Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 55551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
GRRROOOWWWWWARRR!
I will never entirely understand how leviathan primals are able to sneak up on one from time to time. Perhaps it is part of their hunting style, to step slowly, to put their weight ever so gently on one foot and then the other so that the thundering of their feet does not warn unsuspecting prey of their approach.
The dense jungle that hid this beast’s approach bursts open in a flurry of branches and uprooted trees as the very same primal that recently chewed my bike into a semblance of itself thunders into the clearing. Massive creature that it is, its legs are larger and longer and taller than the ship it seems to have taken exception to. It rushes for the craft, jaws extended, mouth open in a maw large enough to consume a thousand saurians in a single bite.
POP!
The ship disappears in a loud sound that takes both Avel and me, and the primal completely unawares. It is hard to imagine anything in this world, or off it, frightening a beast like the one before us, but the legendary primal turns tail and flees, leaving a very large, entirely deflated, massive sheet of rubber squashed into the remnants of its tracks.
Avel looks at me with an expression I know mirrors the one on my face.
“What the hell is happening?”
I cannot speak to the specifics, but I know there are two words to answer that question.
“Human trickery.”
10 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE…
Suli
“She’s here.”
“Is she?”
“This way. It makes sense they’d keep her in the most secure room in the house. No windows.”
I can hear voices. Familiar voices. The last set of voices I ever expected to hear. I feel a flash of excitement, followed by confusion. What are they doing here? What is going on? I strain my senses to pick up more information, hearing soft footsteps moving outside the door, and a brief flurry of whispers before the door swings open quietly, and three women enter the room.
At their head is a woman with raven dark hair flecked with purple streaks. She is slightly older than I am, taller, and she wears a nearly perpetual sneer on her face. It deepens when she sees me sitting cross-legged in my little cage, then turns into a half-grin of amusement. I’m naked, and I guess that means she thinks I’ve been humiliated. I have, but I’m not embarrassed to be seen by the likes of her in this state. Not since I’ve been seen in truly much more compromised positions than this.
This is Raine. She was my first mate. Then she became my first mutineer. This is quite the unexpected reunion.
Behind her are a stunning redhead, Zara, and a very quiet young woman we call Mouse. Mouse has brown hair that falls to her shoulders in a sleek yet modest fall. Mouse is a master tactician, while Zara is just the sort of person you want on your side in a pinch. She’s a jack of all trades, good at lock-picking, pretty serviceable with a weapon, and not stupid in a crisis. These women were all my friends, right up until they weren’t anymore.
It’s strange to see them. Almost as strange as it is good to see them.
“Hey, ladies,” I say, trying to find a cool way to sit in my cage and failing. “To what do I owe the honor of this visit?”
Raine takes the conversational lead. She has a rough, rather low voice, and an attitude that gives me the distinct feeling she’s not happy to be here. When you’re a pirate, you get used to awkward reunions. Usually with people you’ve crossed before. Not typically so much with your own crew.
“We’re here to rescue you. There’s a decoy ship at your crash site, to draw the aliens toward it. The actual ship is cloaked above us. We don’t have long. Zara, can you open that cage?”
Zara pulls a digital pick set out of her hair and steps toward the locking mechanism. I have no doubt she’ll have this lock open in…
Plink!
That was even quicker than I thought. She must have been practicing.
“Good job, Zara!” I praise.
She smiles and slides the pick set back into her hair. She has an abundance of red waves which hide an absolute plethora of sins. My suit held a lot of tricks in it, but Zara’s hair is even more densely packed with the sorts of unexpectedly dangerous and disastrous tools that make people wish they’d thought once, twice, three times before crossing her.
“It’s good to see you again, captain,” she says, swinging the door open for me.
I hesitate before stepping out. Here’s the thing. I’m not stupid. And I know that they didn’t come back here out of the goodness of their hearts. They want something from me.
“Why are you here?”
“I just told you. We’re rescuing you.”