Chapter 14

 

FIRBIN REACTED WITH such speed that Marissa didn’t have a chance to finish speaking before he was pushing her down to the ground.

“Stay,” he ordered before lunging at Douglas.

Douglas’s eyes were wild with hatred as he turned the pistol toward Firbin.

Marissa’s heart pounded.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Firbin hadn’t hesitated to put himself between the weapon and her. One second they were talking about options and the next it was life and death. He had kept his word that he would protect her. Before she could blink, Firbin was upon Douglas. He wrenched Douglas’s arm high in the air just as the weapon discharged. It destroyed the ceiling above, leaving a hole of over two feet wide.

Shudders ripped through Marissa’s body.

Douglas had meant that for her.

How could anyone hate someone so much that they would be willing to destroy another person? She’d worked for him for half a year and not once had she seen this side of his personality. He was a stranger to her, now.

Firbin had the weapon in his hands now. He elbowed Douglas in the face, sending the man back several feet. Douglas hit his head against the wall with a sickening thud and he fell forward, flat on the floor.

“Is he alive?” Marissa’s voice was a whisper.

Firbin bent over and felt his neck. He looked up and nodded.

“Now what?” She dropped her head in her hands.

Defeat and resignation filled her. She’d gone through too much since yesterday afternoon. It was a crazy, unbelievable day and it wasn’t over yet. How much more could possibly happen?

“My men will take care of him and the cleanup.” Vadim motioned to his security guards who were just standing up after being released.

Firbin walked over to Niail and handed him the weapon. “This is not from Earth.”

“I’ve seen this on some of the outer planets. It is used for personal protection, but considered too small for any real fighting.”

“It would have killed Marissa.”

She sensed a suppressed rage inside of Firbin. He was upset that she’d been put in danger, but that didn’t explain his anger. She was alive. At that thought, Firbin looked at her and she swore she heard his voice in her head. “I would have died if you had been hurt.”

She inhaled a quick breath. That was impossible. People didn’t speak to each other through thoughts. It only worked like that in fantasies and this was definitely real life. She brought her shaking hand up to straighten her hair and then she stood. It was essential that she help find out about this new threat.

She had survived.

She was alive.

“We have to find out what Norcott knows.” Niail looked around the room. “Is there a computer or documents that he keeps here?”

“He always brought a laptop home with him.” Marissa forced her legs to move. “He must have a hiding place here.”

“There are many such places in these villas. My clientele is very secretive.” Vadim’s voice was wry. “Fortunately, I know where they are.”

Marissa rubbed her arms as she watched the security men walk over to Douglas. One of them knelt beside him and shook his shoulder. Douglas moaned. The security guard looked up at Vadim.

“What do you want us to do?”

“Tie him up and gag his mouth. We don’t need him screaming and disturbing the other guests.” Vadim glanced around the room. “I want this place pristine before the police arrive. No evidence is to be left here. If Norcott does not return, the police must not have any reason to be suspicious.”

The man stood and nodded. “It will be spotless. What about the ceiling.”

“Take pictures and then fix it.”

“Are you certain?” The man’s voice held a note of doubt “It will look like he was fighting an intruder.”

“All the tapes and recordings will be wiped clean. There will be nothing to suggest that anyone but Norcott was here this morning. If we leave the hole, that will give the police a reason to continue investigating us. Norcott’s gambling debts are substantial enough to give him a motive for leaving unannounced.” Vadim turned to Niail. “Now, let’s find the computer.”

Marissa watched the men leave the room and she felt her knees weaken. Firbin was at her side before she collapsed. He pulled her close and held her as he helped her walk over to one of the stools in front of the bar. Only when she was seated did he release her.

“This has been too much for you.”

“I should go to my parent’s house.” Marissa thought back to the days when she felt safe and secure.

“You will feel that way again.” Firbin’s voice was a low whisper. “I cannot risk letting you out of my sight until we have the weapon.”

“Which one?” Marissa snorted. “The way things are going today, there might a hundred different disintegrating ray guns.”

“There is no ray involved.” Confusion was written all over Firbin’s face.

“It’s an expression from old Science Fiction movies.” Marissa patted his arm. “You aren’t from here, so you wouldn’t understand.”

“I have seen these movies you speak of.” Firbin spoke in an earnest tone. “We do not have such a thing on Cygnus. There is only training and fighting.”

“No entertainment?”

Firbin shook his head. “It would not help us in battle.”

“You never know.” Marissa sighed and turned around to look at the room.

The men had made huge inroads in straightening everything up. At the pace they were going it looked as if this wasn’t the first time they’d done something like this.

Just then Vadim and Niail returned to the room. Niail was holding a computer in his hands. He put it on the bar beside Marissa

“Is this the laptop you saw him with?”

Marissa reached out and opened it. It was a slick new model, very fast and very expensive. She’d often admired it from afar, thinking that one day she would be able to afford something just like it. Her finger moved along the edge until she came to a small groove.

“Definitely this is it. I remember when he dropped it on the desk and this mark was made.”

“Do you know the password?”

Marissa shook her head. “It was his private computer.”

“Is there any way you could guess?”

“Maybe.” She pulled the computer closer. “I’ll try.”

Marissa tried the obvious things like his birthday and address. It wasn’t either of those. Then she thought about the date the company had been founded. Again, no luck. He didn’t have a wife or children that she could tie any sentiment to, but he did have a car. On a hunch, she tried his license plate number.

OILKING

It was a match.

The computer screen unlocked.

The desktop image was of a spiral galaxy surrounded by millions of stars. Firbin was leaning over her shoulder and he nodded.

“He knows where the Barnard Galaxy is.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Cygnus is located there.”

Marissa frowned. “Why would he have a picture of that Galaxy?”

“It is where the Albireons are from also,” Niail said. “Are there any files about weapons?”

Marissa scrolled through the documents, trying to find what they were looking for, but they were all about K.T. Oil business. Nothing sinister there unless you considered oil the enemy of humanity. She then clicked onto his photos.

“I think I’ve found something.”

She scrolled through a number of landscape photos of the desert and what looked to be a weapons testing ground. There were numerous pictures of explosions and then there were pictures of the aftereffects. Some showed a massive debris field and others were devoid of anything. Totally disintegrated.

“He’s seen the effectiveness of the staff.” Firbin’s voice held suppressed anger. “He knows where it’s being manufactured.”

“Does anyone recognize this area?”

“It looks to be north of Vegas.” Vadim crossed his arms. “If I had to guess, I’d say near Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs.”

“Great.” Marissa continued to search through the pictures, but there was nothing else. “Why does everything have to center around the military?”

“Is that upsetting?” Niail asked.

“I have two brothers in the forces.” Marissa shuddered to think what they would say if they knew what she’d been doing these last few hours. “They would never be involved in anything as devious as this.”

“They fight for their country. They might not have a choice.” Niail’s tone was matter of fact.

“Well they’re both at Naval Air Station Fallon where they are involved in training. Charles is a naval fighter pilot. Jack is a Navy Seal, instructing with the Seals Combat Search and Rescue Training.”

“Then you do not have to worry about seeing them.” Niail went over to Norcott who was now awake and glaring at them. “We will go to this Creech Base and see what has been happening there.”

“You can’t just walk in.” Marissa pushed the computer away. Thero took it and started searching. “These bases are heavily guarded.”

“I suspect there is another Albireon base somewhere close by.” Niail hauled Douglas to his feet. “Mr. Norcott will be our entrance to it.”

Marissa forced herself to breath. “You’re talking certain suicide.”

“There is no need to worry. We will protect you.”

“She’s not kidding.” Vadim spoke in a clear voice. “The bases are heavily guarded. There have been too many terrorist attempts lately. Everyone is on high alert.”

“I suspect there is an underground entrance.” Niail pulled the gag out of Norcott’s mouth. “Do you care to tell us where it is?”

“Why would I do that?”

“To save your life.” Niail’s voice was nonchalant. “Otherwise, we will be forced to use you as bait.”

Norcott’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“You might be an incentive for your friends to help us.”

“They won’t care.”

“Fine.” Firbin turned to Vadim. “Do you still have that helicopter ready?”

Vadim nodded.

Firbin grinned. “Let’s play chicken.”

Niail frowned. “What is that?”

“Something I learned when I was on the run with Ardal after the crash. We will see who blinks first.”

“It won’t be me.”

Firbin took Norcott’s arm. “A Hunter never blinks. Death is our reward.”

A muscle in Norcott’s jaw twitched. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What do you consider a reward?” Firbin waved a hand around the room. “Luxury, a fancy car, the air blowing through your hair at ten thousand feet, or do you think death is its own reward?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“You already know that a Hunter does not lie.” Firbin’s voice dropped to a low threat. “I never dare. I do what I say I’m going to.”

Norcott gulped. “Even if I tell you what you want to know, they won’t let you in.”

“We have no intention of going unarmed.” Firbin raised an eyebrow. “Where is the entrance to the underground chambers?”

“Outside Indian Springs, in the Pintwater Range.” Norcott spat the words out.

“I need a map.” Firbin sat Douglas beside Marissa. “Detailed instructions.”

“It’s underground tunnels.”

Marissa glanced at her boss and then looked away. The man was frightened and making no effort to hide it. For that matter, she was terrified also. How were they supposed to walk into a secure military base and find a weapon’s testing area? It was insane.

Norcott waited until his hands were untied and then he started to draw a map to the tunnel entrance. It would take hours by foot. Now she understood why Firbin wanted the helicopter. It would be able to set them down close to the entrance. After that, they would have to worry about the sentries who would be guarding it.

“Where are the Albireons?”

“They are outside the base in the mountains.” Norcott handed the map to Firbin.

“We need to have their location.”

Norcott sighed and drew an extension to the tunnel areas. “They’ll know you’re coming.”

“That’s what we expect.” Niail’s voice was dry. “Do these tunnels connect to the others?”

“Yes.” Norcott pointed to a northern branch. “This goes to Dulce and it branches to continue to the Denver main trunk.”

“The same one we came in on.” Niail took the paper from Firbin and studied it. “It should be easy to meet up with the others.”

Marissa shuddered. These guys were planning a full-scale battle. Just the thought of it was enough to send her body into a spin of fright. She couldn’t endure that again, no matter how much they thought it was necessary to get the weapon away from the Albireons.

“This isn’t going to be easy.” Marissa’s voice was hesitant. “Are you certain you have to do this?”

“It is the only way to destroy the weapon.” Firbin’s voice was definite. “We cannot allow the Albireons to have control of it. It will be the start of their domination and destruction of Earth.”

“No human would be left alive if the Ancient’s Staff is used against them,” Niail added. “The Albireon’s intention has always been to harvest the genes of this planet and then destroy everyone.”

“They make their money by being the holders of unique and sought after genes.” Firbin’s voice was intense. “With humans it is even more imperative that they control the genetic pool. Human hormones can be altered into a drug that others in the universe will pay a fortune to have.”

“Wow.” Marissa shook her head. “They’re going to harvest us.”

“They are already doing it.” Firbin’s hands clenched into fists. “That is what we have found in the underground laboratories. Humans no longer conscious, yet hooked up to machines and tubes, their hormones harvested so that they can be turned into drugs.”

Marissa closed her eyes for a brief second. It was horrible to even consider what the outcome would be if Firbin and the other Hunters did not succeed in their mission. That’s why she had to leave.

“I’m not going with you.”