That horrible and heartbreaking thing I mentioned earlier? Yeah, I wrote it. Enjoy đ©¶
Echo had to crane his neck to stop the bounty hunter behind him from breaking it. Whoever they were, whatever they wanted, it was beyond his understanding. The three of them had clearly been stalking them since they touched down on the planet. They couldnât know about Cidâs, though, or they wouldâve ambushed there. This, was his only solace as the electrified collar was clamped around his neck. They couldnât know where they were headed. He had to keep reminding himself of that.
Hunter rounded the corner, blaster already aimed at them, a deep glare set on his face. A sigh of relief left Echoâs lungs before he even heard Hunter speak.
âIâd let him go if I were you.â Hunterâs threat sent comfort through every bone in his body, but it didnât seem to concern the three men who had him on his knees. The two other hunters flanked them on either side, weapons aimed towards Hunter who simply tilted his head. A challenge.
The one holding him straightened up, pulling Echo up and onto his feet. âCanât do that.â The edge of his weapon was pressed into Echoâs jaw, hot against delicate skin. âSee, this one is wanted by the Empire and I intend to deliver. Heâs got quite the price on his head.â The man leaned closer, lips brushing against the ridge of his cheekbone. âThereâs someone who wants to see you, really bad. Tambor, was it?â
The name brought every ounce of dread heâd ever pushed away right to his gut. No. That wasnât possible. Wat Tambor didnât work for the Empire, he couldnât. He couldnât still remember, could he? It had to be some kind of bluff but how? Why Echoâs eyes pleaded with Hunter who made a move to open his comm. Yes. Tell Wrecker to get over here. Tell Tech to bring the ship! Anything. Anything but this.
âAh, ah!â Breath, hot and moist against his cheekbone. âI wouldnât do that if I were you.â
âGive me one good reason not to.â Hunterâs face broke into a snarl, lip curling as anger filtered over his features.
âYouâre looking for the girl, arenât you?â How could he know that? Panic rose in Echoâs throat. How much did they know? The hunter practically growled next to Echoâs cheek. âI can give you a lead if you let me walk away with this one.â
Somehow Echo smiled. There was no way in hell Hunter would go for that⊠but he saw the moment his eyes changed. The second he started to consider it.
âHunter-â Echo warned, but it was cut off as his collar was yanked backwards to choke him off. Echo tried to struggle but his collar zapped him, stinging every nerve he had. He let out a cry. The look that passed over Hunterâs face made him think he could feel it somehow.
âI tell you what I know, you let me get on my ship. You get closer to getting her back. Everybody wins.â Hunterâs eyes glanced between them, hand still gripping the comms that would bring their squad down onto this hunting party.
âHow do I know you wonât screw me?â Hunter asked.
Anger flared under Echoâs collar. âYou canât seriously be considering this!?â His complaint was punctuated by a hit to his gut, doubling him over. White hot pain spread through his body.
âI have a contact. He calls me from a secure line to give me the names of targets. Heâs warned me about a group of clones looking for a girl. Omega. He knows where she is. Iâll give you the contact over your channel the minute my ship takes off.â Hunterâs face morphed. Like he was fighting a part of himself that Echo couldnât see. The man across from him, a man he had followed for so damn long, was no longer someone he recognized. Deep bags were under his eyes, a cagey look flitting between everyone gunning for them. Well, for him. Hunterâs eyes rested on Echoâs for only a second and in that moment Echo couldnât see the one thing he thought he never would.
Hunter made his decision. Itâs what set Echo off, yanking and fighting with all his might even though the shocks kept burning into his skin.
âIf you screw me Iâll find you.â Hunter lowered his weapon. Echoâs heart sank into his stomach. The man holding him laughed, backing them away, Echo thrashing like a hound on a leash.
âI know.â He leaned close to Echoâs face again. âSay goodbye to your handler. Youâll have a new one now.â
âHUNTER!â Echo screamed as they tied his arms behind his back, forcing him to his knees to watch the door start to shut. âDonât do this! Youâll canât do this!â He screamed, cursing as the doors started to take his view of the planet from him. Below, Hunter stood, hands hanging at his sides, face turned towards him.
Hunter had made his decision.
The doors shut. The ship started to rise. Echoâs breath came out in pants that hurt his chest. This couldnât be happening. Thereâs no way this was happening.
âWhatâs going on, guys! Weâve got to go!â Wrecker! He couldnât respond as his headpiece was ripped off of his head. The air and sound hit his ears and he let out a pained yelp. The bounty hunter looked at it then started to flip through channels. He put it to his lips.
âDonât worry, clone, Iâm holding up my end of the bargain.â It was all Echo heard before he walked away. Then his men dragged Echo off of the floor towards the back of the ship. He was tossed against the wall, shoved into a cell that wasnât even big enough for him to sit down, then a metal door was slammed shut in his face. That panic rose even more, bile filling his throat. Too small. Everything was too small.
Something deep in his gut begged for this to be a trick. Hunter was bluffing. He wouldnât let this happen. It wasnât like him. They were brothers!
Minutes turned to hours. And the more he wished that theyâd come for him the less he believed it. The more the metal doors of that cell felt like his tomb.