Whisper & Fury: Eydulan Series Book 1 (2 page)

“Fire!” Kat screams, straining her voice and pulling the trigger. The big man takes a step backward, not ready for a counterattack. Kat braced herself for ear ringing shots, but only heard wisps of air and grunts of pain. Each shot was a tiny sliver of metal, two in the chest, and one in each leg. He limps back behind the corner, giving Kat a moment to breath. She props herself up against the door, clenching her leg.

“Better late than never huh Whisper?” Kat says breathing heavily.

“I was perfectly on time, you're still alive aren't you?”

“Cutting it a little close.”

“Yes, well, that is another matter entirely.”

“You know you could just say you're sorry.”

The man coughs, “What are you mumbling about over there?”

“None of your business, and I thought you weren't talking to me anymore.”

“I can’t give you any more warnings, but we can talk. We're lucky though, you almost hit my heart. That would have been bad for the two of us.”

“What do you mean bad for the two of us, that doesn’t make any sense. If you die, then I could get the hell off this space station.”

“Come on Katrice, you should know Mallory better than that. Do you really think I was here of my own free will. He surgically implanted a bomb next to my heart after a mission where I needed surgery. If my heart stops beating, the bomb goes off. Which would take half the space station with it.”

“He’s a cold hearted bastard sure, but never did anything like that when I was around.”

“Are you defending him now? He did the same thing into you, just in your new limbs.”

Kat takes in a sharp breath. Her prosthetics had been forced on her, and she had been trying to ignore the fact she had them, but that just made them all the more real. She scratches her leg, wanting to feel her nails dig into her skin. Even knowing the feeling was artificial, it settled her thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“Like I said, when you got your new arms and leg they put a bomb in each. Maybe one in your head too, I wasn't in his good graces at that point. So I only have what some of the other medical techs who were there said.”

Kat says softly, “Whisper, can you check to see if he is telling the truth?”

“I might be able to if I use my nanites to search your cybernetics. I've never done that before though.”

“Do it and hurry, because I don't think he's lying.”

Muscles says, “That mumbling that you’re doing over there. Your talking to Whisper aren't you?”

“I just like to mumble to myself, it's a nervous habit.”

“It's ok, you don't have to tell me. I know you're already paired to her, and I know you came here for Fury. Mallory wants the project scrapped so he can restart it, but since your exit with Whisper. Let's just say there wasn't much left to start over with. But you already knew that.”

Whisper says, “Kat, not to alarm you, but we have a slight problem here. There are two heavy yield explosives in you.”

“How big we taking here?”

“Enough to begin a planet cracking job twice over. With what you have in you, it will take a chunk out of the moon this station is orbiting.”

“Ok. Not good. So what do we do, because I can't disarm them.”

“We can just disarm you, and throw them out the airlock.”

“This isn't the time for jokes.”

“This is the perfect time for jokes. It will help diffuse the situation, and keep us cool headed so we don't blow a gasket.”

“Wow. Seriously.”

Whisper sighs, “You and your primitive monkey brain have no sense of humor, you know that.”

Kat clenches her jaw tight speaking through her teeth, “Can you disarm the explosives, or not?”

“Yes, yes. Give me a few minutes, but I won't be able to be used as a weapon while doing this. I'm not used to surgically diffusing an explosive that can crack a planet in two. Just keep him talking.”

“Great, just great.” Kat rubs at her forehead. “Hey Muscles, what’s your name?”

Two years ago

“Katrice, I guess the doctor cleared you, and are you ready for the trip?” Says a male voice over the noise of the launch pad.

“Mallory!” Kat runs over to an average sized man, kissing him deeply on the lips. “I didn’t know you were going to see me off like this.”

“Well, I know how you get about these things. It wouldn’t be proper to send you off on this mission without saying goodbye first.”

“You do always know how to surprise a woman don’t you.” Smiling, she reaches up tidying his thick black hair, running her fingers through the soft and silky strands. “And yes the doctor said that I was as fit as a human can be. The only way I could perform better would be to get some cybernetics installed, but you know how I feel about that. So, what ever will you do without me around?”

Mallory nods giving her a little smirk, “I have some plans, nothing to dangerous mind you. I have Zane and Garvan working for me on security as we speak.” He points at the two men in matching black suits near the doors to the control room. “They will be my new number one and two while you’re gone.”

“Gravan, which one is that again? I did so many checks on substitutes I lost track.”

“He was another Empire soldier, like you, different special forces unit. After the rebellion lost and everything calmed down, he went into mercenary work because he needed closure. At least that’s what your psyche evaluation says.”

“Oh. That one. His whole bloodline got slaughtered by the rebels, just to send a message. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, it was crazy. It came from somewhere in rebel command from what he found out. So he’s hunting them. He normally asks for payment in the form of information, which is why him applying for this is outside of his MO.” She looks up to him, with a steeled gaze. “I also remember recommending you pass on him because he’s dangerous and unstable.”

“I went against your recommendation to not hire him, because of all that.” He pulls her in close, so that he can whisper, “He might know that I am one of those former rebel leaders, and I need to keep him close to see what he knows. I never ordered any type of hit on the man’s family I can think of, but I have an idea of who did. Something to keep in my back pocket and him on a string, if I need it.”

Kat frowns. “One thing working in your favor, since you are clearly not going to listen to me, is that he is extremely devoted to his family. If you can make him feel that way, he might share that devotion with you. I can only imagine what he would be capable of if he had a wife or child, and the depths he would go to protect them, or avenge them.
Scary
.”

“I will keep that in mind, and you Kitty Kat are on a schedule. I should let you get back to it.”

“I am the captain, so I make my own schedule. Please be careful with everything, I want my boyfriend in one piece to come back to.”

He wraps his arms tightly around her, “Then don’t play it so safe. Find those plans we need and hurry back.” He kisses her, sliding his hands around her butt, squeezing deeply a few times.

She slaps his chest playfully, “Stop that, not in front of my crew. Remember I am still the Chief of Security around here, and those substitutes are only that, till I get back.”

“Well then, Mrs. Chief of Security, I will leave you to it. Have a safe trip.”

“Thanks, I’ll check in at each space station we reach, like usual.” Kat leans in for one last kiss. She turns to walk down the bridge connecting the space ship to the launch pad. Waving goodbye with her fingers. “Talk to you soon.”

One year ago

“Captain, where are we going now?”

The crew of five turn to look at Katrice, worry showing on each of their faces. It has been a year since they started looking, following the trail. At each stop, the same story. Pieces of lab equipment used for AI research, and days’ worth of decoding data to get the next bread crumb. All to start over again at the next place.

“Where the plans are, that is where we are headed.” Kat says firmly. “I know this has felt like a wild goose chase, but this is our mission. We hit Apollo Prime’s research lab, and nothing was there, as if it hadn’t been used in years. Then Sterling II’s moon base, then Alpha Centraus, and now we are headed to Bexar Omega.” She rubs her forehead with a deep sigh. “This was supposed to be a quick trip, two weeks tops. So can anyone explain to me why our information has been so poor?”

A woman behind the helm answers, “If you ask me, they all seem to be planted. Almost like the project doesn’t exist or the people that were listed as working on it are just decoys.”

“You may be right. Davis?”

“Yes Captain.”

“I’m putting you in charge of the ship and crew. I have a hunch that someone is trying to lead us away from the prize. I have a friend with a shuttle service out of Bexar Omega, and he owes me a favor. Resupply the ship and get it to the third moon to check out the information we have there.”

“What are you going to do Captain?”

“Me? I’m going to go back to Apollo Prime, the whole two weeks we were there…, I had this nervous tick. Like we missed something entirely. If they think we are going on as planned, they won’t notice one person missing. I have a plan to get me off the ship without being noticed. Then when you don’t find anything, just report back to my private line and leave a message on where the search leads you next. I’ll meet you there.”

“Aye aye Captain.”

Present

“Gravan!? As in Gravan Veridge?”

“You reviewed my work I take it?”

“I knew you were trouble when you applied.” Kat sighs, thinking back to the day she left Mallory’s side. How he was there in the background, watching over the two of them. She wonders if he knew something like this would happen.

“Do you know why I do what I do?” He asks, breaking the silence.

“Revenge.”

“Wrong. It started out that way, but the longer that I searched, the more I realized that it was more. It was to avenge those who can't do it themselves. Which starts with my family.”

“Well isn't that noble. You should really apply for an award or two.”

“I know what I want won't bring my family back. If I can bring the people down who orchestrated the rebellion, I might prevent others from going through the same as I have. Not to mention I might be able to have a little piece knowing they didn't get away with killing all those people for nothing.”

Kat thinks about his explanation, and it sounds a lot like hers. She wants to bring those in the rebellion down, preventing them from regrouping, and killing more people. It was never a question of justice for her, it was vengeance. Looking down at her leg, exposed metal around fake skin reminds her what her quest for vengeance has given her.

She shakes her head, and says, “I want what you want, and that's crazy.”

“You want Mallory dead, and to steal forbidden technology for yourself. I would hardly call that the same.”

“So he’s kept the truth from you still, well that's the Mallory I know and loath.”

“A woman scorned huh?”

“What? No, I want him dead because he's the leader of the rebellion. ‘The’ leader, as in the guy who pulled all the strings and no one knows about leader.”

The metal sound of the blaster hitting the floor rings out, “You can't be serious.” Gravan says with a quiver in his voice.

“Oh yea, I’m telling the truth. I spent two years getting close to him and another six months sleeping with that bastard before I got enough on him to confirm it all. I would love to have those memories erased, but I can't. I did what I had to, he wouldn’t have opened up like he did if I didn’t.” The memories of her fake romance with Mallory send a shiver down her spine. It was another part of her past she desperately wanted to forget. She takes a deep breath and continues. “Which if he found out why I was really there, would explain why he wants me dead.”

Ten Years ago

Kat runs down the hallway of HQ toward the generals room. She flings the door open rushing into the room, “General, we have to get you to a secure location now.”

“What’s the meaning of this Private?”

“I apologize for the intrusion sir, but I have intercepted a message from the rebels saying that Colonel Bojack is coming to assassinate you, sir.”

“Bojack…,” the General takes a long hard look at her. “I don’t take death threats lightly Private…?”

“Private Wylde sir.”

“Wylde, Katrice Wylde.”

“Yes sir.”

“Hmm.” He nods. “And you’re sure about this message. There is no chance that you messed up the translation?”

“No sir, I would stake my career and life on it sir.”

“You just might have to.” He motions to her to come closer. “There is a hidden room behind that picture over there. I want your weapon drawn and at his head when he comes in. If he makes a move, take the shot.” Reaching under his desk, he presses a button. A door slides open on the wall the picture is on. Kat nods and walks into the room. She gets ready to draw her weapon and waits as the door closes behind her.

A moment passes by that feels like hours. The palms of her hands feel clammy, flexing her fingers around the grip, still in it holster. She watches as the door opens to a man with perfectly groomed hair. He had allowed the gray to be shown prominently through his sculpted mane. He and the General make small talk. Some about how they were doing, how the efforts to quell the rebellion are going, and about their families.

“Ken, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“Colonel, I take it you mean on a personal level since you are dismissing formalities.”

“Ha ha, yes on a personal level. You always have been a stickler for formality Uncle.”

“Well then, out with it boy.”

“My wife, Bonnie.”

“Yes.”

“She’s been a little depressed recently, and it took me a few days to get the reason out of her.”

“Are you here for some marriage advice, you know I am not the one for that.”

“I know Uncle, but that isn’t it. Her brother got kidnaped by the rebels, and they have been sending videos of him being tortured to the family. She didn’t want to bring it up to me until they didn’t’ have any other option.”