Page 10 of Taming Chaos

Winters looked to the rest of the humans for support. “Markov’s out of line. This is crazy. There’s no way I’m going to agree to this ridiculous arrangement. He has no right.”

Several of the guards looked away. It was almost painful to watch.

“Davis, surely you don’t agree with this bullshit?”

A slim, dark-haired female who was dressed in the same fashion as this Markov shook her head. “He’s my superior,” she said coldly. “I follow orders.”

“I can’t believe this.” A forlorn expression crossed Winters’ face. “When I don’t return to Earth, there will be an investigation. Central Command will go through everything. They’ll take your mission logs.”

The woman’s plight stirred something powerful inside Torin. He wanted to go to her, to stand beside her and say: I’m with you.

He started to move.

“We grow impatient.” The Ephrenian’s voice changed, becoming harsh and thin. “Your representative has agreed. We will take you and the originally agreed upon sum of three billion credits in exchange for one hundred standard plasma-fire units.”

“He doesn’t represent me. He’s agreed to this against my will.”

“You humans place too much importance on free will. There is nothing more to discuss.”

“Markov, you fucking asshole.” As the Ephrenians moved into position around her, the woman turned to glare at the one who had betrayed her. “You’d better pray I don’t come back to Earth, because when I do, I’m going to kill you slowly, and I’m going to savor every minute of it.”

“Goodbye, Persephone Winters. Just remember that you’ve done a great service for the human race. This is a historical moment. If you make your way back, I’ll put in a special recommendation for you.” He winked. “You deserve the promotion.”

Torin wanted to punch the irritating smirk right off the human’s face.

The lead Ephrenian beckoned to Winters, crooking his long, spindly finger. Come. They were all around her now, outnumbering her ten to one.

She had nowhere to go.

That was when Torin walked out from behind the freighter crate, no longer bothered about being seen.

He moved toward the group, his footsteps silent on the cold metal floor. Several of the Ephrenians glanced sharply in his direction.

The humans didn’t notice a thing until he was way too close.

“You humans shouldn’t waste your time with plasma guns,” he said, shrugging as twenty-odd bolt-guns were swiftly aimed at his head. “Have any of you actually ever tried to fire one of those things?”

“Who the hell are you?” Now Markov was pushing through his guards, striding toward Torin with a gun in his hand. “Don’t come any closer or I’ll blow your fucking head off.”

Torin ignored him and kept walking. “The recoil on a plasma gun can be an absolute bitch. Trust me when I tell you that human bodies weren’t designed to withstand such forces.”

“Crazy motherfucker,” Markov uttered in English. “What the hell would you know about humans?” He pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

Torin inclined his head. “More than what you know about Ephrenians, apparently.”

Panic set in. Markov tried again, pulling the trigger several times. Clickclickclickclick. “What the hell is happening?”

Torin decided to mess with his head a little. “Winters probably knows, but I’m guessing she isn’t going to tell you, now that she’s upset with you.”

“Shoot him.” Markov motioned to one of his guards.

The human hesitated.

“Shoot him, goddamnit!”

Torin didn’t even flinch as the guard’s bolt-gun failed to fire.

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