Page 19 of Matthew

Avir reached for him. He grasped Matt’s shoulder and his ankle.

In a flurry of kicks, swinging arms, and terrified shrieks, Matt lashed out. “No! Get away! If he finds you with me, he’ll kill you! He’ll kill us all! Get away from me! Get away!”

Avir reeled back. Masok gaped. Matt’s eyes bulged, showing white all around. Spittle flew as he screamed at them. He didn’t look sane.

The screams ended, and he barked harsh sobs. Avir reached for him again, and he once more broke into violence and screams. When the Dramok retreated, the brutal crying resumed.

“I’m calling Kom.” Masok yanked his com from his belt with a shaking grip. “Keep trying to talk him down.”

Kom answered immediately; he had just left the docks. When Masok told him what was happening, he snapped, “Keep an eye on him. Don’t touch him, but don’t let him hurt himself. I’m on my way.”

Ten minutes had never passed so slowly as those as they waited for their Nobek to arrive. Avir and Masok kept a steady stream of gentle whispers to the suffering man curled under the desk. Masok was unsure if Matt heard them.

He could have cried from relief when the door opened and Kom crossed the room in half a dozen long strides. “Move aside,” he told his clanmates. “Unless you enjoy getting kicked and punched.”

“Kom, he’s out of control,” Masok warned as he got clear. “I don’t think he knows what he’s doing.”

“He’s fighting the past, which he’s superimposed over the present,” Kom said, looking the situation over.

He made no attempt to soothe Matt. Instead, he was a blur of movement, ducking under the desk. Matt squalled, and there were thumps as he thrashed. The next instant, Kom had him out from under the desk, pressed on his stomach flat to the floor. Kom lay on top of him, catching his arms as he flailed to fight him off.

“All right, little guy. I need you to calm down and see where you are. It’s us, no one else. I—easy.” Kom had barely avoided the back of Matt’s skull smashing his face. “Mattie. The monster’s not here.”

“He’s coming.” At last, a comment that almost made sense.

“He isn’t. He’s on Mercy Colony, and he doesn’t know you’re here.”

“They’ll tell him! I disgust them. They hate me, and they want me to leave.” Despite the heartbreaking sobs, Matt had stopped fighting. He lay with Kom blanketing him, tears streaming to the plush blue carpet.

Kom didn’t ask who he was talking about, which told Masok a similar situation must have happened in the past. “They have no idea who you are. They don’t know anything about you, so they can’t lead him to you. He’s behind you, Matt. Far behind you, and he isn’t coming here.”

“He finds stuff out. Him and Valter.”

“Do you think I’d let them hurt you? Or anyone in my clan? Who’s bigger, Matt? Who’s badder than any monster you’ve ever seen?”

Calm began to flicker in those blue eyes. “You.”

“Damned straight. Every day of the week, I’m the meanest motherfucker in existence. Nobody touches you, Avir, or Masok, because I’ll twist their necks until their skulls pop off. Do you hear me?”

“Yes.”

“Say it.”

“You won’t let anyone hurt us.”

“You just said the greatest truth in the galaxy. You’ll never speak a more honest sentence in your life.”

“Okay.” The tears had tapered off and reason had returned to his expression, but something in Matt’s voice sounded broken. Masok’s heart bled agony to hear it.

“I’ll help you up now. We’ll go in the restroom over there, you’ll wash your face, and we’ll go home. Got it?”

“Yeah.” His gaze rolled to take in Avir and Masok, and his lower lip trembled. “I’m sorry.”

“You did nothing wrong, Mattie.” Masok poured sincerity in his tone. Avir echoed the statement.

“We’ll talk about it at home. Stay calm until we get there, okay?” Kom got off him, lifted him to his feet, and kept him steady when his balance wavered. Anguish had settled over his strong features like an old acquaintance.

Kom hadn’t overblown Matt’s teetering emotional state. Masok felt shame he hadn’t listened better.

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