Syfi Warriors Page 26

  “James, no.” Emma grasped his arm. “Don’t leave me.”

  “They will attack us if I don’t do something. Now be a good girl and do as I said. Promise me, Emma.” He placed his free arm over hers. “Do as I ask. We don’t have time to argue.”

  Emma swallowed hard. Tears formed in her eyes but she nodded anyway. “Okay.”

  “I love you.” He didn’t wait for her to say anything. He pulled the rifle out from the seat and hopped out of the car. Shutting the door, he peeked back quickly; glad to see that Emma was climbing into the driver’s seat. Good girl, he thought.

  A few more car doors slammed. James turned around and blew out a breath. It looked like he was getting reinforcements. Several other armed men hopped out of their vehicles and made their way to him.

  Together they lined up. James put the butt of his rifle to his shoulder and aimed. “Fire at their heads.” He didn’t wait before he curled his finger around the trigger. His gun popped. He reloaded and took aim again. His first bullet had found its mark. Now there were only four aliens. Rounds of gunfire exploded around him. One more alien went down but the other three ducked to the ground and scurried into the thick brush of the field out of sight.

  James cursed under his breath. Where were they? He took a step forward.

  Something sprung out of the brush several feet away from him. James readied his weapon.

  “Stop! Don’t move!” a voice hissed. The voice echoed in his head.

  The rifle shook in his hand. His finger trembled around the trigger. He wanted to pull it but his mind and body didn’t want to cooperate. The same thing had happened to him earlier too. It was some type of mind control. Damn. He had to fight past it.

  James sucked in a deep breath and focused solely on his finger. The gun was already aimed at the alien. If he could get a shot off maybe it would break whatever hold it had over him. He gritted his teeth. He could do this. Just focus.

  Pain shot through his finger. How one little extremity could hurt so badly puzzled him but he pushed past it. He just had to get one shot off. Roaring, he snapped his finger around the trigger and pulled.

  The bullet hit the closest alien. It took a step back and screeched. He’d been right. The spell was broken. He lifted his gun and fired at the alien’s head. The bullet went in right between its red eyes. It stood there for a few seconds before it pitched face first onto the ground.

  “Don’t move!” Another alien growled at them. It took a step forward and then another making its way toward James.

  James tried to take a step back but his leaden feet wouldn’t move. The Imanji locked gazes with him and tilted its head to the side as if studying him. Not again. He clenched his jaw and focused on moving. Just one more shot… one more and then another. Then the aliens would be all gone. He could do it.

  The alien’s attention snapped away from him. It went to something over James’ shoulder.

  Seconds later he heard the squawking of a bird. Fire shot down around him. He stumbled backwards until his back collided with his truck. The remaining Imanjis shrieked as flames engulfed their bodies. They fell to the ground rolling and writhing across the dirt and grass until they finally ceased all movement.

  A bird shot toward them. Seconds before it touched the ground, Nova appeared landing nicely in a squatting position.

  “Are you okay?” she asked him before addressing the rest of the crowd. “Everyone all right?”

  A few of the men nodded like they weren’t really sure what to make of her. James let out a breath and took a few steps forward until he was embracing her. She was safe. They both were, at least for the moment.

  Nova squeezed him tightly for a second then pulled back. “We must keep moving. If the Imanji called for help before I damaged their ships then more will be on the way.”

  No one needed to be told twice. They hurried to their vehicles. James took Nova’s hand and led her to the truck, opening the passenger door for her before getting in on his side.

  “Nova! James!” Emma cried out. She hugged Nova first and then James. Now sandwiched between them in the front seat, she made no effort to move. He wasn’t going to complain. That had been a close call. It wouldn’t be so bad to have her up here with them where it was safe.

  James kissed Emma’s temple and then put the truck back in gear and floored the gas pedal. The truck lurched forward accelerating quickly. He glanced in his rearview mirror. Everyone was following. He said a silent prayer that they’d make it to the mines without further incident.

  Something jingled and a voice he didn’t recognize or understand spoke out. Nova pressed a spot on her suit and responded. He held his breath wishing he could pick up even the tiniest detail of what was being said.

  She turned to him and grinned. “Pull over.”

  “What? Why?” he asked as he did what she’d said.

  “They are sending transport ships to my location right now. We are getting out of here.” She smiled brightly and put her arm around Emma.

  “We are going to your ship? We are safe?” Emma asked burrowing into Nova’s side.

  Nova hugged Emma tighter and reached over the girl to squeeze James’ shoulder. “We are. There’s more, too. Your government is working with us. I don’t know the details but they are launching weapons that they think will destroy the Imanji fleet, including their mother ships. We might be able to save your planet.”

  “We must be launching nukes,” James said with a nod. Good. He hoped the plan worked.

  “What about Grandma and Grandpa? Can we find out if they’re safe?” Emma asked. “And my mom?”

  “I can see if they’ve been registered,” Nova said with a nod. “What are their names?”

  “Martha and Everett Beauregard and Amy Milton,” Emma said before James could answer.

  Nova pressed the button on her suit again and spoke rapidly. Several seconds later a voice responded.

  Nova drew in a deep breath and let it out and James knew he wasn’t going to like her answer. “The evacuations in New York have not been finished yet and the lists haven’t been updated. As of now Amy is not on there. Atlanta is a bit trickier. There are many people still trapped in Atlanta that my people have been unable to get to. There is a large mass of ships over the area and they have been attacking all the shuttles that try to enter the area. My people believe that Atlanta is one of the places they plan to penetrate the planet when they destroy it and that is why it is so heavily guarded.”

  “What about all those people?” Emma asked. “Grandma and Grandpa are there. James, we have to do something.” She turned from him to Nova and then back again.

  Nova shook her head. “If the plan to defeat the Imanji ships fails The Retribution is the only way to survive. If we don’t evacuate now there might not be another opportunity.”

  James drew in a deep breath and let it out. The decision was impossible. He wouldn’t drag Emma to Atlanta to look for his mom and dad, not when she could get to safety. However, if he went by himself, she’d be alone on a strange new world with no one to watch out for her if he was unable to make it off the planet.

  “The shuttles are here. We need to get everyone out of their vehicles and safely aboard.” Nova’s voice broke through his thoughts.

  It was also time for him to make a choice. One that he would have to live with. Did he go with Emma or did he look for his parents?

  Chapter 10

  “Hey,” Nova said putting her hand on James’ shoulder, “everyone is loaded up. We are just waiting for you.”

  “My parents are in Atlanta.”

  Nova licked her lips and moved so she was facing the same direction as him. “How far away is it?”

  “A few hours drive.”

  “I don’t want to tell you what to do,” Nova said with a shake of her head. “I can’t imagine what you must be thinking.”

  “Are they doing anything to help the people there?” James asked.

  “We’ve been focusing our efforts on r
escuing the people we can. I’m sorry.”

  “I understand. It’s standard protocol for our military, too. Rescue the ones you can first.”

  James patted her thigh. “It’s all right. You couldn’t have known.”

  Nova looked at the ground. She didn’t know what to say to him, what to tell him to do, but she could give him the facts. “There isn’t much time until the final attack commences. Even if you did make it into the city, there is no guarantee you’d have time to look for your family. It’s unlikely you would make it back to The Retribution before then and there is no guarantee the plan will or will not work. However, your parents are out there. There are reports of people that have gone to ground and sought shelter. They are making a stand as best they can against the Imanji, attacking before they get close enough to use their coercion. It’s possible your parents are with them, or even somewhere else in the city.”

  James pointed to the distance before them. “If I go out there I’m leaving Emma alone. New York’s a big city and there is no guarantee Amy is safe. Even if she is… I don’t know that she has it in her to be a mother. I love my sister, but she’s never had her priorities in the right place.”

  “I’ll help you take care of Emma, or I’ll go out to Atlanta with you to give you the best chance possible at finding them. The choice is yours.” The words came out easily without her even having to think about them. Both choices were noble. Either way she’d be helping people which is why she’d joined the military to begin with. If James went out there he would need all the help he could get against the Imanji, and maybe, just maybe they could save a few lives too.

  “I have to go with Emma.” James nodded. He took her hand and placed it to his lips. “She needs me, especially if the plan falls through. Like you said before, we have to save the ones we can.”

  Nova squeezed his hand, glad that he’d made that choice. Sure she would’ve followed him onto the battlefront but that little girl needed him. The citizens of Delphi were kind people. Some even adopted orphaned children, but if she had the chance to be with family that would always be the best.

  “Come on. We need to board before the shuttle leaves us behind.” She gave James’ hand a tug and pulled him toward the shuttle.

  He trudged behind her but kept glancing over his shoulder.

  “Come on,” Emma yelled from the door of the shuttle. She waved them on and Nova picked up the pace and thankfully so did James.

  Nova boarded first. She grasped Emma’s hand with her free one and then led both of them to the seats in the back. “Have a seat and buckle up.” She motioned to the two seats next to each other.

  “What about you?” Emma asked. She sat down and pulled the harness around her. She fiddled with the straps a moment and Nova bent down to help her.

  “Here, like this,” she said adjusting the harness so it fit snugly over the girl. “I’ll be all right standing. Besides should we come under attack I have to defend it.”

  “Are you a gunner?” James asked.

  “Our shuttles don’t have weapons on them. I am the weapon. The bay doors open and I jump out and turn into my phoenix.” She laughed at the look on both of their faces.

  “That’s why you had no problem jumping out of the truck,” James said after a minute.

  Nova’s grin widened. That had been a lot scarier. The truck was much closer to the ground. A second too long to shift and she would have gone splat on the concrete instead.

  James adjusted his harness and then took her wrist into his hand. “Promise me you’ll be careful if you have to go out there.”

  “I will be. I have to stand by the shuttle doors. I’ll see you on The Retribution.” She patted his hand and let it go when the shuttle rumbled beneath her feet. They were taking off. She made her way to the center of the shuttle and grabbed ahold of the overhead bar. The last time she’d been aboard a shuttle it had been attacked and destroyed. She hoped this time went a lot more smoothly.

  James clasped the handles on his harness tightly as the shuttle bumped and hissed before finally coming to a halt. A voice spoke over the intercom in English but with a severe accent.

  “Welcome aboard The Retribution. Please disembark and follow the line to our processing center. We will get you processed as quickly as possible and to our main hangar bay where you will find plenty of food, medicine, and beds.” The voice cut out and then repeated the same message.

  “Looks like we are here,” James said. He unfastened his belt first and then helped Emma with hers. He stood up and pulled his niece close. “Keep hold of my hand and don’t let go, okay?”

  Emma nodded, her wide eyes searching the crowded shuttle. Some of the people he recognized from town, others were complete strangers probably refuges picked up from somewhere else.

  They filed off the shuttle. James searched for Nova but people crowded around them, some from their shuttle and some from several other shuttles that appeared to have just docked.

  “James, Emma,” Nova called. Someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. He spun around and smiled when he met Nova’s face. She grasped a hold of him and led both him and Emma to the side of the crowd. “I can’t talk long. Our shuttles and operators have taken a serious hit. I have to go back out and help with the search for more survivors. Get processed and wait for me in there. I’ll come find you as soon as I can.”

  James swallowed hard. He didn’t like it. It was one thing when he was going out to battle but to see her off was something else entirely. He now had an idea of how his mother must have felt every time he left home. It sucked.

  “Be careful.” Before she could say anything he pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips collided and she gasped at the contact. He swooped his tongue in to taste her for a brief second before finally pulling away. “Come back to us.”

  She smoothed a hand down his cheek. “I plan to.” She planted one more chaste kiss to his lips and then spun away disappearing into the crowd.

  “Will she be all right?” Emma asked.

  “I hope so.” He tried to pick her out from the crowd but she’d completely disappeared. One of the shuttle’s doors were already closing and he wondered if she’d already boarded and was on her way back out again. How long would he have to wait before he knew she was okay? At least there was the task of getting himself and Emma processed, showered, and eating to keep him busy.

  Nova hurried through the bustling halls to the cargo bay where all the refugees were being held. She’d heard the number of people here had put them to near capacity and a few more shuttles were making last minute approaches.

  The attack was about to commence. Her belly did somersaults as she made her way down the halls. Would the humans’ plan work? Would they be homeless and on their way to Delphi as refugees?

  In less than an hour they’d find out. She sucked in a breath and let it out. If she was this nervous she could only imagine how James and Emma felt. She rounded the corner and stopped just short of the doors. The sliding doors were open and people had crowded out into the hall. Some sat down with blankets and trays of food. Others just mulled around looking lost.

  Inside she could see more people than she could count. How was she ever going to find James and Emma? She chewed on her lower lip.

  “Nova? Everything okay?”

  Nova spun around at the familiar voice.

  She smiled at one of her commanding officers, Orion Livstik. He was Maddox’s younger brother and one of the most brilliant science officers Delphi had. “Hi, yeah. I was hoping to find a few friends I made while on the ground.”

  Orion offered her a grim smile. “I was hoping to connect with a young woman I’ve been speaking to before we prepare for our final battle. She’s been very helpful with teaching me about human culture and I had hoped to offer her some kind words of encouragement and to give her news on her friend. I was unable to locate her though. It’s kind of crazy in there. If we get underway to Delphi we’ll settle everyone in somewhere, but until then I’m not sure h
ow much luck you’ll have finding anyone.”

  She replayed his words in her mind. “If? Do you think this plan will work? Can we really save their planet?” she asked hopeful.

  “I’ve looked over the specs. I’m hopeful, but there are no guarantees.”

  “Let’s hope it works.”

  Orion bowed his head. “Yes. If you’ll excuse me there are some last minute preparations I must attend to. You’ll want to get to a secure location in the next few minutes. There is going to be some turbulence. We will be entering the planet’s atmosphere.”

  “I’ll be sure to do that.” She smoothed a hand over her hair as Orion walked away. Her gaze went back to the crowded room. James and Emma were in there somewhere. She had to find them, she’d promised to let them know she was well. Plus it’d be nice to have someone to be with while the fate of the world was determined.

  She trudged forward until she was standing in the opening of the room. People littered the tables, floors, and cots. Some of them milled around in the crowd, others sat huddled together like they were seeking comfort. How in the world was she going to find them? It would take her much too long to walk around.

  Nova chewed on her lower lip, once again glancing around for them. They could be anywhere. One of her comrades had even said he thought there were more people in another compartment. They might not even be in here.

  The lights on the ship flickered and turned to red. It was time for them to make their final attack. She took a step back. Just when she was about to turn on her heel, Emma and James emerged from behind a few people who were standing by the tables.

  “James, Emma!” She waved to them wildly.

  Emma saw her first. The girl tugged on her uncle’s hand and then sprinted to Nova. Emma threw herself at Nova hard enough to make her stumble backwards.