Spinning, I locked my knee against his short, squat neck, searching for the weak spot. There was always one. His lower arms batted at my free leg as he continued to howl through the holes in the center of his face. Apparently he didn’t inhale through his neck. “Screw this.” I balled up a fist and slammed it down onto his face, directly into those infernal holes.
The relief was instant. His arm fell off my leg. I shook my hand and ignored the black blood and other nastiness that slung off my knuckles. Wiping my hand on his uniform, I scanned the room.
The others had taken care of the remaining guard, and Deke and Captain were in a standoff with his cousin, weapons out. Our escort secured the room.
“Where do you think you’re going to go?” Captain said. “You aren’t leaving this room, except under guard as a traitor.”
“You think anyone will believe you?” Elliard scoffed. “A washed-up spaceship captain who just killed three Intelligence guards?”
“If they worked for you, they were dirty. You’ve been working with the Brox Consortium, turning on the Central planets and all their citizens by letting those bastards use them as guinea pigs. Manipulating me, your own family, to hide your actions was unforgivable. You’ve gone too far.”
Captain’s hand was rock steady, but his voice shook with rage. “One of us will take you down. You will face justice, Elliard.”
“I don’t think so. I think you’re going to let me walk out of here though the hidden alcove.”
Deke growled, taking a step forward. “Why in the hell would we do that?” Captain grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop when Elliard lifted a second weapon and pointed it at Deke’s head.
“Because I have evidence that you transported those poor victims from those labs and delivered directly to Frujil—who I have proof is working with Brox. It’s heartbreaking to point the finger at my own blood, which is why I was so reluctant to come forward, but clearly the pension you were offered after your service wasn’t nearly as lucrative as trafficking. Look at the ship you upgraded to on this last mission; clearly no one without means beyond their station and income could afford it, and we know why now, don’t we?”
For the first time, Elliard looked at me. I’d stayed crouched, unable to move with fear that any sudden motion would set off that weapon pointed at Captain. For once I was frozen on my own due to intense fear instead of a chemical restraint.
His eyes were Captain’s eyes, right down to the shape and shade. But where Captain’s eyes held compassion and warmth, Elliard’s were cold and assessing. The eyes of a killer without compunction. The eyes I’d seen in the mirror of some of my victim’s homes when I was sent on my missions.
“I think he’ll be coming with me too.”
“What?” Captain gasped. “No! I won’t let you take Kohen. I haven’t done anything to anyone. I rescued people.”
We knew that probably wasn’t true. Those victims Captain saved had probably been taken back to another cell after he’d left them to be reintegrated by Elliard’s corrupted Intelligence officers.
I stood, using it as cover to palm a knife. It was an interesting weapon, one with a channel in the blade that led from a thin reservoir in the handle. I maneuvered it gingerly between two fingers.
“Captain’s right. I won’t go with you. You won’t get to use me anymore. No one owns me but me. I am not property or an experiment. I’m a person.”
Elliard snorted. “You’re not even human anymore. You’re an abomination. One the government will want to be rid of when they find out about you. One way or the other, someone’s going to take you apart for the valuable bits inside you. If you don’t want his life ruined by a court-martial and imprisonment or even a death sentence, we’re going to walk right on out of here, right now.”
I faked hesitation, stepping closer.
“Kohen, no! He’s lying. Stay back!”
“Ah, ah, ah.” Elliard’s weapons whined. “I don’t have to lie, not when the truth gets me what I want. Now get over here.”
I took another step, keeping my hands close to my sides. I got to the edge of the desk and stepped in front of Captain, finally blocking the weapon pointing at him. I knew he’d lower his, not wanting it to point at me.
“Wait!” Elliard glanced at my hand with gunk from the guard’s face crusting the knuckles. “Show me your hands. Lace them on top of your head.”
I spread the fingers of that hand while his focus was still mostly on it, letting him think it was my dominant hand, the one he should be worried about. I raised it toward my head and he tracked the movement. When his gun was least likely to go off in my face, I made my move.
A quick swipe of my thumb broke the seal on the fissure. A flick of my wrist sent the knife on a path straight for the wrist of the arm holding the weapon on Deke. I tensed my leg muscles and jumped, appreciating the slightly lower gravity helping me make the leap.
Elliard went down in a heap of arms and legs under me. His weapon discharged, the sizzle burning my ear as it buzzed so close my hair skin crackled, and the scent of burning hair filled the room.
But I’d gotten my blade right where I’d aimed it.
TBC
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