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“Hands on top of your head!”
“On the ground!”
“Get down, get down!”
Cody walked quickly through the chaos of his men grappling with and subduing the smugglers. Blasterfire ran through the long duracrete hallways, but Cody didn’t slow.
He turned onto a quieter hall and pulled from his pocket a keycard which he’d found in the office, a dilapidated aboveground building that had been the only evidence of the underground base. He opened the first of the metal, windowless doors set deep into the wall. Taking only a moment to ensure the room was empty, Cody moved onto the next door. He did this three more times before finding what he was searching for.
The duracrete cell was tiny, maybe five paces across, with flickering lightbars and mold sprouting from cracks in the wall. A rusty grate with an actual sapling sprouting from it was set into the floor and a ratty cot took up a fair amount of one wall. It was the same as the rest of the cells, with one addition.
Cody’s face creased with worry and relief as he slowly approached the cot and its unconscious occupant. Hunter’s face shone with sweat over the bruises and scratches, more of which Cody feared were hidden under his blacks. His greasy hair was matted and plastered across his forehead and filthy bandana. Thick ropes secured his wrists and ankles to the cot’s frame, the bruised wrists underneath evidence of how Hunter had fought to free himself.
“Oh, Hunter,” Cody breathed.
Cody dropped to his knees beside the cot. He pulled off his helmet and clipped it to his belt before going to work on the tightly knotted ropes. Hunter’s head twitched toward Cody, making him pause and watch Hunter’s eyes creep open.
“It’s me,” Cody assured Hunter, rubbing Hunter’s hand. “I’ve got you.”
Cody gave the rope one more yank, finally freeing one of Hunter’s wrists. He moved onto the rope around his ankle while Hunter slowly fisted his freed hand.
“Thanks.”
Cody looked up to see Hunter watching him. The small, groggy smile was rather out of place on Hunter’s normally serious face, but Cody was too relieved that Hunter was awake and talking to care at the moment.
“Yeah,” Cody said. He waved impatiently as one of the 212th entered the room, blaster held at the ready. “Trapper, give me your knife. Or, no, you cut the ropes.”
Trapper nodded and got to work on the other bindings. Cody leaned over Hunter, sighing when Hunter opened his eyes a bit more.
“Hunter, where are you hurt?” Cody asked.
“Mmm… fingers a little. Ropes were tight and they got numb.”
Cody shook his head. There was no way Hunter had gone two days as a prisoner and come out with just a few bruises and numb hands.
“It’s true, look.”
With both hands freed by then, Hunter tried to sit up. His elbow slid off the edge of the cot and Cody quickly grabbed him, preemptively wincing at any wounds he might have touched by accident.
“Stay still until we know where you’re hurt, kid,” Cody said.
“I said I’m fine.” But Hunter let Cody guide him back down before asking, “Where’s the rest of my squad?”
“Back on the Resolute .” Cody expertly ran his hands down Hunter’s body, feeling for broken bones or swelling. “The smugglers didn’t appreciate Wrecker blowing up their last base.”
“Very enthusiastically, I’m sure,” Hunter huffed. “They alright?”
“Enough to drive the medics up the wall,” Cody assured Hunter with a grin.
Hunter nodded. He watched Trapper cut the last rope, then dropped his head back and closed his eyes.
Cody watched him apprehensively. It didn’t matter what Hunter thought; he wasn’t acting right. Cody couldn’t find any serious injuries, though. Cody’s heart jumped into his throat as it occurred to him that his little brother might have been drugged.
“Hunter,” Cody said softly. “Open your eyes. We’re getting you out of here.”
Hunter’s eyes opened. “Can I stay here?”
Cody opened his mouth, then paused. He and Trapper glanced at each other.
“We aren’t leaving you here,” Cody said.
“Just for a little bit,” Hunter said. His eyes were slowly closing as he said, “I don’t want to get up yet.”
“Because you’re hurt,” Cody guessed. “Where, Hunter?”
“I told you,” Hunter said. His eyes shut completely. “You kept them running too much to have time to touch me. I’m not hurt. But I’m tired.”
“What?” Cody asked.
“Let me sleep,” Hunter mumbled. “I haven’t slept in two days, Cody.”
“Then you…”
“Heard you and your men. Lemme know when you’re done.”
“Hunter!” Cody explained, torn between laughing and exasperation. “You mean to tell me that when you heard us show up, you decided to take a nap?”
Hunter raised one hand to offer a thumbs-up.
Cody looked at the ceiling, then back to Hunter. “Well, good. Now come on, let’s get you out of here.”
Hunter opened his eyes again. “Can’t I stay…?”
“No.” The desire to laugh was fast winning, especially when Hunter pouted at the denial. “We’ll get you into the ship. You can lie down in there while we take you to a medcenter.”
“I don’t want to go to the medcenter,” Hunter grumbled while Cody coaxed him into sitting up. “I want to go back to sleep. And take a shower. I don’t care which order.”
“And you will, once we get you checked out.” Because Cody was thinking that Hunter was at least a little bit drugged. “Then you can sleep as long as you like.”
Hunter made an unconvinced noise, but accepted Cody and Trapper’s help in standing. Cody curled a supporting arm around Hunter and, once he was sure Hunter wasn’t going to simply collapse, gestured for Trapper to go ahead.
“Let’s go, vod’ika, ” Cody murmured. “I’ve got you.”
Hunter hummed assent. “Thanks, ori’vod. ”
Cody smiled and patted Hunter’s back, then urged Hunter forward. Feet dragging and his head leaning against Cody’s shoulder, Hunter was led out of the cell and to freedom.