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Axe wanted to roar in frustration. The council had allowed the IAF to come to Haven? Why hadn’t anyone told him? “I thought you said Haven was as far away from the military as you could manage? How can that be if they’re here?”
“It’s just Douglas and a small squad put together for this mission. None of them are allowed near the subjects. They’re prohibited from entering Haven, too. The IAF doesn’t want their highly trained assets randomly bonding to alien females, and the leadership council preferred the soldiers stay out of town and away from their citizens.”
A rustle in the trees ended their conversation. Axe turned toward the noise and scanned the forest for heat signatures. He spotted seven of them, all human.
“Dr Rey. Step away from the hostile immediately,” a voice commanded.
“For the love of gravity, Douglas. He’s not a hostile. He lives here! And as of ten minutes ago, he’s part of the project.”
“The hell he is! Get away from the hostile now. Or did you miss the fact he’s a cyborg?”
Axe drew his kes’tarv and held it at his side without extending it. If they attacked him, he had a surprise waiting. The staff he carried was modified and had a blaster built into one end.
Rin ignored the lieutenant’s orders and Axe’s wishes by deliberately placing herself between him and the area where the soldiers hid.
“Hera can see them and can feed me images of where they are and what they’re doing. None of them have their weapons raised except for Douglas, and he won’t shoot at me,” she whispered.
Axe hissed his next words through gritted teeth. “I don’t need your protection. I should be protecting you.”
She glanced over her shoulder at him and gave him a brief but sassy smile. “It can be your turn next time.”
He braced for the surge of anger that always rose when someone pushed him this far, but it never came. He was annoyed and concerned for Rin’s safety, but that was all.
Amun sent a gentle pulse of calm, and this time, he sensed it. The bird was helping him control his anger, and it worked! Axe sent a message of gratitude back, but he couldn’t dwell on what had happened or what it meant. He had immediate issues to deal with. Starting with Rin. The curvy little scientist had more courage than common sense, and it occurred to him that someway, somehow, Rin would be the death of him. It would probably involve a firefight or a fatal case of frustration.
Douglas called out again, “Dammit, Dr. Rey. It’s bad enough you snuck out without permission or a protective detail. Now you’re making it impossible for us to do our job, which is to protect you and the project.”
The underbrush rustled again, and this time the lieutenant stepped into view. He looked like every other officer Axe had seen—clean cut, an arrogant expression, and wearing brightly polished boots that had never seen a battlefield. He hated him on sight.
Rin folded her arms and stood her ground. “I don’t need your permission to do my job, Lieutenant. Your rules have made it almost impossible for me to complete the goals of this project. I can prove it, too. Today was the first time I went out alone, and I’ve already recorded a bonding between Subject One and this man.”
“What?” Douglas sounded equally exasperated and incredulous. “That’s not possible. The birds have refused to bond with anyone linked to the military! He’s a cyborg. One of the most dangerous weapons in the galaxy. There’s no way I’m going to allow one of them to be part of this project.”
Axe decided it was time to join the conversation. “It’s not your call to make. Amun chose to bond with me. Dr. Rey has confirmed that already. Like it or not, Amun and I are part of this now. And for the record, I’m not a weapon. I’m a living being whose rights are recognized by all known governments and species.”
He heard muttering and grumbles from the other soldiers, but none of them spoke in more than hushed whispers. Rin wouldn’t get any help from them, even though they sounded more resigned than concerned. Douglas was the problem here.
“I don’t like it and I won’t believe it until I’ve seen solid proof. Dr. Rey, you and your subjects need to return to camp. Now. Once there, you and I will discuss this matter further.” Douglas glared at Axe. “You are free to go, cyborg.”
“I’m also free to stay. As Rin stated, I’m a citizen of Haven.” Axe pointed to the ground at his feet. “In fact, you are currently standing on my land. Check with the leadership council if you need confirmation, but this is private property. Rin has my permission to be here. You don’t. I suggest you leave. Rin can leave or stay as she chooses.” He held out his arm and called to Amun.
“Try not to rip up my arm, bird.”
The hawk replied with a quick mental tap that felt like an acknowledgment. A few seconds later, Amun dove out of the sky and made straight for him. The hawk back-winged at the last minute, extended his talons, and wrapped them carefully around Axe’s forearm without so much as a scratch.
“Nicely done, Amun,” he said loudly enough for Douglas to hear him.
The lieutenant’s face contorted into something that conveyed either acute frustration or an unexpected bowel movement.
The hawk looked smug and flapped his wings once before settling again.
“Show-off,” Rin whispered to the hawk.
“That is IAF property. I demand you return the subject at once,” Douglas snapped out the order as if he expected to be obeyed.
That wasn’t happening.
“No. Subject One was IAF property. Amun belongs with me now.” Axe chose his words with care. He’d been a possession himself and would never claim ownership over an intelligent being like Amun, even if the bird was going to be a pain in his ass.
