Page 38 of Protected by the Alien Warrior Triad

12

Tammy

“Don’t move a fucking inch!”

My eyes snap open. I’m greeted by an array of weapons. Yesterday, I would have given anything to have the Capital’s troops surrounding me, protecting me from Scorp attack.

Now? They represent just another deadly threat.

I don’t know how they found us, or how they managed to sneak up on us so effectively, but they’re here.

The Capital’s troops are wearing old armor, long faded, but their rifles are just as deadly as when they were first constructed.

Budget cuts might have affected their uniforms, but the polished sheen of the well-maintained rifles shows where our periphery taxes have gone to.

I feel the Aurelians stir beside me, and I desperately grab their arms to quiet them before they can try a suicidal defense.

As soon as I reach out, though, I realize that only Darok is beside me. He looks at me blankly, but I see his hand inching towards the hilt of his Orb-Sword. Even with a mass of armed soldiers surrounding us, his first instinct is to fight.

I desperately shake my head, pleading him not to. There are at least five gun barrels pointed right at us; and while I’ve seen the Aurelian in combat, the odds against Darok are simply too great. Edgar proved that a bullet could wound or even kill an Aurelian.

Darok nods, remaining still. I shudder, turning back to the troops - watching their fingers tighten on the triggers. The Capital forces have never seen a real-life Aurelian before, and they are nervous.Reallyfucking nervous – and understandably so.

I tighten my fingers on Darok’s huge arm, willing him to be still. If one of us so much as coughs, a volley of gunshots will ring out; but we might not even hear them before they kill us.

How did this happen? How did they find us?

“Slowlyput your hands up,” growls the leader of the troops. He has an eagle insignia on his breast, which shows that he’s an officer.

Where is Hadone?

“Put your fucking hands up!” The officer’s command is a bark this time, and Darok tenses up beside me. I know he’s aching to activate his Orb-Blade and throw himself into battle.

“He doesn’t speak the common tongue,” I say quickly, and the captain snarls:

“Bullshit. If he doesn’t get his hands away from the hilt of that weapon in the next second, I’m going to blow a hole through his head!”

I reach out, slowly and methodically grabbing the hilt of Darok’s Orb-Blade. He looks pained to surrender it, but allows me to take the weapon and toss it over to the captain before the worst can happen. Instantly, the soldiers press closer, emboldened now that their enemy was unarmed.

We’re pulled out of the lean-to, and outside I gasp at how many more soldiers there are. They’ve sent a whole platoon! Row after row of rifles point at us, and I shudder as I witness Forn, still wounded and barely conscious, being pulled from the lean-to by more soldiers.

My heart aches as I watch Forn’s head bouncing against the packed ground. He’s handcuffed and thrown to the dirt. Six rifles are pointed at him, despite the fact that Forn is barely conscious, still weakened from blood loss and his other wounds.

Stacy, Tod, Tyler and Runner are standing unrestrained near two more soldiers. Runner is smiling proudly, and a soldier shakes his hand, saying something too low for me to hear.

Runner! It was Runner who alerted a nearby platoon!

I want to hate the child for it, but I can’t. His father brainwashed him into hating the Aurelians and blaming all of his problems on the alien species. At least now I understand how they found our camouflaged little structure – Runner lead them right to us.

My last days have been a constant series of betrayals. Only the Aurelians have held fast.

My grim thoughts suddenly shatter under the sound of a gunshot. I snap my head over to look at Darok, terrified that he tried to escape. I breathe a sigh of relief as I see that he’s still handcuffed, albeit thrown to the dirt right next to Forn.

Birds flutter from the trees. The scream leaves my mouth before I can stop it. I look around wildly, trying desperately to find Hadone – dreading the inevitability that he’s been cut down by one of the soldier’s bullets.

Then there’s a rustle in the undergrowth and Hadone is lead out, bound in shackles but somehow, miraculously, unharmed.

The Capital’s forces are not known for their trigger discipline, but each member of the platoon knows the recognition, fame, and promotions they’ll receive by bringing inliveAurelians prisoners.

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