“You can’t do that! You promised me if I helped you I could have Torak. You promised I could watch as you mated to that bitch. You promised I could watch as your guards raped and killed that little bitch!” Jovanna screamed in anger.
Tai Tek looked at Jovanna before smiling, “I lied.”
Jovanna started screaming and fighting the two men holding her until one of the men turned her, slapping her hard across the face. She collapsed between them whimpering as they pulled her towards Torak’s House.
“My Lord, our forces have been defeated. The Lords of Kassis are moving this way. We must leave at once.” One of the guards said softly.
“Fools! What of the charges that were set?” Tai Tek coldly looking at his Captain of the Guard.
“They did not have a chance to set them before the guards attacked.” His Captain of the Guard replied in a dead voice.
“It is time to go. Take the females through the passageway to the shuttle waiting on the other side of the complex. By the time they find them it will be too late.” Tai Tek said turning to leave.
“Not so fast, asshole.” River said just as she swung her fist into the nose of the guard holding her. The man dropped her as his nose shattered under her direct hit.
River twisted as she fell, landing on her feet and doing a flip to put distance between her and the other guards. Turning to kneel she threw two knives into the men holding Jo and Star who did twin back flips taking them to land near River. Jo pulled one of the pistols firing rapidly while Star reached for her crossbow.
“Move, move, move.” River yelled as she pulled back behind the fountain. She threw a knife cursing as it imbedded in Tai Tek’s shoulder. She had aimed for his heart but the bastard had turned at the last minute.
Jo and Star moved back into the dark shadows covering River as she turned to run. She counted three down but there had to have been at least eight, counting Tai Tek. Ripping the covering of her skirt off she let it fall to the ground as a laser blast missed her head by less than an inch. She hit the ground rolling before coming back up on her feet.
They hadn’t been sure where Tai Tek was going to strike or where they would be taken if he did capture them. The fact it was the garden was probably a blessing as the three of them knew it fairly well. Moving fast, each of the women grabbed the hanging vines from one of the tall pillars encircling the garden and started climbing. They figured they would have a better view of what was happening on the ground and could move over most of the garden by air. The lens Manota had given them gave them night vision. By River’s estimation they had about thirty minutes left before they dissolved.
Reaching the top of the pillar River rolled over and lay flat as Jo and Star came up behind her. “You two okay?” River asked softly.
Jo whispered, “Yeah. I’m cool. Star, what about you?”
Star reached down feeling the sticky wetness on her side. She held back a sob as pain flashed through her. Biting her lip, she whispered faintly. “I think you two are going to have to do this one without me.”
River’s head came up as she heard the pain in Star’s voice. “Shit, where are you hit?”
“No, baby, no. Star, no.” Jo whispered desperately trying to hold back a sob. She moved over the narrow surface of the pillar trying to get to Star.
“Left side.” Star replied faintly. “I took a hit as we were running.” She gasped softly as Jo tried to move her. “Jo don’t, I…tell Jazin I love him.”
Jo gripped Star’s hand tightly, “You have to tell him that, Star. You have to hold on until we can get you down from here. Do you hear me? You have to hold on, baby.”
Star smiled softly looking up at the twins moons. “It’s so beautiful.”
Jo couldn’t contain the cry that broke from her as Star’s eyes closed. “No!”
River turned as she heard the sound of feet moving underneath them. “Stay with Star. Protect her and keep her alive until we can get her help.”
Jo nodded silently trying to stem the blood flowing from the wound to Star’s side. “I will. You kill that bastard for me, River. You kill him.”
River nodded. Moving out over the wire she had to focus all of her talents on keeping her balance. It was one thing to tight rope walk in broad daylight or under lights; it was another to do it with night vision lens. She moved silently stopping only once when she saw men moving down underneath her. She moved to the next pillar keeping an eye open for her target. She wanted to take out Tai Tek. Kill the leader and you cut off his troops, at least she hoped so. She moved over to the next pillar. Looking down, she saw Tai Tek near the steps of Torak’s House Javonna held tightly against him. So, the bastard was going to leave his men to rot while he snuck off.