Page 11 of Baby For The Tark Commander

They waited for a few minutes, but there was no sign of Priya. Rana’s unease grew, and she glanced nervously at the crowd.

“Maybe she’s late.”

“She’s never late.” Rana’s voice was tight with worry. “Something’s wrong.”

Suddenly, the crowd surged forward, surrounding them. They were yelling and waving signs, their faces contorted with anger.

“Rana,” shouted Priya, waving her arm as she forced her way through the crowd. “Get out of here.”

“What’s happening?” Rana asked, confused and frightened.

“It’s the rebels,” said Priya, grabbing Rana’s arm. “They’re protesting the Faction.”

Rana’s eyes widened. “But why?”

“They don’t want humans to be taken as proxies anymore. They think it’s slavery.”

Rana shook her head. “It’s not slavery. It’s an agreement between our governments.” Though she’d had similar thoughts before meeting Sarko.

“It doesn’t matter. The rebels don’t care.” Priya tugged on Rana’s arm, trying to pull her away. “We have to go.”

She resisted, looking back at Sarko. He was surrounded by the protesters, their angry voices rising in a crescendo of rage.

“Move,” Priya insisted, tugging harder.

She resisted. “Not without my mate.”

A hard hand grabbed her other arm, and she turned her head. It couldn’t be Priya.

“This one is that thing’s mate,” said the man holding her arm.

She knew it was a man by his bulk and deep voice, though he’d obscured his face.

“She’s probably been brainwashed,” said a smaller, slighter figure, also with her face covered. “Let’s liberate her.”

“No.” Rana tried to break free, but the man held her fast, pulling her from Priya’s grasp.

“Don’t struggle,” said the small woman. “We’re trying to save you.”

Rana strained harder, but the man’s grip was like iron. He dragged her away from Sarko, who was being attacked by the mob.

“Sarko,” she cried out, reaching for him.

He lunged for her, but the protesters blocked his path. He fought against them, but there were too many.

She watched in horror as the rebels overwhelmed him, dragging him to the ground. She screamed his name, but her voice was lost in the chaos. She saw a glimpse of Priya trying to get to her before the crowd blocked her view of her best friend as well.

The man holding her arm pulled her away, and she stumbled after him, her eyes still fixed on Sarko. She continued to resist until something jabbed her in the neck. It was sharp and painful. A hypodermic.

Her vision blurred, and her limbs felt heavy. She slumped against the man, who smelled like sweat and grease, her mind reeling. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was Sarko lying motionless on the ground, blood streaming from his wounds.

***

SHE WOKE IN A DARK room with a throbbing headache and blinked, trying to clear her vision. She was lying on a cot in what appeared to be a makeshift infirmary. There were other people in the room, but they were all strangers.

She sat up, groaning as the movement made her head spin. She put a hand to her temple, feeling a lump and a tender spot.

“You’re awake,” said a familiar voice.

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