Chapter 28 - Neela
Stunned, I stare at the strange creature crouching a few feet away from me.
“I’m your liaison officer for this mission. By the way, my name’s Wingo!”
It’s such a bizarre feeling to push my thoughts toward him.
“What mission?” I ask, still half-convinced I’ve lost my mind.
“We’re gathering intel for Pherebos. Can you tell me how many guards there are in total?”
“Pherebos? Is that your mate?”
Deep down, I can’t help thinking that if my only hope of rescue lies with a couple of these creatures, I’m not getting out anytime soon. He may be adorable, but I seriously doubt he can take on Bully.
“Pherebos is my friend!” he corrects indignantly. “He’s Ileana’s mate—she’s my friend too. And for your information, I’m male!”
“Ileana?” I repeat, thrown.
What are the odds that two different women would share the same name, and that I’d hear it yesterday and today? None. It has to be the Ileana—the one who managed to win over Prax a few years ago.
“Yes. She’s Human, like you. Now can you please answer me? Time’s running out!”
“Oh—right, sorry. I saw six Penubians—the reptilian men. There’s also General Nivek, but I don’t know what species he is.”
“Can you push his image into my mind? I’ll send it directly to Pherebos.”
How convenient! Wingo is turning out to be a surprisingly useful little creature.
A few seconds later, my peculiar contact speaks up again.
“Yikes... that’s bad news.”
“What do you mean?”
“Pherebos says he’s a Ninasarvik—a particularly cruel species. Prax is asking if he’s alone, because they usually travel in packs.”
“PRAX??? Did you say Prax??”
“Whoa! No need to shout in my head, okay? Wingo is a sensitive and delicate being.”
My heart skips a beat. Since yesterday, the belief that I’d lost the love of my life had crushed me into a deep, endless grief.
And now, out of nowhere, Wingo drops his name like it’s no big deal—like he’s alive.
An overwhelming wave of hope crashes into me, sweeping away my despair and replacing it with indescribable joy.
It’s like finding a piece of myself I thought was gone forever. How is this even possible?
“I’m so sorry, Wingo—I didn’t mean to shout. But... you did say Prax?”
“Absolutely. The Sadjim who keeps looking at me like I’m his next meal.
That said, his aura is clear and kind, so I won’t hold it against him.
Still, I think you’ll agree I’m not a snack, and it’s extremely unsettling to be assessed as one.
Anyway, Prax is right now with Pherebos and Ileana, and they still need to know how many Ninasarvik are present. ”
“At least four more besides the General—the ones I saw step off their ship. But I imagine there are more inside.”
“Like I said, not good at all.” Wingo sighs. “We’ll adjust the plan. I’ll keep you posted.”
I sink back into my thoughts, torn between elation and sorrow. Prax is alive—I don’t know how, but he is. And he’s with Ileana... the woman he left the Coalition for.
While I wait for Wingo to return, I scan my surroundings.
The landing area where the two spacecrafts are parked is now almost deserted—aside from my cage.
A fresh wave of anxiety rises in me when I spot two of General Nivek’s men heading my way.
They’re coming to get me. Panic seizes me, and I try to alert my tiny ally.
“Wingo, if you’re going to do something, now would be a great time! The Nina-whatever guys are loading me onto their ship. It looks like they’re getting ready to take off!”
“Neela, stay calm!” he replies immediately. “That ship won’t be lifting off anytime soon. A most unfortunate mechanical failure, I’m afraid.”
Oh, thank the stars—whatever they did, I don’t care. I’m just incredibly relieved. The thought of leaving Mars sends me into a full-blown panic.
“Do you know how many Humans are being held aboard each ship? See, it’s a tricky situation. We want to stop the smugglers, but without hurting their prisoners!”
“There are twelve cages on the Ninasarvik ship—so twelve Human women. On Bully’s ship, at least twice that many, a mix of men, women, and animals. Why don’t you just stun them with pistoblasters? Prax’s had a non-lethal setting.”
“Yes, and that’s why Bully thought he was dead. The problem is, those weapons don’t work on Ninasarvik. Their skin is so thick it just gives them a harmless little tingle. Pherebos and Prax believe we need to take the Ninasarvik down first before we move on the Penubians.”
“But… how are they planning to do that?” I ask nervously.
“Don’t worry. We’ve got it covered.”
There’s something oddly comforting about hearing such confident words from a creature that looks so innocent. But his tone is steady and assured—so who am I to doubt him?
“Ah, it’s almost time! The sharp-toothed Sadjim wants me to pass on a message. Quote: ‘Hang in there, my love—I’m coming for you!’ Aww, isn’t he adorable? I might just forgive him for those hungry stares he gives me when he thinks I’m not looking.”
“He actually said he loves me?” I ask, surprised, a warm glow spreading through my chest.
“Well... to be honest, no, he didn’t say those exact three words. But I interpreted his aura, and I swear it doesn’t lie. I just thought it added a nice romantic touch to his message. But Neela—he may not have said it, but trust me, he means it. Now—Neela... it’s time! Now!”
Suddenly, chaos erupts around us. Just as my two handlers start carrying my cage up the loading ramp into the belly of their ship, they abruptly set it down a few steps short of the cargo bay and hurry back down.
In the middle of the landing zone, a commotion breaks out as Wingo darts across the space, belly to the ground, zigzagging between buildings in a wild, unpredictable path.
Bully’s guards and General Nivek’s troops instantly try to catch him.
“Don’t hurt it!” yells the Penubian leader. “I’ve never seen a creature like that. If it’s rare, it’ll fetch a high price.”
“Seize it first!” one of the Ninasarvik shouts to his comrades. “The General will want it for himself!”
My quirky ally weaves effortlessly through the guards, dodging every attempt to catch him. Who would’ve thought this slightly chubby creature could be so nimble?
Then, without warning, he doubles back toward me, crashes into the ramp, and slams into my cage. The whole thing topples from the ramp and hits the ground with a heavy thud.
“Ouch!” I groan directly into his mind.
“Oops! Sorry!” he replies.
But he’s already sprinting away again before anyone can stop him.
As for me? I just realized that the fall dislodged one of the cage’s panels. I stretch out flat and push hard with my legs against the weakened side. A wave of fierce satisfaction surges through me as I feel it give way, opening up a path to freedom.
Before bolting, I take a second to scan the chaos around me. All the Penubians and five Ninasarvik are outside, chasing after a cunning, light-footed Wingo.
“Ready?” he asks.
“I don’t know what you expect me to do, but... yes. I’m ready!”
“Then it’s all yours, beautiful. Your move!”
I slip quietly out of my now-open cage—just in time to see Wingo charging straight toward me. At the last second, he veers off in the opposite direction, but not before dropping something barely a yard away from me.
“In case you’re wondering, it’s set to stun!” he informs me. “Prax was very insistent about that.”
To my complete astonishment, I find myself holding Prax’s pistoblaster. The fact that he thought of me, even in the middle of all this chaos, touches me more than I can say.
“One last thing: only shoot if you have to—and only at the Penubians. The Ninasarvik are immune. Pherebos and Prax will handle them! Now hide behind the boarding ramp!” Wingo advises before darting off into the brush.
I can feel it—that was the signal. The assault is about to begin.
Suddenly, all hell breaks loose.
I spot Kiran running toward me, pistoblaster in hand.
He fires off a few rounds at the Penubians but misses every time.
Unfortunately, they’ve drawn their deadly weapons and are firing back.
The battle unfolding before me is brutal.
I immediately realize that the Penubians are only targeting Humans—my brother, Nikos, and Viktor among them.
I see Prax locked in hand-to-hand combat with a Ninasarvik. Right beside him, a man with pale hair tied in a long braid wields a double-bladed weapon, facing off against two of the reptilian beasts in a hypnotic, almost dance-like rhythm.
Prax moves with terrifying speed and precision, disarming his opponent and disabling him. He uses his claws, now fully extended and dripping with thick black blood.
But more Ninasarvik suddenly burst from their ship, charging in to support their comrades. Ares help us, we’re hopelessly outnumbered!
A brunette woman who bears a slight resemblance to me shoots one of General Nivek’s men. Her weapon—a different model from Prax’s—blows a chunk of the man’s skull clean off. I have no doubt she’s the famous Ileana I’ve heard so much about.
But a Penubian who witnessed the shot turns on her, fury etched across his face. I raise my own pistoblaster and pull the trigger.
“Nice shot!” praises Wingo, who must still be nearby, watching the fight unfold.
And somehow—miraculously—I hit my target. The Penubian drops like a rock.
I see Nikos, who just missed a shot at another reptilian, moving in for a second attempt. But the creature kicks the weapon out of his hands and lunges at him, fangs bared. He sinks his teeth into Nikos’s neck, and my neighbor collapses, convulsing and moaning in agony.
Prax told me the Penubians inject a powerful venom through their bites. But what can I do? I have no medical supplies, no antivenom—not even a clue what’s in it.