Bounty Hunter

Chapter 25

The two aliens drag me away from the room and secure me onto the motorcycle. My body is held in place by a tight strap that secures itself over my lap. The chains on my ankles are secured into the bike to ensure my captivity. I keep silent and choose not to inquire about Kai or Kahari. If my captors do know of my cohorts they certainly aren't telling me. The motorcycle converts itself into a proper space vehicle. We zoom ahead and I feel as if I might vomit. The rocking motion of the vehicle is extremely uncomfortable and rattles my chains. The friction of the metal against my skin is certain to leave a mark.

These men are unusually cruel and seem to bear no qualms over my discomfort. As we ride through the galaxy I occasionally twist my head in attempt to glean our surroundings. By the time we come to a stop my buttocks aches due to sitting in such an upright and stiff position. I imagine this is the manner in which one would treat a first class criminal. Never could I have pictured myself as a threatening felon. The bike screeches to a halt as we pull up in front of a black building. The wolfish alien releases my chains from the bike and grabs my under arm to pull me off the motorcycle. I stumble after him and he adjusts my chains so that my hands lie in front of me.

My mind is boggled as I widen my eyes to drink in my surroundings. For what seems to be the second time today I have been plunged into an alternate universe. If I recall properly it's currently still the day time. However, on this planet only the night seems to exist. A black forest surrounds the round building which has an appearance akin to the bean in Chicago. The trees around me are built from a dark and polished black wood. Even their branches are adorned with black leaves. The one thing I do recognize is the white stars that wink as they blink in and out. But unlike the stars back home these seem to cascade in a blanket all around me. I reach out in attempt to touch one of them but then the guard snaps at me.

"Don't make any sudden movements!" wolfy snarls. My hands immediately snap back to their former position. He leads me into this warped building and a female guard greets us. Her uniform is different from my captor and she wears a bright blue suit with a small eye stitched onto the breast.

She barks something that is incomprehensible to me. Two tail like extensions protrude from her head lending her the impression of hair. Her skin is a dark blue and her eyes are unusually large and set wide apart. Two large guns are strapped imposingly onto her thighs. As she pats the man down and checks him for an ID I casually observe the scene. I wonder why these men are collaborating with her. They're uniforms display their obvious allegiance to opposing sides. What could they possibly have to do with each other?

After the woman seems to confirm the man's eligibility she admits us into the building. The door slides open and she steps forth through it. I try to catch a glimpse of what's inside, but the only thing I can see is a pitch black room. My chains are painfully yanked inciting me to stumble forward. I quickly steady myself as I desperately try to recall the sensation of summoning lightning. My efforts are met with a tiny warmth in my stomach that immediately burns out. Blindly, I walk ahead searching for a shred of light. As we continue to walk forth a soft light begins to emerge. I pin the light source to be coming from the walls. Dark green patches of moss have been inlaid in the wall to emit a dull light. The light is only strong enough for me to see a few inches ahead of myself.

Suddenly the floor underneath me begins to turn and a bright light shins onto my forehead. The new light enables me to see the women who guided us here. The abrupt motion causes me to tumble onto the floor in alarm. Unlike me, my captors seem to be unsurprised. They crouch onto the floor with the expertise of one who has already experienced something. I imitate their actions and reclaim my dignity. Somehow in an act defying gravity my feet manage to hold me onto the turning floor.