His captain nodded.
“You go out in our mining transports,” Aran said. “They’re not as fast as your ruggers, but they’re sturdy and built for the terrain.”
Rhain frowned. “Go on.”
“I’ll have some of my people take your ruggers, and lead the Zhylaw away.”
“And we sneak out while they’re busy.” Thadd pointed. “I took the liberty of transferring some extra weapons to the mining ruggers.”
The mining ruggers were built of a dark-black metal, and rode lower to the ground, with a small flat bed at the back, no doubt for transporting equipment and craxma metal.
Rhain looked at Aran. “It’s a good idea, Aran. But I don’t want your people hurt.”
The man nodded. “They won’t be. They know this terrain well. They’ll get back inside the shield once you’re clear.”
Mal strode out of the nearby building.
She wore Zhalton armor, and the bronze metal hugged her trim torso, leather trousers slicking down her legs. Her sword hung in a scabbard on her back. Her hair was in a tight ponytail that bobbed as she walked.
Her face was resolute, composed. She was ready for battle.
In his head, he had a flash of her naked and under him, taking him.
His gut clenched.
Mal was his. He’d keep her safe, then he just had to finally convince her to trust him. Convince her that she belonged here with him.
“Ready?” she asked.
Rhain told her the plan.
She smiled. “I like it. Simple but sneaky.”
“The mining ruggers are almost ready to go,” Thadd said.
Mal swiveled and rubbed her fist against her chest. “The tug feels stronger today.”
Rhain gripped her shoulder. “We’re going to find her.”
Mal nodded.
Soon, they were loading into the mining ruggers. It was a tighter fit, and not as comfortable as the ones they’d arrived in. Thadd had set up turrets in the beds on the back. The captain sat in the seat of one, and another fighter, Lira, sat on the turret on the second mining rugger.
Inside the vehicle, Rhain sat behind the drivers, Mal beside him.
They listened to Aran on the comm line.
“Open the shield. Send out the decoys.”
Rhain leaned forward, tense, and he watched as the ruggers they’d arrived in from Citadel zoomed out the front gate of Emex Outpost. Aran’s mechanics had worked all night to fix most of the damage the ruggers had received the day before.
There were only two people in each—Aran’s best drivers who knew the terrain around Emex best.
“Pull up the projection,” Rhain ordered.
They watched a bird’s-eye view from the Emex cameras. The two ruggers spread out, driving hard and fast. At first, nothing happened. They raced across the terrain.
“Where are they?” Mal muttered.
“There,” Rhain pointed.
Two Zhylaw vehicles burst out of the ground in pursuit.
Mal sucked in a breath.
Another appeared. And another one right in front of the ruggers. The ruggers swerved.
The two vehicles raced on, taking a wild, zigzagging path across the countryside.
“It’s clear.” Aran appeared outside their mining rugger and banged his palm on the side of it. “Go now.”
“Move out,” Rhain ordered.
Their rugger went first. They exited the outpost and turned away to the north, away from the other ruggers. They would take a more circuitous path to avoid detection.
They bumped over the rocky ground. It was a much rougher ride than the regular transport ruggers.
“Anything on scans?” Mal asked.
“Nothing,” the driver, Cedo, responded.
All the fighters in the vehicle sat silent, tense.
“Overlord,” the co-driver, Kasra, said. “Emex just sent a message. The ruggers returned safely.”
Rhain blew out a breath, and he saw Mal smile.
“Excellent,” he said.
Now they just had to reach their destination safely.
They moved further north before slowly veering to the east. He saw Mal rubbing her chest again.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded.
He took her hand. He felt the interested gazes of his fighters but ignored them.
“It feels stronger,” she said.
“Because we’re getting closer.”
There was a thump on the roof of the vehicle. “Rhain?” Thadd’s deep voice. “You’d better get up here.”
Rhain frowned and opened the top hatch. He popped his head up. Mal squeezed up beside him.
Ahead, in the distance, a thick, black cloud lay ahead of them, filling the horizon.
“What is that?” Mal breathed.
“I don’t know,” Rhain ducked down. “Cedo, scan the fog.”
“There’s nothing on scans. It’s not noxious, but the scans can’t penetrate it.”
Rhain scowled. He didn’t like this.
“If we try to go around it, it’ll take too long,” Mal said.
There were no good choices.
“Fighters, secure your harnesses,” Rhain said. “We are heading into the black fog.”
They all waited, tense as they drove on. A few faint wisps of fog crept around the vehicles, hanging in the air. It wasn’t too thick yet, but they were right at the edge of it. It looked like smoke.
Tension gripped everyone.
Beep.
Rhain looked at the drivers.
Kasra cursed. “Contact. We have a Zhylaw signature inbound and moving fast.”
“Thadd!” Rhain roared.
“I’m ready,” Thadd yelled back.
Mal’s hands flexed, like she wanted to draw her sword.
“Second quadrant,” Cedo yelled.
Rhain swiveled and looked out the narrow window. A Zhylaw vehicle burst through the ground.
In the turret, Thadd swiveled and fired.
Energy pulses lit up the thickening fog. The second rugger fired on the Zhylaw vehicle as well. Then, another Zhylaw vehicle streamed up out of the ground.
Thadd kept firing.
The Zhylaw vehicle hit a rock, tipped over, and crashed on its side.
They continued firing on it.
Screams cut through the air and Rhain popped his head up through the hatch.
He saw the shadows of several hexids leap onto the second rugger.
One grabbed Lira out of the turret seat and tossed her on the ground.
No. “Bring us around. Thadd, Lira is down!”
“I see her.” Thadd fired.
Rhain climbed on the roof and knelt. He lifted his palm. After a night of rest, his energy was fully charged.
The hexid raised its claws, about to slash the struggling Lira. He let loose with a red pulse.
The hexid flew back.
“Thadd, get Lira and join the other rugger. I’ll cover you.”
His captain of the guard didn’t hesitate. He leaped off and sprinted toward the fallen woman.
Rhain jumped in the turret and fired on the hexids. Mal appeared and knelt on the roof.
“Get back inside.”
“No.” She drew her sword.
He ground his teeth together, then saw Thadd scoop up the now-unconscious Lira.
Rhain fired on the hexids until Thadd leaped high in the air, and landed on top of the other rugger.
Rhain expelled a breath and watched as his captain handed Lira down into the rugger. Then he leaped onto the abandoned turret.