Hodder continued to seethe as Kane leaned forward to get a better look at the lone man. “Do you think you know what it means to be in a gang like ours? And you spout off like this bastard.” He flicked a finger at the bounty hunter. “All that hot air, but you’re on this mission the same as us. Do you think you’re any better?”
“First off, hell yes, I do.” Kaiden nodded. “Secondly, let’s answer that. How much are you getting paid for this?”
“Two hundred and fifty thousand credits.” The skinny merc smiled.
“To split?” the bounty hunter asked. He tipped the brim of his hat up and revealed an amused look like he had a private joke only he knew about.
“It’s called a deal—two hundred and fifty thousand credits for three members of the Fire Riders. That’s a steal,” he retorted. “I’d bet the two of you get maybe fifty thousand. We’re the cleaners here.”
“No. You are, as I’ve just explained, the fodder.” Kaiden pointed to himself. “I’m getting two hundred and fifty thousand.”
“What?” Kane yelled, and his gaze darted to the bounty hunter. “What are you raking in?”
“That’s not a polite question to ask,” he stated, and his smile became a cool smirk. “But something like four hundred, since you’re prying.”
“What the hell?” Kane hissed “That gig dealer screwed us!”
“Shut. Up,” Hodder growled at his crony and shifted the cannon to aim at the bounty hunter. The target simply looked at it and frowned, his arms still folded. The merc traced a finger along the trigger. “Both of you, shut the hell up. I think I should maybe take you out now and collect your fees after this is done.”
Boots thudded on the metal flooring and a pistol pressed against the side of Hodder’s head. “Like I said, your acting is terrible,” Kaiden said. “You can’t simply fire a cannon. It has to charge, unlike my pistol.” He tapped the trigger threateningly. “And even if you were able to get a shot off, you would blow a hole in this ship and take everyone—you included—down with it. So either you’re blowing smoke, or— Good Lord, did you not even consider that?”
“Hey, he’s gotta worry about breathing, acting tough, and enunciating. He’s taxed,” the bounty hunter said as his smirk returned.
“Get away from him,” Kane commanded and brandished a hand cannon. “You put that scrawny little peashooter away, or I’ll give this ship an overdue paint job.”
Kaiden glanced up, and the direct lighting revealed his tanned face with a scar to the right of his left eye and on the side of his neck. He studied Kane with piercing silver eyes, sighed, and tossed the pistol to his opposite hand. Kane smirked in triumph before a shot rang out. In an instant, his hand cannon was on the floor, and he held his hand in pain. Hodder looked at his friend before he realized that the pistol barrel now aimed between his eyes.
“You guys are not good at this intimidation thing, are you?” Kaiden asked. He seemed as deft with his left hand as he’d been with his right.
“Nice shot,” the bounty hunter said approvingly. “Nice gun too. I don’t think I’ve seen one like that.”
The ace rotated the pistol to display the bronze frame and barrel with a black grip and small venting ports, and the weapon gleamed in the light. “Much obliged. It’s called Debonair. It’s a gift.”
“Someone has good taste.”
Kaiden smiled. “He’s usually something of a bastard, but I put up with him—at least until I can take him down myself.”
“How considerate of you.”
“Get that thing out my face,” Hodder demanded.
“Oh, found your voice again?” he asked but made no effort to remove the pistol. “And you managed not to piss yourself. Maybe you do have the backbone to go with all that bluster.”
“I’ll rip your damn—” the merc began, but a fist knocked his head back into the wall. The shooter raised the pistol and his eyebrows went up in surprise.
The fifth man had, up until this point, been silent. His shaven head and thin eyebrows gave his large, round face a boulder-like appearance. He folded his massive arms and returned the study. “Take a seat. There’s no need for this. I’ll make sure they shut up.”
Kaiden looked at the merc, whom he assumed was the leader or head of their little party, then at Hodder who clutched the back of his head in pain. He shrugged and placed his pistol back into its holster. “It’s nice to see at least one of you is civil.”
“If all of us were like these jackasses, the Fire Riders wouldn’t be any better than street punks,” the man said solemnly. He unlatched a compartment on his belt and removed a pack of Sinner’s Blend cigarettes. “Our rep may not be much better than you make it out to be, but we’re doing some rebranding.” He placed a cigarette in his mouth and raised his other hand to reveal a large gauntlet. The top part of the thumb popped open and a small flame jetted out. He used it to light the cigarette.
“Surprising honesty,” the bounty hunter said as Kaiden sat beside him, “We’ll see if that pays off. I know the name of your two little caged pugs here, but I haven’t got yours.”
“Lazar,” he stated and took a puff. “What about you, bounty hunter?”
“Magellan,” he replied, and the merc looked at him in surprise.
“Magellan Desperaux?” Lazar asked and received a small nod in reply. “Well, I didn’t think I’d run into someone with your pedigree on a gig like this.” He took another drag and flicked the ash aside. “It makes me wonder what sort of trouble this gig has in store for us.”
“I would say that this is clearly a hat-trick gig,” Kaiden interjected. “Get in, get the payload, and get out. The guy who put me up to this suggested as much.”
“I’ve had a few of those lately,” Lazar muttered. “People grade the gig lower so they don’t have to pay as much. They hide it behind easy objectives and hope that we do the actual job they want at half the price or less.”
“You gotta admire the balls of the people who try that,” Magellan mused. “Tricking anyone dangerous or crazy enough to take on a gig at a rogue port doesn’t exactly lead to a long life.”
“My source said this was supposedly requested by a corporation. You would think they could spare the creds,” Kaiden protested.
Magellan chuckled. “Corps don’t exactly have the best idea of what is fair.” He looked at Kaiden. “You’ve been free with your info, but not your name. Tell us, youngblood, what are you called?”
“I’m not exactly a youngblood, not in this business, at least.” He shrugged and grinned wryly. “But to keep up appearances and niceties and all that, I’m Kaiden—”
“Damn you.” The three looked at Kane. His armor was cracked, and blood dripped from his hand. “Look what you did to my hand.”
“I shot your gun and the explosion cracked your armor?” Kaiden asked in disbelief. “And your buddy made fun of this guy’s rifle? How far are you gonna get with that clown suit?”
“I’ll wring your damn neck,” the merc vowed and shook his good fist.
“That would be impressive,” Magellan commented.
“Settle down, Kane,” Lazar ordered.
“But, boss…” the man whined and held his bleeding hand up again. “Look at what he—”
“Hey, partner.” Chief appeared in front of Kane.
The skinny merc shielded his face, “My eyes!” he yelled as he winced and staggered back. He tripped and fell into the aisle and Lazar muttered under his breath in frustration.
Chief turned to look at the cowering merc. “I should remember that not every peon can truly handle my shining magnificence. I should show more mercy and discretion.”
“You haven’t adjusted your light display,” Kaiden muttered and shielded his eyes as Magellan lowered his hat to cover his. “Turn the lights down already.”
Chief sighed. “It’s a tragedy to have to lower myself to this level for the benefit of others. Life is unfair, I gotta say.” The EI’s luminescence dimmed, and his golden glow faded to
a sandy color as small blue and while lights raced around his form. His single eye scanned the dropship’s cabin. “You really brought out the A-team on this one, huh?”
“You’re quite a loud EI, aren’t you?” Lazar mumbled as he finished his cigarette.
“I don’t remember linking my oculars to see anyone else’s EI,” Magellan stated.
“He’s a…special EI,” Kaiden explained. “Well, I have a special EI device, but he’s still unique in his own way.”
“Yes, praise me,” Chief declared.
“Goddammit, Chief.” Kaiden sighed. “Is there any reason you needed to pop out?”
“I’m stretching my legs, partner,” Chief said. Magellan looked beneath the floating orb and then at Kaiden with a questioning expression.
He waved a hand to tell him to forget about it. “Nothing else, then?”
“Well, we’re gonna make landfall soon so you might wanna get the rest of your gear on.”
Kaiden nodded in acknowledgment. “Good to know, but I think the pilot will tell us when—”
“Hey, jobbers in the back,” a voice called over the intercom. “We’ll land in five. Get ready because this will be a quick drop. Anyone who lags behind doesn’t get a piece of the action, and that means they don’t get their fee,” she explained, and the intercom emitted a soft static whine as it clicked off.
“Well, it looks like it’s time, gents.” Magellan placed his rifle onto his back as he stood.
Kaiden smiled as he returned to his seat and grabbed his helmet and rifle. “Let’s earn some creds,” he declared as he began to put on his helmet before he paused and turned back. “Oh, I forgot to fully answer your question. My name’s Kaiden Jericho.” He pulled the helmet on and locked it into place.
Chapter Two
Kaiden watched as the dropship departed once the pilot stated that she would be back ten minutes after one of them activated their beacon. Kaiden looked at the small, square device. The instructions were simple enough—pop the safety glass and press the trigger for five seconds. He slid it into his supply case and joined the other members of the chain team.
Hodder bristled as he passed him and glared but said nothing, although he tapped his fingers on his cannon. Kane still fretted about his hand. He’d removed his almost destroyed glove and now applied a stitch cream. Kaiden winced as the man clenched his wounded hand. He had almost forgotten how the stuff felt considering the painless rejuvenation serum that he used back at Nexus. It repaired minor to moderate wounds quickly, but as the name implied, it felt like your hand was stitched with no anesthetic by a particularly new doctor.
He reached Magellan and Lazar on the cliffside of the hill where they had landed and looked over the ridge. In the distance and a little over a half-mile away, was their target—the now abandoned biodome belonging to the Axiom Corp. Even from this distance, Kaiden noticed breaches along the bottom lining of the dome and dents and tears in the top. According to the details they had been given, it had only been abandoned for twenty-two days, yet it appeared to have accrued a significant amount of damage in that short space of time.
“That big bastard has dealt with some shit while vacant, huh?” Kaiden commented, breaking the silence.
“No kidding. Biodomes are built quickly, but they aren’t made of paper and string—especially one commissioned by a place like Axiom,” Magellan noted. “Although why they decided to set up in this particular part of the Amazon… Mutants run the place. What do you think they could have been doing out here?”
Lazar huffed and tapped the ash from another cigarette. “Axiom is known for their blunders more than their successes. My guess is they were either searching for some sort of material out here or maybe working on the mutants themselves.”
“I’d say the latter is the most likely,” the bounty hunter agreed. “Maybe I’m getting more optimistic as I age, but perhaps they are looking into a way to reverse the effects or at least make them more docile.”
“Hmm, not to be a killjoy, but I doubt they are that compassionate,” Lazar stated. “If that were the case, sending in a team of heavily armed mercs and the like means they gave up on altruism rather quickly.”
Kaiden retrieved an EI pad. “Chief, bring up the target,” he ordered. The pad came to life and displayed a holographic image of a large silver tube with the Axiom AX logo embedded on it. “I have no idea what’s in it, but they must want it badly to spend almost a million credits on its retrieval. You would think they would have their own teams to do that.”
“They do,” Magellan confirmed. “We’ll probably run into whatever is left of them. Corporations and Zaibatsu’s hate resorting to freelancers. My guess is that whatever is in there was too much for the guys whose usual day consists of guard duty and transferring projects from one base to the next with a full patrol of Hawk Jets and Outcast bombers.”
“Not enough grit to get the job done,” Lazar added and took another drag. “We’ll see what we’re dealing with once we get in, but from what I know, it’ll be anything from venom leapers to those goddamn shriekers.”
“Not to mention the mutated anacondas,” Kaiden added. “What are they called? Nagas?”
Magellan nodded. “That’s the Sanskrit word for serpent used in mythology to refer to a mythical race of snake people.” He chuckled. “Viciss Labs really fucked up when they let that whole mess happen. Mutants are a worldwide problem now, but at least we know that the cryptos are the real deal now, even if they aren’t nature’s beasts.”
“Oh, they are nature’s now,” Lazar grunted and readied his heavy machine gun. “Nature’s abominations. Are you two ready back there?”
“Ready when you are, boss,” Hodder acknowledged and turned toward him although his eyes glanced at Kane.
The weasely merc winced as he slipped his glove back on. “Yeah, we’ll be right there.”
“We’re leaving in five. Take a final look in the crate and figure out what you’re taking. Pile on as many explosives and grab as much ammo as you can. I wanna get this done quick, and I don’t wanna hear your excuses if you run out,” the merc captain commanded. He looked at Kaiden and Magellan. “We’re the muscle here. I believe you about your rifle, Magellan, and you look or at least act like you can handle yourself, youngblood.”
“I’m not a youngblood. That means I haven’t done this before,” Kaiden grumbled and drew his machine gun. The Tempest had camo casing over a black body with a short barrel and four vent ports on either side.
“Well, I can look at you and tell you’re the youngest here. But I’ll stick to Kaiden if you’re that opposed.” Lazar examined the gun quickly. “Is that a Tera Sovereign model?”
“Yes, sir,” Kaiden said with a smile. “I bought and modified this one myself. It’s energy based, so I added a mod to overcharge the core for stronger shots, another to reduce overheating to compensate for it, and improved stability. I’ve used it a few times already. Unless we run into any jumbos or hulks, I’ll be fine.”
“I doubt that’ll be an issue,” Lazar responded. “It’s not really a place where Titan-class mutants live unless they’re partial to taking vacations.”
“Nagas have hides like steel, and they do live here,” Magellan reminded them. “If we do run into one of them, we’ll rely on you and your boys to take it down.”
“Not a problem,” Lazar promised. “Both Hodder and Kane have cannons and enough explosives to take down the big stuff, and if that doesn’t work—” He tilted his head back, and Kaiden saw a collapsed grenade launcher attached to his belt. “I’ve got this. And plenty of special packages for anything that comes at us.”
“That’s considerate of you.” Magellan studied the dome once more. “So, do either of you want to throw any plans out there before we head out?”
“It doesn’t seem necessary. There aren’t any human hostiles to worry about, and considering the weapons we have, sneaking doesn’t seem to be a priority, right?” Kaiden looked at the others. Magellan shrugged a
nd nodded, but Lazar remained stoic.
“Since you bring it up…” he began and eyed the bounty hunter. “You mentioned you were here for personal reasons. Can we expect you to run off at any point during the mission?”
“Perhaps, but it’s unlikely,” Magellan confessed. “You don’t need to concern yourself with my personal objectives. I’ll deal with my own problems.”
“It’s a concern if we are caught in the crossfire,” Lazar pointed out and turned to scowl at the man with his arms folded. “You’re a nearly top-level bounty hunter, Magellan—four-star class who command prices in the millions for their services. Why are you slumming it on something like this? Who or what are you looking for and are we in any danger of getting caught up in your mess?”
Kaiden was surprised. He looked cautiously at Magellan. The man certainly seemed to know what he was doing and was well armed, but from what he had seen back at the port and during the flight, he seemed rather aloof and laid back. He didn’t look that old, and four stars was only one rank away from the top. To achieve that rank at his age, he must be a damn good hunter.
“To be fair, it’s only one to two million for a bounty. Millions is my count of bringing them in alive,” he clarified with another casual shrug and smirk.
Good Lord. Kaiden hadn’t run into many bounty hunters in his life besides Cameron and a few others at the Academy. Back in Texas, there had been the occasional Dead-Eye who pissed off the wrong person or earned a fierce reputation who had the occasional scrap with a hunter. Those were a much lower level—bronze to gold at the highest—and wanted more to make a name for themselves than anything else. A tingle of excitement coursed through him and he wanted to see what this guy could do.
“I suppose I can be more forthcoming. I doubt I’ll have to worry about you trading info since if you did, you probably know rather well that I’ll have no problem finding you.” He spoke casually, but the menace was more in the calmness of the threat than in his tone. “The person I’m looking for… It’s more of a personal hunt than a job. He’s escaped me a couple of times and is damn hard to track. But he always finds opportunity in places like this.” He nodded to the dome.
Animus Boxed Set 1 (Books 1-4): Initiate, Co-Op, Death Match, Advance Page 93
