Page 3 of I Dated a Holiday Hero
“Understood. Can you send anyone for her?”
“I hate to say this, but the defenders are all on missions, and the ones local are off-com.”
“Fine. I will force some of them on com. She’s a full Aksallan citizen and the niece of the prefect. Family will get her if no one else will.”
Zera paused. “She does have a patron.”
“Only one?”
“Only one that she accepted. I can ask him if he can come.”
The ambassador glared at her. “Do that. I am contacting the prefect.”
The call went black. Zera called the matter manipulator, and he asked why Aksalla Fifty-Five had rejected the date. Zera cleared her throat. “She had family matters to attend, but now she has been taken by someone in Elwor.”
He paused. “You are joking.”
“No. Why?”
“I am on assignment there. Where is she?”
“At a base at the bottom of the hills. Near the Horin River.”
“I am twenty minutes away.”
“Bear in mind, she might be bait for you.”
“Understood. Is she injured?”
“There was blood and a strange gurgling noise, so yes.”
“Shit. Do you know why they wanted her?”
“She is a Z-Corp tech.”
“Ah. She has knowledge of mechanical systems?”
“She does.”
“Right. I will go looking for her. They are working on a tank and haven’t gotten it up and running yet.”
“Oh, that is right up her alley.”
“I will go to the base.”
Zera got the notice of a dozen Aksallan actives heading for Elwor “You will have Aksallan support in under an hour. Some heavy-hitters, two Ikan, one Ikir.”
“So, not just a tech.”
“No, not just a tech.” Zera sighed. “She has a lot of family. Dangerous family.”
“Fair enough. I will take care.”
“Good. They are only going to be careful with her. I will send you her identity. Do not disclose it anywhere.”
* * * *
Hever was propped upin a lab, making splints for her fingers and coughing up blood from her lung. They weren’t offering her any medical assistance or food or water. The ten-wheeled tank in front of her was a monster, and she flicked through the specs that they had given her.
