Chapter 13
Linsea
Ididn’t resist when someone pulled the blaster from my hand.
There would be serious consequences to my actions.
On top of stealing the weapon from an Enforcer, I had shot someone in front of multiple witnesses.
The fact that I had known the weapon to be set at a non-lethal charge didn’t make my crime any less serious.
At least, I wouldn’t be charged with attempted murder…
…or so I hoped.
But even that held little importance to me.
My heart was breaking in too many pieces while guilt tore me apart.
Kayog’s voice begging me to set him free played in a loop in my mind.
Despite my inability to feel his emotions, the blatant agony in his voice, in his body, in his eyes as he pleaded for mercy would haunt me for the rest of my life.
I wanted to believe that it wasn’t my selfish need to keep him that had driven me to refuse to grant him his request. Claiming it didn’t play a part in it would be an obvious lie.
But he had fought so hard and for so long, giving up now when the best doctors in the galaxy would look for a solution made no sense.
But what if they can’t fix him? What if I’ve only prolonged his torture?
Tears rolled freely down my face as I held on to his limp body, stasis cheating me out of the comfort of listening to his heartbeat.
Too lost in my dark thoughts and sorrow, I blocked out the animated voices intensely debating around me. It wasn’t until a hand shook my shoulder that I finally lifted my head to refocus on my surroundings.
The male nurse who had put my mate in stasis was standing next to me, a portable scanner in his hand as he gave me an inquisitive look.
“What?” I asked, confused as to what he wanted.
“I need you to sit for a moment so that I can scan you,” he said in a soothing voice. “I understand that you were among the people at the Convention Center when the blast occurred. We need to make sure you are not… affected.”
The way he hesitated before speaking that last word, and judging by the emotions emanating from him, he believed that what he perceived as my psychotic behavior might have been caused by some side effect of the blast that rocked the center.
I wanted to argue, but kept my mouth shut and complied.
As he ran the device mainly around my head, I glanced at the two Temern doctors still engaged in an intense conversation with the Enforcers.
Having fully recovered from the stun, the blue doctor appeared even angrier than his companion.
Moments later, the door opened on the blessed sight of two doctors who I recognized as working for the UPO.
I’d never directly interacted with them, but I had seen them on a few occasions while visiting my Nana.
Despite my unease at one of them being a Temern, the absence of aggression towards my mate emanating from him reassured me that he would be safe… at least for now.
“You have some slight cerebral swelling from the blast, but you otherwise seem unscathed,” the male nurse said, reclaiming my attention. “I can give you some painkillers if your head hurts, or—”
“No, thank you. I’m good,” I said absentmindedly, wanting to focus on what the doctors were doing.
My stomach dropped upon seeing Colin also entering the room, his expression stern, if not icy cold.
Gone was the semi-friend who I usually enjoyed pleasant conversations with.
This man was the Director of the Enforcers on a mission.
While he wasn’t broadcasting threatening emotions as far as Kayog was concerned, they no longer held the warmth and keen interest he’d expressed before.
This time, he was looking at a potential threat to be assessed and then dealt with accordingly.
Why the fuck are they all so afraid of him?!
“You are fools to keep that damn thing alive,” the blue doctor hissed. “But he’s your problem now. Just take that fucking abomination out of this hospital before he kills everyone.”
“What is your damn problem?!” I exclaimed, disbelieving.
“My problem is—”
“Leaving,” Colin interrupted, his voice as cold as the stare he leveled on the doctor. “As you can see, our people are preparing him for transfer. We’ll be gone in the next few minutes.”
“Can’t be soon enough,” he retorted, anger and contempt filling his voice.
The UPO doctors transferred Kayog onto a hover stretcher, shifting him to their own stasis device before giving Colin a stiff nod.
“See? Off we go,” he said to the doctor in a voice heavy with sarcasm.
Agent Murphy and her colleague led the way out of the room, followed by the UPO doctors flanking Kayog’s hover stretcher—one in the front, the other in the back. I hurried after them, only to have Colin grab my upper arm, stopping me.
“Not so fast,” he said in a harsh tone. “You’re coming with me.”
My heart sank, although I had expected this. As resisting would only make matters worse, I nodded with resignation, even as I gazed at him with pleading eyes.
“Alright,” I said in a conciliatory tone. “But please let me at least escort him to the shuttle.”
My chest constricted further when he shook his head, his expression making it clear this wasn’t open to discussion.
“Your priestess friend can see him off on your behalf,” he said in an imperious tone, gesturing at Isobel with his chin.
Only then did I realize that she was standing by the entrance, as the stretcher glided in front of her. Having apparently heard the Enforcers Director’s words, she gave me a reassuring smile before following Kayog and his escort.
I clacked my beak with annoyance, defeated.
“This way,” Colin said, gesturing for me to follow him as he also exited the room, leaving the angry Temern doctors behind.
I complied quietly, only to find two more Enforcers waiting in the corridor. Without a word, they followed us as Colin led the way to a section of the hospital I’d never visited.
“You stirred quite the shitshow here, Linsea,” he said, his voice still devoid of any warmth although it was no longer as harsh.
“I didn’t have a choice. They wanted to kill him,” I said in a self-evident manner.
“Did it ever cross your mind that they might have very valid reasons for this?” he asked in a neutral tone.
I recoiled, and my steps faltered. It wasn’t only to shock at his words, but above all the emotions radiating from him. He also believed that killing Kayog might have been the wiser choice—a solution he was still considering.
“Why are you all so afraid of him?” I asked, flabbergasted. “Where are they taking him?”
“Relax, Linsea. Kayog is fine. For now, no harm will come to him. Arika would have our heads otherwise. But you and I need to talk.”
“I’m listening,” I said, my back stiff with apprehension at what would follow.
He shook his head. “Not here. The walls have ears.”
To my shock, I realized he had taken me to the first responders and law enforcement parking area.
“A shuttle?” I asked, worry seeping into my voice. “Why are we getting on a shuttle? A disruptor or scrambler in any private room here should suffice, no?”
“No, neither would suffice,” he said in a factual manner without slowing down. “Relax, Linsea. I’m not taking you off-world. We’re just going to the Enforcers’ offices for privacy.”
“Is it really that bad?” I asked with a shudder. “I mean, if it’s about the doctor, I will gladly pay damages for shooting him. But I knew it was set to stun. He was never in any real danger.”
Colin scoffed. “Those doctors are the least of your concern.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, despite knowing what his answer would be.
“Your man is a serious problem. Kayog is a walking bomb.”
“What does that even mean?” I insisted.
“Just one minute,” he said as we entered the parking lot and made a beeline for a medium-sized, black shuttle bearing the logo of the Enforcers in large gold and silver letters.
My mind raced as I tried to guess as to where this conversation was headed. I didn’t doubt Kayog had been honest with me about all his abilities. So what else was I missing that had everyone in such a panic?
We entered the large shuttle, and Colin made a beeline for the boardroom.
With each step, my pulse sped up a bit more.
The conversation to come would undoubtedly flip my world upside down.
I didn’t know if I was ready for it. I just wanted to be with Kayog, seeing what was happening, and caring for him.
I settled down at the small table big enough for six.
The room was mostly barren except for a large vidscreen, a 3D holographic projector, and a console with a drink and food replicator.
As this transport ship was designed for short and mid-range flights, this space could be used as either a boardroom or mess hall.
Colin retrieved two bottles of water from the small cooling unit I had not noticed under the counter, extended one to me, then settled at the table across from me.
“Arika and your parents are pulling some major strings right now,” Colin said, taking me aback.
“About what?” I asked.
“About Kayog’s fate.”
“You mean whether or not to murder him?” I asked in a clipped tone.
He waved a dismissive hand.
“Killing your man was taken off the table the moment he released a psionic blast over a one-hundred-meter radius, knocking out four hundred and twenty-six people.”
“That wasn’t him!” I exclaimed, outraged. “Kayog was rendered unconscious by his condition. I found him lying on the ground, blood leaking out of his ears, eyes, and nose.”
Colin shook his head with a sad expression. “No Linsea. It was him.”