by Dennis Young
“Then tell me what you want, Jance. Give me a clue. Because all I see is someone who doesn’t have the guts to kill face to face.”
Jance’s worked her jaw, and her green eyes flashed. “Don’t piss me off, Talice, I’ll cut that pretty little face of yours to ribbons, then leave you alive.”
Talice eased herself into a bit of a crouch. “Come at me, bitch. Show me whatcha got.”
Jance holstered the pistol slowly, then raised the knife. “I’ll have your fucking heart for lunch. I’ll cut it out and hang it around your neck while you’re still alive.” Her eyes shifted quickly behind Talice and down the stairs. “Fuck!”
A shot rang in the corridor. Jance ducked just in time, the bullet shattering the wall behind her. She drew the pistol and fired blind.
Talice leapt aside, one slug tracing across her ribs, another her shoulder. AP rounds. Blood sprayed, and she cried out. Another rifle shot, and the bullet whizzed by so close, she could hear it. She fell, her ears ringing.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs behind her.
“Captain! Are you okay?” Junior. And Ollie, beside him.
Talice’s vision dimmed, her side and shoulder aflame. She turned her head to the office doorway. It was empty. Jance was gone.
* * *
Talice faded in and out. When her head cleared, Junior had her helmet and chest armor unbuckled and off. Her ribs were on fire, her left shoulder nearly numb. Junior was squirting pain-jel on her wounds like a pro, then slapping coag-patches over both.
“Armored pocket, left side,” Talice wheezed. “Bottle and patch.”
“I patched you, Captain, you’re gonna live.” Junior fished his hand gingerly into Talice’s left-side pocket. He pulled out the bottle of S-H and handed it to her.
She ripped the lid off and drank, then nodded. “Get the patch, too. Special.”
Junior almost blushed. “I’ve gotta get deeper into that pocket. Nothing personal…”
Talice put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll let you know when you hit the right spot.” She grinned weakly.
Junior fished out the patch. Talice tore the packet open and pressed it onto her now-bare arm. She laid back her head, breathing deeply, then nodded. She looked around. “Where’s Ollie?”
“Searching for that other woman. Who is she?”
Talice’s head swam and she shook it off. “Former Marine, one of mine. Gone rogue. Damn her.” She met Junior’s eyes. “Thanks. I was hoping I could stall her long enough for you guys to follow our voices up here.” She glanced to Evans aside. “Shit! How is he?”
“He’s alive, and I patched him up, then gave him a sedative through his IV tap. He’s out for a while. Nasty cut, down to the bone.”
“Razor-filament blade. Fucking pirate stuff.” Talice rose to her knees, moving carefully. “Help me with my armor.”
“Captain, we need to get you and Evans back to Bird One.”
Talice shook her head. “No transport. Both ATV’s are headed back. I’m going after Jance.”
“Captain…”
“Orders, Junior.” She gave him a quick hug. “Thanks, you did good. Now it’s my turn.”
Junior held his hand for a minute. “Ollie’s on the way back. No sign of… Jance, is that her name?”
“Jance Sukano. Yeah, I’ve got to find Target Five yet, too, and another friend.”
“Friendly friend, or enemy friend?”
“Real friend. Somebody who tipped us off. But she may be dead, too.”
Junior looked past Talice and into the office. “In this building? Why don’t Ollie and I look for them and you follow Jance?”
Talice considered, still shaking. “… No, I’m gonna need you both to do this. Let’s get Evans under cover first. We’ve got the info on Target Five, but my guess is, he’s already dead. Konee, the other woman, is petite, dark hair and eyes, really pretty. Geez, I hope she’s still alive.”
Junior helped Talice to her feet, fitted her armor carefully around her midsection and snapped the latches into place. She donned her helmet and Junior fastened it tight, then tapped it lightly. She nodded.
“If those had been HE rounds, half of me would still be on the floor.” Talice touched her wristcom. “Mac, Talice. Trouble in Paradise.”
“Damn, Talice, I thought you were gone. Junior and Ollie—”
“I know, they’re here now. Flesh wounds, I’ll live. We’re doing recon in this building. Target Five is likely neutralized, but we’ll confirm. Jance is on the run.”
“Copy. I’ve got drones watching. But the Marines are wanting to finish this today. You’ve got about three hours before the walls come tumbling down. They’ve taken prisoners, but they want to level the place.”
“Right. We need transport back soon. I’ll advise when we’re done.”
“Copy. Nothing on the drones at this point, ATVs are enroute back to Bird One.”
“We’ll be out of here in a couple of hours tops. I’ll check back then. Get the ATVs refueled and ready to roll once they’re in. Evans is in bad shape, have Abie ready the infirmary. Out.” Talice touched the button again.
Ollie poked his head around the corner. “Clear on this floor. Orders?”
Talice motioned to the stairwell. “Up. One floor left. And look sharp, we’re facing a former Marine, not some flunky bodyguard.”
* * *
They took the stairs slowly, watching above and below.
Talice left a recorded message on Evans’s wristcom to play if he awakened, and Mac was monitoring him as always. They’d tucked him away in the second-floor office behind an overturned desk, away from the carnage of the earlier firefight, and out of sight from the doorway. Then they headed to the third floor.
The stairwell was empty and quiet. They listened at the door to the corridor; there was no window into it. Junior plugged an amplifier into his helmet input and stuck it to the door, but heard nothing, not even building machinery running. The ventilation system was obviously off, the lifts inoperative, and only emergency power feeding essential circuits. And daylight was fading quickly.
Talice realized only then they’d spent nearly half the day combing this one building. Temp is minus ten degrees C and dropping. Damn, I didn’t even feel it when Junior was treating my wounds. Daylight is only about seven hours this far north, and that’s why the Marines want this done now. Gotta focus. Do the job. Find Mikal and eliminate him… if I can. Damn, I’d sure like to know what this is all about, though…
“Captain, are we entering?” Junior and Ollie waited patiently, watching the stairway down, then the one leading to the roof.
Jance is probably gone. She wasn’t a target, but I need to find her anyway. This has to be settled… especially if Konee is dead.
Talice motioned to the door. “Slowly. I’ll go in to the left, you take the right. Ollie, cover, don’t enter until we know it’s clear. If you hear shooting, use your discretion. Junior, shoot anything that moves.”
Junior eased the door open, and Talice lunged through, hit the floor, rolled, and came up with her pulse rifle sweeping the room. Junior followed in a second, scrambling behind a cubicle wall, and peeked out, gun in hand.
The room was dead quiet. Talice shivered. Cold breeze drifted through a shattered window. Glass was strewn about the floor, and she could see the outline of footprints leading into the room. Jance came through the window. Fuck. Konee’s in here somewhere, dead.
Talice knew anything she said to Junior or Ollie was likely being heard by Jance, or possibly others. She signaled by hand; she would circle to the left, he was to cover, then move right when she settled. They would circle the room, keeping the center in sight, hugging the walls where possible, and then converge on the center. Hoping no one popped up and started shooting. She watched as Ollie eased into the room and took up position at the doorway, behind a set of cabinets.
Talice crept around the room. This office wasn’t in disarray as the others. Likely then, if Mikal was in this building,
he’d not made it to this floor. Meaning they either missed him, or he’d escaped. Jance said she didn’t know where he was, and if she did, she’d be there. That’s likely her next target, then…
They saw no one. No bodies were found. This is fucking eerie.
Talice noted doors down a short corridor. “Recycler” rooms. She chuckled to herself. Do I get to check the men’s room as well as the ladies’? She motioned to Junior, and he nodded, then carefully made his way around to the corridor entrance. Talice did the same, and they met at the corridor entrance.
She pointed to him, then the men’s room. Junior nodded, slid along the wall, then burst into the room. No gunfire followed. Talice covered for him, waiting. In a moment, he emerged and gave a thumbs-up.
She crept past him to the ladies’ room door, turned and pointed to herself, then opened the door slowly with her gun barrel. Shit!
In an open stall, a body sat, bent over, a pool of dark blood beneath it. Talice checked the other stalls quickly, slung her pulse rifle, and gently lifted the body. It was Konee.
Fuck! Fuck!! Jance slit her fucking throat and left her here to die! Tied her to the fucking toilet and let her bleed out! Fuck! Fuck!!! Damn you, Jance! Damn you!!!
She cradled the cold, dead face in her hands and shed tears inside her helmet. She drew her knife and cut away the bonds, electric cords, and tape, laid Konee’s body on the floor, raised her visor, and wept again. She removed a gauntlet and touched Konee’s face gently. A tear fell.
“I see you’ve found our little friend.”
Talice stood, unslung her weapon, and backed out of the stall, whipping side to side. “Where the hell are you, Jance?”
“Look up and to your left. Hi, Talice.”
Camera! Dammit, she’s been watching us through the office monitoring system. Stupid, stupid! Why didn’t I think of this?
“Why, Jance? Why!?”
A laugh. “Hell, I don’t know. Maybe I just didn’t really like sharing Mikal with her. No matter now, right? And yes, I know she contacted you. I let her. Because I knew it would lead you here, looking for me.”
Talice seethed. Her heart raced, and she shook with rage. She knew she had to calm herself, even with the recent patch. She took a quick swallow from her suit tube and breathed deeply. If I don’t get a grip, none of this will matter. “So what now? We’re both looking for Mikal, right? What exactly do you want with him?”
“You know, it’s like when I found you… I’m not really sure. But I know you want him dead, and for that, if I find him, I just might keep him alive.”
“You are one fucked up woman, Jance.”
“Yeah, well, we all have our issues, don’t we?”
Talice licked dry lips. I’ve got to find Mikal, even if he’s dead. I’ve got to finish the job! “Jance… give me a hint. Where might Mikal be? In the compound, or has he already escaped?”
“Damn good question, Talice. Let’s do this — EEEK!!!”
Gunfire erupted in Talice’s headset. “Jance! What the hell!”
“Dammit! Captain, I’m down! Dammit!”
“Ollie!”
Sounds of footsteps running away. Then silence, except for Ollie’s labored breathing.
“Where the hell are you! Talk to me!” Talice rose, watching around the room.
Ollie gasped out his words. “Next building west, second floor, inside office. No windows.”
“How did you… never mind, I’m on my way.”
Talice headed for the door, swept through and past Junior, who fell in behind her. She was down the steps and out. She caught sight of a drone above the next building. Mac. Dammit, she and Ollie were tracking the conversation while I was… what, trying to think of reasons not to kill Jance for what she did? She pushed herself to run faster. Fuck! Fuck!!!
* * *
Mac’s voice filled Talice’s helmet as she raced across a parking lot littered with ice and groundcars and fallen bits of buildings. “Talice, I’ve got a runner. No, two, two runners, moving west toward the building beyond the one you’re headed to.”
“Junior, take care of Ollie, I’m going for Jance and whoever the other one is!” Gotta be Mikal! There’s no one else left!
Talice ran through and out the lobby, sliding to a stop, nearly falling on the rock-hard ice. Her boot caught an exposed piece of wreckage and she stumbled, just as the first target entered the building west. She aimed for the second, pulling off a quick burst. The recoil drove into her shoulder and slid her backwards.
The figure fell, spraying blood, rolled, and lay still. Got you, bitch!
Talice picked her way around a groundcar, approached with pulse rifle at the ready, and nudged the prone figure with a boot. “I only winged you. Get up!”
The figure turned, helmet visor missing, and met Talice’s eyes.
Mikal!
“What the hell? I’m…” Mikal gasped, clutching his arm, as it ran red into the rime and snow. He coughed, and his shoulder spasmed.
“You’re a target, but damned if I’m going to let you die before I get some answers.” Talice slung her weapon over her shoulder, reached deep into a patch pocket, and brought out her special wristcom. She raised her visor, blowing bright breath, and typed. Fawkes, I have Target Five, wounded. Do I neutralize? Talice.
She unslung the pulse rifle, kept it pointed at Mikal on the ground, then swept the far building with her eyes. Her wristcom buzzed. Do not neutralize. Medtechs on the way. Stay put. Fawkes.
She knelt. “Looks like you get to live another day. Now tell me what the hell is going on, or your wounds may get a lot more serious.”
Mikal shook his head, wincing. “I was in deep cover. Got close to the central command of Nemesis Corp. Second operative showed up, supposed to take info out, got caught up in… hell, you figure it out, you’re smart.”
“Yeah, you two were playing dominance games, that’s what you were doing, while the Marines were trying to make sense of it.” Talice chuckled dryly. “Marine command simply doesn’t understand how this deep-cover stuff can mess with your mind. Never will. To them it’s all about the Corps. They refuse to see the real world, sometimes.” And Fawkes never bothered to tell me. Maybe he was embarrassed to know his undercover boys had fallen for each other.
“You’re preaching to the choir, Talice.” Mikal’s breath was getting thready and his face paler by the moment. “And you’d better give me something pretty quick…”
Shit! Talice knelt, tore away his ragged shoulder covering, and dug out her pain-jel and a coag-patch, sprayed Mikal from neck to elbow, and applied the patch over his wound. Her rounds were HE, and had made a mess of his upper arm. His left leg showed blood, but that was just a graze.
She spun half a roll of gauze tape around his biceps, then tied his feet together with the rest. She hit him with a plug-injector of shock-relieving sedative. “You won’t be going anywhere for a while. The Marine medtechs will find you soon enough.”
Talice dug out her special wristcom again. Mac, standard comm is compromised. I need 10mm drone cover, other directly above. Where is the third drone? Talice.
The wristcom buzzed almost immediately. Wondered when you were gonna start using this. Third drone in the air, but won’t arrive before sunset. You’re out of time. No activity on west side. If your target is around, likely in that building. Mac.
Talice typed again. Target Five is sleeping like a baby. Apparently, he was one of Fawkes’s little secrets. Marines are enroute to retrieve. Send ATVs for medevac of Evans and Ollie, Junior is attending. Need big guy backup. Talice.
The reply came immediately. Copy. Man-mountains on the way. Mac.
She lowered her visor and looked around, then headed for the westside building. “Now for Jance.”
* * *
Talice made it to the western building without drawing fire, and paused at the entrance, breathing hard. Mikal must have been trying to get to the front when Jance found him. Then he got away, found her again, wanted to settle
a score, and everything went to hell.
She peeked out and upward, looking for the drones, but saw nothing. She plugged in an amplifier and listened at the door. No sounds. She stuffed the cable into a pocket and pried the door open with her pulse rifle barrel.
Gunfire erupted, blowing holes in the door and wall around her. She fell and rolled as the door collapsed, came up firing, spraying left to right and back. Then ducked behind the wall outside again.
More gunfire, AP rounds perforating the walls, and a slug traced across her back as she lay prone. She winced, gritting her teeth to keep from screaming. She crawled away, biting back tears and pain.
She made it to an abandoned groundcar, sat up and slapped a full magazine into her weapon, checked the battery, and took three deep breaths. Her back lit with fire as blood trickled down inside her HCS. She found the S-H tube and sucked it nearly dry, then panted again.
I can’t do this. Fucking bugs in my system just won’t let me do it. One chance. Gotta go in hard and make every round count.
Talice closed her eyes and considered. She won’t come after me. Values her own skin too much. She’s waiting behind cover, knowing I’ve got HE rounds, not AP. So I’ve got to power through wherever she is before I get shot full of nice, neat holes.
She took a quick glance around the groundcar, seeing the door in pieces on the frozen entryway. A buzzing in her helmet finally caught her attention, and she pulled out her secret wristcom.
Drones in position, tell me what to do. Mac.
Fuck, I almost forgot! Talice typed quickly. Take the 10mm drone through the west entrance and shoot anything that moves. I’m outside on the east. Gotta drive Jance out of the building. Talice.
Talice waited. Waited some more. Waited as the shadows grew longer. Finally, the crash came.
Gunfire inside the building told her Mac’s drone had found a target. Another crash, and Jance sprinted from the doorway, headed east. Straight for the groundcar. Straight for Talice. The drone was nowhere to be seen.
