by TR Cameron
None came. “Okay. Vans are outside. Get a move on.”
Ruby’s burner phone rang, and she laughed as she answered. “Demetrius, you’re right down the hall.”
His tone drove her mirth away. “There’s a hack underway on all the casinos and the Ely PD. It has a signature I recognize from an infomancer who goes by the handle Scimitar. She’s one of the best and has been linked to criminal enterprises around the world. She’s like a hero among hackers. I can’t imagine why she’d be messing around here.”
Ruby frowned. “Unless it’s part of something bigger, you mean. I get it. I’ll have the comm turned on from here on out, and I’ll head out to the Strip and see what I can see.”
“Be careful.” He clicked off before she could reply.
She said, “All right, kitty cat, let’s get a move on.” They dressed quickly, identically to their last outing. Ruby had found a slightly better way to hold the throwing knives, and they now rested in tiny sheaths on her belt, still loose enough to grab and throw in a single action. Her partner must’ve felt the same seriousness she did because Idryll offered no witty banter and made no effort to avoid wearing the disguise.
Ruby nodded in approval when they were both geared up. “Well, you wanted an interesting life, right? Let’s go find one.” She summoned a portal, and they stepped through to an alley at one end of the Strip.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ruby tapped the comm device in her ear through her mask. “Glam?”
The tech’s voice came back an instant later. “Ruby, what do you need?”
“There’s action going down, right now. Cyber attack that seems unlikely to be the start and end of something. Can you help me out?”
Deacon’s voice came across the channel. “Of course we can. What do you need?”
“The infomancer is going after all the casinos on the Strip and the PD as well, according to my local computer wizard. Doesn’t make sense, unless—
“Unless it’s a smokescreen for a concentrated attack on one of them,” Glam interrupted. “I get you. Traffic cameras?”
Deacon answered, “Traffic cameras.”
Ruby said to Idryll, “They’re helping us. Breaking into the traffic cameras, I guess to see if they can spot anything weird.”
The tiger woman nodded. “Excellent. Perhaps I should have an earpiece, too.”
“If there’s anyone I could admit your existence to, I would think it would be safe to do it with them. I’m not sure the magic of the venamisha would agree, though.”
Her partner shrugged. “You could try.”
Ruby grinned. “I could try.”
Glam’s voice broke in. “Deacon’s spotted three vans moving in a way that looks coordinated. They’re headed toward the other end of the Strip and are currently at about the midpoint.”
“Okay, hang on. We’ll get closer.” Ruby opened a portal, and she and Idryll skipped through to a spot between The Hunt and the Kraken.
Glam reported, “Vans drove up the sidewalk to the Kraken and stopped outside the casino doors. People with guns are piling out.”
“Got it.” She assumed the techs had a drone in action somewhere to have that information. Ruby threw a veil around herself and Idryll, and they headed off at a run. “Can you contact the Ely PD?”
Glam answered, “Negative. Communication is down.”
Ruby replied, “Hang on a sec.” They were close enough to see the vans, which looked utterly normal aside from their location and the wide-open doors. She activated her other comm to Demetrius. “It’s going down at the Kraken. Can you get hold of the police or the sheriff?”
After a pause, he replied, “No. They’re blocked. Nothing’s getting in or out. Probably they’ll notice before too long and be on the move.”
“Dammit. Okay. Let me know if anything changes.” She clicked back over to the other comm unit. “My guy can’t get to them either.”
Glam offered, “We can notify the PDA, but their response time will suck, and we’ve already discussed they’re going to bring suspicion of everyone and everything along with them.”
Ruby considered that for a second, but it really wasn’t a question. “If they can help, send them.” She’d deal with whatever fallout she had to after they ended the threat.
Glam replied, “Affirmative,” as Ruby and Idryll dashed through the doors into the casino.
Appropriate to its name, the Kraken was oceanic from start to finish. The lighting moved to give the impression of being underwater, projections traveled on the walls as if they were giant monsters swimming by, and everything reinforced the notion that you were below the waves, walking on the bottom of the ocean. However, the gunfire and explosions coming from all around and the constant chill rain of the sprinkler system wrecked the atmosphere. Ruby growled, “I have no idea how many of them there are.”
Idryll replied, “Me either. Let’s make sure that number gets smaller.”
“Excellent plan. Meet at the escalators?”
The other woman grinned. “Perfect.”
Idryll charged to the left, heading directly for the nearest invader. It was easy to identify them since they all wore at least a piece or two of military gear that differed from the uniforms required of the casino security personnel. The cacophony was unlike anything she’d ever experienced since her rivals and prey on Oriceran tended to be exclusively non-technological. Still, television had shown her these things, so it wasn’t completely unfamiliar. Her target never saw her coming, and she smashed into him with a full-body leap, her forearms crashing into his ear under his helmet. His weapon flew into the air, and he made a speedy trip that ended with his back slamming into the floor. She landed on him and punched his face, both blows making sure he wouldn’t get up anytime soon, then looked for the next.
He saw her at the same time she spotted him. Bullets sped toward her, but she skittered to the side, changing her direct approach to a zigzag, and moved too quickly for him to track her with his rifle. He panicked and tried to backpedal at the last moment, which only worked to her advantage. A push at his throat and an ankle kick knocked him to the floor, then she leapt and dropped to both knees on his chest. A cracking sound came from beneath the armor he wore, and he expelled blood in a cough. She peered down at him and shook her head sadly. “I might’ve broken this one. Pity. You’re all so fragile.”
Her instincts warned her of trouble, and she dove off to the side and rolled away in time to avoid being caught by the grenade she’d sensed coming through the air. It blew up the man she’d injured, as well as the gaming tables around him. Fortunately, most of the casino workers had fled, and only guards remained behind to mix it up with the attackers.
Idryll rose to her feet and turned a slow circle to find that three hard-faced men were pointing rifles at her. She bared her teeth in a fierce grin, predator to prey. “Well, this should be fun.”
Ruby moved to her right, summoning her full-body force shield as well as a buckler on her arm. It was enough of a drain that she could sense it pulling at her pool of power, but it wouldn’t stop her from fighting with weapons or attacking magically if necessary. Plus, she had two healing potions and two energy potions in her thigh pockets, meaning she could afford to be a little less frugal with her power than usual. If I ever needed a solid defense, it’s in this mess.
It was hard to isolate who might be a danger, given the sheer number of the attackers. She estimated a couple of dozen, at least, but the situation was so fluid she couldn’t be sure. The thought crossed her mind that it would be quite convenient to be able to pick off some of them from a distance, but she wasn’t adequate with a pistol and wouldn’t tie up both hands with a bow. Plus, there’s something satisfying about being up close. She drew her sword with her right hand and layered force magic over the blade, not willing to deliver instantly fatal wounds if she could avoid doing so. Everyone would benefit if the attackers survived to be grilled for information. While those who’d already fallen in the casino p
erhaps deserved eye-for-an-eye justice, she needed to focus on the bigger picture, what was best for the city.
The first enemy she found was unaware of her presence as he traded shots with guards on the second floor, at the top of the long escalator designed to look like a coral reef that served as the room’s centerpiece. He wore a helmet that protected the back of his head, so instead of the elbow she might’ve used against a defenseless foe, she snapped her sword out in a horizontal strike and bashed him at temple height. He stumbled forward and didn’t move after he hit the floor.
The action caused another nearby attacker to notice her, and in an instant, rifle bullets were on the way. Damn. These people are as good as anyone I’ve faced on this planet. She interposed her shield to catch them and charged in that direction. Before she got there, a second bad guy noticed her and fired from a different angle. Ruby threw herself across a poker table, landing hard on the far side and dropping her sword. She popped up and threw a force blast at the nearest, catching him in the chest and sending him flying backward through the air. The second one dove for cover behind a pillar, evading the magical attack she sent in his direction and leaned out to fire a moment later.
She caught his rounds on her shield, then knelt to retrieve her sword, and sheathed it. After casting a veil, she crept out from behind the table, moving in a circular path toward the back of the pillar. He never heard her coming, and she kicked out his legs from beneath him and did a small hop to land on his shoulder blades, her heels slamming into them with a pair of resounding cracks. She kicked his weapon away and moved ahead, looking for the next target.
The veil had cost her some energy, but she still had enough for a while at least. More practice with magic would build her reserve, Keshalla had said, and she’d made it part of her daily routine. Still, she never had enough to do all that she thought she should be able to do, and the scientist portion of her mind wondered if, as her magic increased in power, it also became proportionately more costly. In any case, she felt safe being visible as long as she didn’t wind up the focus of multiple enemies at once.
Despite her efforts to be careful and look out for any kind of potential trouble, it was a total surprise when the dark elf stepped out of nowhere and blasted her with a double dose of lightning.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ruby clashed her bracelets together, summoning a barrier of force that materialized as a dome around her, cutting off the oncoming magic. It took several seconds for the jitters of that lightning blast slamming her shield to subside, after which she drew her sword and readied herself for battle with the elf. She poured more energy into the buckler on her left arm, increasing its size until it was almost her full height.
The barrier fell, and she charged her foe. He cast magical attacks with both hands, seemingly unconcerned with defense, and maneuvered to the side to avoid her rush. She caught blasts of shadow and fire on her shield, wincing as the power fed back into her. Still, it was only a tiny fraction of what it would be without that protection. She got close enough to whip her sword around in a strike at his chest, and he blocked it with a hastily summoned shadow shield in his left hand as a shadow blade extended from his right.
Before she could recover for a second stroke, he was on her, his blade lashing out in a series of fast attacks. Should’ve stuck with the casting, buddy. Part of her training with Keshalla included a variety of fighting styles to defend against, and she recognized what the Drow was using. It relied on speed, trying to overwhelm the opponent to the degree that they got in the way of their reflexes. Ruby used the appropriate defense, letting her mind go soft and trusting that her body would do what she needed without too much overt control.
Her sword licked out to deflect the first blow of the next flurry and batted his weapon upward, wrecking whatever pattern he’d planned. She slashed hers inward but met his shield. He snapped out a kick, and she skipped backward, then hacked her blade down at the extended leg. He yanked it back and launched himself at her, shield held in front of him like a battering ram. She caught it on hers, meeting his force with hers and trusting in her strength to counteract his slight build. She held, breaking his momentum.
He spun to disconnect from her shield and whipped his sword around. She ducked under the swipe and took a force blast as he abandoned melee attacks and let his defensive magic fade. The shield that lay an inch away from her skin caught the magic and spread the power equally across her body. With a grunt, she slashed low at his legs. The only evasive option he had was to leap, and he took it, rendering him vulnerable for a moment as he sent another blast of magic in her direction.
She took advantage of his defenselessness, abandoning the shield in her left hand and smashing him with a beam of force. He brought up a force disc to protect his head, figuring that’s where the attack would be coming, so her bolt smashed unhindered into his undefended groin. He fell with a hard thump and curled up in pain. She took a step toward him to make sure he was unconscious but caught gunfire out of the corner of her eye and crouched behind her shield as a pair of humans on the escalator attacked her.
Idryll crouched suddenly, and the initial flurry of shots went over her head. The trio had positioned themselves so they didn’t catch each other in a crossfire, a situation she hoped to change quickly. She leapt forward, staying low, and smashed into the knees of the nearest with her full momentum behind her. The joints snapped, and the man went up over her back and down to the floor as she plowed through him without halting.
She cut immediately to the right, assuming the others would be drawing a bead, and took an angle on one of the remaining two that put him between her and the third. Bullets flew, a couple of them close enough to pluck at her clothes as she advanced. The nearer man dropped his rifle and went for knives, a pair of wicked-looking serrated blades that ended in a sharp point appearing in his fists.
Idryll halted her rush to avoid impaling herself, and he flicked the weapons out at her in a series of cuts at her face and hands. He was good, and despite her speed advantage, she didn’t have all that much experience fighting men with knives. She did know claws though and knew their weaknesses quite well. She batted attacks aside and bided her time, moving on a path opposite the third, who was trying to find an angle that would get her current opponent out of the way. Finally, her foe made a mistake, only a small one, extending his arm a little too far to reach her.
She popped out her claws and slashed the underside of his arm, tearing the muscle and forcing him to drop the blade. He recoiled in shock, and she repeated the process on the other arm, slicing through the flesh underneath. Then she stepped forward and delivered a front kick to his torso, sending him flying into the one behind him. They both smashed to the floor, and before the unwounded one could react, she jumped on him and stabbed her claws deep into his shoulders, ensuring he wouldn’t use his arms anytime soon.
The screams of pain almost caused her to miss Ruby’s shout. “Kitty cat, upstairs.” She turned and saw that Ruby held up a shield to block attacks from people on the escalator. With a growl, she charged for the moving staircase in the middle of the room.
Ruby considered taking out the pair on the moving staircase with force bolts, but she had business on the second floor anyway, so it was time to move. Running up the escalator was a nonstarter since she’d be a target on the approach. Instead, she blasted the floor beneath her with force magic, sending her hurtling toward her foes. She arced over the men and landed on the far side, then placed a hand on the metal between the sides and vaulted it, snapping a foot into the face of the nearest. He crumpled and rolled down the stairs.
The other one produced a knife from nowhere, so she coated her left arm with an additional force magic layer and used it as a blocker. He kept her at a distance with his thrusts, making her focus on defense while they climbed higher. She threw a punch now and again that he blocked with elbows, but the available space on the escalator didn’t allow for much more. Retreating wasn’t an option for fear
of a misstep that would send her plunging down the staircase, and every time she tried to punch, he moved the knife in the way to block. She readied a force bolt, but her partner’s move rendered it unnecessary.
Idryll, moving as fast as she’d ever seen her run, dashed up the down stairs. She leapt over the separator and smashed an elbow into the man’s head, and he tipped over the side and fell to the floor below.
Ruby commented, “Subtle.”
The tiger woman laughed. “I didn’t rip out his heart or bite off his arm. You should count that as a gift to protect your delicate sensibilities.”
Ruby gestured upward. “Those folks up there might need some of the same treatment.” She stepped forward, slipping past her partner and raising a force shield to catch the inbound gunfire. She curved the barrier as they went, making sure she covered their flanks. “I’ll go left.
“You’re remarkably inconsistent. You know that?”
She barked a laugh. “Everyone’s a critic. Shut it. I think there’s a bunch of these guys up here, so be careful.” They separated at the top, Ruby charging the ones to the left, who had dropped their rifles in favor of pistols and spread apart. Gunfire hit her shield as she approached, biting like bee stings and pulling at her magical reserves, but she continued. She snapped a kick out at the first one, who seemed utterly amazed that his bullets weren’t reaching her, and he went down in a lump.
Ruby turned to the other, who had yanked out a baton that sparked at the end. “Seriously?” She let her shield fall and bathed him with lightning, and he dropped twitching to the floor. “Idiots.”
