He froze and squinted into the shadowed space. Some of the dust on the floor had drifted up slightly as if someone or something moved along the floor. He felt an unnerving chill along his spine, the same unease as when he first faced an Anjan during his trial. He followed his instincts, threw himself to the ground, and rolled. A split second later, he heard wood splinter behind him. He stood and gaped at the wall that had been newly savaged. Two long gashes slashed into it and the floor at the base was scarred by the same assault. Someone or something was definitely there, and he could not see it.
His instincts overwhelmed him, and he leapt to the side, but something collided with him and he tumbled at the impact. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet and moved back. An intense pain below his ribs drew a gasped protest and he looked down at a deep incision through his armor and skin. Blood flowed down his stomach and thigh as he steadied himself. He retrieved an orb and threw it down and his visor darkened despite the already inky environment. The orb erupted into a bright light. The hunter could see something cloaked—a figure shimmered amongst the illumination but remained almost intangible.
The light seemed to contort around the being’s body, but no features were present. It appeared to the hunter to be humanoid. He marked along the floor to create an ember trail with a plasma blade.
The being attacked in a frenzy. The light from the orb faded as the Sauren prepared to defend himself. He dodged one of its lethal blows and attempted to slice through his adversary, but his blades found no purchase. He lit the room again with another orb, but the creature had disappeared.
He moved forward cautiously and waited for his enemy to attack again while he wondered what or who this was. This killer was unlike the beasts and warriors he had fought before. Its movements were erratic, and the blades cut deep. Even his armor and scales would not be enough. He could deduce that from the marks it had left on him. Yet despite his concerns, a thrill coursed through him. He stopped in the middle of the room when the light from the orb faded again.
He would let this killer come to him.
Despite the logic of that decision, apprehension crept in while he waited for a sound or an attack to pinpoint this creature’s location. He would wait for it to strike and grab hold of it. That would, hopefully, provide the opportunity to end it in one blow
A crackling noise emanated from his mask when he chuckled. This would make a good trophy and a good story. He checked his stomach and confirmed that the wound had closed and only dry blood caked his hand. A small twist of the knob on his mask amplified the sound around him. He heard a familiar hum and realized that the plasma blade was closing in—the killer was about to strike. From above and behind the glass panels there, he heard the hum. How had his attacker gotten up there so quickly?
The glass shattered as the killer burst through it from above. The hunter roared and thrust both blades up. They collided with something metallic. It was a distraction. Something pierced his back and he roared in pain and spun to claw the attacker. He found nothing once again and the blade was ripped out of him an instant later. The killer vanished once again.
The hunter continued to hiss in pain but felt it subside after a moment. The unknown assailant had attacked him with a normal blade, thankfully. The plasma could cut right through him, and his regeneration would not be able to heal him quickly enough. Beyond the brief sense of relief, he realized that the killer was toying with him.
He knew that the assailant would not give him another chance to collect himself. His senses already prickled with the certain knowledge that the invisible being was behind him. He spun and even in the almost darkness, the dust on the floor shifted again. Small marks appeared on the floor as the killer dragged its deadly armaments.
The hunter fell back as the creature leapt towards him and dust swirled and danced in the air. He landed a little awkwardly, took his lance out and opened it, and stiffened when something crashed beside him. The killer had obviously fallen to avoid the spike. He rolled away as his attacker finally made a sound—a cough, followed by a chuckle.
He finally saw it. The transparent cloak had fallen, and the killer’s white armor appeared, caked with the blood of the scientists. The figure wore a helmet with no features other than a yellow visor, and he twirled the blades in his hands.
The Sauren held his spear at the ready and tightened his grip as the killer once again fell silent and stood completely still. With casual ease, he tossed the plasma blade up into the air and caught it. The hunter needed to take this opportunity to end it, so he thrust forward. However, before his blade could cleave the armored form, the creature spoke.
“This will be my first time killing a Sauren.” He chuckled in a masked voice before he disappeared once again.
The tearing of floors and the shattering of glass filled the short silence. He turned to gape as the room was methodically ripped apart by the once-again-invisible horror. With a sigh, he retrieved the last of his illumination orbs and activated it in an attempt to find some sign of his prey. His hunter role changed in an instant
He fell when pain erupted in his left leg and grimaced at a deep wound across his hamstring. Gritting his teeth, he pushed to his feet, propped himself up with his lance, and tried to focus. The killer continued to toy with him and attacked at random, using his lack of vision against him.
The hunter leaned back and hopped out of the lab on his good leg and back into the main building. He used the wall to help him limp down the hall. It seemed certain that his attacker would soon follow. In fact, that was his hope.
The halls were narrow with low ceilings, which gave him a chance to fight. Once the creature pursued him, he only had to concern himself with striking what was in front of him. He wouldn’t have to worry about it flanking him. As he turned and positioned himself, his spear at the ready, the outpost fell silent.
The hunter could see the remainder of the observation room through the doorway. It had been torn asunder. Some walls were covered in markings and glowed ember, and all the glass had been broken. However, the killer seemed to have vanished. He began to second-guess himself. His gaze darted around in search of some sign of where he would strike.
He checked his leg. The wound was healing rapidly but he still couldn’t put much weight on it. He moved back with small steps and constantly checked his surroundings. Then, as he passed the lab, he realized his mistake. He saw the open window and it dawned on him—when the creature simply attacked at random, he’d thought he was simply trying to mock him and put him on edge. But this was a trick. The killer would attempt to ambush him through another opening.
He had to leave the outpost building. There were too many opportunities for the unseen assailant to strike. He hobbled to the window and threw his spear to the ground before he lifted himself out and jumped unceremoniously to the damp ground below. Ignoring the pain that surged in his leg, he studied his surroundings.
A loud whump made him spin around to look at the roof. He activated the light on his mask and the killer’s cloak warped around the bright light thanks to the darkness of the world. The form leapt from the roof and directly toward him.
The hunter had little time to react. He had to decide between dodging the blow or trying to counter. With his leg still mending, he wouldn’t be able to move quickly enough to avoid the attack, so he grasped his spear tightly and lunged forward. It struck something but immediately bounced off. The warped cloaking against the light indicated that the killer aimed at his head, so he tilted away and hoped to avoid a direct blow. Blood spewed hotly down his face and the killer laughed, the eerie sound amplified by his mask.
He stumbled back before his opponent landed on top of him. The cloaked assailant once again became visible, but the shimmering light of a shield illuminated him now. The hunter gasped at the stinging pain from his damaged eye and pressed a hand to it to try to numb it. The killer stepped forward and he lunged at the murderous figure in an attempt to stab him with his spear. His adversary simply glided hi
s blade along the haft and cut deep into his claws.
The Sauren hissed and dropped the spear. Before he could react, the killer thrust forward and drove both blades into the hunter. “I’ve heard that you were supposed to be the best killers around these parts,” he mocked.
“We are hunters,” the Sauren shouted and pressed a switch on his belt that released an electrical discharge. It forced his assailant back into the darkness and disrupted his shielding. The hunter brought out his wrist blades once more and attacked. “And you are our prey,” he roared as he pinned the killer with his light and thrust his blades into him.
They went through—not his chest but his body, which shimmered and faded.
“Are you so sure about that?” Heat streaked across his neck and his breath left him as his neck burned, cut by the plasma blade. The hunter collapsed and clutched the wound as the killer bent and undid his mask. He tilted his head as he studied the fallen Sauren. “Man, you are an ugly motherfucker.”
He swung his claws in an attempt at one more strike, but the killer leaned back and grabbed the hand to skewer it on his blade.
“I’ve heard that you guys have a damn good healing ability. It’s not much good against a plasma blade, but still good,” he mused before he yanked the blade out and peered through the hole. “I’d like to test it out, but my guess is that more of you are probably coming and as much as it would amuse me to think you’re the best they have, I really doubt it.”
In a disdainful gesture, he let the hunter’s hand drop and leaned over him. “What’s that little shine in your eye? Is that a recorder? Am I playing to an audience?” The killer chuckled and placed a hand on his chest. “Well, to anyone watching, I hope you enjoyed my performance, and if you wish to follow my shows, the name is Gin Sonny. Remember that now.” He glanced at the struggling hunter. “Man, you can go for a while without breath, huh? I heard that to make sure you’re dead, I gotta remove something important.” He stowed the plasma blade and held up his curved metal one. “Let’s see how well my girl Macha here can get through that skin. And how much I need to cut out of you for it to take.”
The first Sauren Gin ever killed was a Jah-Wai, only a cycle from his trial. Raza never forgot that recording and Gin never forgot the Sauren. At least a dozen were felled by him in the cycles since. Some had hunted him for his bounty and others to avenge the fallen as Raza would do now.
“I’m on my way. I will help him in his hunt,” he proclaimed.
“I’ll send you his tracker signal. He asked that you only notify him when you’re half a click away. He’s trying to stay dark. My partner has said that another person will join you—a bounty hunter—but he seems to be further out.”
“I hope to leave nothing for him,” Raza said and signed off. He activated the ship's thrusters and set a course to Wolfson’s coordinates. He would show this killer why the Sauren were known as the greatest hunters.
Author Notes - Michael
April 24, 2019
THANK YOU for not only reading this story but these Author Notes as well.
(I think I’ve been good with always opening with “thank you.” If not, I need to edit the other Author Notes!)
WOOHOO! I’ve just ‘released’ a version of the new Bethany Anne story’s cover (Finish What You Started), and I’m excited we are getting close to releasing this story… Yes, I know it has been a while, but please be patient with me. I’m working on having them come out a bit quicker…
For those who know about stuff I’m planning or working on, please remind me. I think I’ve lost my mind in the last few days. LOL - <<< (EDIT: He’s joking….) (EDIT of the EDIT: No I’m not.) (Editor’s Note: No, he’s not)
I’ve been talking to Joshua, and we have book 07 on track for a slightly quicker release, I think. This will be Year 03, and the beginning of a new path for our stories.
Because eventually the students grow up and have to leave the comfort of the Animus.
It gets a bit wild out there, folks.
FAN’S NOTES - Where a fan helps me out with THEIR love of reading, and we learn a bit more about our fellow readers out here as I comment occasionally.
Tandra from Melbourne, FL (seriously, I thought it was going to be Australia…)
About how many books do you read a year, or total in your lifetime?
100 or more a year. (I was probably in the 80 to 100 range before I started writing - mostly due to family obligations… If my wife was out of town, it was easily a 4-6 book weekend… Ah, good times!)
Name your favorite LMBPN Series or Character(s) and what you like about them.
Bethany Anne, she is awesome she kicks butt and always is about family. (And Coke - don’t forget the Coke ;-) )
If you made up an LMBPN Character, what would be three attributes you would use? (For Example, Bethany Anne is Justice, Family (including friends), and Coca Cola. Brownstone is Keeping it Simple - Respect - and BBQ)
Family, Protection of animals, Home cooking. (I’d be curious about what type of cooking? I’m from Texas, so home cooking uses a lot of oil, beef, chicken, gravy, potatoes… Well, that’s the central Texas part of my background.)
Tell us a few short sentences about yourself, and your reading hobby (When did you start reading, why, how much do you read and preferred genre's etc. (as ideas)):
I started reading as a 10-year-old to "Deal with my parents’ divorce". I am always reading if I'm not gaming or cooking. My family thinks I would rather read than talk to people. (MIKE EDIT: I often would. Sorry, it’s more to do with me sucking at conversation and hating to figure it out. Much easier to read than try to talk at times.) I’m all over the map when it comes to the genre of books I read (though the old school romance is off the table now). I think my favorite right now is Supernatural and Paranormal along with futuristic.
You can have my
I would say food first then maybe my hubby (Damn, Hubby AFTER food so GO HUBBY!)
Place you have loved to read the most in your life - best memories (mine was as a teenager at my grandparents’ house under the feather bed on cold days.)
The big shade tree at my grandmother’s house. (Spot on…)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
One of the interesting (at least to me) aspects of my life is the ability to work from anywhere and at any time. In the future, I hope to re-read my own Author Notes and remember my life as a diary entry.
WHERE AM I?
Hanging at Aria’s FIVE50 eating some pizza while the overtime hockey game (Stanley cup) is going on. Carolina vs. Washington, tied 3 to 3 at the moment. Large group party put on by NISSAN / INFINITI is hanging out here in the back.
Huh, I just noticed they have a buffet table of food back there…
(Editor’s note: We’ve lost Michael, folks!)
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Review them so others have your thoughts, and tell friends and the dogs of your enemies (because who wants to talk to enemies?)… Enough said ;-)
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael Anderle
Master
Animus Book 7
Chapter One
Kaiden sat on a bench in the carrier terminal and scowled at the slight downpour. The rain wasn’t exactly a surprise in the northwest, even with the regulation of the biospheres. What was odd was how late the carriers were running. The one he waited for should have been there ten minutes earlier.
He had hoped that by arriving the night before the year was supposed to start he would have an easier time getting in and setting up, but man, the trip from his last gig back to Seattle had been rough. The piece of junk dropship he’d traveled on had rattled
all the way, and his head had bobbed around like it was in an old paint shaker.
Of course, that had exacerbated yet another headache coming on that he had hoped to avoid. He grimaced and fumbled in his pocket for a strip of tablets, popped one out, and tossed it in his mouth, chasing it with a large swig of water from his canteen.
“Are you all right, partner?” Chief asked.
“I have another of those headaches. They’re not as regular now but every now and then, one sneaks in. It’s more annoying than anything else.” He slid the strip into his pocket and took another sip of water.
“Considering those are probably the result of the whole mind integrating with a virtual space thing without the assistance of the right gear, it’s actually quite amazing that’s the only problem you have.”
“I can tell when you’re fishing, you know.” Kaiden chuckled. “Do you want me to give you props about that still?”
“Hey, I understand if you’re disappointed. I’m curious what a human brain looks like as soup too.”
He laughed. “Asshole, you know you would have disappeared along with me if that was the case.”
“Either that or I would have got a bitchin’ pool,” Chief quipped.
Kaiden shook his head, but a smile crept onto his face. “I do mean it, even if I’ve already said it plenty. Thanks, Chief, you really came through there.”
The EI appeared before him. “There’s the good stuff. A little more humility would be nice to go with it, but I’ve realized I should take what I can.” He twirled and his eye jiggled up and down as Kaiden stared at him. “Uh, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know—weirdly, like you only now see me for the first time and I look like the disembodied head of your childhood pet.”
Animus Boxed Set 2 (Books 5-8): Revenant, Glitch, Master, Infiltration Page 44
