“Fiona. What in the hell is going on?” Shandar took long strides until he reached me, taking me into his arms. “Breathe. Talk to me.”

  “Braga’s sample. The gene is mutating rapidly. They’re all affected. Every soldier.”

  “It’s true,” Kalek said as he rushed into the room. “The other ships are reporting in, all with the same reactions. They’re dying.”

  “No, I don’t think they’re dying at this point, but they will be incapacitated. We have to get to Earth. I must find the source. There might be an antidote, but if I can find how this was produced, I can at least reverse the effects.” I clung to him, pleading.

  “What if Shandar falls?” Kalek asked.

  “If he hasn’t by now, I doubt he’ll be affected. Why, I don’t know.”

  Shandar snarled as the two lieutenants crumpled to the floor. “Kalek. I need you here. I’ll take Fiona with me. Send the Comstars away. Tell them whatever the hell you need to. Coordinate with Vlanea to provide whatever assistance you can. This might be our only hope. Pull us into position for our transportation to Earth.”

  Kalek nodded. “You know we don’t have much time.”

  “Yes, I’m aware.” Shandar turned to me, gripping both of my arms. “Where are we going? You must trust me now.”

  Taking a deep breath, I nodded. “There’s a compound just west of Alexandria. It’s a think tank. While it hasn’t been used for decades, I heard Logan talking about it. That’s where they’ve taken the scientists. My guess is they’ve prepared the poison to be unleashed the moment you step foot on the planet.”

  Shandar nodded toward Kalek. “Set the coordinates.”

  “Yes, sir,” Kalek responded.

  “There’s one other thing, I’m taking Killer with us.” Shandar lifted his eyebrow in my direction. “We need backup.”

  “You are out of your mind.” Kalek laughed.

  “I have no choice. I need a third set of eyes and the man owes me his life. Come on.” Taking me by the hand, he dragged me out of the room, running into Vlanea.

  “You’re unharmed, Captain. I’m so grateful,” Vlanea said.

  “I’m leaving the ship, taking Fiona.” Shandar looked directly in her eyes.

  “Are you certain that’s wise?” she asked. “We have a crisis.”

  I studied her expression, my woman’s intuition kicking in. “I have an idea for an additive for the serum. Prepare the saline solutions at one half the amount. We’ll return shortly.”

  “If you’re certain this is wise.” She frowned, her eyes narrowed.

  Shandar guided me toward the prison cells, both of us remaining quiet, the gravity of the situation settling in. The fact he was taking Killer meant he was a man of honor, a trait I respected. If I was wrong about the location, there would be no more time. Thousands of their people would die.

  His chest and shoulders were heaving as he led me into the dank facility, the shadows and darkness as terrifying as the concept of the prison itself. As soon as we walked in, the various prisoners called out, the moans and clanging sounds surreal. There were no traditional bars of steel, no obvious hindrance but as one of the men rushed the entrance, his body bouncing off the energy field, yelping from the obvious pain, I shrank back. I was reminded that the Cenzans were still savage people, their methods more primitive than those on Earth.

  There was a clear indication of where he was going, his long strides taking him to the last cell on the right. His breathing forceful, he stood in front of the door, glaring at the prisoner within.

  Killer.

  Seeing the formidable man up close, I knew why Shandar had selected him as an opponent. They’d been equally matched in weight as well as height. Killer rose to a standing position, glancing in my direction and remaining in place. He’d been allowed to dress. The black pants and tee shirt were more fitting for what I could tell was a dangerous man in his own right.

  “What do you want, you fuck?” Killer asked, snarling.

  “I spared your life. Now, you will work with me.” Shandar stated, his inflection full of a dark command.

  As if intrigued, Killer wiped his mouth and took two steps forward. “Doing what?”

  “Muscle. A killing machine. What you do best.”

  I wasn’t surprised at Shandar’s words. I knew what he needed, what was required for our destination. Logan would have the best hired guns, military men capable of killing a man with their bare hands. We had the element of surprise, the ability to disappear within seconds. But the rest would be treacherous.

  “What’s in it for me?” Killer asked, scanning the length of me as if eyeing a fresh piece of meat.

  “Your freedom as well as a permanent job, if you so desire.” Shandar took a step in front of me, signaling I was off limits.

  Killer chuckled, glaring at the man, my lover. “Well, I ain’t got a home no longer. As long as you honor your deal of freedom, I’ll slaughter anything or anyone you want.”

  “Fair enough. You will follow my instructions. We have very little time to accomplish our task.” Shandar waved his hand, releasing the energy shield. “We leave now. Where we’re going, we much retain silence as well as seclusion. We strike only when I determine.”

  “She’s coming with us?” Killer allowed a leering look, a slight grin.

  “She’s a warrior and the reason your life was spared.” Shandar narrowed his eyes before moving down the chamber and out of the prison. “You will not ask questions.”

  “Why, yes, sir,” Killer commented, saluting in a military fashion. The move allowed his shirt sleeve to slide, revealing a tattoo. I’d learned enough from Logan in the few conversations we’d had regarding security forces to know that Killer was highly trained. Why the hell was he here?

  Trust. The word reverberated in my mind.

  Within minutes, we were equipped with various weapons and shown how to use them. While we were few in numbers, the type of weaponry the Cenzans had would protect us as well as destroy anything or anyone we selected. When Shandar was satisfied, we headed for the portal unit. Everywhere there were fallen soldiers, lying in the corridors. They were no longer twitching, having entered the second phase of the poison. We were indeed running out of time.

  “Who’s the target?” Killer asked as we entered the transport platform. He ran his hand down the thick barrel of the weapon in his hand, admiring the cold, hard steel.

  “Captain Logan Hicks,” Shandar answered. “What I consider to be a dangerous man.”

  In that split second before we were reduced to molecules, I could see a knowing look crossing Killer’s face. The two human men had already crossed paths.

  I shuddered from the shift taking us to Earth and blinked several times in order to get my bearings as the portal opening disappeared. Night was quickly approaching, the dimmed light creating eerie shadows. Night sounds of insects and frogs were no longer comforting. Just being here, feeling the slight breeze, my nostrils filling with the musky scent of the forest was invigorating as well as terrifying. The ground was wet as if it had recently rained, the terrain soft. As we adjusted to our surroundings, I took several deep breaths, fearing I might never be on Earth again.

  “These are the coordinates, Fiona. They’ve been calculated in accordance to your direction. I hope that you’re correct,” Shandar stated, an illuminated console in his hand.

  Nodding, I was counting on the fact that Logan was under direct orders, protecting the men and women on his government team. The underground bunker was the only logical place that would keep him in close proximity to his headquarters.

  “Where the hell are we?” Killer asked, already moving in a circular formation, a weapon firmly planted in both hands.

  “Outside Alexandria, Virginia. Near an old compound from more than a century ago,” I answered, trying to get my bearings.

  Killer gave me an odd look before snickering. “Well, well, little lady. You’re one to watch. No one is supposed to know about this location, so who the hell are you?”

  “A scientist working with the government. I caught the ink on your upper arm. Military. Skilled.”

  Lifting a single eyebrow, Killer pulled the weapon into both hands.

  Shandar moved quickly, Killer’s throat in his hands. “Who are you exactly? If you lie to me I will know, and you will die.”

  “I worked with Captain Hicks during my tenure with the military. He was my boss at the time. A conniving asshole if you ask me but the man has connections,” Killer sneered, not trying to move away from the aggressive hold but his eyes flashing anger in the dimming sun.

  I took long strides, flanking Shandar’s side. “If this is true then he can help us. Tell us what you know about this facility or the work you did with him. What connections does he have exactly?”

  Shandar released his hold, only stepping back a single yard. “I brought you here for a reason. Talk, human.”

  Bristling, Killer gave Shandar a once-over before responding. “I have no idea how you know about this location, but it was fortified years ago, a bunker to be used in the most extreme circumstances.” He kept his words whispered, his eyes constantly roaming the forest.

  “And?” Shandar kept his demanding tone.

  “And, they were planning for an attack, no doubt from your kind. They’d established a command center almost twenty years ago. Captain Hicks is merely the latest person in charge. I didn’t have the level of security clearance needed to know about any discussions or plans. However, whatever they’ve been working on, they have the full approval of the White House. If you get my drift.”

  “A matter of national security,” I said, half under my breath. “At the time of your capture, were you still working for Captain Hicks?”

  Killer sniffed and rubbed his temple. “Let’s just say he and I had a falling out. I was offered the ability to resign or be court-martialed. I chose the former, although getting payback is just fine on my list. How do you know the flaming asshole?”

  “Let’s just say I was selected for my particular expertise. I have no doubt he handpicked his staff on all sides. Only the best and brightest.” Logan had made certain I’d been lucky enough to acquire the government job then kept me on a short leash, literally. I thought about my particular experiments with human tissue and genes, mutating cells based on various diseases. “Oh. My. God.”

  “What is it?” Shandar asked.

  I gripped his arm, my blood pressure increasing. “I’d been commanded to work on the effects of a particular disease, one that’s extremely deadly to humans, trying to develop certain gene mutation criteria in order for a drug to be developed.”

  “Yes, you’ve told me.” Shandar inched closer.

  “The first known case of the disease was discovered after the apocalypse. I was almost certain it was from the effects of the gas that was used. Very difficult to detect. But one touch and I knew if the patient had the disease or the gene capable of producing the disease in children.” Suddenly, I was freezing cold.

  “Fascinating story, but I assure you, there are guards everywhere. I’m used to flying fighter jets, so this is a little out of my comfort zone, but I can shoot this weapon or any weapon for that matter. Now, I don’t know what your plan of attack is with three individuals even with these snazzy weapons, but whatever we’re going to do, we need to get to it,” Killer stated, looking over Shandar’s shoulder at the handheld unit, studying the coordinates. “We should be close, maybe two miles out and in that direction. Let’s get moving.” He headed in the direction of the forest.

  “He’s right.” Shandar nodded toward the path.

  “You don’t understand what I’m saying. Logan has been planning this for years. He used my gift against me. He utilized the same gas that poisoned millions on Earth, developing the perfect strands, allowing Cenzans or perhaps other alien lifeforms to become infected, but not humans. Every scrap of information I researched allowed other scientists to alter the formula. When Braga fell, Logan wanted to make certain that I could only detect a poison and nothing else.”

  “And he would have needed samples from Cenzan DNA.”

  “Yes.”

  Shandar snarled. “He’s planning on gassing us upon arrival.”

  “Very possibly and think of this,” I whispered, goosebumps popping along my skin. “If Logan sells even a small amount to the highest bidder, imagine what species could do with the knowledge and the power of having such a weapon.”

  “They would be considered Gods.”

  “Yes.”

  “We need to secure Logan.”

  “Wait,” I whispered, glancing in Killer’s direction. “Killer is one of the most well trained soldiers in our government. How did you capture him? Was he alone, with other men or women?”

  “You think he was sent by Logan.”

  “Why not? To keep an eye on you, the ship. He may have a way of relaying information to Logan directly.”

  Shandar shook his head. “Not possible. The prisoners have no ability to make any contact with anyone. Only a few of the people on my ship are allowed to speak with a prisoner, my officers, the doctor and myself. He was taken alone, injured, although he was able to outmaneuver two of my best, at least for a short period of time. Still, I selected him to come with us. There was no way of him knowing ahead of time.”

  “Too many coincidences, Shandar. He needs to be watched.” Killer had been sent. I’d bet my life on that fact.

  “Any indication and he dies.” Shandar nodded, tugging me toward the forest.

  I trailed behind Shandar, moving into a patch of thick woods, Killer stopping once to identify where he believed guards would be located, their basic layout and what little he knew about the compound. When we were within a quarter mile, Killer threw out his hand.

  “There’s one vulnerable area that I know of and it happens to be the exit point. I doubt Captain Hicks is staying on site. Not sexy enough for a man of his influence, if you get my drift. Coming and going is your best opportunity to capture him, but you’ll only get a single chance. Trust me. Enough firepower around here to start a war. Or you can just blow up the entrance.” Grinning, Killer crouched down.

  “We do this quietly. The entire Airtak is vulnerable. I only need the man taken alive and I will get everything I need.” Shandar’s direction was clear.

  “Sure thing, but I got an itchy trigger finger,” Killer chortled. “Another few hundred yards are all we can do safely.”

  Darkness was all around us as we broke through to a small clearing. Almost instantly, hair stood up on the back of my neck, a series of odd sensations rocketing through every cell. This was a setup.

  In the next several seconds, everything became a blur of chaos, blinding lights shining from every direction, pinpointing our location, the sound of a shrill alarm breaching the quiet night air.

  “Get down. Get down!” Killer instructed.

  There was no ability to see anything until it was too late. Rough hands yanked me back, knocking the gun out of my arms. I screamed, struggling to get to Shandar, hearing whooshing sounds as Killer fired off his weapon. Then I noticed a puff of red smoke, could see Shandar drop to his knees, his hands around his throat. “No!” Kicking out, I was able to get away from my attackers, running, racing toward him. This couldn’t happen. This couldn’t…

  * * *

  “No!” Jerking awake, I gasped for air, the sound immediately squelched in the room. Pain burned behind my eyes as well as on the side of my head. I’d been knocked out. Shandar! The last thing I remembered was seeing him fall, his face contorted in agony. Gas. Shandar had been correct in the method Logan and his soldiers would use. The entire scheme had been a complex and well thought out plan, entailing years of preparation. Tears rushed to my eyes as the realization that he could be dead hit me. Sobbing, I doubled over, holding my arms. Killer was responsible for this. He let them know we were on the way. The bastard. “Bastard!” I hoped someone heard me. “I will kill you!”

  I had to get control. Others were counting on me. What the hell was I supposed to do? The weapons had been stripped from me. How could I get back to the ship? Even if I did, the others could already be dead. There was no way of telling how long I’d been out or who I could trust at this point.

  While the room was almost completely pitch black, a slight hint of light came from overhead, perhaps from some sort of a venting system. I was on what appeared to be a cot and as I placed my hands on the various surroundings, I determined the walls were made of what I knew to be cement. While the product was no longer used, many of the buildings had actually saved survivors during the holocaust decades before. It was also fairly soundproof.

  What the hell was I going to do? I folded my arms across my chest, trying to put the pieces together, my mind riddled with thoughts and ideas. I continued to come back to the same discord. There was someone close to Shandar working with the enemy, directly with Logan. This chancellor? Killer? No, he was nothing but a soldier himself. And Shandar. He couldn’t be dead.

  A sharp click was followed by a bright light flooding the room. I stood, my fists clenched.

  “Well, if it isn’t my protégé.” The voice was laced with dark amusement.

  “Logan. You bastard. You used me, and every scientist in that facility that you knew would be destroyed.”

  He wagged his finger as he walked closer, his gaze filled with lust. “I never used you any more than you wanted me to. Oh, you mean in your work, not when you were on your knees pleasing me.”

  The slap across his face was hard, jarring and he stumbled backwards. Recovering quickly, he grabbed my wrist, twisting my arm to my back. “You’re not in charge here any more than you were when you submitted to me. Keep that in mind if you want to live.”

  “Who did you sell out to, Logan? Just who did you sell your soul to and why? Money? Fame? Being the president’s lackey?” When Logan twisted further, I fought crying out, showing him any kind of weakness.