Gateway (Gateway Series Book 1) (29 page)

“It looks like an abandoned camp of some sort,” said TC, sifting through the grayish black remains of a fire.

“About a day old,” stated Mori. “Probably about ten strong.”

“Wonder what they’re doing out here,” added Rickover. “I would have assumed the Xen would have cleared the planet of any indigenous populations.”

“They would have,” replied Mori as she rummaged through the remnants of the campsite,

moving a small branch with her foot. Seeing a metallic object lying underneath the brush, she knelt down to investigate.

It was a magazine for an assault rifle.

Placing the magazine in her pocket, Mori quickly scanned the forest and made her way toward a large felled tree to take a defensive position. “Everyone find a place to take cover.”

The rest of the group was looking for adequate cover when Mori heard a noise coming from the dense foliage.

“Get down!” she shouted as she positioned her rifle downfield toward the noise, waiting for something to appear.

Focused on the initial threat, she was slow to hear the noise to her right.

Finally, the sound registered and she swung her rifle toward the new threat.

As she turned, a blow to her shoulder knocked the rifle out of her hands and sent her tumbling. Rolling to her left she drew her sword and brought it to bear just as the attacker stepped toward her. A tall, slender man stared down the blade as she looked into the barrel of his pistol.

Her intuition had been right. Several attackers had rushed out of the forest. A quick scan of the situation appraised Mori of the fate of her comrades. Rickover hadn’t even moved from his prone position. A woman had a foot placed on his back and a rifle to his head. Orion was wrestling with two attackers, but it appeared they were getting the best of her. TC had one attacker in each hand, dangling them several feet off the ground, but two more had their weapons pointed at him and he was submitting.

Mori was disgusted with herself. How could she have let someone get that close? Had her skills deteriorated that much or were they that good?

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I will ask the questions,” snapped the man. “Your friends are captured. Submit or they will be killed.”

Mori thought she at least had a chance to take out the man in front of her, but she was less confident about the others. Just as she was about to concede, there was more rustling from the trees. 

“Put down your weapons!” came a voice from nearby.

Mori turned toward the noise to see Stone emerge from the forest with a woman in front of him. He held her hair tightly, forcing her head toward the sky with his pistol rested firmly against the base of her skull.

“Drop your weapons or I will scatter her brains across this forest,” he warned.

The man in front of Mori looked toward Stone. In doing so, he was distracted just enough to allow Mori to make her move. In a quick, fluid movement Mori grabbed the weapon and twisted it behind the man’s back and brought the blade of her sword to his neck.

There was a long silence as each person nervously examined their opponents, playing out options in their minds.

***

Fearing someone would make a hasty and deadly mistake, Stone took action. He twisted the woman’s hair, forcing her to her knees. Pressing the pistol to the top of her head he issued the warning again. “Now!” he ordered. Stone noticed the rest of the attackers looking toward the man under Mori’s blade. Pegging him as the leader, he turned the woman’s face toward him. “Surrender!” he shouted.

“I’m sorry, Horatio,” said the woman.

The man’s focus remained on Stone’s captive. From the look on his face, Stone could tell the two shared deep feelings toward one another. Either way, Stone had the advantage. It was time for him to capitalize on it. He shifted his grip on the pistol from his right to left hand and then, placing his boot on her neck, he forced her to the ground. Once she was pinned, he drew his sword and placed it against her neck. “Maybe I will take her apart piece by piece.”

The sword against her neck had made the difference. After a deep breath, the man conceded. “Release them,” he ordered. “Drop your weapons.”

The attackers released TC, Orion, and Rickover, who quickly picked up the would-be captors’ weapons.

“Release her!” ordered the man. “We have surrendered. Do not harm her!”

Stone removed his foot from the woman’s back, allowing her to scramble over to the leader. They embraced and then turned back toward Stone and Mori.

“Like I was saying,” said Mori. “Who are you?”

The woman looked toward the leader. “Horatio, don’t tell them anything.”

“I guess the Humani have finally starting helping their Xen masters with the experiments,” replied Horatio.

“We’re not working with Xen,” said Orion in a reassuring voice.

“We’re here to stop them,” added Mori.

Horatio turned his nose back toward Mori and drew in a deep breath, sniffing the air.

“Kendra, the scent,” he said.

“Yes,” she replied, “I smell it too.”

Pointing to Mori, Horatio asked, “What is that one’s name, please?”

***

“Captain Mori Skye,” Mori answered.

Horatio and Kendra looked at one another. Kendra nodded and Horatio looked back toward Mori.

“My name is Horatio. I am the second leader of the wolf clan. This is my mate, Kendra.”

“Wolf clan?” asked Orion. “Are you native to this planet?”

“Native!” said Horatio. “I am from Bravo 3. I was captured by slavers when I was ten and transported here. Kendra was a Terillian trader before she was taken. We are a small group of escapees from the Citadel.”

“Were you captured for genetic testing?” asked Mori.

“Yes,” replied Horatio. “But I do not know to what end. All I know is that we escaped and have fought to survive ever since.”

“I assure you we’re not your enemy,” Mori replied, dropping her weapon to her side. She motioned for the others to do the same. “The Xen are experimenting with humans to create a hybrid that is resistant to a virus killing off their slave populations,” she continued. “We have come to stop them.”

“So they have changed us…done all of this only to keep us slaves?” declared Horatio, his anger boiling over. “I thought my hatred for them could grow no more.”

He let out a guttural groan.

As he did, Mori saw large canines, protrude from his mouth.

“Five of you?” asked Kendra. “How will five of you stop the Xen?”

“We’re still working on that part,” said Orion. “Aren’t we, Stone?”

“How do we know this is not some Humani-Xen trap to get us to give up our location? This one reeks of Humani,” asked Horatio cautiously, sniffing the air around Stone.

“I promise you,” replied Mori. “We are no friends of the Xen.”

“Horatio,” interrupted Kendra, “the female, her scent—we must take them back.”

Mori looked puzzled. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

“You are—”

“Not yet,” Horatio interrupted Kendra’s reply. “We must seek out Elder and Magnus; they will know what to do.”

“Yeah,” interjected Orion. “Let’s go see Elder.”

“We shall,” replied Horatio. “He will determine if you are friend or foe.”

“You must realize we are friends,” said Mori as stepped toward Horatio.

“I am sorry,” apologized Horatio, as he quickly backed away from her. “You smell—”

“What are you talking about?” asked Mori, more than a little embarrassed.

“Horatio,” said Kendra. “They are not aware of our…differences.”

“You’re right,” he said. “Forgive me. I forgot. The testing…it has created some…well…we must see Elder.”

As Horatio spoke, Mori looked closely at his face. His jaw protruded forward more than normal. Behind the thick head of hair that covered his head and his bushy beard, she could make out a slight peak to his ear. “The genetic alterations?” she asked.

“Yes. But we can talk about that later. Follow me. We shouldn’t stay in one place too long.”

***

They followed Horatio and his group a few yards into the forest. Coming to sudden stop, Horatio began to sniff the air.

“Here it is,” he said as he reached down into the undergrowth. Withdrawing a rope from the undergrowth, he gave it a tug and the ground opened up to expose an underground passage. “Welcome to our den,” he smiled as he motioned for everyone to enter.

The air in the tunnel was damp and musty. Looking down the long corridor, Mori saw a series of very dim lights extending into the darkness beyond.

From the darkness a voice called out. “Horatio, is that you? Who are the strangers?”

Horatio again sniffed the air. “Yes, Caliph. It is I. I have brought visitors.”

The group continued forward until another man came into view in the poorly lit tunnel. He was a small man, but had fierce eyes that almost glowed in the dim light. As the group approached, he lowered his weapon and sniffed the air, just as Horatio had. “One of them is—”

“Yes, Caliph,” interrupted Horatio. “I am taking them to Magnus.”

“What are they talking about?” whispered Mori to Stone.

“I’m not sure. Just keep your guard up,” replied Stone.

Continuing past the guard, they soon entered a large open area. Slightly better lit than the tunnel itself, a group of about twenty people could be seen scattered throughout the den. All activity ceased as the strangers walked into the room.

Suddenly two young males rushed toward them.

“Caleb! Nathan! Stop!” ordered Horatio.

The youths stopped in their tracks. Still staring at the strangers, they started to circle them, their noses in the air collecting scents. As Horatio walked toward them, they lowered their heads.

“These people are our guests. Return to your parents.”

“Yes, Horatio,” they answered in unison and scurried back toward the edge of the den.

As they retreated, a large figure stepped forward. He was older with a large jaw and massive canine teeth that could be seen as he spoke. “Horatio, who are these people? And why have you brought them here?” he asked.

“We found them in the forest, Elder. They say they have come to fight the Xen.”

“An army of five. I am sure the Xen are shaking in their scaly skins,” replied the large man mockingly. After a pause, he stepped toward Mori, moving his head from one side of her face to the next.

“And one of the women, she—”

“Yes,” interrupted Elder. “I see.”

“Yes, Elder, that is why I brought them.”

“Very, well,” replied Elder. “Caleb!” he shouted while still staring at Mori.

The youth came running.

“Yes, Elder.”

“Go get Magnus and his mate. Tell them it is important. We have guests.”

Mori’s stomach was twisted and taut; there was something about her that had the entire group on edge. Slowly and quietly, she tilted her rifle to ensure she had plenty of ammo left in the magazine.

“What the hell is going on, Mori?” asked Orion.

“I don’t know,” she replied, “but it’s starting to freak me out.”

“We’re in a cave surrounded by wolf-people,” added Rickover. “What could go wrong?”

“Just keep quiet and stay alert,” replied Stone.

“Great. Here come some more,” said Orion.

Two figures came into view from the darkness.

The male was huge by human standards. Well over two meters, his broad shoulders and muscled physique could not be hidden by the thick hair growing on his bare torso. Behind him was a female, standing in his shadow.

“What have you brought us, Horatio?” asked the large man.

“We found them in the forest, Magnus,” replied Horatio, his head looking toward the ground. “This female…her…”

“Her scent,” said the woman behind Magnus. “She smells like…” The woman stepped into the light. She was beautiful with piercing green eyes. “…like family,” concluded the unknown woman.

Mori’s jaw dropped as she let her rifle fall to the ground. The two women stepped toward each other.

“Kat…Katalya? Is that you?” asked Mori, tears welling in her eyes. She began to tremble.

“Sister!” shouted the woman as she embraced Mori. “I thought I would never see you again.”

“I never gave up,” sobbed Mori. “I knew in my heart you were alive.”

Magnus walked toward the two, towering over them. “Katalya, this woman is your kin?”

Still embracing her sister, she answered. “Yes, Magnus. My sister. We were separated when I was captured, but now we are—”

“Together,” added Mori.

“Yes, together.”

“And the others?” asked Magnus.

We’re here to find a way to destroy the base and stop the Xen from weaponizing the virus,” answered Stone.

“I did not know if we could trust them,” added Horatio as he slightly bowed his head. “I thought it best to bring them to you and Elder.”