Page 76 of Captured
Chapter Thirty-Five
Juliet
“You know you won’t get away with this.” I say as Governor Taylor pushes me forward with the butt of her weapon. The smoke is still thick and Sara coughs so much I have to practically carry her down the hallway.
Governor Taylor directs us, holding a small computer of some kind in front of her. I can’t see it, but it must be the floor plan to the Pearl. It’s the only explanation for her ability to navigate the massive ship like she’s lived all her life aboard it.
Governor Taylor takes us through a series of turns, taking the stairs down to the lower levels of the Pearl. It doesn’t take long for us to arrive to some sort of wide boarding platform. I can’t see what’s on the other side of the hatch, but I can bet it’s the Rebellion shuttle.
“Oh my God!” Sara squeals as she sees what lies on the floor, just in front of the hatch.
My heart hammers between my ribs so hard it hurts, but my mind is perfectly clear as I cast a glance at the body. It’s a man, a military man by his uniform.
“Who is this?” I ask Governor Taylor as she comes to a stop at the base of the sealed tunnel.
“A man who didn’t know what was good for him,” she answers curtly before punching a few keys on her small computer.
“You’ve been a figure for compassion and the return of democracy for decades on Earth.” I move slowly toward Sara under the watchful eyes of the soldier, but I don’t dare touch her. “How can you do this?”
Governor Taylor scoffs.
“Let me give you a free lesson in survival.” She purses her lips in a smile but only manages to look like a hyena. A bony finger extends toward the body of the unknown man. “This is what happens when you allow your principles to blind you to the simple truth. Morals don’t win wars. Power is the only thing that matters and the ones who survive know how to fight for it.”
I want to answer her, to tell her to go to hell and shut the door behind her, but my words are swallowed by a familiar figure as the hatch finally opens to reveal a man standing right outside.
“Fred.”
A sleek, debonair smile lifts the lips of my brother-in-law as he steps onto the platform.
“Juliet.” He shakes his head, looking at me with a glint in his eyes. “You just don’t know when to die, do you? Well, let’s remedy the situation right away, shall we?”
Fred motions to the soldier and my eyes turn to the black circle of the barrel. Then nothing happens.
“Don’t!” Sara shouts. “Juliet is important, too. She’s Prince Rakir’s Amara.”
Moments suspend as I stare at the barrel. Slowly, like he can barely stand the proximity of my body, Fred walks closer, then looks down on my wrist at the markings, elegant and fine, running around it.
He frowns, obviously displeased, but doesn’t give the final order.
“The girl could be useful.” Governor Taylor’s voice sounds from somewhere close to my right. “Drakians are overly protective of their Amara. He will never allow anything to happen to her.”
“You’re right, Taylor.” Fred makes a small gesture to the soldier. “She’s going to be useful, at least for now. Prince Rakir won’t shoot down our shuttle with his Amara inside it. Then I’m sure he’ll give up whatever we ask just to get her back.”
I swallow. It should be a relief, but it’s not. They’ll use me to get to Rakir and countless lives might be lost in the process.
Just like that, Fred dismisses me and turns to Governor Taylor.
“The data frame,” he says without ceremony. Governor Taylor hands him the small crystal square as Sara cries out, falling to the floor. Fred retrieves a small reader from his vest and pops the decoy into it.
“The key.” He makes an impatient motion to Governor Taylor.
How did he know Sara was the key? I frown in confusion, but remain silent. Just a day earlier, Fred didn’t know about her.
“We should leave right away,” Governor Taylor interrupts, her gaze going to the hallway. For the first time, I see doubt and fear on her features. She wants away from the Pearl. “The Drakians will know what we’ve done by now. They’ll be here soon.”
“We’re not leaving before I can be sure this is not some trick by the Drakians,” Fred snarls at the woman, then turns his gaze to me. There’s hate and sickness there, more than I ever suspected. “I swear to you, if your Prince Rakir tricked me, I’ll make you pay for it.”
“Oh, you’ll be the one paying, Fred.” I lift my lips in an animalistic snarl. “You have no idea what Rakir will do to you. You’ll wish you’d died on that beach with Henrick’s men. He died screaming like an animal.”
