Syn-En: Registration (18 page)

Human and alien faces turned to watch the drama. Conversations hushed. Silence rippled across the terrace.

Anwar raised his fist.

Marching doggedly onward, Pet didn’t turn.

Zahar grabbed her brother’s arm before planting herself between the two men. “Don’t ruin this night.”

Nell collapsed on the seat. As much as she believed Pet deserved an ass-whooping, hitting a man in the back wasn’t fighting fair.

“I take care of my family.” Anwar pounded on his chest. “I can keep us safe. You don’t know…”

Zahar blew her bangs out of her eyes. “You don’t have to take care of us anymore. We’re going to be free. It’s just a matter of time.”

A muscle ticked in Anwar’s jaw. Finally, he lowered his fist and nodded. Instead of looking at his sister, he inspected her basket. “You have enough serum for everyone.”

“Elvis was most generous.” Zahar cradled it close. “He even offered to sing some Earth songs.”

Pain clamped down on Nell’s skull. Her attention cut to the Amarook. “You didn’t. Tell me you didn’t.”

It was bad enough she had to listen to him butcher the King’s songs, but to think he planned to howl, yip, and yowl his way through
Love Me Tender
would set her campaign to revive Rock and Roll back another century.

Elvis flipped onto his back. His tongue lolled out of his head while he tossed a hoof up in the air and caught it. “Of course, I did. The complexity of Human music is most soothing.”

Nell shook her head. Not the way he sang it. Her ears bled from his last hour-long marathon of Elvis Presley’s greatest hits.

“In fact, I should probably offer to perform a few songs when the band comes back on stage.” Elvis flopped back onto his belly and tossed the hoof onto the platter. “Yes. Yes, I will. No time like the present to catch Humans up on a little Earth culture.”

She grabbed his scruff and held him in place. “No. You can’t.”

Elvis’s blue eyes narrowed and his ears folded back. “Why not? You said my rendition was unique. A one of a kind performance not even the King could manage.”

Nell wanted to slap herself. Never, ever use sarcasm again. Ever. She swallowed the wad of truth in her throat and stuck with a little white lie. “Because they might like you so much, we’ll never get out of here.”

“Yes. Yes, I could see that.” He shook off her touch then reached for a hoof. “I shall wait until Humans are registered.”

“I think that would make the occasion very memorable.” And might even make a few people deaf. Nell scratched him behind his ears. “Now, I’m going to get something to eat.”

Elvis stretched out along the chair. “I don’t think that will be necessary.” He gnawed on a hoof. “Seems you are worthy of being served.”

Waving to three women on the stairs, Anwar strode over to Nell’s table. He rested his knuckles on the green silk tablecloth and leaned across. “I, um, wanted to thank you for what you’ve done for my brother.”

“You’re welcome.” Nell scooted back on her throne and smoothed her uniform shirt. She hoped the man didn’t reissue his offer of fathering her child.

“I noticed that you hadn’t eaten and asked the chefs to put aside something for you.”

He waved to the women who walked up the steps. Each carried a platter, one of fruit, one of sea grass, and one with a thick slab of roasted caprinae.

“Oh.” That was much better. Nell patted her rumbling stomach. “I appreciate that. I am hungry.”

Anwar glanced over his shoulder and licked his lips.

Unrolling her napkin, she moved her utensils to the side. The man still hadn’t moved. Uh-oh. Was there another zinger coming?

Elvis stopped chewing and shifted on the settee. Muscles quivered under his fur.

Nell cocked her head. “Did you want something else?”

Anwar turned his attention back to her. “You’re right not to trust Pet. He’s only in this for himself. I can take you to the surface.”

Nell blinked. “You can? But Ck’dow said Pet—”

Anwar waved his hand as if to disperse her words. “The Ck’dow trust Pet because of his father. They don’t listen to a word against him. Against the rumors that Pet has found other Humans in the tunnels and turned them over to their masters to get the things he wants.”

“He wouldn’t.” Nell fisted her fork. That was inhuman. But if those newcomers posed a threat to his de facto leadership… She’d seen how he treated her. The jerk had ordered her killed upon their first meeting.

“If you really are serious about getting to the surface and not falling into Scraptor claws, I’ll take you after the party.” Anwar flashed his palms and stepped back.

“Why so late?” She leaned forward. “Pet has agreed to take us in an hour.”

“He’s changed his mind and convinced the others that you should wait until morning.”

“No one told me.”

“It could work in your favor. In three hours, the storm will be strong enough to provide cover from the Scraptor air patrols.”

“Storm?” Nell’s fingers dug into the table. “What storm?”

He pointed to the dome.

Clouds of orange dust swirled over the force field, blotting out the sun. Starbursts exploded in fireworks of white light from the build-up of static electricity. Black shapes formed in the dust where the cloud thickened. Little by little, the storm began to snuff out the sunshine.

For a moment, Nell traveled back in time to early twenty-first century Phoenix. She loved the monsoons—the curtains of dust that had swept over the city, and the rains that had followed. She’d curl up with a book in front of the picture window and listen to the drops hiss against the hot sidewalk.

Those haboobs seemed mild compared to the mess pinging off the force field. Yet they always proved dangerous for those outside. “Is it safe to go out in the storm?”

Anwar smiled. “They blow over quickly. Besides, you don’t want to be picked up by the Scraptors, do you?”

“No. Definitely not.” She glanced at Elvis.

The Amarook nodded. “Your uniform is not camouflaged and would be easy to spot on the dust plains.”

Checking over his shoulder, Anwar pulled out a folded piece of paper and slid it across the table. “I’ll be here an hour after the party. If you really want to reach the surface, you’ll meet me there.”

Nell’s hand covered the note just as the women reached her. She discreetly stuffed it into her pants pocket.

“We brought you dinner.”

“Thank you. That is very kind.” Nell shifted out of the way as one after the other, the three chefs slid dishes in front of her. Her nose twitched at the scent of roasted meat and exotic spices. “Thank you. Everything looks delicious.”

Having set the meal on the table, the three took a step back and watched her. The one on the right twisted her green-stained apron. The one in the middle folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot. The last one fluttered her eyes at Anwar before tucking her hand through his arm.

Nell picked up her knife and sliced into the roast. Juice ran along the plate. She speared the piece and raised it to her lips.

Anwar stared at the French door as if looking for Pet.

The despot had yet to return. No doubt he was in some dark hole, dreaming up ways to be a thorn in her behind.

Thankfully, she had an alternative. “I accept your offer, Anwar.”

He bowed slightly.

The chef on his arm tightened her grip.

Wincing, Anwar set his hand over hers. “Since your departure has been delayed, I’ll show you the best spots to quarter the rest of your team.”

The woman had no reason to be jealous. Nell wasn’t interested. Still, since his offer helped her elude the odious Pet, she could return the favor. “We won’t be needing a very large place as my
husband
and I will share a room.”

The woman tugged on Anwar’s arm, pulling him toward the stairs. “Come Anwar. I’ll help you narrow down the choices.”

Whispering, the couple raced down the steps. An audience of two remained.

Nell tucked the bite of roast into her mouth and chewed. The meat dissolved on her tongue, leaving behind the flavor of garlic, onion, pepper and tomato. “It’s wonderful.”

The chef with the stained apron sighed. “It is a recipe one of my ancestors brought from Earth.”

“It tastes familiar. Italian maybe.” Dipping into the salad, Nell spun the sea grass around her fork then used her teeth to scrape it off the tines. The mass teased her taste buds with a hint of salt and pepper before sliding down her throat. “Tastes like spinach.”

The cook with the folded arms straightened.

Sheesh, why would she take that as an insult? Nell twirled up another forkful. “My favorite.”

The cook’s arms relaxed. “It’s a very simple recipe. I—”

Elvis rolled off his settee. His fur shifted until it looked like rhinestones glittering down his back, paws, and arms. “Since we’re going to be here for a while, I’m going to join the band. Ladies, prepare to be amazed by Earth music. You’ll be thanking me. Thanking me very much.”

The sea grass turned to ash in Nell’s mouth. “Can I have some wine? The bottle or the barrel, whichever is convenient. And bring the corks.”

Maybe she could wedge them into her ears and block out the torture that was to come. Then again, maybe his rendition of
Jailhouse Rock
would end the party early, and she could finally complete her mission.

Chapter 19

Nell drummed her fingers on the helmet tucked under her arm. Her headlamp cut a cone of light in the darkness. Deep in the bowels of the tunnel, water dripped. She glanced down each passage, watched her light run until it faded to black. No one there. She could have sworn she’d heard something. She should have heard someone. “Do you think Anwar forgot?”

Sitting in a wedge of his helmet’s light, Elvis groomed the feathers around his face.
Lick. Stroke. Tug. Lick.
He plucked fuzz off his pink tongue. “No.”

“Do you think he got lost?”

“No.”
Lick. Lick. Stroke. Tug.

She checked the piece of paper in her hand. A crude line wiggled across the sheet. Every once in a while it would hit a perpendicular line and cut either right or left. By her figuring, the perpendicular lines indicated branches in the tunnel system, but maybe she’d jumped one. “Do you think we’re lost?”

“No.”
Lick. Stroke. Stroke. Tug.

“Is that all you can say? No?”

“No.” Chuckling, Elvis used his hind leg to scratch behind his ear.

“You’re a real comedian.” Nell resisted the urge to step on the Amarook’s tail. See how funny he thought that was.

“Relax.” He stretched out on the tunnel floor and yawned. “Anwar probably had to make an excuse to the female he was with. She was in heat and not inclined to share.”

“She can have him
after
he leads us to the surface.” Nell patted the sides of her backpack, felt the jagged edges of the computer parts inside. “I think we should have tried to go out the same way we came in. Surely, they have a ladder that would reach.”

“I didn’t see a ladder.”

Neither did she, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. “Did you look?”

“Nope. You just came up with the idea.” Elvis rested his chin on his paws and closed his eyes.

“How can you sleep at a time like this? We’re this close to getting back to the ship, repairing the communication’s system and warning the fleet.” And leaps and bounds closer to rescuing Bei. She paced the width of the tunnel. Eight steps there. Eight steps back. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

“Perhaps you should rest. It could take Anwar a while to join us.”

She’d rest when she found Bei. Shaking the jittery feeling from her fingers, she kept pacing. “He should be here soon.”

Anwar had left the party before her.

By rights, he should have been the one waiting for her and Elvis to join him. Paper crinkled. “Maybe I should retrace our steps.”

Opening one eye, the Amarook stared at her. His nose twitched and he raised his head. “Someone’s coming.”

Nell dropped to Elvis’s side and lowered her voice. He’d shield her from view if the newcomer wasn’t Anwar. “How can you tell? There’s no draft to carry their scent.”

“I can hear them. They are quite loud.”

“Them?” Anwar was supposed to be alone. “He better not have brought his girlfriend. I’m a little freaked about traveling through rickety tunnels, without having to worry about her stabbing me in the back out of jealousy.”

Elvis patted the rock walls. “The mine is quite sound, not rickety.”

“It’s quieter than a tomb.” Where were the rats and cockroaches? Even the drip of water was muffled.

A spotlight bounced on the wall a hundred feet away.

She squinted but couldn’t make out the newcomers. Her fingers sunk into Elvis’s feathers. The damp fluff stuck to her hand. “Can you see who it is?”

“It is Anwar.”

“And?” She waited for the Amarook to tell her who else was coming. He’d said there were two of them.

Elvis shook his head. “I cannot see, yet.”

A chill wiggled down her spine. Why hadn’t the two come together? Unless Anwar didn’t know his girlfriend tailed him.

“Hello.” Anwar raised his hand in greeting. “I’m glad to see that you made it.”

“You gave us great directions.” Rising, Nell double-checked her pack. The computer pieces were still there.

Leaping to his feet, Elvis growled. His hackles stood straight up.

Anwar stopped. “Whoa! I’m sorry I’m late. Tell him not to eat me.”

A light appeared behind the man’s shoulder.

“It’s not you.” Nell shrugged off the pack and dropped it near her feet. She had a stun-gun somewhere. Her fingers fumbled with the zipper. Where had she put it?

“Pet.” Elvis planted himself in front of Nell. His bared fangs glowed white.

“I knew you were up to something, Anwar, but this…” Pet set his fists on his hips. “We blew through two months of rations on that Registration party. Do you have any idea what will happen when everyone realizes this was a hoax? That she’s not from Earth and no Humans are coming?”

Nell stomped around Elvis. She drilled her finger into his chest. “Now just a minute! This is not a hoax. Humans are registering.”