Triumphant (Battle Born Book 14) Read online

  “Sedrik Lux is with me. I’m going to put you on speaker.”

  “Oh thank you, dear. General Lux, we’re not sure what happened. Someone rang the doorbell, but there was no one there when I opened the door. I asked your men if they had seen anyone, but no one saw anything. When I returned to the front salon, Thea was gone.”

  “Why am I just hearing about this now? Where are your guards?”

  “Out searching for Thea.” Lenore was sounding more agitated by the minute. “And they did notify someone. I’m sorry, I don’t know who.”

  “That’s fine. It’s not your responsibility to know. I didn’t mean to bark at you. Are you certain Thea has been taken?”

  Sedrik could be autocratic, yet he was surprisingly careful with Lenore. The contrast was endearing, and encouraging. Rebecca was starting to believe that strong didn’t always equate to cruel.

  “I thought she’d just gone to bed, but her purse was on the hallstand and her phone was in it. Thea doesn’t go anywhere without her phone.”

  “How are you doing?” he asked. “Is there someone who can come stay with you until we have more information?”

  “I got ahold of Jenna. She and Drex should be here shortly, but it’s very kind of you to ask.”

  “I’m going to let you go now.” He spoke with restrained compassion, firm yet caring. “I need to make sure everything that can be done is taking place.”

  Lenore said goodbye and Rebecca ended the call. She looked at Sedrik as tension gripped her stomach. If Thea was really missing, and it appeared that she was, there were only two possible explanations. “Are you thinking Outcasts or those RF bastards?”

  “I was thinking Outcasts, but you’re right. The Resistance Force is equally likely.” He leaned down and kissed her briefly. “I need to find out what her guards know and why whomever they contacted didn’t notify me. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She smiled, but her thoughts were more realistic. With everything that was going on, it was unlikely she’d see him for the rest of the night.

  * * * * *

  Jim returned to the L.A. station at five sharp and the engineers assured him they were very close to completion. Desperately wanting something positive to report to Abaddon, Jim waited. And waited. Hours passed and all he heard was one excuse after another.

  With cinderblock walls and a concrete floor, the windowless room felt more like a storm shelter or a bunker than an interdimensional access point. He dragged a chair into one corner so he could watch the “geniuses” work. Granted they were attempting to repair alien technology, but Abaddon had given them the Evonti equivalent of a schematic, so what was taking so damn long!

  He leaned back in the chair and locked his hands behind his head. Updating Abaddon on the engineers’ progress—or lack thereof—was unnecessary. Jim could feel the continual flow of alien energy through his brain, activating his implants. It was unlikely Abaddon himself was monitoring the situation, but some underling was doubtlessly watching and listening, using Jim’s body like a transceiver.

  Evonti portals didn’t look like much when they were offline. The oval ring of interwoven cables had been lifted from the pool in which it was kept. Water was used as some sort of conductor though Jim didn’t understand the specifics. He just knew the portals didn’t work unless they were submerged. Each time the engineers thought they had the thing working, it was lowered into the pool for activation. So far each attempt had failed.

  He rubbed the back of his neck and returned the front legs of his chair to the floor. “How much longer?” Impatience sharpened each word.

  “Soon. Very soon,” one of the “geniuses” muttered without bothering to look up.

  “You said that—”

  The muted thud of rubble shifting snapped Jim’s attention toward the door. His heart slammed against his ribs then settle into a fast, even rhythm. The engineers worked on, oblivious to the sound. Jim took a deep breath and just about dismissed the interruption as paranoia—when the door handle rattled.

  “Quiet,” he sneered, trying to catch the engineers’ attention with urgent gestures while keeping his voice low.

  Their work gradually stopped and each engineer looked at him or at the door.

  The silent pause stretched while the people inside the concrete room squirmed. Jim exhaled. Scavengers must have discovered the entrance then left when they realized they couldn’t get in.

  As if to mock his conclusion, a resounding blast shook the entire room. The engineers scattered, diving under tables and crouching in corners. Jim knocked his chair sideways and knelt behind the pitiful barrier. He drew his plasma blaster, a gift from Abaddon, and pointed it at the door. If humans were attempting to “rescue” survivors trapped by the disaster, he’d have no choice but to kill them. No one could know about the portals until the Evonti were ready for everyone to know.

  His hands shook and his chest heaved as a second blast echoed the first. There was no other way in or out of this room. If the battle born had found him… He didn’t even want to think about the ramifications of that development.

  The door flew inward then fell, slapping the floor like a metal drawbridge. Soldiers rushed inside, boot heels ringing on the concrete floor, pulse rifles positioned against their shoulders. Their size and body armor identifying them as battle born and the strangest combination of dread and elation twisted through Jim.

  He knew too much, so did the engineers. The Evonti had to kill him or risk his knowledge falling into the enemy’s hands. But would they finally allow him to stay dead? What choice would they have if the battle born had his body? How long after death could the Evonti still revive a human?

  The questions were so absurd that he felt laughter bubbling up inside him. He set down his weapon and raised his hands, welcoming whatever came next. If the Evonti expected him to protect their secrets from the battle born, they were deluded. You better fucking kill me now or I’ll sing like a bird! He wasn’t sure they could decipher individual thoughts, but the situation was self-evident.

  Rapid gunfire drew Jim’s attention to the lead engineer. Two of his colleagues collapsed as he turned his smoking gun on the other two members of his team. A stream of energy streaked past Jim’s face and drilled a hole in the center of the lead engineer’s chest. The remaining engineers huddled together, one sobbing hysterically.

  “No one will be harmed,” a battle born soldier shouted from behind the mirrored visor of his helmet. “We’re looking for ‘Big Jim’ Dayton.” His head turned toward Jim. “Are you James Dayton?”

  Before Jim could answer, one of the engineers screamed, grasping his head with both hands as blood trickled from his nose. Half a second later the last engineer did the same. Jim had never been sure if the “geniuses” had been physically modified like the ambassadors or if the Evonti had simply threatened their loved ones. Now he knew. Like him, they had never had a choice.

  He watched their contorted features with morbid fascination, knowing he was next. Blood ran from their noses and eyes as two battle born soldiers frantically tried to determine the cause of their suffering.

  The faint buzz of Evonti energy built inside Jim’s brain. He welcomed the pain, didn’t even care about the inevitable loss of his bodily functions. The battle born would have his body, so it was unlikely the Evonti could revive him, this time. Pain spiked, dragging a scream from his throat as his muscles began to spasm. He closed his eyes and surrendered to death, his last thought a fervent prayer, Please God, let it finally be over!

  Chapter Ten

  Sedrik’s com-bots vibrated, drawing him from much-needed sleep. He wasn’t sure what time he’d returned to his cabin the night before, but Rebecca had long since given up and gone to bed. So he undressed and slipped in next to her. With her soft warmth pressed against him, he quickly followed her example and surrendered to sleep.

  And now another interruption. With a frustrated sigh, he identified the caller and activated his end of the connection. “Th
is better be important, Tyrale. I’m exhausted.”

  “Understood, sir, and I wouldn’t have bothered you if it were something I could handle.”

  His first officer could handle just about anything, so Sedrik carefully disentangled himself from Rebecca and began dressing as he asked, “What happened?”

  “Tracker team nine investigated one of the addresses Rebecca gave us and hit the jackpot.”

  “They found Big Jim?” He glanced toward the bed, afraid his sudden surge of excitement would awaken his mate. Luckily, she slept on, peaceful and secure.

  “Yes, sir, but there were complications. He was… The Evonti… They’re in main medical. Dr. Mintell can explain exactly what happened.”

  It wasn’t like Tyrale to be evasive. “Is Jim alive?” He finished dressing as fast as he could.

  “He was when I left the clinic, but Dr. Mintell isn’t hopeful.”

  “Understood. I’m on my way.”

  “Very good, sir. I’ll inform Dr. Mintell. Tyrale out.”

  Sedrik paused to make sure Rebecca was still asleep, then hurried toward main medical. There were very few physical “complications” Rodyte technology couldn’t regenerate. It should only be a matter of time before Jim could be questioned. Then why the doom and gloom from Tyrale? Sedrik lengthened his strides, nearly jogging in his haste to find out.

  Main medical was unusually quiet. One of the medics motioned Sedrik toward the regen units in the adjacent room. Dr. Mintell stood beside one of the tubular devices speaking with Kaylar, the ship’s lead investigator.

  Mintell noticed Sedrik approaching and turned toward him. “Don’t get your hopes up, sir. The damage to Jim’s brain is extensive. Even if he survives regeneration, it’s doubtful much functionality will be restored.”

  Locking his hands behind his back, Sedrik looked at Kaylar. “What happened? Where did the trackers find him?”

  “I sent a team to each of the locations your mate gave us. Jim was found at the L.A. address.”

  “Most of L.A. is a shambles,” Sedrik said. “That address is a pile of debris.”

  “He was in a basement room under what was once an office building,” Kaylar explained. “The raid interrupted a team of humans attempting to repair an Evonti portal. They’ve secured the area, but need to know what you want done with the portal.”

  The portal was important, but he was more concerned about the confrontation itself. “Were there any injuries? Where did the trackers take the other humans, the ones working on the portal?”

  Kaylar winced, looking almost guilty. “One of the humans shot two of his own team members, so the trackers had to take him out. The last two had some sort of seizure that killed them both on site.”

  “The Evonti had implanted some sort of control device in their brains. The seizures were remotely triggered,” Mintell told him. “Jim has an even more invasive set of implants. I shudder to think of their capabilities. I’ve never seen anything like them.”

  The Evonti had murdered their mind-slaves to prevent secrets from falling into the hands of their enemies. Sedrik shook his head sickened by their ruthlessness. Clearly human lives meant nothing to the Evonti. Would they have been so heartless if the engineers had been Evonti rather than human? “If they killed all the others, how did Jim survive?” Sedrik wanted to know.

  “Each tracker team also has a medic,” Kaylar told him. “The medic on team nine is one of our best. When he saw Jim start to seize, he bio-streamed Jim into the stasis chamber on their ship. That’s the only reason Jim is still alive.”

  Mintell didn’t look nearly as impressed. “It was a smart move, but he only postponed the inevitable. Jim has had multiple strokes. There is damage in every region of his brain. My prognosis is guarded at best.”

  “Understood. Com me when the cycle is complete.”

  Mintell nodded once then turned back to the control matrix on the regen unit.

  Kaylar followed him as Sedrik walked out into the main treatment area. “General, I know it’s your preference that we destroy every portal we find, but we really need to figure out how they work and what they do. I’d like permission to confiscate this one rather than destroying it on site.”

  “Was the cave portal destroyed?”

  “Of course, sir. Your orders were quite clear.”

  “And what did you find in Riverside?”

  Kaylar shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his voice starting to tense. “We’re pretty sure it was another portal, but the room was badly damaged by the blast used to open the door.”

  “Then you were unable to gather any more information?”

  “Correct, sir.”

  Sedrik sighed. It would have made more sense to study one of the others and destroy this one. Apparently, that wasn’t an option. “Can it be disassembled and transported here?”

  “Before we’re discovered by humans?” Kaylar asked with a meaningful look. “Unlikely.”

  Damn it. Kaylar was right. They couldn’t just take what they wanted and fly away with it. That was called plundering and they weren’t Outcasts. “I’ll contact our liaison,” he put sarcastic emphasis on the title, making it sound insulting. He had nothing against Morgan Hoyt personally. She was smart and generally fair, but her “assistance” had been forced on him after the L.A. disaster and her involvement often complicated situations rather than simplifying them. “I’ll see if Director Hoyt can secure the appropriate permissions.” Gods how he hated bureaucratic kaunashit. Informing humans at this point would just slow things down.

  “The trackers have secured a perimeter,” Kaylar told him. “I’ll make sure that’s all they do. Let me know once you’ve worked things out with our liaison.” He echoed Sedrik’s sarcastic tone then inclined his head and departed.

  Seeing no advantage to postponing the conversation, Sedrik went to his office and contacted Morgan Hoyt. He’d been given her private cell phone number, so she picked up immediately. “This is Director Hoyt. What can I do for you General Lux?”

  “One of my tracker teams stumbled across an Evonti portal while they were pursuing a fugitive. I need immediate permission to disassemble the portal and bring it to my ship for study. Time is of the essence, Director. I’m sure you understand.”

  “Where was this portal found? I need to know whom to contact.”

  He cringed, knowing she wouldn’t like the answer. “Los Angeles.” He listed the address.

  As expected, her soft laugh was humorless. “You do like to complicate my life, don’t you?”

  “It’s not intentional, but I understand your quandary.”

  A long pause followed. He could almost picture her tense expression, lips slightly pursed, eyes narrowed. “This could take some time. Do you still have men in the area?”

  “They’ve secured a perimeter and I’m not pulling them back,” he insisted. “This find is too important.”

  “I understand, but I’m not sure the governor will. California wants to change their state moto to ‘Earth for humans and only humans!’ Sound familiar?”

  The battle cry had been popularized by the Resistance Force. “Then go over the governor’s head. L.A. was not our fault and we’re the only ones with any hope of defeating the Evonti. I don’t have time for political games, and neither do you.”

  She sighed, but the breathy sound conveyed determination rather than defeat. “I’ll get to work on this as soon as we end the call, but you cannot start disassembling the portal until you hear back from me. Do I have your word on that?”

  “Unless the situation changes significantly, you have my word.”

  “I’m not sure I like the stipulation, but I’d rather move forward than argue. Guard your find, but do nothing else. I’ll get back with you as soon as possible.”

  Without responding to her promise, he ended the call.

  * * * * *

  Sedrik still looked tired when he returned to the cabin a few hours later. Rebecca knew he’d slipped into bed with her somet
ime during the night, but she couldn’t remember him leaving again when she woke up alone. Would it always be like this? She knew his work was important, that hundreds of thousands of soldiers counted on his guidance, but their relationship was so new, so fragile. She couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous.

  “Would you like something to eat?” she asked as he crossed the room, gaze fixed on her. “My com-bots are starting to work, so I can operate the nutri-gen.” She’d showered and dressed in one of the casual outfits Lily had scrounged for her. A cross between a running suit and scrubs, the simple garments focused on comfort rather than fashion. Lily had muttered something about Rodytes preferring females in dresses, but Rebecca was just thrilled to have clean clothes. Sedrik, on the other hand, looked handsome and commanding, as always, in his black-and-gold uniform.

  “I grabbed something earlier,” he told her. “Have you eaten?”

  She shook her head, not willing to admit she’d been hoping he’d return and they could eat together.

  “Then show me what you’ve learned.” He motioned toward the kiosk and she happily demonstrated her new skills by printing a veggie omelet, whole grain toast, and civata brew. He carried the tray to the table for her and even pulled out her chair. “I don’t have much time, love, but I didn’t want you to think I’d forgotten about you.” He pressed a kiss to the bend where her neck met her shoulder then sat down across from her and poured the steaming beverage into a mug.

  “Have you been searching for Thea this entire time, or have there been other crises?”

  His chest rose and fell, though he managed to make the sigh soundless.

  “Just spit it out,” she advised. “I’m on team ‘rip the Band-Aid off fast’.”

  He smiled, clearly understanding the reference. Then his expression grew serious and he reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “Jim is in main medical, but he’s in really bad shape. He’s undergoing regeneration, but it’s quite likely he won’t even regain consciousness.”