by J. N. Chaney
She smirked. “Because he’s being paid very well for this information. With the deal I struck, it’s in his best interest to keep us alive.”
“Ruby,” said Hunter, frowning as he looked up at her from the pad. “What did you do?”
“I got us the intel we need,” she snapped.
“And what did that cost?” I pressed, still unconvinced.
Out in the Deadlands, if something seemed too good to be true, it usually was.
“Don't worry about it,” said Ruby as she returned her attention to the data pad.
“That's my job,” I reminded her as I closed the distance between us, glaring at her all the while. “I worry about the shit you get into because it usually either costs me money or gets me shot at.”
“Yeah, Ruby,” echoed Hunter as he studied her. “How did you get this?”
The youngest Carson kid bit her lip as she looked between me and Hunter. In the silence that followed, where neither Hunter nor I gave an inch, her eyes darted to the floor. “I agreed to do some freelance work for him.”
“For the Ridgeways?” snapped Hunter, aghast. “Are you insane?”
“I never would have done it, but we’re desperate, Hunter!” she yelled back. “Even the captain can admit that!”
“I never said desperate,” I corrected.
They didn’t seem to care about nuance.
“What’s the job?” asked Hunter, his voice hard. “Tell me right this godsdamn minute, Ruby!”
“No,” she said flatly, leaning back in her chair as she tapped on the pad in her hand.
I snatched the pad out of her hand and slammed it on the table. Those things were resilient, so the data pad would be fine, but I needed her attention. She and Hunter were yet again wasting my time.
She scowled at me. “What the hell?!”
“Listen close kid,” I said, my voice low and dark as I set my hand on the backrest of her chair and leaned in. I didn’t bother masking my irritation. “When I ask you a question, you give me an answer. It’s that simple. I don’t fly blind, and I’m not taking intel from a questionable source when you refuse to tell us something as simple as the price. If I’m going to bank my life, your lives, and Edwin’s life on this information, you’re going to tell me what’s in it for the guy who’s giving it to us.” I narrowed my eyes as she sat in front of me, frozen and furious. “And you’re going to tell me now.”
Her jaw tensed, and she glanced between me and Hunter before looking away in disgust.
“Ruby,” prompted Hunter.
“I said I'd do a hit for him, okay?” she snapped as she pushed herself to her feet and turned her back on us both.
I stood upright, watching her march back and forth in agitation. She walked along the length of the lounge, refusing to look at us as the truth came to light.
“What the hell were you thinking, Ruby?” snapped Hunter. “That was always Dad's rule. We don't do hits, especially not with people like the Ridgeways. Do you know how deep they go? The shit they do? The people they kill?” He banged his fist on the table, and the surface shuddered from the force. “Owing them this kind of favor is dangerous. It’ll get you killed, and it’ll never be enough! They’ll rope you in again and again, luring you deeper every time. What would Father say if—”
“Father's not here!” interrupted Ruby. “He's not helping us anymore, is he, Hunter? We have to make our own way now, and this is what it takes.”
“Focus,” I chided, glancing between them. “Ruby, the choices you make are yours to deal with. I don’t know these Ridgeway people, but I know enough about you to figure you’ll be fine.”
She hesitated, fidgeting a little in discomfort at the compliment. “Thank you.”
Hunter scoffed.
I held my finger up to silence him, and he shut his mouth with a snap.
The kid was learning.
“Now,” I continued. “How can you be certain this data's good, Ruby?”
“Because I said he wouldn't get the hit until after we rescued Edwin,” she answered. “It's in his best interest to give us good intel because that's the only way he's going to get his favor. I told him if any of us die, he doesn’t get shit.”
“How did he take that?” asked Hunter, shoving his hands in his pockets as he leaned back in his chair.
“Not well,” she admitted. “But he agreed in the end.”
I frowned, wondering if she’d made any other concessions in this negotiation that she wasn’t telling us about, but I decided not to press it.
“Did he tell you who he wants killed?” I asked. “Or did you write him a blank check?”
She hesitated. “He's hinted at the target.”
“And?” pressed Hunter.
“It’s a Sarkonian Empire gig,” she admitted. “It won't be fun, but I'll live.”
To my surprise, a surge of protectiveness nailed me hard in the chest. My instinct was to tell her to weasel out of it, to give her some advice and contacts to break the deal after we rescued Edwin. If anyone could get her out of this mess, it was probably Ollie.
But I couldn’t save her from this—and she probably didn’t want me to.
I didn’t know much about the Carsons, but I’d seen enough to start to piece things together about their lives before it all went to shit. She was the only daughter and the youngest child of a crime boss. Even Edwin had called her the baby of the family. Her brothers and father must have loomed over her throughout her life. That had to be with this assassin shtick was about.
All this girl wanted was a chance to prove herself, and it seemed like maybe she'd never be given the opportunity.
Until now.
Against my better judgment, I decided to leave it be. This was for her and her brothers to handle, and it wasn't my place to get involved.
For a few moments, no one said anything. The silence that settled into the lounge was heavy. Intense.
“Look, Ruby,” I said, looping my thumb through my belt loop. “You did good. You're taking care of your family, and that's what matters. Sometimes we have to make the hard choices and do what's right, even when all of the options have a heavy price to pay.”
She stiffened and looked at me like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. When I didn't say anything else, she eventually nodded.
This girl wasn’t used to compliments.
“Given how much you paid for this intel, it had better be damn good,” I said. “What did you learn?”
“Colt called for backup,” answered Ruby. “Which is very unlike him. It’s also abundantly clear that he knows that you're working with us, Jace.”
“I was afraid of that,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose as I fought a flood of disappointment. “How did he find out?”
“We think they had access to the docking bay cameras back on Bravos Station,” she said. “It’s possible they saw us leave the Star.”
“We come here all the time, you said.” I looked pointedly at Hunter, annoyed I’d been right about the plan to go to Bravos. “Wasn’t there something about the place being in your father’s pocket, too?”
“I fucked up,” he snapped. “My mistake got Edwin captured. I feel like shit already, Captain Hughes. Let’s move on.”
I shook my head. These kids had better not be the death of me.
“It's clear Colt wants this to end,” said Hunter as he picked up the data pad. “I think he realizes it's not a one-man job anymore. He's not prideful or foolish enough to die over this.”
“That’s not exactly good news for us,” I pointed out.
“No, it's not,” agreed Hunter.
“I was able to confirm that Edwin is with Colt,” said Ruby as she walked over and grabbed the data pad from Hunter’s hands. “The men who snatched Edwin from Bravos Station were paid for their delivery to Colt’s fortress.”
“The one Edwin found?” I asked.
“Yes, that one,” confirmed Ruby as she tapped along the pad. “More and more Renegades an
d bounty hunters are picking up on the bounties he placed on us. So, we really don't have long to act. According to the public data I’ve gathered, our last known location was Bravos Station. No one followed us or saw us leave, and no one's the wiser about where we are now. But if we try to dock anywhere, it won't be long until we get swarmed. Even some smaller Deadlands governments are keeping their eyes peeled, hoping for a kickback if they find us.”
“The whole universe is out to get us,” I said. “Fantastic.”
“The Deadlands, anyway,” said Ruby with a shrug.
“Colt’s fortress is about a day and a half away from our present location,” said Hunter as he absently tapped his knuckle on the table.
“Right,” agreed Ruby. “He's holed up there, and as far as my contact knows, scans show that Edwin was still alive when they entered the building.”
“Can we get anything of the interior?” I asked.
“Not yet,” said Ruby. “And I wouldn't hold my breath.”
“What do we have?” I asked.
“Pretty much everything else,” she said. “We have exterior scans and weapons details as of one hour ago. We will get continuous updates every fifteen minutes. He said he could get me interior cams, but I don’t believe him. Plus, what he wants for that I just refuse to give him.”
“He’s an ass,” said Hunter, shaking his head.
I rubbed my jaw. “He must want you to kill someone important. None of that data comes cheap.”
“Colt ordered a ton of supplies,” continued Ruby. “Over half of what he ordered is still in transit. We might be able to attack before he's fully ready for us. My guess is he wants us to wait until he’s fully healed and lure us out there, but I think we need to act quickly.”
“All right,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “Show me what you've got.”
24
From her pocket, she pulled out the small device Edwin had used just a day ago to show us Colt’s fortress. She tapped it, and a holo popped to life above her palm, displaying more recent scans of the fort.
Two ships flanked the house, and the large stretch of the barren cliff was covered with easily two dozen men armed to the teeth. The new arrivals walked toward the house, scanning the horizon with each step.
Alert. Focused. Ready for war.
I rubbed the back of my neck, frustrated. This was going to be even harder than I’d thought.
“Sir,” interjected Sigmond. “You’re receiving a live transmission request.”
“Who is it?” I asked.
“Mr. Colt Lockwood,” said the AI.
With those simple words, the mood in the room shifted. We all went still, and the weight of what it meant to get a transmission from the man hunting us lay heavily between my shoulder blades.
Without another word, I walked up to the cockpit. The kids could follow if they wanted, but I needed to focus. In my years as a Renegade, I could count on one hand the number of life-and-death calls I’d been a part of, and the future of everyone on this ship—as well as Edwin—rested on how I handled this.
I sat in the pilot's chair and took a settling breath. It didn’t prepare me like I’d hope it would, but I was never one to back down from doing what had to be done.
Ruby and Hunter reached the open door to the cockpit, but I gestured for them to wait in the hall. I wanted them to stay out of sight. They could listen, but I didn't want to confirm anything for Colt.
Besides, considering how hot-headed those two were, it would be better if they didn't get involved in something as delicate as this.
“Sir, would you like me to mute you?” asked Sigmond. “I can also block all transmissions from the Star if you would prefer we simply receive his side of the conversation.”
“No,” I said. “I want him to know we’re not scared of him.”
“Very well, sir,” answered the AI. “Ready when you are.”
“Let's not keep him waiting,” I said.
The holo popped to life, and Colt stood in a mostly empty room with a single light bulb swinging from the ceiling behind him. Colt hooked his thumbs through his belt loops as he stared right at me, and the shifting light behind him cast jagged, morphing shadows along the floor with every swing.
“Jace Hughes,” said the legendary Renegade. “I wasn’t expecting you to answer.”
“Of course. We’re old friends by now,” I said, leaning an elbow on one armrest as I watched him. “Rumor has it you have a bounty on me, Colt. Can't imagine why.”
“It is a mystery,” he said sarcastically.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” I asked.
“You know, Jace,” said Colt with a shake of his head. “You really should have killed me back on Brax. You letting me live, well…” He paused, clicking his tongue in disappointment. “That was stupid.”
“That wasn’t the plan,” I admitted. “I aimed to kill you, but you had to screw it up by surviving.”
Colt chuckled. “I've had about all the fun there is to have in our little game, Jace. Renegade versus Renegade. It was exciting, especially when you survived the first hit. I figured, hey, maybe I can enjoy this.” He rolled out his shoulder. “You were a decent challenge, at least. Something to pass the time, but I need to get back to work, and tracking you has become expensive. I want this to end.”
“Then stop tracking me,” I said, pointing out the obvious.
“Not a chance, son.” Colt dismissed the thought with a flick of his wrist, like it was a frivolous indulgence to even consider it. “You’re in too deep at this point. Too many people are watching to see what happens. If I let you go, then what? How many other Renegades test my boundaries? A real man finishes the job, whatever’s in front of him.”
My jaw twitched with irritation as I struggled to keep my composure. Logic didn’t work with this guy. He’d spun this into a vendetta, into some sort of affront on his honor, and no amount of bargaining or negotiation would soothe his bloodlust.
The only useful goal for me in this conversation was to get proof Edwin was still alive—and try to negotiate his release if I could.
“Word is you’ve been asking for intel,” said Colt. “Smart. My guess is you at least have a few ideas of where I am. You’re probably planning some kind of assault. It’s what I would do in your shoes.”
I leaned back in my chair, refusing to give away anything in my expression. He could speculate all he wanted, but I wouldn’t confirm a damn thing.
“I wanted more time,” confessed Colt with an irritated grunt. “But now I’m thinking I won’t get it. I had quite a pretty plan, Hughes. It was going to be fun.”
“What a pity,” I said, wondering what the hell his idea of fun could be.
It probably involved a lot of firepower and even more pain.
“Since you ruined that, I'm going to give you an ultimatum,” continued Colt. “You come to me and die like a man.”
I chuckled as though he’d told a mildly funny joke. “And why would I do that?”
“I’m glad you asked, Hughes,” said Colt with a wry grin. “If you don’t, brother dearest here is going to be tortured to death.”
Colt stepped aside to reveal Edwin sitting in a chair.
I gripped the armrest on impulse, but I managed to keep the rest of my body still and stay expressionless.
The bag had been taken off, and now a large black eye covered a good bit of Edwin’s face. He hung his head, breathing raggedly with his hands tied behind his back. Dried blood crusted his cheek, and a large gash in his temple was nearly black.
They hadn’t treated a single one of his wounds and the poor kid looked like he was close to death already.
“I have a couple ideas as to how I want to kill him,” continued Colt as he stepped in front of Edwin and blocked my view yet again. “My current favorite is to start by skinning him alive, just to see how long his heart holds out.”
From the hallway, Hunter growled. I peered briefly over my shoulder to see him with his hand ball
ed into a fist, looking like he was going to storm in at any moment.
I shot him a warning glance. He needed to stay quiet, and he needed to stay out of this.
“All three of you need to come to me,” said Colt. “Give up and die. If you make me hunt you down, I can promise you that you’ll die painfully. At least if you come to me now, it'll be quick.”
“A tempting offer,” I said. “But surrendering isn't really my style.”
Arranging some kind of fake surrender would kill any lingering advantage I had. Colt didn’t need to know we were coming. We would be there soon, and we’d bring all of hell with us when we came.
“That's too bad,” said Colt with a hint of real disappointment in his tone—like he truly believed the deal he’d given me was a good one.
I was starting to wonder how much of his own hot air he snorted.
Colt stepped aside again and drew the gun from his holster—the one that had nearly killed me twice now. Edwin looked up from his place in the chair, looking Colt dead in the eye. He stared death in the face as Colt cocked his pistol at point-blank range.
“Have anything else to add?” asked Colt, looking at me over his shoulder.
“Don't do this,” I warned, leaning forward, almost unable to believe this was happening. “We can strike a deal, Colt. You and me, let’s finish this. Leave the kids out of it. We can—”
“You don’t understand, Hughes,” interrupted Colt. “I want all of you. You all played a part in my cousin’s death, and you all have to pay the price for it. There’s no negotiating here. You’ve got nothing.”
Edwin gasped, grimacing with pain as he tried to speak.
I frowned. “Look—”
Colt lifted his finger to his mouth, shushing me. “The kid has something to say.”
“Yeah, I do,” said Edwin weakly. “Fuck you, Colt. Your cousin was a jackass, and I’m glad I shot him.”
Even facing death, Edwin had protected the real killer—Hunter—from the man out to avenge Zacharias Decker.
This kid just kept impressing me.
Without pausing, Colt fired. The gunshot echoed through the air, and the bullet tore through Edwin's thigh. He stifled an agonizing yell and leaned forward, groaning in unfiltered agony as blood pulsed from the hole in his leg.
