Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Nik pressed his hands into the hard-packed dirt beneath him and watched Nera shed her scared female routine.
She circled the zombie, eying it like it was a mild interference in her day. The crowd was chanting.
The zombie started toward her, making a snarling sound. She went still, watching it.
Then she ran.
She executed one of her signature graceful leaps and landed a vicious roundhouse kick to the zombie’s head.
The creature’s head snapped back, the force behind it making the creature stagger.
God, she was brilliant. Nik couldn’t stop the grin on his face. He knew as long as he lived, he’d never find another woman like Nera Darc. A woman who was dark and light, deadly and complicated.
She landed and stalked behind the creature. She ran up its back and planted her knees on the zombie’s shoulders. Then she reached down and wrenched, snapping the creature’s neck.
It fell in the sand at her feet, and she looked up at the Sapa, her face its usual impassive mask.
“I won your primitive, bloodthirsty game. I demand you release my people.”
The Sapa stood, studying Nera like a pet who’d just bitten her. She waved a hand. “Come, I want to talk.”
“Release them. Now.”
The Sapa’s eyes narrowed, but she chopped a hand in the air and Nik found the guards coming over and slicing away their bindings.
Nera looked up again. “I am not the leader of our group. It is not me you want to talk to.”
The Sapa tilted her head. “But you are a warrior and clearly the strongest.”
“That isn’t how we choose our leaders.”
The Rumin leader frowned. “Fine. Bring the other woman, too.”
Nik watched Avril swallow, take a deep breath, then step forward. Nera jumped out of the pit right near Niklas. She stalked over to him.
“You are amazing.” He cupped her cheeks.
A brief smile touched her lips.
He yanked her close and kissed her. He had to keep it frustratingly brief, then stepped back.
“Let me get us out of here and then you can show me how much you appreciate my magnificence,” she said.
“You got it.”
He watched her walk beside Avril, taking the steps up to the Sapa two at a time. He watched them standing in front of the leader. She was talking and eying Nera with a strange mix of wariness and awe.
After a brief conversation, the Sapa waved a hand and led them back down to Niklas and the others.
Nera moved straight to him, and because he couldn’t help himself, he yanked her in close to his side.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“I think so. We had a nice little meet and greet. She’s going to let us go.” Nera leaned in, her mouth to his ear. “But be ready for anything.”
The Sapa strode toward them, guards flanking her. Then she marched toward a large tunnel. The guards keeping watch over Nik and the others gestured for them to follow her. The now-silent crowd watched them go.
They walked down more labyrinthine tunnels, until the Sapa led them to another cavern, one smaller than the fighting arena.
This one, however, was filled with gold.
Avril gasped and Gunn made a noisy exclamation. Nik stepped forward, taking it all in. Inca. Definitely Inca. He strode closer to a statue. It was intricately carved, perhaps a god.
“Incredible.” He couldn’t believe it. “This is it. The Lost Inca Gold.”
“This is our heritage.” The Sapa was watching them with dark eyes. “Our ancestors were charged with safeguarding the treasure. It was destined to save an emperor, but his captors betrayed him. So it was stored here and protectors set in place.”
“That was thousands of years ago,” Nik said. “And all this time, no matter what, you’ve protected it?”
The Sapa nodded.
“I don’t give a fuck.” Gunn charged up to a row of golden cups inlaid with precious stones, and snatched one up. “I’m helping myself. What good does it do anyone hidden away in a damn cave and admired by freaks?”
“Gunn!” Avril exclaimed.
“You promised me treasure, Dr. Tight-Ass. I’m not risking my ass for nothing.”
“Shut up,” Avril snapped.
The guards were already moving, but a slim, black shadow burst into action.
Nera slammed a hand into Gunn’s sternum.
As he grunted, the air rushing out of him, she gripped the front of his armor and swung him around.
She threw him facefirst into the ground and pressed a knee into the middle of his back.
He made a pained noise. “Bitch.”
“Idiot. You’re risking all our lives.” She grabbed the back of his hair with one hand and slammed his face into the ground.
Out cold, he sprawled flat, the cup tumbling into the dirt. Nera snatched it up, then handed it back to the Sapa.
The woman inclined her head. “Thank you, Nera Darc.”
“It’s yours. No one has any right to take it.”
Avril looked frustrated. “That’s funny coming from you, Darc.”
Nera lifted her head, her nebula eyes settling calmly on the astro-archeologist. “I only take things from people who can afford to lose them and who don’t take care of them. We will not take anything from these people.”
Avril gave a jerky nod. “Fine.”
The Sapa came forward. “My warriors will lead you out of the tunnels so you can return to your…” She frowned, trying to find the word.
“Ship,” Avril supplied.
The Sapa straightened, her gaze on Nera. “As the winner in the fight, you demanded freedom for you and your friends. I would still give you one more thing, a sign of respect for your integrity.”
The Rumin leader waved her hand at the golden treasure. “You may select one item to take with you.”
Avril gasped, and Nera’s face showed no reaction.
“Thank you,” Nera said. “I would like Dr. Niklas Phoenix to select. He has great respect for your history.” She turned and looked at Nik. “You’re up, Dr. Phoenix. Pick something.”
A surge of emotion shot through him. He stepped forward, glancing around. “Anything?”
“Anything,” the Sapa confirmed.
There were so many beautiful artifacts. How could he choose just one?
He touched a small gold figurine of a horse-like animal.
Then a fabulous, squat metal bowl engraved with images.
Eventually, he chose a large, ceremonial blade.
It was made of gold with a semi-circular blade and a figure with a decorative headdress carved on the top.
“A tumi.” The Sapa nodded. “A good choice. It will bring you luck.”
Soon, they were marching back through the tunnels. When they stepped back out into the murky daylight, Nik let out a breath.
A dark shadow passed overhead, before stopping and hovering close by. Nik glimpsed the metal hull of the Drake through the foliage.
The Rumin warriors all made loud exclamations, clutching their spears and knives.
The Sapa stared upward, her face tinged with awe. “A sky flyer.”
“Our ship,” Nera confirmed.
Avril faced the Sapa. “I’m going to send most of us back to the ship, but I was wondering if you’d grant permission for myself and a small team to stay to study the carvings in the tunnels. They are fascinating, and it is my specialty to study things like that.”
The Sapa pondered for a moment, and Nik was sure she was going to say no. “Very well.”
A part of Nik would have liked to have stayed. He lifted the tumi and stared at it in wonder. God, it was a thing of beauty. But a far larger part of him wanted to get back to the ship. He wanted a shower and he wanted Nera. He’d had more than enough of the jungle.
“Wonderful.” Avril’s smile was wide. “Agent Ryant, could I keep a few members of your team?”
“Sure.”
“And I’ll stay,” Gunn said.
Nik wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but Avril nodded.
Suddenly, shouts echoed around them. Nik looked up and saw a zombie tear out of the jungle and leap on a warrior. The man didn’t have time to fight back. In an instant, the creature tore his throat out and set to work eating him.
The other warriors moved fast. They killed the creature, hacking at it with their black machetes. Then they fanned out, frowning at the trees.
The Sapa was frowning as well. “We have deterrents for the Supay. It is very uncommon for them to attack near our caves, or to see one alone.”
“Supay?” Nik asked.
“Demons.”
He eyed the dead body and frowned. It had strange black marks on it. Burn marks?
“I suggest we get back to the ship,” Nera looked at the Rumin leader. “Thank you.”
“Safe travels, Nera Darc. And you too, Dr. Phoenix.”
The Drake had found a clear area and sent down the cargo lift. Together with Galen, Solomon, and the rest of the security team, they headed up. Moments later, they were aboard the Drake.
Solomon patted the wall. “Never been so happy to see the inside of a ship before. I thought we were all going to end up as zombie fodder down there.” He looked at Nera. “Thanks. For what you did.”
She nodded and watched the young man walk away.
Galen gave them a distracted nod and headed off with the remaining members of his team.
“Hot shower?” Nik suggested to her.
“Sounds like a good idea.”
He ran his tongue over his teeth. “Your place or mine?”
She smiled and even smeared with zombie blood and grime, he’d never seen a more beautiful woman.
“I think—”
The sound of running feet cut her off. They spun, heard the moan before they saw it.
A zombie came around the corner, chasing a terrified ship crew member. What the hell?
Nera drew her sword. “Get down,” she shouted.
But the man was too frightened. He kept running.
Nik drew his laser pistol, but he couldn’t shoot without hitting the man.
Suddenly, the zombie snagged the back of the man’s uniform and dragged him down. His terrified screams echoed off the walls. Nera was already moving, but Nik knew in an instant that it was too late.
The zombie tore a hunk of flesh from the back of the man’s neck. Blood sprayed everywhere and the man’s scream choked off.
Light reflected off the blade of Nera’s weapon as she swung it. A second later, the zombie’s head rolled across the floor.
But even as Nera knelt to check the man’s pulse, Nik knew he was dead.
She stood, and calmly decapitated him. She looked at Nik. “How the hell did a zombie get aboard the ship?”