Page 42 of Ulfar

“You,” I snarl, turning on Atraxia. “You made all that up, didn’t you? To turn me against him. To make me lose hope.”

She chuckles. “My my, was it that obvious? And here I was hoping that the glamor would last for a little longer...”

“You asshole!” I scream. I try to rear back and punch her, but the cuffs jar my shoulder and I hiss at another slash of pain.

“I’ve been called worse.” The sirens redouble their efforts, and Atraxia yanks me toward her. “Now come on. We’ve got to get out of here. You can have your little family reunion later.”

And that’s how I’m led, quite literally kicking and screaming, out of the cell block and into the main area once more. Guards and soldiers run to their stations with practiced efficiency, and I tremble at the sight of their weapons. Their soldiers are at least as broad as Ulfar, if not more, and the weapons look big enough to blast a hole through this entire station.

Do Ulfar and his team even stand a chance?

I squeeze my eyes shut and force that thought out of my mind. I can’t think about that now. I have to keep my wits about me.

I have to survive, and I have to get to him. Before it is too late.

* * *

Atraxia pullsus through a maze of back passageways, and all I can do is try to stay standing. She yanks on a chain attached to our cuffs and walks far faster than either my father or I, causing us to have to do an awkward stumble-run to keep from being dragged like sacks of potatoes.

All around us I hear the sounds of battle, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Frustrated tears well up in my eyes and spill over. I have to buy time, but how? If they manage to get us into a transport and off-world, there’s a chance I’ll never see Ulfar or any of them again. It took this long for them to catch up to me—if I let them slip through my fingers…the Syndicate isn’t keen on second chances.

Please,I call out to him in my mind.Please hurry. I need you.I have no idea if it will work or if it’s simply a comforting fantasy, but I have to try.

We reach a shuttle bay where a speeder is already waiting. It’s now or never, I realize, as the sounds of shouting and shooting grow louder.

As Atraxia turns her back to punch in the exit codes on the speeder’s keypad, my father springs into action. He lifts his cuffed arms high, bringing both his fists down on the back of her skull. She wobbles and falls to her knees, but it’s not over yet.

“What are you doing?!” she cries out in pain and rage. “Guards!!”

But no guards come to her rescue. They’re all occupied elsewhere. My father wraps the chains connecting his wrists around Atraxia’s slim neck, pulling them taut and cutting off her escape. She gasps and claws at the chain, but he’s behind her and isn’t letting go.

“The keys, Sarah! Get the keys!” he barks, glancing down at the device on her belt.

And then, with a booming digital hum, all the lights go out on the station. Everything goes still. The lights on our cuffs fade into darkness, and they click open.

“What—” my father gasps, looking around. All the power. Gone.

Did that mean—?

The momentary interruption may have broken our cuffs, but it gave Atraxia the opening she needed as well. When the lock unlatched, she lunged forward, no longer bound by the chains around her neck. My father stumbles and loses his footing while Atraxia whirls around to face him, gun pointed right at his chest.

“No!” I scream. Everything seems to pass by in slow motion. I scan the surroundings, looking for something, anything that will help me get out of this. I have to save him!

“You really thought you could get the upper hand,” Atraxia taunts, looming over my father’s cowering form. “Fool. The Syndicate is more powerful than you’ll ever be. It’s a mercy I even left you alive.”

There’s a toolbox lying nearby, filled with several long, pole-like tools for working on the innards of starships. If I can grab one in time, I might be able to turn the tide.

“T-take me instead,” he wheezes, coughing. “I’m sorry, Sarah, sweet girl, I’m sorry...”

My hand closes around the cold metal and I lift it with all my strength.

“You’ve served your purpose,” she says coldly. “Now die.”

Like a champion baseball player, I swing the metal pole, and it crashes between her shoulder blades and she lets out a high-pitched, banshee-like scream. Her gun clatters to the floor and I lunge for it when a loud, powerful voice fills the open space.

“ATRAXIA!”

Heart pounding, I turn for the source of the noise, hoping against hope—

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