Free Kyele's Passion: A World Beyond Book 4 by Michelle Howard Page B

blue eyes grew wide.
    “Shit!” Faye staggered to her feet. “Torkel will freak.”
    “We need to get a hold of them.” Gathering her thoughts, Joni straightened and shoved the lingering terror to the back of her mind.
    “We can’t.” Lissi rose shakily. “The building is in full lock down mode.”
    They all stared in horror. Lissi shrugged. “My brother is very adamant about security. Jaron leaves me the override code if I don’t stay with my parents but I was excited about the picnic today and don’t remember the proper sequence. Wrong numbers could set off the alarm again and void the manual shut off.”
    Senses screaming now that she caught her breath, Joni asked, “The communicators?”
    Lissi shook her head again, remorse darkening her gaze. “Locked down. I’m sorry. I should have paid more attention.”
    Joni wanted to remain calm, wanted to be the voice of reason but suddenly everything hit her at once. “Are you crazy, Lissi? Next time I tell you to run, you run!”
    Her chest rose with every pant but nothing could still the remembered terror running through her mind. “Rydak would f-ing kill if something happened to you.”
    At least her friend had the decency to look petrified. “I am sorry, Joni. I could not leave y--.”
    “Yes, you could,” Joni snapped, cutting off Lissi’s words.
    Sylvie came over and wrapped an arm around Joni’s shaking shoulders. “Calm down.”
    The words did nothing to soothe Joni’s panic but the touch did. Together the two of them had been through the worst. Sylvie had her back and Joni would always trust her.
    “Sorry, Lissi. You really scared me.” Joni exhaled. “What happens next? How soon before the teams come back?”
    Lissi stood, keeping her hands on her children’s blonde heads. “As soon as the alarms sounded, Jaron would have been alerted. The closest team will respond and head back.”
    Joni blanched at how those men would react to their Chosens being in danger.
    “Shit!” Faye gripped the ends of her dark hair and yanked. Color had returned to her cheeks. “Not being able to communicate makes this so much worse. We have no way of letting them know the situation.”
    Joni could only imagine. She knew the intensity the Jutak warriors tackled any mission. Directing that energy toward the protection of their home and the women who were their Chosens meant things could potentially get very dicey.
    “Alright. Nothing we can do now except wait.”
    Sylvie spoke up, no longer looking as distraught. “Who would be so bold as to attack a Jutak unit home base?”
    “Lothar,” Lissi spat, surprising everyone with her vehemence. “He’s determined to stop the Jutaks from destroying his criminal empire. My brother’s Unit has been particularly successful in thwarting the Marenians efforts of late.”
    Making them a target for retribution. Joni clapped her hands together. “Well, never let it be said we don’t live a dramatic life.”
    They all stared and then one by one big smiles spread over everyone’s face until they laughed. It didn’t matter that the sound was tinged with relief. Even the children grinned.
     
     
     
     

Chapter 9
     
    The moment their ship landed, icy calm descended over Kyele and his teammates. None of them gave away a hint of what they felt as they raced by hover-car to their home. Thoughts flew through his head and Kyele imagined every horror possible.
    What greeted him was almost anticlimactic. Silence. They crouched across the street studying the front of the facility. The four story building appeared untouched by enemy fire.
    Creed pushed up his mask, revealing a dark frown. “Should I check the back?”
    After a moment, Kyele nodded. “Take Stefin with you.”
    Within seconds, Creed commed them all. “We’ve got bodies.”
    Bile rose in Kyele’s throat as the world spun. He braced a palm on the ground from his kneeling position and blinked back the burn of tears. Fear held Kyele in its merciless grip. It took