Chapter 25 #2
One moment, the way ahead is clear. The next, the Vanquishing appears directly in front of us, like it just popped in out of nowhere.
I grab the controls, roughly pushing them forward to dip us into a dive to avoid a head on collision with the larger ship.
Banjo lets out a little yelp from the living room.
There’s no crash that follows; I assume that means he was seated. Thank the stars.
My ship dives nimbly below the other. I can do this. The Vanquishing may be larger, but I’m faster. I’ll slip right under them before they even realize what’s happening.
“Captain! Pull up! It’s a—” Stells is cut off as a beam of light shoots out from the bottom of the ship, encasing us entirely. No matter what direction I jerk the controls, the ship won’t obey my commands. I’m no longer the one in control.
“Uh, Tav?” Banjo stands in the doorway, gripping the frame as the entire ship shakes with the force of being lifted. “What’s goin’ on?”
Anger makes my cheeks burn. This can’t be happening.
After all these years, I can’t get caught now, right when I’m about to finally have everything I’ve ever wanted.
And I definitely can’t go out like this.
I always imagined I’d go out in some sort of fiery explosion while taking several of my enemies with me.
This is so far from that it’s embarrassing.
“It appears,” I begin, words coming out through gritted teeth. The shaking slows to a tremble as my ship is pulled upward. “That we’re about to have a conversation with the UFO. I don’t imagine it’ll be a polite one.”
“What does the UFO want with us? We ain’t done nothin’!” Banjo takes another step into the room so he can peer through the windshield at our destination. “We’re just gon’ let ‘em do it?”
I motion uselessly towards the controls.
“It appears that way.” Banjo frowns. I can nearly see the gears turning in his mind.
“No.” Whatever he’s thinking, I don’t want to go there.
I refuse to do anything to risk his safety.
They may take me, may hurt me even, but they won’t hurt him.
He’s human. That makes him valuable. “We can bluff our way through this. Don’t fight them, but don’t tell them anything, alright? ”
Banjo hesitates for a moment before nodding.
“Yeah, alright,” he agrees. He seems uncertain.
I don’t blame him. The UFO capturing us definitely isn’t a good thing.
What if they want to take him away from me?
He might be safe with them, but they’ll never return him to Earth.
He’ll never be able to make sure Mamaw and Viola are okay.
I can’t let that happen.
“It’s going to be alright,” I promise him, standing. I pull on my hat and my coat right as we’re deposited in the landing bay of the Vanquishing.
As soon as the ramp lowers, I see him. Rourverace. He’s surrounded by large, well-armed lackeys. Of course. He never does his dirty work himself.
I march down the ramp, head held high, while Banjo trails after me.
“Is there a reason we’ve been detained?” I ask, looking down my nose at him.
At least he’s always been shorter than me.
I try to focus on that, and not the way his beautiful, white wings fluff out behind him.
He may look innocent and pure, but he’s far from either.
I do the smart thing and pretend I don’t know him.
Rourverace answers my question with one of his own. “Where are the two of you headed?”
“We’re on a pleasure trip to A’monius.” I know better than to tell them we’re going to Dhamoirs, so the next closest planet will have to do. Hopefully they don’t ask why we’re taking a pleasure trip to a planet made entirely of sand.
“Is that so?” Rourverace asks, walking towards me with his hands clasped demurely behind his back. “Then I’m sure you won’t mind providing the appropriate documentation for your human?”
I stiffen at the mention of Banjo, though I manage not to glance back at him. Documentation. I should have had Stells forge the proper paperwork months ago. Since I didn’t plan on Banjo staying with me long, I hadn’t thought it necessary.
I hesitate too long, and Rourverace smirks.
“That’s exactly what I thought.” I want to punch that smug look right off his face.
Even though it won’t fix anything, it’ll at least make me feel better.
“You’re under arrest for the theft of the human known as Banjo, along with several counts of human trafficking.
And if that doesn’t sound like enough, don’t worry.
I’m sure I’ll be tacking on several more charges once we’ve thoroughly searched your ship. ”
“What?!” Banjo and I both exclaim at the same time. Two of Rourverace’s lackeys grab me, and I struggle against their grip.
“You don’t have any evidence to hold me!” I shout as they start to drag me away. Banjo stands there, eyes wide as one of them catches his arm. The snarl that escapes me is unrecognizable. “Get your filthy hands off him!”
“I think you’ll find we have plenty of evidence,” Rourverace says dismissively.
He doesn’t even bother looking at me. Instead, his gaze focuses on Banjo as he stalks towards him like some kind of predator.
“My, my, my, aren’t you lovely?” He seizes Banjo’s chin in his hand, turning his face back and forth.
“We’re going to have so much fun together. ”
Fury rushes over me so hot and fast, it nearly whites out my vision. I want to scream. I want to tackle Rourverace to the ground and slam my fist into his head over and over until he feels even a fraction of the pain he’s inflicted on me.
But that would be playing into his hand. I don’t believe he actually has enough evidence to hold me here. Stells and I did everything possible to make sure my background is squeaky clean. All attacking him will do is give him a real reason to detain me.
So instead of threatening Rourverace with his imminent death, I look directly at Banjo. “I’ll be back for you,” I promise him vehemently. “If they take you, I’ll find you. No matter how long it takes.”
My attention turns to Rourverace next, since I apparently can’t stop myself. Not when he’s touching what’s mine. As has already been demonstrated, I lose all common sense when it comes to Banjo. “Get. Your. Hands. Off. Him.” I can’t fight back the growl that accompanies the final two words.
“Tav.” Banjo’s eyes are watery. Rourverace looks between the two of us, brow furrowing for a moment before he grins.
“Oh, ho, ho,” Rourverace cackles, walking over to me.
I tense my entire body to keep myself from shrinking back.
I refuse to let this being intimidate me.
He’s close now, far too close, and he lowers his voice so only I can hear him.
“You like him, don’t you?” I glare at him.
His grin doesn’t even falter. “Good. It’ll make everything I’m about to do that much better. ”
I inhale sharply before spitting right in Rourverace’s face.
He wrinkles his pretty nose, wiping it off on his sleeve.
“You’re going to regret that,” he growls, flicking droplets of spit onto the floor.
“Just remember, everything that happens next is exactly what you deserve.” A sneer mars his otherwise perfect face.
“I can’t believe you thought you could just run off and be happy.
Trash like you doesn’t deserve happiness.
And once it outlives its usefulness, it should be taken out. ”
“Tavryn!” Banjo shrieks, lunging towards me right as something presses against my side.
It feels suspiciously like the barrel of a gun.
Well, I suppose that would explain the panicked look on Banjo’s face.
I can’t look away from him as he struggles against the guard.
Before I can say anything, there’s a sharp sting of pain before a jolt of electricity surges through me.
My body seizes before I collapse into my captors’ arms, the entire world going black.