Heirs of Planet Life

XXVI - Prisoner

While Nicholas was prisoner, the other men of Merko's crew also invaded the apartment where Sivoc's team was staying. Drako had elaborated a sophisticated detection system able to detect intruders, and noticed an intermittent signal from the room where he was resting. Worried about it, he warned his captain and the doctor to teleport in safety to the restroom of a shopping mall two blocks away. That was an escape plan that he had developed some days ago.

As soon as the men stepped on the carpet placed purposely in the middle of the living room, four submission collars fell from the ceiling and grabbed them by the neck putting them under his control. Those were very usual artifacts on Life, used to control the mind of those who suffered of serious and incurable madness. It made the patients obedient to the one who controlled them. The expert in Information Systems teleported the four men to Science spaceship and left them inert at the medical center. He could not leave the comrades from his planet, no matter who were following them, at the mercy of extraterrestrial capture agents.

He, Sivoc and Zara met at a restaurant. They had already been attacked, and they needed to look for Tibor and the earthling. Their friends could be in danger too.

The vehicle's computer had also warned Drako about the enemy commander's men's invasion. As soon as they went to the warehouse, they would also go to the spaceship and check it.

When they got to the fight ring, the chief of security was there, fainted on the floor.

"Take care of Tibor and check if the humans on the streets around are fine. We must get out of here as soon as possible," the captain ordered.

"Why did it take you so long?" The trainer asked when he got up. He was still dizzy, beaten up and had a strong headache.

"We had to find a way to deal with ship Star Hunter's soldiers. Some of them wanted to catch us too. That's why we're late. Where's Nicholas and Sanches?" Drako asked.

"They took them."

"What are we going to do now?" Zara asked, concerned.

"We have to eliminate any traces of our presence here on Earth and go back to the spaceship. In three days, the gap will open near Calisto Moon, and we'll need to be close to our planet along with the other team's task force. The boy's life is under serious risk, we don't know what they plan to do with him after the bone marrow transplant. I'm quite sure Counselor Mirov won't follow King Zador's order to take him back in safety to Earth", Sivoc said.

"Some weeks ago, I was informed by the computer that Merko had gone to our vessel. I preferred not to make noise about it, so that we could keep hiding. If I had told you, you might have decided to go back to the ship, and all of us would be under serious risk now."

"I can't believe you did this! It's your duty to keep me informed about everything that happens during our mission. I'm the Commander!"

"I apologize, sir. It won't happen again. Now, we must go back to the ship with caution, they might have sabotaged it."

"I don't think Merko would like to keep us on Earth. He knows he would be punished for that. Now I'm going back to Science ship with Drako. Zara and Tibor, go back to the apartment. And if everything is all right, Tibor, you'll follow us. Don't leave any traces of our stay here", Sivoc ordered.

He went back to the spaceship and after checking everything, he sent for the others.

The crew, most of it spread throughout New York, was ordered to go back to the spacecraft and get ready to return to Life. The vehicle was checked with caution, so that safety could be assured for all. The chief of security was in bed, to heal from the fight and the wounds it had caused him, while the others prepared for the trip. Wolfie was taken to the engine's room to be fixed by a repair robot.