trajectory of the ion strike.
I fired again, but the shot seemed to bounce off the Nexus unit as if I were throwing pebbles, not hitting him with one of our strongest weapons, even as he moved closer.
Scrambling back, I made my way to Bahre and helped him to his feet. “We have to move. Now!”
Bahre stumbled for a moment, then righted himself. “What is happening?”
“Sambor is taking on three Soldiers and a Scout. He got two of them.” I tugged at him to force him to move toward the far edge of the small outcropping where I could take cover on a slight overhang and try to kill the Nexus up close and personal. “We have a Nexus unit and two integrated Atlan Hive in beast mode coming at us faster than I’ve ever seen anything move.”
His pained gaze met mine. “Two Atlans?”
I nodded. “Yes. And they can’t keep up with the Nexus unit. Move!”
Bahre leaned on my shoulder as we moved toward the rocks I knew would be the best place to make our last stand. Bahre leaned against the rock, his bulk partially hidden behind me as I positioned myself and my ion rifle to shoot the moment the Nexus unit cleared the boulders in front of us.
Seconds later the Nexus unit appeared like a wild animal chasing prey.
I fired. Direct hit to his abdomen.
Nothing. It didn’t even slow the fucker down.
He stood in front of me and yanked the rifle from my hands, then snapped it in half like it was a twig. “Where is my female?” His voice was deep and mechanical, and there was not an ounce of emotion or battle rage in the question. His female?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I thought to stall him with my response as I motioned Bahre with my hand to move. Get the fuck out of here.
Run.
“My mate,” he added. “Her name is Gwendolyn. She was here, on your ship. Where is she now?”
This was more words than the Nexus unit Helion had been interrogating had spoken in the months we’d had him captive. I avoided looking the blue monster in the eye, but it was hard. The pull to do so was strong. I remembered those dark, lifeless orbs would suck me in and drown me. I’d learned that the hard way, staring at our captive the first time Helion had taken me to see him. Sambor had saved me, knocking me to the side, breaking the Nexus unit’s hold on my mind.
Wiser now, I stared at this one’s chest, not daring to glance up, not for a moment. Once he had control of my mind, I’d tell him anything he wanted to know. And I knew a lot.
I’d fought the Hive my entire career but had never been face-to-face with one. Never fought one. Up close, this one was… blue. Focused. Not real. The metal integrations gleamed in the starlight, reminding me this thing was not… one of us. It moved and spoke and killed, but it did not live.
Behind him, the two integrated Atlans appeared, clawing and climbing their way to stand where Bahre and I had been just a few moments ago. Bahre hadn’t moved. Damn him.
“Get the fuck out of here, Bahre. Sam. Take their ship and go.” Silence was no longer important, and one of us had to live. “Get back to Lucy.” Reaching behind me, I wrapped my palm around the handle of a blade I kept on my hip for emergencies.
“Who is Lucy?” the Nexus unit asked.
“None of your fucking business.” I wanted to scream at this thing but knew it would be futile.
In my peripheral vision, I watched the Nexus unit tilt his head to the side as if curious. “I sense no fear. Good. You will be one of us now.”
I swiped up with my dagger, aiming for what I hoped would be the Nexus unit’s heart. Or central processing unit. Something… critical. The Nexus unit looked down to where my blade was buried in his chest and pulled it out slowly, the metal coated in thick, black liquid that looked more like tar than blood. “You resist.” He tossed the blade aside and reached for me.
“No!” Bahre bellowed and stepped forward, moving fast, faster than he should have been capable of with his injuries. He was in full beast mode, his body huge, his rage like a volcanic eruption. “No, Atlans!”
The Nexus unit looked up in shock, and I realized he’d been so fixated on