

“Who?” But then everything clicked into place. The violence, the expression, the voice…

A cold shiver ran over me as I suddenly realized why they seemed so familiar.

That wasn't Danny standing in front of me anymore.

It was Baynar.

“No! How can it be?” I gasped in horror. “You're dead.”

“You may have killed my body, you little bitch, but my consciousness was relocated at the time of my so-called death. A failsafe precaution I had put into place a while ago.” He looked down at his hands and feet, as though seeing himself for the first time. He grimaced. “This body was deemed most compatible for my needs.”

“Seriously?”

He shrugged. “The other male human was highly susceptible to coercion, making him an unlikely vessel. This one, however, fought and retained his memories. His mind was quite clear when we returned him. He did go home with something extra—my little insurance plan.”

“But why a human?” Especially considering how lowly he valued us.

“Earth is the ideal hiding place. Even if my enemies suspected what I'd done, they'd never think to look for me here. I know this crummy little town is one of our hotbeds for recruits. It was only a matter of time before what I needed showed up. Now, it's just a matter of contacting someone I trust. I need your ship for that.”

“Holy shit.” The bastard had thought of everything. If I wasn't so horrified, I'd actually be impressed. “So all this time, you've been in him. Is he still there? In that body with you?”

“Of course. I'm able to switch him on and off as I need him. He remains quite unaware of me, however.”

Just as Lara and I had shared her body.

Why hadn't Lourde warned us this could happen? Although, brilliant as he was, he did seem quite scatterbrained and singularly focused at times. “So Lourde could identify you?”

“He has no idea who I had implanted. He may have created the device, but I had sole discretion and wherewithal of who to use. It was a simple procedure. This body had no idea.”

“I didn't mean to kill you. It was an accident. You jumped at me just as Lourde pulled me back to him. It wasn't my fault you landed on the knife.” The ramifications of him being alive confronted me. “I'm actually really glad you're here, believe it or not.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really? I'm supposed to believe you?”

“After I got back and we discovered you were dead, Kenix told me he'd been informed of your council's plot to eliminate humans and take back Earth. He said you were against it.”

“Of course I'm against it. The main objective has always been to remain anonymous. It was never our intention to allow humans to be aware of our existence—at least it wasn't in the past. It makes things very complicated. Some of my council members have forgotten that. And if all of you were eliminated, who would we use for our games? If any humans did remain alive they'd be virtually impossible to catch. They'd be terrified and hide, or fight. So much trouble.”

Indeed.
“We were afraid the council would view your disappearance as a go-ahead to begin killing us off for Calixtus' entertainment.”

Baynard slammed Danny's hand down on the table in rage. “We'll see about that! No one defies me. I must get in contact with my planet right now. I will put a stop to this immediately.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am relieved you're here. I can get you to the ship. I'm sure I can find it.”

“Why do I need you?” He waved his hand toward the map I'd drawn. “Did you think I would forget the fact that you tried to kill me? And after I contact Calixtus, and order the attack stopped, what's to prevent you from killing me then?”

As a show of good faith, I stuck my knife back in my boot. Hell, I'd kicked his ass before and I could do it again—if it came down to it. “Like it or not, we need each other. If you approach that ship without me, even looking like that, Ayres will kill you on sight.”

He stared at me for a full minute or so before he finally sighed in defeat. “Well, what are you waiting for? Lead on.”

Leaving my note on the table, I picked up the flashlight and headed past Baynar out the door. I didn't want to tell him that when we crashed the ship appeared to be without any power. At least it was when I tried to contact Kenix. It was, however, an Akkadian ship and I wasn't entirely sure how to work it. Getting to Ayres first was my priority. My need to see him and make sure he was all right far outweighed any other factors right now. If the ship's communicators were down, I was sure we'd be able to find Kenix soon enough, especially with Ayres' help.

Never in a million years did I think I'd be trudging through the woods at night with Baynar. It was weird hearing his voice come out of Danny's mouth. I don't know how he'd managed that one. Although, maybe when I'd taken complete control of Lara, my voice had been different too? It could be why it had been so easy to convince Cade of my identity.

All around us the dark forest loomed. We'd left Danny's car where those two guys had parked their truck and then we'd headed in on foot. I shone the flashlight around, searching for that small mound the ship rested beside, or even the little bubbling creek as a marker point that I was headed in the right direction.

“How much farther?” Baynar demanded. “Your planet will be overrun before I even have a chance to call off the attack.”

“Keep your shirt on,” I snapped, his constant complaining and threats were getting on my nerves.

“Feel free to take yours off.”

“Piss off, you bloody pervert.”

“Why don't you piss off, you useless piece of trash. Why did I ever think you'd be able to…”

“That's far enough,” came a deep voice in the distance.

My heart leaped with joy. “Ayres?”

“Amanda? Who is that with you? Damned if it doesn't sound like…”

“Baynar?” I supplied.

Ayres stepped into view of my dim light but didn't come forward. “He sounds like him, but isn't that one of the men from your cottage who was brought up to the Lariton?”

“They were returned home shortly after they were taken, apparently.”

He appeared confused. “Why does he sound like Baynar?”

“That's because I
am
him, you damn fool!” Baynar snapped.

“How the hell?” Ayres strode forward and moved between Danny's body and me.

I took hold of his hand, thrilled to see him awake. “It's a long story. But hey, it's actually a good thing he's not dead. Now he can contact Calixtus and tell them to call off the attack.”

Ayres snapped his gaze to Baynar. “You're willing to do that?”

“Of course I am, you idiot. I never wanted this to happen.”

“I was hoping Kenix would be back at the cottage, and you along with him. After I woke up from the crash I went scouting around looking for him this morning, but I came across a couple of guys who'd seen our ship go down. I convinced them I was alone and that it was a plane. I let them take me into town figuring it was better than letting them find you. I figured from there I'd head back to my cottage to search for Kenix just in case he went there. But the cops identified me and returned me to Lindove.” I looked over at Baynar. “I guess that turned out for the best.”

“How the hell is he in another body?”

“One of Lourde's devices,” I told him.

“Will we stand here all night or do you plan to save Earth or not?” Baynar snapped.

“My ship's down, completely dead. You can't contact anyone from it,” Ayres informed him.

“Then why the hell did you lead me out here?” He glared at me.

“It's the only ship I know of right now. I don't know where Kenix is,” I said.

“I do,” Ayres informed us.

With Ayres in the lead, we all began trudging through the forest again. He first led us back to the downed ship to retrieve the duffle bags.

“So, you know where Kenix is?” I asked.

Ayres handed a bag to Baynar who took it but glared at him. “Hand-held communicators,” he said, indicating a small device strapped to his hip. “Not enough range to reach very far,” he added.

“So why did you stay here?” I asked.

He looked down at me. “I didn't know where you were. I didn't want to take the chance that you'd return and me not be here. I was worried.”

I reached out and took hold of his free hand. “Sorry. I didn't mean to be gone so long.” Baynar grunted behind us as we walked, struggling with the heavy bag he carried.

“How was it for you being back there, at Lindove?”

“Weird.”

“I'm glad you're back.”

“Me too.”
More than you know.

It was some time before we, at last, made it to Kenix. He'd set up camp in a large clearing where the ground was covered mainly with smooth rock. Tall trees surrounded the area making it virtually invisible from the ground. I was relieved to see his ship was intact and Lourde standing close by. Lissa was there too, off on her own, sitting on a log in front of a bonfire. I ignored her. Ayres and Baynar dropped the bags as Kenix approached us and he and Ayres grasped forearms in greeting.

“Glad to see you in one piece,” Kenix said nodding at us both.

“We are, but as I told you earlier, the ship took a hit. It made it here, but crashed on landing. The ship's no longer viable,” Ayres told him.

Kenix turned his gaze on Danny. “Who's this?”

“Hold onto your hat,” I told him.

“What? Why?”

“Tell him,” I said to Ayres. I left them to walk over to Lourde who was fiddling with some equipment, a duffle bag lay open at his feet. “Good to see you.”

He smiled. “And you. Sorry about your ship. I'm glad you're both safe, though. Who's he?”

“That's your handy work.” He stared at me quizzically. “Baynar's consciousness is residing in that guy. Same voice, same bastard. I'm relieved he's alive though.”

“Incredible! It worked.”

“It makes me really nervous the way you get so excited when your inventions actually work.” I shook my head. “Anyway, it's good news. I told him his council was most likely in the process of launching an attack. He said he needs to contact Calixtus—someone he trusts—and he can put a stop to it.”

“You believe him?” Lourde asked, his appraising gaze fastened on his handiwork.

“What choice do we have?”

Ayres joined us. “Kenix and I will take Baynar aboard and allow him to contact Calixtus. We'll watch him.” He pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. “Don't worry. If he tries anything I'll kill him.”

“I hope this will end the threat,” I said.

“We'll soon find out,” Lourde said. “I'll come with you.”

The four men entered the ship. I walked over to the fire to join Lissa.

“Is that really Baynar in that guy's body?” she asked, obviously having overheard the news.

“Yep.”

“So he can phone home and stop this, right?”

I shrugged. “Hope so.”

Suddenly a light appeared and Lissa and I both saw a small ship hovering over the tree line. Lissa jumped to her feet. “Oro!” she said.

We waited while he brought the ship in for a smooth landing on the other side of the clearing. Lissa ran over and threw herself into his arms as soon as he disembarked. I walked over to join them.

“Had to make sure you weren't Akkadian's before I landed,” he said.

The last time I'd seen this giant he'd been about to remove my head from my shoulders. Both of us gave the other a quick nod in greeting. Like it or not, we were on the same team.

“We've got Baynar,” Lissa told him. “He's on Kenix's ship right now giving the order to halt any attacks on Earth.”

“What? I'd heard he was missing, assumed dead?” Oro said, confused.

“He did die. But his mind transferred here to Earth into some guy—some invention of Lourde's. He sounds exactly the same.”

“Shit,” Oro said. He began striding toward Kenix's ship. I guess he had to see it for himself.