Shades of gray, p.63
Shades of Gray, page 63
“You will do it,” he spat at her as he hauled her up again.
“If you kill me, I can’t call him,” she said, spitting blood. Her face ached from the blow, and her bottom lip was beginning to swell.
“I can still shoot off your foot or your hand,” he growled, pointing the gun at her legs. “Now do it! And I warn you, I can tell what you’re saying!”
Kusac! I’m up here on the hillside in a small cave with him, she sent.
Carrie! Are you all right? Kusac demanded.
“Tell him to come alone,” he said.
She glared at him but did as she was told.
He has a gun and is threatening to shoot me. You’re to come alone. Kusac, it’s a …
Abruptly, she felt the damper field go on again.
“Good. Now we wait,” he said, hauling her to the back of the cave and tying her ankles together.
“She’s gone again,” said Kusac, stopping.
“Then he has a damper unit,” said Kaid. “You can’t go up there alone.”
“I have to,” he said. “He’s threatening to shoot her if I don’t. She’s up there by that outcrop of rocks, in a cave. Look how open the land is—there’s no cover. He can tell if anyone else follows me. I have to do this alone, Kaid. Wait here for me,” he ordered, beginning to walk again.
Kaid stood mutely watching him. There was nothing he could say. There was some cover, but against the grass, his brown pelt would stand out clearly. Had it been a few weeks later, when it would be seared by the heat of summer that would have been another matter.
“Captain, we can get up there unseen,” said J’korrash. “We need to back up to the last clump of bushes, though.”
Kaid turned to look at her. “How?”
“Without our uniforms, our hides will blend in with the grass. He won’t be expecting us.”
He stared at her then began walking slowly backward. “Let’s do it,” he said. “My gut tells me this is another assassin. We’ve nothing to lose.”
Her captor crouched at the cave entrance, his attention fixed outside, leaving Carrie ignored at the rear in semidarkness. She shifted slightly, trying to make as little noise as possible as she reached behind her, feeling at the rocks in hopes of finding one sharp enough to saw at her wrist bonds. Meanwhile, she was praying Kusac would at least keep to what little cover there was until he was nearly at the cave.
The ground behind her had a few scattered rocks on it, most of them underneath her, but her searching hands did find some larger ones. Again, she shifted her weight, edging up against the rear wall.
A shot zinged off the wall a few inches from her head, spraying chips of hot rock around her. She yelped in pain as one hit her bare thigh.
“Stay still. Next time, I won’t miss,” he growled.
“I’m lying on rocks. They’re hurting me,” she whined, pulling her legs up to her body as if in fear.
“Not for long,” he laughed, turning back to the cave mouth. “I’ll demand double the pay for killing both of you!”
He was an assassin, and the most dangerous so far, she reckoned. He was neither high on drugs nor a fool, unlike the others. Again she shifted, very slowly this time, until her ankles were close to her hands. She had no intention of letting this krolla kill her and Kusac without putting up a fight!
Slowly, keeping low, Kusac advanced toward the cave, gun ready. He’d already come to the same conclusion as Carrie. Mentally he was reading the area immediately around and within the cave. If ever there was a time to try out his enhanced skills, it was now.
He could sense Carrie and her captor. They were only about ten feet apart. Narrowing his mental probe, he focused in on the Sholan, trying to read his exact location and weapons from the position of the damper field. A faint flicker at the side of his vision almost distracted him, but he kept his senses trained on his target.
“I see you, Captain Aldatan!” the Sholan called out. “Get here fast if you want your little alien mate to survive!”
“I’m coming!” he called out. “Send her out first!”
Laughter echoed in the cave. “I think not! I want you first!”
Movement, right there! He had the weapon and the damper pinpointed now, but he could only concentrate on one of them. Rising slowly to his feet, he braced himself for an incoming shot, ready to try to dodge it. Nothing happened; the entrance remained empty.
“Throw down your gun and come here!” yelled the Sholan, keeping behind the cover of the rocks flanking the entrance.
As his arm arced out to throw the gun, he struck with his mind, targeting the damper. Several things suddenly happened at once.
The damper unit on the assassin’s wrist exploded, making him shriek out in pain and take his attention off Kusac.
Carrie, having managed to untie her ankles, propelled herself forward, shoulder ramming into him and sending him flying out of the entrance just as a hand appeared from nowhere to grab her as she fell. Then a single shot rang out.
Hearing the shot, Kusac dove for his gun and, leaping up, ran for the cave entrance, suddenly finding himself flanked by two naked commandos. He took in the body of the downed assassin, lying on the ground, clutching the bleeding stump of his wrist and gestured them to take control of him. But his attention was fully focused on who—or what—was holding a struggling Carrie in midair.
“Show yourself!” he snarled, hackles rising and ears falling as he faced the invisible person.
“Easy, Liege. I’m one of your Clan,” said the disembodied voice as Carrie was gently lowered to the ground.
She ran to Kusac, standing partially behind him as, keeping his gun trained on the space where she’d been, he pulled his knife and sliced through her remaining bonds. Taking his knife, she held herself ready to fight if need be.
The air shimmered slightly, then before them stood a black-pelted Sholan holstering his gun, his gray eyes regarding Kusac calmly. Around his neck, the silver coin of Vartra glinted.
“He’s the last of them,” he said, pointing slowly to the injured assassin beyond them. “We think they were hired by the Chemerian Ambassador Taira in retaliation for your foiling their plot to kidnap Kate and Taynar.”
“Who’s we?” demanded Carrie, wiping her forearm across her cut lip.
“I was placed on K’oish’ik by the Watchers,” he said with a slight smile. “I’ve been here from the first, the night you landed in fact. My name’s Chayak.”
Kusac nodded slowly, keeping his weapon trained on him. “Your damper is still on.”
“Oh, sorry.” Chayak reached up and switched it off. Instantly his eye ridges creased in pain.
“He’s telling the truth,” said Carrie, mentally releasing his mind.
“I know,” said Kusac. “That’s a chameleon suit you’re wearing.”
“Still experimental,” said Chayak, reaching up to massage his temples. “The Touibans are working on them, and we requested a couple to test. I was given one for this mission. There was another assassin by the way—he didn’t get through to you, though. The others I couldn’t get close enough to do that much about, except for the first one in the city.”
“Why didn’t you warn us?” Kusac demanded, finally holstering his own gun and accepting his knife back from Carrie.
“I needed to draw them out.”
“So you let me and Carrie be the bait. I’m not impressed by that.”
“I had my orders, Captain,” Chayak said. “We need to pin this on the Ambassador, and I can’t do that if all the assassins are dead.”
Kaid’s shadow fell across them. “I know you,” he said, stopping beside Kusac and Carrie.
“Brother Chayak,” he said, saluting him. “I was stationed at the Clan estate till I was seconded to the Watcher ships.”
“I remember that. What’s your involvement in this?”
“He was sent to protect me, by using me as bait to draw out the assassins,” growled Kusac.
Chayak had the grace to look embarrassed. “I was to protect our Liege and take out the assassins.”
“At least you were here when it mattered,” grunted Kaid. “Lijou shouldn’t be reassigning our people without our knowledge. I’ll have to have words with him about this.”
“How did you manage to be here right now?” Carrie asked sharply, obviously still suspicious.
“Your security was too good even for me after the last attempt,” Chayak said. “I had to hide out. The plan was for Tirak to take me to Kij’ik, but Annuur had other ideas, apparently, so I had to hide outside the City. When I saw the Liegena and your son going for a swim, I realized the best way for an assassin to draw you out, Liege, was to capture your wife. So I followed her.”
“What happens to him now?” asked Kaid, turning to look at where the injured assassin was being hauled to his feet by the commandos.
“With your permission, I’ll take him to Shola for interrogation. As I said, we’ve been after Ambassador Taira for some time now, and he’ll help us put him away for a very long time.”
“Take him,” said Kusac, reaching out to pull Carrie close to his side. She was shivering convulsively now that the danger was over, a mixture of being chilled because she was wearing only a swimsuit and the reaction to her ordeal.
“You’re hurt,” he said with concern, looking from her face to the cut on her thigh where a trickle of blood had coursed down her leg.
“It’s not serious,” she said, “but I’m cold. I’d like to get out of here into the sun.”
“Thank you, Chayak,” Kusac said. “I never even suspected your presence.”
“Neither did I,” said Kaid, shaking his head. “And I should have.”
“I did have the damper and chameleon suit,” said Chayak, moving past them to take charge of his prisoner. “It was essential you not know I was here.”
“Shall we pick up the fragments of the gun?” asked J’korrash.
“Just check there’s nothing large enough to be dangerous,” said Chayak.
“Who was your handler?” asked Kusac, following him out. “Tirak or Annuur?”
“Captain Tirak. As far as I know, Annuur was unaware of me,” he replied, taking the prisoner from J’korrash.
“You can ride back with us,” said Kaid. “We’ve a flitter waiting by the river.”
“So Raiban had nothing to do with it at all,” said Carrie, trying to stop her teeth from chattering as they began to walk down the hillside.
“Apparently not,” said Kusac, stopping to undo his belt and take off his sleeveless jacket to throw around her shoulders. “That should help you warm up,” he said.
She pulled it close around her and smiled her thanks.
“Why would General Raiban have anything to do with the assassins?” asked Chayak.
“Old history. Forget I mentioned it,” muttered Carrie. “The cubs? Are they safe?”
“They’re back at the Palace,” said Kusac. “We sent them back with Tanjo before we came after you.”
“Are the attacks really over now, Chayak?” she asked tiredly.
“Yes, Liegena, they’re over now. While I’ve been working undercover, all the Sholans in this system and the Ch’almuthian one have been double-checked. There’s no one here who shouldn’t be.”
“Thank goodness for that.”
“Let’s get back to the Palace,” said Kusac. “I want to call Shola and have a word with Lijou myself.”
Comm room in the Palace
“Who better to protect you than one of your own?” asked Lijou. “Remember, you owe your allegiance as a Clan to me. I have the right to assign missions to your people. Besides,” he added, his tone and face softening a little, “I did clear it with your Regent at the estate. We have the last assassin now, thankfully, and you are all safe. And I have my evidence against the Chemerian Ambassador.”
Kusac grunted noncommittally but they both knew he was satisfied with the answer. “Is my father in the Palace?” he asked.
“He is, but he’s in an Alliance Council meeting right now. I would be there myself if you hadn’t caught me just before I was due to leave my office here.”
“Please pass on my best to him, and tell him I’ll be calling him at home soon,” he said.
“I’ll do that, and now I really have to go, Kusac. You look well, by the way. I had heard of your injuries. It seems you’ve recovered well from them.”
“We’re all well. A lot that’s strange has happened here, Lijou. When I get home, I’ll have to tell you about it.”
Lijou looked curiously at him. “Maybe a report would be in order?”
Kusac grinned. “You know me and reports. I’ll try.”
“Stay safe,” said Lijou, reaching out to cut their connection.
CHAPTER 17
K’oish’ik, Zhal-Ch’Ioka, 10th day (April)
KUSAC’S eyes opened scant seconds before ZSADHI’S alarm went off. Almost without thinking, he shook Carrie, and they were both up and diving into their clothes before they were properly awake.
Ch’almuth? asked Carrie, still struggling into her one-piece flight suit.
Yes. Make sure the others are roused while I see to Shaidan, he sent, pausing only long enough to grab his weapons before leaving the bedroom at a full run. Bring our packs, please. I’ll meet you in the nursery.
Collapsing back on the bed, she pulled on her boots while sending out a roll call to the telepaths on their team. All answered and received her terse command.
Report to the shuttle bay in the main garage for immediate evac to the Couana. This is not a drill.
That done, she grabbed her own weapons and their backpacks—lying ready for several days now—and left.
Prepping the Couana now we are, Carrie, sent Toueesut.
He sounded far too alert to her mind as she glanced at her wrist comm and saw it was still an hour short of first hour, and the sky was only just beginning to lighten.
MUTAC being loaded, and our chef is cooking breakfast for us all for when we take off as I speak, he added.
As she ran along the corridor to the nursery, she saw Rezac and Kaid heading the same way to say good-bye to their cubs.
Kusac was crouched down in the corridor outside the nursery, holding their son as tightly as the cub was holding him. “We’ll be back, I promise,” he was saying. “You know we have to go and rescue Zhalmo.”
“I know, Pappa,” he said, obviously fighting back tears. “Zhalmo’s a friend, and friends are special too.”
“We’ll stay in touch. I’ll try to send to you every few nights.”
Shaidan’s head bobbed in agreement as Carrie went over to them.
“We’ll be back before you know it,” she said gently, stroking his hair. “Aunty Kitra and Uncle Dzaka will look after you for us. You like them.”
Shaidan pulled away from Kusac to envelope her in a huge hug. “Yes, Mamma. Please take care, and hurry back!”
“We will, I promise!” she said, kissing his cheek.
We have to go, sent Kaid, coming out or the nursery, Rezac behind him.
Good-bye, kitling, we love you! sent Kusac as they both gave him a last, crushing hug.
The small fleet of shuttles was still landing in the bays adjacent to the Couana as theirs set down.
Kusac leaped out, Carrie, Kaid, T’Chebbi, Rezac, Jo, and Jurrel behind him as he headed over to the Touiban ship to monitor their team as they boarded.
“Check that the MUTAC is well secured,” he ordered Banner and Jurrel then turned to Kaid. “Have the canisters of that anesthetic been delivered yet?”
Kaid’s eyes took on a distant look before he replied. “Toueesut says they were loaded up last night.”
Nodding, Kusac headed up the Couana’s ramp only to stop halfway. “Carrie,” he began.
She reached out to touch his cheek. “I’m your Second, aren’t I? I’ll take our stuff up to the cabin and get J’korrash to see to our Fire Team’s ammo and weapons while I make sure our supplies are all in order.”
He handed her his pack. “Thank you,” he said, turning to watch her as she disappeared into the brightly lit interior of the ship.
Kaid exchanged a nod with him as he walked past.
“This mission will be nothing like the one you were on in your far past,” Kaid reassured Rezac.
“It has its similarities,” Rezac said, flashing a smile at his son. “At least this time I can fight without puking my guts up!”
“And we’re properly trained,” added Jo.
“There is that,” Rezac agreed.
“Huh,” T’Chebbi snorted, flicking one of her braids out of the way as they piled onto the elevator up to the cabins. “That makes a huge difference, you’ll see.”
The upper-level cabins had been drastically altered to fit in all of the twenty assorted Sholans, Primes, and Ch’almuthians. Only the double occupancy rooms for the three main team leaders remained unaltered, as they needed access to the private computing terminals.
Carrie opened the door to their cabin with mixed feelings as the others headed off at right angles past the mess room to their quarters. This room was full of their past, and not all of it had been pleasant. They’d discussed whether or not to ask for another cabin but had decided to face down the ghosts of the past.
Here it was that Kusac had tried to commit suicide on that ill-fated return trip after the Jalna mission. She put their packs on the bed and sat down, reaching with her mind to feel if there was any echo of that time.
Don’t, sent Kusac. Let the past lie, Carrie. It was a dark time for me, and I bitterly regret what I did then and the suffering I caused you all. I love life too much now to ever go there again.
I hear you, she replied, taking a deep breath and getting up to wait by the door for the rest of their team to arrive. You’re right. Let’s live for today, not the past.
Kusac, wearing a headset now, was waiting for a report from Jurrel on the spare power cells in the MUTAC as well as making sure it was properly stowed. No one wanted that coming loose in midflight.
All their people had boarded, and the cargo hold and the forward lab were a hive of activity as, their personal kit stowed, they checked through the assigned supply packs they’d carry on their drop to the mountains after the rescue mission. The Fire Team Seconds were busy in the makeshift armory in the lab, checking the weapons that would presently be issued to them.
