HauntingBlackie (2 page)

The doors opened before she reached it and armed guards
rushed out. She paused and put her hands up. “Hello, boys. Would you believe I
just wanted to gaze up at the stars? It’s a beautiful night.”

“What have you done?” One of the guards stormed closer to
her. “You bitch! Its blood is on you. Where is it?”

“He’s gone,” she taunted. “You just missed the transport but
he didn’t.”

He helplessly watched as the guard struck the woman hard
with the back of his hand. She went down from the blow, sprawling out of his
sight line. The sound would have made him jerk if he’d been able to move.

“You allowed the cyborg to escape?” The guard bent then
straightened, pulling the woman up. He gripped her throat, towering over her by
half a foot. “I told Cameron to kill you.”

Red smeared her mouth—he knew it was her blood—and rage
gripped him. The guard had hurt her. He tried to go to her defense but his body
failed to respond.

“You know that’s never going to happen, Mike. Cameron won’t
allow me to die until he gets what he wants. Hell hasn’t frozen over yet. You
can huff and puff but you can’t blow me away.”

“I can fucking hurt you, at least.”

The guard spun and threw the woman. She hit the wall next to
the lift with a sickening thud. Rage gripped him but the injection held him
still. He couldn’t see her but was able to watch the guard move toward where
she’d disappeared. In seconds he saw her motionless body hefted over the
shoulder of the man he silently swore to kill.

They took her into the lift and it closed. Minutes passed
and his fingers twitched. He regained the ability to move and stood. Each step
was a labored attempt as he tried to go after the woman to save her. The lift
refused to open for him no matter how many buttons he pushed. Frustration rose
but the sound of an approaching engine caught his attention.

A light in the sky drew closer and he moved, hiding again. A
big vehicle touched down inside the red circle and the engines died. The pilot
climbed out but took time to grab some kind of case from the interior.

Indecision warred within him. Flee or go after the woman? He
inched along the wall, staying in the shadows, feeling every injury now that
his focus wasn’t on sex. He was weak and the shot she’d used to paralyze him
made his limbs heavy.

You have four objectives,
her voice echoed inside his
mind.
Take out the pilot. Flee. Find 895589. And don’t lose your heart to
anyone but me.
She’d said they wouldn’t kill her.
Don’t be a hero.
He focused solely on her instructions and acted before he changed his mind.

He moved slower than he intended but the pilot seemed
distracted, playing with the zipper of his flight suit instead of watching
where he walked. The man must have sensed him or perhaps seen something out of
the corner of his eye because his head turned. One hand reached for the weapon
strapped to his right hip.

The human’s eyes widened for a split second when he squeezed
the pilot’s throat. This time there was no hesitation. He tightened his fingers
as he lifted his opponent, who tried to free his gun from its holster. One
violent twist and bone snapped. He dropped the dead man at his feet, stepped
over the corpse and limped to the vehicle.

You know how to fly it. Trust your instincts if your mind
is fuzzy.
The woman’s words repeated inside his mind as if she whispered
them into his ear.

Familiarity tugged at his subconscious when he climbed
inside, closed the door, and the dash automatically lit when it registered the
presence of a pilot. His fingers moved before he gave it thought, flipping
switches. It was sobering when he realized he knew what to do but had no memory
of ever being inside a vehicle like the one he now commanded. The engines came to
life and he flew high above the roof, his hands on the controls.

Link to it and it will tell you where to go. You have
active receptors that make it possible for your mind to talk to computers.

He examined the rounded hub near the ceiling where he assumed
the main access to the onboard computer would be, focused on it, and a strange
tingling began at the back of his head.

Command?

It wasn’t audible but he heard the computerized voice inside
his mind.
Locate 895589.
He thought it instead of speaking the words.

Images flashed through his brain and he knew where to go.
His hands controlled the shuttle as he sped higher into the sky and away from
where he’d been held prisoner. The woman’s features lingered in his mind.

* * * * *

He knew he’d reached his location. The buildings were old
and no sign of life could be seen from the windows as he landed the craft
directly in front of the largest structure. Streetlights were on as he peered
around but most of them had been damaged. It was dark, there were tons of places
someone could hide, but he remained there with the engine running. He wasn’t
sure what to do.

Locate 895589
, he commanded the computer.

He is here
, it responded.
Shut down the engines
and walk inside. He waits.

Call signal 895589 was an individual. That surprised him. He’d
thought it was a place. He followed instructions, shut down the engines,
climbed out and approached the building cautiously.

The door opened before he reached it and he paused, alert.
He fisted his hands, ready to fight if need be. A tall man stepped out into the
dim light and surprise reverberated through him. He stared at the male, glanced
down at his arms, before looking back up.

“That’s right,” the deep voice stated, “we’re both cyborgs.”
He tilted his head. “You’re damaged. Come inside. They have air drones that fly
over this area every hour.” The cyborg motioned with a hand. “Fleet, get rid of
that transport before they realize it’s gone and begin tracking it. The
scrambling program will only work for so long before they are able to lock on.”

Another gray-skinned cyborg, wearing all black, stepped out
of the darkness, barely spared him a glance, then jogged to the parked shuttle.
The engine came on before he reached it.

“I am called Freedom. It’s what I give. What are you called?”

He paused, thinking. “I don’t know.”

“You’re black and blue with bruising. For now we’ll call you
Blackie. It fits with your injuries and your hair color. Come inside quickly.
You are safe.”

The name didn’t matter. “I thought you were 895589.”

“It’s a code we put together for this mission. Come with me
now.”

He followed the other cyborg inside and the second the door
closed the dark interior changed as lights began to snap on overhead. He stared
at the dozens of other gray-skinned individuals. A few were female but mostly
they were male. Cots were neatly placed along one wall where they obviously
slept. They silently watched him.

“This is one of many safe houses, or in this case it is an
abandoned warehouse. These are others who have been rescued, as you were.”
Freedom studied him. “We’ll get you clothes and medical attention. You’ll feel
better when you’ve rested. We shouldn’t be here too long. We move often to
avoid detection. The countdown ends in twenty-two days.”

“What countdown?”

“We are escaping Earth.”

“Why?”

A woman approached. “They did a number on you. I have the
ability to download information. Prepare.”

Images were thrust inside his mind. He staggered as they
assaulted him. He saw cyborgs such as himself being killed by the dozens. They
had been created by Earth Government for the military, to function as
expendable soldiers and to work dangerous jobs. A female cyborg was surrounded
by seven pale-skinned human men. They attacked her and tore at her clothes. She
fought back, killing two before one of them drew a weapon. She died after being
struck by explosive bullets, big holes tearing apart her chest.

Someone grabbed him around his waist to hold him up.

“Enough, Jazel. He’s weakened,” Freedom ordered. “You know
better than to force a link. It’s a form of assault. Don’t do it again.”

“I apologize. He asked why.” The horrible image of the dead
cyborg female faded instantly as he opened his eyes to stare at the one who had
put it there. “That is why we must leave Earth.” She blinked at him. “They plan
to kill all of us.”

“Damn it, Jazel.” Freedom shook his head. “You could have
just told him that Earth Government has ordered our mass destruction and we
have decided to live. Turn off your emotions until you learn better control.”

The woman backed away, dropped her chin, before returning to
the group. “He needs information, not coddling.”

“I’m sorry,” Freedom rasped. “She’s angry. We all are. We
have inside help from some humans who are freeing cyborgs when they are able.
You will begin remembering more once you’re stronger. They auto-load us with
information during our growth periods.”

Blackie managed to regain his footing once he caught his
breath. “The guards attacked the woman who helped me escape. We need to go back
and rescue her.”

“Hellfire is fine. They won’t kill her. You aren’t the first
she’s led to safety and you won’t be the last.”

“Hellfire?”

“That’s her code name. She will plan her own escape before
the countdown has ended. She will be fine and join us when we flee Earth.”

“She’s not a cyborg.”

Freedom chuckled. “She saved your life. That’s all you
should be concerned about.” He released Blackie. “Have a seat on one of the
bunks without bedding. We’ll get you tended to.”

The present

Blackie sat up sharply in his bunk and smacked his head on
metal. “Fuck!”

The cot above his squeaked and Gene’s head appeared upside
down to his left. “I bet you won’t do that again.”

“Sometimes I dislike you,” he growled, rubbing the injured
spot. “I forgot where I was.”

“We’re on the
Bridden
. Bad dream? Your breathing
increased 7.3 minutes ago.”

He carefully maneuvered out of the sleeping berth and stood,
watching his roommate turn onto his side to stare at him from the upper bunk
with a concerned look. “I remember where we are. Now.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Were you contemplating the Markus Models? I’ve had a few
bad dreams about them. They are creepy things.”

“It wasn’t about the fleshy androids.” He turned and walked
over to the mirror, checking to see if he’d have a bruise. He wasn’t bleeding
at least.

“Was it about Fleet? I know he’s recently been harsh with
his assignments. He’s grooming you for leadership.”

Blackie glanced at his friend, realizing he wouldn’t give up
until he had an answer. “I was reliving part of our escape from Earth.”

“That wasn’t a bad thing. It was the best day of my life.”

It wasn’t his best day but he kept that to himself.

“It was stressful. I was certain we’d all die but we got
away without massive casualties.” Gene’s voice deepened. “It shouldn’t cause
you to experience bad dreams.”

Blackie turned back to the mirror and adjusted his head to
peer at the darkened mark at the top of his forehead. It wouldn’t bruise but it
would be tender for a few more minutes. He hated to remember the day the
shuttle landed to pick him up. He’d searched for Hellfire onboard but she hadn’t
been present. In space he’d contacted the other ships they’d stolen, only to
discover she wasn’t among the survivors.

She’s long dead. She had to have been killed during the
escape.
Those thoughts always disturbed him.

“You were rescued from one of the termination centers. You
were spared the fighting the other cyborgs endured while fleeing the detention
camps.”

He rolled his shoulders and faced his friend. “That’s
accurate.”

“Is this about that woman who rescued you? The one you told
me about? I thought you stopped dreaming about her a few years ago.” Gene slid
out of his berth.

He thought he had too. “I had another one.” It would be
pointless to lie. It was Gene’s gift to detect deception.

“She’s got to be really old by now if she’s still alive. You
know how they age.”

“I believe she was killed for saving my life.”

“She knew the risks. All of them who helped us did. Do not
feel guilt. It was her choice.”

He evaluated his emotions. “I’m angry.”

“You were injured and outnumbered. She gave you instructions
while you were heavily drugged. They were orders you would have followed under
those circumstances. To go after her would have been suicide and she told you
to leave her behind.”

“She promised to meet me.” He instantly regretted the words,
knew they revealed too much.

Gene’s gaze softened. “You said you didn’t know her long.”

“She was very memorable.”

“Obviously.” His friend sighed. “We should get ready for our
shift. Use the cleansing unit first. You look like hell.”

Blackie winced.
Hellfire.

* * * * *

Eve gazed at the monitor, bored. “Where are you? I’m sitting
right here, smack-dab in the middle of where you should be.” She glanced at the
flashing emergency beacon lighting up her console. “Screaming to get your
attention.”

“I guess you’re not seeing anything since you’re muttering
to yourself?”

She turned her head to glance at the other woman. “Nothing
yet, Danica. Our calculations were either wrong or pirates got them.”

Danica snorted. “We’re not that lucky and those bastards are
too damn mean to go out that way. They could probably scare those freaks.” She
rubbed her arm. The healing cut that she’d earned during battle was evident. “We
could go out farther.”

“We run the risk of coming into contact with pirates if we
venture deeper into the Bevias sector.”

“So? It beats the shit out of sitting here playing games
with the computer. I could totally go for a round with those mutant bastards
after the last encounter we had.”

“We blew them up and there were no survivors. I’d say that
was a win. There’s no reason to feel slighted.”

“But they targeted my favorite section of the ship. It’s
toast.”

“Get over it.” Eve watched the monitor again. “It’s not our
job to clean out this sector. The military can deal with them.”

“Speaking of jobs, we aren’t even going to get paid for
this. We could be at the way station on Titan right now.” A wistful sigh filled
the room. “Where men are.”

Irritation flashed inside Eve as she glanced at her
crewmate. “Is that all you think about?”

“Yes. Maybe I could bag a twofer in one of the bars. Some of
those criminal types are pretty hot. I could take him back to my quarters, have
some fun and just keep him in cuffs afterward until we reach an outpost to hand
him off. We’re going to have to pay for those repairs we need somehow. You’d be
thinking about those kinds of things too if you weren’t a robot.”

The snort was instant. “Is that how you see me?”

“You may as well be. When did you forget how to have fun and
live a little? You’re all about hunting bad guys lately.”

“They attacked three space stations and killed everyone
aboard. The military isn’t going to do anything about it but I am. They are
deserters no one wants to bring attention to. They stole a shuttle and are
targeting innocent outlanders.”

“You realize you’re holding me hostage since you won’t let
me off this floating junk pile, don’t you? What are you going to do if we find
them? We’re heavily damaged from our encounters with pirates. You wouldn’t
signal that luxury liner we passed two days ago. They had men aboard. We could
have at least asked for a ride back to our home solar system while they towed
this hunk of junk to the nearest space dock. What did I ever do to you to
deserve this?”

“You’re still alive.”

“Bitch.”

Eve smiled. “Whiner.”

“You said it yourself. The military doesn’t even have the
balls to go after these assholes or put up a reward for their capture. They
want to wash their hands of the entire mess as if it doesn’t exist. Why do we
have to be the ones to hunt them? Do you have a death wish? Has living lost its
shine? I don’t want to die.”

“I don’t, either, but someone has to go after them. They
aren’t targeting military or drone ships.”

“Why does it have to be us?”

She turned in her seat to study Danica. “You know why. We
can’t ignore innocent people being slaughtered. We’re better than that and we
care.”

Danica threw up her arms. “You’ve lost your mind. I’m going
to my room. I can at least look at vids of men if I can’t see any real ones.”
She stood.

“We can take a ride deeper inside the sector and find some
pirates if you’re really intent on hooking up with a guy. It shouldn’t be too hard
to capture one for you to keep in your room as a sex slave.”

“Ewww! That’s just sick. I might be desperate but they are
mutant freaks. I want someone who looks good and who isn’t insane.”

“Picky, picky.”

“That’s not funny. I’m gone. This is the thanks I get for
being so loyal to you.” Danica stormed out of the room.

A hint of guilt pestered Eve. It might have bothered her
longer but a light suddenly beeped on her monitor. She pushed the button on the
coms. “Contact! Get your ass back here now.”

In seconds Danica returned, rushing to take her seat. “What
is it? Who is it?”

“Unknown.” Eve waited for the computer to get a lock on the
vessel and identify it. “It is coming our way.”

“It better be a freighter full of hot, long-distance
haulers.”

“I’ll cut the signal and hide us behind the moon if it is.
They’ll think it’s an echo once we disappear off their screens.”

“No.”

“We can’t exactly dock with them to say ‘hi’. Do you want to
start a riot?”

“Yes.”

Eve turned to glare at her sister. “I never want to see a
bunch of men fighting each other again, thinking the winners get to drag us off
to bed. It was disturbing and we barely made it out of there in one piece. I
didn’t want to end up being someone’s sex slave until we were able to escape.”

“They were ugly but these ones might be younger and
attractive. It was kind of flattering, how they were willing to beat the shit
out of each other that way. Look on the bright side. We were hot commodities
and only the strongest would have won. There’s something to be said for that.”

“You worry me.”

“Incoming intel.”

“I’m seeing it.” Eve scanned the scrolling information the
computer displayed and tensed. “Pirates. There are three ships, closely
grouped. They must have docked together to pool resources.”

“Hide us.”

Four additional blips showed on the monitor. Dread pitted
inside Eve’s stomach as she read more information as it was displayed. “It’s a
trap.”

“No shit.” Danica’s voice came out high-pitched. “It’s a
cluster of those fuckers coming at us from all sides and we’re in the middle.
They are undocking to spread out. You rang the dinner bell with that distress
signal and they are about to serve us up.”

“Seal all sections of the ship and prepare to blow the seals
if they board us. We’ll use rapid decompression to expel them into space.” Her
hands trembled when she flipped on the engines. “It’s not an option to run
since we can’t escape. We’re in battle mode. Charge our weapons.”

“Already on it.” Danica paused. “Damn it, Eve. It’s going to
be a miracle if we survive this. There are twenty-three ships in all now that
they’ve separated. Make that twenty-four. We don’t stand a chance in hell with
those odds. Think it’s too late to hide?”

“They have too much coverage with their combined scanners
locked on. They’d just follow us and we’ll be trapped inside a crater.”

“At least they’d have to come at us head-on.”

“We’re better off in the open. The good thing about these
old transports is their solid hulls. We can ram them when they try to come
alongside us to board.”

“Great.”

“Do you want a bright side?”

“If you say anything about how I was lonely and now there’re
at least a few hundred pirates who want to get their hands on me, I’m going to
have to get out of this chair to smack you.”

Eve laughed, some of her fear replaced by humor. “I was
going to say the criminals we were chasing probably fell into this same trap
and that means they are dead but now that you mentioned it…”

“Fuck you,” Danica grumbled. “Not funny.”

“I wouldn’t say ‘fuck’. We’re women and you know what they
are going to do to us if we’re taken alive.”

“Gang-raped to death by mutant freaks.” Danica muttered a
string of foul curse words. “So not happening. The only man who’s touching me
is going to be sexy looking and not covered in radiation sores.”

“Game on.”

“Damn straight. We aim to win.”

Eve kicked off her shoes under the console and shoved them
out of the way. She tore open her flight suit.

“You getting ready to make it easier on them when they
overtake us and board the ship?”

“Nope. I’m starting to sweat and want to be comfortable
while I kick pirate ass.”

“I hope you’re wearing clean underwear.”

“I’m not planning on dying.”

“Good. I’m going to that new club I heard about on Titan.
You’re buying the drinks. We’re going there after this. Promise?”

Eve glanced at her screen as she finished removing the warm
outfit to sit in her tank top and comfortable shorts. Their chances were grim
at best and guilt returned. She had gotten them both killed. “Sure. You got it.”

* * * * *

“They don’t stand a chance.” Fleet frowned, watching the
viewing screen, zoomed to maximum to get a better look at the battle taking
place.

“Should we intervene?” Gene glanced back. “They aren’t aware
of us. We could take out quite a few of the pirate ships before they realize
they have a shielded shuttle firing on them.”

The cyborg in charge shook his head. “Cyborg Council’s
orders are not to have any contact with vessels from Earth. We’ll wait until it’s
over and clean up this mess. The Earthers can clear the field a little for us.”

Blackie itched to fire on the radiation-leaking pirate
ships. “The distress signal from the freighter is weak. It won’t reach Earth or
any military vessels within three sectors. No one is coming to assist them. It
wouldn’t matter if we attacked now or later. We still need to take out those
pirates. They are too close to Garden to allow them to roam. Their swarm
behavior is also disturbing and out of character. They are working together in
unusually large numbers to attack the Earth vessel. That shows a strong level of
intelligence.”

“Agreed.” Fleet took a seat. “We’ll wait until they dock
with the freighter after it’s completely disabled and target it. They’ll want
to converge on it en masse to salvage it for parts. One shot will cause a chain
reaction. We’ll pick off any of the survivors.”

Blackie leaned back in his chair to watch the battle. One
pirate ship tried to dock with the belly of the outdated Earth transport vessel
but it changed course and slammed hard into the smaller ship. They rubbed
together to create a light show from the pirates as interior explosions
rocketed through until it drifted away, too damaged to do anything else.

“That pilot is good.” Gene sounded impressed.

“Or desperate,” Fleet announced.

Another pirate ship tried to dock at the side but the
freighter turned hard, coming into hard contact with that one as well. The
smaller pirate vessel rolled from the impact, breaking up into large chunks as
it detonated from severe damage.