Dragon's Blood (Black Planet Book 1) (11 page)

* * *

S
he recovered as quickly
as Luke had, prompting Aiden to check the other man. He was still down, but Aiden delivered a good blow to the head just to make sure. As he’d expected, Luke was playing possum, gathering his strength to attack.

Carin was back on her feet, bloody, shaken, but still dangerous. In the distance, Aiden could hear the piercing squall of sirens. “Hang in, Annie, cops are coming.”

She gave a bare nod. Her stance was relaxed, more her natural style, that deceptive casualness that she’d perfected so long ago. Carin charged, leaving behind her training, meaning to catch Annie around the waist, but she wasn’t there. And somehow, Carin continued on her path through the air, crashing awkwardly to the floor. She skated along the asphalt, bare skin abrading, blood oozing from the torn tattoos. Even her nanites couldn’t replace the missing ink.

She screamed, coming to her feet once more and attacking, working both women closer and closer to the swords.

Carin caught Annie off guard. Aiden winced when she went down heavily, only to spring to her feet in a gravity defying back-flip. One of Guo’s signature moves.

Annie’s best offense was her defense. Every time the other woman attacked, she found herself thrown off balance or taking a wicked blow. The average fighter would have been flattened and devastated. But between her nanites and her insanity, Carin persevered and Annie would soon grow weary.

Aiden wanted to cry in relief as the police began to pour into the room. Their electronically charged weapons would take Carin down easily. She cursed, hands extended to her sides, and suddenly it was over. They’d survived, caught the killers, and they were both still on their feet. They were both
alive.

Aiden looked at Luke collapsed on the floor, and then over at where Carin stood surrounded by officers, upper body naked and bloody, her lower body swathed in voluminous trousers. Her normally lush, glossy hair now straggled with sweat. Blood oozed from abrasions on her skin.

Annie stood next to Greene. She glanced in Aiden’s direction as an officer freed him from the cage. On the floor, Luke rolled, clutching his head and groaning in pain. Aiden stepped out of the cage and started toward Annie with a smile on his face. And then he froze. A scream built in his throat and broke free.

“Annie!”

They say those truly horrible moments occur in slow motion, but this one didn’t. It took a heartbeat, a blur of vision, a fragment of a thought. It was over before Aiden could move again.

A blade appeared in Carin’s hand. It had been concealed by the folds of her trousers. She struck. The blade bit into Annie’s flesh, into her turned back, into her abdomen, and through the muscles of her right arm. She staggered forward. Her tunic fell away in tatters, displaying the dragon of the Lee house.

Annie spun, rising up, whirling in a circle. Her grandfather’s
katana
sang through the air, and Carin stood, knife in hand, an awed and amazed expression on her face. Annie froze, her back to her opponent, her head bowed and her left arm extended, the blade pointed behind her. Blood ran to the polished tip of the sword, gathered, and dripped to the floor.

Carin would have screamed if her head hadn’t been slowly separating from her body.

Even nanites couldn’t fix that.

The last thing Carin Nakashima saw before she died was Annie slowly turning away,
katana
extended in her left hand, and on her naked back, the bleeding dragon surrounded by cherry blossoms.

Annie had killed her without even looking.

T
he better hospitals
were in Oakland, so the medics had rushed Annie and Luke to the docks, loading them onto a power boat. Aiden followed with Greene, doing his best to tell the story through vocal cords locked tight by fear.

The cut to Annie’s side was so deep, her insides were spilling out. Before she’d fallen into his arms, she’d stared at him in shock and pain, unable to speak. He hadn’t wanted her on a boat with Luke, but when Carin had died, the man had gone unaccountably passive, an expression of glazed relief in his eyes. Aiden didn’t know what she’d done to control him.

He didn’t want to know.

“She’s afraid of the water, Greene. Make sure the medics know.”

“I’ll tell them,” the lieutenant said softly. He waved to the driver of the emergency boat, who idled the sleek craft, and spoke briefly with the uniformed woman at Annie’s side. He returned, climbing lightly into the police craft and standing at the bridge. Aiden took a seat facing forward, straining to watch the other craft.

Their boat followed in the wake of the other, crossing the Bay at many times the speed of Cappie’s old yacht. In spite of the wind whipping in their faces, Greene took a call and sat down by Aiden, a grim expression on his face.

“She’s unconscious.”

Aiden nodded. “At least she won’t be scared.” He didn’t look at Greene. He didn’t want to see what might be there on his face, in his eyes.

“Aiden, they said she’s flat lined twice now. You’d best be prepared. Even if she makes it to the hospital, it doesn’t look good.”

Wordlessly, Aiden nodded. He looked out over the rough water of the Bay, seeking answers.

G
uo Lee had
told
her that changes were coming.

Annie lay on her side, looking in awe at the giant creature hovering over the healing wound that encircled her waist. He straightened, and she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

The United Governments had made contact with an alien race. They simply hadn’t bothered to tell anyone. Of course, everyone knew law enforcement was expanding into space, but she’d assumed it was just to police the space stations and mining satellites. She hadn’t really thought they might be communicating with off-planet species.

Yet there he was. And she couldn’t look away.

The Thalian stood well over six feet tall. His golden blond hair spilled in perfect rippling waves over his shoulders. Gilded white wings rose gracefully from his back. Wings! His smiling eyes were celestial blue, and combined with his white medical robes, Annie knew where the mythology of angels had originated. They’d been visiting Earth for centuries.

Lama smiled gently, coaxing her to sit upright. He examined the scar on her back. With his expertise, every cut on her body had healed within days, flawlessly, and what scars remained were rapidly vanishing. Aiden told her that there was a slight white streak through the dragon’s throat, in the same approximate spot that she’d struck Carin Nakashima. She could have it re-inked, but Annie had found a mirror and spent long moments examining the tattoo, and decided she liked the scar right where it was.

As long as she wore the scar, she’d always remember that she’d slain the monster. Many of the memories had returned, and she’d accepted them. Her fear was still there, but now it had a face and a name and a grave with Carin Nakashima’s name on the headstone.

She felt a slight stir of power in the room. Guo entered, followed by Aiden. Lama smiled and greeted them with a nod. To her surprise, he bowed low to Guo Lee. Lama then packed his instruments and left without a word.

She blinked her eyes and shook her head. The Thalians had that effect on her every time they tended her. She didn’t know if it was their medicine or simply their presence. She always felt soothed, yet slightly unsettled around the golden men.

“Papa, you said change was coming. Was this what you meant?”

Guo moved to her side, touching her cheek, then taking her wrist in his hand, reading her pulse. “Lama told me that they came to us because they were afraid we’d stumble across them by accident.”

“We’ve gone that far into space?”

Aiden circled to the other side of the bed, sitting gently next to Annie. He took her free hand, holding it tightly. He’d been by her side endlessly, day and night. She knew he’d been worried, but she’d sensed an odd edge of fear to him. It made her uneasy.

“We been out there for many years, Annie. Centuries. There have even been explorers and groups that left for other planets long ago. Human space technology has expanded greatly in the past century. With the arrangements we’ve made with the Thalians, humans will continue to expand into space.” He set her hand down and gave her a slight smile. He then looked at Aiden. “You remember that cult, the Nephris?”

“Yes, ages ago, they suddenly vanished. There was speculation that they’d carried out a suicide pact.”

Guo shook his head and looked at his grandson. “No, they left. They settled on a hostile black planet in another system.”

“My god, Papa… Do we know if they survived?” Annie wigged to sit up, then glowered when Aiden pressed her back.

“Oh yes. They survived. And thrived.” He looked uncharacteristically grim. “Much to the displeasure of their neighboring planets, I might add.”

Aiden and Annie exchanged glances. “What does that mean?” Annie asked. Before Guo could answer, Greene entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He seemed a little more tired and careworn, and she saw that there was more silver in his hair. Had she put it there?

“Well, Annie, we have a problem. It seems Nakashima isn’t too thrilled that you killed his wife.”

She snorted in disgust. “He developed and is importing the nanites that morphed the Hemo victims into monsters, Greene. If you let me…”

“You aren’t doing anything, Annie Tanaka. The investigation is ongoing and you aren’t part of it. You are on extended medical leave. He’s called out a contract on both you and Aiden.”

Aiden nodded. “They torched my loft a couple nights ago. I’d expected it, so I’d already cleared out. They got your place as well.”

Her eyes went wide in horror. “Did the fire spread?”

“No,” Aidan replied. “Like I said, we were expecting it. They firebombed the place, but the building was evacuated and we had fireboats standing by. We’ll be issuing a warrant for his arrest before the day is out.”

“Grandpa’s bonsai?”

“They’re safe, Annie,” Guo assured her. “We took almost everything from your home and practice area. They’re all packed with Aiden’s things.”

“Packed?”

“To move,” Guo said.

Annie glanced from Guo to Aiden, who looked surprisingly sad.

“I came here to take my children home, Annie. To Hong Kong. The family has built many schools in China. Mine is in a coastal village called Saikung.”

“Why now, Papa? I’d have come anytime you called.”

“But he wouldn’t have.” Guo nodded to Aiden. “He’s been living in a world of hurt for a very long time. He wasn’t ready.” He turned back to Annie. “And you needed to kill the monster.”

“You told me not to.”

“I told you not to kill Luke. I said nothing about Carin. She had no remorse. And you had no choice.”

No, she hadn’t, and try as she might, Annie felt no regret.

“Annie, the Thalians ran tests on Carin’s body and blood.”

She looked over where Greene stood, slightly on the outside of their circle. “We’ve isolated the nanites she used and linked them to those in Luke’s body. We have a trail back to Japan, where they’re being manufactured. Also…” He moved closer, his voice gruff, “…through the tests, they created a cure for Luke. He’ll recover normally. The nanites will eventually leave his system. And… they developed a cure for Dragon’s Blood as well.”

His eyes were unnaturally bright. Tears. Her stoic boss, her friend, was crying. She reached out and clasped his hand, tears welling into her eyes as well. “I’m sorry, Greene. I really am.”

He nodded, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand.

“A cure, in just the week that I’ve been in the hospital?”

“One hundred percent, Annie. They’ve been working on it for a long time. They’re looking at cancer next,” Guo said softly.

“And the common cold.” Aiden’s eyes sparkled with hope and humor.

“How did you know all this, Papa?”

Guo simply shook his head and smiled. The nurses told her that Guo had grown pretty tight with some of the Thalians while she’d been unconscious. And the aliens were telepathic. Perhaps he was also.

“I’m going to go find that big feathered guy, I’d like to talk to him while I have a chance.” Guo kissed her forehead and left the room. Greene followed in Guo’s wake.

Annie looked up at Aiden, who settled more comfortably on the bed. He took both her hands and twined their fingers together.

“Aiden, why does this all feel too good to be true? With the Thalians, I mean? What are they getting in return?”

He leaned forward, speaking very softly. “Test subjects.”

She looked at him in shock. He nodded. “Their physiology is almost the same as ours. I’ve seen, heard, that the government is letting them use volunteers, and some non-voluntary. They’re using convicts.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. Testing on prisoners? Wasn’t that unethical? The laws had struck down those proposals over and over again. Yet they were violating those very laws for an alien species?

He must have seen her concern. “Annie, they were men and women who were sick. Dying. They agreed to allow testing in exchange for reduced sentences.”

“Wow.” She shook her head, unable to process so much shocking information.

“So, Annie, you’re okay coming with me to Hong Kong?”

She clasped his hand, squeezing it tight. “Papa had me ready, I think. Why though? Why does he want us to go now?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I think it has to do with his granddaughter. Her parents are academics. Good people, but not good parents. I think we’re about to become an aunt and uncle.”

She stared and shook her head. “I don’t know anything about parenting.”

“But you know everything about the Lees’ martial arts. You can teach her to fight and survive.”

“Any Lee can do that.”

“But you aren’t
any
Lee, Annie. You’re a Tanaka, and what I saw you do last week…” He moved closer, so she could barely hear him. “You know Guo is transcended? A
Hsien
?”

“You know that for sure?”

“I don’t know his story, but he’s not like us. What I saw you do, Annie, you transcended your training. Carin couldn’t beat you because she couldn’t look past the constraints of what she’d been taught. She was a master of her art, but you are a
Master
. It doesn’t matter what form, you take it and shape it to your will. I think that little girl needs all that you can teach her.”

“How do you know this?” He smiled and looked so much like Guo then, that she could only stare. “Oh my God. You threw the sticks.”

“Tea leaves. Sometimes fortune sticks. Reflective water. My little secret skill.”

Now that he mentioned it, she’d seen him glancing into tea cups on occasion. “Shit, Aiden, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I rarely do it, Annie. It’s too scary, and too much information. I’d rather let things proceed as they should.”

“Wow.” She sat, staring at where their hands were joined. “My own personal fortune teller. Did you see anything for us?”

“Yeah. I did.” He settled a kiss on her lips. “I see a long journey by sea. I see a tall, dark and handsome man in your life. I see marriage, prosperity and children. Long, long lives, and happily ever after.”

“I’m afraid of the ocean.”

“You killed your fear, Annie. You willed that
katana
from the floor into your hand… your left hand, and you took her head away from her body.”

She looked at him, utter shock filling her mind. She hadn’t thought about how the sword came to be in her left hand, it was simply there. It had been as natural as the swinging windmill blow that had beheaded Carin.

“And besides, I’ll be too busy making love to you. You won’t even think about the water.”

Aiden gently lowered himself onto the bed next to her, running a hand over her body. He cupped her breast through her thin gown, smiling as her nipple peaked. “What else do you see?”

“Sex.” He whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver. “I see lots and lots of sex.” He leaned down, teasing her nipple with his tongue and lips. Her breath caught.

“More sex, eh? And what else?”

He drew back, and she knew from the expression on his face that he was completely, one hundred percent serious.

“I saw space, Annie. We were partners again. We’ll be cops again, but in space.”

Her eyes grew very, very large. “Space,” she whispered.

He gathered her into his arms and held her tight.

“Space.”