AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What is wrong with them?” Alexa signs between our bodies. She’s just as paranoid as Emma. But maybe they have a point. Something isn’t right.
Emma’s voice drops as she leans into our huddle. “I did some wandering around once at the Roportorium. I slipped out of the bathroom in the Gynaecon… you know the Orcleen room? Just next door in another room, there were Orcleens in tubes... I can’t help but think they’re growing them.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Nako presses into our huddle. “You should have mentioned this. What if they’re all spies?” She signs while she only mouths the words.
She’s right. We can’t trust anyone. So even though I feel like we have a good handle on what’s going on, we need to be careful about what we share. Especially about the Portal.
The men notice our huddle and crowd around us. Their enormous bodies block anyone from seeing what we’re saying. Malk’s with them, crowding behind Nako and placing his hand on her shoulder. “Thank you.”
She spins around, giving him a curt nod. “I’m sure you would have done the same for us.”
They stare at each other, and I swear I can feel the sexual tension as their energy combines. Interesting.
“Five missing trainees, three from Malk and two from Amir.” Serlo’s somber tone has everyone huddling closer. “This is bad. I bet we’re going to see Orclans trickling in here, demanding answers as soon as they hear it’s safe.”
“Yes, but right now there is no safe.” I don’t mean to be a doom and gloomer, but someone has to say it. “We don’t know exactly how many Portals... or Dishifs the Ropors have. It could be one. It could be five hundred.”
Cal’s solid back behind me is practically holding me up, and when he speaks, his voice rumbles through me as it translates. “We have to find out.”
“We have to get our people back. The trainees.” Malk and Serlo say the same thing at the same time.
“There’s only one way.” Cal pulls back, turning me toward him as he speaks. “I have to go back.”
What?!
No. No, no, no.
Grabbing my temples, I rub the headache forming there. I’m shocked when Nako speaks up agreeing.
“The best defense is a good offense. He’s right. We need to go back.”
“No!” I look to Emma for help, but she’s looking at Luc, and Alexa just shrugs.
My annoying old friend just smiles tightly. “Relax, Edith. Not when they expect. We go early... we hit hard...” Pointing at Serlo, “... and we get your people back. How long do we have before they come back here?”
“Two cycles would be... days?” Serlo turns to Alexa to make sure he signed correctly.
“Not long,” Emma points out. “And how does this help us find out how many Dishifs the Ropors have?”
“We take a page from their playbook.” Nako looks around at all of us, raising her eyebrows. “We capture Ropors and make them tell us.”
I stiffen, wondering if that will even work.
“I’ll do it.” Why am I not surprised to hear that from Cal? I guess if anyone deserves retribution, it’s him. Luc wasn’t even at the Roportorium that long. “I knew a Gladiator who captured a Ropor for a time. There are ways...” His words drift off ominously.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. I can’t believe I’m in the middle of this shit storm. But for the first time, I understand the need for violence. It doesn’t make it right, but I get it.
“So, we go over, capture a few of them, get our people back, and then I have another great idea.”
Wow! I had no idea Nako was so... inventive. “What’s the best way to make sure they can’t come through the Dishif?”
Emma and Alexa look at each other, but Malk is beginning to smile as he answers. “We destroy it.” His face clouds. “But how will we come through it to get back here?”
“We blow it up... as we’re leaving. Right?”
We all look at each other. Emma’s pondering the idea, and Alexa just plain doesn’t look happy. But the Orclans just look confused. “How do we do that?”
“Explosives?” Nako looks at them smugly.
“We have nothing like that.” Serlo holds up his stick. “They limit our weapons to the staff.”
“Oh, but you do. I can show you.” Nako glances around, but as Serlo suspected, there are a couple males heading our way. The Orcleen women are still scattered around, acting like mannequins. “But not now. We should get cleaned up and eat, then reconvene somewhere where you’re positive no one will overhear us. Or record us... or whatever you want to call it.”
With a snuff, she spins and takes off, Malk hot on her heels.
