Page 32 of Only Rogue Actions
A chilling realization swept over me, icing out some of the agonizing pain in my hand.I was well and truly caught, like a Frozon wolf in a snare, with no hope of escaping the death that was quickly approaching me.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
VESPER
Islidthedetonatorinto my pants pocket, then stuffed the larger box of explosives into a cloth bag that was lying on a counter.I also made sure the dead Hammer’s blaster was set to its full, killing power, instead of stun.I slid the weapon onto my belt and grabbed my trusty trident again.
With the bag in one hand and my trident in the other, I left the transport garage and quickly returned to the upper level.I peered down the main corridor, just as I had a few minutes ago.
Everything was the same in the control room.Jeffrey was still at the panel, swiping through screens and trying to locate me, while holograms of Kyrion and Roderick flickered in the air.Asterin and Siya were still shackled to the table in the back and being guarded by four House Battis Hammers.The warriors looked bored, but Asterin and Siya kept glancing at each other, having a whispered telepathic conversation I couldn’t hear.
First things first, I had to get the Hammers away from my friends.Once Asterin and Siya were safe, then I could deal with Jeffrey, take his place at the control panel, and figure out where Kyrion was in the maze.
Jeffrey froze, and his eyes widened, like he’d just had a startling revelation.He leaned forward, frantically typing on a holoscreen.Something beeped in response, and the technician let out a low, muttered curse.
“What is it?”one of the male Hammers asked.“What’s wrong?”
“Shut up and let me think,” Jeffrey snarled.
The technician paced back and forth in front of the control panel for the better part of a minute.Then he sighed and flipped a switch, causing a bit of static to crackle through the air.Jeffrey wet his lips and leaned forward over the microphone sticking up out of the panel.“Sir, we have a problem.I’ve lost the woman ...”
I stayed in my hiding spot and eavesdropped while Jeffrey told Roderick that I had escaped from the maze.I listened carefully, hoping to hear Kyrion talking in the background, but Roderick’s pissed voice drowned out everything else.
Kyrion?I sent out the thought.
I still didn’t hear his voice, but the sticky cobweb of him in my mind practically glowed with warm pride.Kyrion was happy I’d gotten out of the maze.Even more determination to save him roared through me.
Roderick ordered Jeffrey to find me.The technician agreed, then flipped the switch and turned off the microphone.He looked over his shoulder at the four Hammers and snapped his fingers at them.“You heard the boss.Find the woman.Now.And make sure you capture her.Roderick will take it out on all of us if you accidentally kill her and break the deal he’s made.”
My eyes narrowed.What deal?And what did it have to do with me?
“What about them?”one of the female Hammers asked, jerking her chin at Asterin and Siya.
“What about them?”Jeffrey scoffed.“They’re shackled to a table with psionic dampeners clamped around their wrists.They’re no threat.”
Asterin and Siya both glared at the technician.Then they looked at each other, once again having a whispered telepathic conversation.Asterin raised her eyebrows in a silent question, and Siya gave her a grim nod.Both women dropped their hands and gripped the edges of the table, their knuckles going white against their skin.My friends had a plan.Good.Me too.
“Go!Now!”Jeffrey made a shooing motion with his hand.
The four Hammers grumbled, but they left the control room and tromped along the corridor.
I tightened my grip on the trident and the bag containing the box of explosives.Then I drew in a breath and stepped out into the open where the other warriors could see me.
“Woo-woo.”I let out a loud whistle.
The Hammers froze.Startled, Jeffrey looked up from the control panel, and Asterin and Siya also stared in my direction.
I shook the bag in my hand, and the black box of explosives slid out of the cloth and tumbled to the floor.I tossed the cloth aside, then stepped forward and kicked the box as hard as I could.It slid to a stop right in front of the four Hammers.
“BOOM!”I screamed, and charged forward.
The Hammers’ eyes widened, and they all yelled, broke formation, and dove to opposite sides of the corridor, trying to get out of the blast radius, even though the box hadn’t exploded.
But that was part of my plan.As much as I wanted to blow my enemies sky-high, I didn’t know how powerful the explosives were, and I didn’t want to obliterate myself, Asterin, and Siya.Besides, I needed Jeffrey alive and the control panel intact so I could help Kyrion.
I raced toward the two Hammers on the right, both of whom had thrown themselves down onto the floor and covered their heads with their hands, as if that would have saved them from anything.
The first Hammer lifted his head.“What the—”
