Cruz: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Hell Squad Book 2) (7 page)

“I’m General Adam Holmes.” He rounded the conference table. “I’ve very happy to see you’ve recovered.”

Ah, the boss.
“Santha Kade and I’m pretty happy I recovered, too.” The general held out a hand and they shook. He had a firmer grip than she would have guessed. Behind her, she felt Cruz step up close to her. She resisted rolling her eyes. He should just beat his chest and toss her over his shoulder.

“Thank you for sharing your intelligence with us,” Holmes said. “The sooner we can locate and rescue these prisoners the better.”

There was a sharp edge to his voice that made her study him again. She got the impression Holmes could be just as dangerous as the Hell Squad members in the right situation. And she suspected plenty of people underestimated him, blinded by his neat façade.

“Then let’s get to work,” she said.

They all settled into the chairs around the table, gazes on the big screen. A pretty brunette handed Santha a handheld comp controller with a smile. “I’ve scanned as much of your data into the comp as I could.”

“Thanks. It’s Elle, right?”

“That’s right.” She gestured to the screen. “Everything’s in the directory marked Santha.”

Santha studied the list of files and pulled up her maps.

Holmes leaned forward. “You have incredible data. And you’ve survived in the city alone for a year, attacking the raptors and assisting Squad Six.”

Squad Six? She blinked. Right, that must be Hell Squad’s official designation.

Shrewd blue eyes watched her. “I take it you weren’t a schoolteacher or business executive before the invasion.”

She gave a wry smile. “No.” She glanced at Cruz. “I was a police officer. With SWAT.”

Cruz nodded. “Makes sense. You have the skills and training, knowledge of the city…and the guts.”

God, she felt so flattered by his words. Like some schoolgirl. She turned back to the screen. “I’ll start with the main raptor installations. I haven’t quite determined what they all are yet, but some are clearly for storage, some are bases where they appear to live and work, others are complete mysteries. I can only guess some of them are research stations where they gather data on us and the planet. Possibly, they’re carrying out tests on our technology and resources.”

“We’ve seen that they’re studying our languages, trying to decipher our books, files and scientific information,” Elle said.

Santha nodded. “It’s what I’d do if I ever invaded someone. Let me show you a few locations that seem larger and more well-used. I’m guessing that’s where they’re more likely to hold prisoners.”

They clicked through maps, everyone calling out theories and suggestions. Elle was furiously taking notes on a tablet. They narrowed down a long list of possibilities.

“I’ll move onto the aliens themselves.” Santha pulled up her photos.

“I’ve been working on their language,” Elle said. “They call themselves the Gizzida.”

“Ugly name for an ugly species.” Santha pointed to the screen. “You’re familiar with the main fighter raptors. We also have the rexes.” Santha didn’t hide her distaste as she stared at the picture of the giant T-Rex-type alien. “Thankfully, there seem to be only a few of those. The canids.” Another two images appeared—a picture of a canid pack and a close-up of one roaring. “And you saw the hellion canids in the airport train tunnels.” The image changed to one of the mutant canids with red, glowing bellies filled with an acidic poison.

“Hell Squad told me the canid repellent spray we’re creating now came from you,” Holmes said.

“Yes. It’s based on cedar oil, which is toxic to reptiles. I tried a lot of things to see if anything repelled them and this seems to work. It won’t kill them or stop them for long, but they don’t like it.”

“We’re starting field tests soon, so thank you.”

She nodded. “I also took these pictures very recently.” It showed raptors moving an enclosed box the size of a car. “It was rocking violently and I could hear snarling.”

“Another type of alien?” Holmes said with a frown.

“I think so. But I never got to see it.”

“How many boxes like that?” Cruz asked.

“About a dozen. And the raptors seemed nervous. Didn’t like dealing with them.”

Shaw flopped back in his chair. “Great. Why do I get the impression we do
not
want to know what’s in that box?”

“We’ve also seen a very large raptor,” Cruz said. “A super-raptor. He carried a flamethrower and spoke some English.”

Santha nodded. “I’ve seen one but didn’t get any images of it. I called it a flamer.”

“Works for me,” Cruz said.

Santha clicked up another image and watched everyone frown.

“That’s just another raptor,” Cruz said.

“Look again.” Staring at the commander’s face made Santha’s blood boil.

“It’s taller and leaner than the other raptors,” Elle said.

“Good. You’ll also note the smoother skin that’s several shades darker than a regular raptor.”

“Still looks like a raptor to me,” Claudia said.

“It is. But I also think it’s a female raptor,” Santha said.

Everyone hissed in breaths.

“A female?” Holmes repeated.

“Yes. And she appears to be the one in charge in this area. The commander.” Santha caught Cruz’s gaze. He was watching her intently. “And I want her dead.”

Chapter Six

Cruz could almost feel the rage pumping off Santha. “Why? Why do you want this one dead so badly?”

“She’s in charge of destroying our part of the world. Our city!”

He studied the stark lines of Santha’s face. “That’s true. But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”

“She killed my sister.”

He saw the way Santha’s hands curled into fists. She was barely hanging on. “You saw?”

“Every second.” Her eyes squeezed shut. “It was about a week after the invasion. A raptor patrol caught us in the street. I fought, but got a tiny splatter of their fucking poison on me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t even speak and got tossed by a raptor. I ended up under a car.” She dragged in a breath. “They beat my sister to death and there wasn’t a single thing I could do about it.”

Madre de dios
. Cruz closed his eyes for a second. He knew what it felt like to watch someone you cared about die. They’d all been there when Zeke had fallen. But at least they’d been fighting back.

“They didn’t even leave me a body to bury.” Her green gaze caught Cruz’s, glimmering with unshed tears. “They dragged her away like trash and the commander just stood there like she was watching a mildly inferior show.”

He wanted to touch her, but he was afraid she’d shatter. To see a strong woman’s tears almost bought him to his knees. “I’m sorry. We’ll help you avenge your sister.”

“Wait a minute,” Holmes said. “We can’t have personal vendettas—”

“We’ll help you find this raptor commander and kill her,” Marcus reiterated.

Holmes pinched the bridge of his nose. “Steele, I do not want to have another shouting match with you about the chain of command.”

“Don’t stress, Holmes,” Marcus growled. “We’ll get the prisoners too.”

Elle cleared her throat to ease the tension. “I’m so sorry, Santha. I’ve no doubt this information can help us beat the raptors.”

Santha wiped a hand across her face and straightened. “I hope so.”

Elle’s considering gaze moved back to the screen and the picture of the commander. “They’re a bit like a bee colony.”

“What?” Cruz asked, frowning.

“There are thousands of raptor fighters, they’re kind of like worker bees.”

“And this commander is like the queen?” Claudia asked.

“I don’t know.” Elle shrugged. “If there are other commanders like this one in charge of area operations on other parts of the planet, then no. But possibly there is one queen…or king…out there, somewhere, directing it all.”

Holmes pointed to the screen. “Rescue the prisoners and gather any additional intel you can to determine if they have a single leader.”

Marcus nodded. “We will.”

Cruz stepped closer to Santha. “We need to get this raptor commander’s description to the drone operators. Have them on the lookout for her. If she is in charge in Sydney, then the prisoners can’t be far from her.”

“Elle?” Marcus said.

She lifted her tablet, swiping the screen. “On it.”

Santha lifted her comp controller and changed the image to an aerial map of the city. She drew circles around four main raptor installations. “These are the four main places I’ve seen the commander most frequently.”

Marcus nodded. “Good. I suggest we send in four recon teams. Each with two people only. Slip in, gather intel, confirm the prisoners are there and get out. Then we’ll plan a rescue mission.” He turned to his team. “Claudia and Shaw, you’ll be one recon team.”

Claudia straightened. “I want to go with Gabe—”

“It wasn’t a suggestion.” Marcus’ tone hardened. “I’m with Gabe. Cruz and Santha will be the third team.” He cursed. “We really need to fill the final squad spot. But for now, I’ll ask Masters to head the fourth team with one of his guys from Squad Nine.”

Cruz liked Squad Nine’s leader a lot. No one was quite sure what Roth Masters’ background was. Some said military, others said intelligence. Cruz could see the man as a soldier or a spy, but he didn’t really care, as long as Roth was good at killing raptors and keeping his team alive.

Santha set the controller down. “When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow.”

She started. “What? Those people are suffering God knows what—”

Marcus’ eyes narrowed. “My team just spent the night in the field. Contrary to what everyone thinks, including them, they need sleep. And just a few hours ago you bled out, took a potent cocktail of stimulants, suffered a nano-med cascade
and
died. Those bugs might had fixed you up but you still need rest.”

Cruz suppressed a wince. He’d been on the receiving end of that cold tone of Marcus’ a time or two.

Marcus’ gaze hit Cruz. “I assume I can trust you to make sure she gets some rest and doesn’t go off half-cocked?”

When Santha stiffened more, Cruz was at least happy that the deep grief was gone from her face for the moment.

He grabbed her hand. “Come on,
mi reina
. Before you know it, you’ll be covered in raptor blood and dodging poison again.”

***

Santha felt like a wire strung too tight and ready to snap.

After eating lunch at a long table in the dining room, wedged between Cruz and a silent Gabe, she was feeling the need for some space. She hadn’t even enjoyed the very fine meal of protein substitute and fresh—
fresh
—vegetables. It had reminded her of her favorite meal—Kareena’s curry.

Santha wanted to be out there searching for the prisoners, not stuck in these tunnels. That’s why she’d avoided the base so long—she liked being her own boss. Here, there were too many people who thought they could tell her what to do.

“Movie Night’s on tonight. I think they’re playing an old classic, something about robots taking over the world and killing humanity.” Cruz snorted. “I’d take robots over aliens any day.”

The thought of being stuck in an enclosed room full of people for a whole evening made a flutter of panic stir in Santha’s belly. God, she’d clearly been alone too long.

She looked up and saw Cruz eyeing her like she was an open comp file.

“How about some fresh air?” he suggested.

It should annoy her that he could read her so clearly. She nodded. “Please.”

He led through the maze of tunnels to a door. It had a sign marked with various warning messages. He gestured her through, into a tiny tunnel only wide enough for one that sloped upward. At the top was another door closed with a round lock. Cruz reached around her and spun it.

They stepped out into the forest.

Sunlight filtered through the trees and Santha pulled in the fragrant air. It smelled…green. And fresh. So different to the city. Instantly, her muscles loosened.

Here the insects still chirped their songs and small animals scurried unseen in the bushes. They were going about their daily lives, mostly unaffected by the alien invasion.

If only humanity had been so lucky.

“You find it hard to be around so many people?”

God, that accent. His voice was like music in the darkness. “I’ve been alone for a year, Cruz. I’ve gotten…comfortable with my own company.”

“I understand. I hated the base the first few months I was here. Marcus and I were over in Sydney for military maneuvers when the attack happened.”

“You’re from the United States, right?”

He nodded. “New Mexico. My father was Mexican and my mother American. And I have a sister.”

“Do you know if they’re still alive?”

“I’ve no idea.” He stared at the trees. “I can only hope.”

There was pain there, buried deep.

He glanced at her. “Although I do have a few family members I wouldn’t mind having met with a messy death at the hands of the raptors.”

She sucked in a breath. “What?”

Cruz rubbed the back of his neck. “Forget I said anything.”

“Too late for that now, soldier.” Santha found a fallen log and sat down. She wanted to know this man’s secrets. “Tell me.”

He stuck his hands on his hips, eyeing the grass. “My father…he escaped his family in Mexico. They ran a drug cartel.”

She blinked. “He must have been tough to escape from that.”

“Yeah. I was only a kid but he packed us up and ran. Although they tried a few times to kill him. Once they realized he wasn’t heading off to sell their secrets or start his own rival cartel, they left him alone.”

There was more to the story. She heard it in the dark edge to his words. “But?”

He released a long breath. “We’d moved to the U.S., but a cousin searched me out when I was finishing high school. I was going through a phase, not getting along with my dad. I was young, angry and keen to prove myself.”

“They sucked you in.”

“Yeah. I spent two years working for my uncle. I thought I was so tough.” Brown eyes met hers and bored into her. “I did some terrible things. Unforgivable things.”