Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

KObrIK

" Y ou want me to pull security from all local military, government, and other high-risk targets?" Major Collins says over my comm, his voice heavy with disbelief.

"This city is huge. The search area requires numbers you can't provide for a proper search and we do not have time to continue searching in such an inefficient manner. It's possible this isn't a grud scout we're hunting, but an agent with a mission to sabotage."

"Which is why I can't authorize pulling security from any of our installations. If anything, I should double security."

"We need to bait him. Minimal security outside your facilities will entice him to move up his plan, whatever it is."

Major Collins narrows his eyes. "You want him to get past my people, sabotage something, then leave Earth?"

"I want to force him to make a move before he's truly ready." My horns tip forward, betraying my aggravation with this male's constant questions and doubt. "Look, Major, what I'm asking is risky, but necessary. Increase security inside, if you wish. If we catch Amos, all is well. If he slips past us and flees Earth, I will catch him off planet, fairly easily. Grud ships are not as fast as zyanthan ships."

Major Collins turns his head to the right and speaks in hushed tones to someone out of view. "I need to think about this, Warrior. I will get back to you. Collins out." He ends the transmission.

I'm at a standstill until I hear back from him. As long as I don't venture too far from my ship, I can lift off within minutes of receiving an alert from the military when the grud ship lifts.

I'd be leaving Kenzie behind. That thought disturbs me. I could get embroiled in a chase, interrogation, and follow-up missions that keep me from returning for months. My horns point forward, my body tenses, and I find it difficult to focus on luring the grud.

Then I think of touching Kenzie, holding her again, seeing that cautious yet sweet smile. Envisioning her allows me to push all my frustration of working with Collins and his protocols aside.

I glance at the time. Drekk, I'm late. I was to meet her twenty minutes ago.

Waiting for a bus will take too long, so I break into a run. The workout will give me time to clear my head. I don't want my thoughts of Amos or Collins to sour my mood when I see Kenzie.

Before I turn onto Rose Street, laughter and music reach my ears. I pound on Josh's door and wait. I do not like the idea of a door separating me from my female.

The door swings open. It's Josh, with a blonde woman hanging on him. The top of his costume is gone, as is his shirt, and I'm wondering what has been going on here.

"Heyyy, Ko-bro, you missed the costume contest." The scent of alcohol and sex fills my nostrils.

"I'm here for Kenzie."

"Kenzie flew the coop. Didn't stay to see who won."

My horns rise to their full height as I advance on the male. "Where did she go?"

He pokes me in the chest. "Man, those are some big muscles. You could have won."

"Kenzie," I remind him, my patience waning, but I won't get any information from an unconscious man if I punch him like I want to.

"She was flirting with some spider then left."

"A spider?" He's too drunk to make any sense.

"A smooth-talking guy in a spider costume," the female explains. "They left about an hour ago."

"Which way?"

"I wasn't really watching." She slips a hand down Josh's chest. "We was upstairs, kinda busy." The woman's hand slides lower down the male's torso. "But when I came back down, they were both gone."

Josh kisses her neck, causing her to giggle. I shove him aside and enter the house. The male stumbles and falls, and remains down, too drunk to rise. The female licks her red-painted lips as her eyes roam over me.

"Since your girl hooked up with someone else, and Josh is… Honestly, I don't think any part of him is getting up for a while. How ‘bout the two of us get to know each other?"

"The male in the spider costume. Who was he? Where can I find him?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "No clue. The guy was just some party crasher looking for a hookup. And he found it. She was all over the guy."

I storm away from the home, horns pitched forward and claws extending from my hands upon hearing a male lured my female away.

Unparalleled anger seeps into my being, but I thrust it away and focus on finding my female. Kenzie is not like the blonde at the door, latching onto any male within reach.

I feel like I already know you.

Kenzie's words were sincere, spoken with heart.

My stomach knots. She wouldn't have left without me.

Except I was late. I failed to uphold my promise.

Krike. How am I going to find her among her own people where she blends in, when I cannot even find one drekking grud who has green scales and yellow eyes and cannot disguise his appearance?