A few hundred warriors from Battleship Karter were nothing to him, to the overall success of this never-ending war, not when we had a Nexus within our grasp.
“Clear.” A deep voice filled the room with a roar and the five Atlans who had formed a solid wall of protection around me stepped away so I could take in the damage.
The Hive had definitely been expecting an attack. Instead of three integrated Viken manning the transport room, six integrated Prillon warriors lay on the floor around the transport controls.
I didn’t know if they were dead or unconscious, and I wasn’t going to ask. I had bigger fish to fry. I needed to unlock transport on Level One so Quinn and the rest of our assault team could get inside.
I checked my wrist. “Three minutes until ground assault.”
The Atlan who’d been standing in front of me grunted. “We’ll be finished by then.”
I grinned up at him. I couldn’t help it. “Find the Nexus and alert me at once. Do you understand? No one touches him without authorization from me.”
“We heard the order, Vice Admiral.” The Atlan transformed in front of me, growing taller, broader, his jaw elongating, becoming thicker. His smile was menacing now. Frightening. I ignored the display.
“He’s mine, Warlord. Spread the word. Anyone touches him and I’ll have their balls in a sling on my belt.”
His bellow of laughter rolled back down the hallway as I moved to the control panel and removed the lockdown on Level One transport. I comm’d the Karter, knowing my mate would be listening from his position on a transport pad on the battleship. Worrying.
“Karter, this is Vice Admiral Niobe. Transport three has been cleared. Recovery of prisoners is underway. Level One lockdown has been removed. You are free to transport.”
“Casualties?” Commander Karter’s voice was clear. Controlled. But I knew he wasn’t asking for himself, but for the rest of his crew. They had family down here. Sons and mates. Brothers.
I looked up at one of the three Atlans who had been left behind to guard me—and the transport pad. “Warlord?” I asked.
He lifted one of the Prillons from the ground and placed him on the transport pad. “So far, none. We are saving as many as we can.”
There was pain in his voice, resignation I more than understood. We’d all lost friends in this war. “Zero casualties to report. Operation ongoing.”
“Understood. We are initiating transport to Level One. Aerial assault incoming.”
“Understood. Prepare The Colony to receive incoming warriors.”
“What shape are they in?”
As if that wasn’t a loaded question. But Karter knew I wouldn’t lie or sugarcoat the truth. I looked over the third Prillon placed on the transport. He was covered, head to toe, in silver. However, the warrior next to him had little to show for his time with the Hive but some implants on his forearms. “Varied. Some of them are fully integrated. Tell Doctor Surnen he might not be able to save them all.”
“Understood. Karter out.”
“Niobe out.” I watched from the control panel until Quinn’s group had successfully transported to Level One. They would clear the area, then make their way down to Level Two. The Atlans would get the prisoners off this floor, move up the single elevator to Level Two, and we would meet the Level One assault team somewhere in the middle.
That was the plan.
Only problem was, we had no idea where the Nexus was—or what he was truly capable of—and that could change everything.
I motioned one of the Atlans to my side and placed his palm on the biometric station, scanning him into the system. “This transport is yours now, Warlord.”
The other two paused, one dropping the last of the six Prillons onto the transport pad with a loud thud. “What are you doing, Vice Admiral?”
“I am leaving you three in charge of this room. I have some hunting to do.” Perhaps it was my imagination, or wishful thinking, but I could smell him now. The Nexus. His stench had been all over my mate when I released him from the cage I could see now across the corridor. I hadn’t known what I was scenting at the time, but when Quinn had told me about his time in this place, I’d connected the dots.
Quinn would be hunting him as well, eager for vengeance. The order to take the Nexus alive had been given to everyone on this mission, but I knew my mate. I’d seen the need to kill in his eyes, and I couldn’t blame him. Not really. That creature had tortured Quinn, killed his friends and made Quinn watch. And Zan, I didn’t know what the Atlan had planned in his own mind.
The Nexus deserved to die, and accidents happened on the battlefield all the time.
But not this time. And with the Nexus ’s scent filling my head, I knew he’d been here, and not long ago.
For the first time in my life I felt like a true Hunter, an Everian. I felt my father’s blood flowing in my veins and the thrill of the hunt pounding through my body. I wasn’t afraid of my gifts. I didn’t feel like a freak. I felt powerful. Unique. Special.