“You were always too smart for your own good. I should have allowed you to rot in that prison with the other mongrels.”

  “You’re such a bastard. A mercenary for hire. How could you? The Cenzans will die.”

  “Exactly, my dear. That’s the point.” Logan huffed and released me, brushing his fingers down my arm. “I didn’t come here to argue with you, Fiona. I came to release you. We rescued you from the monsters hell bent on destroying Earth. Is it true that our government created a poison that can be used in various methods? Yes. We were made aware of the possibility of an alien invasion decades ago after their failed attempt at destroying our planet.”

  “What are you talking about?” Rubbing my arm, I finally turned. He’d always believed he could lie to me, but I’d seen through him, knew what he was capable of. This time, his eyes bore the sign of truth. “Who tried to destroy our planet?”

  “The Cenzans. They made a failed attempt to eradicate humans over fifty years ago, culminating in what we know as the apocalypse. They needed our planet for food and shelter given their planet is dying. But something very tragic happened.”

  I shrank back, trying to rationalize what I was hearing. “What happened? What are you getting at?”

  He shifted his arms behind his back, pacing the room. “There are records indicating that after their initial invasion, they dropped thousands of soldiers on our planet before releasing the gas clouds. They’d miscalculated the formula and over eighty percent of their forces were killed, along with millions of our own. They naturally fell back, unable to continue with the takeover. I can only imagine that given the loss of life, they haven’t had the opportunity to try again until now. But we are prepared this time. We know what to expect and my department was given an absolute top-secret clearance to use the gas against them.”

  I heard his words, his attempt at being sincere, truthful. A cold shiver washed down my spine. The story sounded plausible and stories my mother and father told me flowed into my mind. The memories my mother began to tell me of monstrous men were never finished, my father shutting her down. She’d been so afraid, studying the night sky as if it were going to fall. “Why did you need me? Why did you bother?”

  “Your natural healing abilities, your cognitive nature. I knew you were capable of great things scientifically, but my instinct told me that you were the key to finding the correct gene mutation. I had to make certain that this time, the Cenzans didn’t get the upper hand.”

  “You were putting on a little show that day in the lab,” I hissed. What if this was true?

  “I’d been told about Prince Drateq and his mission.”

  “You purposely tried to kill one of his soldiers.”

  His mouth twisted, a single eyebrow lifting. “I selected one of his men in an effort to test both your abilities as well as the effects.”

  “You also wanted to eliminate the prince.”

  Chuckling, he gave me an approving nod. “Let’s just say that would have been a wonderful perk; however, certainly not prudent.”

  “You knew the poison wasn’t ready yet. You risked Captain Drateq’s retaliation in order to test your theory.”

  “Yes.”

  “You are a bastard.”

  Cocking his head, he took decided steps closer. “You surprise me, Fiona. I would have thought you’d be thrilled that you were rescued. However, your being on the ship will certainly help in many ways.”

  “Rescued? You locked me in a basic cell the moment you captured me.”

  “I had no way of knowing how many soldiers you’d brought. I couldn’t risk your safety if the compound was compromised. We are still under lockdown, so I’ll need to keep you secured in this facility until we are certain the risk has diminished. I assure you, food and drink and a change of clothes will be brought to you.” He reached out, as if ready to touch my face but I recoiled. His partial smile faded, and he dropped his hand. “I’m not your enemy, Fiona. I wish to God I would have been able to tell you the truth when we were together, but any leaks could have meant total annihilation of Earth. As a scientist, you must understand that.”

  Everything he was saying made sense and I began to doubt everything I’d heard from Shandar. What if his people had been planning this for years? I could no longer think straight. I rubbed my eyes out of frustration as well as fear.

  “Tell me, didn’t you see prisoners on the spaceship you were on?” he asked.

  I didn’t want to tell him anything, but his information could prove to be useful. “They had their share of prisoners, testing them for mating capabilities.”

  “Right. Did you ever stop to think the new form of their own poison was being tested, to ensure that they’d found the right formula?”

  I had no idea how to address that. I hadn’t been privy to that kind of information and I was forced to admit, I was no longer certain of anything. “Was he killed?”

  “The prince?”

  “Yes. Shandar. Was he killed?”

  Logan shook his head, the light in his eyes flat-lining. “I’m not certain. Soldiers are looking for his body now. Every Cenzan reacts differently to the poison. It’s possible that he’ll live for hours, even days, but he will be weakened.”

  “How did you know we were coming?”

  “I can’t tell all my secrets, now can I?” He lifted an eyebrow. “I have certain prized pets, but then again, you already know that.”

  I refused to take his bait. “There’s something still wrong with your formula, isn’t there? That’s why I’m really here.” I knew I was right and that he was hiding many of the details. There were two people that could have told him about our arrival, Vlanea and Kalek. Killer would never be anyone’s pet. The horror of both possibilities was gut wrenching.

  “As I said, you’re far too intelligent to be left out in the open.” He studied me for a full minute, crowding my space, pulling out a small vial. “Do you realize that I’ve had hundreds of scientists perfecting the formula for years? This is the latest in what they came up with, the very one used on this Cenzan prince and I might add, there is some of your handiwork in this as well.”

  The vial contained a red substance, little more than a powdered state. I was shocked that he allowed me to take the tube into my hand.

  “Oh, don’t worry. What you have in your hand is benign until the right agent is mixed in with it. You can certainly keep it and no, I won’t tell you what that agent is until I’m certain you’re working with us.” His expression was smug, as if he’d won a battle.

  I slipped the vial into my pocket, making certain I paid attention to every word. “Same old Logan.”

  Ignoring my comment, he paced the room. “Did you know that on the day the Cenzans arrived, I screamed halle-fucking-lujah because I could finally test the application and tweak the formula. They were joyful days for the government because we were finally making headway.”

  “You paid them to take your poison?”

  He chuckled, cocking his head. “Don’t be naïve, little slave. Cenzans aren’t stupid. We managed to capture only those we needed to make certain of what we were doing. Yes, we’ve managed to buy our way into the Cenzan world. There are many of their soldiers that would enjoy living like kings on our world, instead of going back to their own.” His smile was cagey, evil. “Granted, they don’t understand what fate has in store for them after we destroy their mother ships.”

  “You were always a conniving son of a bitch, only out for yourself.” I could only think of Shandar, Braga, and Kalek. They had no idea they were coming into an ambush. No one working with the American government from the Cenzan world was going to survive.

  “Come on, Fiona. Think about this. We’re heroes of the world. There isn’t a country who isn’t begging us for advice as well as help, promising their loyalty. Imagine true world peace.” He held out his arms, making several gestures.

  “Then what do you need me for? You’ve got everything under control.” Logan’s plan was indeed almost foolproof.

  Logan scrutinized my eyes, his falling to my chest for a few seconds. “Here’s the deal, my lovely slave. The way the Cenzans’ organs perform mutates the poison upon ingestion. Unfortunately, they have certain healing capabilities that we hadn’t expected, even after all the tests we’d performed. It’s like their tissue learns, antibodies changing, augmenting to thwart off a bodily enemy. Quite amazing if you ask me. Certainly something to test before they are all destroyed. If their blood could help the American people survive the horrible diseases, even recover, just imagine.”

  He’d appointed himself king of the Earth. However, his answer allowed several scientific ideas to formulate. “You have no idea where to turn at this point.”

  “We have several ideas that you’re going to confirm for us. You are still an American, a human and I’m certain you don’t want your planet invaded by the worst the universe has to offer.” He offered a lascivious smile. “Why don’t you rest. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal. I’ll come back when everything is clear. Then we’ll have a full discussion about your requirements.” He moved toward the door, yanking some form of communication device from his pocket. “And I know how well you can follow my commands.”

  As he walked outside, remaining in the doorway as he made his connection, I was forced to hold my tongue. There was much more to this story and I was determined to find out what the hell was actually going on.

  I wanted to rip his heart out with my hand, but I was a keen observer and seeing the beads of sweat rolling down one side of his face indicated his concern. Captain Hicks knew he was running out of time. What had I learned during our conversation?

  That I held the key to one planet’s survival.

  Chapter Ten

  Shandar

  The world around me seemed to collapse, booming sounds creating echoes, stars floating in front of my eyes. Unable to move, my chest heavy, I found keeping my eyes open a difficult feat. I winced as I looked up at the sky. The full moon was burning my retinas. No, that wasn’t entirely true. Poison was shutting down certain functions. “Fi-o-na!”

  “Taken.”

  The male voice filtered into my ears, but the disorientation prevented me from seeing or comprehending what the male was saying. I struggled to take a deep whiff, the pain in my chest sharp, biting. The scent was human. Slowly, the reality of what had occurred entered my mind. Roaring, I stumbled, failing in my first attempt to get to my feet.

  “Better take it easy. Whatever shit they gave you packed a wallop. You convulsed for a full ten minutes. Dragged your heavy ass as far as I could. Damn assholes.”

  “You. Did. This.”

  The human moved in front of me, hunkering down. “Hell, no. I’m not your enemy here. I got off several rounds, blasting their asses to kingdom come. Got at least four of the bastards but they pulled her inside the compound. There was no way I could get to her.”

  Killer. I growled and pushed my hands against the ground. What the hell had they given me?

  “Look, we need to get you out of here. Can you call up your ship, get us to that drop-off point?”

  “Not without Fiona by my side.”

  “Thought you might say that.” Grunting, as he rose to his feet, he yanked my arm, finally tossing me over his shoulder. “Jesus.”

  I was too weak to object, my heart racing to the point I was well aware I was dying. I remembered what appeared like a gaseous substance covering my face. How much I’d inhaled, I couldn’t be certain.

  “We’ll get her out. No doubt the bastard is behind this.” Killer’s mumbled words were threaded with contempt, the kind of hatred I knew well. He took long strides, moving over thick underbrush.

  When he finally eased me onto the ground, I gathered we were at least a mile, maybe more away from the facility. I watched as he checked several locations, swinging the weapon. He’d gathered at least two of mine, the blasting weapons capable of destroying every building compound on Earth. “We must get to her.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. There’s no time. What the hell is this shit they blew in your nose?”

  “My death warrant as well as that of my entire species.”

  Killer opened his eyes wide, swaggering closer. “I guess I should let you die then. Huh?”

  Managing to get to a sitting position, I reached out, my vision far too foggy to know exactly how far away the weapon remained.

  “Looking for this?” He held out the blaster, giving me a hard look. “You wouldn’t be trying to kill me now, would you? After all the help?” After a few seconds, he tossed the weapon. “You’re in no condition to take on this kind of mission. Don’t you have some backup or something?”

  “They’re all too ill.”

  “Interesting.” He sniffed and paced the area. “Guess it’s just you and me. Been down that road before. There’s likely two hundred people in that compound. It ain’t gonna be easy.”

  “I. Don’t. Care.” I refused to accept the poison. I would not allow her to die. Willing my muscles to move, I let out a single howl as I managed to stand. My vision was starting to clear, at least enough I could see our surroundings, even in the darkness.

  “Well, you either got balls the size of basketballs or you’re itching to get yourself killed.” He chuckled, seeing my confusion. “Old expression. Look, only way to do this is to blast through their front door. Can these weapons do that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Excellent. We wait until these bottom feeders go back to their stations. Then we strike.” He held out his hand. “Should be only thirty minutes or so. If we don’t wait, they could pick us off. You got it?”

  While I didn’t like or appreciate this particular human, he made a certain sense. My gait unsteady, I headed for one of the trees, shifting against the trunk, trying to keep my breathing even. I could feel the poison entering my system, moving at a fast rate. I wouldn’t have long before the full effects made it impossible to move. What I didn’t know was the effect on my brain.

  Killer kept his stance, watching the trees, both hands on the weapon. He darted several glances in my direction. “Your kind really going to destroy Earth like you tried to do fifty years ago?”

  “We never attempted to take over your planet before.”

  He snorted. “That’s not what Captain Hicks spouted off more than once.” I kept quiet, waiting for more. “Yeah, the asshole was convinced your people were the reason for our holocaust, using some weapon of mass destruction that left a lot of the human survivors sick for decades to come. Some big disease. Sounds a lot like the shit you’re talking about, your soldiers dropping like flies. Seen a lot of shit in my stint in the military. This poison worked fast.”

  My thoughts drifted to my father, the knowledge that my mother had been human. There could be no other way to have taken her as a mate without some intervention with Earth years before. Was it possible my grandfather attempted to colonize Earth? He was dead by the time I was born, and as with our kind, the past was rarely discussed. “Never been to Earth and our plan is not to destroy it.”

  “Well, Captain persuaded a hell of a lot of people in Washington that the Cenzan alien race is to blame for the lot in their life. The bastards bought it too, spending millions of dollars on some designer drug when we need research dollars and infrastructure rebuilt.” He snorted. “Damn politicians. Nothing changed after the Great War. That’s all I know about the clandestine operation. My ass was kicked out soon after learning evidently far too much.”

  If the Americans believed the Cenzans had invaded Earth, causing the kind of destruction Fiona had described, they’d stop at nothing to hunt and kill. Fiona’s staunch beliefs on the poison were sounding more feasible. “Why were you forced out?”

  “Knowledge. Bad behavior. My guess is they wanted to eliminate anyone with an opinion.” Killer moved to a crouching position when he heard a crack coming from deep within the forest. After a few minutes, he resumed standing, every movement with a practiced skill. “Didn’t help I stole one of their planes.” He laughed bitterly, cutting the sound short when he glanced in my direction. “Was meant to be a joke. They didn’t take it that way.”

  I could tell he wasn’t lying, about his understanding of what had occurred or his termination from whatever position he held. I burned within. We’d taken several prisoners simply because at least two dozen of my own soldiers were missing, Killer included. My guess? My people had been experimented on, the DNA attacked by this poison. The chancellor must know about the previous invasion, knowing we’d be thrown into a killing zone. Why had he wanted that to happen? Czardom. There was no other concept. Convincing my father had been the issue. Perhaps my father was ready to repent given what he knew had occurred. Or even been a part of. My father was certainly old enough to have been a member of the invading team. Still, I became more convinced that Zatar was the traitor. Armed with this knowledge, he would easily be able to take over, making deals with the humans in exchange for safety, food, and other forms of payment. Meanwhile, he’d eradicate our other enemies with the newly created poison. I wasn’t entirely convinced that my theory was correct.

  “We better go. I got a bad feeling sitting in my gut. If the assholes call in reinforcements, we could be shit out of luck. You gonna be able to do this, prince?”

  “Yes. Where will they hold her?” I loathed the use of the word, knew the human killer was condescending my royalty.

  “Depends on if they’re treating her like a prisoner. Gotta ask you a question. Any chance this gal of yours is happy to be back with the asshole?”

  The answer I honestly didn’t know. “A possibility.”

  “Okay then. Either way, I’ll venture a guess she’s far too important to them to consider being rescued from rogues like us. She’ll be in the lower section, locked behind closed doors.” He pumped the weapon, an almost gleeful look on his face. “Locked and loaded. Let’s kick some ass.”