Page 60 of Warrior
Daicon gripped my shoulders, giving me the faintest shake. “If anything goes wrong... anything, you run. Don’t try to be a hero.”
“Who me?” I kept it light, although my eyes found their way to the spot on the floor where Scarface fell dead. It wasn’t a hero that killed that guard, just a mother bear protecting her cubs. I’d do it again.
Daicon pressed a kiss to my hairline, then rested his forehead against mine. “Please stay safe.” The gold eyes swimming in a cobalt sea held so much emotion—love, worry, happiness, anger—everything he was. Everything I loved.
“I love you,” I whispered, rewarded with a firm press of his lips against mine before Daicon turned on his heel, setting off to follow Ewok and the children.
"Remember, don't set off the explosion until the first ray of sunlight hits the ground." Daicon cautioned George and me, pointing to a spot in the center of the floor before walking away.Ewok had waited for Daicon to catch up, his button-brown eyes gazing affectionately at the warrior. Daicon reached Ewok’s side, ruffling the fur atop his head, and I bit my tongue to hold back a sob as two parts of my heart disappeared down the dark tunnel.
“You better get in position, kida,” George suggested as he came to my side.
I gave his pale blue cheek a kiss and hugged him tight. “You be careful, promise me?”
“I promise.” George hugged me back. “I’ll whistle when the sunlight hits.”
My trip on the steps was quicker this time, the communicator clutched tightly in my hand, lest I accidentally hit the button and screw everything up. The tunnel from the kitchen turned sharply right as it widened onto the landing, creating nooks and crannies perfect for hiding. I pushed myself into a fissure, letting the early morning shadows act as camouflage. A crude rock wall surrounded the landing, just tall enough for me to crouch behind unseen. Once the ruckus started, I could watch from above and set off each of the five explosives as needed.
It felt like hours until I heard the low tone of George's whistle, yet it came all too soon.
Please, God, let this work.
I held the communicator near the only beam of light filtering in my direction to double-check the setting and pushed the button.
Explosions in real life are very different from what you see in television and movies.
Only the beginning of the blast is audible. The painful ringing in my eardrums drowned out most of the sound. It was an immersive experience. In addition to sound came movement, the rumbling of the walls as they shifted against the concussive wave of air.
And this was just the blasting cap. We'd all be dead now if Daicon hadn't removed the fuel from the explosives.
I shook my head, trying to stop the popping in my ears. Faintly, the sound of George and the others raised above the residual rumblings. Staying pressed to the wall, I crept to the overview, raising just enough to catch the children running about and whooping as they tossed small devices that reminded me of the bang caps the kids used to throw at the 4thof July church picnic.
If we were right, the guards would just be rising for the day. One blast to wake and discombobulate them. The second was to draw them into the trap. I held my breath and pressed the button.
This explosion was loud, like the clang of an angry gong, but it didn’t have the painful aftereffects of the first blast. The thundering sound of footsteps became audible a moment later. I slipped back into the fissure just before the burst of bodies hit the landing. From my perch, I counted maybe a dozen guards.
Correction... a dozen pissed-off alien guards.
“Get the bombs!” George yelled his line perfectly, my next cue.
The explosion kicked up a plume of dust at the foot of the stairs, bringing forth a bevy of surprised curses from the Aljani.
"Get those little bastards!" Someone yelled, and all hell broke loose.
I slipped from my hiding place to watch the melee below. Children screeched and laughed as they darted about the room, staying just out of reach of snatching hands. The Aljani guards were large and muscular, but Daicon was right... they were slow. The guards grumbled, huffed, and cussed as they chased after the little ones zipping about as fast as go-carts, and drawing forth painful yelps as they pegged the men with bang caps. Therewas no mistaking the rage on the guard's faces, just as there was no misreading the expression of glee on each child.
Those little darlings enjoyed this. They were having fun while I stood here watching, one fright short of a heart attack—just like any other mother.
Mayhem continued until the moment George gave another high-pitched whistle.
I pressed the button again.
This time, the explosion kicked up a thick plume of dust at the entrance of the supper tunnel, causing enough cover for the young ones to slip inside without notice. Squinting, I waited until George plunged into the tunnel, the guard diving after him seconds too late. Flipping the toggle on the communicator to channel two, I turned and ran.
The tunnel was empty save for the echo of aggravated curses. Hitting the point in the tunnel, Daicon marked, I turned, pointed the communicator toward the stairs, and pressed the button.
Crap.
Nothing happened.
