Whisper & Fury: Eydulan Series Book 1 Read online

  “Oh. That one. His whole bloodline got slaughtered by the rebels, just to send a message. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, it was crazy. It came from somewhere in rebel command from what he found out. So he’s hunting them. He normally asks for payment in the form of information, which is why him applying for this is outside of his MO.” She looks up to him, with a steeled gaze. “I also remember recommending you pass on him because he’s dangerous and unstable.”

  “I went against your recommendation to not hire him, because of all that.” He pulls her in close, so that he can whisper, “He might know that I am one of those former rebel leaders, and I need to keep him close to see what he knows. I never ordered any type of hit on the man’s family I can think of, but I have an idea of who did. Something to keep in my back pocket and him on a string, if I need it.”

  Kat frowns. “One thing working in your favor, since you are clearly not going to listen to me, is that he is extremely devoted to his family. If you can make him feel that way, he might share that devotion with you. I can only imagine what he would be capable of if he had a wife or child, and the depths he would go to protect them, or avenge them. Scary.”

  “I will keep that in mind, and you Kitty Kat are on a schedule. I should let you get back to it.”

  “I am the captain, so I make my own schedule. Please be careful with everything, I want my boyfriend in one piece to come back to.”

  He wraps his arms tightly around her, “Then don’t play it so safe. Find those plans we need and hurry back.” He kisses her, sliding his hands around her butt, squeezing deeply a few times.

  She slaps his chest playfully, “Stop that, not in front of my crew. Remember I am still the Chief of Security around here, and those substitutes are only that, till I get back.”

  “Well then, Mrs. Chief of Security, I will leave you to it. Have a safe trip.”

  “Thanks, I’ll check in at each space station we reach, like usual.” Kat leans in for one last kiss. She turns to walk down the bridge connecting the space ship to the launch pad. Waving goodbye with her fingers. “Talk to you soon.”

  One year ago

  “Captain, where are we going now?”

  The crew of five turn to look at Katrice, worry showing on each of their faces. It has been a year since they started looking, following the trail. At each stop, the same story. Pieces of lab equipment used for AI research, and days’ worth of decoding data to get the next bread crumb. All to start over again at the next place.

  “Where the plans are, that is where we are headed.” Kat says firmly. “I know this has felt like a wild goose chase, but this is our mission. We hit Apollo Prime’s research lab, and nothing was there, as if it hadn’t been used in years. Then Sterling II’s moon base, then Alpha Centraus, and now we are headed to Bexar Omega.” She rubs her forehead with a deep sigh. “This was supposed to be a quick trip, two weeks tops. So can anyone explain to me why our information has been so poor?”

  A woman behind the helm answers, “If you ask me, they all seem to be planted. Almost like the project doesn’t exist or the people that were listed as working on it are just decoys.”

  “You may be right. Davis?”

  “Yes Captain.”

  “I’m putting you in charge of the ship and crew. I have a hunch that someone is trying to lead us away from the prize. I have a friend with a shuttle service out of Bexar Omega, and he owes me a favor. Resupply the ship and get it to the third moon to check out the information we have there.”

  “What are you going to do Captain?”

  “Me? I’m going to go back to Apollo Prime, the whole two weeks we were there…, I had this nervous tick. Like we missed something entirely. If they think we are going on as planned, they won’t notice one person missing. I have a plan to get me off the ship without being noticed. Then when you don’t find anything, just report back to my private line and leave a message on where the search leads you next. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Aye aye Captain.”

  Present

  “Gravan!? As in Gravan Veridge?”

  “You reviewed my work I take it?”

  “I knew you were trouble when you applied.” Kat sighs, thinking back to the day she left Mallory’s side. How he was there in the background, watching over the two of them. She wonders if he knew something like this would happen.

  “Do you know why I do what I do?” He asks, breaking the silence.

  “Revenge.”

  “Wrong. It started out that way, but the longer that I searched, the more I realized that it was more. It was to avenge those who can't do it themselves. Which starts with my family.”

  “Well isn't that noble. You should really apply for an award or two.”

  “I know what I want won't bring my family back. If I can bring the people down who orchestrated the rebellion, I might prevent others from going through the same as I have. Not to mention I might be able to have a little piece knowing they didn't get away with killing all those people for nothing.”

  Kat thinks about his explanation, and it sounds a lot like hers. She wants to bring those in the rebellion down, preventing them from regrouping, and killing more people. It was never a question of justice for her, it was vengeance. Looking down at her leg, exposed metal around fake skin reminds her what her quest for vengeance has given her.

  She shakes her head, and says, “I want what you want, and that's crazy.”

  “You want Mallory dead, and to steal forbidden technology for yourself. I would hardly call that the same.”

  “So he’s kept the truth from you still, well that's the Mallory I know and loath.”

  “A woman scorned huh?”

  “What? No, I want him dead because he's the leader of the rebellion. ‘The’ leader, as in the guy who pulled all the strings and no one knows about leader.”

  The metal sound of the blaster hitting the floor rings out, “You can't be serious.” Gravan says with a quiver in his voice.

  “Oh yea, I’m telling the truth. I spent two years getting close to him and another six months sleeping with that bastard before I got enough on him to confirm it all. I would love to have those memories erased, but I can't. I did what I had to, he wouldn’t have opened up like he did if I didn’t.” The memories of her fake romance with Mallory send a shiver down her spine. It was another part of her past she desperately wanted to forget. She takes a deep breath and continues. “Which if he found out why I was really there, would explain why he wants me dead.”

  Three

  Ten Years ago

  Kat runs down the hallway of HQ toward the generals room. She flings the door open rushing into the room, “General, we have to get you to a secure location now.”

  “What’s the meaning of this Private?”

  “I apologize for the intrusion sir, but I have intercepted a message from the rebels saying that Colonel Bojack is coming to assassinate you, sir.”

  “Bojack…,” the General takes a long hard look at her. “I don’t take death threats lightly Private…?”

  “Private Wylde sir.”

  “Wylde, Katrice Wylde.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Hmm.” He nods. “And you’re sure about this message. There is no chance that you messed up the translation?”

  “No sir, I would stake my career and life on it sir.”

  “You just might have to.” He motions to her to come closer. “There is a hidden room behind that picture over there. I want your weapon drawn and at his head when he comes in. If he makes a move, take the shot.” Reaching under his desk, he presses a button. A door slides open on the wall the picture is on. Kat nods and walks into the room. She gets ready to draw her weapon and waits as the door closes behind her.

  A moment passes by that feels like hours. The palms of her hands feel clammy, flexing her fingers around the grip, still in it holster. She watches as the door opens to a man with perfectly groomed hair. He had allowed the gray to be shown prominen
tly through his sculpted mane. He and the General make small talk. Some about how they were doing, how the efforts to quell the rebellion are going, and about their families.

  “Ken, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  “Colonel, I take it you mean on a personal level since you are dismissing formalities.”

  “Ha ha, yes on a personal level. You always have been a stickler for formality Uncle.”

  “Well then, out with it boy.”

  “My wife, Bonnie.”

  “Yes.”

  “She’s been a little depressed recently, and it took me a few days to get the reason out of her.”

  “Are you here for some marriage advice, you know I am not the one for that.”

  “I know Uncle, but that isn’t it. Her brother got kidnaped by the rebels, and they have been sending videos of him being tortured to the family. She didn’t want to bring it up to me until they didn’t’ have any other option.”

  “I’m sorry, this war has been hard on a lot of families.”

  “Yes it has. Which makes this even harder, I need to ask a favor.”

  “You know we can’t divert resources for just one man.”

  “I know, but I need this Uncle, please.”

  The General sighs, “Derek my boy, if I do that for you, you know what that will mean.”

  “That you actually cared about me and my family. That you aren’t some cold hearted bastard like my father always said you were.”

  “No. It means that anyone who is close to positions of power, like yourself, will have their families targeted. They will do so to try to sway our forces, and put holes where there shouldn’t be. So no, I’m sorry, I can’t put others’ lives at risk to save Bonnie’s brother.” The general turns to look out the window behind him, leaving his back exposed. “Now if you don’t mind there are more pressing matters that I have to attend to, you can leave now.”

  Derek lowers his head, his hand clenching and shaking. “Damn it Uncle, why. Why!” He reaches for his sidearm out of his holster. Once the gun clears the formed plastic casing, three rounds sound out in the tiny room.

  Six years ago

  “General, you can't be serious. I'm not even trained or would know how to do that?”

  “That's the mission, and only you can do it. I need someone I can trust to do this. It might require you to do things you might not normally do, or would want to do.”

  “Sir, I just don't think I can do it. Yes I don't have a family or husband or children, but that doesn’t mean I can fake a new life.”

  “Sergeant, you have to understand, Ryker Mallory is a top priority target. There aren’t many people who can pull the strings of everything like he can. He is in the business of supply and demand. There are some who no longer want to be a part of the Empire, and if we allow that Humanity will become fractured again, like it was here on Earth before we went into the stars. It would bring wars over territories and resources, plunging humans backward.”

  “General, I…” Kat sighs. “Fine, I accept, and if I could speak plainly sir?”

  “Go ahead.”

  “ I won't sleep with the bastard, you can count on that.”

  One year ago

  “Hey Bill, just drop off that box right here.”

  “Thanks Knox.”

  “Anytime. Any idea what this is?”

  “I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

  Knox laughs, “Ha ha, alright. It’s probably something the wife ordered. I can’t seem to keep up with everything she’s been getting recently.”

  “I have the same problem,” Bill turns to walk out of the hanger, waving. “Have a good day.”

  “You too Bill.”

  Knox rubs at his beard, looking the crate over. Kat finally says, “Hey Knox, can you tip the crate over, the latch is on the bottom.”

  Knox nods his head, still rubbing his beard. “I figured something like this, but I didn’t expect it to be you Katrice. Give me a minute, these old bones of mine just don’t have the strength in them like they used to.”

  “Sure they don’t Knox, and I’m the wizard of diamond ponies and rainbow farts.”

  Knox huffs as a smile forms behind his glorious beard, “Flattery will get you nowhere with me, just sit tight.” He walks over to side of the hanger and gets into an old exo-suit, powering it up. Kat holds on while he flips the crate over. She tries not to make any noises as it crashes down, but lets out a small yelp.

  Knox gives her a large grin as she crawls out of the box. “So what is it you’re going to be needing from me this time Katrice?”

  Kat grabs the old man around the waist, not being able to reach all the way around. It was the same comfortable and safe spot it was from her childhood. The memories flood back in as she lays her head on his chest.

  “It’s good to see you Knox.”

  He reaches around her, hugging back, saying, “It’s good to see you too Kitty Kat.”

  Katrice goes over her last few years with him. He listens, nodding and grunting every few sentences. This is the first time that she has had any type of outlet for what she had been up to for the last two years.

  “So that’s pretty much all of it, which is why I need the shuttle to Apollo Prime.”

  “Hold on a second. You’ve been working with Ryker Mallory, puppet master of the rebellion, and you want to steal the plans for an experimental ship and the AI that’s going to control it. All to give it over to Ryker as a setup.”

  “That and I’ve been romantic with him for the last six months. God if they only had the technology to do memory wipes. I would wipe out the last two years in a heartbeat. I would just need to make sure that Mallory is in custody first.”

  Knox rubs at his beard, something she had seen many times before as he mulled over something. She could see the worry and concern building in his eyes with each glance he took at her before turning away again to think. She shifts her hips, and crosses her arms. There was a growing feeling that it was wrong to come here and ask for his help. He was like a father to her throughout the years, and it was hard enough to tell him that she had been working for Mallory. Let alone romantic with him.

  Knox lets out a grunt, “Alright, I can get you to Apollo Prime, but I’m coming. If you need anything else, I have a few contacts in town that owe me a favor or two?”

  She lets out a relieved sigh, “Thanks Knox, and no I don’t think I’ll need anything like that. I just need you to get me there, and wait for me to get out. If things seem to get too hot, just leave. I don’t want to get you and Gale mixed up in anything because of me.”

  eight months ago

  “So you find out any information today?”

  “Sorry Gail, I haven't found anything. I know there are people in there, I just can't seem to find out where to get in.”

  Gail was a small woman, about the same age as Knox. Her hair only showed traces of grey mixed into her black hair. Her blue eyes gaze back at Kat, letting her remember the easier days of youth. Gail had been been that motherly figure in her life, and she wanted to be like her someday, but it seemed that a life like hers was getting farther from her grasp with each passing day.

  “It will be alright darling, you'll figure it out.”

  “Thanks, where's Knox at?”

  “Where he always is, fiddling with the ship in the hanger.”

  “There's something I want to ask him, so I guess I'll see you for dinner tonight.”

  “When you find him, tell that old codger I'm making his favorite casserole tonight.”

  Kat walks out of the rented house Knox and Gail got when they came out here with her. It was a simple place, but that is all they ever needed. It felt like she was back on Earth again, living with them, passing messages between the two. Apollo Prime was a space station above the planet Apollo. It was a gathering place for people who wanted to live the like adventurers of old. Apollo was filled with settlements, and had been a crowning achievement for the frontier. It was c
urrently the only planet that was starting to rival Earth in the comforts of city life. Apollo Prime was the gateway in and out of the planet for all the adventurers and settlers. Ever since humanity created the first faster than light or FTL drive, we branched out to any available planet that was suitable to live on. Or if there was profit in it. A new gold rush happened, with limitless planets, and resources now available, people wanted to get rich quick.

  Apollo’s moon however, was mostly unsettled. Having only a few research facilities on it, one of which Kat was actively searching through. There was activity in the area around there, and she was getting closer to finding it out. Walking around the corner she looks up at the hanger, as a flood of nostalgia takes her back to a more innocent time. Knox swings open the door, and Kat jumps backward. Falling on her ass.

  “Christ Knox, don't scare me like that.”

  Knox squints his eyes, and raises his chin. “What have I told you about taking the Lords name in vain.”

  Kat rolls her eyes, “Sorry. Chrimeny Knox, don't scare me like that.”

  His features soften, “That's better. What did you need?”

  “Who says I needed anything.”

  He shifts his stance, “You've been gone for the last week, show up in front of my door out of the blue with no messages, and you expect me to believe it’s just because you're lonely. Come now Wylde Fire, who do you think you're talking to.” He reaches a hand out, to help her up.

  “I haven't been called that since I was in the force.” Accepting his extended hand. “Besides, Gail said she was making your favorite casserole.”

  “You want to talk on the way back, or after dinner?”