Between Venus & Mars (The Soul Mate Tree Book 3) Read online

  Kyle had returned to Konga 10 only to discover Zana, Onwin Cantori, and her ship missing. No one had seen them in days.

  He’d used his ship’s Galaxynet terminal to track them down, discovering them on Tzankor, being held in the city of Hegger jail complex.

  He’d breathed a sigh of relief. At least they were safe.

  He’d thought.

  “Frack!” Where did he even begin to look?

  Tzankor had some dangerous elements working here. Kyle had been undercover with the Lupine gang just two years earlier. Bad stuff. Bad people.

  And Zana was out there somewhere, all alone.

  Crowded walkways, vehicles flying overhead, congestion, confusion.

  Zana walked in a daze through the towering buildings of the city. Hegger, they’d called it, and it felt bigger than Los Angeles on Old Earth. It never ended.

  And this place was filled with life. So many people.

  She needed to keep a level head. Find some place to be until she could get her ship back. She kept the Galactic Marshal’s headquarters in view. The grand building reached into the sky farther than most of the surrounding structures. At some point they’d release her ship and her uncle and she could go home. She’d wait a few hours and check back.

  If only Kyle were here. He’d know what to do.

  He was probably sitting in some cell on another planet awaiting trial for something he didn’t do. Was the whole galaxy this fucked up?

  The green space beckoned. A grassy lawn and tall trees. A park of some kind.

  A paved walkway meandered into dense foliage, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Amidst the comparative quiet of the park she found a secluded bench. With a sigh she sank down on the padded seat and shut her eyes.

  A cool breeze wafted floral-scented air over her. She breathed deep, forcing herself to relax and think. She’d rest here a few hours, then go back to the Marshal’s headquarters and check on her ship.

  Her stomach rumbled.

  Well, it wasn’t the first time she’d been hungry lately, but hell, even a kelp bar sounded good right then.

  Kyle circulated Zana’s hologram to every contact he had on the planet. Eyes and ears would be searching for any snippet of information about her. This had been his job, the one he’d thought he’d left behind. Waiting had been one of the easy parts.

  Not today.

  A cold knot twisted in his stomach as he paced one of the control rooms in the galactic marshal’s headquarters. Her ship and her uncle were here, it made sense she’d return, given time.

  Deep down he couldn’t help the feeling he should be out there looking for her. Memories of eight missing women still haunted him from his previous mission here.

  Gods, Zana, where are you?

  “Well, what have we got here?” The rough voice was accompanied by a tugging at her hip that brought Zana out of her slumber.

  “Shit. Damn. Fuck.”

  Zana struggled in the grasp of some shadowy figure.

  The white dwarf star this planet orbited had slipped below the horizon, casting gloom throughout the forested clearing. In the dim starlight she made out two more shadow-cast figures surrounding her.

  Zana struggled in her assailant’s grasp and reached for her sidearm only to find the holster empty.

  One of the other shadows moved closer and she kicked out, connecting with the person’s groin.

  “Shit.” The coarse cry rang out as the figure crumpled to the ground.

  Her arms were wrenched behind her back and despite her kicks, one of the other assailants was able to grasp her calves. With soft clicks, magna shackles clamped around her wrists and ankles, then a cloth covering slid over her head, blocking all sight.

  “You’re a feisty one, no doubt about it.” The man’s whisper was close to her ear. “I like that.”

  Hours ticked by, with no sign of Zana. Kyle paced the Marshal’s control room. “Damn it!”

  Zana had been right. He never cursed before meeting her, except when required while he was undercover. Now fear overrode his control.

  “Kyle.” Tron Speltzer entered, a plastine printout in his hand. “You’re going to want to see this.”

  Frustration and anger boiled in his gut as a chill shot through his heart. “Barton?”

  Tron nodded. “I’m putting everyone on this. If he’s back, we need to catch him.”

  The case had gone cold, and Kyle had been pulled from it two years earlier. Eight young women, disappearing without a trace here on Tzankor. After the fourth, Kyle had been called in to go undercover with Tron to find out what was happening.

  They’d uncovered the black market Galaxynet site where the women had been auctioned off, picked up some of the smaller fish, and were just steps away from identifying the ringleader when everything went dark. They’d never found the missing women.

  Now the site was back up and Zana’s face was on it. Bidding was already over a million galactic credits.

  Fuck!

  “I’m going to need my badge back.”

  Chapter 16

  Well, this was the shit.

  Zana paced her small cell, even smaller than the one she’d been held in at the galactic marshal’s headquarters. The food here sucked ass, but at least she’d gotten something to eat.

  Her three captors hadn’t said much. They tended to mumble to each other when in her presence. She had no idea what was going on.

  They hadn’t introduced themselves either, so she’d given them all names.

  She assumed Limpy was the one she’d kicked. He tended to glare at her.

  Unibrow was the one who slid the food plate through the door opening. His forehead was purpling nicely from the time he’d let her get a bit too close. She’d grabbed his shirt and yanked him hard against the cell door bars. He used a stick now to slide her dinner plate. Next time she planned on grabbing the stick.

  Asshole.

  Jowls was the scary one. Big, brooding. He paced a lot and shot her glances. He was the only one who talked right to her, and mostly what he said made her skin crawl.

  “I like that you’re feisty. I have customers that pay extra for that.”

  Customers? Was she now some kind of commodity? That did not sound good at all.

  Jowls spent lots of time at a Galaxynet terminal. He’d look up occasionally, catch her eye, then just grin.

  Okay, she’d try one more time. She banged the bars with the palm of her hand. “What the fuck is going on?”

  Limpy jumped, Unibrow took a step back, Jowls just sneered.

  The door in the back of the room opened and a young man entered. This one she recognized, the officer who’d released her from the Marshal’s jail cell.

  Jowls spun on him. “What are you doing here?”

  “I had to warn you. We’ve got a problem.” The officer blanched. “He’s back.”

  “Kepler?” Jowls frowned. “What the hell for? How could he know?”

  Zana edged closer to the cell door. Were they talking about Kyle?

  “He doesn’t.” The man threw his hands up. “At least he didn’t until you posted her picture on the site. He was looking for her before.”

  “Why? You told me she was a nobody. A rim rat. That’s why we snatched her.”

  The officer shrugged. “The record was sparse. Just said she was from some Podunk planet called Konga 10, that her record had been cleared, and they were working to give her that ship back. If I hadn’t acted fast, she’d have been gone. She looked like an easy mark. I didn’t know who she really was until Kepler showed up.”

  “Well, who the hell is she?” Jowls snarled. “Why the hell is Kepler looking for her?”

  The young officer sighed. “She’s his wife.”

&
nbsp; The back alleyway stunk of week-old garbage. Kyle crept from shadow to shadow. Two years ago, this had been where the trail went cold.

  He tapped his ear-com. “I’m in position.”

  “See anything?” Tron’s voice echoed in his ear.

  “Not yet.”

  Then light shone through an opened door across the alley and a figure slipped out into the shadows, closing the door behind him.

  “Wait.” Kyle slid the goggles into place over his eyes, switching on the night vision and digital scanning.

  The slight figure walked with a limp. The digital signature was familiar.

  “It’s Jantson.” The lackey had been in Kyle’s sights two years ago, slipping away with his boss at the last moment. Kyle wasn’t about to let that happen a second time.

  He thumbed his blaster to stun and brought the weapon up.

  Jantson stepped back, cracking the door open once again. “Looks clear.”

  “You barely checked. He could be anywhere.”

  Kyle’s enhanced earbuds picked up the whispered exchange. Even with the lowered tone, he recognized the second voice.

  Shit.

  It all made sense now. The bastards had a man on the inside two years ago, and they still did.

  Palv stepped out to join Jantson. “Kepler could be right in front of you, and you’d never know it.”

  And they knew all about the mission.

  Kyle squeezed off a shot. As the beam left the gun, Palv grabbed Jantson and used the lackey to block the incoming blast.

  “You’re scum, Palv.” Kyle dashed toward him.

  Palv dropped Jantson’s limp body and ducked back inside, slamming the door and locking it before Kyle could reach him.

  “It’s going down.” Kyle radioed Tron. “I’m locked out back here. Take the front. And watch out for Palv. He’s with them.”

  “That son of a bitch.” Tron’s tone was drenched in anger.

  Jowls stood in the doorway of the room, barking orders. Beyond, Zana heard blaster fire.

  Arm through the opening in her cell door, she flung her dinner plate, like the flying saucer toy she’d played with as a child. It glided across the room to strike Jowls in the back of the head.

  “Bitch. You’ll pay for that.” Jowls turned toward her, pulling a blaster from his holster.

  Before he could fire, the young Marshal dashed through the doorway and clapped a hand on Jowls’ shoulder. “Boss, we gotta go. Leave her.”

  Jowls growled. “Not on your life. The bidding is up over two million.” He fired.

  Zana crumpled toward the floor as the darkness of oblivion overtook her.

  Kyle watched the back door, gritting his teeth as frustration roiled in his gut. It was all he could do. He had to trust Tron and his team could storm the front in time to save Zana.

  When he heard the blast, saw the escape pod rocketing straight up into the sky, he knew they’d failed.

  Chapter 17

  The interrogation room was warm, the lights bright, just the way Kyle liked it when questioning a suspect.

  Jantson pulled at his cuffs, looking away from Kyle.

  “Where are they taking her?” Kyle paced in front of him, trying to draw his gaze.

  This sector’s assigned Blarmling was on one of the other planets. It would be hours before Kyle could confirm any of the answers Jantson gave.

  Hours he didn’t have.

  The Galaxynet site had gone dark once again. The video of Zana in full rage mode, cursing up a storm, had spiked the bidding to over two and a half billion galactic credits before it had gone off line.

  Like before, there was no way to trace the communications on either end.

  Don’t give up, starshine. I’ll find you.

  Jantson’s body shook. His eyes darted right and left. He was about to spill.

  “I . . . I don’t know. I only work for Barton when he’s here. I don’t know where his base is.”

  Damn. He was probably telling the truth.

  Tron entered, slamming the door behind him. “We got a partial signature on his ship before it warped out. It’ll take a few hours but we’ll find him.”

  Find the ship? Sure. Eventually.

  Find Barton? Maybe.

  Find Zana? Doubtful.

  The ship was undoubtedly headed for the drop-off point before taking Barton home. It would take a miracle—

  Hope surged in Kyle’s heart.

  “Tron, I’m taking your FTL 11.”

  The FTL 11 was the fastest ship in the galaxy. Each Galactic Marshal headquarters had one for important missions. Kyle needed speed now more than ever before.

  He bolted from the interrogation room toward the hanger bay.

  Tron followed on his heels. “Do you know where Barton is?”

  Kyle shook his head as he sped down the ramp. “No.”

  “Then how are you going to find him?”

  Kyle opened the access hatch of the FTL 11.

  “Magic.”

  Zana woke, her body aching from being restrained in the same position too long. She was in a metal chair, her wrists tied to the chair arms, her legs shackled.

  Through a porthole she noted the elongated star-paths beyond. They were in hyperspace, jumping between one point and another.

  Voices raised in argument greeted her wakefulness.

  “I helped you. Served you for years.” The young officer held his hands in the air, standing at gunpoint.

  Jowls held a blaster on him. “And now you’ve become a liability. They know who you are. They’ll be looking for you.”

  “Then hide me.”

  Jowls’ lip curled. “That’s what I’m doing. Now get in there, or I’ll stun you and have you dragged in.”

  Behind Jowls, Unibrow stood, cracking his knuckles, an evil grin plastered across his face.

  “Don’t do this, Barton. Please.” The young officer took a step back, toward an open airlock.

  Barton. At least she had a name for the fuckhead now.

  Zana pulled on her restraints. Nothing gave.

  “Obey me, and maybe I’ll change my mind.” Barton motioned with the gun, indicating the Marshal should enter the airlock.

  He’s going to space him.

  Zana had never experienced such evil intent.

  “Why don’t you climb in there with him, asshole. I’d gladly push the button to send you both tumbling into space. Good fucking riddance.” The words tumbled out before she even realized she’d spoken.

  Barton shoved the Marshal into the airlock, closing it, trapping him inside.

  He spun toward Zana. A cruel smile spread across his face. “And she awakens, as charming as ever. I think you’re going to find your new home quite an adventure.”

  “I think you’re going to find my foot up your ass quite an adventure.”

  Keep his attention on her and maybe he’d forget about the young man in the airlock, though why she was trying to save the guy who’d set her up for all this was beyond her.

  “Oh.” Barton’s pants suddenly tented. “I have never been so tempted to sample my merchandise before.”

  “Fuck you.”

  Barton’s eyes lit. “Exactly.”

  Kyle broke a half-dozen laws zinging his way across the galaxy. From skirting too close to an asteroid field, to skip-jumping through one of the lesser populated systems. At one point he even had a Galactic Marshal on his tail until they noted it was one of their ships and asked for an identification code.

  Unsure of the state of his privileges, he sent them Kyrklund Jameson’s code. No one would have problems believing Jameson was speeding across the galaxy at warp 11 anyway.

  The pursuing marshals let hi
m go.

  Now Old Earth filled his viewport, and Kyle sped toward the coordinates he’d lifted from Zana’s TRS-90.

  It had to be there. It just had to be.

  The hill stood empty, the tree gone.

  “No.” Kyle’s gut twisted. Trees didn’t move.

  “Unless it had somewhere else to be.”

  Where would it have gone? How would he find it?

  I am old, I am ancient. My purpose is clear. The words resonated in his mind. Lines from the books he’d read.

  To give those who are needy a treasure so dear.

  If anyone was needy right now, it was him. “Where are you?”

  His shout reverberated in the empty starship cabin.

  They who come to my roots, touch my bark, stroke my leaves.

  Tears clouded his vision. “How can I stroke your fucking leaves if you’re not here?”

  He landed the craft, exiting down the ramp to the waving grasslands. Had the tree left a stump behind? Anything he could use to bring Zana to him across the galaxy like she’d done for him?

  Find the soul of their lives if they but believe.

  “I believe. By the gods, I believe.”

  He brushed aside the tall grasses, looking for any trace the tree had ever been here. This was the right place. He knew it.

  “Where are you?” he shouted to the heavens.

  “I are here, God of Thunder.” A floppy-eared head rose up from the grasses.

  “Merng?”

  The roo leader held up his solar lantern. Around him, other roos poked their heads above the sea of grasses.

  “We always hunts here now. Magic here. Powerful magic.”

  A cold knot twisted in Kyle’s stomach. “No. The magic is gone. The tree is gone.”

  Merng shook his head. “Not gone. Moved.”