Shades of Gray (81 page)

It stiffened its legs, arched its back, and, leaping forward, tried to buck him off, still shrieking and lowing its terror. Those around it began to veer away, and Kusac found himself with the open space he needed. He snarled loudly in its ear then sank his teeth into it, at the same time exerting pressure on its neck with his right hand as he dug his claws in even deeper.

Terrified, the beast turned and began to run back into the town, its continuing shrieks opening a clear path for it. People scattered in all directions as it, now trying to outrun the predator on its back, lengthened its stride and ran for dear life.

He spared a thought in Kaid’s direction, finding him safe in the river, watching his progress in horror.

They were coming up to the shuttle now, and he could see that the guards there had been taken out and were lying unconscious on the ground. The shuttle was under power, the air lock closing. Annuur, however, was still ahead of him, heading through the town, scattering the market stalls and people in all directions, running for all he was worth.

The beast’s hide was covered in coarse fur, but it didn’t afford him much purchase. Crouching low, he sank his rear claws simultaneously into its hide, keeping the beast on a straight course, following Annuur’s path of destruction. Once they reached the open countryside, he began to gain on him. When they were level, he released his hold on the animal, and using his powerful hind legs, he kicked off and leaped to the ground, landing on all fours at a full run just behind the fleeing Cabbaran.

Lengthening his stride, he let himself go into full Hunter mode, seeing and scenting only his prey. He waited until he was almost past him before leaping, his jaws closing over the Cabbaran’s neck as he braced his hind feet in the dirt and pulled him to the ground.

Annuur squealed and tipped over on his side. Over and over they rolled in the dust, finally coming to a halt with the Cabbaran on his back and Kusac straddling him, jaws still fastened tightly around the other’s throat.

Breathing heavily, he held his stance, waiting until his vision began to return to normal and he’d caught his wind. Beneath him, Annuur, eyes closed, also lay panting.

I want answers,
he sent, lifting Annuur by the neck and shaking him.
No more getting Naacha to make me forget!

He heard the shuttle taking off, heading straight for the landing pad outside the City’s main gates.

Release me,
sent the Cabbaran, opening his eyes. There was no fear in them.
You will have what you need.

How can I trust you after this?
he demanded. Y
ou tried to kill Kaid and me!

Between his jaws, Kusac felt the hint of a chuckle trying to escape from the Cabbaran’s throat and growled menacingly.

No more lies or tricks,
he warned, tightening his jaws fractionally, cutting off Annuur’s air. Then he released him, but he put his hand on the Cabbaran’s chest, pinning him to the ground.

“We’re not your enemy, nor are we working for them,” said Annuur, still struggling for breath. “Didn’t we give you back your Talents, enhance them for you?”

“So
you
turned me into a freak!” he snarled.

“No. We gave you more than the skills of your Ancients, and Naacha trained you to use them to deal with the M’zullians.”

“You didn’t do this for me or for Shola, so don’t lie to me, Annuur! You manipulated Zayshul and me! Stole our memories . . .”

“Time short, Kusac,” the Cabbaran interrupted. “Do you want the solution to wiping out the racial memories of the M’zullians? Again, M’zullians your enemy, not us.”

Taken aback, Kusac could only stare at him. He couldn’t believe this small being’s arrogance and lack of fear, never mind his absurd claims.

“The pouch on my right side,” said Annuur. “Take it. What you need inside. Do not show to anyone else. You will know what to do with it when the time comes, Hunter.”

He blinked, suddenly realizing that Annuur was gone. He sat back heavily in the sand, utterly bemused, then realized he held a pouch in his right hand.

“They’ve done it to me again,” he snarled, hand tightening on the soft leather. Something small and hard at its center stopped him. He opened it, tipping the contents out into his right hand. It was a small, clear cube, and inside it, something seemed to move. He lifted his hand closer to see better, and as he did, the cube seemed to dissolve, leaving a slightly shiny substance pooling in the middle of his palm.

He watched in shock as the liquid began to sink into his skin and disappear. “What the hell?” He shook his hand, then rubbed it as he felt a crawling sensation under his skin. Letting out a roar of anger, he raised his head as overhead the
Watcher
became a silver streak heading out into space. “Annuur, you bastard! What have you done to me now?”

He sat there, unmoving, until Kaid came racing up to him. “Are you all right?” his sword-brother demanded, slewing to a stop beside him in a spray of sand.

“Yeah, I think. I lost him, Kaid. He just . . . disappeared from under me.”

“They’re gone, Tirak and his crew too. They fooled us all.”

“You don’t believe me,” he said, turning to look at Kaid. “I had him, right here. Look. I got this from him.” He held out the now empty pouch.

Kaid took it from him and turned it over in his hand. “It was certainly his,” he said, smelling the Cabbaran’s scent on it. “Was there anything in it? And how could he suddenly disappear?”

“It was empty,” he said automatically, rubbing his palm against his thigh. “You don’t know what it was like on Kij’ik,” he said, getting tiredly to his feet. Every muscle ached, and he knew he was bruised in many places. “Supplies that had to have come from them would suddenly appear on the Outpost with no explanation of where they’d come from. Once another TeLaxaudin arrived, then left as suddenly and mysteriously.”

“Didn’t anyone question Giyarishis about that?”

“No. Not one of us thought to do it,” he said, his voice full of suppressed anger.

Time and time again, he’d been used for their own purposes. They’d taken advantage of his disability to alter him into the Gods knew what! They might even have aided K’hedduk in placing the control device on him in the first place. Even as he thought it, his mind balked. No, they hadn’t done that, but they had made use of his lack of Talent to turn him into something more than he’d been.

“There’ll be a reckoning, Kaid, I swear there will!”

“Indeed there will,” Kaid agreed, reaching out to take him by the shoulder. “But we’ve more pressing business now. We have Zhalmo to rescue and a planet of M’zullians to deal with. Afterward, we’ll track down both the Cabbarans and the TeLaxaudin for treason. We’ll need to make a report to L’Seuli so he can deal with them on the Council.”

“You don’t understand, Kaid. They aren’t the enemy,” he said, knowing he spoke no less than the truth. “But the ones that used me, they were. It’s personal, not political.”

“Then we’ll talk about it later.”

“There’s nothing to discuss,” he said with finality. “Don’t tell L’Seuli. They were a group apart from those on the Alliance Council. The Ambassadors will deny any involvement. Once this is over, I will find them and get the answers I need.”

“We’ll find them,” Kaid corrected him.

“When we do, it’s my Hunt, Kaid, not yours. I need to know my family will be safe.”

“I hear you,” said Kaid as they began walking back to the City.

Annuur materialized in the cargo area of the ship where the rest of his sept was waiting. Quickly righting himself, he began to moan.

“My throat! My throat! It is bruised and punctured! Sharp teeth has the Hunter!”

Lweeu, making sympathetic noises, rushed forward wielding a jar of antiseptic cream which she began to apply liberally to the afflicted area.

Naacha grunted in amusement. “You exaggerate. His mouth gentle. No punctures.”

“No punctures but bruised from teeth! Many bruises. You were not sat upon by him!” exclaimed Annuur.

Another snort of amusement from Naacha; then, assured his leader was relatively unhurt, he headed back down to the navigation couch.

“You gave him the nanites?” asked Sokarr.

“Yes, they are within him. They will migrate to join those designed to destroy the matter transformer and reprogram them to do that only when it has created enough of memory-destroying ones.”

“And you remembered the trigger word?” asked Lweeu, putting the salve away into one of her pouches.

“Yes, yes!” he said testily, pushing them aside. “He forgot he saw them and how I vanish. We go down now. Need to send signal to Camarilla for gateway.”

As he settled himself into his couch, he asked, “Our family, do they sleep upstairs?”

“Soundly,” said Sokarr. “Will be good to go home. Real beds again. No more mud.”

“Fresh food,” said Lweeu wistfully. “Baths.”

“Room to be alone,” muttered Naacha.

“Send signal, Lweeu,” ordered Annuur.

“Signal sent,” she replied. “Where will our family be while we on Ghioass?”

“Same as us. They go to village in mountains, wait out time there,” said Annuur as they watched the jump point forming in front of their ship. Annuur began to steer toward it as Sokarr called out that the Prime ships were now following them.

“
Watcher 6
, you are not cleared to leave Prime Space. I repeat, you are not cleared to leave. Please return ...”

“Kill sound,” snapped Annuur as they picked up speed and entered the gateway.

Predictably, Kezule was furious at Annuur and Tirak’s escape and the realization that they had been manipulating him and Kusac all along.

“Whatever was happening, no longer is,” said Kusac when they met with him and Zsurtul again in the library. “It’s over. I don’t think they were acting against us. Think of all the good they did, for you personally as well as for the Primes. Had they wished to destroy the Primes, they would have done it long ago, after the Fall, when they were at their most vulnerable. They didn’t.” He kept to himself how they had tried to prevent him saving King Zsurtul. He needed to think this through fully before saying anything to anyone about this, even Carrie.

“Then why flee as they did?” the General demanded, pacing the room.

“I have no idea. But they’re all gone from here and Kij’ik, both the TeLaxaudin and the Cabbarans. Whatever their agenda was, it’s finished.”

“Mysterious as this is, Kusac, and I agree it isn’t our main concern right now,” said Kaid. “We need to focus on rescuing Zhalmo and dealing with the M’zullians.”

“You’re right,” said Kezule, halting beside the King. “However, I will have their quarters searched and find out what I can.” He looked over at Kusac, seeing the tiredness in every line of his body. “I’m told the way you chased down the Cabbaran on one of the herd beasts was spectacular,” he said. “Go soak in the pool, both of you. It’ll ease those sore muscles. I’ll send a masseur to see to you.”

“Much as I would love to, we’re really pushed for time,” said Kusac.

“Go, that’s an order,” said Zsurtul, adding his voice to Kezule’s. “We need you both fit and well.”

Kusac nodded gratefully.

“As for the
Watcher
docking with the
Zan’droshi
, we’ve spoken to the Captain, and it seems that Captain Tirak called them, requesting a pickup as they were running low on fuel. It was a routine meeting, nothing more,” Zsurtul continued.

“Was there a TeLaxaudin on the
Zan’droshi
?” asked Kusac.

“No. We only had one on the
Kz’adul
because he asked to come with us. It isn’t normal for them to be on our ships.”

“Just a coincidence then,” murmured Kusac, turning to leave.