Page 21 of Chosen By the Alien King
Over Mosely’s computer, a delicate voice cleared her throat.“If I may make a suggestion?”
“What, Rain?”I’d invited her to listen in from my ship’s brig.Much as I hated to admit it, we needed her help since we basically had one shot at this.
And look at how well it was going?
“What if I turn out the lights in the bunker?”she asked.
Darc’s eyes widened.“You can do that?”
“I can try.That way, they won’t see any of you.”
“But we won’t see any of them either,” I countered.
“It’s almost eleven o’clock.They’ll be heading to sleep anyway.Plus…” She stayed quiet for a long moment, but I could hear her hesitancy loud and clear.
“What, Rain?”
“Well, Maxx, as I’m sure you’re aware, Nera won’t rest until Pete is safe.Her selflessness has always been a beacon of light in an often dark and lonely world.She’s so selfless that she’ll willingly sacrifice herself for anyone in that room you’re in.And Pete.If she makes a promise, she keeps it, and she made one to Pete.If anyone can get him out safely, she can.I know this for certain.Sending her in there increases the chances of getting Pete out alive by sixty-seven percent.It would be a smart thing to do to trust her with your life.”
Without a word, Darc lifted her hand toward me for a high five.
I obliged with a snort.“I don’t know about all that.Sixty-seven percent is still an F, but…”
I looked to Maxx, who closed his eyes briefly and shook his head.
“If we do this,” he began, his gaze imploring, “you stay close.No exceptions.”
I took his hand and squeezed.“I can handle that.”
Mosely and Darc were already arming themselves over their black Space Fleet uniforms, so I guessed that answered if they were going or not, but Miekil just sat there on the bed, looking tortured and forlorn.
“Even in shadow, you can still see my horns.”He pointed to the top of his head as though we’d never noticed the spiraled appendages before.“Plus, someone should stay here in case Pete comes back, but if you’re not back in fifteen minutes, I’m coming in for you.Horns and all, and the lights stay on.Let them see me come for my friends withallthis planet’s machetes in my hands.”
Mosely gave him an approving nod as he strapped knives across his barrel chest and then pocketed a second decrypter.“Miekil don’t play.”
Standing to his full height, Miekil nodded back.“Not with those I care about’s lives, I don’t.”
“A second wave is a good idea,” Maxx said to him and slapped him on the shoulder.“But we won’t need you.Sixty-seven percent improved odds with Nera is good enough for me.”
“Rain, cut the lights as close to eleven as you can.”I looked to everyone in the room.“We’re going in.”
“You got it, Captain,” Rain said.“Please bring the mics, earpieces, and flashlights with you for extra precaution.I’ll be rooting for you.”
I exchanged a quick look with Maxx as I headed for the bathroom to change, and I read the same question in his eyes as I likely had in mine.Would I even be going if it weren’t for Rain’s involvement in our conversation?Was that sixty-seven percent complete bullshit so she could try to win me over again by getting in my good graces?And most importantly—was she really going to help us or walk us straight into a trap?
My trust issues had trust issues, in case that wasn’t obvious.
When we were armed with guns and a shit ton of machetes and knives, most of us waved to Miekil—I hugged him, and my husband was completely okay with it—and set off for the bunker down the beach.
“Stay close,” Maxx whispered in my ear, sliding his arm around my waist.“The both of you.”
His warm breath danced tingles over my skin.I wished yet again we could have a normal wedding night, but for us, I supposed this was normal.
“Right by you always,” I replied, my pulse thrumming.
He smiled at that, and I scooted in closer to him, my clothes already chafing.I’d become too used to wearing silks and satins.It felt strange wearing the uniform of those we were trying to bring down, but it was necessary to blend in, especially in the dark.
We moved like shadows through the night until we came to the bunker in the sand.
