I follow the pulsing blue light from ports in the chamber up and into my bed and behind my back, but can’t see a way to stop their machine or escape.
A pop of blue light distracts me.
Gunfire flickers from the shadows.
I freeze as I watch Neb soldiers fall with precision. I squint and see Radar dart through the Nebs, biting the ones that creep up on a soldier in black, eyes shining in the lightless ship. It isn’t easy to track a smoking ghost among shadows.
Bodies take bullets and fall throughout the room. It turns to chaos: thrown crates, explosions, and bodies. Soldiers running. And claws. Teeth.
Black fur.
Gold eyes.
Not silver. Gold.
My racing heart calms.Azrim?
Radar jumps up, puts his paws on the glass of my prison, and barks.
Azrim breaks one last neck, walks by the leader, dodges his swiping attack with ease, and shoots him in the head without hesitation. He rushes to me, slashes off the latch, and opens the hatch of my chamber.
His gaze fills with worry when he sees me. “Come on, Tessi. We have to go.”
I try to move but my entire body trembles, and I am so very hot that the outside air now feels frigid. “Where are the others?”
He slices my belts with a claw and collects me from the chamber. “We separated into our slay crews. Zorin’s crew took one of the other Neb ships. Marne took the third. When the signal came through that Nebs had taken you, Zorin’s crew was already com silent. I was the only one who got the call. But I haven’t cleared the whole ship, just this area, so we have to keep moving.”
Azrim carries me away from the room and sets me down in an adjacent hallway. “What did they do to you?”
“I…” My jaw bobs as I try to rationalize what’s just happened. “I can see through ship shielding. Even Isonian. They wanted me because I can unmask their enemies.”
Azrim checks around a corner where Nebs cluster down an adjacent passageway. “Shit. They found my ship.”
He runs a hand over his mouth. “We’re going to need another escape.”
I feel Radar sniffing my hand and look down to pet him. As I do, I notice a vibrant shield outside a window. “What the hell is that?”
Azrim looks but shakes his head. “What do you mean?”
I check my wristband and find my ship pinging me. “My ship. The one Zorin won for me. I think it’s outside. I called it to me just before I was taken. It must’ve followed me up here.”
Azrim looks around. “Okay. We need a dock site.”
“Wait, how did you know I washere?”
Azrim reloads his rifle. Then hands me a gun. “You can shoot, right?”
I’m still hot like I’m at the edge of hyperthermia, but the cold air of the ship is helping. “Azrim.”
“Process of elimination. They suddenly started winning. That was why they wanted someone special. You definitely are. I just put things together.” He looks me over. “Can you walk?”
“I’ll do my best.”
He looks around the corner, then helps me get into position behind him, reaches back, takes my hand, and puts it against his side. “Stay close. Watch our six.”
When he glances at me, he stares at my eyes for a long moment. “Ifeltyou out here.”
“How?”
