Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The shuttle shuddered as it descended through the smog-filled atmosphere of Lucifa.
Zayn focused on the controls but was conscious of the conversations around him. The viewscreen was the scarlet red of the Devil’s Nebula. It made him think of blood.
“I hate this place.” Dathan leaned forward, watching the multitude of ships and shuttles powering on and off planet. Many had the markings of the Guilds: a kneeling slave, a skull and crossbones, and of course the crossed blades of the assassins.
“You aren’t the only one who hates it.” Zayn put the shuttle into a wide left turn to avoid a lumbering transport ship that looked like it was held together by duct tape.
“At least Eos agreed to stay on the ship,” Dathan grumbled.
“I agree.” Lala blew an enormous gum bubble and popped it. “I needed someone to babysit Fuzzy and Fred.”
Eos and the Infinitas—and Fuzzy and Fred—were hidden in plain sight among the ships orbiting Lucifa. Zayn was happy Eos was safe, but didn’t envy her the task of waiting. Even now, nervous energy winged through him.
Behind him, he heard Ria reassuring Lala and helping the younger girl into her spectrum camouflage suit.
He glanced at Dathan. His brother’s hair was a virulent shade of blue, and metal studs graced his nose and the curves of his ears. “Nice look.”
Dath grinned. “Yeah, Eos was horrified. Figured I should look a little different from the last time I visited Lucifa.”
When Dathan had come to rescue Eos, he’d dressed as a suave, elegant gambler. Zayn eyed the blue spiky hair. Nope, he didn’t think any slavers would recognize his brother.
Niklas sat on the other side of Dathan, tapping on his Sync. The man was always researching something. Nik’s only concession to disguise was a pair of chunky goggles pushed up on his head. He still looked like a professor. Not that it mattered since he’d never been to Lucifa before.
“Okay, everyone, we’re coming in to land.” Zayn tapped the controls and the shuttle zoomed downward.
He approached the bustling spaceport just north of the Assassin’s Guild. Lucifa wasn’t big and was covered entirely by rambling city. The poorer sections were crooked streets of wooden shacks. The wealthier areas boasted cobbled streets and grand stone buildings.
The spaceport wasn’t exactly organized. Ships of all shapes, sizes, and quality were parked at haphazard angles.
“BEll, you’re in charge of monitoring the shuttle.
Anyone gets too close, zap ’em with a pulse.
” The security system would send out an energy pulse that would stun and incapacitate any would-be intruders. It was extremely painful.
“You got it, Zayn,” the computer responded.
He set down in the space assigned to them, narrowly avoiding clipping a dented deep-space starfreighter parked beside them. He unstrapped his harness. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road.”
Lala was up first, bouncing on her feet. “This is going to be so cool!”
Zayn rolled his eyes. “You listen to Dath and Nik, okay?”
She nodded and dragged a finger over her chest. “Cross my heart.”
He looked at his brothers. “You guys take care. If you have any trouble, just get out.”
Dath clapped a hand on Zayn’s shoulder. “Same goes, little bro. No heroics, got it?”
His brothers exited the shuttle with Lala between them. They disappeared among the ships, headed for Balthazar plaza. Zayn turned back to Ria.
She stood, solemn and quiet, her dark robes cascading around her. She looked like the perfect assassin: cool features, blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun, her hands calm at her sides but ready for action.
He couldn’t help but remember what he’d done to her in those robes.
She smiled. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“Wish we had time to do it again.”
She laughed this time and the perfect assassin was gone, leaving the woman who was rapidly captivating him. “After. I promise we’ll celebrate in style. Here.”
She held out his robe. He pulled it on and let her fuss over him, adjusting the collar and the fastening.
“Time to go,” he said.
She pulled the hood up over his head and did the same with hers. “Keep your gaze down. Let me do any talking. Move slowly but fluidly. Assassins don’t swagger like space jocks.”
“Yes, master.”
She whacked his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
They left the ship, moved through the spaceport, then into the city streets. Zayn noticed that locals moved out of their way or crossed the street to avoid them. Smart, in his opinion. The assassins had earned their deadly reputation.
“This way,” she murmured, waving a hand to the left.
They crossed a cobblestone street, barely avoiding a hovercar and a horse and cart. That was Lucifa, a mishmash of old and new, legal and illegal, high tech and low.
Suddenly, an old woman stepped in front of them. Her shoulders were hunched, her face covered in lines, but her dark eyes were lit with an unholy fire. “Murderers.”
People walking nearby gasped. Most hurried away.
“You killed my boy. Slaughtered him in his sleep like the cowards you are.” The woman’s hands curled into fists. “You skulk in the shadows to do your dirty work but here you walk around like you’re gods.” She spat on the ground.
Ria moved forward. “Calm yourself and go home.” She lowered her voice. “If you cause a scene the Guild will want retribution. Go now.”
“Your Guild is filled with murderers.”
Zayn shifted to confront the woman, but Ria blocked him.
“My boy wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t deserve to die. He was seventeen years old.” Tears welled in the woman’s eyes and her shoulders slumped. “He was my baby and now he’s gone.”
“Let me talk to her,” Zayn whispered in Ria’s ear.
She shook her head and moved her head in the direction ahead of them. Zayn looked up and saw another robed figure coming their way. Shit. The assassin was tall and moved in a way that made it look like he or she was floating.
He shouldered in front of Ria and bent his head so he could see the woman’s face. “The Guild is full of murderers and we’re here to teach them a lesson.”
The woman’s head shot up, and he heard Ria groan.
“This is Lucifa, she’ll rat us out for a single e-cred,” Ria whispered.
Keeping his gaze steady on the woman, he said, “I don’t think she’ll do that. What was your boy’s name?”
The woman’s lips trembled. “Leith.”
“We’ll get revenge for Leith today. You aren’t going to sell us out, are you?”
The woman dashed the tears from her eyes and shook her head.
“Good. Go now.”
The woman grabbed her ratty skirts and hurried away. Zayn and Ria turned to see the assassin reach them.
“Greetings, kin.”
A man with a deep, deep voice. Zayn kept his face angled down and gave a slow nod. He noted Ria keeping her face covered as well.
“Greetings,” Ria murmured. “May your daggers be sharp and your aim true.”
The familiar greeting made something in the man’s stance relax a little. “And you. Was the woman bothering you?”
“Nothing worth the trouble of our time,” Ria answered.
The assassin nodded. “And you, brother?”
Zayn felt the man’s gaze on him like a laser beam. “We need to get back to the Guild. We don’t need the hassle of an angry, old woman.”
The assassin was silent, gaze still burning through Zayn. He fought not to look up and meet the man’s stare.
“Very well. Good day.”
As the man moved off, Zayn released his breath. Ria started moving again, dragging him with her by the side of his robe.
“Oh my God, do you know who that was?” A furious whisper.
“No.” He turned to look over his shoulder, but Ria wrenched him forward.
“His name is Master Ronin. He’s one of the top assassins in the Guild.
A master of the sword.” She sucked in a breath.
“We’re lucky to get away from him alive.
Thank God he didn’t recognize me.” She dragged Zayn to a halt.
“And why the hell did you tell the woman what we’re here for? She’s still likely to sell us out.”
“She won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Hey. Calm down.” He gripped her chin, his thumb rubbing over her skin. “I really want to kiss you—”
“You can’t. Two assassins kissing would cause mayhem.”
He rubbed her skin again. “I’ll manage to resist. Now stay calm and let’s get to the Guild.”
She nodded, set her shoulders back, and started walking again.
Just as Zayn moved to follow her, movement from the corner of his eyes caught his attention. He saw a flash of black robes disappearing down a side alley. Someone had been watching them. He frowned. Another assassin? Master Ronin? Zayn wasn’t sure. It could have just been someone in a black coat.
Shaking it off, he followed Ria.
A few minutes later, the Guild Headquarters appeared ahead. In front of the harsh, austere stone building, there were no crowds on the streets. Two robed figures stood on either side of the large carved metal doors at the top of the steps.
Ria pushed him into a narrow alleyway across from the building. “We can watch from here.”
He glanced at his timepiece. “Only another five minutes and Lala and the boys should have their fireworks ready.”
Ria’s gaze was on the building. He saw shadows in her eyes.
“This isn’t as easy as you thought.”
She blinked. “Actually, this plan is far easier than anything I could have come up with.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
She sighed, rubbing her palms against her robe. “This has been the only home I’ve ever known. A prison, yes, but still a home. God, I look at Lala and wonder if I would have been strong enough to survive on my own.”
He gripped her shoulders, massaging the tension he felt there. “You would have. You deserve the chance to make your own life. Make your own decisions.”
“You do too, Zayn.”
“I do exactly as I please—”
“No, you don’t,” she said quietly.
His gaze drifted back to the Guild. What had taken place there two years before had scarred him.
He’d lost everything. His friend, his job, his sanity.
Most of all, his confidence in himself. He’d carved an identity on being Zayn Phoenix, fighter pilot.
Ace of the Strike Wing. Maybe he’d believed his own hype, thought he’d always win.
Then he’d felt like nothing but a failure.
Now he felt a twinge of shame. He’d had the freedom to make his own choices, while Ria hadn’t, and he’d done nothing but drift and wallow for the last two years.
Today, he vowed that was going to change.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them rumbled.
A muffled boom echoed down the street. They both lifted their heads. Bright fireworks streaked into the red-hued sky.
Zayn tugged Ria close for a quick hug. “Showtime.”
Ria watched the assassins pour out of the Guild building. Some were in robes, others in tight-fitting fighting suits. All of them carried weapons. Swords, crossbows, stunners.
Three hurried past the mouth of the alley. One was talking. “They’ve said Lastite Lala was spotted near the statue before the explosion.”
“The girl’s hard to mistake for anyone else,” another assassin said. “We’ll get her this time. No one makes a fool of the Guild. Especially twice.”
Beside her, Zayn whispered into his Sync. “Dath, you there?”
There was a beat of silence, and Ria felt her chest tighten.
“Yeah, we’re here.” Dathan sounded a little breathless.
“How’d it go?” Zayn asked. “Everyone okay?”
“Everyone except old Balthazar.” Dathan turned on the visual and his face surrounded by his shock of blue hair appeared. “God, you should have seen that thing blow. Kid’s got a real flair for the dramatic.”
A giggle came through the line and Dathan tilted the communicator to show the empty space beside him. The spectrum camouflage was doing its job. Farther back, Nik waved a hand.
“Where are you guys?” Ria asked.
“On a rooftop, enjoying the view.” The Sync swung again, and down below, Ria could see the rush of people in the plaza. They milled around the mangled statue.
Zayn flashed a grin at Ria. “Dath, you guys did a great job. Get back to the shuttle after you’ve finished admiring your handiwork.”
“Nik’s going to drop me and Lala back to the ship and come back for you guys.” Dathan gave them a salute. “Be careful. I don’t fancy a trip inside the Guild to rescue your butt. Good hunting.” The screen went black.
Zayn shoved the Sync back in his pocket. “Ready?”
She nodded. “Ready.”
The stream of assassins had ceased. The two stationed at the door stood, straight and still, like statues. Ria moved forward, Zayn one step behind her. Together they moved, slowly and with sure steps, up the stairs.
One guard lifted his head. He was an Argylian with skin that shone like a diamond and empty dark eyes like black holes. Ria moved her hand in the silent signal that was used by all assassins as a means of identification.
“Any news from the explosion?” the guard said, his voice a sibilant whisper.
“No.” Ria kept her voice lower than normal. “There were already many of us there. It was inefficient for us to remain.”
The guard nodded, and then Ria and Zayn stepped inside.
The long entrance hall was empty, the hushed silence so familiar to her. She moved forward and saw Zayn looking around.
“It’s so stark,” he murmured.
She looked again, trying to see it through his eyes. The bare stone walls, no decoration. The Guild believed in being focused on killing, not on the comforts of living.
They moved past the arched entrance to the Great Hall used for meals and gatherings. Then past the main training rooms.
“Amazing.” He stopped in one doorway. The training room was huge, the walls covered in a range of different weapons. One wall was all modern weapons from all around the galaxy. But as he stepped inside, he was drawn to the wall of ancient weapons. “These reproductions or the real thing?”
She followed him. “A mixture. The Guild likes to collect weapons, but we also have our own master craftsmen and blacksmiths. They create copies using newer, stronger materials.”
Zayn grabbed a long, curved sword off the wall. “Katana. Real deal. Really old and valuable.”
“A good choice.”
The deep voice had them both spinning.
A tall, robed figure stood in the doorway.
Oh no. Master Ronin. Ria felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.
Ronin lifted the robe off his head, uncovering his face. It was lots of sharp edges, his mouth a flat slant, and his eyes a pale, ice blue.
“Now, Commander Phoenix, I wonder if you know how to use that katana.” Ronin withdrew a long, straight sword from beneath his robes.