Series: Zandian Brides Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“How could you even do it?” Mirelle locks eyes with me. “You’re not a warrior or a tech expert. How will you disable the entire system?”
“I just need to get into the main lab and get to the control panel. I know exactly which buttons to push on the remote activator, and in the right sequence. I can do a complete wipe of the program. I mean, I know they can redo it. But at least we humans that you saved will no longer be tainted or dangerous to you. Or ourselves.”
Mirelle just looks at me.
“I know I can do it.” My voice strengthens. “I can prove it. Let me show you.” With trembling fingers, I point to her holo tablet. “I can draw the outlay of the planet and the buildings. My brain has it recorded.”
My head zaps as I force myself to remember more and more. I’ve become adept at reading things the chip recorded while I was in training, and now a new memory comes.
“Mirelle! I know the code to disable the motion sensors outside the lab! And I can even remember the passcodes for entry for crafts entering the planet.”
“I can cloak. I won’t need that. Anyway, they’d be in contact with any ship and would know I’m not welcome.” Her voice is thoughtful, though, and for the first time, I think she is considering doing what I ask. “But having the codes to disable their sensors is critical. Otherwise you’d never be able to get into the building undetected.”
I nod, hopeful. “I can do it.”
She hands me the tablet. “Show me what you can.”
I nod and take a deep breath then begin writing down the things I can recall about the planet alignment, entry protocols, the entire layout of the lab building, and the secret codes needed to type into the entry panels on each lab.
“My memories are getting stronger the more I do this,” I murmur, continuing to cipher.
When I’m done, I hand her the tablet. “What do you think? Can you get there safely?”
Mirelle stares at the tablet then at me for a long moment. Finally, she gives a nod. “All right, Sia. I’ll take you to Larew.”
Daven
After a sleepless night, I find myself banging on Axe’s door.
When he doesn’t answer, I pound so hard I crack the metal surface. The pain of it satisfies me.
I draw back my fist to punch the door again when some being catches my arm from behind.
I turn with a snarl to find Axe glowering at me.
He appears even more agitated than I am. “We have to save them,” he snarls.
I stop and blink.
I expected rebuke from him. He warned me over and over again against trusting these females, yet I chose to mate Sia anyway.
I didn’t listen.
Then my heart speeds to a gallop. “Save them from what?”
“From termination. Dr. Daneth may attempt surgery, which could kill them or leave them brain dead. We can’t let that happen.”
I’m running before my brain even comes on line. Axe grabs my arm and swings me in the opposite direction. “They’re in the command center discussing it with the king.” I accept the redirection, and both of us run toward the building that looms in the distance, the one that Sia admired so many planet rotations ago. “They’re waiting for us. You didn’t get the summons because you’re not wearing your wrist comms.”
He’s right. I left my domicile without it. It’s a wonder I even managed to put on my clothes and boots.
Axe and I ignore the sentries as we stride into the meeting room. It’s chilly inside–the thick walls emanating cool even though the morning sun is warm.
Or maybe that’s the cold prickling my skin. The fear for Sia.
King Zander doesn’t react when we both bow to him before taking our seats.
Seke clears his throat, and the group falls silent. “Now that Axe and Daven have arrived, we can begin. The females are isolated in the dungeon right now, shielded with lead barriers and digital scramblers in case the chips are transmitting. Dr. Daneth can brief us on what he has found.
Dr. Daneth’s expression is characteristically impassive. “I have not detected a signal emanating from Katia’s head, incoming or outgoing.”
"Can the chip be removed?" King Zander asks.
"It is completely entwined with brain matter. To remove it would mean terminating the patient." Dr. Daneth speaks with no emotion, and I want to twist his head off his neck.
Because Axe is right. They are discussing ending our females’ lives to get the chips out.
“My lord,” Lon, a Zandian engineer, speaks up. “It seems to me that we should operate on all the rescued females immediately, examine their brains, and remove those chips to learn exactly what we’re up against.” He looks to the elders in the room, checking for agreement. “I need to examine that technology to find out what is on the chip and how it functions. If the Ocretions are putting chips into humans we owe it to ourselves and our young to learn about it, so we can reverse engineer it and stay safe. Not just for now. For all times.”