Page 3 of Captured

“So this is a search and rescue?”

The Director pushed a tablet across the table toward him, but Gra’ar ignored it, keeping his gaze on the other male. He could look over the file later. The man’s huff of amusement mixed with his irritated expression was more interesting at the moment.

“Not unless we have to come looking foryou. This is a capture and contain. Don’t dismiss her because she’s an omega. Flea is perfectly capable of taking care of herself down there. And giving you the slip if you look the other way. She’s not going to come easily.”

Gra’ar’s lips stretched as a grin split his face. His Commander had wanted him to take leave, but when Gra’ar refused, he’d offered this assignment as an alternative. If the little omega was all the Director was making her out to be, hunting her down was going to be more fun than sitting in his room with nothing to do until the Commander allowed him to get back to work.

“Rules of engagement?”

It wasn’t often he had to deal with civilians, and he’d never been on Decloui before, so he needed to know exactly what he was allowed to do.

The Director ran his hand down his face and finally dropped into the chair on his side of the table. It took a moment before he looked up to meet Gra’ar’s eyes.

“Avoid conflict if you can. Most of the people on Fifth-Level and below are criminals and are mostly overlooked, that’s just the way things are, but they’re still people. Any needless deaths will have to be answered for. We don’t have any resources for you to use, but you were chosen because you’re uniquely suited to getting around without help.”

The Director nodded to Gra’ar’s wings before continuing.

“I want her back in one piece and as undamaged as possible, but if she gives you any issues, you’re free to discipline her as needed. Her price has already dropped so low I doubt anything else I have to add to her list of transgressions will have an effect. At this point I’ll be payingthemjust to take her.”

Gra’ar wanted to laugh as the Director rolled his eyes and shook his head again.

“It shouldn’t be too difficult to get her back without killing anyone unless one of the gangs has taken her.”

The Director nodded at his remark.

“I hope for both your sake that hasn’t happened. The sooner you find her, the better, but I doubt you’d be punished if a few gang members happen to disappear.”

Gra’ar had already been standing straight with his arms folded behind him, but his posture stiffened as he realized their conversation was coming to an end. He was eager to begin the chase, hoping it wouldn’t turn out as easy as he expected it to be. It had the potential to be quite entertaining.

“Anything else?”

Sucking in a deep breath, the Director stood and held out a hand. As Gra’ar took it and shook, the other alpha gave him a serious look.

“Don’t go below Eighth-Level. According to the latest report there’s only one air scrubber left on Nine that’s still functioning, and the air has gone bad. That’s where she’s from, so you need to get to her before she tries to go there, because if no one warns her she’s going to be in trouble.”

Sobering, Gra’ar nodded. He may not know the little omega, but the fact that she’d caused so much havoc impressed him. While she may think submitting to an alpha was the worst fate, slowly suffocating or succumbing to lung poisoning would be far worse.

Instincts clamoring for him to take off immediately, he gave the Director a nod before releasing the man’s hand. He watched as the Director turned and left, leaving the tablet on the table for Gra’ar to study.

Eyes so pale a blue they almost had no color at all stared up at him, defiance written in the arch of the brows. Pink lips were pursed, delicate features screaming that she wouldn’t submit without a fight. White-blonde locks framed her face, his fingers itching to take hold of them and teach her what it meant to be omega.

Gra’ar found himself smiling again as he lifted the tablet, stroking his thumb over her picture. This little Flea had an attitude too big for her small frame, and it was going to be fun showing her she couldn’t get away fromhim.

Chapter Three

Flea

Her energy was fading fast, but the sight of a familiar building had her doubling her pace.

Flea had no idea how many hours she’d walked. With debris littering the pathways it had already been slow going before she’d had to detour around a pack of males, adding hours to her trip. She couldn’t even rest while she was holed up in a hidden crevice, the position too uncomfortable and her nerves on edge as she waited for the group to move on.

But her destination was finally nearing.

She had to resist the urge to break into a jog to close the distance faster. There could be others lurking nearby and the last thing she wanted to do was lead them to her stash. Besides the clothing on her back she had nothing worth fighting over and was easily overlooked, but as soon as she seemed like a decent mark she’d have a target on her back.

As she approached the last block before the building she slowed once again, keeping an eye out for motion. As a human her sight and hearing generally weren’t as good as many of the alien species she’d encountered, but she’d grown up in this dim world of muted noise and knew the signs to watch for. Staringbesidethe shadows instead of at them. Letting her instincts guide her.

She spent uncounted minutes lingering across from the building she was aiming for. The bottom floor windows were boarded up and could possibly hide any number of dangers, but a group would have watchers on the upper floors. A single individual wouldn’t hide where they didn’t have a view and a clear escape route, and she wasn’t worried about facing one person.

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