Page 12 of Klaz
Cinta and I worked in tandem, directing people to various hiding spots. Her fingers brushed mine as we lifted a crate, and I caught her wide eyed gaze. What was this? And why did I have to find her now of all times?
As the last passenger was concealed, I pulled Cinta behind a stack of containers. We crouched in the shadows, our bodies close in the tight space.
“Not bad for a con artist,” I murmured.
She flashed a wry smile. “I’m full of surprises.”
And I wanted to discover every one of those surprises. The thought startled me, and I pushed it away. Now wasn’t the time for such distractions.
The cargo bay fell into an uneasy silence. I strained to hear, picking up the faintest sounds of movement beyond the doors. Cinta’s breath tickled my neck as we huddled close behind the crates. Her warmth against my side stirred feelings I’d long thought buried.
A metallic whirring and clicking grew louder. The cyborg pirates were near.
Cinta’s eyes met mine, a silent question in them. I shook my head minutely, warning her to stay still.
The cargo bay doors screeched open. Heavy footsteps echoed through the cavernous space. I counted at least three sets, maybe four.
“Search every corner,” a gravelly voice commanded. “The passengers couldn’t have gone far.”
Cinta and I pressed ourselves deeper into the shadows. Her heart raced, matching my own pulse. The urge to protect her, to keep her safe, surged through me with surprising intensity.
A pirate stomped past our hiding spot, close enough that I could have reached out and touched his cybernetic leg. I held my breath, every muscle coiled and ready to spring if we were discovered.
“Nothing here,” one of them called out after what felt like an eternity.
“Keep looking,” the leader growled. “They’re here somewhere.”
More footsteps. More searching. I silently willed the other passengers to remain hidden and quiet.
A muffled whimper from across the bay made my blood run cold.
“Did you hear that?” A pirate’s excited voice rang out.
“Over there!” Another answered.
I risked a glance around the edge of our crate. A Lyrikan male was curled up in terror, his long white hair a tangled mess, ornate robes crumpled all around him.
The pirates converged on his location.
Cinta tugged on my arm, her eyes wide. I knew what she was thinking – we had to do something.
But before we could move, the Lyrikan stumbled out from his hiding place, hands raised.
Time slowed as the passenger stumbled into view, The pirates’ weapons whirred to life, their cybernetic targeting systems locking onto the Lyrikan’s quivering form.
“Nice to have someone volunteer to be an example of what will happen to you all if you don’t comply.” The pirate leader sneered at his prey.
“Wait!” the Lyrikan cried, his voice cracking. “I can pay you! I have?—”
His words were lost in a hail of laser fire. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air as the man’s body crumpled to the ground, smoke rising from the charred holes in his ornate robes.
My jaw clenched. Another death on my conscience.
“Found one,” a pirate sneered. “Search the rest of this bay. They can’t hide forever.”
Cinta’s fingers dug into my arm, her breath quickening. I met her gaze, seeing my own grim determination reflected there. We were out of options.
“Get ready,” I whispered, my lips barely moving.