The Pack - Retribution (Book 2 The Pack Series)

By LM Preston

Revenge doesn't have a name, but has chosen a victim - Shamira. But she's never been the type to lie down and let someone hurt her family or her friends. In order to find the mastermind behind the threat to all she cares about, she must give up the one person who's found his way into her guarded heart, Valens.

Valens refuses to back off easily , and neither will Shamira's friends. They join forces with her in order to deal with a new enemy who seeks to kill everyone in Shamira's life that dared save the missing kids on Mars.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LM Preston
• Release date: Dec 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9780985025113

LM Preston

LM. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X - Alpha was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

Book preview

Chapter

One

One year ago today. Shamira’s eyebrows knitted into a frown. She should be over it. Going back to where it ended should give her a sense of peace, triumph even. But it didn’t. She felt the cold punch of nausea in her gut as a slice of dread seeped into her veins and flowed upward to her chest. Releasing a sigh, she bit her lip to force the sickness down. The voices of her friends’ filtered through her darkened thoughts and she leaned back against the black leather seat of the car trying to keep her hands from fisting .

The desert sand blew around them. The shrieking howl of the wind seemed to warn them to retreat. High in the sky, the sun reflected its light off the wavy terrain which was littered with rocks. Poles of silver reached for the sky to suppress the strong sandstorms that often riddled these outerlands, making them difficult to navigate.

Shamira? her best friend, Hedi, called.

She’s spaced out dreaming again, Anthony chuckled. This place still gives me the jitters.

Me too. The name Monev still leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I don’t know what’s worse—the drugs they sold, or the kids they killed to do it. The way Monev had those kids mining scream from the Mons, starved and beaten... Hedi’s shoulders shivered. If we wouldn’t have gotten them out of there before the place blew up… her voice

trailed

off

.

Friends. Shamira couldn’t help but smile. Over a year ago, she’d never had friends. Didn’t want them, because then she was blind, an anomaly kids picked on and demeaned. Shamira still had the palest blue eyes that she’d demanded remain the same after her surgery. It was a reminder to stay true to who she was—even before she had sight.

The only friend she’d had then was her baby brother. He’d accepted her blindness and her surly angry disposition. He loved her in spite of it. Heck, who was she kidding? The edgy anger always hovered nearby, but she didn’t give in to it anymore.

Anthony was driving his big, bad car that Valens had given him. His rich deep voice filtered back to her as she sat sandwiched between Valens and Dion. She took a deep breath to cover up her anxious fear-laden sadness.

Don’t bug her, she’s in the zone, frowning again. Valens’ rich soothing voice rumbled in her ear. He leaned in to land a quick kiss on her neck, his curly blond hair tickling her shoulder.

She couldn’t help but smile a bit at his protectiveness, and the way his kiss tingled. But she couldn’t let herself get absorbed in the safety he gave her, the haven she hadn’t known she’d craved until Valens came into

her

life

.

Her gaze strayed out the window to see her two other team members on each side of the car, racing to get to Olympus Mons in their matching silver motorcycles. Shamira took a deep calming breath, stilling herself to get it together for the sake of her team. They drew closer to the one place that still gave her nightmares.

The Mons, they called it, an imposing location for their final training session. It was indisputably the largest dead volcano on Mars, thanks to them, just 365 days ago, in 2161. A constant reminder of how Monev had used kids to mine their product of death. It was a ghost that taunted her with memories born from the scars she’d thought she

covered

up

.

Cal, their Security Force Elite Leader, pulled up the rear on his cycle, always a constant teacher and protector to them all. Her mentor determined they had to have their final session of training here before summer break. He wanted them to go back to where it had ended. A symbol of sorts, she figured, to represent the take-down of Monev and the beginning of their training as cadet Security Force Elite members.

Shamira? You hear me? Anthony’s booming voice filled with laughter broke through her troubled thoughts. Stop daydreaming and give us the scoop.

She shook her head and surfaced from her brooding. With a grin, she leaned up between him and Hedi. Scoop? What scoop?

Before Anthony pulled you out of your murdering and maiming daydream, Hedi giggled and flipped her fiery red hair, we were talking about the adoption.

Shamira broke into a beaming grin and wiped a chestnut curl from her forehead just to prolong the moment. Oh, the skinny is—it’s final. I’ve got a new brother and sister for good. Now I have more than one kid to worry about, and a sister who follows me around like glue when I get home. She rolled her eyes. Oh joy. She couldn’t hold back her

goofy

beam

.

Stop playing like you don’t love them. You run home from training to see them. Dion laughed and laid his head on her shoulder.

Yeah, well, what can I say…being worshipped by kids makes me feel special. Shamira pointed at his

wavy

head

.

Hey, don’t go smoochin’ other guys while I’m sitting here. You know I’m possessive. Valens tickled a soft spot on

Shamira’s

neck

.

Shamira moved his offending finger away and sat back as Dion winked at Valens.

Stop it, you guys. Her expression turned stern, "Okay, we have to get serious here. This is the last training mission before we go home. Cal said he wants some readings on the landmines surrounding

the

Mons

."

They all huffed when they recognized her working tone as the future head of the Security Force Elite for Mars. Grumbling a bit, they quieted.

A shot boomed behind them. Hedi screamed. Her head hit the window. Anthony fought to control the wrenching car. One after another, raining laser shots hit their car. Flashes of lights sparked off the hood, which deflected the rain of fire. The brown sandy terrain was unforgiving, and they slid into a fishtail before recovering to pick up

the

pace

.

Jerk it left! You’re going to hit Mitch’s motorcycle! Shamira leaned over Valens to roll the window down, her gun drawn.

Anthony swore under his breath. He yanked the wheel just in time to avoid fatally crashing with Mitch’s motorcycle. Dion and Valens slid out their guns, angry and ready

to

fire

.

Valens pulled Shamira across his lap and moved over to the middle of the seat. I’ll take the roof, let’s switch! He pushed the button to release the sunroof window.

What the hell is this? Anthony hit the steering wheel with his fist. Hedi, drive while I get my smokin’ gun from under my seat, Anthony barked.

Hedi reached over to steer for him. "What’s with the adjectives, Anthony? Just shoot the

weapon

.

Kay

?"

Shamira’s gaze slid from side to side, but she didn’t see anyone—nothing. Her chest tightened with terror for her team, but she suppressed it. She grunted, pushing her sight deeper, tapping into her enhanced ability to see through most objects. She growled. Nothing was working. Whatever it was who was attacking them was muted. She couldn’t even pick up the sound of a motor, and her hearing was exceptional. Blue, tiny blast of laser shots that looked like needles of fire hit the car in rapid motion with

excessive

pops

.

Who’re the bastards doing this? I can’t see a thing! Anthony aimed his gun in the direction of the erratic fire attack.

Me neither. Just blast the bastards! Dion fired. Attempting to get a better aim, he kneeled on one knee with his head slightly out the window.

Shamira spotted one of the motorcycles veering off. Kurt’s going after something. Follow him! Shamira commanded. Her super-enhanced eyes delved deeper within the red dirt pack terrain of rock and dust around them. Still she couldn’t get a glimpse of anyone or thing who was raining firepower at them. It was like ghosts were

pursuing

them

.

Shamira adjusted her body to prop on her knees. Crud! The wind is picking up and the sand with it. Can’t see through it. I can’t cover Mitch. He’s following Kurt, and Cal’s passed them both to run down some ghost.

The car swerved. Anthony attempted to dodge the spray of attacking fire. Hedi let out a yelp. Her head hit the top of the window frame. Hedi’s hands slipped off the wheel causing them to veer out of control.

The wheel, girl! Get the wheel. Anthony dodged another random onslaught of laser shaped bullets.

Hedi recovered and grabbed the steering wheel firmly, pulling them out of an erratic tailspin.

Shamira’s eyes continued to scan the land. They fired their weapons in the direction of the moving targets that seemed to surround them. Valens hit something dead on and Shamira caught a glimmer of a camouflaged motorcycle before some type of cloaking device recovered. The attacker disappeared before she could lock her gun on him. It was as though whatever hid it, shorted for a brief second.

As suddenly as the onslaught of random fire started, it ended. Hedi’s fingers came off the wheel and Anthony’s smoothly replaced hers. He pushed the car faster, chasing an

invisible

foe

.

Anthony, go left, I see something. Shamira pointed and Anthony snatched the

car

left

.

No! Mitch is down! Hedi shrieked.

Anthony swerved the car left then right, trying to decide whether to follow the attacker or save Mitch.

Shamira held in a sob. Get Mitch, I’ll find out who’s doing this. Then she fell back into

her

seat

.

I don’t know guys, it could be a trap, Dion warned. His eyes scanned the area. He rested back in his seat to reload

his

gun

.

Shamira leaned further out of the window and took another cursory glance around them. I bet it is, but we don’t have a choice but to play along. She sighed. "At least the laser fire stopped—

for

now

."

Chapter

Two

Shamira’s heart felt like it was being squeezed. Tears of anger were blinked back while she locked her jaw, determined. Although the past year had softened her edgy and angry disposition caused by the pain of being an outcast, a pariah, and a handicapped girl with no social skills, times like this scared her. It made her struggle with being a friend to her team and a protector while fumbling to keep the part of her that was finally able to feel emotion for anyone intact. She didn’t want to lose the freedom she now allowed herself—the freedom to care. But she needed the fighter she held at bay—the part of her that had no mercy, no discernment as to who she would have to hurt in order to save the ones she loved. To keep that broken part of herself hidden just below the surface and allow her to not give in to her fear that she may lose them all—the people who cared for her. But to allow her to think—think with her head and not with her anger .

Anthony pulled the car alongside Mitch, who was several feet ahead of his fallen motorcycle. His helmet had landed a distance away. The twitching of his leg back and forth, before it suddenly dropped flat to the hard packed sand, worried Shamira. Her penetrating sight studied Mitch’s face, beyond his skin, the muscle, and then skull to check for hemorrhaging. The skull was one of the few vulnerable spots on a Security Elite’s body, and Mitch’s was swung to the side at an odd angle.

Hedi pushed the car door open and stumbled over to Mitch, followed by Dion and the others. Shamira slowly got out of the car. She moved her inspection of Mitch’s body downward to his chest. Her tongue clicked against the root of her mouth while she made the mental inspections she was trained to make. Willing herself to remain emotionally detached, she approached the others. "He’s got a concussion, some broken fingers and bummed knee. Try to

wake

him

."

Valens reached into his pocket and stuffed a small vial under Mitch’s nose. Shamira crossed her arms while inspecting their surroundings. The tall volcano stood in front of them, black, solidified lava coated the sides of the peak. Blackened indentations in the red sand littered the distant expanse, leading to the Mons. Her inspection surveyed the surroundings and revealed no obvious clues as to who would attack them or why. She gulped back the bile at the memory of the landmines that had littered the ground, almost killing them on their last visit. Thankfully, most of the landmines appeared to

be

dead

.

Anthony stood behind her. "We have to split up. Kurt’s still missing and so is Cal. Had to be some heavy-weaponed-up fools to attack the eight

of

us

."

Dion cracked his knuckles. "They’re not answering their com devices and everything here seems scrambled. No signals in

or

out

."

Shamira shook her head, angered. Set-up. It’s a set-up. No one knew Cal was bringing us here. Her hand flipped up in an angry wave. No one. He only told me about us coming to the Mons when I walked him to his bike before we got into the car. The reason he brought us here instead of the other places most cadets were trained is still a question.

Anthony wiped his hand down his face. Could be part of our training.

Dion snorted. "Naw, I talked to one of the older Elite officers, they said the final phase of training only involves research. Study of different terrain—using survival skills, things

like

that

."

Shamira turned toward them. You’re right, Cal joked with me that it would be a cold night to sleep under the stars. Guess we were supposed to spend a couple of days here on nothing. No food, water, only our own survival skills. A shiver tingled down her back. But I just can’t shake the obvious. Something went really wrong.

Valens dipped down on his knee, landing soft slaps to Mitch’s face. Mitch’s body jerked like he’d been hit by cold water. With a trembling pale hand, Mitch grasped Valens’ jacket. He let out a groan, then opened his mouth for the vial of medicine Valens tipped up to his lips. He coughed several times, before one last swallow and braced himself when Valens helped him stand.

Mitch let out a roar. His face twisted with pain. Blood flowed around his eye and down his cheek. Screw waiting. We have to find Kurt and Cal. If those bastards stopped shooting at us, then they went after them. His nose flared while he visibly struggled to stand straight.

Hedi reached in her backpack and pulled out her head covering that would protect her from laser shots. "Put on your gear, boys, our fearless leader has that look of ‘kill’ in

her

eyes

."

Shamira’s lips thinned, her back straightened and the numbness of the taste for revenge comforted her. Right. Kill. We split up. Meet back here within the hour if you don’t find anything. They could be anywhere. Those guys didn’t look friendly. They don’t realize we don’t run and hide—we hunt. She pointed in the direction beyond the side of the Mons. I’ll take the back side, everyone spread out. The landmines surrounding this side appear detonated, but you never can be sure. She sighed, Just be careful. She pulled her gun off her hip, temporarily missing some of her favorite weapons she’d used before she’d became a cadet. But instead, she tightened her hand on the one weapon she knew would do the deed of bringing down their attackers if needed—

her

gun

.

Valens put a hand on her shoulder. "Wait, I’ll go

with

you

."

Her eyes shuttered closed but for a moment. Guilt throbbed in her chest at putting her team in danger. For not reacting sooner, and for being too dependent on Valens’ quiet strength. No, I got this. I need you to watch the others. Make sure they don’t do something stupid….please. She forced a smile at him, hoping he would take the hint and

back

off

.

Valens’ chin dipped, "Fine. See you in

an

hour

."

Chapter Three

With caution, Shamira bent her legs and navigated the remnant landmines. She hated to admit that she liked working with her team. The uneasy feel of acceptance was still new to her, and now she thirsted

for

it

.

Her gun’s heaviness felt secure. But she clenched her fingers tightly around the handle for comfort. She held her weapon up and tugged at her protective hood with her other hand. Slowly, she made her way around the side of the mountain. The windswept holes from the landmines that had exploded over a year ago caused her to bite back her disgust at the failure of the Mars rehabilitation program. This was supposed to be a place of hope for reformed criminals and their families, but instead it was a place of war. No different than what many were running from, the war between a life of crime or justice. Bits of sand flew around as the wind picked up. She shrugged off the discomfort to press

on

.

Mars

’

weather was always windy which matched her jumpy disposition.

Shamira slipped her shades over her pale blue eyes. The sand was kicking up and coating her suit. Her eyes closed while she briefly tried to pick up any sounds of something approaching. She was thankful that her hearing was still sensitive, a side effect of her fifteen years of blindness—all but two years of

her

life

.

Wind howled and sand splattered against her, stinging the exposed parts of her face and her hands. She walked on, stepping over clumps of jagged red rocks, sand and sparse green vegetation. She came closer to the Mons, the volcano Monev had used kids to mine in order to produce their deadly addictive drug. They had sold it on the streets of Mars for the drug heads who hung out in the gaming hells of the planet.

Those places now were burnt to the ground, thanks to them. Thanks to her team. Her concern for Kurt and Cal caused her to sweat and the hairs on her body to stand up. Her heart beat faster in her chest and she prayed for a clue—a glimmer to point her in the direction of their attackers, ones she would kill in a minute had she not been trained to detain suspects instead.

Where are you? Shamira bit her lip as she half walked then ran around the perimeter to cover ground on their search for the others.

Annoyed after an hour of searching, she headed back to the meeting spot. About a mile away, she heard a faint call for help. It sounded like Dion, or maybe Anthony. Shamira took off in the direction of the screams and ran until her chest hurt from the exertion. Dread crept from her gut to her chest and she fought against the sting of tears. She didn’t cry, wouldn’t let herself. As their leader, she had to be strong for them all. Fighting, she pushed down the urge to call out. The ever-present fear that she would alert others to their location, made her shake her head against the screams from the others. How could they be so careless?

Finally, she rounded the bend where Anthony and Dion knelt. A stab of fear hit her dead-on when her eyes landed on the fallen body between them. Frantic, she searched around for Cal’s bike. It was strewn in pieces. His helmet rested several feet away from his body and his eyes were opened in shock—in death.

No! No! No! Shamira chanted. Sprinting to the lifeless body, she stopped at his feet and collapsed to her knees. Voices sounded around her, telling her he was dead. That they’d found him like this. She shut out Anthony and Dion’s words of sympathy. She could save him, Cal had to live. He was her mentor and friend, like a second father to her. With trembling hands, she grabbed his leather jacket. A broken cry escaped her lips as she shook him, hoping he’d awaken, "Cal, up…

get

Reviews for The Pack - Retribution (Book 2 The Pack Series)

[macygma · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Shamira and friends wanted to be Mars Elite Officers more than they wanted to breathe. However, someone has it in for them – big time. It’s only been a year since they were all rescued from the Monev – drug dealers and viscous criminals all. It took a lot to upset them – they’d already been through Hell on Mars but when their leader, Cal, is murdered in an ambush attack it shakes everyone up. Shamira is supposed to graduate the class as the leader of her small group of rebels, but when the team is basically held responsible for Cal’s death, they go back to some of the things they learned while captives to do their pay back.Valens is so in love with Shamira that he can’t think straight so when she dumps him to go it alone, he is fairly sure something isn’t right. She takes off on her own to solve the mystery so one else gets hurt. But, of course, it doesn’t work. Shamira may find she needs all the friends she’s got before it’s all over.This YA tale is a bit violent but quite well written. It is a sequel to the novel The Pack, but you certainly don’t have to read that one first – this one has enough excitement for everyone! Great job on plot and characters.