Martian Quadrilogy Box Set

by Brandon Ellis

  “Still trying to save your uncle even after what you saw?” Ozzy shook his head in disbelief. She had a lot of confidence that people could change, but this was ridiculous.

  Anonymity cleared his throat to get Ozzy’s attention. “Deal, Ozzy. Send it over now.”

  Ozzy punched in the information on his auric wallet and sent over the funds. “You’re welcome.”

  The com channel blipped off.

  Ozzy rubbed his hands together. “That piece of shit knows how to do business.” He let out a sigh.

  Jozi also exhaled sharply, her posture hunching. “Let’s just get to Lyra No Tail.”

  At least that was something they could agree on.

  He hurried out of his cockpit and slid down the ladder, pausing when his feet hit the floor. Quad was standing, stuck between the wall and the forks with his arms hanging by his side.

  He was like a statue.

  Gragas, sitting on a fork and sharpening one of his knives, looked over his shoulder. “Ready to go?”

  “Stay here and guard Quad.”

  “You spared my life, Ozzy. That means I spare yours,” said Quad. “No need to guard me.”

  Jozi stepped onto the lower deck. “Do you trust him, Gragas?”

  Water flowed through the hole in the ceiling like a mini waterfall. Schroeter City’s sterilization port had begun the cleaning process.

  Gragas sheathed his knife. “Yes, he’s right. He’s by the code and by the book. Trust him.”

  Ozzy jerked his head back and snorted. “Trust him?” That didn’t sound like the best idea, but it came from Gragas’s mouth. Gragas had yet to be wrong about much of anything. Plus, he may need the Galactic Knight on his side when dealing with Lyra No Tail.

  Ozzy motioned toward the rack above the workbench. “Grab the hemp rope and tie him up for me?”

  “Are you going to keep me here forever?” asked Quad. He was stuck. He wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Maybe. Tie him well, Gragas.”

  Gragas snatched the rope and carried it toward Quad.

  A buzz inside the cleaning port told Ozzy that the oxygen levels were optimal. Another buzz and the water turned off.

  Ozzy slapped the “open” button. “Let’s get to Lyra No Tail and convince her I need her craft.”

  23

  Schroeter City, Mars

  Ozzy walked down a long underground tunnel, which had a slight descending grade. Schroeter City was above ground but, for some reason, Lyra seemed to like the metropolis’s cold, dark underworld.

  Above, flying cars buzzed by, hovermonorails zipped high atop sidewalks, and the nighttime holographic images and lights covered just about every downtown building, signaling that the crazy nightlife was about to get underway.

  Gragas and Jozi flanked either side of Ozzy.

  Jozi held her hands on her holsters, watching the people walking up and down the tunnel. She was like a wolf, looking for prey.

  Lights dangled from the ceiling and set a dim glow throughout the tunnel.

  “Take the Eagle and get yourself to Europa instead of flying to Earth,” said Gragas. He moved around a sleeping transient and leaned against the tunnel’s wall. “You will not survive Earth. The Dunrakee would kill you in minutes upon arriving.”

  Ozzy stopped and cleared his throat. “Why are you helping me so much, Gragas? I know why Jozi is because she’s in the same predicament that I’m in—being wanted for something the High Judge claims we did. He set us up, but I’m thinking the High Judge couldn’t set you up even if he tried.”

  Gragas motioned to a robed man who was hunched over. “Let’s keep walking.”

  “Tell me, Gragas.”

  Gragas shook his head, plodding forward. Ozzy and Jozi followed. They passed a few other men and women who were all hunched over and ambling onward.

  Gragas pointed ahead. “There’s more of them.”

  “I don’t care,” said Ozzy. “Why are you helping me?”

  “Because you’re of the bloodline, and I want to recruit you into the Galactic Knight network. That’s why.”

  Ozzy passed yet another monk look-alike. “That’s not all and you know it.”

  Ahead was a large golden door. It was decked out in elaborate cat figures around its edges.

  “The bloodline is more powerful than you can imagine. If I lose any more Beings who are of the bloodline, then we have no chance against any genocidal races here to destroy the galaxy, much like my race, the Dunrakee.”

  “What does the bloodline do? I don’t have special powers, so why the hell would you need me?”

  “You are able to decode what most cannot. It comes naturally to you. It’s a gift, but it’s more than that. You may think it’s not much, but it’s worth more than all the money in the universe. With the blood you carry, you can figure out just about any ancient secret that comes your way, and that’s what I need. That’s what the galaxy needs.”

  “That’s Lyra No Tail’s lair,” Jozi said, still eyeing the surroundings as if someone would jump out at any minute.

  A row of crouched, robed figures lined the walls, almost as if waiting for someone to come out of the doors to worship. Perhaps Lyra was a celebrity among monks?

  This was beyond strange.

  Ozzy stopped at the door and knocked.

  The door swung open abruptly. A man in a Mars Ministry Police outfit stood with his hands cupped at his midsection. “May I help you, gentlemen?” He glanced at Jozi and winced. He gave her an odd look as if he knew her but probably couldn’t quite place from where. “And lady.”

  Ozzy peered inside. “What’s going on?”

  Blood was splattered all over the floor. A body, wearing Boyd’s signature orange shirt and black pants, was lying on a couch. A bullet hole was through his head, and blood was dripping from the couch to the floor.

  Ozzy could see the profile of a man in a trench coat and a top hat. He was surrounded by MMP agents and giving them orders while they busily searched this underground abode. The man eyed Ozzy then turned back around.

  “I’m sorry. This is police business,” said an agent who was looking Ozzy up and down. “I thought you all were other agents who were supposed to be here. You’ll all need to be on your way.”

  The man in the top hat spun around fully, and his mouth gaped open when he realized who was standing there.

  The agent slammed the door shut.

  Ozzy backed up. “Be ready.”

  The same agent who spoke prior flung the door open and stood like a shadow in the entryway. “Stop.”

  Ozzy held up his hands. “Yes?”

  The agent gestured for Ozzy to step inside, but Ozzy shook his head.

  Mort Wildly stepped into view. “Ozzy Mack. You little scoundrel, you. I just love it when coincidence meets the short end of a smoky muzzle, don’t you?”

  Ozzy went for his sidearm. The agent was faster.

  Whapooh!

  A photon bolt from behind Ozzy whizzed by his ear and put a scorched hole in the agent’s forehead, who lurched and slumped to the floor, his eyes still open and his breath as still as calm water.

  Wildly dove away and kicked the door closed as he disappeared from view.

  One of the monks threw his robe off, followed by another. The click-clack of photon rifles echoed in the tunnel.

  The monks rushed forward, screaming, and let loose several photon slugs toward the door.

  Ozzy shielded his eyes from the splinters bursting from the entryway. What the hell was happening?

  24

  Schroeter City, Mars

  Jozi pushed Ozzy out of the way, and Gragas stood in front of him, blocking the shards of breaking wood.

  Klackow!

  The door, pulled from its hinges, exploded and pieces bounced on the floor.

  Ozzy rolled to the side, aiming his photon pistol, and Jozi tucked and rolled, pulling out both guns holstered to her side as the MMP agents and Mort Wildly’s men returned fire.

  Gragas was
down on one knee aiming his rifle at any moving figure.

  Blue explosions from the photon charges and beams shot back and forth through the doorway. It was a grand display of energy weapons.

  A blast erupted next to Ozzy and left a black streak on the wall. He pulled his trigger, sending a volley of photon beams through the doorway.

  “Move forward,” a monk yelled.

  A horde of monks, some wearing hooded robes and others throwing them off, raced toward the blown-out door. These must be the guards of Lyra No Tail.

  Ziiwachiii!

  An MMP flash grenade detonated at one of the monk’s feet. He lifted off the ground and was tossed onto his back.

  Ozzy closed his eyes from the bright light expanding from the discharge. Someone stepped on him as they ran by. He lifted his head to see who it was, but the light was too much.

  “Cease-fire,” yelled a monk. “Cease-fire.” It was a woman’s voice.

  The light faded, and Wildly, some of his men, and a few MMP agents were rounding a corner and running away as fast as they could.

  The woman monk extended her hand, pointing down the tunnelway. “Sammy, Foma, Shangli. After them.”

  Three monks grunted their acknowledgments and raced after Wildly and his bunch, also disappearing around the corner.

  The leader dropped her hood.

  It was Lyra No Tail.

  Her silver fur glowed, and she had a golden tuff of hair on her head that curled over her wide, cat-like eyes.

  She was strapped with guns around her waist and had a bow-like weapon over her shoulder. Ozzy couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

  Her eyes bored into Ozzy’s. “Why are you here?”

  Ozzy stood, dusting himself off. “The real question to ask is…what just happened?”

  Lyra bit her lower lip, her sharp, front teeth digging into her fur. “Mort Wildly and his alliance with the Ministry is what just happened.” She pulled out a dagger and quickly swiped the string connecting the robe to her chest. The robe fell to the floor.

  She was all fur, except for a sports bra and short, tight pants that went to her knees. She ran her tongue along her fur.

  A few monks dropped their robes and pulled out small towels from their pockets. They grabbed water flasks from their satchels and dampened the towels, which they used to rub down her arms.

  Jozi approached Ozzy. “What’s she doing?”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. “No idea.”

  Lyra shooed her monks away. “Okay, come inside.” She snapped her fingers, motioning for Ozzy to join her. “Your friends cannot follow.”

  Gragas unsheathed a dagger. The monks pointed their weapons at him.

  “Are you okay with going inside alone, Ozzy?”

  “I’m fine.” He eyed Lyra. “Tell your men and women to lower their weapons. I’ll join you.”

  “All’s fair,” she said. “Lower your weapons.”

  “Thank you,” Ozzy said and followed into her lair. Several dead people were lying on the ground, and red, sticky blood was streaked down the cement walls that made up Lyra’s home.

  His mouth about dropped to the floor, and he bit back the vomit that rose up his throat. The room stunk of singed hair and burned skin. The aroma of death and rotting flesh wafted in the air, along with a terrible and eerie silence.

  He stepped over a dead agent and glanced around.

  MMP agents were littered on the floor along with several of Wildly’s men and some of Lyra’s monks.

  Again, all dead.

  The walls were poked full of holes. Pieces of cement and brick were on the ground. A fireplace was caved in, and sofas and chairs were torn to shreds.

  It looked like a world war took place in Lyra’s main hall.

  Ozzy covered his nose and stepped over a monk.

  Lyra approached an agent and kicked the man in the face for good measure. “Stupid ass.” She pointed to a staircase. “You want to talk, Ozzy? We can talk. But you haven’t done a job for me in a long time, so I’m confused as to why you’re here?”

  “I’m not here seeking forbidden archaeological business.”

  Lyra stopped, her entire body going rigid. “You are here to kill me?”

  Ozzy looked left and right. “Uh…no.”

  She let out a loud sigh. “Good. I’m a little tired of people trying to kill me.” She began to walk up her stairs but turned around. “What is it, then?”

  “Jonas sent me.”

  She nodded. “You know?”

  “I know.” He assumed the knowing was about their alliance.

  “Lyra,” a man yelled from across the lair. He was dressed in a long, black robe and wearing an orange shirt and black pants. He was carrying a holopad and hurrying toward her. “We just found this. It was under the couch.”

  She swiped the holopad out of his hand. “Give it to me.” She lifted her nose, causing wrinkles around her mouth. “Thank you, Mosen. You can leave now.”

  The man walked away, bowing several times. Ozzy and Lyra stared at the blood-soaked holopad.

  Lyra mewed. “Mosen, you didn’t even bother to wipe it off. You can’t find good help these days. It’s the times, you know?”

  Ozzy shrugged. He reached forward and pressed the “on” button.

  A hologram shot into the air. The High Judge sat behind his desk with his hands cupped in front of him. An awkwardly positioned camera was pointed in his direction, though Ozzy could tell the camera was hidden and tucked away.

  Robert appeared in all white, which was the usual high official Ministry attire. He donned a white hat with an MM logo that meant Mars Ministry.

  “Mr. Wildly,” Robert said, forcing a smile. “We need Lyra No Tail, Jonas Moon, Pluto Beef, Shifty Eyes, and the other syndicates that are forming an alliance to be eliminated.” Robert glanced toward the camera but not directly at it. It was obvious that the High Judge didn’t know he was being filmed.

  The camera jostled. “Consider it done. Now, I need some good vibes, Mr. Wears-Too-Much-White.”

  That was definitely Wildly. The guy was a Marshole to everybody.

  Wildly continued, “I need to be sure that Bill MM237-3 and 237-4 are being pushed through. You know, the vaccine program?”

  Robert leaned back, a sinister twinkle in his eyes. “Of course.” He slid a paper across the table.

  Wildly grabbed it and put it directly in front of the camera while he read. “The Martian Plague Vaccine will be administered en masse with and without consent. The Mars Ministry desires to rid the Martian Plague from the human race for long-standing.”

  The paper went on and on, but Wildly put it down before Ozzy or Lyra could read the rest.

  “Sounds reasonable,” said Lyra. “But why is this being filmed undercover?”

  “I think Wildly is setting the High Judge up, but the question is why?”

  Lyra stood taller. “He’s going to expose Robert. But with a vaccine program?”

  Ozzy lifted his finger, shushing Lyra.

  “…and you’re creating this vaccine campaign to lower the population. Is that correct, my good General?”

  Robert gave Wildly an odd stare. “You know the plan. Are you questioning it a week before I implement this into law?”

  “I don’t want any of my men to be given the fake vaccine. It’s poison, designed to kill,” Wildly said. “I need to be reminded, in good measure, why you’ve created this toxin.”

  “You know why.”

  “I suppose. From what I know, the toxin was created to lower the population for better government control but unbeknownst to the people.” The camera moved up and down, and Wildly’s arm blocked its view for a moment. “Each citizen is required to pay for this vaccine, and the majority of the vaccines are laced with poison and are deadly. You and I are getting a handsome amount from each vaccine purchased.” Wildly let out a chuckle. “I love auric credits. Don’t you, Robert?”

  Robert flashed a quick smile, neither nodding nor shaking his head.
“What are you doing, Wildly? You’re acting strangely, and quite frankly, it’s not making me feel very good about our agreement.”

  The camera turned off.

  Lyra gave Ozzy an ominous stare. “Tell Jonas I’m ready to move in to his bunker at Tagus Valles. My men and women will join me. I mean, look what the MMP and Wildly did to my place?” She moaned. “Cleaning this up would be exhausting.”

  Didn’t she just witness the video? No shock? No nothing?

  She saw Ozzy’s look. She splayed her fingers over her chest. “Do you think I’d be surprised by a crime lord’s backstabbing of a government official?” She shook her finger in front of him like he was a naughty schoolboy. “Us crime syndicates are here to help society while we take from the Ministry and protect Mars from the Dunrakee, which the Ministry doesn’t seem capable of doing. Mort Wildly is doing what a good crime boss does, which is screw over the High Judge to make life better for himself.” She held up the holopad. “He probably didn’t want to lose this, though. Without it, he wouldn’t be able to blackmail Robert.”

  She handed the holopad to Ozzy.

  Ozzy put his hands up and backed away. “I don’t want it.”

  “Then I’ll smash it on the floor.”

  Ozzy reluctantly grabbed it.

  “And Ozzy,” said Lyra. “Tell Jonas I will arrive soon.”

  Ozzy didn’t know about the part of the plan where she’d move into Jonas’s compound and, most likely, Jonas didn’t either. But he’d use it to his advantage. “In order for you to move into Jonas’s compound, I have to borrow your Eagle.” Nothing like using new information against someone. “Or the deal is off between you and Jonas.”

  “Why would you need an Eagle?” She wiggled her nose and giggled.

  “We need a big enough craft to get me from Mars to Earth to retrieve a rather important artifact.”

  She paused and blinked her eyes several times. “Hmm, you’re not bluffing. Okay, I’ll bite, baby. What artifact?”

  “I wasn’t told that you’d question me.” He put his hands together and said, “Thank you for your courtesy and for not killing me during the crossfire. I’ll let Jonas know the deal is off.” He turned to leave.