Night Rider

Chapter Seven

A/N This is too important to wait until the end of this chapter; I want to say thank you to everyone who has read and voted and commented.

Qiturah ‘Q’ Point of View

I approached the girl, she had the tell-tale signs of Anthrea heritage; tattoo like markings and rough scales over her body. She dressed like her brother, in one long, pale tunic.

I brought my pistol up to my eye. I stared down the barrel. I drew in a breath and held it. I learned that breathing could throw off a shot. I flexed my finger, gently pressing the trigger. The laser pistol fired; I lifted my finger, removing all of the pressure on the trigger.

The girl moved away, avoiding the laser beam. I followed her with the barrel. The gun started to radiate heat. I had just fired, so at first it was almost normal. However, the heat intensified; uncomfortable, and then painful.

I dropped the pistol, for the first time since I had bought it, the gun hadn’t preformed as expected. It was concerning, but it wasn’t something that I currently had the time to concern myself with.

The girl summoned flames but she was surprised when they did not leave her hands. She spun around to look at Maarzth. Her brother was engaged in a subatomic battle of wills with Zenth.

I took her brief moment of distraction to attack. I grabbed the katana from my back. I swung at her when her back was still turned, but she turned back towards me and ducked out of the way.

I brought the hilt down on her head, but she grabbed my wrist and twisted it in a way that was unhealthy for any race’s anatomy. Dull pain unfurled from the extremity, wrapping long tendrils around my upper arm, digging claws into my shoulder.

I released the hilt, dropping the katana to my other hand. I caught it and sliced diagonally. Just like air the girl bended to avoid the sharp edge. She let go of my wrist and it twisted back somewhat.

I snaked a foot behind her ankle, pulling it out from under her in one smooth motion. She fell backwards with a muffled scream. I pushed forward, I stomped on her stomach and placed a foot on her throat.

I hesitated, she was a surprise. Our goal was to capture Maarzth. What was I to do with her? I couldn't consult with Z, he was engaged. But it didn't feel right to kill her either.

The girl used my internal debate to her advantage. She summoned flames in her hands and grabbed my calf. The fire instantly burnt through my pant leg and the skin beneath it.

I beat my wings, lifting myself off of the ground pulling my leg from her grip. Pain flared up my leg, stopping at about my knee. I couldn't land, and I couldn't block properly.

I heard Zenth cry out, it hurt me not to respond to him, but I had to hope he could take care of himself.

The girl stood up eyeing me. She seemed aware that she had no weapon to reach me. Without her brother her fire could not leave her hands.

In my peripheral vision I saw a flash of purple. Flames engulfed Maarzth, a moment later Zenth flew into them.

For a few moments both the girl and I watched in horror as two figures outlined in flames fought. Eternities contained in milliseconds passed before the flames went out.

Zenth and Maarzth were charred I didn't even know if they were alive.

“K, on my mark transport everything within a ten foot radius around my position. Q,” I spoke into my communicator, trying to keep my voice steady.

I took advantage of the girl’s upset to drag her over to the bed of ash and soot.

She fought twisting around to burn me. I gritted my teeth, if Zenth could stand the pain, I could too, “Mark,” I cried into the communicator.

I felt myself deconstruct, for a moment I existed as pure energy. That fact was intoxicating. I felt myself being reconstructed, atom by atom. Every cell, every synapse was being remade.

Anger welled up inside of me. Unrational, white-hot, potent anger. The kind that gave humans the ability to lift primitive boulders called ‘cars’ and leap chasms and spires in a single bound.

The moment I had control of myself I slammed the girl against the floor. Quin was there to attach a collar that limited kinetic abilities. Thank foresight that we had a few spares.

I got off of her and turned around. Zeke was bent over Maarzth and Zenth, checking if they were still alive.

For one horribly long moment Zeke remained silent. In that moment I considered a future where Zenth wasn't in it. It was terrible.

“They’re still alive, I can’t say when they’re going to wake,” Zeke finally said, “Get me a collar.”

I handed it to him and he attached it to Maarzth lifting him easily. I picked up Zenth, carefully draping the charred remains of his wings over my arms. Now I could feel him breathing. Every single one of his laboured breaths was needed reassurance that he was alive.

I followed Zeke to the medical room. It was small, only equipped to take care of two patients.

I laid Zenth down onto one of the beds facedown; I fit his wings into slings that hung from the ceiling. Then, following Zeke's lead I threw a cloth over his navel and cut away his clothing.

“Clean the soot from Maarzth while I take care of the rest of Z’s clothes,” Zeke told me gently, then requested our status from Quin.

I listened with a half a mind to N’s report.

“We are moving at full speed, the transport Exodus shows no signs of pursuit.”

I scrubbed at Maarzth's scales, oddly, he had few burns. The ones he did have were severe enough to completely peel back his scales.

Zeke gently took the cloth from my hand and guided me to a chair. He turned my wrist back properly and cleaned my leg. I hissed briefly as he applied a salve to it.

“I would tell you to go back to the bridge,” Zeke told me gently as he ran his fingers over my shoulders, “But, even if I thought you would listen to me, you're too distracted to help Quin. So, get him something to eat, liquid broth. He needs something to regenerate. Something cannot come from nothing. Then you can stay with him.”

“Thank you,” I murmered quietly standing in order to comply.

“Heal quickly,” I said out of Zeke’s hearing, “We need you.”