Lasers, Lies and Money

by Alex Kings

  A good trick can always be used twice. She took out her tablet and connected it to the car's lock. After gesturing at it a few times, the door slid open.

  She jumped in and started working at the console.

  The console lit up. Then it went dark, and the car began to sound an alarm.

  At the same moment, two Albascene came gliding around the corner.

  Olivia dropped behind the console. The headrest of her chair, flash-heated by a laser, burst open, releasing a smell of melting polymer.

  She opened the door on the far side of the car and scrambled out as another laser bit a hole in roof.

  She cowered against the side of the car as the Albascene approached, trying to find somewhere to go.

  *

  The moment the gangsters came streaming out of the building, Rurthk, Eloise and Mero dived behind the corner of the building.

  “Don't you work for Albert Wells?” Rurthk called. “I thought at least some of you would want to know about Sukone's plan to kill him!”

  There was no response.

  “Well, it was worth a try,” he muttered, and leaned out from the corner of the building to fire at the gangsters.

  “They'll be coming round the other side of the building too,” Mero reminded him.

  “I know,” said Rurthk. He looked around. There were a few shuttles and cars lined up nearby. They'd make good cover, but not for very long …

  “We need to move,” he said. “Mero, the car.”

  “Sure thing, cap,” Mero said, scrambling over to the car. He took out his tablet and with a few gestures, had the door open.

  Rurthk and Eloise fired a few more shots to ward off the gangsters, then jumped in after him. Mero already had the car active. It floated on a cushion of effector fields.

  “Where to?” he asked.

  “Anywhere!” snapped Rurthk.

  “Let's honour our departed friend Olivia,” Mero said.

  Eloise gave him a look. “She's not dead.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” said Mero. Under his direction, the car shot forward at the crowd of gangsters. At the last moment, he kicked it upwards with the effector fields. The car ran into the gangsters at head height. Some ducked or leapt to the side. There was a succession of sickening cracks from those who didn't.

  “And for my next trick,” said Mero, smiling. He flicked on the effector field again, pushing the cars weight against those below it, and leapt another two metres into the air, clearing the reach of two Varanids who tried to grab it.

  The car came back down ten metres away. Mero hit the accelerator and they hurtled off down the street.

  *

  Olivia sat, the car pressing awkwardly against her back. She could hear the faint hum of the Albascene's suit coming closer. She tried to activate her comms, but got only silence. Whether the system had been damaged in the scuffle with Zino or was being suppressed by the Albascene, she couldn't tell. She looked up and down the street for some escape, but there were only the skyscrapers and the occasional parked cars.

  If that was all she had, that was what she was going to work with.

  She pulled her shoes off and listened intently for the suit's hum. When she'd pinpointed its position and direction, she ran at a crouch, keeping the car between her and the Albascene. She could feel the stone road against her feet, but she made no noise.

  Her next safe stop was another car directly ahead, but to reach it, she would have to move into the Albascene's sight.

  It was just a couple of metres away. She paused, alone and exposed in the middle of the road, and glanced back. The hint of the Albascene's suit appeared from behind the first car.

  She took a deep breath and broke into a sprint. The crack of a firing laser echoed off the buildings. She felt a wave of warmth behind her, and then she was behind the next car.

  The Albascene glided towards the car. It didn't taunt her, didn't try to reason her into giving up. It just hunted her.

  The doors of a skyscraper were in sight.

  She clenched her fists, then burst into a run. She didn't head straight for the doors; she made it look like she was running away.

  Halfway there, she swerved. The Albascene fired with a sharp crack, missed.

  Olivia reached the doors. They didn't slide open She grabbed at them and pulled. They didn't budge. She turned to see the Albascene's laser sighted on her.

  The Albascene fired.

  Olivia fell back a moment before, and the laser cut into the doors.

  Struck with a desperate thought, she scrambled forward and pushed one of the doors. The laser had damaged whatever locking mechanism it had, and it swung open.

  She clambered inside and slammed the door after her.

  Chapter 63: A Dark Past

  Three hundred miles away, the Outsider floated near a shipyard in Nereus' outer shell.

  Dr. Wolff stepped into the cockpit, where Kaivon stood plugged into the console, and looked around.

  “You know,” he said. “It's been a while since I was last here.” He leaned forward to look out the front window. “I'd say the view is good, but I must confess, the observation lounge is better.” He turned to Kaivon and rubbed his hands together. “Well, my boy, how are the repairs going?”

  “Better than expected,” said Kaivon.

  “Things are usually easier when you have a million credits to throw around,” said Dr. Wolff.

  “I am finding that, yes. We are about to receive the last shipment of parts now. And I have found replacement shuttles. Do you think the Captain will be pleased?” Kaivon formed his effector fields into a needle to point at the telescope feed.

  Dr. Wolff looked at the screen. Two shuttles were flying towards them. One was sleek and angular, all sharp edges and mirrored plains – a stealth shuttle. The other was bulky, fattened by thick armour and laser turrets arrayed along its roof.

  “I'm sure he will,” said Dr. Wolff. He patted Kaivon's suit genially. “And much more importantly, my boy, when this is all over, you will have some new toys to play with.”

  “I am looking forward to working on them,” Kaivon admitted.

  A clang echoed through the bulkheads and the ship shuddered slightly.

  “Ah,” said Kaivon. “The final shipment of parts had just docked.” The cable linking him to the console unplugged and retracted into his suit. He rose up on a cushion of effector fields.

  “I think I'll join you,” said Dr. Wolff.

  *

  Down in the cargo bay, the door opened with a whine to reveal the insides of a cargo pod. A dozen or so engine parts were laid out on the floor. A man dressed in black crouched among them. He stood up, took out a pistol, and looked around.

  *

  Kaivon and Dr. Wolff walked down the corridor to the cargo bay.

  “The most important part of stealth design,” Kaivon explained, “isn't the hull but the engine. It must be heavily optimised to produce as little radiation as possible. Most stealth shuttles have underpowered engines and rely heavily on supercapacitors.”

  “So the radiation it gives off is undetectable?” Dr. Wolff asked.

  “Not entirely. Even a little radiation can give the shuttle away, so the engine also can emit all its radiation in one direction. If you point that away from any ships, they won't see it.”

  They reached the door to the cargo bay. Dr. Wolff unhooked it and swung it open.

  He was about to step through when he saw a faint motion among the boxes.

  “Wait,” he told Kaivon softly. He looked out at the cargo bay listening intently.

  There was a flash of black. Dr. Wolff slammed the door as a gun fired. A bullet ricocheted off the metal with a clang.

  He stared at Kaivon – and Kaivon seemed to stare back.

  “They've found us,” said Kaivon.

  “So it would seem,” said Dr. Wolff.

  “We have no combat training,” said Kaivon. “He will kill us easily.”

  “Then we'll have to figure somethi
ng out before he does,” Dr. Wolff said. His first thought was to have Kaivon go to the engine room – but it was inaccessible from here with an attacker in the cargo bay. Furthermore, the cargo bay had two entrances, so they couldn't lock him in from here.

  “Good eyesight, friends!” a confidence voice called. “It won't save you, though. I know you're alone here.”

  Wolff's eyes widened. “I know that voice,” he said quietly. Then he added, “Quick, upstairs, to the observation lounge.”

  *

  A couple of minutes later, the invader paced silently down a corridor, listening intently, his pistol ready. He was about to turn down a corridor when he heard a chair scrape against the floor ahead of him. Gotcha. He tightened the grip on his gun and smiled.

  He emerged into the observation lounge to find Dr. Wolff sitting at the table, looking out into space. The doctor didn't even look up as he entered.

  The invader stared at the doctor, his gun still raised.

  “Hello, Renner,” Wolff said after a moment, turning to look him. “It's been a while, hasn't it? I haven't seen you since … well.”

  “Doctor Wolff,” said Renner. “I … I didn't know you were on this ship.” He tried to keep his gun steady, despite his surprise.

  Wolff turned to look out the window again. “I suppose you're still with Sweetblade, then. Important enough to be sent out on hits by yourself.”

  “Yes,” said Renner quietly.

  “Talk to me, my friend.”

  “What?” Renner was beginning to feel ridiculous. He knew he should just pull the trigger and be done with it, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.

  “You remember our time working together? You were eager then. Still wet behind the ears. Hungry for honour and glory.”

  “I remember.”

  “I considered you a friend, you know,” said Wolff.

  “I thought you were obsessed with your experiments,” said Renner.

  “I was.”

  “I thought you were a friend too.” Renner took a deep breath. “But I still have to kill you.”

  “I know,” said Wolff softly. “Well, I suppose one has to go and face one's judgement at some point. I can only hope that whoever or whatever judges me is kinder than I was.” He laughed. “Please forgive an old man his rambling final words. I want you to answer me one thing before I go, alright?”

  “What is it?” said Renner.

  Wolff stood up slowly and turned to face him. His voice became as hard as frozen steel. “Do you still hear the screams?” he said. “When you're alone, when you dream. Do you hear them?”

  Renner stared at him. His gun wavered.

  “Do you remember the way they cut off suddenly when you put the subject out of its misery?”

  “Doctor …” began Renner.

  Ghostly effector fields snaking up behind Renner leapt into action, suddenly becoming stronger. They wrenched the gun out of his hand and dropped it on the floor.

  Wolff took his own pistol out of the inside of his jacket.

  “I do,” he said, and shot Renner six times in the chest.

  Chapter 64: Car Chase

  Tommy Egliante's chief operator was in his office, surrounded by screens and consoles, when he got a call. At the time, he was working on extracting Egliante's backup stash from its welded-shut box buried half a mile below the mansion, but when he saw the caller, he stopped what he was doing.

  “I hope you're enjoying your newfound wealth” said a deep, rumbling voice.

  “Sukone,” said the operator. “It's a pleasure to talk to you at last. “I'd gotten used to dealing with Mr. Zino.”

  “Felix Zino is … occupied at the moment,” said Sukone. “How are things at the Egliante household?”

  “Paranoid,” said the operator, sitting back and looking at a live feed of the mansion, where giant drilling machines were tearing a giant hole in the lawn.

  “I am not surprised. Are you still in favour? That is, are you in control of all this extra security?”

  “Some of it, yes,” said the operator.

  “Good, good,” said Sukone.

  “What do you have in mind?” said the operator.

  “Things here have not gone entirely to plan, so I am moving ahead with what you might call phase two. First of all, I need Egliante's back up hard drives destroyed.”

  “Destroyed?”

  “Well,” said Sukone, “let me put it this way. Are you happy with your current position?”

  “I should think so. It pays very well.”

  Sukone laughed. “Hazard pay, for I am sure there would be a great hazard if Tommy Egliante were to discover what you do in your free time. However, you are at the highest level among Egliante's staff, no?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then your career progression has reached its end. You can go no further. My friend, you are a rising star, but right now you are chained to the sinking ship of Mr. Egliante.”

  The operator began to smile broadly. “Are you offering me a job?”

  “Not quite,” said Sukone. “I am offering you freedom. Enough money to support you for the rest of your life. Your own estate, your own mansion, a fleet of luxury liners.”

  The operator made an impressed noise. “The thing is,” he said, “If I were to become a millionaire and vanish from Mr. Egliante's service, he may find it a little suspicious. And, as you say, that would be a hazard.”

  “There is no need to worry about that,” said Sukone. “If we succeed, Mr. Egliante will not be alive to trouble you.”

  *

  The car raced down the empty streets. Skyscrapers like giant toys raced past on both sides.

  Rurthk activated his comms. “Kaivon? Are you there?”

  Static wavered for a moment, then the line went down.

  “Let me guess,” said Mero without looking around. “They're jamming us.”

  “I can't get through to Olivia, either,” said Eloise. “We need to go and find her.”

  “Screw Olivia,” hissed Mero.

  “Mero –” began Rurthk. Something caught his eye. “Mero …”

  “Yeah, I see it,” Mero said.

  Another car was tearing down the street after them.

  “I really thought running them over was an effective way of saying fuck off,” Mero growled. “But these blockheads don't seem to have got the message.”

  Rurthk grabbed his pistol and smacked a panel on the door. The side window melted away into the door instantly.

  In the back seat, Eloise did the same.

  The car was gaining on them quickly.

  “They're faster than us,” Mero said.

  Rurthk gave him a look. “Really? I hadn't noticed.”

  Without waiting for a reply, he leaned out of the car. Wind roared past his ears. The car pursuing them was just close enough for him to make out Zino in the front seat

  Rurthk levelled his pistol and fired. Eloise did the same.

  Zino grinned and waved, then vanished from sight for a moment as he ducked down. He came up a moment later holding a miniature grenade launcher.

  “Oh, for –” Rurthk growled, and fired again.

  Zino leaned out of the car and sighted down the launcher.

  “Turn,” Rurthk ordered Mero, ducking back inside.

  Nothing happened.

  “Sooner rather than later!”

  Zino fired.

  Mero swerved sharply. The acceleration slammed Rurthk against the door. Shrapnel bit into the side of the car.

  Rurthk stared at Mero for a moment. “Good job,” he said. He checked a screen on the console showing a read view. Zino was lining up to fire again. “Trying to run is a losing game,” he said.

  “Agreed,” said Mero. “Shall we try something else?”

  Rurthk nodded.

  Mero swerved again as Zino fired. This time, he didn't stop turning, pulling the car into a full 180 degree turn as another explosion went off behind them. The effector field whined loudly as it took the ful
l force of the car's turn.

  A fraction of a second later they were driving right at Zino's car.

  Zino's eyes widened in surprise for a moment. Then he grinned. He said something to the driver beside him

  “Keep going,” said Rurthk. “Don't jump.”

  The cars raced towards each other. Zino didn't have time to fire again.

  A few metres away. Rurthk felt like he was face to face with Zino.

  Zino's driver was the first to blink. The car kicked down with its effector fields and jumped.

  Slightly too late.

  Mero was the first to see it. “Down!” he yelled, killing the effector fields.

  Rurthk and Eloise trusted his senses and reaction times. They ducked.

  The effector field pads on the bottom of Zino's car slammed into the roof of Rurthk's car, shearing it off. Bits of metals rained down on Rurthk.

  Zino's car, tipped forward by the collision, smacked into the ground behind them. Its nose hit first, and tipped over.

  Both cars skidded to a halt amid a shower of sparks.

  Rurthk lifted his head and looked around. The roof was gone. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and burnt polymer.

  “Yeah, this thing won't be moving any time soon,” said Mero, leaping out over the twisted remains of the door. “And my damn gun's broken.”

  “Same here,” said Eloise.

  Rurthk checked his pistol. It was still active, but there was a weak electrical buzzing sound from inside. The accelerator coils were probably damaged from the crash.

  He caught sight of Zino's car lying overturned a few metres away. Taking cover behind his own car, Rurthk watched Zino's, pistol held ready to fire at the first sign of movement.

  Nothing.

  “If that bastard's finally dead, you can all thank me immensely,” said Mero.

  “And if he isn't?” said Eloise.

  Mero smirked. “We're all to blame.”

  “You see anything?” Rurthk asked him.

  “No, cap,” said Mero.

  “Me neither.”