Isaias watched as his twin took on the woman. Both were bleeding. Marco alerted him to it. “Do you see that clear violet light around the woman? It’s a gravity shield. She’s a gravity elemental.”

“Zen doesn’t stand a chance then. At least not with those knives.” He unclipped his whips and whistled, catching both the women off guard.

“Sis! Use these!” Then he threw his whips at Zen who caught them and nodded uncurling them. Zen grinned swinging one whip at Yolinda and entangling her sword, yanking it from her hands. Unrelenting, she swung the other whip and smacked Yolinda in her wounded shoulder making her scream. Though gravity affected the whips, the whips were long-distance weapons and very fast and light. She didn’t have to get close to her opponent to cause damage and the gravity worked less because of a whip’s speedy crack. It was a swift weapon.

Zen brought the sword to her side and gave it to Edline before cracking her whip and swinging. It wrapped around Yolinda’s leg and pulled her to the ground. With another crack, the other whip had wrapped around her neck, immobilizing her. Yolinda struggled but Zen held tight.

“Isaias! Come here and hold her…I-can’t…”

Zen collapsed.

Isaias rushed to his sister grabbing hold of the chain whips and glancing at the pool of blood that was slowly collecting under her. He glared at Yolinda and stalked over to her pointing his Destroyer at her head. “Lower your damn forcefield bitch! Do you have a patch?”

Yolinda grinned. “I used it.”

Isaias glared then swung the butt of his gun against her temple.

Her eyes rolled backward, and she collapsed in the sand.

“I have a patch.”

Isais swung around gun at the ready as a man appeared from the shadows. He wore all black and had an eye patch on. Isaias approached the man who was holding out a thin piece of adhesive. “You won’t attack us?”

The man laughed and it sounded slightly familiar. “I’m in no shape to fight, besides you put down Mara, Neta, and Yolinda. I’m not foolish enough to join them on the ground and beaten within an inch of my life, thanks.”

Isaias nodded and took the patch rushing over to Zen and lifting her shirt to investigate the slice on her side.

Marco looked at the wound. “That isn’t good. That sword, for all the clean slice, was serrated. She’ll need medical help or….”

Isaias nodded and applied the patch watching it expand to cover the whole slice.

“It’ll have to do for now. We need to find a techspot to call Carmelo soon. I’m not about to let my sister die on me!”

Edline stepped up. “I can restart her heart if it fails.”

Marco sighed. That wasn’t the best thing to say to her strung-out brother Edline.

Oh!

Isaias smiled. “I’m counting on you squirt. Don’t let her die ok?”

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Edline smiled and nodded sitting beside Zen. “She saved my life and rescued me. I owe her.”

Isaias and Marco nodded and then turned to the man.

“Name’s Shadow. I’m the punching bag of team eight of the General Alliance of Assassins. You better go because they aren’t the only ones. It’s a big organization and we are just small fries in the scheme of things.”

“Can we use your base for..”

Isaias perked up. “What is that noise?”

Marco looked into the sky spotting a ship. “Do we hide? It seems familiar.”

“We can’t move Zen yet. The patch hasn’t settled in right. A minute more and we move.

We might be able to outrun the ship. It might not have seen us yet in this big city,” said

Isaias.

The ship's headlights zero in on them.

Marco grinned. “You were saying?”

“Damn, don’t we have any luck? Ever since the boat trip la suerte has abandoned us completely!”

“Your Spanish is showing.”

“I’m frustrated as hell Marco. I’ve got a near-dead twin to worry about!”

The ship landed.

“Marco take Zen and Edline. Run as fast as you can with them while I stall whoever it is.”

Isaias don’t be a hero!

I can’t carry Zen with a burnt back! Take her and go!

We’re partners! We do things together Isaias!

The gangplank lowered.

Isaias grabbed Marco around the shoulders and thrust him at the girls. “Go!”

Marco twisted out of his grip. “Not without you!”

“I see that my brother is being a pain as always.”

Isaias and Marco turn to meet with crystal blue eyes.

Stephan grinned and tilted his head. “Where’s Zen?”

Isaias growled. “You don’t have the right to call her so friendly, pirate!”

Stephan frowned noticing the scratches and burns on Isaias and the small scratch marks over Marco. “What happened, Marco?”

“There were some…”

“Don’t tell him anything!” yelled Isaias.

“Maybe he can help us!” He turned to his brother. “There were some fights and Zen got injured. She needs medical help.”

Stephan sighed. “I know I’m going to regret this. Take me to her.”

Isaias scowled but walked him over to Zen. She was pale from the blood loss. Beside her, Edline sat quietly monitoring her heartbeat faithfully. She looked up and brightened.

“Stephan!”

She ported the short distance to her brother and hugged him.

“Ed-Edline…how…where…”

“Zen found me and rescued me! Can you help her?”

“I-I have to see how deep the wound is first Ed.”

Edline eyes began to water, and Stephan followed being susceptible to Edline’s tears.

“I’ll try my best to help ok?”

Edline smiled.

Behind her, Marco grinned. Still susceptible to her tears Stephan?

Shut it, Marco! Like you aren’t!

No, I’m not.

Sure, you’re not because you abandoned her. I almost forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me!

Stephan walked over to Zen and kneeled pulling up her shirt. He noticed the patch and how long it was. “What was she sliced by?”

“A serrated sword, pretty deep,” answered Isaias after a minute.

“Hmm, I’m taking this patch off. We have more patches on board. We can get her another.”

Isaias nodded and Stephan peeled the patch off wincing as he saw the wound in its entirety. “This is a nasty piece of work. Kiera can mend it but you’re going to have to come with us, no fuss. We have to get the crystal to the Galactic Council.”

Isaias swallowed his pride and nodded. For his twin, he’d do anything. Marco and Edline also nodded. Stephan replaced the patch, although it wouldn’t do as good a job as it had been doing before, and stood. Blood trickled down Zen’s side. He bent back over and picked up Zen, careful not to jostle the wounded girl. He led the small gang of drifters to his ship. Somehow, he knew he was going to regret his decision.