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“I’ve got to deal with something in the hallway first,” I said nonchalantly and flounced out of the small ship prison. “Hmm. Bloodier than I left him.”
“Well. That’s messy,” Bane said as he emerged from the jail room. He reached into his pocket and took out what looked like a pen. He clicked the top of it and a laser scanner appeared out of the tip. It skimmed over the brown-haired guard’s body and then he shimmered before disappearing altogether.
“That’s handy,” I observed in disbelief.
“He’s still there, just kind of invisible. It’s a trick of the light,” he replied, and I nodded.
“Neat. Could have used something like that plenty of times in the past,” I said.
He turned back to me, searching my gaze for hints of what I meant, but I didn’t say anything more. Instead, he turned away and approached the stairwell that led up into the bowels of the ship.
“Coalition ships are all designed the same. It’s like a single engineer made their floor plans and have been copying off the original ever since. Behind the staircase, there is a metal grate that we can use to ascend up into the ship. If we move fast, we can make our way into the command room in no time flat,” he explained, and I nodded.
The two of us maneuvered behind the stairwell and just like he said it would, there was a metal grate on the wall. Using my knife, I carefully unscrewed the bolts on my side while Bane took out the others. In no time at all, the grate was free and the two of us lifted it together and slid it to the side. Bane climbed in first and bade me to follow him.
I climbed inside behind him.
The two of us climbed up one vent after another, taking care to be as silent as possible. The air rushed through around us, both chilling and refreshing at the same time. The entire ship’s ventilation passed through these vents, cooling the stifling heated air that often resulted from being totally confined and sealed off from the vacuum of space outside its walls.
We moved quickly and before I knew it, Bane had paused in front of another grate. This one was partway open, probably a result of the crew getting too hot and needing more air to flow into the room beyond. I glanced out, realizing that we had found the command center of the ship. I could see the back of Credare’s head—lumpy, green, and disgusting. There were remarkably few guards in there with him, but there were just enough to cause a problem for only the two of us.
I placed a hand on Bane’s forearm.
“We’ve got to play this smart,” I whispered.
“There’s only one way this is going to play out, my sweet human,” he responded, gazing back at me with an odd mixture of sadness, respect, and pride. What was he thinking? Then, as he turned away, I began to grow uneasy.
“Make me proud, Cara,” he whispered before his feet whipped around and kicked the grate, hard. The piece of metal flew up and he barreled out of the vent like a wild animal. Every single body in the room turned toward the unexpected noise. Once Credare saw who it was, his face twisted with anger.
“How the fuck did you get out of your cell?” Credare roared, his fury palpable.
“I’ve got friends in high places,” Bane responded, cracking his knuckles as he did so. He walked around the room and the guards moved out of his way, clearly intimidated by his much larger form and the challenging expression that coated his features. Bane seemed to grow two sizes then as he pulled his shoulders back. His expression morphed into a rage and the entire room was distracted by it. Using that moment, Bane’s gaze flicked to mine and he cocked his head quickly in Credare’s direction. He wanted me to go after him.
I pulled my hood back up over my head.
I knew what he wanted me to do.
Now was my time to take back control. Credare had made me his once, stolen years of my life, and forced me to serve the Association by using my family as collateral. It was time to take my life back. Silently, I climbed down from the vent, but no one noticed. Not a single one of the guards. Not Credare. None of them.
Bane did though and he winked back at me, encouraging me onward as I slunk down to a crouched position, hidden behind a large control tower. I crawled forward, once step after another as I carefully made my way toward Credare. I used the darkened room to my advantage, hiding in the shadows.
I moved slowly. Methodically. When I was ready, I rose to my feet. I pushed back the hood of my cape, revealing myself as I cleared my throat.
Credare turned abruptly, his jaundiced eyes meeting mine in a fraction of a second. There was a moment of recognition before his face hardened with irritation.
“Cara, I wondered where you had wandered off to,” he murmured, his voice like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. “It’s been some time since you checked in with your handler, hasn’t it? Pity that your sisters are going to have to suffer for your transgression. Maybe next time you’ll learn that I expect complete obedience from my people.”
I gritted my teeth, standing tall. I wasn’t going to stand for his cruel arrogance any longer. I was no longer going to live under his thumb. I was going to take back my life.
I strode toward him and he didn’t even flinch. Probably didn’t even think that I was even a threat because I’d let him control me for so long. Well, he had another think coming. I smiled as I slid my arm behind my hip, my movements concealed with the fabric from the long black cloak. He wouldn’t know what I was planning until it hit him.
“Come here, my dear. Help me deal with that,” he commanded, pointing over his shoulder in Bane’s direction. Bane didn’t move from his position and neither did the guards. Credare’s men were frozen in place, fearful to engage with the massive alien in their midst. Credare really should have thought to employ fewer humans in the Association, especially when men like Bane were so much bigger and stronger than human men.
Idiot.
I sauntered closer, feigning sorrow and fear.
“I’m sorry, Credare. I’ve been kept on Dryac as a prisoner against my will. I hope you can forgive me,” I pleaded, my promises hollow. His eyes creased as he weighed the truth of my words and then he shook his head.
