Orphaned warrior dragon.., p.17
Orphaned Warrior (Dragon Spawn Chronicles Book 5), page 17
Again, the truth coupled with unease. Jori considered refusing the treatment but decided to trust him.
Despite the trembling of his fingers, Doctor Stenson slid the needle in without so much as a pinch. A tingling coolness diffused through Jori’s arm. It was a refreshing respite from the bone-crunching ache.
The sensation spread. His pain eased. He shot the doctor a wide-eyed look. A subtle shake of the man’s head stopped Jori from asking about it. Nor did he need to. Stephen had given him a pain reliever.
If his suspicions were right, Vance didn’t feel what Jori felt in a premonition and so hadn’t realized what the doctor had done. But couldn’t he have foreseen the man’s actions? Maybe he was incapable of watching more than two people at once.
“The answer is five days, by the way.”
“Huh?”
The doctor’s nervousness spiked. Instead of answering, he busied himself with checking over Jori’s injuries. “Amazing. You’re already in the proliferative stage of healing. You should be up and about in no time.”
Jori pondered the meaning of his previous statement. Surely he hadn’t been in this bed for that long. Stephen must’ve been referring to something else. Then it hit him. Vance must be able to see only five days into the future. That wouldn’t be much help if every day gave him another day. But Stephen’s earlier words about the time between the decision to act and the act itself suggested a weakness.
The information lifted his spirits. When Stephen clasped his hand, Jori replied with a squeeze, sending him a silent thanks. The man had taken a tremendous risk. Rodrigo wasn’t much of an ally, but perhaps the Stensons were.
29 – Dangerous Experiment
Caught in a trap, the blackbeast paced, pining for its old life. When its cage opened, it tore out at the speed of a missile. Elation glistened in its eyes as it escaped the cruel confinement forced upon it by brutal masters. But its fervor extinguished and turned into ferocity the moment it realized its freedom had been a lie. The fighting arena was just another cage.
Liberated from the confines of his bed, Jori dressed without enthusiasm. Instead of his regular clothes, he slipped into a child-sized enviro-suit. The slither of the padded bright material made his insides squirm. Whatever Vance had in store for him would likely be as sadistic as his last so-called test. Chima.
As he fastened the front, he reminded himself that he had something to be grateful for—the Stensons. Not just Stephen for divulging a little more about Vance’s abilities, but Celine as well. After her rigorous report on his healing rate, Vance had allowed Jori to finish his recovery using curative nanites. His body still carried a notable ache, but nothing like before. He could walk, or even run—which might come in handy soon when he did a test of his own.
The pitter-patter of his heart increased as he put on the suit’s protective footgear. He feared the consequences of what he was about to do, but it had to be done.
He wished to visit Zaina first and ease her distress. However, Vance would foresee any decision he made, and he needed him to predict his next act.
With a deep inhale, he secured the last shoe strap and stood to his full height. The slow exhale that followed did little to temper his nerves. Nothing probably would. It was best to just get this over with.
He reinforced his mental wall to prevent Vance from reading his mind and forced his feet to move. Out the door, through the main medical center—or cyborium as the Stensons called it—then into the wide corridor. So far, no Vance.
His eardrums pounded. Adrenaline coursed through him but hurt rather than numbed. He pressed on.
Every step around the angular curve of the hall intensified the pulsing in his chest. It sped like his thoughts, bringing him closer to an unpredictable monster.
He halted at the conveyor. This is stupid. How many risks would he take before he had enough information to outsmart Vance? Why not just take one risk and escape now?
The car door slid open. He grudgingly entered. The more he learned about Vance’s limitations, the better chance he had of success later.
“Communications.”
The computer didn’t deny him. At first, he was thankful Vance hadn’t restricted this location. Then he realized the man might’ve allowed it on purpose. Damn it.
The door hissed open. A blast of cool air struck him, prickling his face. He wavered. Fear of the consequences warred with the logic of following through.
A chime sounded, indicating the conveyor door would close. Jori pushed out at the last moment. Vance had likely set a trap, but this didn’t deter him from his true purpose.
He came upon the communication room, but it didn’t open for him. Maybe this wasn’t a setup after all. Despite the anxiety trembling through him, he popped the cover off the panel to the bio-reader. Its inner workings were familiar, allowing him to disable it with ease.
His senses didn’t pick up anyone inside, but that meant nothing on a ship full of soulless cyborgs. He squared his shoulders and entered.
A smug face confronted him, making his insides twist.
Vance leaned against a console with his arms and ankles crossed. His smile spread. Jori swallowed. Vance clicked his tongue. “So obvious. I thought you were smarter than this.”
Jori blinked. The man’s words should have chilled him, but the statement had revealed an important piece of information. He forced all emotion from his face and clasped his hands behind his back.
He’d known before starting that he had no chance of calling Hapker or his mother since he didn’t have their contact details. But this wasn’t about reaching out to them. This test proved Vance hadn’t foreseen his thoughts or emotions, only his actions.
“You know what this means, don’t you?” Vance rose with menacing slowness.
Jori swallowed involuntarily as the man towered over him, but he remained firm. “Do your worst. I can take it.”
Vance’s eyes gleamed. “What about Zaina? You care about her?”
Jori’s blood froze in his veins.
“She’s inconsequential,” Vance continued as though talking about dirt. “Her life has no significance—except to you, apparently.”
Jori’s chin quivered. His breaths came out in ragged chunks. “If you hurt her,” he managed to say, “I’ll fight you—even if it means my death.”
Vance emitted a closed-mouth chuckle that chilled Jori’s spine. His heart thudded as the man approached, but he stood his ground. Despite his best effort to hide his trepidation, his body shook. When Vance dropped his heavy hand on his shoulder, he almost yelped.
“I’ll tell you what,” Vance said in a chillingly calm tone. “I’ll let it slide this time. But if I ever catch you here again…” He put on a wicked grin.
Jori couldn’t breathe. He didn’t like this game. Not one bit.
*****
A chime tore through the silence, making Zaina Noman’s heart leap and her tea spill. Her mind raced as she scrambled to find something to clean the mess. The buzz sounded again, and she abandoned the task. The door didn’t react to her approach, and it took the third ring to make her realize she had deactivated the motion detector. After two tries, she pressed the open button.
A swish and a whisper of air revealed the last person she wanted to see. Major Blakesley stood before her with a ridiculous bouquet in his hand. At least his smile suggested Jori was probably alright. But he wasn’t here—where he should be.
She cocked her head and folded her arms. “What do you want?”
“I want to apologize and explain.”
He held out the flowers but she ignored them. “Where’s Jori?”
“What? Oh. He’s alright. Vance has him undergoing another test.”
“Another one! How many damn tests does that man have to run? And why does it require Jori to be gone for so long? Is he okay? Did Vance hurt him?” Her heart skipped into a sprint at the thought.
“He’s alright. I promise. Listen. I’m sorry Vance is keeping him away. I tried. I really did.” His stricken eyes pleaded. “But please understand, I’m as much of a victim as the Stensons. Unless we want to be punished—or even killed—we must obey. We have no choice.”
She pressed her hand to her chest. Maybe she’d judged him too harshly. She’d assumed that as the major, he’d have more influence. But perhaps it had just been wishful thinking. “Jori’s alright?”
“Yes.” His shoulders dropped. For a moment, she thought his reaction was because of annoyance. But when he smiled, she realized he was merely relieved she’d finally decided to listen.
“You promise?” she asked.
“I promise. And I swear I’ll help you out of this.”
He looked so earnest that she let herself smile. Then she took the flowers and sniffed them. “They’re beautiful. Where’d you get them?”
“From one of the biology labs. They’re…”
A ding and a swish of the conveyor from down the hall diverted her attention. If he kept talking, she didn’t notice. When a small figure emerged, she dropped the bouquet and brushed past Blakesley. “Jori!”
Jori’s eyes tilted in anguish as he rushed to her. They met in a full embrace. He held on to her as tightly as she clutched him. It was a gesture she’d never expected, and it wrenched her soul.
30 – Skilled Labor
The remote lounge area with its somber furniture and stark décor suited Major Abelard Blakesley’s mood perfectly. The giant viewscreen displaying a lovely sunrise over the tundra of Baldesh did not. He accessed the controls and selected a live scene from outside the ship. External lighting stifled the shine of the distant stars and galaxies, but he wasn’t here for stargazing anyway. He planted himself before the scene and crossed his arms. Silent curses ran through his head as he tapped his upper arm with his index finger.
That damned imp was out there, showing him up once again, doing the job of a skilled technician. The boy’s white enviro-suit reflected a brightness that hurt his eyes, but he tortured himself by watching anyway.
It helped that Jori wore a defeated expression, but only a little. If it hadn’t been for Vance’s threat toward Zaina, Blakesley might’ve been wearing a smile. It didn’t surprise him that the psychopath had changed the rules of the game, but he hated the timing. If Zaina knew Jori was being forced into compliance because of her, she’d likely put some of the blame at Blakesley’s feet.
Her rebuff wasn’t the only consequence of Vance’s obsession. Blakesley’s already clenched jaw tightened further. Earlier, on the way to visit Zaina, he’d caught the tail-end of Vance’s threat. With her life hanging in the balance, he wasn’t sure if he could maneuver the boy into killing Vance. Either Jori would want to do it because of the threat, or he’d simply let himself be used like Doctor Stenson did.
It would’ve been much easier if Blakesley’s attempt to create dissent had succeeded. But that damned woman—that lovely and elusive woman—persisted in advocating for the boy.
When she’d finally answered the door, he’d almost convinced her to forgive him. But Vance must’ve decided to underline Jori’s weakness by allowing him to visit her before this test. The little imp had shown up and ruined everything. Zaina practically shoved Blakesley aside to get to him. The love pouring from her as she embraced the child had ignited an anger so deep that Blakesley had bitten his lip in a struggle to contain it.
If the boy were to figure out how to escape, Zaina would go with him before Blakesley had a chance to satisfy his longing. The only way to earn Zaina’s affections was to take action himself.
Damn it. Why was this boy so much trouble?
He shoved aside his musings and returned to the moment. From what he’d been told, Jori’s EVA repair task was a simple one. Anyone could do it—any but him, of course. Not only did the vastness of space unnerve him, but he also had no training. He’d always eschewed such jobs as beneath him.
I hope he gets a hole in his suit. Blakesley huffed. Impossible since the ship shielded against particles, but it was a nice daydream.
Vance stepped beside him. Blakesley flinched and hoped his mental shield had hidden his thoughts. Considering the admiring smile Vance directed toward the boy, probably so.
Unnerving silence ensued until Vance spoke. “You went behind my back.”
Blakesley’s heart convulsed. “What?” he asked, ruining his feigned innocence with a high-pitched tone.
The conflagration roaring in Vance’s eyes belied his flat expression. “You went behind my back,” he said again, his voice stretched thinner than an elastic band.
Blakesley tried to speak but it was as though a fisher’s hook had lodged in his throat. He’d gotten caught and now he was being reeled in. Soon, he’d be bludgeoned to death.
Vance pivoted to face him. Blakesley crumpled to his knees and put his hand up as if in prayer. “You were hurting the boy! I was afraid you’d kill him. He’s too important. I knew you wouldn’t listen to me, so I told him.”
“Liar!” Vance bolted forward and swept Blakesley up by the throat, pinning him against the wall. “You did it out of jealousy!”
Blakesley couldn’t refute it, even if he wanted to. Vance’s grip cut off both his air and his blood circulation. He kicked but his brain was too starved to make a concentrated effort.
This was it. His end. His soul screamed for survival, but his thoughts became resigned. He should’ve known better. Vance was too powerful.
His body collapsed to the floor, though he didn’t understand why. When his autonomic reflexes prompted him to suck in air, he realized Vance had released him.
Before he digested this information, Vance hauled him back to his feet. The man’s hot breath burned his ear. “If you ever go against me again, I will rip out your throat with my bare hands. Do I make myself clear?”
Blakesley tried to respond but it was as though his neck was still garroted.
Vance grabbed his face and slammed his skull against the wall. “Do. I. Make myself clear?”
“Yes. Yes!” Blakesley’s words spilled out as he bent low and cradled the back of his head. “Yes. I understand. I’m sorry. It was a mistake.”
Vance withdrew without a word, but his eyes retained a murderous glint. The tension in Blakesley’s gut kept him from straightening but he managed to unwrap himself from his cowering position. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”
Vance backhanded him, sending a flash of white through his vision. “Damn right.” He spit on Blakesley’s face. “Useless craven.”
Blakesley remained rooted to the floor. Spit oozed down his cheek as his mind struggled to process what’d just happened. Going behind Vance’s back had been a risky undertaking. He should be lying on this floor in a puddle of piss and blood.
But here he was, still breathing. Why? Was it another one of Vance’s sick games? Letting him live so he could torment him again later? Or perhaps MEGA-Man had spoken on his behalf. It was possible, but Vance wouldn’t let him off so easily.
Unless he doesn’t see me as a threat. He wiped the spittle from his cheek. Vance was right. He was a craven. His initial plea had been a lie, but he’d earnestly given the promise not to do it again. How pathetic.
Vance returned his attention to Jori. Blakesley swallowed and eyed the corridor with a primitive instinct telling him to run and hide. Everything would be better if Vance was dead and Jori was gone, but he didn’t have the courage to make it happen. Not with the prospect of having his throat ripped out by a psychopath.
“Stay put,” Vance said, probably for no other reason than to exert his dominance.
Blakesley suppressed a groan and obeyed. His only choice was to live under the constant threat of Vance’s wrath. All the while, his value diminished under Jori’s burgeoning importance.
There might still be some hope if the boy acted on his own.
He hung his head. So that was it then. He’d take the coward’s way out and depend on a child to save him from despair. If he were alone, he’d laugh at the absurdity.
Vance grunted, bringing Blakesley’s attention back to the events outside. Flashes of reflecting light indicated something small had come loose and was spinning out into space. Jori lurched for it. His tether went taut. Blakesley held his breath, hoping it would snap even though that was unlikely.
The boy grasped the object at the last moment. His tether remained secure and he pulled himself back into place.
Vance smiled. Blakesley gritted his teeth. Figures. The boy had failed by losing something, but he’d retrieved it in time and rendered his failure moot.
“Makes me wonder why I bother keeping you around,” Vance said.
Blakesley’s face heated. No doubt the man thought the statement would grind him further under his boot, but it made him realize something else instead. Putting his future into the hands of a child was foolish. If Jori killed Vance, there was no guarantee it would horrify Zaina enough to turn her away from him. The way things were going, she’d likely see the imp as a hero.
Blakesley clenched his fists. To get Zaina to succumb at least once, he had to be her hero. Of course, she wasn’t worth dying for. But Vance’s threats had backed him into a corner. Should he take a risk for the sake of his future, or spend his miserable existence under Vance’s thumb and eventually slip up and get killed anyway?
Fear clutched him like the phantom sensation of Vance’s hand wrapped around his throat, but it also spurred his anger. He despised this man, and he hated that boy. It wasn’t fair.
To hell with them both. He must keep plotting. Surely he could grow a little bit of a spine and come up with an infallible plan.
To rely on Jori to do what he wanted was foolish. He had to take matters into his own hands. It wasn’t enough for the boy to escape this ship either. MEGA-Man was both infinitely persistent and vastly patient. With his ability to manipulate and forecast future events, he’d capture Jori again. That meant Blakesley had to eliminate both oppositions.
A flash of insight zipped through him. Vance side-eyed him but said nothing, implying Blakesley had adequately shielded his thoughts.
