AllFreeNovel
Share Us
An incredible laser lights up the area. Our ship explodes into dust. Clara runs to her craft, but she is shot down. She falls into the tall brush.
Anna falls to the ground in tears. "Clara!"
Within seconds, aliens wearing black paint and alien bones surround us.
Holding a rifle with one hand, their leader cuts through the crowd and laughs. "Well, that sure was a fun chase," he says.
Their faces are long and reptilian with sharpened rows of teeth that hug the cramped space of their mouths. Their eyes are sharp like diamonds, and their scales reflect turquoise. I haven't seen aliens like them in years. "The Gerkis? You are a long way from the Red Sands," I say.
"Gerkis follow the scent of treason," he says
, walking toward me.
He raises his mask of bones, revealing a pair of missing eyes. His entire face is scarred. My eyes trace down to his chest as he takes off his armor. His tribal markings have been poorly removed. The patterns fit with early integration handling from the first invasions.
"You’re blind?" I ask.
He twists his teeth together and motions for the rest of his men to slowly circle us. "I have more than enough eyes."
I want nothing more than to kill this bastard, but his men have us locked in their sights. "You betrayed the aliens. Your race struck a deal with Earth Federation," I say.
A cruel smile forms on his face. "Then you know why I am here," he says.
I look at his eyeless face. "You’re not the one who kills me," I say. "I am Syndicate. If I die, it will be by my own kind."
"Haven’t you heard? You are no longer a member of the Syndicate," he says. "You have no one left to help you. They sold you out."
I grin and gnash my teeth together. "Then I am glad I have been caught by aliens as merciful as you surely are," I say.
He laughs loudly like a bird. "That cunt gave you a sense of humor."
Cunt? Who does this asshole think he is?
Without a weapon, I charge him. I rush that bastard like he's my only target in the entire planet. I throw my arm back before hammering my fist into his face.
One punch, and I smash his nose to oblivion. His gun goes flying. Another hit sends him sliding across the grass. I dive and sink my knuckles into his cheek.
"Enough!" he screams, gurgling on his own blood.
"I could end you, traitor," I say, fist dripping.
He coughs. Blood and snot run down his face. He lifts a small pistol in front of his chest. "By the authority of the Zelfon and the Red Sands, I command you to obey," he cries.
The rest of the aliens close in on me. Grinning, I jump off him and promptly put my hands in the air. I never believed it was a fair fight. "What's the matter? Can't defend yourself?"
I spit on his body.
A fat alien waddles in my direction. He frowns, dumbly. "You. Hands."
"Get it over with," I say.
Everything slows down.
Clara's lifeless body lies buried in the tall grass of the plains. Anna's tears drape her cheeks, and she whips around violently as the Gerkis take control of her.
I growl and swing at the Gerkis. "Get. Off. Her."
They shock me with prods, but I can't feel a thing. I keep moving toward her, and she reaches out to me. "I love you," she whispers.
