shifting, a wizard could sneak up on us or we might find ourselves within a sensor’s line of sight. I squeezed the palm-sized laser gun in my hand.
Even with most of the spells prepared, it took Anton almost ten minutes to disable everything. He was careful not to trigger alarms while he worked. We all waited in anxious silence until Anton announced All clear . I sensed uncertainty through the telepathic link. His heartbeat was racing.
The only way to find out if he’d missed something was to turn the corner. I shifted closer to Mark as Anton proceeded—attack spells at the ready. I listened for warnings that we’d been detected. Once he was out of sight, I listened for the sound of a body hitting the ground, but heard nothing. Laser guns were silent. Luke disappeared around the corner. Silence. Mark ducked around and I followed. A relieved sigh escaped my lips when I saw them all slinking before me.
Suddenly, a thick arm wrapped around my neck and grabbed me from behind.
Chapter Ten
Agents In Battle
Prison Caves – November 2184
Elizabeth
The cave we were in must have shifted and been replaced by a guarded one. Before my assailant had the chance to warn more wizards, I lifted my arm and elbowed him in the ribs. He loosened his grasp and I slipped out, then turned to see him doubled over.
Mark grabbed my shoulder and tried to pull me back, but the wizard reached for the red communicator pinned to his waist. The alarm would sound the moment he punched the button. I couldn’t let that happen. In one motion, I twisted away from Mark and landed a back-kick across the side of the guard’s head.
Liz, we have to be quiet, Anton warned . But it was too late. The alien guard bounced against the corner with a loud thud, then landed in a heap. Three more guards rounded the corner and only paused for a moment when they saw the four of us standing there. A moment was long enough. I lunged for the first one and knocked him back into his comrade. Anton unclipped his weapon and fired it at the third, but missed as the wizard ducked.
Guys, we can’t let them activate those red buttons on their waists, I instructed. It will sound the alarm. Luke was on it. He wrapped his hand into a fist and landed a powerful upper-cut under the wizard’s jaw. The alien would have gone flying if the wall hadn’t been there to interject his trajectory.
Meanwhile, the wizard I had landed on jabbed his knee into my abdomen. I remained on top of him, but the guard beneath shoved us both away, and we rolled across the floor. My elbow slammed into the ground, knocking my weapon out of my grasp. Then, my head bounced off the wall. I felt dazed. Mark lunged for the free wizard. Another knee landed in my stomach, and the wizard I was fighting started whispering a spell.
Anton couldn’t fire his gun with Mark, Luke and I so entangled in the fray. Instead, he lifted the guard away from me and hit him in the head with the hilt of his laser weapon. The wizard dropped to the ground, unconscious.
Are you okay? Anton asked as he helped me to my feet. I nodded and surveyed the scene. Luke had pinned his wizard face-first to the floor with the guard’s arms twisted behind his back. The wizard was struggling to get free, but Luke had a strong grip. That guy wasn’t going anywhere. But then, my gaze turned to Mark and my heart sank.
The alien was holding Mark so that they were both facing us. One hand was on Mark’s shoulder and the other was pointing my laser gun at his head. I could see the wizard’s lips moving to the tune of a spell. Mark’s expression was one of pure anguish.
“Stand back or your friend dies,” the enemy threatened. A red burn expanded across the side of Mark’s neck. Obviously, he was the target of the wizard’s spell.
Instinct kicked in. I said a single word to release one of the spell’s I’d prepared on the station. It identified the floor beneath the wizard’s feet and the ground began to groan. Every
Even with most of the spells prepared, it took Anton almost ten minutes to disable everything. He was careful not to trigger alarms while he worked. We all waited in anxious silence until Anton announced All clear . I sensed uncertainty through the telepathic link. His heartbeat was racing.
The only way to find out if he’d missed something was to turn the corner. I shifted closer to Mark as Anton proceeded—attack spells at the ready. I listened for warnings that we’d been detected. Once he was out of sight, I listened for the sound of a body hitting the ground, but heard nothing. Laser guns were silent. Luke disappeared around the corner. Silence. Mark ducked around and I followed. A relieved sigh escaped my lips when I saw them all slinking before me.
Suddenly, a thick arm wrapped around my neck and grabbed me from behind.
Chapter Ten
Agents In Battle
Prison Caves – November 2184
Elizabeth
The cave we were in must have shifted and been replaced by a guarded one. Before my assailant had the chance to warn more wizards, I lifted my arm and elbowed him in the ribs. He loosened his grasp and I slipped out, then turned to see him doubled over.
Mark grabbed my shoulder and tried to pull me back, but the wizard reached for the red communicator pinned to his waist. The alarm would sound the moment he punched the button. I couldn’t let that happen. In one motion, I twisted away from Mark and landed a back-kick across the side of the guard’s head.
Liz, we have to be quiet, Anton warned . But it was too late. The alien guard bounced against the corner with a loud thud, then landed in a heap. Three more guards rounded the corner and only paused for a moment when they saw the four of us standing there. A moment was long enough. I lunged for the first one and knocked him back into his comrade. Anton unclipped his weapon and fired it at the third, but missed as the wizard ducked.
Guys, we can’t let them activate those red buttons on their waists, I instructed. It will sound the alarm. Luke was on it. He wrapped his hand into a fist and landed a powerful upper-cut under the wizard’s jaw. The alien would have gone flying if the wall hadn’t been there to interject his trajectory.
Meanwhile, the wizard I had landed on jabbed his knee into my abdomen. I remained on top of him, but the guard beneath shoved us both away, and we rolled across the floor. My elbow slammed into the ground, knocking my weapon out of my grasp. Then, my head bounced off the wall. I felt dazed. Mark lunged for the free wizard. Another knee landed in my stomach, and the wizard I was fighting started whispering a spell.
Anton couldn’t fire his gun with Mark, Luke and I so entangled in the fray. Instead, he lifted the guard away from me and hit him in the head with the hilt of his laser weapon. The wizard dropped to the ground, unconscious.
Are you okay? Anton asked as he helped me to my feet. I nodded and surveyed the scene. Luke had pinned his wizard face-first to the floor with the guard’s arms twisted behind his back. The wizard was struggling to get free, but Luke had a strong grip. That guy wasn’t going anywhere. But then, my gaze turned to Mark and my heart sank.
The alien was holding Mark so that they were both facing us. One hand was on Mark’s shoulder and the other was pointing my laser gun at his head. I could see the wizard’s lips moving to the tune of a spell. Mark’s expression was one of pure anguish.
“Stand back or your friend dies,” the enemy threatened. A red burn expanded across the side of Mark’s neck. Obviously, he was the target of the wizard’s spell.
Instinct kicked in. I said a single word to release one of the spell’s I’d prepared on the station. It identified the floor beneath the wizard’s feet and the ground began to groan. Every
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