Chapter 12 #2
Something wrapped around his sword arm. He jerked on it, but he couldn’t get free. He glanced down and saw a glowing green rope circling his bicep. Another rope wrapped around his other arm. The ropes burned as they sizzled against his skin.
He pulled forward, trying to free himself. Behind him, he saw four large pirates holding the other ends of the ropes.
Colm roared again, a fierce sound that echoed in the tunnels.
An older woman stepped up in front of him, eyeing him with an annoyed look.
She lifted a metallic object—a large stunner. She jammed it against his stomach.
He felt the electricity jolt through him. He gritted his teeth and fought back the pain. He had to stay conscious. He had to save Honor.
He jerked hard, and someone holding one of the ropes cried out. He freed one arm, yanking it to swing the glowing green rope around. It slammed into one of the pirates, and the man rolled to the ground with a cry.
“He fucking broke my ribs!”
The woman in front of him bared her teeth. Colm saw that they were made entirely of gray metal. She jammed a second stunner into his gut.
He fell heavily to his knees.
His entire body was shuddering and jerking. Then he tumbled forward, smacking against the ice. He couldn’t move his body. He forced himself to look up, and saw Honor lying beside him. Her lashes lay motionless against her cheeks, her body still.
These people would pay for hurting his woman. He vowed it.
It was his last thought before the darkness dragged him under.
Honor woke to a jumble of strange voices around her. She frowned. Why the hell did she hurt so much?
She opened her eyes as tiny slits, hoping to find out where the hell she was. Then she spotted the pirates.
They wore a mish-mash of clothes and armor that didn’t match. Some of it looked military, while other parts looked like they were off the runways of the central systems. The group were hunched over Colm and Honor’s backpack, staring at the logo Colm had cut off the chair.
Shit. She moved her hands and realized they were tied behind her back. All her weapons were gone as well. Not good. Where was Colm? Her stomach hardened. Had they hurt him?
She turned her head a little, and saw him slumped against the wall not far away. His head was lolling forward, and he was bound with laser ropes. Bastards. She could see where the rope was burning into his skin.
“Ah…you’re awake.”
Honor looked up. A pirate woman stood above her, wearing dark pants, red mesh armor on top, and a bright orange sash around her waist. She was older, but fit, her dark hair liberally streaked with gray. She had a pulse rifle resting against her shoulder.
“I’m Alara. I run this crew. I think you know why we’re here.”
Honor remained silent.
Alara gripped Honor’s hair and yanked her head up. “You’ll answer me, girly.”
A low growl rumbled through the space around them.
The pirate stiffened and glanced over her shoulder. “He contained?”
“Yeah.” A young man gave Colm a kick.
Honor saw Colm’s eyes were open. They were pure gold, no brown to be seen. Hold on, Colm.
“You want the wreck,” Honor said.
“No.” Alara laughed, a deep, rolling sound. “We want the treasure.”
“How did you even know about it?”
“Everyone has their price,” the pirate woman said. “One of your security team sang for a few pretty e-creds.”
Honor’s jaw tightened. “Darzan.”
“Don’t know any Darzan. Pilot by the name of T’kon.”
T’kon? The co-pilot had always seemed a steady, reliable employee. Honor shook her head, hiding her anger. “Poor sucker. He won’t live long.”
The pirate leader frowned, cocking her head. “The Institute’s not in the business of killing.”
“Yeah, not those pussies,” another pirate called out.
Honor shot Alara a thin smile. “No, but my new boss isn’t very tolerant of traitors or pirates. Or Institute rules.”
“Boss?” Alara’s frown deepened. “And who would that be?”
Honor laughed. “You don’t know? Oh, this will be fun.”
Alara yanked on Honor’s hair again and jerked her head to the side. “When I ask a question, girly, I expect an answer.”
There was another growl. Colm fought against his ropes.
“I’m okay, Colm.” She tried to keep her voice even. “Calm down.” She looked at Alara. “My new boss is Nera Darc.”
The pirate woman’s eyes widened.
Yep, even in uncharted space people knew who Darc was, and were smart enough to be afraid.
Then Alara’s booming laugh echoed off the ice walls. “Nera Darc? The badass treasure hunter? She wouldn’t be caught dead working for the Institute.”
“She works for Niklas Phoenix. He’s hers and this is his mission. If he’s threatened…Darc’ll be mighty pissed off.”
“Bit like this big brute when we hurt you?”
Worry niggled at Honor. She hated seeing Colm so out of control, knew he’d hate it even more.
“If Darc is really out there, I think we’ll work to avoid her. So, girly, I think it’s best to lead us to the treasure as fast as you can.”
Honor shrugged. “The wreck’s down here…somewhere. We haven’t found it.”
“Well, luckily my very expensive syndroid can detect metal.”
Damn. It was exactly the kind of tech Honor would’ve brought down, if this mission had gone as planned. “The ice is pretty thick. It’ll make it difficult to get good readings.”
Alara flashed her metal teeth. “I happen to make a living off difficult.” She nudged Honor with her boot. “Now get up. It’s time to move.”
Honor climbed to her feet. She started walking, but Alara still gave her another kick, apparently for good measure.
Behind her, she heard Colm jerking against his bindings. It took four pirates to hold him.
The syndroid floated into the lead of their unhappy little group.
They followed the droid through the ice tunnels. A few times they had to backtrack. Once, Alara had her pirates blow a hole right through an ice wall, but Honor got the impression they were going around in circles.
“Enough!” Alara kicked at an icy stalagmite on the floor. It shattered to pieces. Her gaze zeroed in on Honor. “You work for the Institute. You’re the expert at finding old things. I want you to find it for me, girly.”
“I don’t know where?—”
Alara slammed a fist into Honor’s belly.
As the breath rushed out of her, Honor’s training kicked in.
She snapped her elbow up, and caught Alara in the chin.
As the pirate woman stumbled back, another pirate rushed in.
Honor kicked this one in the gut, but two charged her, and started to pummel her.
With her hands behind her back, she was at a fucking disadvantage.
Suddenly, she heard screams. She turned.
Colm had broken free of the laser ropes.
He’d gone wild.
He moved in a blur of speed. He jammed a fist into the face of the pirate closest to him. He turned with a roar and attacked the next pirates.
Bodies flew into the wall and pirates shouted.
Honor went to move, but then she felt the cold barrel of a laser weapon at the back of her neck.
“You talk him down, girly, or I’ll kill you right now. He’ll be next, and I’ll leave your bodies here to freeze.” Alara’s voice was strong and steady.
Honor nodded. She wouldn’t let Colm get slaughtered like an animal.
She wouldn’t let the man she loved die.
With that revelation echoing inside her, she called out. “Colm?”
No response.
She pulled away from Alara and stepped closer to him. Her warrior was standing there, chest heaving, his eyes a brilliant glowing gold, assessing the pirates cowering before him. She peered at him, trying to see her warrior in there, somewhere.
“Warrior?”
His head turned toward her.
She wished her hands were free so she could touch him. “It’s Honor. It’s okay. I need you to come back to me.”
She took another step closer. She could see his hands were flexing. They were covered in blood.
“Colm. I need you.”
In the gold of his eyes, she saw a flicker of response.
He reached out and grabbed her, hauling her to his chest. She heard the pirates protesting, but she ignored them. Colm nuzzled her hair.
She turned her head and pressed her lips against his neck. “I’m here, my warrior.” She rubbed her cheek against him and wished again that her hands were free.
She felt the tension drain out of him. She pulled back and looked up. The gold was leaking from his eyes, leaving them the warm brown she knew so well. “There you are.”
“Honor?” His voice was hoarse.
“Yeah.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “The pirates will kill us if you keep fighting. We need to go along with them for now and wait for an opportunity to overpower them or escape.” She pressed her lips to his jaw. Felt a tremor run through him. “Understand?”
A slight nod. “But if they hurt you again, I’ll end them.”
She breathed deep, the scent of him filling her senses. They had a mission to complete, but she knew that after this was over, leaving this man would shatter something inside her.