Dagger’s Hope

2. Two and a half years before - Earth:-1

2

Two and a half years before - Earth:

“The female went this way,” Dagger said, rising from where he had been kneeling beside a burnt out human transport. They were in a narrow alley several blocks from the warehouse where Hunter had been held prisoner. They were trying to find the human female that had released Hunter from where he was being held captive. “Are you sure this isn’t another trap, Hunter?”

“This is no trap,” Hunter replied in a clipped tone, gazing around in frustration. “I have to find her… tonight.”

Dagger shrugged and watched as another shadowy figure stepped up and laid his hand on Hunter’s shoulder. Out of the three of them, Saber was the most easy-going and optimistic. Dagger turned away so he could continue following the trail of blood the human female left behind.

Personally, he thought his friend was making a huge mistake trying to locate her. So far, he wasn’t that impressed with most of the humans he had met over the last four years. Of course, the ones they encountered were usually the ones trying to kill him, Saber, and Hunter.

There were some good ones, too, he had to admit. He had respect for the difficult task the human military was having trying to control their people. Still, he thought it better to keep a distance from the humans as much as possible, especially with their tour here almost completed.

“We’ll find her,” Saber promised before turning to look up at the dark sky with a scowl. “Why did we have to get stuck in a region where it pisses down on us all the time?”

A gruff chuckle escaped Dagger. “Because you were the one who decided it would be fun to try to introduce Jag to the human nurse that wanted to thread your skin together when you got cut during our mission six months ago, Saber. You should have known better than to piss off your commanding officer,” he retorted. “I’ve found more blood this way. We’d better find your missing warrior soon while we still have the scent of her blood to follow, Hunter, or we’ll be doing it the hard way. I don’t relish trying to look in every hole that she could hide in.”

“How was I supposed to know that she was vicious? She was a healer! Aren’t all healers supposed to be gentle?” Saber grumbled and shook his head, slinging water droplets everywhere. “I still don’t think it warranted being sent here. I heard that a place called Hawaii was nice.”

“Well, you won’t get to find out,” Dagger said, glancing down to see if he could find the faint trail again. “Personally, I can’t wait to get off this rock. Our time is almost up here. I’m ready for a change.”

“What are you going to do?” Hunter asked distractedly. He paused and frowned when he saw the faint outline of a bloody palm print on the side of the brick building. Touching it, he raised his fingers to his nose. “This is hers.”

Dagger shrugged. He didn’t know what he would do when his tour expired in a few months. He might enlist into the same division his older brother Trig was assigned to or go off on his own. He didn't have much to tie him to Rathon. He had a home there, but hadn't spent more than a dozen nights in it in over ten years.

Hunter was scheduled to return to his duties back on Rathon. Maybe Saber would join as well. After all, the three of them had made a great team over the last ten years. With Hunter gone and their required duty completed, he and Saber could do some exploring. There was a new star system that had joined the Alliance and he wouldn’t mind seeing what it was like.

Hell, it would even be nice to return home for some real female company. It had been four years since he’d had a chance to be with a female that could match him in the bedroom. The human females were pleasant, but the two he spent any time with had done little to heat his blood. He was beginning to think that would never happen.

“Probably join up with Trig,” Dagger replied with a shrug, frowning when he couldn't find any more tracks. “Saber, do you see anything?”

“No, her tracks have disappeared again,” Saber bit out in frustration, walking in a slow circle before stopping to glance around the rubble of buildings littering the area. “She must have doubled back again. She’s good at doing that.”

“No,” Hunter murmured, looking at the pile of concrete lying at a forty-five degree angle across the road from them. “She is here. I can feel it in my gut.”

“Yeah, but where is here?” Dagger asked, running his hand through his long white hair. “There is a mountain of rubble that she could be hiding in.”

He watched as Hunter walked ahead of him, his eyes focused on the ground. He crossed the road and knelt, looking at something on the ground. Dagger followed behind him, noticing the slight heel indent in the dirt as well when he got closer.

He almost called out a warning when Hunter suddenly disappeared down a narrow opening between two large slabs. When Hunter didn’t reappear, he glanced at Saber and shrugged. Stepping up to the dark recess, he saw that it actually slid downward. He could barely make out Hunter’s figure in the darkness below.

Ducking his head, he stepped onto the thick slab of concrete and slid down until he was standing next to his friend. A moment later, Saber was standing next to him. He shook his head in amazement. In the confines of the enclosed area, he could smell the blood of the female mixed with additional scents. He had to admit, Hunter’s female was smart.

He nodded when Hunter held up his hand before signaling them that there were more humans in the area. He could hear a soft murmur of voices and caught the faint glow and the scent of a fire. Moving silently, he flanked Hunter’s left side as they moved toward the group.