“Don’t resist!” a Hyadean voice shouted near his ear. “It scrambles signals to the collar! They can still blow your head off!” Cade forced himself to relax and felt some kind of shield being forced up between his neck and the band of metal. Moments later there was a clunk, and the collar came free. The mesh was removed. He looked over, his eyes still dim with aftershock from the light, and saw that Marie was rid of hers too. He turned back to the Hyadean, who was regarding him in what looked like a jaunty stance, hands on hips, while armed Terrans shepherded the dazed guards and their officer out through the ruin of the door. The details cleared slowly to show him in Hyadean combat garb, belt and shoulder harness loaded with pouches and accoutrements, grinning and waiting while Cade’s vision cleared sufficiently to recognize him.
It was Hudro.
“You were going the wrong way,” Hudro said. “We figured you needed help.” There had to be a response that would go down in history. Cade couldn’t think what it was.
Meanwhile, the second Hyadean, who was female, had been locating and smashing key parts of the transport’s communications equipment. “That’s it,” she announced. “Let’s go.”
“We need to move fast,” Hudro told Cade. “The traffic-control system will be flashing alarms already.”
The vessel was tilted among a tangle of vines and trees. They climbed out carefully and crossed an open area, where Terrans in forage caps and jungle gear had the officer and two of the five guards sitting on the ground, disarmed, hands on heads, while two others assisted one who seemed to have hurt a leg. There didn’t seem to be any more Hyadeans. The female who was with Hudro frisked the captives for personal communicators and took those too.
In a clearing a short distance away was an olive-painted military helicopter, rotor running. The two Hyadeans guided Cade and Marie over to it, where a Terran waiting in the doorway helped them aboard. He shouted to the others, who began backing away from the guards, keeping their weapons trained on them. The guards were looking scared. For a sickening moment Cade thought they were about to be gunned down in cold blood. But the rescuers turned to run the last few yards to the waiting helicopter and threw themselves aboard. Hudro shouted something to the pilot, and it began rising. A couple of weapons were thrown back to the guards as the helicopter cleared the treetops. Minutes later, it was skimming over a green ocean of forest.
“I said that one day I save people,” Hudro shouted above the engine noise. “Is good feeling.”
“I’m glad you don’t waste time once you make your mind up,” Cade yelled back.
Hudro gestured to introduce the other Hyadean, crouching next to him on the floor, gripping the side netting—the helicopter’s cramped side seats didn’t admit to Hyadean proportions. She had taken off her helmet to reveal orange-yellow hair and smooth features for a Hyadean. Cade had the feeling that by their standards she would be young and pretty. “This is Yassem. A long time we know each other. It is she who shows me the Terran God. We decide that Hyadeans who bomb Terrans from homes here are criminals. Terran powers that they act with are criminals. We want no more part.” He hesitated, then said something to Yassem in Hyadean. She laughed, which Cade remembered meant embarrassment. “I guess is okay to tell you now,” Hudro said to Cade. He gripped Yassem’s hand. “Until yesterday, Yassem works with Hyadean intelligence service. Communications technical specialist. Is how we meet. We fall over love. Go away, live together as Terrans now. Who knows where? Away. Maybe Asia someplace.”
Marie laid a hand on Yassem’s shoulder and smiled. “Good luck,” she said.
“Thank you.”
The rest of the company in the helicopter comprised a mix of tough-looking characters in parkas, sweaters, flak jackets, combat smocks, decked with equipment belts and bandoliers, nursing an assortment of weapons. One who appeared to be the leader—with a black beret worn forward, sunglasses, and a black mustache—was eyeing Cade and Marie curiously from a jump seat on Hudro’s other side.