Cindrac Page 16

The Sheriff grabbed hold of Cin before he could leave. “Do what you have to do. I’ll get your car back to your place.”

  Cin searched Robbie’s eyes before he nodded in gratitude, created a portal in the air, and disappeared. The Sheriff had honestly thought he was ready to see the power Cin possessed but was left shaking and sweating from fear and awe.

  Unable to catch the Mulvor craft's signature that had taken Lanie, Cin ported himself to Dar’s ship and stood completely still while Dar lowered the weapon he had pointed at him.

  “A little warning would prevent me from shooting you!” Dar snapped. “Who the hell did they take?”

  “A woman named Lanie Fulbright.” Cin moved into the copilot's seat. “I’ve got the signature of the chip the bastards put in her that you can follow. I’m putting it in your computer now.”

  Dar’s systems beeped to note the addition of Lanie’s chip coordinates, and he modified his course. “Who is Lanie Fulbright, and why the hell didn’t you disable a Consortium tracking chip in her?”

  Cin struggled with his anger at himself. “I was dumb enough to think Lanie wasn’t important enough for them to track with the elite chips and didn’t scan her for one. I will not make that mistake again.”

  “Who is she to you?” Dar could tell by how upset Cin was that this wasn’t just a regular human.

  Cin rubbed a hand down his face. “I promised Lanie that things would be OK. I keep my word. Especially since it’s my fault that they took her.”

  Cin was calculating how long it would take them to reach the Mulvor ship when he caught another one heading to the first. “They’re getting ready to move Lanie to another ship. Is that normal?”

  “Lately, we’ve been making major headway in the Consortium’s efforts to kidnap the humans,” Dar admitted with a grin. “They’ve been using a relay system of late to get the more important targets to the customers who’ve paid the highest for the victim.”

  Cin cursed, hating every second that Lanie was in danger. “Where would they be taking her?”

  “It depends on why they took Lanie, Cin. Do you know?” Dar knew this woman was important to his friend and wanted to get Lanie as fast as they could.

  “Experimentation,” Cin said the words through teeth clenched in rage.

  Dar cursed. “We’re going to need some help.”

  “Why?” Cin already had his nanites working on getting as much information as they could.

  “Because any second now, they’re going to remove Lanie’s chip, and we’re going to lose them,” Dar warned.

  Cin was in the process of checking on Lanie when the chip signal cut out, and he couldn’t retrieve it. Cursing in rage, Cin searched as much as he could of where the Mulvors were taking Lanie and came up empty.

  The Consortium’s lack of using electronic means to communicate and run their empire left Cin nearly helpless to find Lanie, and he turned to Dar.

  “Where will they take her?” Cin asked.

  “Raider’s Moon in the Lafira quadrant.” Dar sent a warning look to Cin. “Before you think of it, the place has the barest of technology for you to hijack. It’s also one of the most dangerous Consortium-held outlaw bases in the universe. If you can name the worst of the worst, that’s where they’re at.”

  “But it’s where they take those designated for experimentation? It’s where they’re taking Lanie?” Cin growled, already gathering information on the place and plotting his next move.

  Dar sighed and rolled his eyes, knowing Cin’s mind was already made up. Whoever this Lanie Fulbright was, she was pretty damn important to Cindrac, and for that reason, she was now just as important to Dar.

  “All right, we have a LAW outpost within hours of the Moon, and I can get us some help from there,” Dar suggested. “But if we’re going in to get Lanie, we’re going to need more help than LAW, and miracles. It’s time you called in a couple of favors.”

  Cin’s nanites already calculated the probabilities and what would be needed to infiltrate the moon and rescue Lanie. The information wasn’t promising, but it wasn’t a suicide mission either.

  “I will meet you at LAW outpost Renegade Prime near Raider’s Moon. Thank you, Dar.” Cin nodded in respect, stood, made a portal, and disappeared.

  Dar prayed Cin was going to call in a few of those many favors owed to him and decided to talk to a couple of people who owed him as well. They would need all the help they could get if any of them hoped to get off the moon alive.

  Because of his status with the league, Dar would have to do this as a private universal citizen and not a LAW officer. He knew without a doubt that whatever Cin was planning, it would most likely violate dozens of law codes and ethics. Dar called ahead to his assigned outpost and requested emergency leave.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cindrac knew his timing was the worst, but he had no choice but to interrupt. Lanie didn’t have much time left before the Consortium began experimenting on her at the highest bidder's direction.

  Averting his eyes, Cin cleared his throat and immediately shielded himself from a flurry of attacks before the female’s screams for the warrior to stop penetrated his brain. With one last open-palmed slam against Cin’s chest, Gabriel stood back.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Gabriel snapped. “Do you know how to knock?”

  “There’s no time,” Cindrac said by way of apology before walking out of Gabriel and Sephina’s bedroom so they could get dressed.

  Cin paced their living room on the planet Betaria until Gabriel came out seconds later in only a nanite created pair of pants.

  “What’s going on?” Gabriel knew something must be terribly wrong for Cin to pop in on them the way he did.

  Sephina came out of her room, bundled up in a thick robe, and looked at Cin in concern. “What can we do to help?”

  Cin was a little humbled by their willingness to help without even knowing what he needed or how dangerous it would be.

  “Someone I care for deeply was abducted by the Consortium and sentenced to experimentation,” Cin admitted. He wouldn’t lie to these good people about the danger. “They’re taking her to Raider’s Moon, and I need help to go there and get her back.”

  Gabriel didn’t even think about it before allowing his nanites to protectively cover his body and check his weapons and armor systems. Sephina ran into her lab and returned with two pairs of the boots that enabled Gabriel to fly. Cin was overwhelmed by their response.

  “I can’t thank you enough for this,” Cin began, trying not to choke up.

  Gabriel tested his invisibility, reappeared again, and smiled at Cin. “No need for that among friends. Besides, any headway we can make against the damn Consortium is what we need right now. They’re still reeling from their huge loss when Forchania found the infiltrators and sent them back to the Consortium in a blown-up ship. We need to push the initiative while they’re in chaos.”

  Cin couldn’t argue with the logic and was still thinking about it when Gabriel held out his arms.

  “Do we need a ship?”

  “No,” Cin shook himself from his thoughts and created a portal. “Just follow me through.”

  When Gabriel nodded and quickly kissed his mate Sephina, Cin jumped through the portal, grateful he didn’t enter during another private moment. Still, he had to throw up a shield to prevent another attack. Luckily, the man stopped and was laughing by the time Gabriel came through the portal next.

  “Cindrac!” the willowy and beautiful man then turned to Gabe with wide green eyes. “Oh, my! Gunnery Sergeant Gabriel Asbury, now of Betaria! This day has become really interesting rather quickly.”

  Gabriel could only stare at the closest thing to a real elf that he’d ever seen. The man’s ethereal attractiveness bled from his perfectly pointed ears, pale green eyes, arched white-blond brows, and matching long straight hair to the center of his back.

  The longbow, quiver of arrows, white leather leggings and waistcoat, and billowy silken shirt all thread
ed with gold only completed the look.

  “I need help rescuing a human woman from Raider’s Moon before they experiment on her,” Cin admitted, figuring Gabriel and Adamo could get to know one another later. “I need an answer now.”

  “Raider’s Moon?” Adamo was stunned. It was the last thing he expected Cindrac to say, who was known to stay out of the war against the Consortium. “This is important to you?”

  “More than I can express.” Cin refused to deny the budding feelings he had for Lanie.

  Adamo nodded his head and snapped his fingers. Seconds later, Gabriel’s nanites had weapons aimed at the four new elven arrivals. The three tall, willowy men were stunning, but the female looked like a delicate angel.

  “Oh! It’s the Gunney!” the female clapped and smiled at Gabriel.

  “Who are they?” Cindrac gestured to the new arrivals.

  “My trusted commanders,” Adamo said and gestured to the first elven warrior. “This is Osin, Fionor, Aegean, and beautiful Niama. If we’re going to war with Raider’s Moon, we will need them.”

  Niama grinned and bowed to Cindrac and Gabriel while the male elves produced wicked looked blades in both hands, crossed their arms over their chests, and bowed.

  Cin looked impressed but worried. “This is going to be difficult and dangerous. The moon base is mostly old-time war zone, and it will limit my abilities.”

  “We won’t have that problem,” Adamo replied with a grin.

  “Ship or portal?” Niama casually inspected her sword and ran her fingers through the flights in her quiver of arrows.

  “Portal.” Cin made one in the air, nodded at Gabriel, then Adamo and his people before jumping.

  Cin held his hands out behind him to help Gabriel remain standing when he came through the shimmering disc. When he knew Gabriel would be all right, Cin made his way to the ship's cockpit, already using his nanites to diagnose the problem.

  By the time Cin reached the pilot and copilot, the ship had stopped its violent death spin, and control was regained of the craft. Both men were letting out heavy breaths and chuckling when they saw Cin.

  “Damn it, Cin! We had that under control!” the pilot snapped, his pride in himself deflated when he realized Cin had kept them from crashing into the planet.

  “Did we miss a fucking appointment? Why is the Gunnery Sergeant and Elves on our ship?” the copilot asked, looking down the aisle behind Cin.

  “Elves?” the pilot turned to check, and his face was drained of color when he looked back at Cin. “What’s happened?”

  “I need help getting a kidnapped human woman from Raider’s Moon.” Cindrac knew the two brothers and the elves weren’t the best of allies but hoped the elementals would put aside their differences long enough to aid him.

  The two brothers looked at one another and grinned before Linq, the pilot, nodded at Cin. “That sounds like enough fun to make up for the elves coming along.”

  Tanq laughed and bumped his forearm with his brothers before turning to Cin. “Where are we going?”

  “LAW Outpost Renegade Prime.” Cin shook his head at the crazy elemental brothers and their antics. “We’re meeting Dar Vacanow there.”

  The elves and elemental brothers seemed to have heard of Dar, and each remarked that they were glad the giant LAW officer would be coming along.

  Cin looked between the brothers and the elves. “Will you guys be all right while I grab someone else.”

  Niama nodded her head in amusement while the other elves and elemental brothers glared at one another before solemnly agreeing not to kill each other while Cin was gone. Not waiting to test it, he made another portal and slipped through.

  Cin removed his nanite boots out of respect before pulling on the hanging rope and ringing the bell outside the intricately carved stone building. It only took minutes for a small boy to come running down the stairs.

  “Master Cindrac! Come! The Madean will be happy to see you!” The orphaned boy grinned broadly and waved Cin through the archway.

  “I need to get there quick.” Cin winked at the excited child. They’d done this before.

  Cin made a portal in the air and laughed when the young boy did a flip and flew through it. Cin followed and immediately dropped to a knee in front of the candle-filled altar the Madean was praying before. He quickly sent up a prayer of his own, for Lanie’s sake, before he stood and walked down the steps to wait.

  Standing with his hands behind his back in a respectful show of supplication, Cin waited patiently while the Madean stood, bowed at the altar, then joined him at the base of the platform. With a smile of greeting, the Madean pulled Cin in for a fierce hug.

  “Where have you been, my friend?” the warrior cleric asked, wondering at Cin’s sudden appearance.

  Cin pulled away from the Madean and bowed respectfully. “I’ve come to call in a favor but will understand if you must decline.”

  “Go on.” The Madean’s interest was piqued.

  In the century or more that the Madean had known Cindrac, he’d never asked for help but had offered his own more times than even the Madean could count. Whatever this was, the Madean knew it was truly important to Cindrac and would do all he could to help his friend and fellow cleric.

  “I need to rescue a female Earth victim of the Consortium. The Mulvors are taking her to Raider’s Moon,” Cin stated evenly, trying not to get his hopes up that the holy warrior could help.

  Of all the things Cin could have said, that was the last thing the Madean had expected. “Cindrac, that is quite a request.”

  “I know,” Cin lowered his head. “I could spend hours justifying it to you, but Lanie doesn’t have that kind of time. They took her for experimentation.”

  The Madean surprised Cin by cursing under his breath before using his closed fist to touch his head and his heart. “I cannot ask our warrior brethren to take a chance of breaking the code. You must know that. You’re circling dangerously yourself with this mission.”

  “I know,” Cin agreed. “I understand if my status would need to be revoked, though I have no intention of violating the code of the Dominion Order.”

  The Madean nodded. His trust in Cindrac outweighed his reticence over what his friend was doing. “Good, I’ll see that for myself.”

  Cin was speechless as the Madean turned to the small boy. “Make it known to the Order that I am unavailable for personal reasons and say no more. You can reach me if necessary, but Orphium is in command until I return.”

  The Madean turned to Cin. “Let’s go.”

  “Are you sure?” Cin had to ask.

  “Yes,” the Madean replied without hesitation. “I can think of no better warrior worthy of my personal assistance. Now make your portal.”

  Cin needed the cleric’s help and made the portal. The Madean stepped through first, and Cin quickly followed, knowing the cleric’s presence would cause a stir on Tanq and Linq’s ship among the others.

  “Holy hell,” Tanq whispered when he saw the Madean. “Oh, shit! Madean, I’m sorry!”

  “Relax,” the Madean said with a laugh. “For this mission, I am not the Madean. I am merely Kace Forgnan, helping a fellow warrior in his time of need. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

  Even the elves bowed in respect to the Madean, while Linq and Tanq nervously watched the warrior until Linq decided to speak his mind.

  “Uh, does that mean you won’t be using your power?” Linq asked.

  Kace chuckled. “I may be here for personal reasons, but I’m not dumb enough to think we’re going to survive Raider’s Moon without it.”

  Cin could have sworn he heard sighs of relief among the whole group and was grateful the appearance of the Madean hadn’t shaken the other warriors.

  Tanq slipped out of the copilot's seat and leaned against the doorway, staring at the Madean, then Cin for a moment.

  “I gotta know,” Tanq said with a shake of his head. “Who do you have to kill to get the Grand Master Cleric, of the secretiv
e holy order of Dominions, to go on a suicide mission with you?”

  Even the elves looked curiously at Kace and Cin, waiting to hear the answer. The Madean, the Dominion Order’s term for Grand Master, was the warrior clerics leader. It was unheard of for any Dominion to get involved in others' personal affairs and certainly not the Consortium.

  The clerics were known to only fight for those who petitioned the Order for their assistance, and it was the Madean who decided what causes were worthy of their help. As holy warriors of the One God, the Dominion was incorruptible and held strict codes regarding their conduct.

  The Order was so devout, and their knowledge so enlightening, that upon Throke, the completion of their training, the warriors were gifted with strange, unnatural abilities. Legends, myths, and outright rumors were rampant about how the warriors achieve their powers, but the sect was so closed off that no one knew what was real and what wasn’t.

  Kace smiled at Cin for a moment before shaking his head. “Let’s just say, my debt is great enough that I would walk down the main thoroughfare of Raider’s Moon naked and unarmed if it were necessary.”

  Cin blushed deeply and turned away from the half dozen pairs of questioning eyes now staring at him. Cin cleared his throat.

  “We should get to Renegade Prime in two hours,” Cin stated evenly. “Dar is preparing to join us there.”

  “What’s the plan?” Gabriel asked.

  He had no idea what a Madean was or what made the guy so special. Honestly, Gabe didn’t care. The Gunney’s only concern was successfully completing this mission and getting back to Betaria and Sephina.

  Gabriel had his own debts to Cindrac and didn’t need to hear others' stories to know that his enigmatic friend had earned the respect and loyalty of powerful beings.

  “Everyone but Dar and his team can change their appearance and blend in with the natives of Raider’s Moon. They will remain on the ship and get us out of the quadrant.” Cin pulled the moon's maps from his mind and projected a 3D rendering in front of the warriors.

  Cin pointed to a large building in the central part of the city. “This is the experimentation center where they’re taking Lanie. We should arrive within an hour of the Mulvor ship bringing her there.”