“If you want totalk,we’re not doing it out here where all the cameras are.”
The leader points down a hallway.
“You should be mingling,” I add.
“And you should mind your own business.”
I walk down the corridor that leads to the maintenance rooms of the building, listening to their steps and their breathing for increased quickness.
I hear one approach based on his deep inhale. Wheeling around, I expect a Ginarigon-style attack, a punch to the lower spine while they draw the head backward with another hand.Always take out the legs first.
I use his outstretched arm to my advantage by snatching up his wrist, planting a shoulder in his gut, then using his momentum to fling him over my body and toss him to the ground.
The next Ginarigon, a bit paler orange, bares his teeth, which drip with oily poison. He tackles me, and we tumble to the ground. As the first scrambles to hold me down by an arm, I launch him off with a foot. I use the wall as leverage to right myself and knee the second in the ribs.
Then, the largest picks me up by my vest with help from the second. They hold me against the wall. I grip their arms to steady myself while searching for a weakness I can exploit as the third gets to his feet, staggers over, and bites my neck with zero restraint.
Sickening pangs lance through my neck.
He steps back just enough I can see his face. “Just waiting for the easy kill. No one will miss a human guard.”
The poison invades like hot acid, swirling through my body, weakening my knees. The back of my throat tenses, and serum from my ooligilli gland dumps into my bloodstream. I just need a minute.
They silently check the area and nod toward a door at the end of the hall like they’re planning where to dump my body.
My muscles swell with fresh strength. “Good thing, I’m not.”
The largest one gapes at me.
I grab the closest and head butt him as hard as I can. When he stumbles back, it distracts the other two. Managing to slip an arm free, I brace myself and side-kick the Ginarigon to my right. The biggest tugs me toward him and punches me hard in the face.
My cheek stings and throbs, but I take him down with a low kick to his left knee.
“You’re lucky I’m holding back,” I say as he sinks to all fours, groaning. “I could kill you. I’m not going to because that would cause more trouble at ABR.
“And I know why you’re all after Zariah. She does not have the treasure. Her brother has it. She left that life behind. She does not know where it is, nor does she care. So stop thinking that making her your mate is going to earn you some piece of her father’s treasure. He kept it hidden from her.”
They grumble as they pull themselves together.
I leave them behind for my ship. I have to bandage my face and get some rest to replenish my serum. The poison is still in my system. I cannot heal anything else until it processes out of my bloodstream.
I report to Rosy what happened and send her my biostats, displaying the poison in my blood. I’m not worried about getting in trouble. Three Ginarigons against one of any species is a recipe for death. And they don’t want that reputation. If word of their crime gets out, they’ll have to answer for it after ABR. But their crime is not against a racer. So they get to stay in the race, for now. It’s a Federation relations issue, according to Rosy.
Rosy: I will post two ABR guards outside her room for the night. Get some rest. Call in if you need medical support.
Elix: Thank you.
Aboard my ship, I close the ramp and wake MONA. “I need you to watch Zariah’s room and keep tabs on my vitals.”
“Are you damaged?”
“Poisoned. Ginarigon.”
I strip out of my armor and weapons, lie back on the med table, and connect the nutrient cable to the gland at the back of my neck. I tap on the replenishing cycle and close my eyes.
Feverish dreams of Zariah being shoved around by the Ginarigons fill my shivering darkness. They have bites for mating and bites to kill. I got the latter.
They better not lay another finger on her. I might lose all sense of restraint.
