smile on her face and a saucy grin appeared. “But that’s in the past. I got out of it by showing them I’d be worth more stealing money from Earth officials by hacking into their bank accounts and ciphering off millions of dollars. After that…they mostly left me alone. Until Thor.”
Anthony finished putting on his tags and pulled Hedi into a bear hug. “You’re safe now, Hedi. All of us would kill to protect you. Thor will never have the chance to hurt you again.”
Hedi pinched Anthony’s cheek and stepped out of his arms. She threw a genuine smile at Shamira. “You boys are okay, but my BFF can handle it all-by-herself. Heck, she made sure to teach me how to do it also.”
Shamira’s heart warmed. “Hedi, you did just fine before I came along.” Hedi didn’t realize how important Shamira found their friendship to be. Shamira put a hand on the clubbed saber at her side. Its handle was heavy in her hand as she handed it to Hedi.
Hedi shook her head. “No. No…don’t you dare give me that. It was a present from your father.”
“I know, but you use it if we get in trouble tonight. Just like I taught you, okay? It would mean a lot to me if you did. Besides, I want to use the new globes Valens made for me.”
Tears fell from Hedi’s eyes. “Okay, just for tonight, and then I’m giving it back.” Hedi wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Here I go again, being the weak link.”
Dion reached over and held her hand. “Shhh. Don’t say that about the love of my life.”
Shamira straightened, her eyes watered. She blinked back the unshed tears. Taking, a deep breath, she pushed away the horrible images Hedi’s confession flashed in her mind. “Listen, we go in there and question everyone. I want to know if there is still drug production and selling going on. We need to find out the names of the suppliers. And where is Freaksheep? How he got clean and who cleaned him up? Last though, find out who’s been raiding the destroyed Monev stomping grounds trying to bring back the dead. Until we figure out who’s doing this…it’s going to get a lot worse.”
“We got your orders.” Mitch’s face filled with anxious anticipation. “But can we fly now?” He tapped his foot on the packed ground and lifted several feet in the air. Then he bent in a surfer pose and took off.
“Ye-ah bo-oy!” Anthony followed. “I’ve been waiting to try these babies. Yeah!”
Shamira held in her laughter, trying to remain serious. It was hard around them to stay angry and focused on revenge. They softened her. The only one she could count on to stay somber was Mitch, and even he couldn’t stay surly. Hopefully, she could keep the dark room to her soul closed and behind her…just a little longer.
Chapter 18
Flying several feet in the air reminded Shamira of surfing on waves she’d only seen on Earth virtual reality games. She had to admit to loving it. Only thing was, she knew sand kicking up in your face hurt a heck of a lot more than water. She pulled down the tight black mask. Tucking it in snug into the neck of her shirt, she wondered if she should’ve worn her cadet uniform instead of her form-fitting sand-colored suit.
The others were behind Valens, and to the side as she glided through the windy desert. Shamira forced her enhanced sight several miles ahead. Searching for heat, light, or any sign of life. After a bit she spotted the faint sign of a fire. She pushed further. The orange hue of heated bodies of all sizes gathered about half a mile ahead. “I see people, and fire.”
“It’s right where you said it would be.” Valens pointed. “There’s the air filtration tower.”
She lifted her chin at the large metal cylinder that rose up out of the ground toward the sky. “They’re right above the heating pipes. We need to go on foot.” Her hand raised then slowly lowered to signal the others.
They landed and walked through the sand toward what appeared to be a small village of
Anthony finished putting on his tags and pulled Hedi into a bear hug. “You’re safe now, Hedi. All of us would kill to protect you. Thor will never have the chance to hurt you again.”
Hedi pinched Anthony’s cheek and stepped out of his arms. She threw a genuine smile at Shamira. “You boys are okay, but my BFF can handle it all-by-herself. Heck, she made sure to teach me how to do it also.”
Shamira’s heart warmed. “Hedi, you did just fine before I came along.” Hedi didn’t realize how important Shamira found their friendship to be. Shamira put a hand on the clubbed saber at her side. Its handle was heavy in her hand as she handed it to Hedi.
Hedi shook her head. “No. No…don’t you dare give me that. It was a present from your father.”
“I know, but you use it if we get in trouble tonight. Just like I taught you, okay? It would mean a lot to me if you did. Besides, I want to use the new globes Valens made for me.”
Tears fell from Hedi’s eyes. “Okay, just for tonight, and then I’m giving it back.” Hedi wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Here I go again, being the weak link.”
Dion reached over and held her hand. “Shhh. Don’t say that about the love of my life.”
Shamira straightened, her eyes watered. She blinked back the unshed tears. Taking, a deep breath, she pushed away the horrible images Hedi’s confession flashed in her mind. “Listen, we go in there and question everyone. I want to know if there is still drug production and selling going on. We need to find out the names of the suppliers. And where is Freaksheep? How he got clean and who cleaned him up? Last though, find out who’s been raiding the destroyed Monev stomping grounds trying to bring back the dead. Until we figure out who’s doing this…it’s going to get a lot worse.”
“We got your orders.” Mitch’s face filled with anxious anticipation. “But can we fly now?” He tapped his foot on the packed ground and lifted several feet in the air. Then he bent in a surfer pose and took off.
“Ye-ah bo-oy!” Anthony followed. “I’ve been waiting to try these babies. Yeah!”
Shamira held in her laughter, trying to remain serious. It was hard around them to stay angry and focused on revenge. They softened her. The only one she could count on to stay somber was Mitch, and even he couldn’t stay surly. Hopefully, she could keep the dark room to her soul closed and behind her…just a little longer.
Chapter 18
Flying several feet in the air reminded Shamira of surfing on waves she’d only seen on Earth virtual reality games. She had to admit to loving it. Only thing was, she knew sand kicking up in your face hurt a heck of a lot more than water. She pulled down the tight black mask. Tucking it in snug into the neck of her shirt, she wondered if she should’ve worn her cadet uniform instead of her form-fitting sand-colored suit.
The others were behind Valens, and to the side as she glided through the windy desert. Shamira forced her enhanced sight several miles ahead. Searching for heat, light, or any sign of life. After a bit she spotted the faint sign of a fire. She pushed further. The orange hue of heated bodies of all sizes gathered about half a mile ahead. “I see people, and fire.”
“It’s right where you said it would be.” Valens pointed. “There’s the air filtration tower.”
She lifted her chin at the large metal cylinder that rose up out of the ground toward the sky. “They’re right above the heating pipes. We need to go on foot.” Her hand raised then slowly lowered to signal the others.
They landed and walked through the sand toward what appeared to be a small village of
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