Autonomy: Book 2 in the Invasion Day series (6 page)

The fake newlyweds then both made the effort to chat with some of the other attendees while they waited for the gathering to disperse, and Kyra began making mental notes of names and home locations of those they spoke with. It was a strange experience chatting to seemingly loyal, normal people, who deep down seemed intent on the ultimate demise of the Thrakorian reign, and Kyra had to keep reminding herself that her betrayal was a lie. Her heart was still mending after her strange few hours with Thrayke and Kronus in such close and intense proximity, but she knew that no matter what, she would always remain loyal to them. It didn’t matter if at times her allegiance faltered; she truly believed that she’d always go back to what she trusted in, or rather whom. The innocent child within was still holding onto the hand of that soldier who’d saved her on Invasion Day, and she was starting to realize she always would.

Before too long, Tuka and the other man headed back through the crowd giving out small devices while explaining what they were to each of their new spies. She and Gage were one of the last to be given theirs, and Tuka took his time explaining how to use the small device, which Kyra recognized immediately as a primitive cellphone handset with which they could contact the rebels.

“Speed-dial one, and a voicemail system will answer. You simply need to state your name for recognition purposes, and you’ll be called back within a few minutes. Only call when you have solid information you can give us, or have something to offer. We need to know you’re committed to working for our cause,” he told them, and then put his hand on Kyra’s shoulder again. Tuka eyed her up and down, and leaned in close. “You seem a little more yourself, are you feeling better?” he asked, and she had to stifle her shudder.

“Yes, thank you. I guess I was a little freaked out after our arrest last night, but now I’m already feeling stronger and more determined to right the wrongs done to our race. Your speeches were very emotive, and I know without a doubt that I want to help take them down, in whatever way I can,” she answered, and her belly ached with the lie.

“That’s exactly the point of these gatherings,” Tuka told her with a smile. “We need people like you if we’re to succeed. In fact, I’d like to offer the pair of you an extended invitation for this evening, if you’re up to it? We’re off into the heart of the city to meet with some friends and celebrate tonight’s success. Would you both care to join us?” Kyra looked up at Gage for his answer, but was sure they had no other option other than to say yes. Tanner was waiting for them back at the bar, however they both knew this was an important opportunity to check out behind the scenes of the rebel operation, so had to keep their handler waiting while they gathered as much information as possible.

“Count us in,” Gage answered for them both, and they each followed Tuka back towards the entrance to the old temple. The far smaller group chatted on the way, and Kyra purposely started coming out of her shell a little more, as though loosening up after her scary night spent in the cells. She let herself smile and laugh along with her escorts, and Gage did the same. By the time the group reached what looked like nothing more than a small home in the heart of the city, she was back to being the happy-go-lucky newlywed she’d been playing just days before, and Tuka seemed positively taken with her.

“Are you ready to have your minds blown?” he asked them, and then led the way inside. They followed, and Kyra gasped when she saw what entertainment awaited them within.

“I thought prostitution had been banned?” she whispered to Gage as she looked around at the scantily dressed humans inside. They were openly selling their bodies to the men and women who’d been invited along to what she guessed must be a brothel, and he nodded.

“Nothing’s unattainable if you’re wiling to pay for it,” Tuka told them, evidently having guessed what she was whispering about, and he directed the pair further into the back of the house. “Those of us with the ambition and drive for it can have whatever we want, and that’s why places like this exist. We house, feed, and clothe these men and women, and in return they provide a service needed as much today as it was thousands of years ago. None of them are forced, in fact they seek us out because they love what they do and want to share it with the world.”

Kyra felt sick, and finally understood what it was she’d sensed in Tuka earlier that evening. He was nothing more than a criminal mastermind of the new world, and he wasn’t ashamed about it one little bit. She suspected that the only reason he disagreed with the Thrakorian reign might simply be because he was a leader as well, and he wanted the recognition he felt he deserved. Tuka was a small-time predator in a pool of bigger, better, and more powerful creatures, and he didn’t seem to like being overshadowed. He evidently wanted power of his own and to reign supreme in his territory.

Rather than selflessly helping release the humans from their current ruler, Tuka was a clear example of someone who wanted to overthrow King Kronus in the name of a greater good, only so he could have that throne for himself once empty.

Chapter Five

“What can I tempt you with?” Tuka asked as he took a seat in the huge armchair that was unmistakably his position of power amidst his sordid dominion. Young women offered them various drinks and drugs, but they politely refused. One of his beautiful slaves then brought Tuka a tumbler containing what appeared to be a concoction of ingredients, and he took it without so much as a thank you to the young woman. He tossed the contents back, but they were clearly hard to stomach, and Tuka looked positively nauseous for a few moments until whatever was in the cocktail kicked in. He then visibly relaxed, and indicated for Gage and Kyra to join him on the chaise to his right. “All you need to do is ask, and anything can be yours,” he added, eyeing them intently.

“But at what price?” Gage asked as they sat, and he earned himself a dry laugh from their host.

“You’ve already paid with your promises to serve our cause, dear boy,” was Tuka’s eventual reply. “But I wouldn’t say no to some quiet time with your beautiful bride if you were willing…” He leaned forward in his chair to stare at Gage intently, and shooed the other women away. “Tell me, how old are the pair of you?”

“Twenty-three,” Gage replied, as though actually entertaining the idea of offering her up to him for a moment, but instead of panicking, Kyra trusted in her comrade not to put her in harms way. She played along and kept her cool, and knew he’d never actually allow her to be used in that way. Her patience paid off, and Gage quickly shot down their host’s request. “As much as I’d like to pretend I’m open to sharing, I’m afraid I cannot. Kiki’s mine, and has been since I took her innocence. Understood?” he added, and the authority in his tone and intense stare as he regarded their new friend even scared her.

Tuka laughed again, and slapped his knee in appreciation of Gage’s show of dominance. Kyra couldn’t deny, she hated how men loved having their foolish contests to establish control over one another, and was instantly reminded of how Kronus had downright demanded he prefer her be alone and miserable than happy with someone else.

“Now, now gentlemen. That’s enough of that,” she chimed, and then accepted a shot of vodka from the waitress who’d returned. She threw it back in one, and regarded the men with a coy smile. “We aren’t interested in entertaining anyone but each other, thank you. Your hospitality has been wonderful, however I think it’s time we were going.” Kyra stood, but in a surprise move, Gage didn’t join her.

“Answer me this, Mrs. Paynter. When was the last time you let go of all your inhibitions?” Tuka leaned across to the small table before them, lifted another shot from the tray, and held it out to her. “There’s a secret behind your eyes, and I’m dying to discover what it is. Perhaps you love another man, or maybe your lover is another
species
all together?”

Now then, aren’t you intuitive,
she thought with a hint of a smile. Kyra took the shot from him, sat back down, and drank it. “My secrets are mine to keep, but I will tell you that they’ve led me to places and people I could never speak of. I’ve seen things I doubt you’ve even dreamt about, and they are what led me here today.”

“You’re truly ready to question the life you’ve been taught to believe is right?” Tuka grilled her further.

“I already do,” she answered, and raised her freshly refilled glass when he grinned at her and lifted his in a toast.

“Then you’re already well on your way to phase-two. Tell me, what’s the worst thing you’ve seen or experienced at the hands of our alien leaders?” he enquired, and in a move that surprised her, she answered honestly.

“My best friend, and her unplanned pregnancy that was taken care of in the most absolute way. I’ll never forget what they did to her,” Kyra told him, and a real tear fell onto her cheek at the memory of her old friend Brona’s awful time during training. She’d gone to the Medical Division to take a pregnancy test, only to end up with a hysterectomy and therefore lifelong infertility. They’d been told it was an unavoidable consequence to an infection she’d developed, but Kyra truly believed otherwise. Tuka leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands with a solemn look in his eye, regarding her intently.

“We’ve had the same. One of my girls went missing after she attended a local clinic, but I’d taken measures to track her years before—like with all my girls. I followed the signal out into the arid lands, and found nothing but desert.” He shook his head in clear disgust.

“Where was she?” Kyra had to ask. It was a question that had plagued her for years, and the thought of finding an answer suddenly overtook her need for intel about the rebels themselves.

“Buried beneath the sand in a mass grave, along with hundreds of other women. Their bodies had been dissected and dismembered, but none bore any sign of pregnancy, nor did any have a child’s bones still within them.”

“Do you think they’re taking them away? Testing them? But for what reason?” Kyra knew she was blurring the line between the fake role and her real personality, but she had to find out as much as she could about the Thrakorian testing facilities and their purpose. She was also reminded of Colonel Summers, the cadaver in Lorde Greegis’ lab. No matter how hard she’d tried to forget seeing that body after he’d received the same serum she had, Kyra couldn’t fight her fears that there might be more going on than she’d ever know.

Kronus would never tell her. He could barely express any emotion at all, so it seemed she would have to settle for gathering stories from scumbags like Tuka if she were ever to know for sure.

“I don’t think, I
know
they are. They’re controlling overpopulation, but also taking people as test subjects for some reason. We cannot infiltrate their facilities yet, but there’s something going on that involves stem cell research and genetic alterations. That much we’re already sure of.”

Kyra’s heart sank. The exact serum Tuka was talking about had been given to her to cure any and all human diseases and add potentially hundreds of years to her life, and she shuddered as an icy chill swept down her spine.

“The babies, do you think…” she couldn’t finish her sentence. The sheer thought that it might be true was too hard to put into words.

“Yes, I believe they’re part of it in some way. And for their sakes, I have to find out why.”

They stayed for a few more hours, and Kyra drank far more than she’d intended to when they’d first set foot inside the dingy brothel. She watched as the men and women sauntered around, serving drinks to their clients or leading them to the small dance floor for an intimate embrace, and she was surprised to find that they genuinely did seem happy there. Food and drinks flowed readily, as did many other mind-altering substances, but she steered clear of those.

After another deep and intense conversation, Gage eventually took her hand and led her over for a dance, and he commanded her body in such a way she was left panting for breath in his arms. He was so domineering it was a surprise, and Kyra giggled against his mouth when he leaned down to kiss her.

“You’re drunk, and far too innocent to be in a place like this,” he whispered in her ear. “Many men and women have their eyes on you, especially Tuka, so I’m thinking it’s time we left—don’t you?”

“Spoil sport,” she teased, but nodded in understanding. It was all very well getting close to the rebels, but another thing entirely to become involved with them too much. Kyra knew it certainly wasn’t safe to get in too deep. The pair were officially there to observe, infiltrate, gather intel, and then leave. They’d already pushed their time limit by hours, and she knew the team back at the police facility would be waiting impatiently to hear back from them. “Take me home, you naughty man,” she then added, and made sure she said it loudly enough to be overhead. Gage kissed her hard and grabbed the back of her neck so he could fist her hair in his fingers, claiming ownership one more time before their host’s eyes.

“I’ll show you naughty,” he answered with a sexy smile, and then dragged her back over to say their goodbyes to Tuka and his entourage. He didn’t seem pleased that they were calling it a night, but they all knew he couldn’t force them to stay without overstepping the very boundaries they’d laid out in order to attract them into the cause in the first place, so he soon conceded.

He handed Gage a card, and Kyra could see it had nothing but an address embossed on it.

“Tomorrow night,” Tuka said. “Let me show you more of this world I’ve created, and what you can both have if you only ask for it.”

“Until tomorrow,” Gage answered, and he stashed the card in his pocket before they left. They remained in character the entire walk back to Tanner’s, in case of spies, and Kyra loved being wrapped in the arms of someone who doted on her, regardless of her knowing it was all fake. The city slept while they took the long walk back, and she realized she quite liked being undercover. Having a role to play, with its rules and everything planned out, was easier than dealing with her real life right now, and part of her dreaded going back.

***

“Morning you two,” Tanner chimed cheerily when they finally crawled out of bed later the next morning, and Kyra groaned when he pulled back the drapes so the bright sunshine hit her directly in the face, but there was thankfully no hangover, and she knew she had her serum to thank for that. “You were back late,” he added in a carefully cheerful tone, but his angry expression told them both they were in trouble.

“We went to a party,” was all Gage replied in answer, and Kyra simply hummed in affirmation as she poured them both coffee and grabbed a couple of rock-hard muffins Tanner had somehow managed to throw together and then ruin while they were still asleep.

“What’s the news then? Are you two heading home this afternoon like you’d planned?” he asked, eyeing them warily.

“No, we’ve decided to stay a couple more days if that’s cool?” she answered, and Tanner raised an eyebrow. This was not the plan, and they both knew it.

“Sure,” he said in a deadpan tone. He then scribbled something down on a scrap of paper and handed it to her.
But you explain it to your boss.

“Sure,” she repeated, and focused on soaking up the alcohol in her system rather than explain. She could feel both of their eyes on her, and decided she wasn’t in the mood for her interrogation quite yet. Kyra headed back into the bedroom, where she took a shower and let herself take time getting ready.

Eventually, the two men came to find her and dragged her down into the basement, where they each stripped down to their underwear and walked through a scanner to check for any bugs. Each of them were clear, and once they were on the other side of a solid metal door, they climbed into a set of combats each and loaded up the computer systems Tanner had set up at the ready so they could liaise with the team back at the holding facility.

“Do you realize how worried everyone was about you both?” Tanner finally said what was on his mind as the machines booted up, and Kyra turned to face the screen rather than listen to him rant. She logged in, loaded the messaging software, and then waited for someone to be ready on the other end. It was mere seconds before Thrayke’s face appeared on the screen, and he was clearly angry with her, too.
What else is new,
she thought, and chose to ignore his scowl.

“Good morning, sir. Are you ready for our report?” she asked timidly, but knew he wouldn’t be in a position to ask her any personal questions anyway. Thrayke had no other choice but to remain professional in his response because of their audience, so she used it to her advantage.

“Yes, General. I must stress, however, that you’re hours late with your intel. Did you encounter any problems along the way?”

“No, in fact it worked out better than we’d anticipated. Tuka invited General Gage and I to a property of his in the heart of the city, where he filled us in on some of the illegal activities he and his comrades are overseeing. I have my full report here, and will send it to you now,” Kyra replied, and she sent him the electronic file with hers and Gage’s accounts of the evening on them. She hadn’t lied about any of the details, nor had she hidden her findings. Thrayke would read it and know, just like she did, how the human rebel hierarchy were indeed onto the facilities experimenting on humans, and that they were getting closer to discovering exactly what scientists like Lorde Greegis were getting up to inside them.

“Very well. You are to return to base immediately,” he ordered, and she could see his jaw clench when she shook her head no. “You have your orders, General. Return here immediately.”

“No,” she answered, and she heard the two men behind her take sharp intakes of breath. “With all due respect, sir, we’ve had an incredible lead and want to stay one more night to see where it takes us. I’ll report back tomorrow.”

Thrayke was livid, and he slammed his hand down on the table beside him. The sound came through the speakers so loud it made her jump. Despite there being a handful of men with him in the control room, the room behind Thrayke was all of a sudden deathly silent following his outburst, but she didn’t cower or back down.

“Get back here, now. This time I won’t hesitate to call in the Lawbringer to put both you and Gage on trial for defying direct orders. The sentence for that is a minimum of five years in the convict camps.”

“We’ll head back right away, sir,” Gage stepped in, and Kyra cursed. Thrayke nodded and ended the call, and Gage grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “Are you mad? Who do you think you are, talking to him like that?” he cried, and she realized that even Tanner was watching her wide-eyed. Kyra understood then just how close she really had let herself get to Thrayke since she’d arrived at The Tower, and how much she’d taken that complacency for granted. Right now though, she honestly thought that leaving was absolutely the wrong thing to do. If they left, the lead would go cold, and the questions still burning in her gut might never get answered.