Grai's Game (First Wave) (14 page)

Although gunfire was not an issue in this part of the world, Grai wanted the battle, and he didn’t want it to be over too quickly. He had his own message for Dagog, and a quick bullet impregnated with salt wouldn’t assuage the full-blown rage he felt over what had been done to those people.

Apparently,
the others agreed as not one of them drew a gun or rifle, all of them choosing their bladed weapons to fight.

Grai growled low in his throat as he heard the enemy getting closer to them, closing in quickly on their location. It told Grai that they had never been too far away from the village and had expected them to come sooner or later to investigate either the disappearance of Bratan or the events that occurred in the village.

Grai didn’t have any more time to think about it as the first dark one emerged from the surrounding trees and immediately headed towards him and Gibly.

With a cry of rage, Grai ran to meet the dark one, his blades flashing expertly as he launched a violent attack that left the dark body hacked up on the ground at his feet before he moved on to another one that was driving back one of his beast bonded female hybrids.

With the memory of the innocents in the village in the back of their minds, the teams held nothing back as they took on the small force of ten dark ones that had emerged from the trees.

Even Gibly made sure to make an impression as he attached himself to the head of a dark one, his sharp claws blinding and tearing at its face until it could no longer see where it was going or where the enemy was any more. Which didn’t matter since one of the others finished it off while Gibly headed to another dark one to blind.

Outnumbered and unable to deal with so many enraged beast bonded warriors, the dark ones quickly fell, leaving nothing more than their bleeding bodies to litter the area.

With his rage still coursing through him and no one left to kill to ease it; Grai roared out his anger to the silent trees around him.

“Is that all you have Brother? Is that it?” Grai roared in rage, knowing his brother was probably watching… listening.

“Women and children? You never could act like a real man; you always hid behind others and harmed only those you knew you could beat! You are a coward! A useless bastard! Come fight me yourself, you bastard! Come to me!!” Grai roared as he stomped around the area, kicking the fallen bodies of the dark ones with the force of his pent-up fury.

“Get out of there!” Ivint screamed into the comm, hoping that Dagog wouldn’t send in more reinforcements and overwhelm the teams.

Grai was furious and beyond paying attention as he continued to rage at his unseen brother. “Bring it to
me, you bastard! Not the innocent and women and children! I’ll give you the damn fight you want you fucking piece of shit!” He stomped around replaying the image of the women and children hanging in the hut in his mind, fueling his anger even more.

No one in the area doubted that the rage he felt was real, everyone could feel it, the impact like a sledgehammer to the chest. And no one could blame him for it. They felt it as well. The images in the village something that would haunt them all until their last breath.

“Stop it! We need to get out of here. Now!” Balduen said, shaking Grai by the shoulders as he tried to break through the haze of anger that was overwhelming the man.

Balduen watched as Grai’s eyes cleared slightly and pushed harder to get through to him. “We have mates and children to return to and plans to make to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Let’s get our people home safe.”

That snapped Grai out of his anger quickly. Looking around at the assembled group that was now staring at him, Grai felt stupid and ashamed for losing control. And even worse he should have been thinking of their safety first and not his own anger; he thought.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost control like that. We need to destroy the bodies and move to our extraction point.” Grai said to everyone through the Shengari’, running a hand through his hair in frustration at himself.”

“Don’t apologize, you only expressed what all of us are feeling.” Dread assured Grai, squeezing his shoulder in sympathy. Everyone knew that finding those women and children murdered in the same way as his mother had to have ripped his heart out. No one blamed him for his reaction, if anything they agreed with it. However, now they needed to get the hell out of there.

Grai nodded his thanks to Balduen and Dread while the others destroyed the bodies of the dark ones. Squatting down, he closely inspected Gibly for any injuries, rifling through his soft fur to make sure the blood on his coat was not his own.

“I am fine. Gibly too fast for the stupid dark things.” Gibly said proudly, swishing his tail around Grai’s legs and purring.

Grai couldn’t help
but smile at the fierce little cat. He had certainly earned the right to be proud since he had been able to blind three out of ten of the dark ones, making it easy to finish them off.

“Yes, you were much faster and a lot
more fierce than they were Gibly. I am certainly glad that I call you friend, as I would hate to be your enemy.” Grai said, giving the cat a smile and some well-deserved pets and scratches in all the places he’d found that Gibly loved.

Grai gave him one last pat before standing and turning to their people. “Let’s go home.” When everyone nodded, they re-formed their teams and headed back out to their different extraction points.

Listening on the Shengari’, Grai kept up with how the other teams were progressing, while he led his own back out the way, they had come in.

Hours later, when they finally arrived at the transport craft, Grai was exhausted. The heat, rage, physical activity and lack of sleep finally taking its toll on him.

After making sure his team was secured in the craft, and they were airborne, he allowed himself to sleep.

After what seemed like only minutes, but were actually two hours, Grai was lightly shaken awake.

“We home!” Gibly shouted, strutting to the door of the craft as it opened.

Nodding his thanks at being awakened, Grai hurried out of the craft to make sure the others had also returned safely. He saw their transports as he checked the Shengari’ to make sure nothing had happened to anyone while he’d been sleeping.

After finding out that all was well, he inquired about his mate and child and finding that they had gone to sleep hours ago, he headed to the command center on the Beta level where Ivint and Reven were waiting.

News had obviously traveled fast because everyone he passed gave a silent nod or said ‘sorry’, their faces filled with sadness for the loss of so many. His people, most
of them driven to the point of extinction themselves, could well understand what it was like to be on the end of a Relian massacre, and they felt deep sorrow for the humans. And their leader, who always felt personally responsible for every harm done by any Relian. 

Entering the command center, Grai noted that Ivint, Reven, the Tezarian’s and Balduen were already seated around the table.
Cristali, Lagor, Traze and Risk were at the control center on the other side of the room.

The air was thick with sadness
and lingering anger, but the strongest emotion he could feel was determination. For that he was grateful. Because he was determined to destroy Dagog and the empire. And he would need their help to do it.

Grai walked over to Traze and put his hand on his shoulder until his brother raised heart-broken eyes up to him. The pain Grai saw reflected tore at him. Uncaring who was watching, he pulled his brother into his arms and hugged him tight.

“Go to bed. You don’t need to be here.” Grai whispered hoarsely.

Traze gave Grai a squeeze before pulling away from him
, his shoulders straightening, the sad look on his face replaced by one of fierce resolve.

“No, I do need to be here. It’s about time I was here.
To take my place beside you and Koda… and them.” Traze said nodding to Ivint. “Like mother wanted.”

Not for the first time, Grai noticed how mature his baby brother had become. As much as he hated it, he knew it was time to let his brother find and fulfill his own destiny. If Traze felt that destiny lay within this fight, then he could not stand in his way.

Nodding his head to Traze as a sign of respect, he gave Traze a half smile before turning and walking to the others at the table, who were pretending like they hadn’t seen the exchange that had just taken place with his brother. Well, everyone except Ivint who was blatantly watching and smiling.

Grai sat heavily in the empty chair beside Ivint and turned his attention to the High Councilor.

“From what we were able to witness from the fighting that took place, Dagog has definitely found a way to command the creatures. The first one was not the only one to single you out for attack Grai. It was obvious you were their only target.” Ivint began, nodding at Cristali, who began playing back the battle near the village on a screen on the table.

All eyes were glued to the images as they watched not one but seven of the ten dark ones try to get to Grai. The seven made no attempt to defend themselves from the other team
members’ attacks, their sole objective being to get to Grai. The three that Gibly had blinded had been out of that seven. He was definitely getting that cat some of his favorite caramel ice cream for that, Grai thought with a smile.

“Damn if we don’t need a hundred more just like
him.” Grai thought aloud.

“N
o, you need the fifty two that come next ship!” Gibly said jumping on the top of the table, walking over to Grai and nuzzling his hand with affection.

Chapter Thirteen

Ivint and Grai looked at each other and asked at the same time. “What”?

“I smell them. So my people can smell them. We can hunt and find the dark things. My leader asks that more of my people be allowed to come and help.” Gibly said proudly, moving to stand in front of Ivint, his green eyes glittering with happiness.

Ivint couldn’t hide his surprise. He had no idea that Gibly could still communicate with his people at such distances, much less that he had spoken to his leaders about the dark ones. Ivint looked at Grai, who looked just as amazed.

“Gibly…” Ivint began but never got
a chance to finish what he was going to say.

“What do you mean you smelled them, Gibly? Was that the strange scent you picked up
, on our way to the village?” Grai asked curiously, wondering if the dark ones did have a smell that even the heightened beast senses could not scent.

Balduen, Dread and Viper all turned to Gibly, also curious if he could scent the dark ones.

“Yes. They smell bad like the dead bodies… but different. That why I didn’t know it was them until we left.” Gibly said nodding his head slightly at Grai, his intelligent green eyes twinkling.

“I didn’t smell a thing.” Balduen said, stunned that Gibly could scent them. That was big for them.

“Neither did I.” Dread admitted while Viper just shook his head that he hadn’t either.

“Nor I. Other than the normal scents of foliage, animals… and the village, I detected nothing. How is that?” Grai asked Dread, hoping that as the only beast expert among them that he would have an answer.

“I do not know why. It can’t be a problem with our senses since they work very well in every other instance but this one. It has to be something that we are incapable of scenting. As unusual and rare as that is.” Dread said, shaking his head at the questions running through his own mind as to why they couldn’t smell them.

“We can see them and kill them
when they attack…, but Gibly can find them.” Balduen said unnecessarily since everyone else was thinking the same thing.

“You know damn well that bastard will do this again. We need to be able to get there quicker and find them faster. Before…” Traze paused for a moment then chose
not to finish that sentence.

“Traze and I have set up a program to run through the internet daily.
Actually, thousands of times daily.” Risk said with a grin before clearing his throat and continuing.

“We’ve set it up to be keyword driven so anytime a story
or anything else is posted anywhere on the Internet that resembles another dark one or Relian attack it will notify the control center, where the incoming information can be reviewed by whoever is manning the center.”

“If they read it or see it and think it needs looking into they can send it to the team leader comm’s with the press of one key.” Risk said, grinning hugely with pride while Traze blushed and pretended to look at something interesting on the top of his shoe.

“That’s pretty impressive and very carefully thought out. I think it’s great.” Dread encouraged, sensing that Ivint was not happy at this strange turn of events, and he really needed Ivint to agree with Gibly, for his own reasons.

“Damn good job guys. It’d be a lot more helpful if we could finally go on a full offensive…” Grai said, letting his voice trail off, hoping to help Dread sway the High Councilor into seeing the benefits of allowing Gibly’s people to come.

“So Gibly people come on next ship?” Gibly asked Ivint, swishing his whiskers adorably.

“Gibly, I think we need to consider this a little more before making a rash decision.” Ivint said gently, not convinced that the intelligent creatures should be put in such danger if there were other ways to handle this.

“Why we wait for my people when his people already come?” Gibly asked Ivint, his tail poofing out in a fit of temper as he nodded to Dread.

Ivint looked immediately to Dread. “What?”

Clearing his throat, Dread looked down at the table before looking back to meet Ivint’s eyes. “When we were faced with the dark ones the first time, I sent the information along to my people to see if anyone had ever encountered such a being before.”

“When they realized the extent of the situation on the planet, some of them decided to come and lend a hand. I assumed the assistance would be appreciated and did not discourage them.” Dread said, before dropping his eyes from Ivint’s steely blue ones.

“By the One! We can barely keep the people we have safe and protected, and you want to bring more before we even know the full situation here! Have you noticed that we are hiding in a cave? Have none of you thought this through?” Ivint asked, staring pointedly at Dread who he thought should have known better than Gibly. Which angered Dread, just enough for him to forget who he was speaking to.

“I thought it through the
moment; I heard a message about Balduen and his mate and didn’t ignore it. I thought it through when we came down here to find them. I thought it through again when we met Grai and his people and trusted him enough to come down to this cave that has done a damn good job of keeping us safe.”

“And I thought it through when we saw the people in that village. Those children
who were little more than babies with their lives erased in a way no living being should go through. And I thought of the millions of other humans that can suffer the same fate at the whims of a madman!”

“As a Tezarian, I am
honor-bound to assist other members of the beast species. And the last time I checked, you were only the latest addition to that list. Before you were Grai and his people. If you do not want our assistance, then I offer it to Grai and his people!” Dread said standing up in anger, causing Reven to stand ready to defend Ivint if necessary. Unfortunately, that caused the whole table to stand, each person quietly taking sides in case a fight truly erupted.

Ivint looked around the room at the angry faces. He wasn’t foolish enough to think that they were all angry at Dread. He knew he had crossed a line without intending to.
He had offended their pride, their sense of justice, and he had no right to do so.

“Stand down.” Ivint said gently to Reven as he sat back down in his own chair.
Grai and Banatar were the only other ones to follow his lead and sat back down as well.

“I apologize. To all of you. There was no excuse for what I said. I honestly did not mean to offend any of you. I’m merely concerned that with the additional personnel and nowhere to put them that it would increase the danger to all.”

“Gibly, I am truly honored that your people would even consider assisting us, so far from your home, in a fight that is not your own. I will notify Valendra immediately that they are to await the arrival of your people at the port before leaving for Earth.” Ivint said nodding in respect to Gibly, who did the same, including a little bow before sitting back down on the table. His tail no longer looked like he played with a high-voltage light socket.

“Dreadhawk, I am
truly sorry for any offense. I… we are indebted to you and your brothers for coming and helping us. Not only, with Balduen and Dare but in the rediscovery of our beasts. We would be honored to welcome your people. Please forgive me.” Ivint said nodding in respect to Dreadhawk and Viper, who sat back down. Balduen, Risk and Traze finally retook their seats as well.

Grai cleared his throat
to end the silent staring contest everyone was participating in as their tempers cooled. Ivint was understandably upset, but Grai was thrilled with the help, the Tezarian’s and the Sibiox could provide for all of their people.

“I and my people can’t thank you enough, all of you, for your trust and your help. It is much more than we had ever hoped to earn.” Grai said, bowing slightly to everyone at the table.

“We have a lot more options than this place for our people. We came here because it was close, we had a port to it in the warehouse, and it was the safest place we could have gone on such short notice.”

“Between our factories, research and development companies, hell all our companies, we can employ everyone alongside our people. Strength in numbers. And we can expand into other areas where we know Dagog has a heavy presence.”

“The more locations we have, the easier it will be to prevent what we saw today from happening to any more humans. Or our own. We have in upwards of thousands more hybrids and gifted that need to be found and protected before Dagog finds them. And reunited with their families.” Grai said looking to Ivint.

Ivint couldn’t help but smirk at Grai’s speech. The man was a good leader. He could
tell, by the way, everyone in the room, including Reven looked at him hopefully that what he had said had stirred them. And they were waiting for him to give his approval.

Just like his son, he had ignored protocol and not spoken to the council about half of what they had done on the planet in the last few weeks. Hell they still didn’t even know about
Grai, and that they were currently housed with the ex-heir to the Relian Empire.

Yeah that was going to go over wonderfully
, he thought to himself. He would leave those thoughts for later. Right now, his people needed the warrior and strategist in him, not the High Councilor.

“What is your plan?” Ivint asked Grai, knowing damn well the intelligent leader had a plan. The young warrior had plans for plans and more plans if what he had already seen was any indication.

Grai just grinned and nodded to Cristali. Everyone turned their attention to the new map being displayed on the table-top screen.

“We do what we’ve been doing for the last few hundred years to hide from Banatar and the others. We hide in plain sight.” Grai said to the room, grinning at their puzzled expressions before explaining.

“We have lived, worked beside you and built multi-national businesses all without your knowledge. Or the knowledge of my father and brother.”

“I propose we continue to do so, on a larger scale. The new arrivals will help.” Grai said nodding to Gibly and Dread with a smile, while Banatar leaned closer to the table top.

“I have to
admit; he has a good point. We had no idea that they were so close to us. We honestly never expected them to knock on our front door. What is this place?” Banatar admitted, curious what the satellite image was about.

“That is Dillon, Texas. It’s a small community in the north- west part of the state. Population…” Grai paused turning to look at Traze.

“Twelve hundred and twelve.” Traze said looking at his comm.

“Four people more than the last time we checked.” Grai said with a smile.

“What does this town have to do with us?” Ivint asked, pretty sure he knew where this was going.

“As of one year ago, we own it. The town was going under because the steel
mills, and manufacturing companies folded under regulations instituted by the government under the direction of my father.” Grai said with disgust.

“The intentional destruction of the world economies to incite chaos is one of their primary
goals; they have killed towns like this one around the world. It’s all about control, leave everyone relying on the governments while they are collapsed from within.”

“Without direction and strong leadership, the people descend into in-fighting. It makes it easier for them when most of the population kill each other. Then all they have to do is pick off the survivors or enslave them.” Traze added, unable to keep the edge of anger out of his voice.

“We bought this one and we’ve been rebuilding and restoring the old mills and manufacturing facilities to produce our own weapons, headgear and armor. We’ve gained the trust of the locals through employing them to do the renovations and have already given them contracts for continued employment when we open the facilities.” Grai said, looking around the table to see the blank stares. They still didn’t get it; Grai thought.

“When I say we bought the town, I mean we bought the town. Vacant houses,
grocery stores, repair shops… everything. It has a fully sustainable living, farming and working area for a population of at least ten thousand.”

“People just need to arrive and choose their jobs and homes. The mountainous terrain that surrounds the town and the single highway that runs through it, make it difficult to come upon the town
accidentally, so we can easily set up a protective perimeter.” Grai added pointing to the mountains that ringed the town and the only road going in or out.

“That be easy for my people to patrol. Lots of trees for us.” Gibly said
with a twirl of whiskers.

“We could easily set up the scramblers here, here and here to prevent Relian scanners from detecting us.” Lagor interjected, pointing to different locations around the town.

“The terrain gives us the ability to better defend ourselves if ever discovered. It’s far enough away from other populated areas that we could easily have a mini war before anyone would know.”

“The townspeople know that we manufacture for military use and have all signed non-disclosure agreements and are expecting periodic testing of new weapons, so
weapon's fire would not concern them too greatly.”