Finn: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Hell Squad Book 10) (7 page)

Finn grabbed Lia’s hand. “You’ll stay?”

“I’ll stay.”

***

Lia watched Finn sleep. The new skin on his face was shiny and pink, and at the moment, his hair looked much darker than it had before. But he looked much, much better than when they’d first brought him in.

Her hands flexed on the blankets. Unable to stop herself, she reached up and cupped his cheek. Even in sleep, he moved into her touch.

Her heart was a tight ball in her chest. She didn’t want to feel anything for him, for anyone. She’d told him the truth. When her twin, Melinda, had died in the first wave of the invasion, Lia had felt it. They’d always been linked. Known each other’s thoughts, and how the other was feeling. Even when their lives had taken them in different directions, they’d had their special bond.

Until that terrible day it had snapped.

After losing Melinda and her mother, Lia had been a virtual zombie. She’d moved around on autopilot, ending up at Blue Mountain Base by chance, after a group of survivors had found her.

Finn stirred.

He shifted fitfully on the pillows. “Hurts.”

Lia reached over and rinsed out a cloth that Emerson had left. She pressed it to his forehead. He was tossing in the sheets.

“Smoke. Black.” He pressed his hands to the sides of his head. “Terrible puddles of blood.”

“Take it easy.” She stroked his chest and with her other hand, she pressed the call button for the doctor.

“Hurts.” He moved his head and despite the bandages over his eyes, she knew he was looking her way. “Who are you?”

“Lia,” she said patiently. It hurt that he couldn’t remember her.

“Where is my family?”

She released a breath. He was breaking her heart by not remembering what had happened. Having to relive the misery every time. “Not here, remember. The alien invasion—”

He went still, then he made an angry sound. “They’re dead. Everyone is dead.”

“Calm down—”

“I crashed.” His hand moved over his face. “Burned. I did, didn’t I? God, I must look like a monster.”

Lia smiled. “Hardly.” But the lines of pain bracketing his mouth worried her.

“Why are you here? Are you my girlfriend?”

“No.”

“What, then?” he demanded.

“Colleagues. Sort of friends, when we aren’t arguing.”

“Can I have a drink?”

She refreshed the cup and brought it closer to his lips.

“I can do it myself.” His hand shook as he tried to take the cup. “I can do it, dammit.” He made a frustrated growl.

Lia helped put the cup in his hand and wrapped his fingers around it. He tried to lift it and a second later, spilled it, water soaking into the sheet across his chest.

“Dammit!” He threw the cup to the floor.

“You’ll get better, Finn. You’re healing. Don’t push yourself—”

“Why the fuck are you here? Do you enjoy seeing me like this?”

Lia took a slow, calming breath. He was hurting and in pain, and she needed to be patient. “I just want to help. I’m worried about you.”

He tilted his head. “I don’t want to get close to anyone. Losing my family—” his voice cracked. “Fuck. I never want to feel like this again.”

“I feel the same way. I lost my family, too.”

“So why are you here? You like bagging combat pilots, or something?”

“That’s insulting. You know what, I don’t know why I’m here, either.”

“If you think coddling me is the way into my bed, you’re wrong. I don’t want you here. I don’t want anyone here.”

At that moment, Doc Emerson arrived. “Well, I see you’re cheery.”

“I think he’s in pain,” Lia said tightly.

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” Finn snapped.

“This is part of the healing process,” Emerson said. “And his meds are running low. I’ve got some good painkillers for you now, Finn.”

“Fine. Give them to me. But I don’t want Lia here. I don’t want anyone here.”

The doc cleared her throat. “Finn—”

“I don’t need anyone enjoying watching me laid out like an invalid.”

Lia stood. “Don’t worry, Doc. I’m leaving.”

She knew she should be more understanding of his pain. He just needed time. But too much of what was coming out of Finn’s mouth hurt her. She’d heard variations of those words at her mother and sister’s worse moments. It hurt somewhere deep inside, where she’d vowed to never let anyone touch again. She didn’t need that. Ever.

Yes, Finn was still recovering, wasn’t himself, but when people were in situations like this, all pretenses gone. Wasn’t that when real feelings were exposed? When people were stripped back to who they really were?

“You still here?” he bit out.

“No.” She walked away. She had a load of work she’d put on hold. It was time to get back to it.

Time to put a certain Hawk pilot out of her head. He was fine. He’d get better. He didn’t need her and she didn’t need him.

Chapter Seven

Finn stared up at the plain white ceiling. Where was he? He could hear the beep of machines and the quiet murmur of voices.

Infirmary. At the Enclave. He reached up and touched his face. No bandages, just smooth skin, and a hint of stubble.

He heard a small chirp, which didn’t sound like a machine, and a small, fluffy chick jumped onto his chest. What the hell?

“Fluffball? Where did you come from?” Finn stroked the little bird and it nuzzled into his hand.

“How’s my patient today?”

Finn looked up at Emerson. “Hey, Doc.”

“Selena brought you a visitor. He refused to leave you and has been sleeping snuggled up on your pillow.” The doctor scowled. “I tried to remove him and he pecked me.”

The gyr gave one chirp, turned in a circle, and then settled down. “Thanks for looking out for me, Fluffball.”

Emerson studied his face for a second, then turned to the monitor. “Your memories are back?”

He nodded. He was vaguely aware of waking a few times before, but it was all muddled and confused. Mixed in with it were images of the race away from the pteros, his emergency landing, and the explosion.

One thing he remembered most of all—Lia’s face. He sat upright, ignoring the bird as it squawked in protest.
Shit
. He remembered now. Lia’s soft voice, gentle touches, her trying to help him.

And he’d been a bastard to her.

He sagged back against his pillows. “Lia was here…”

Emerson pressed a button on the machine. “You were in pain, Finn, and confused.” The doctor pulled a face. “You might need to grovel a little bit, though. She watched you go down on the screens. Saw the explosion. She thought you were dead, and then when they brought you in…she saw the condition you were in.”

Finn rubbed his temple. Lia would probably want nothing to do with him, and he couldn’t blame her. They’d agreed to one night and no entanglements. She’d tried to be nice, and, pain or not, he’d repaid her with harsh words.

The gyr leaped onto his pillow and pecked at his hair. It was the least he deserved.

Then he remembered something else—what he’d seen on the Central Coast. Images blasted back into his brain. As much as he wanted to find Lia and apologize, right now, he had important information that he had to get to General Holmes.

“I need to see the general.” Finn scooped up the gyr and slid his legs over the edge of the bed.

A firm hand slammed against his chest. “Hang on there, macho man. You’re not up for it, yet.”

“It’s really important, Emerson. What I saw…”

She studied his face, then muttered a curse. “Okay, but you take it easy. And I’ll be coming up to check on you.”

“Can you call the Command Center for me, and have them set up a meeting?” Finn looked around for his clothes. “Ah, I don’t have any clothes to wear.”

Emerson sighed. “I’ll make the call and I’ll get you a set of scrubs.”

“And can you get Fluffball back to Selena?” He shoved the gyr chick into Emerson’s hands.

She blinked down at the animal and then shoved it back at him. “It’s cute as hell, but no. I can’t leave here.”

“Fine. I’ll drop him off on my way.”

After pulling on some green scrubs, he popped the gyr in his pocket, and hobbled up toward the Command Center. He was a bit achy, and his muscles were stiff, but he was alive. He figured that was all that mattered. But he hadn’t gone too far when he started to feel a little shaky and he broke out in a sweat.

“What the hell are you doing out of the infirmary?”

Finn whipped his head up and saw Lia standing nearby. His mouth went dry.

He studied her, and saw her face was carefully blank. Her eyes were…empty. Dead.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” she said.

Finn couldn’t see any sign of the sexy woman he’d made love to. The general and the aliens would have to wait. “Lia, I’m sorry about—”

“It’s okay,” she said quickly. “You were hurt. I understand.”

“So why are you looking at me like I’m a stranger?” He walked closer and watched her stiffen.

“I’m not,” she said. “I’m looking at you like a colleague I’m concerned about.”

Well, that rubbed him the wrong way. “Look at me like I’m the man who had his cock in you the other night.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“Like the man who sucked on your pretty nipples and made you come again and again.”

“Finn.” She made a hissing sound. “We agreed. That was one night. Over and done.”

“Lia—” He reached for her, his stomach tight.

Suddenly, Fluffball popped his head up and squawked. Lia’s eyes went wide. “Is that the gyr chick?”

“Yeah. I take care of him sometimes.”

Now her eyes narrowed. “The same gyr chick whose mother destroyed my drones?”

“Lia, look at him. He’s a ball of fluff.” Finn pretended to cover both sides of the chick’s head. “You can’t blame him for what his mother did. Hell, you can’t even blame the mother.”

Lia’s face softened a little as she stared at the bird. “No. The blame belongs solely with the Gizzida.”

“And I have important information about those bastards that I need to get to the general.”

She stepped back and nodded. “Then let’s go.”

As they neared the Command Center, Finn spotted Selena waiting for them.

“Emerson sent me to get the chick.”

Finn nodded and handed Fluffball over. “He took good care of me. Thanks, Selena.”

With a nod and a smile, Selena left.

“So, you let an alien chick watch over you while you were recovering.” There was a sharp bite to Lia’s voice. She turned away from him.

He grabbed her arm. “Lia—”

“Finn.” General Holmes’ deep voice interrupted. “I’m glad to see you’re okay.”

Finn turned and saw the general step out of the Command Center.

“Emerson said you had urgent news.”

Lia sidestepped around Finn and entered the command room. Resigned, Finn nodded and followed them inside.

The action and movement inside bombarded him. Screens were lit up all over the wall, and people were talking and moving back and forth between comp stations. After the quiet hush of the infirmary, it was a brief shock to the senses.

“Hey, Finn.” Noah came over and slapped him on the shoulder. “Good to see you up and about.”

Finn managed a smile. “You mean, good to see me not looking like fried chicken.”

Noah grinned at him. “Something like that.”

A crashing sound caught his attention. Finn looked over, and saw Lia had knocked a keyboard off a desk. “Sorry.” Her gaze met Finn’s, her mouth tight. “You shouldn’t joke about your injuries.”

“So Finn, what did you have to tell us?” Holmes asked. “Noah hasn’t been able to get any footage off your Hawk. The cameras were damaged.”

“My Hawk’s okay though?”

Noah shrugged. “She’ll need some work, but she won’t need to be scrapped. I’d say that’s all thanks to your fancy flying.”

A tight ball in the center of Finn’s chest eased a little. He knew the Hawk wasn’t alive, but she was his. She mattered to him, and they’d been through a lot.

“What did you see?” Lia asked. “In the jamming area?”

Finn frowned. “Horrible things.”

***

He looked good. Almost like his old self.

The only difference was, even after the nanomeds, regen patches, and the time spent in the infirmary, his hair was still shorter and finer than before. But all in all, Lia thought Finn looked fine.

Except for the grim horror she saw on his face.

“What did you see?” she asked again.

He dragged a hand through his hair. “I saw…factories, I’d guess you’d say.”

“Factories?” Holmes was frowning. “Can you describe them?”

“Definitely built by the raptors. They were big, organic-looking structures. There were domes intermixed with towers, and chimneys that were belching out thick, black smoke. There were large ponds filled with red muck.”

“That must be where they are manufacturing their vehicles and pteros,” Noah said.

“Possibly. I didn’t see any sign of vehicles, or much else, before anti-aircraft weaponry fired at me. They have some new heat-seeking missile. That gave my location away, and the pteros chased me out of there.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his scrubs. “These factories were huge, and well protected. My gut says something else is going on down there. It can’t just be about making more raptor vehicles.”

“Damn.” Holmes tapped his chin, his gaze turning inward. “This is going to make dropping the amplifier more difficult.”

Lia nodded. If the raptors were intent on protecting whatever they were doing in these factories, anything that appeared on their radar would be a target.

“Plus, they have these new missiles,” Finn said. “They’ve obviously studied our tech enough to know that while the illusion systems are up on the Hawks they can’t detect us, but that the Hawks still give off a faint heat signature.”

Noah made a frustrated noise. “I can get my guys working on something to try and hide the heat signatures. We aren’t making much headway on getting the amplifier to travel reliably in the water.” Noah’s dark eyes were piercing. “As it stands right now, it will need to be dropped several thousand kilometers offshore.”

There were gasps around the room.