Page 19 of A Cyborg for the Alien Mercenary

Suddenly, a bright flare streaked across the sky. Just a flash of light, but that wasn’t a human flare. He squinted, catching the encoded flicker in its trail. It was a command to switch comm channels. The moment he made the change, Anson’s voice burst into his ear. “—umans are jamming us. They’re far more advanced than I realized.”

He grinned, unable to resist needling the B’Kaar. “My gods, was that the famous Anson B’Kaar admitting he was wrong? Should I alert the media?”

Covak skirted down the side of the property. No way was he walking through that open door. His grin widened as Anson cursed in his ear.

“Asshole Vorrtan! I’ll shove your head so far up your ass you’ll be able to see your own tonsils,” Anson growled.

“No need for that,” he threw back. “Just keeping things interesting.”

He pushed open the back door to the house cautiously, entering what appeared to be a kitchen. The room was spacious and well-lit with granite countertops and gleaming stainless-steel appliances.

“Status?” Ryke’s voice cut in, tense and urgent.

“In the house now,” Covak responded, his eyes scanning the room. There were wood cabinets above the counters and ceramic tiles underfoot.

“Looks like a standard kitchen. Place is obviously lived in. No signs of struggle, but something feels off.”

He sniffed the air, cataloging the variety of smells. The sweet scent of baked goods lingered, mingled with the sharper smell of cleaning solvents. But underneath it all lay something else—a scent that made his heart race and his mouth water. It was floral and musky, utterly captivating.

Please, let that be Jane,he prayed.It would really suck to find my soulmate only to discover she’s the enemy trying to shoot me.

Pushing the tantalizing scent from his mind, he focused. “So what’s the plan?” he asked, moving out of the kitchen and into a hallway. Doors led off to other rooms and stairs climbed up to a second floor. “I’m at the house, and it looks like our bird has flown the coop.”

“Working on it,” Anson replied, his voice clipped. “These bastards have layer upon layer of encryption. It’s like trying to peel an onion made of tri-dueranium.”

Before he could reply, Ryke’s voice came over the comm. “Something’s not right here. These humans are acting weird.”

“Weird how?” he asked in curiosity.

Davis chimed in, “They’re pulling back. It’s like they don’t even care we’re here.”

“Maybe they’re just scared of your ugly mug.”

“I’m serious,” Davis snapped, the words punctuated by the sound of gunfire. “We’ve got a clear shot at their command center, and they’re just… leaving.”

Ryke’s grunt of agreement came through the comm. “It doesn’t make sense. They’re more interested in getting out thanstopping us. Keep your eyes open, people. This stinks worse than Covak after a three-day bender.”

“Hey!” Covak protested, but he was already moving, his powerful legs eating up the distance as he ran to join his teammates.

“Update on the package,” Rann’s voice cut through the chatter. “Looks like she’s given her captors the slip. She’s on the move.”

“Frexx!” Covak swore, skidding to a halt. Suddenly, the humans’ strange behavior made sense. “That’s why they’re not engaging us. They’re not after us; they’re after her.”

“Rann… please tell me you can track her.”

An amused chuckle filled his ear. “Of course I can, with a little help from our friends on the Warborne. Head for the north gate of the compound. I’ll lead you right to her.”

A route appeared on Covak’s heads-up display, the glowing path leading him toward his quarry. He grinned, baring his fangs as he shouldered the big gun and broke into a sprint. His powerful muscles bunched and released with each stride, his body thrumming with the thrill of the hunt.

“Ready or not, my love,” he muttered as he charged toward the north gate, “here I come.”

Jesh’s heartthundered in her chest as she tore through the suburban streets. Despite the fear that rolled through her system, making her shoulders tight and the skin between them crawl as she expected to be shot in the back any moment, she ran smoothly, the powerful muscles in her legs pushing her forward far faster than any human could run.

Turn left here,the voice in her head ordered, and she veered left instantly, running up the driveway of an imposing house.

She glanced at the manicured lawn and pristine exterior, narrowing her eyes as she checked for any signs that someone was home.

”What if someone’s home?” she hissed. “What if they see me?”

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