Excerpt from The Chameleon Effect #5

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Chavez works for The Agency and has been assigned to rescue Kira Rostropovich and return her to Vega Minor, where she resides with her parents. After being in prison and being 'bought' by Chavez in an auction, Kira is not happy about being searched by Chavez. But he finds a tracking device on her right before a mercenary, Captain Maddeson, finds them and demands that Kira be turned over to him. Chavez immediately makes a sudden jump across the galaxy, much to Kira's surprise! While exploring Chavez's ship, Kira finds a plush garden, but is startled by a watchful Chavez who she keeps at arms length.

Back on the main deck, Kira entered her small quarters. She made a close examination of her compartment. It was a single room with a private bathroom, where everything was shiny and clean. She didn't see the sensor she was expecting to find. She had been watched with sensors and cameras in every place she went for as long as she could remember. But that wasn't long. All she could picture in her memory were cells with bars, a common sonic shower, and the dining area which she was only allowed to go to if she behaved. But thinking about the prison made her head hurt. She rubbed her forehead and pressed the button to release her bed from the wall. Lying down, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I'm in a white room again. I'm still strapped to a cold, metal table with blinding white lights above me. Someone is coming towards me. He's holding something in his hand. Help me... please!

Kira jumped up from her bed, drenched in sweat. Her hands were shaking as she steadied herself. She grabbed a towel to wipe her face and neck, as she thought about the dream she'd had several times now. What did it mean? The dream was the same each time and she knew from its message that her life was in danger.

Kira felt a tingling at the base of her spinal cord that slowly moved upwards until it reached her neck. Then, her compulsion to override the ship's computer returned. Looking at her chronometer, she saw it was still early in the morning. Maybe Chavez would be asleep and she could take the ship. But she would have to make sure he stayed asleep.

*****

Kira saw Chavez dozing in the captain's cushioned chair, next to the main read outs and displays, as she entered the bridge. The doors swished closed behind her, but Chavez didn't move or acknowledge her approach. Her footfalls were slow and deliberate. Kira saw his body tense as if he was preparing for a confrontation. The last few steps before she arrived, he whirled around in his chair to find Kira about to club him with a piece of railing off her bed. But Chavez reached up with his arms and stopped its downward momentum.

"Alright, what's going on? You don't like your accommodations?" Chavez glared at Kira as he held up the makeshift club. "You're going to fix your own bed. I'm not doing it for you."

Kira shook with rage. "You bastard! Why won't you take me where I need to go?"

Chavez blinked. "I don't understand. I told you, I'm taking you to Vega Minor. That's where your family is waiting for you."

"But that's not where I need to go." Kira's pale face blushed pink.

"And where is that?"

"I need to go back to Planet 452."

"That's a prison planet. You don't need to be there. You never did. You are Kira Rostropov, daughter of the ambassador to Vega Minor. You were snatched from your home a year ago by slavers who sold you into prison. I've been looking for you for the last ten months and I'm certainly not going to let you get near that planet again."

"Don't you understand? I have to go back. I can't tell you why, but if I don't, I know I'm going to die!"

Kira watched Chavez contemplate her last statement and she knew he had made a decision. "We have somewhere to go first. I have another passenger to pick up."

To be continued...

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt. I will be adding more excerpt's of The Chameleon Effect soon.