Danger’s Vice

by Amanda Carlson

  But this lady must be short a cell or two.

  She stood there looking obtuse. “The kid was a pain in the ass. Nothing but a complainer.” Her words were even harder to understand when she spoke quickly. “Slavery would’ve hardened him up, got him ready for life on the outside.”

  No need to hear any more.

  Lifting my foot, and with very little effort on my part, I connected the sole of my boot with her midsection. She uttered a satisfying oof as she was forced backward, the metal rod jerking out of her hand, landing on the floor with a clatter. She hit the wall and half fell, half slouched her way down. Once on the ground, she remained unmoving, which was the only smart thing she’d done since she stepped into the hallway waving her ridiculous weapon.

  “I hear you have another kid,” I said as I moved closer. When she didn’t answer, I lifted my foot again.

  Her arms lofted into the air. “I have one. He’s a good boy!”

  I squatted next to her so we were on the same level. There would be no mistaking my intent. “If I hear one word about you harming that kid or selling him into slavery, I will hunt you down, and you will beg for mercy. Are we clear?” The lights from my shoulders bathed her face in blue. Her eyes were wide, her expression fearful.

  “I love that boy. I would never harm him.” I la dat buoy. I ould nay hirm he.

  I stood. “Then we’re all good.” On the way out, I called over my shoulder, “And don’t even think about placing one skinny leg inside that unit upstairs. It’s mine.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Case didn’t comment on what had happened with housecoat lady on our way to the guard station, which was fine by me. It’d felt great to avenge Daze. I imagined the kid’s response when I told him the story, his eyes shining, a smile full of teeth, and a quippy rebuttal at the ready.

  We stopped at an intersection. Case tapped my shoulder and gestured for me to follow him. He took off down a lone street with more empty lots than buildings. I wasn’t sure what we were going to find once we arrived, but I knew there was no easy way to get Luce back.

  We weren’t getting out of town unseen.

  At the end of the street, the station loomed in the distance. The nondescript one-story building had a tall fence running around it, the main city wall, made of thick concrete, just beyond. It was obviously the station, because it was the only thing around with any lights on.

  “They don’t skimp on battery power around here,” I commented. “It’s bright enough to light up the entire block.”

  “It looks like they’re expecting something,” Case said. “The last time I was here, it was mostly dark, only a few lights on.”

  That didn’t bode well for us. Since the Port Station guards were easily bribed, it was unsurprising that they’d be on the lookout for me. If Lockland or Case could get to them, so could Tandor’s men.

  “Where do you think they put her?” I asked. “The fence doesn’t look too tall. If we can get close to it, I can stand on your shoulders and check out the interior.”

  “That might work,” Case said. “If one of the guards tried to fly your craft, would they be successful?”

  My lip curled in disgust. “Of course not.”

  “Would the entire craft blow?”

  “No,” I hedged. “Well, not at first.” Risking my only means of transportation with a damaging explosion on a would-be thief’s first attempt to steal her would be counterintuitive, especially since mistakes happened. “She won’t start.” I had a failsafe button I engaged with the toe of my boot each time I punched her on. It was seamlessly crafted a meter below the dash and covered by a partition gap. My boot fit perfectly into the space. Tapping it was second nature. I wasn’t going to share any of this with Case as we crept closer to the station, trying to figure out the best way in. “But if they try to start her more than five times, the sixth would spark a small kinetic bomb inside the engine,” I said. “But it wouldn’t kill anybody. It’s placed to do specific damage I can fix.” Making sure it was small was a priority, in case it blew up on its own, which could happen, even though kinetic bombs were pretty stable.

  Case grunted. His favorite method of responding.

  As we circled the building, I spotted something unusual and grabbed Case’s arm, pulling him behind a pile of debris twice as tall as we were.

  “What?” he asked in a hushed tone.

  “There’s a small building tucked behind the main enclosure, outside the fence, and while I was watching, a light snapped on. The light is only visible along a thin horizontal line. There must be a crack between the wall of the building and the roof line.”

  “So?”

  I tried not to let my impatience show. “Lockland said they had a mover drone. They used it to get Luce off the building. That kind of drone has to be twice the size of an average craft. It would need to be kept in a large enclosure, possibly a structure of its own. I’m just hypothesizing here, since we obviously won’t know until we see it, but that annex building fits the bill. I think we should try there first.”

  Case looked pensive. “You’re right, the mover drone might be parked there, but I’d think they’d want your craft where they could monitor it, which would be inside the main gates.”

  I nodded. “Could be. Or that’s where the mechanics are, and they’re trying to get her started. Who knows how many guards were bribed? It would garner less attention if they kept her outside the main gates.” I settled my hands on my hips. “Why are we even debating this? All we have to do is go look. If Luce’s not there, we figure out how to breach the interior.”

  A loud grating noise sounded, followed by props in the distance.

  Both Case and I scanned the sky. The noise had come from the main gate, which sounded like it was in the process of being rolled back, making loud scraping sounds as it went. The propellers were getting louder.

  “Someone’s on their way in,” Case said.

  “Looks that way,” I agreed. “This is our only chance. We’re not getting another one.”

  Ducking down, we both ran, heading in an arc around the station. The place was lit up, but the darkened perimeter would keep us cloaked, better than if the lights had been off. The brightness from within would make it difficult to detect anything in the darkness beyond.

  As we got closer, dead trees began to dot the area, giving us places to take cover if need be. “Let’s hope the guards are distracted by the incoming visitors,” I whispered.

  “It’s unusual for the guard station to open this late at night,” he said.

  “Honestly, you’d think this place would be crawling with guards on foot trying to protect the residents, especially after the shootout we had a few days ago.”

  “The guards don’t seem to be worried.”

  That meant something.

  “When you first followed Tandor up here from the South a few months ago, did he stop in Port Station?” We stopped behind a large tree trunk. We were halfway to the annex, but it was in our best interests to make sure we weren’t seen.

  “He was here for a few weeks. I didn’t stay in Port Station because I knew his end goal. I figured this was just cover until he found an adequate place of operations in the city, which he did.”

  Tandor had been here far too long before I got wind of it, which was wholly unacceptable. If Tandor had stopped in Port Station first, not a single speck of gossip had trickled down to me or my crew, which was odd. People talked, especially when there were murmurings of a government takeover. Lockland had connections here as well. Ones he paid well. Someone should’ve said something. “How could Tandor wield so much influence in such a short amount of time?”

  “Fear.”

  I shook my head. He had hardly been a leader who’d sparked fear in the hearts of anyone—just the opposite. He’d been whiny and wholly unimpressive. “He came off as weak to me. It’s astounding he was able to accomplish anything at all.”

  “When people are scared, they react predictably.”
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br />   “What were they scared of?”

  “Being infected with Plush.”

  I thought back to the seeker, Cozzi, Dill, and Ned. They were all involved. Not only did I still have to find Ned, but I was determined to get more information out of Cozzi. The old guy and I went way back, and Case was right, he’d been fearful. The Cozzi I knew and loved would’ve fought back. They must’ve done more than threaten him. He must’ve witnessed something firsthand.

  I focused my attention on the now clearly visible structure behind the station. The light was still on. The gap between the building’s wall and the roof was less than a meter wide, not enough to fit through, but it would give us ample space to see inside. I’d have to stand on Case’s shoulders, but it was doable. “How do you want to work this?” I asked. “If Luce is inside, we’re going to have to make a decision fast.” The props nearing were much louder. The new craft would enter the guard area in less than two minutes.

  “We make our way to the structure, I lift you up, and we go from there,” Case said.

  If Luce was inside, there was definitely a guard or two stationed there to watch her. We were going to have to take them out as quietly as possible. Once I had her up in the air, I was confident I could lose any threat. Her modified tech could fool even the most up-to-date radio frequency programs.

  “Okay, let’s go,” I said as I ducked from behind the tree and began to run. I was certain the guards didn’t think regular people would venture back here—or if they did, they had a death wish. Anyone caught would pay the price—including us.

  We made it to the side of the annex right as the craft entered the main area inside the fence. The props were exceptionally loud. There were only a few models with propellers that big. My guess was an X class. The X’s were known for their fan dimensions. Their claim to fame was rock-solid stability even in heavy wind. Industrial companies favored them as working crafts.

  Case barely stopped before he bent over. I vaulted onto his back, grabbing on to a tiny ledge that ran around the building to help support my weight. I needed to be hoisted up ten more centimeters. I tapped my foot on his shoulder.

  He got the message. His breath was labored as he steadied his gloved hands under the soles of my boots and lifted me up. It worked.

  Inside the structure, the room was wide open. The mover craft was there, along with two other crafts. Neither of which was Luce.

  Four guards, dressed in standard uniforms of drab green, sat on chairs talking with what looked to be a mechanic, who was standing and wiping his dirty hands with a cloth. Once he was finished cleaning his hands, he headed to a door on the other side of the building.

  As he pulled it open, I caught a glimpse of Luce. Only the lower quadrant from behind, but I was positive it was my craft. I’d know her anywhere.

  I was just about to jump down, when I heard one of the guards call to the retreating man, “You better get that thing started, Sabin. They’re going to be here in a couple minutes. If it’s not working, your head’s on the cutting block, not mine.”

  “I’m getting close,” Sabin replied. “Try to stall them for a few. It’s rigged with a failsafe. I just haven’t found it yet.” He closed the door. I hoped that wasn’t the only entrance into that stall. If it was, this was going to get messy fast.

  We were breaking Luce out no matter what.

  “Bullshit,” I whispered as I jumped down. “He’s not close to starting her.” I landed on my feet and cocked my head toward the corner of the building, signaling that that was the way we had to go.

  I led the way.

  Peering around the corner, I was relieved to see the main garage that housed the four guards was shuttered. The tall accordion door that could open to accommodate the mover drone was firmly closed. Without hesitating, I took off, running to the next corner.

  Once there, I stopped and listened.

  The only sound I could detect nearby was the mechanic clanking some tools around. I ducked my head out, glad to see this accordion door was open, light spilling into the night. Luce was in there, and I was about to get her back.

  From somewhere inside the main guard area, loud voices erupted.

  I pulled Case close, my mouth moving against his ear. “I only saw one mechanic. There are four guards in the other room. We take out the lone guy, try not to alert the other guards, commandeer my craft, and get the fuck out.” Imagining it would be that easy was bordering on fiction, but I was still hopeful. Hope was the foundation of our world, after all. Without it, we might as well give the hell up.

  Case nodded. The voices in the main area were getting louder. It was time to act. I darted around the corner, running a few meters before entering the stall with my weapons drawn. A guard—one I hadn’t seen before—jumped up, but before I could fire, Case took the shot from behind me.

  The guard’s body began to shake uncontrollably.

  Within moments, he collapsed onto the floor, jerking and convulsing, fluid streaming out of his eyes, ears, and nose.

  Scratch that, those were his eyes.

  They had liquefied.

  “Jesus,” I muttered as Case headed to the door that connected the rooms to lock it. My eyes landed on the mechanic, who, like myself, had been staring in stark horror at the guard leaking his insides all over the ground. He had his hands up, one still clutching the dirty rag. I kept my voice low. “If you don’t want the same fate as that poor bastard, go sit in that chair.” I gestured to a seat on his right. “Keep your arms up while you’re doing it.” I moved farther into the room, skirting my craft, as the mechanic did as I asked. I was happy to see Luce in one piece. Her hood was up, but all her parts were intact. “We’re going to take this craft here and leave without any trouble. It’s mine, so technically we’re not stealing anything.”

  The mechanic said nothing as he sat, his face drawn.

  I shut the hood as Case moved around to the other side, his gun aimed at the guy.

  I harnessed my taser, since Case’s magnetic pulse gun was way scarier, and reached into my pocket. I withdrew a carbon cube and held it between my fingers. “You’re going to hold on to this,” I told the mechanic, “and if you don’t do as I say, it explodes. Understood?”

  The mechanic recoiled as I approached. I held it out, but he refused to open his hand.

  “If you don’t take this in the next two seconds, I’m shoving it into your ear, and I’m fairly certain you won’t be able to get it out before it explodes.” The door behind us rattled as the guards on the other side tried to get through. “And you’ll wish you went like that”—I nodded my head toward the dead guy on the floor—“because it would be much, much faster.” Reluctantly, the mechanic held out his hand, and I dropped the cube into it. I reached into my vest for effect and said, “I just activated it. If you keep it stabilized, it will disengage in ten minutes. Understood?”

  The guy nodded, looking a little queasy.

  Case was already in the passenger seat of Luce.

  I walked to the pilot’s side and jumped in. In front of us, the guard room door was one shot away from being obliterated. Behind us, a loud shout sounded as a group of people rounded the fence sixty meters away.

  We were about to be surrounded on both sides.

  “Get out of here,” Case yelled.

  “Working on it.” I slammed the door, while simultaneously thrusting my Gem into Case’s hand. “Use this. It’ll do more long-range damage than your pulse. But use it with the window down.” I started her up, toe where it should be, while engaging the left lever. Luce shot backward, right as the door in front of us burst open. The guards rushed out with their weapons drawn.

  Twisting one hundred and eighty degrees, I hit the rarely needed hydro-boost. As Luce rocketed away, I continued her rotation as she expelled a long stream of hydrogen behind her. Everyone in the prop wash would be blown backward, including those assholes coming around the corner. And I’d managed to do it before anyone got in a debilitating shot.

&n
bsp; I chuckled as I spun us out of the area, wishing I could see the mechanic’s face when he realized he’d been holding nothing more than a fuel cell.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “That gun of yours is completely disgusting,” I said as we sped toward the city. I wasn’t ready to go back to the barracks yet. I wanted to try to get a hold of my crew first, and to do that, being closer to the city was necessary. It’d been too long since I’d heard from anyone, and the gut worry had morphed into entire-body anxiety. I was crackling with it. Though, that could be from the heady dose of adrenaline I’d just received from Luce’s awesome jailbreak.

  “It’s no different than blowing a hole through someone,” he argued.

  “You’re right in theory,” I agreed. “But you liquefied that guy. His eyeballs were leaking out of his face, and his brain was oozing out of his ears. Nobody wants to go like that. It’s gross.”

  “Dead is dead.”

  “People have been known to survive a laser blast to the foot, but nobody lives if one of those pellets gets into their bloodstream.”

  “That’s true.”

  I spotted the city skyline in the distance. “We’ll have to get your craft later.” I’d boosted us out of there and given us a good lead. Circling back for Seven was impossible. Case had parked her well enough away and camouflaged her as best he could. As long as the guards didn’t find her, it should be fine.

  “What about the quantum drive?” he asked. “Is it still here?”

  “I haven’t checked yet,” I answered. “But if you turn your head, I’ll look.” I wasn’t going to give away my hiding spot.

  While Case did as I asked, I popped open the compartment directly above my right knee. It had been built seamlessly into the molding.