Back aboard the good ship Khanutgap, Micha leaned against a wall and waited for Max to return. He had gone to notify the bridge of the next three target locations. Ni’yell and Ipino were getting the current target, Renward, comfortable for the interrogation. They needed as much information as they could get on his leader; a man known as the Black Heart. Behind the scenes the Black Heart was also known as Sean Keenan.

  Sean Keenan started his military career as a simple man, but somewhere along the way he discovered a knack for breaking people and he love to; Good, bad or ugly, it did not matter. Keenan knew how to get to a person’s darkest place and bend their minds or shatter them all together.

  Because of the way that the military attempted to mirror the Alpha packs, which were in essence a wolf pack hierarchy, it often created a chaotic power void that pushed everyone to be top dog. This was the perfect storm for people like Keenan, who thrived on the suffering of others. Keenan went a step further than most and built a team that was loyal to him only. He had tapped into the bloodthirsty nature of any “beast” and created warriors that not only loved the hunt, but hungered for the kill.

  There were attempts to bring Keenan and his hounds to heel. All that had done was irritate the man and rather than stay he picked six men and walked away from an assassination and never returned. Worse, the mission had had to be completed by another. Sadly, it all went to shit and the emperor lost his consort. She had been loved by the people and her loss had hit the empire hard.

  When an investigation into what had happened revealed the cluster bomb that had been Keenan there was a major uproar and heads rolled. There had been many attempts to capture Black Heart. None had succeeded and even fewer came close to the man and lived to tell the tale.

  Now Micha had to convince their prisoner that it was not only in his best interest to divulge everything on Black Heart, but spill his soul as though he was before God. In the only sense that mattered he was. Until she had the next six in cages, she was as close to a god as he was going to get. Probably, as close as any god was willing to allow.

  “Alpha,” Max murmured.

  “Hm?”

  “You okay?”

  “I don't know if I will ever be okay with this mission, but we don’t have a choice,” she pushed off the wall. “The bridge?”

  “Not happy. They were under the impression there was only one snatch and grab.”

  Micha shrugged. “Not my problem. Who’s next on the list?”

  “Interrogation specialists Imogen and Farradis.”

  She nodded. The door next to her opened and Ni’yell poked his head out.

  “Ready when you are.”

  Micha locked eyes with Max. “Keep digging.”

  “Alpha, I have some information that might be useful in there” Max blurted.

  Micha halted at the door. “I’ll be in shortly,” she murmured to Ni’yell. Turning back to Max, she motioned him over. “Tell me what you have.”

  “Renward is a sohkaloid; which works in your favor. I cannot state this enough,” Max iterated. “Sohkaloids are extremely sensitive to neural trauma. There is nothing simple about a light burn for sohkaloids. Overloading his nervous system will cause more pain than they can tolerate, but it’s a fine line between ma pain and total shut down of the neural receptors.

  “I did some digging and found out that the best place to apply the most amount of pain are the forehead and the finger tips. The next sensitive spot is..uhm..” Max swallowed hard. flicking his fingers to motion down, he attempted to say the words.

  Micha saved him. “The genitals. Anything else?”

  Max shrugged. “He spends a lot on his looks and I mean an absurd amount. So scarring might also be a weak point.”

  Ni’yell

  Ni’yell winced at the cold mask that his alpha wore. She was not normally so…distant. This, however, required a little something extra. So he watched as she set up tools that she referred to as instruments of pain and waited. There were methods of causing pain that made her sick to contemplate, but they were up against the Black Heart’s closest associates. They were the definition of extreme.

  Renward sat, tied to a chair, naked. He seemed indifferent to the situation. That lasted as long as it took for Micha to light a torch and turn to face him. Ni’yell continued to look bored.

  “When I took the training for information specialist the height to reach was still Imogen and Farradis. Imagine my surprise when I discovered they blitzed,” Micha shook her head sadly. They are like legends. Its hard to know just how accurate their rating was. Thing that stuck with me was the importance of knowing the target well, but avoiding intimacy. I mean…who wants to form a connection with their subject of suffering?

  “I learned a lot about you,” she smirked as she waggled her pointer finger mockingly. “For example, sohkaloids have highly sensitive nerve endings. I know, right,” Micha nodded sagely. “Whodda thunk? But, there it is. I also know that the sex organs on any male are…um…fragile? Is that the right word?” she looked at Ni’yell; who lifted a shoulder in response.

  “Did you know it is possible to melt the flesh right off the body?” her whisky and smoke soto murmured. “I didn’t. I thought it was a myth, but I am told that Imogen and Farradis proved it was possible. What do you say we find out just how quickly this baby can do the job?”

  Renward sneered. “You don’t have what it takes to do it.”

  Micha arched a slender brow. “I see. Well,” she shrugged. “I guess we’ll know soon enough; because if I can’t, I’ll let you go.”

  Renward’s eyes went wide. For a second there was a flash of hope. Then Micha brushed the torch across the skin of his thigh. It blistered instantly. She squatted down to examine the damage. Looking up into Renward’s eyes she blew a feather soft breath across the tender flesh. Ni’yell saw the instant Renward knew he was not getting out of there intact.

  Still, she asked nothing as she stood and crossed to stand between his thigh. Again, she caressed the inside of his thigh with the heat of the torch. The result was the same. Looking over at Ni’yell, she murmured. “He’s right. I won’t melt the skin from his body. That would damage the nerves and the shock would likely kill him before I finished. Never mind the fact that anything he said after would be suspect at best.”

  “Shall I turn him loose?” Ni’yell wondered aloud.

  Micha grimaced briefly. “I did say that didn’t I,” she stood slowly; a smile blooming on her face. “I didn’t say it had to be right away.”

  Leaning into Renward, she purred. “We have plenty of time before we reach our next destination.”

  Turning the torch towards him once more she looked at Ni’yell. “Wanna bet on how much pain he can take before he passes out?”

  Ni’yell looked at he watch. “Five minutes.”

  Micha shrugged a shoulder. “That’s generous. If your right?”

  “Dinner somewhere expensive.”

  “What do I want if you’re wrong…?”

  Max

  Max hated that Micha was in there, hated that she had to walk that tight rope of pain. It was not supposed to be her in there, but she refused to allow anyone to do what she was doing. He had seen how much it bothered her.

  Still he stood there listening to Renward scream and not for the first time wished that Renden was still there, because she was going to be a mess when she finished. He closed his eyes as Renward fell silent and prayed that it was enough. Only Heaven knew how much suffering Renward was capable of.

  Renward wailed again. This time it sounded as though his soul had been ripped from his body. Once more it was silent. How long had she been in there? He had lost track.

  “Standing here wont help anyone.”

  Max turned to Desohta. “She needs…”

  Desohta sighed. “I know…”

  Max’ shoulders slumped. “What do we do?” he whispered.

  “I don't know if there is anything other than be there and do our jobs. Go, dig into our next targets. Find out everything you can,” Desohta’s words were firm, but gentle. “Later we will find a way to ease the pain.”

  Max nodded than walked away.

  Desohta stayed. Counting the seconds between agony until there was absolute silence.

  Micha

  “That’s not how this works,” Renward snapped. “Your supposed to be asking questions, then when you don’t get answers, you cause pain.”

  Micha’s eyes went wide as saucers. She turned slowly to Ni’yell. “He thinks I want information?” she smirked. “Did you tell him that?”

  Ni’yell frowned briefly as he shook his head.

  Micha shrugged exaggeratedly. “Well, shall we begin?”

  Ni’yell lifted his watch to his chest as though to examine it in great detail. “Annnd…begin.”

  “Waiiit,” Renward pleaded.

  “Why,” Micha wondered. “Its not like you gave anyone else the same chance.”

  “Because I know things. Things that make me look like a small piece of the puzzle.”

  Micha smirked. “Everyone knows something that is important to someone. I just,” she sighed. “Don’t trust a word that crosses those pretty lips. So, there is no point. Oh well.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Ni’yell lifted his watch once again.

  “I can get you anything you want. Name your price.”

  Micha stepped forward; without a word.

  “Please,” Renward whined. “I know where Black Heart is,” he pleaded.

  “Wait,” Ni’yell interrupted his alpha before the torch touched Renward’s chest. “It might be worth it.”

  Micha looked over her shoulder. “Really?”

  “There is a very large bounty on Black Heart.”

  Stradling Renward’s blistered thigh, Micha glowered. “Speak and don’t waist my time.”

  As soon as the door closed behind her, Micha shivered. She hated that torture was not only necessary, but expected. Torture had become en vogue in the military world. She thought it was gauche at best, but she still had to play the game. So, she had adapted. Thanks to Max she was able to learn a great deal about her “target” so that she was capable of appearing cold hearted enough to not only not care if she got any information, but appeared to enjoyed the art of pain.

  In the end, Max’ information on sohkaloids proved to be the right tack to take. Neural pain was…beyond a sohkaloid to handle; which meant Renward stood no chance. He broke like fine china; in too many pieces to count.

  Renward was singing his soul out to prevent her from getting any closer. Unable to hide her disgust any longer she had waltz out of the room and left Ni’yell to record everything Renward had to say. That information then went to Max; who would determine the validity of the intel. From there the team was going to decide how to approach Imogen and Farradis.

  Staring out at the sea of black that was outer space, she contemplated her next move.

  “Alpha?”

  “Mm?” Micha turned to face the youngest brother of the wolf shifters.

  His arctic blue eyes scanned her face. He was an impressive six feet tall, broad shoulders, slim waist, sandy blond hair and skin that had been lovingly kissed by the sun. he had taken up the mantle of team healer and it was a role he took very seriously. It was not just a matter of pride, but an integral part of his nature that kept the team at the peak of their performance. The worry in his eyes said everything she needed to know.

  “I’m alright. All I had to do was heat some skin and convince him I was bored enough to continue on that path. He is singing like a canary now.”

  His lips thinned out and he crossed his arms over his chest.

  Micha sighed. “No, I don’t like it, but if we are going to get all seven targets we need all the information we can get,” laying a hand on his forearm, she murmured. “Go see if he is done spilling his guts. Treat the blisters and stick him in a jumper.”

  “Where do you want him put?”

  “Out an airlock?” she arched a brow imperiously.

  Desohta sighed. “I’m sure Ni’yell will be impressed.”

  Micha smirked. “But of course. I’m certain there is a brig aboard this tub. Put Renward there,” turning she walked away. Time for a workout. A little muscle burn might just help settle the jitters.

  It took three days to reach the planet Sirah in the Orian Cluster. Micha had been ready for the hard as nails interrogation specialist and a boat load of trouble. Catching Imogen and Farradis turned out to be even simpler than expected. Somewhere along the way, their existence became intricately tied around each other. All they had had to do was catch one and the other tumbled into their lap to save the other. Tragically, Micha sent a message to both saying she had the other as a hostage. Gave a meeting place and time and both showed up.

  They were frazzled, terrified and desperate. Worse Imogen was pregnant. They spilled their dirty laundry faster than Micha and her team were able to cuff the pair. It was a sad parody of a competition to prove their worth. All because they did not want the other to suffer. Clearly Black Heart had taken his eyes of the pair, because they were a weakness to exploit. And exploit it she did.

  Micha did not want to think about what would happen to the wee babe when it was born. She did, however pray that where ever it was sent it was going to have a chance at a better life.

  Next on the list was one Serratore Carlton, also known as the Serrated Blade, who had gotten into the habit of cleaning up after Black Heart. Carlton made sure that witnesses disappeared or understood what he was capable of if they thought to speak out against Black Heart. Carlton never left a witness without know what pressure point to press for the best results. As long as there was a use for the witness, Carlton made sure they knew the new rules they lived by.

  Time was in short supply and Carlton was busy with the latest witness when Micha slipped in. in one hand was his favorite blade and in the other was a child that might have been twelve. Before anyone was able to respond to her arrival, she aimed her pistol and fired at the child Carlton was holding. The explosion of sound catapulted the room into chaos.

  Carlton attempted to flee out a window and found himself pinned to the ground by Micha’s gentle behemoth. The parents of the child leapt for the collapsed child and their son lunged at Micha. With little effort, she dodged the boy. Caught in the grip of an overswing, the boy nearly fell on his face. As it was Micha gently lowered him to the ground. She explained that the little girl she had shot was fine and only needed some time to wake since the shot carried a sedative that was capable of knocking a rhino on its ass.

  Micha found herself wondering how the hell her targets were so weak. Or was it that she was just efficient at catching people unawares? She shrugged. Its not like it mattered. She now had four of the seven targets and time was slipping through her fingers fast. With less than three weeks to complete the live catch, she and her team needed to move to the next target.

  “Okay,” Micha crossed her arms and braced her legs. “We’ve a little over two and a half weeks to catch the last three. Suggestions?”

  “We need to try and get them to meet,” Ipino stated.

  Micha considered that.

  “Might be better to try and get two of them to join up than all three. Lack Heart is going to be a trial all on his own,” Max countered. “If we pose as having access to information regarding the capture of the other four, we might be able to lure them in.”

  “We don’t have the time for two live catches,” Mitah stated. “Unless we divide into two teams.”

  If Renden was still there she might have split the team in two, but it just was not feasible to leave one team short a member. Micha hated dividing the team anyway. It came with too many risks to mitigate.

  “One net for three big fish,” Micha sighed. “What do we know about their meeting habits?”

  Max flicked his wrist 2twrds the wall behind Micha. “There are three likely locations. Here, here and here.”

  Up on the wall showed a three-D map of another Tortuga space, a planet called Hohoatep and a space station near the Galtarie cluster. Each one had its own issues. Entering no mans land…er space was like the most dangerous of the three. The space station was known for its illegal gladiator fights and Hohoatep was barely liveable. Hohoatep was too close to its primary, which meant a high risk of overheating. The people were rough, crude and impatient at best. She was not sure which of the three she preferred. “Let’s discuss each than see if we can guide the meeting where we want it,” she turned back to the others.

  Rennick

  Rennick had a bad feeling about this catch. It was not something he was able to point to and say, “that is what is wrong.” There was an itch between his shoulder blades and uneasiness in his gut. He wanted to cancel the catch, but time had almost run out. The space station was the last place the imperial army could afford to be caught.

  Micha was as laid back as always. As was Ni’yell. Mitah was guarding the shuttle. Desohta and his brother Ipino were near the exit leading back to the shuttle. That left the three of them to convince three assassins to fall ack to their shuttle. Any moment, Mitah was going to send a coded message informing the cabal that ran the space station that Black Heart and his ilk were shifting illegal goods.

  The illegal part was not the issue. The issue was not paying the tariff for moving goods through their territory. Knee cappers were always sent to ensure the tariff was paid, along with the penalty tax; which came after the cabal confirmed the illegal goods.

  Rennick leaned against the wall as he took in his surroundings. The ring was wide open. Micha was looking down at the fights below as she waited for Black Heart to show up. Ni’yell was a step behind her. What could possibly go wrong?

  Ni’yell

  Black Heart showed up like he was supposed to. As did the other two that were tagged for capture. Before anyone was able to speak they were surrounded by the cabal’s men. Each one armed to the teeth and itching to pull the trigger.

  Now it was up to Micha to convince everyone to calm down. Not even Rennick was going to be able to get them out of this mess. Fortunately, Micha looked like she had expected this. She leaned against the railing as cool as was possible with twenty hand canons pointed at her.

  “Gentlemen, how can we help?” Micha wondered.

  Black Heart looked at her like she had lost her mind. The cabal was not known or its level headed responses. Their philosophy, to shoot first than ask questions. Someone had done something they were not supposed to and now Karma was revoking the fair rule.

  Micha lifted her beer to her lips and swallowed. “Please join us. We were discussing a couple bounties.”

  “You do not tell us what to do,” came the heavily accented order.

  Micha nodded once. “There is a difference between an order and an invitation. I am well aware the cabal runs this station. I just assumed you were here for the same reason as my companions…unless there is another reason for joining us?”

  “The empire’s dogs are not welcome here.”

  Again, she nodded once. “I don’t care what the cabal does. I came to warn Black heart that Keliv III sent someone to collect some outstanding bounties.”

  “Lies.”

  “Black Heart walked away with six of the best black ops members. Four of them were collected a few weeks passed.”

  The leader of the cabal soldiers sneered. “And they sent you?”

  Micha shook her head. “No. I am tired o the council of War and Peace running rough shod over others. I don't know the reason that Black Heart left and I don’t care. What I do care about is causing a snag in the councils plans.”

  “Pft,” Black Heart snorted.

  “You do not get to comment. You have tried to avoid the tariff for the last time.”

  Black Heart shot to his feet. The crack of a rifle butt to the back of the head rang out in the crowded room. All conversations halted as all eyes turned to them.

  “What will it take to alleviate the cabal’s anger?” Micha wondered.

  “You will leave. Now.”

  “Not without these three.”

  The cabal leader narrowed his eyes. “You dare tell me what will happen?”

  Micha shrugged. “I need them alive. They have yet to pay me.”

  “For what?”

  “Names.”

  Ni’yell was as prepared as he was able for one itchy trigger finger to set them all off. Yet, Micha behaved as though it was just another stroll through the park.

  “How much?” Micha queried.

  “Three hundred thousand reitz; each.”

  “Oh!” Micha slapped her fist into the palm of her hand. “Let’s just sell off a spare kidney,” the joyful cheer in her voice was at odds with the disinterest on her face.

  “Who do you think you are?” came the sneer.

  “Me?” Micha’s eyes went innocently wide. “The bitch that will wreak this place if you pull that shit again,” her voice whisper soft. “I am dealing fair and abiding by the rules, but if you think I am going to let you shaft me you are sadly mistaken.”

  “You don’t get to threaten me…”

  “No, but neither do you,” a weathered voice stated calmly. “You lack the authority.”

  Micha sipped her beer as though she was at the beach. A complete lack of interest in the going-ons around her.

  “Why are you here?” the weathered voice queried.

  Micha scratched her nose. “Business; with them.”

  “Why here?”

  “Look contrary to popular belief, I don’t get to just waltz where ever I want. I am just as accountable to others as anyone else. They were the ones that chose this place,” she tossed a piece of paper on the table. “I am here to sell some information and leave.”

  The elderly man sat across from her. “I see. Let’s discuss this information and the tariff on it.”

  “Sure.” She nodded; serious for the first time. “Black Heart has four missing inner circle. I know who and why. I came to sell that information.”

  “You also arrived in an imperial shuttle.”

  Micha nodded. “Gotta fly what’s available.”

  “Then that information goes through me. I pay you and Black Heart purchases the information from us,” the old man stated.

  Micha shrugged. “At this rate this place will be raided and nothing will have been done; but, hey, no skin off my ass. I can claim to be here attempting to capture Black Heart. Who’s going to doubt me?”

  Calmly, Micha stood and moved around the table. Tucking her hands in her pockets, she smiled warmly. “Or I can get ahead of the military, and remove these three before they leave the base.”

  She halted in front of the old man. “What’ll it be?”

  Holding out her hand to Ni’yell she never took her eyes off the dangerous elder in front of her. When the envelop was placed in her hand she held it out to him and waited. For a moment, it appeared he was not even going to look in the envelop. Once it was in his hand, he passed it to one of the attendants behind him without looking and stood.

  “We have a deal. You have an hour to be off the station. Don’t forget your friends.”

  Micha gave a slight bow. “Thank you.” Lifting two finger she motioned to Ipino and Desohta to join her. There was no way Ni’yell was going to be able to get all three of them to the shuttle. Black Heart was barely able to stand after the blow to the head and the other two were slightly cowed, but there was no way to know how long that was going to last. They needed to get to the shuttle as quickly as possible.

  Ni’yell hoisted Black Heart over his shoulder and motioned for the other two to follow.

  “We need to get back to our shuttle…”

  Micha looked at the pair and arched a brow. “You did hear him, right? He did not say to let you get to your shuttle. He said get you off the station. Wanna bet your shuttle has been impounded?”

  Neither the tall skinny one nor the mousy one seemed to know how to respond to that little tidbit.

  Without looking at the shifter brothers she stated. “We are all leaving. We’ve been given an hour to get them off the station; which is cutting it close.”

  This scene needs to be longer and Renward needs to be toughter