“I’m going to check it out,” I grunt.
“I’m coming with you,” Avrell says.
I shake my head. “Stay with the ship. I don’t want our only doctor to be put in danger.”
“I’ll go then,” Willow says. “You’ll need backup.”
I frown at her, but when her blue eyes flicker with intensity, I know she’ll argue until the end of time over this. I don’t like the idea of her out there, but I’ll be there to keep her safe. It’s a much better notion than the one from earlier—her traipsing around with Hadrian of all morts.
“You know how to use a zonnoblaster?” I ask as I stand and make my way over to the zu-gear.
“Point and shoot?”
“Good female.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re a brat.”
“I don’t know this term.”
“Learn it, big boy, because it’s totally you.”
“What does brat mean?”
“Headstrong. Argumentative. Ignores authority. Wants to be punished.”
I flash her a wicked grin. “Who’s going to punish me?”
Her cheeks blaze red. “Avrell.”
“Incorrect,” Avrell states with a huff. “He’s a massive beast. I’ll do nothing of the sort.”
“Yeah, Willow. Looks like it’s all up to you to whip the beast into submission.”
She sticks her pink tongue out that I’d love to take the time to suck into my mouth. Time is of the essence, though, so I resist the urge. Barely.
“Let’s check out the ship and then later you can punish me.” I bounce my eyebrows up and down on my forehead.
She cracks a smile but lets out an exaggerated huff. “You’re so annoying. Definitely a brat.”
Avrell chuckles, clearly amused at our playful banter. It makes my heart hammer in my chest. Surely he can see that my mate and I have a connection. She doesn’t huff and puff to anyone but me. She also doesn’t whimper and moan for anyone but me. Pride has me grinning like a fool as we dress in our zu-gear. I hand her a zonnoblaster before grabbing one for myself. We head through the small decontamination bay and then the hiss of the door releases us into the harsh environment.
A heavy gust of wind nearly sends Willow flying, but I grab her arm just in time. She shoots me a shocked look.
“Careful,” I say through our comms. “The geostorm will arrive any solar now. While it’s not the roughest time of year, it’ll still do some damage. Might have been what attributed to the crash of this vessel.”
“You think anyone is alive in there?”
“Not sure. Keep your eyes out for sabrevipes. They like the mountains.”
“Sabrevipes…” she trails off. “The creepy hairless tiger things I overheard you and Hadrian discussing once?”
“They’re huge and vicious and always hungry. Takes more than a shot from a zonnoblaster to take one down. You see one, you run, Willow. Don’t look back. Get right back into the ship.”
She jerks her head my way, eyes wide. “I wouldn’t leave you to fight that thing all by yourself.”
I shoot her a cocky grin. “That’s what a good mate does. He protects what’s his.”
Her mouth pops open, no doubt ready to argue, but a loud groan from the ship steals our attention.
“Come on,” I instruct.
We walk over to the ship and assess it from all sides. The hatch is ajar that leads into the crumpled navigation bay. Each time the wind catches it, it flies open and groans. Must have been what caught my attention. I climb up the side of the ship and grab the handle of the hatch. It flies open. I manage to use some cord to tie it, keeping it open.
“Oh rekk,” I mutter. “A body.”
“What? Someone’s dead in there?”
I stare down at the human male whose nog is caved in on one side. He hasn’t been deceased for long because the beasts in this area would have gotten to him already if he had been.
Willow climbs up and sits on the ledge beside me, peering inside. “Oh. Gross.” She leans into me and I wrap an arm around her, my zonnoblaster firm in my other hand’s grip.
“There are probably more that managed to escape unscathed,” I tell her. “There are several seats and only one has a body.”
She shudders. “See that emblem.” Her gloved finger points to the blue series of lines. “E2A. Earth II Authority. They’re our military and oversee the police.” She lets out a harsh breath.
“Why are they here?”
“My best guess is they’re looking for the others who used to lead Exilium. Before we overthrew it. If they didn’t receive an update, maybe they sent people to investigate.” She frowns at me. “Theron, this is bad. They’re terrible people. Cruel and hard and hateful.”
“Kevins?”
“Bad guys.”
So, yes, Kevins.
“I’ll report back to the Facility.” I lean my nog against hers. “We need to get out of here in case they’re close. If you see one of those Kevins, you shoot. Don’t hesitate, just shoot.”