Page 71 of Healing Creek
Alfred was the artificial intelligence that helped Feeona operate the ship. Its calm voice came across the ship’s speakers. “Yes, Captain.”
“Your ship can do that?”
“Alfred can.” She tugged Grace down the deployed ramp and they ran into the jungle at the edge of the clearing where the ship sat.
Grace watched the ramp retract and the hatch close. Then the ship lifted into the night, near silent and dark in the night sky, and it was gone. “You didn’t finish your thought. “We surrender, and…”
Feeona took a deep breath and let it out again. “I said it wasn’t a very good plan.”
“Ah.” Grace squeezed Feeona’s hand. “And then…we’ll figure it out from there.”
Feeona gave her a weak smile. “Right.”
Grace gently pulled her hand free from Feeona’s grasp and smoothed her clothes into place. She thought about Creek doing the same that morning when she’d gotten dressed. She suspected he did it just for the excuse to touch her. The memory made her heart hurt in a different way. Panic leaked away as she thought about what her life had been like without him in it. Dull and full of disappointment. Her family disappointed with her failures. Her own disappointment at her inability to measure up to them. How many times had Creek told her she was strong and smart and capable. He believed in her and now he needed her to save him, and her sister, and all the others.
She heard rustling in the jungle beyond the clearing where the ship no longer sat. The Roma guards were coming.
“Okay. We’ll figure it out from there.” She caught Feeona’s gaze and raised her hands in the air. “Let’s go.”
Feeona followed her lead and together they walked into the clearing.
Chapter Thirty-Two
RomaResearchFacility,PlanetAB-93289
Earth Alliance Beta Sector
2210.205
Feeona had been right about the guards. When they saw that the two women were surrendering, they were brusque and politely efficient. They led them into the lab and through a set of double doors that led down to a basement. The moment they reached the steps, the growls and snarls started. Grace spotted three secured rooms along the far wall. Each door had a sophisticated looking lock and two narrow horizontal slots, one at waist height and one at eye level. The top slots were open and she could see angry Dog eyes through two of them. The third was absent any sign of life. No angry eyes. No growls. That was the one the guards led them to. One opened the door and waved them through.
The inside of the room was spartan. Plain white walls, a narrow cot, and a badly battered Jennifer. As they entered, Jenny scooted up on the bed, putting her back against the wall and folding her legs under her. Grace lurched across the room, a ball of horror in her gut. She knelt on the bed in front of her brilliant, always put together sister and gently pushed a tangle of blonde hair off her bruised face. One eye was swollen and her lip had been busted.
“Oh Jenny, what have they done to you?”
Her sister clutched at her shoulders. “Thank God you’re alive.”
Jennifer pulled her into a hug as the door shut resoundingly and the lock engaged. Grace let her sister cling to her as long as she wanted. The embrace was out of character, but understandable after what she must have been through.
As Grace eased out of her arms, she looked her over for other injuries. “Do you have any serious injuries I can’t see?”
Jennifer shook her head then lifted her gaze to a point over Grace’s shoulder. “Mostly bruises.”
“Oh. Jenny, this is Feeona.” Grace turned and indicated the other woman. “She’s a friend.”
Jenny dipped her chin in greeting. “Thank you for trying to help us. I’m sorry you’re stuck here with us now. You came with the Arena Dogs?”
Feeona acknowledged her with a nod. “Do you know what happened? There were a lot more guards here than we were expecting.” Feeona looked to Jennifer for an explanation.
“A large group of guards arrived a few days ago. Mondo, their leader, is ruthless.
Grace wondered if he was the one who beat her sister.
“The intel we received must have been planted by Roma.” Feeona didn’t mention the resistance directly. She probably wasn’t sure if they could trust Jenny. Didn’t the bruises prove she was on their side? Or was she just worried about the guards outside hearing them.
“If you mean Roma lured you here, you could be right. They were definitely expecting Arena Dogs. They replaced the doors on these rooms and added those sophisticated locks. The guards also started carrying non-lethal weapons. They’ve been keeping me down here at night since Mondo arrived.” Jennifer hugged herself, rubbing her arms as if to warm them. Only it wasn’t cold. “I woke up when they were dragging the Arena Dogs into the rooms beside me. Most of them looked unconscious, but they didn’t stay out long.”
“The latest in dart guns, no doubt,” suggested Feeona. “Fast acting. But nothing keeps the guys down for long.”
