Riding on Whispers (the Wolfegang series Book 3) (18 page)

It sounded terrible. I leaned against the worktable and searched his face. “Ricky, why are you here?”

His honey-brown eyes met mine, and my breath caught at the pain I saw there. Ricky placed his hands on my shoulders and smiled sadly. “I don’t think that’s something you really want to know.”

Acutely aware of how stupid I was being, I grabbed his wrists and squeezed. He was infinitely stronger than me, and not fully in control of himself. “Tell me, Ricky. Whatever you say isn’t going to change our friendship.”

His eyes watered as he held my gaze. “You consider me a friend now?”

“Of course, you stupid mind reader, you should know that already,” I smiled at him.

“It’s nice to hear it,” he said. His hands dropped from my shoulders and he sat on the floor, his back against the wall of crystal drawers.

I sat next to him, and waited for him to speak.

“My planet is very far away,” he began. “About six million light-years from where we are now.”

My mouth dropped open in shock. “That would mean…even with hyperspace,” I said. “How?”

He just gave me a look. “That’s something only my people know, and even then only a few of us. I named my brother temporary king after my wife was killed, and then came out here to see what I could learn.”

My mind reeled. “So, technically you’re still the ruler of the Olkchen people?” I asked.

He nodded.

“How many subjects exactly?”

“Roughly thirty-six billion the last time I checked.”

I ran my fingers through my hair and took a deep breath. Well, shit. “Your majesty,” I muttered. Looking at Ricky, thinking of how many people he ruled over, I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous it all seemed. “So you came out to learn? I don’t understand. Why would they just let you leave?”

His toothy grin wasn’t pleasant. “Because I am King, and I know what is best for my people. The civil wars must stop. So I came out here looking for a solution before the Olkchen kill each other to extinction.”

My hand covered my mouth, as I contemplated exactly what he was saying. There was a whole other world he was part of, and a whole new part of him that didn’t mesh with the man I knew on the
Wolfegang
. It didn’t make any sense to me at all.

“It doesn’t have to make sense to you,” he said. He leaned his head back against the drawers and I watched his face closely.

“Yes, but why Wolfe?”

One of Ricky’s eyes opened to just a slit so he could look at me. “Having a man like that on your side is more valuable than I think you realize. Have you really not seen it yet?”

Annoyed, I looked at the floor. “He is just a man, a human. How could he possibly be valuable to you?”

Ricky stood up and offered me his hand. “You will see it one day.”

I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. “Maybe,” I said. “But he’s just an ex-military treasure hunter. He smuggles illegal cargo. He commands no men, only us.”

Ricky patted my face gently; it was almost paternal and I wanted to slap it away, but resisted. “You will see,” was all he said.

I followed him out of the crystal room, more confused than ever.

Ricky handed me a piece of recycled paper. “Here is your list. Now go relax.”

As I watched Ricky wander through the corridors I wished that I could read his mind, and see what he saw. Everything would make so much more sense if I could do what he could.

There were only two more days left before we reached Enzo. How could I possibly fill that time? I glanced down at the list and decided to spend the rest of the day packing.

When I reached my quarters, there was a certain silence throughout the ship. Everyone was keeping to themselves, and the lack of noise unsettled me. It was thick and cloying while we all waited to arrive at our destination. Each crewmember was nervous about the mission for a different reason. For me, I was afraid that it was all for nothing.

I was beginning to think I’d never find Kris.

The clothes I needed were thrown into a bag, along with all the weapons I had stored in my room. There were more in the weapons room I thought about grabbing. My eye caught on my tablet. There was a newsletter in Japanese.

Why Japanese?

I sat on the edge of my bed and pulled the tablet towards me. It sat on my lap, waiting for me to search for more answers.

I typed ‘when did Japanese become Earth’s official language’ and had it search. It was something that bugged me since I woke up and saw street signs in Japanese.

The first article looked promising. Clicking on it, I waited, wondering what I would find.

‘In 2053 the first Galactic Federation President Adam Ito sold hundreds of companies to the Japanese Vice President, eradicating most of the Federations debt, and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs,’ the article stated.

Okay, so the president had a Japanese surname, and somehow managed to eradicate the world’s debt. Japan was huge in my day. Most companies had experts on the language and culture even then. It’d make sense that it would only progress from there.

As I read, I let the words sink in. ‘The Japanese language spread like wildfire as citizens vied for the newly created jobs. By 2065 more than 80% of the Federation’s population spoke Japanese.’ Japan was strongly rooted in its culture. If Japan owned most of the world’s companies, it made sense that their culture would soon follow.

I shrugged mentally. Not as interesting as I’d thought, but still informative. It was a logical progression in my own mind. Humans adapted quite well; probably the only reason we were still in existence.

I fell asleep reading about the new scientific discoveries the Japanese helped make possible with their money and influence. I dreamt of geishas experimenting with genetic code in dark rooms full of silk.

The next two days passed by quicker than I wanted them to. I trained with Celeste each day, and spent the rest of the time reading. I switched between the crystal book and history. Maybe one day soon I could read something for fun.

I almost laughed at myself; the idea was ridiculous. There was too much I had to catch up on, too much I had to learn to stay alive, and to stay out of the Federation’s clutches. I glanced out the window and I could see Enzo in the distance. It was still just a very bright planet, but we’d be hiding in the shadow of its moon in a few hours.

If the Federation was experimenting with human genetics on Enzo, I wondered if it somehow had ties to the experimentation that was done on my brother and me. It wasn’t likely to be a coincidence. The perfect human was something scientists had always looked to obtain. Something we could be that was more; that was better.

Everything I needed for the mission was packed in my military duffel bag. I put the military uniform on, and then put my hair into the requisite bun. I hefted the duffel bag over my shoulder and left my quarters, locking the door behind me.

We were meeting in the common area to go over the plan one last time and receive all the necessary paperwork. I prayed it would work, and we wouldn’t be apprehended on sight. I was sure they’d have some sort of facial recognition surveillance. Though I knew technology could also be a weakness. All someone had to do was set up a new record for a face, and you’d never know they used to be someone else. Thank god for Ricky. If it weren’t for his technical skills we wouldn’t even have a chance at pulling this off.

When I reached the common area, everyone was already there. Wolfe was dressed in a uniform similar to mine, but the insignia on his shoulders indicated a higher ranking. He looked like the perfect soldier. Me, on the other hand, it was highly debatable. They’d know right off I was an imposter.

Ricky’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Here is your ident chip and recent mission orders. Don’t lose these. Celeste made sure they were perfect,” Ricky told Wolfe, handing over two chips.

Wolfe handed me one, and I rubbed at the surface. What was I doing? I had to be crazy to think we could succeed. “Thank you,” I said my voice quiet and shaky. That stupid rasp just wouldn’t go away, and it made my voice almost harsh.

Harsh for a harsh world.

“The transport shuttle will be ready to go in a few minutes,” Ricky informed us.

Wolfe caught my eye. I knew he could see how nervous I was. Hiding it would be difficult when we walked right up to the base pretending like we belonged.

Ricky patted the Captain’s shoulder, and left the room with his tablet. They exchanged a look, and Wolfe only nodded. I could see their silent conversation, and I wanted to know what they were talking about. Hopefully, it wasn’t something vitally important I should know, but no one thought to tell me - the newcomer.

The adrenaline began to pump through my veins. I was apprehensive, and also a little excited. There could be a small chance Kris was somewhere on that base.

I wasn’t deluded; so much could go wrong. What if someone happened to recognize Wolfe? What would I do, how would I get out of there with the both of us intact? The thing that scared me most of all was, after all this work: what if Kris wasn’t on Enzo, and there was nothing to lead me to him?

There were too many ‘what if’s’ and I had to get it together. I couldn’t afford to think about all the possibilities if I wanted to pass as a Federation soldier among many.

I pulled at the shirt to make sure it was straight and adjusted the collar. Wolfe was going over something with Celeste that was probably important. I placed a stray hair back into my bun. My fingers trembled. I didn’t want to screw up. I didn’t want to get caught. I was terrified of failing, and letting everyone down.

“Kat, are you ready?” Wolfe asked.

I jumped; his voice yanked me abruptly from my pessimistic thoughts. Wolfe put my hair back where it belonged after it escaped again. I ignored it. “I’m ready whenever you are,” I replied, trying to sound strong and sure.

Wolfe placed his hands on my shoulders. “You’ll do fine,” he reassured me. “Just take a deep breath and remember everything you’ve learned.”

I breathed in and let it out slowly, gaining some semblance of composure. “All right let’s go,” I said.

I adjusted the strap on my duffel bag. It was heavy, mostly with weapons, but my tablet and some clothes were in there as well. I walked out of the common room without looking back. I could feel Celeste’s sharp gaze between my shoulder blades.

Wolfe and I walked across the hall and down the metal steps. Two flights down after passing the cargo bay, we reached the hangar. The transport was ready and waiting for us. Ricky stood next to it, his face showing concern.

“Please be careful?” he asked me.

“I’ll do my best,” I told him. “You know trouble likes to come and find me.” I tried to laugh, but it only made me sound more anxious.

“Or you go looking for it.” He grimaced.

I shrugged. “It depends on the day, and my mood.” Ricky gave me a quick hug, and then I went up the steps into the transport. I couldn’t help thinking that this must be how people felt when they walked the plank.

The transport was small, and I took another deep breath to try and keep the claustrophobia at bay. There wasn’t time for me to freak out about stupid things like that. Our lives depended on me being alert and in control.

I heard Wolfe walk up to Ricky and start speaking with him in soft tones. I probably wasn’t meant to hear what they said. If my hearing hadn’t been enhanced I never would’ve been able to listen in on their conversation.

“So, did you find anything out about her brother?” Wolfe asked Ricky.

What? Wolfe was going behind my back to find information he knew I was desperately searching for? I leaned back against the wall next to the entrance. It kept me hidden from view, and I sat there and seethed as I listened to Wolfe. Was he really stupid enough to think I wouldn’t find out?

“No, sir. I couldn’t find anything. Facial recognition couldn’t find him either.”

There was a weighty pause as Wolfe chewed on that piece of information. “You know as well as I do, Ricky, that’s not a good sign.”

Ricky didn’t reply. We were going to have a little chat when I got back, him and me.

Wolfe’s voice dropped even lower, probably paranoid someone might hear. “How’s she doing?”