Page 10 of Fractured Souls

“Is he sure he wants to take on this job?”

Without protection, she’d be dead within a week, but she didn’t want any more people to die. It was her job to protect humans, not get them killed.

These Kordolians were’t playing. The bounty hunters they’d sent were highly trained, elite operators.

Ramos gave her a long, hard look. Eighteen months had passed since the attack in Sierra Nevada South, but it looked like he’d aged ten years since then. “There’s another option.” He pulled out another Juvi stick and flicked the end, activating the autolight. Pink smoke started to drift into the air. “It’s a long shot, but maybe…”

“What?”

“I hate to lose your brilliant mind, Carter, but maybe you’re safer outside the Federation.”

Suddenly, all her suspicions crystallized. “You’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

“I think we’re compromised. Someone’s feeding information to the enemy. How do they always seem to know exactly where you’ll be, even when we move you to another secure location?”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. Shit. Times are changing, Detective. Things aren’t what they used to be. I don’t think any human’s safe on Earth anymore. Not since those black ships showed up. We humans just have to accept that the good times are over. Dark clouds on the horizon.”

For a moment, both of them were silent. The appearance of the Kordolian ships had sent a dark current of fear and paranoia through Earth’s citizens. There was talk of an alliance, but she didn’t believe the Federation’s vague inforeleases.

She couldn’t forget the Kordolian’s dying words.

The ones that have taken this Earth are much worse.

“You’re going to have to go off planet.”

“Off planet?”

“I’ve got access to a seat on a colony ship. It’s completely private enterprise, no links to the Fed. I’ve done some background checks. They’re legit. It leaves in two days.”

“Where’s it going?”

“A frontier planet called Miridian-8. There’s a small human colony there. It’s similar to Earth. There’s water, oxygen, plenty of jungle… sounds like a nice little vacation.” He smiled grimly. “I’ll arrange it off-record. The official channels won’t hear of it. I can give you a new identity and wipe your bio-data, but once you set foot on that ship, you’re on your own. Be prepared for a long journey and lots of cryosleep. The good thing is, they outsource their security to alien mercs. The colony has medium-level protection. It isn’t perfect, but it’s better than anything you’d get on Earth. Your choice, Carter. Stay on Earth, or go. I know this is hard, but it’s the best I can do.”

Either way, she would be taking a huge risk.

No more. This ends now.

“I’ll go.” Alexis made up her mind. It didn’t take much. She was desperate, and she was out of options.

If she stayed on Earth, she would be killed eventually.

That was just the way things were.

“I thought you might say that. Any last requests?”

“You make it sound like you’re sending me to my death already.”

“Sorry. You know what I mean.”

“There’s just one person I want to talk to before I leave. Can you set up a secure comm? I’ll take it in here.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Thanks, Nate.”

And that was how Alexis found herself with a ticket for passage to a planet she’d never heard of in her life. Ramos was right. Things were different now. The relative peace and safety humans had enjoyed for so long could be destroyed at any moment.

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