Chapter 13 #2
They crossed the shadows to the door. Cautiously Kyden reached out with one talon and tried the door, which proved to be unlocked.
Exchanging looks with his men, he burst through it, Samyra and the two Badari right behind him.
There was a large cryosleep container against the back wall, humming, indicator lights flashing green.
One man had been sitting on a chair next to it and he fell to blaster fire as he tried to draw his weapon and stand up to meet the assault.
The other man fired off a few wild shots and made a break for a side door.
Rennyr chased him down, tackling him from behind and cutting his throat with one talon.
Talinn turned and locked the door as Kyden and Samyra advanced to the cryocooler. Through the transparent top she was relieved to see Jamirr. He seemed fine although his face was set in a frown.
“They stuck him in cryo?” Rennyr said in disbelief as he joined them. “Worst possible thing to do to a Badari with our particular DNA issues.”
“The kidnappers had no way to know and probably wouldn’t have cared,” the Alpha replied.
“Is there a problem?” Samyra asked, looking from one worried face to the other. “At least he wasn’t tortured or starved. Let’s get him out and go.”
Kyden faced her. “For some of us, cryosleep has severe effects on our brains. That’s why we were selected to be sold on the black market.
We believe Jamirr has a particularly high sensitivity to the process, given how confused he was and the amnesia he experienced when we found him in your care.
We’re going to have to basically rip him out of it right now with no supportive meds—he may react badly. ”
“No choice and we’re probably running out of time,” Rennyr said, going to the large control unit. He started flipping switches as Talinn joined Kyden and Samyra.
“I’m a healer,” Talinn said, flexing his hands. “Unknown how much I can help with cryosleep issues.”
Samyra did a doubletake at the way his hands glowed green and the sparks which floated from his fingertips.
The cryo unit hummed and went dark as the power was cut. The lid slid open and frosty vapors poured out, which Samyra took care not to breathe in.
Kyden gestured her forward. “Speak to him before we try to lift him out.”
She didn’t hesitate but leaned over and kissed Jamirr’s cold lips. “I’m here with Kyden and the others to get you out,” she said softly, stroking one hand through his hair. “You need to wake up and help us.”
For a minute there was no reaction and then Jamirr convulsed. Kyden grabbed Samyra and moved her back a few steps despite her immediate protest. Jamirr’s eyes flew open and he sat up snarling, fangs exposed. When he caught a glimpse of Samyra, he hesitated as if trying to place who she was.
“It’s me, my love,” she said, trying to break free from Kyden’s hold. “You were kidnapped and we’re here to rescue you.”
His eyes focused on the Alpha’s grip on her wrist and he growled, a low rumbling sound more terrifying than anything any of her zoo animals had ever made. Kyden released her immediately and held his hands up. “Easy, brother. No one’s trying to hurt your woman or you either. Can you walk?”
Samyra edged closer. “Please?” She extended her hand and Jamirr touched it with one talon before suddenly wrapping his entire hand around hers and tugging her to him. She nearly fell into the cryo chamber as he gathered her in for a kiss, holding her tightly pressed against his chest.
“Mate,” he said.
Samyra heard the men behind her suppressing their amusement. “Yes,” she agreed, “You can call me that. I love you.”
He rubbed his free hand over his face and stared around the open space in bewilderment.
Kyden stepped forward, Rennyr at his shoulder. “Let us help you, brother. We need to be gone and you’re going to be woozy on your feet.”
Jamirr answered him with a pithy sentence in what she assumed was the Badari tongue and then began trying to climb out of the oversize box on his own.
“If you don’t mind moving,” Kyden said to Samyra with visible restraint.
She skipped out of the way and watched as the two huge men lifted Jamirr free of the lingering vapors and set him on his feet, where he would have promptly collapsed if they hadn’t held onto him
“Company coming,” Talinn said from his post at the door. “Sounds like two men.”
“You and Samyra will have to handle it. Jamirr can’t walk unassisted right now,” Kyden said.
He and Rennyr guided the dazed Badari toward the rear door, moving faster than Samyra would have thought possible.
Talinn slid into cover behind a set of shelves laden with boxes and loose parts.
She took up a position behind him, blaster at the ready and waited for the door to open.
Tirion stepped through, eyes fixing on the empty cryo chamber. He swore and rushed forward, the second man behind him. “What in the seven hells? How did he get the container open when he was frozen solid?”
Talinn kicked the door shut. “We may have had something to do with that,” he said in a satisfied drawl. He shot the second man, who’d spun to face him.
Rage rose within Samyra like an unstoppable geyser. She had no sword but she unsheathed her dagger as she rushed forward, screaming imprecations at Tirion. “I’m going to wipe you off the face of the planet, you scum. How dare you kidnap Jamirr and try to ruin me?”
He drew his knife and dodged her first impulsive strike with practiced ease. “Oh you’re already ruined, sweetheart. You just didn’t know it yet. I was going to kill you in the arena in two weeks but tonight will do as well.”
The two went at it, blades flashing in the harsh lights.
Samyra drew first blood while blocking Tirion’s blade but then he whirled, kicking at her knee and slashing her side as she rolled and bounced to her feet again.
She was in the killing zone, seeing his next moves before he made them and moving to parry or take advantage.
She might as well have been in the arena, adrenaline sky high, focus on one thing—the enemy she despised.
In her mind everything was now Tirion’s fault and she was going to exact her revenge.
He wasn’t making it easy. The two of them were quite equally matched in knife skills and soon both were bleeding from superficial wounds.
He grabbed her by the shirt and tried to sink his knife into her ribs but she literally tore herself free and although the blade penetrated, it wasn’t the disabling blow he’d been going for, glancing off a rib instead of sliding between.
Infuriated she drive him back with her own assault and managed to punch him in the eye, sending him sprawling.
Tirion wasn’t quite as quick to get up as she’d expected and Samyra could tell he was tiring and getting weak from loss of blood.
She’d scored hits on him more than he’d managed to inflict on her.
Her balance remained perfect, feet moving in the dance of the deadly combat, knife hitting its target more often than not as his deflection skills deserted him and panic set in.
Samyra chose her moment, done toying with him, and buried her blade to the hilt in his chest. Eyes wide with shock, Tirion collapsed like a puppet cut from its strings and lay in a pool of spreading blood at her feet.
“That was for Jamirr,” she said contemptuously, taking a step back.
“Nice work,” Talinn said, grabbing her by the arm and heading toward the far door. “We’ve got to go. Boss is getting impatient and we need to set this place on fire and get gone.”
“Thanks for not interfering,” she said in between gasps for air. The fight had taken a lot out of her too.
“You needed the closure and Jamirr would have been proud of you,” he said as they burst through the door to the cool night air. “Hold on one second.” Turning, he hurled a force grenade through the opening and then grabbed her, taking her straight into the sky with his antigrav unit.
Talinn was accelerating upward so fast she grew dizzy.
Below them the building burst into white hot flames, pieces of shrapnel flying like a lethal hailstorm in reverse.
The flames boiled upward but they were already above the blast zone.
Samyra felt the pressure in her ears from the blast and clung tighter to the Badari.