He turned, busying himself with the medi-pod. “No, it’s not that. You did the right thing. But he’s—”
“A scary monster when he’s angry? I’ll deal with that later. I spent the latter half of my childhood and my teen years with him. I’ve dealt with it all. He’ll get over it…eventually. If we can get him into the medi-pod before he wakes up, it won’t be an issue. But right now, I need something to stop his bleeding.”
If he woke up before he was in the medi-pod, things would get a little dicey.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It felt like hours had passed, but it’d been less than one when the machine finally let out a long beep and the turbine slowed. Bender was still out cold.
Both Darby and I jumped up.
I made it to the pod first. Words filled the small screen in front of us. But one in particular jumped out. I allowed myself to exhale, tapping my finger on the readout. “Look, it says stabilized. He’s going to be okay.”
Darby gently nudged me out of the way and examined the details. After a moment, he said, “The bleeding has stopped, but according to this, he has a long way to go. Apparently, hyper-triage attends to the most pressing injuries during the diagnostic phase if the patient is critical, which he was. But it leaves the rest for a more comprehensive healing process.”
“Okay,” I said, glancing over my shoulder. “What about Bender? Should we give him a hyper-triage, too, and then switch them again? I bet his diagnosis time won’t be as long because his injuries are less severe. It’ll probably help with his quadriceps and lessen the chest pain.”
Darby leaned over the panel again, pressing a few buttons. “We can probably do that. Lockland is no longer in danger of dying, but his injuries are still severe—more severe than Bender’s. There’s no more internal bleeding. His femur bone and sternum have begun to knit back together. The concussion is now mild. But it’s going to take longer for him to heal completely.”
“Lockland would want Bender to take a turn,” I said, making up my mind. “Let’s transfer them and go from there.”
Darby and I got to work, lifting Lockland out and settling Bender inside. The big guy was twice as heavy as Lockland, even though he wasn’t twice the size.
Once in the pod, Bender began to moan.
I settled a hand over his chest. “You’re in the medi-pod now,” I told him. “Stay still. When you wake up, most of the pain will be gone.” I stepped back, and Darby closed the lid, hitting the Hyper-Triage button. The outer shell began to crank up, just as it had for Lockland. I’d never been more thankful for anything in my entire life.
Once it was operating smoothly, I knelt by Lockland. To my surprise, he began to wake. I scooted closer, bracing my hands lightly on his shoulders. He would be disoriented when he woke. I wanted to minimize his movement. “You’re okay,” I murmured. “You were in a crash and sustained major injuries, but we got you to the medi-pod in time. I know it still hurts, but you’re going back in soon.”
He blinked, frowning. His head swiveled from side to side as he took in our location. Then he brought a hand up and rubbed it over his face. “What? I don’t understand. Where’s the guy?”
“The guy is with Case. We don’t think he was hurt very badly. But you were, and so was Bender. You were the more critical of the two, so you went into the pod first. We just lifted you out.” The floor vibrated as the medi-pod continued its full turbine spin. “Look over there.” I gestured toward the machine. “Bender’s inside. I know you’re still hurting, but you’re not going to die.” Lockland tried to raise his head, but I shook mine. “Don’t move. You’re stabilized, but not fully healed. I’m sorry if you’re in pain.”
It took Lockland a few more moments to process my words. When he was ready, he said, “My craft went down?”
I nodded. “Yes, and unfortunately, I don’t think Rose can be repaired. The damage to the front was too severe.”
“How did it happen?”
“We don’t know yet,” I said. “But Darby thinks the guy you were transporting might’ve had some tech on him that messed with your motors. It seems he was more than willing to die.”
“I remember,” Lockland said. “It’s coming back to me. He was laughing.”
“That’s what Bender said.”
At the mention of Bender’s name, Lockland turned toward the medi-pod. “Is he going to be okay?”
My hand remained on his shoulder, trying to keep him still. “Yes.” My voice carried enough confidence for Lockland to relax beneath my grasp. “Like I said, his injuries were less severe than yours. He was in a lot of pain, so I tranqed him. Darby and I figured it was better to get him on the path to healing before you went back in.”
Darby came over and crouched next to Lockland’s head. “I need to take a look at your pupils. You had a massive concussion. It’s been downgraded to mild, but I want to check you out.” Lockland nodded, and Darby took out a light and proceeded to examine him. “The fact that you’re lucid is a good sign. Are you in pain?”
Lockland’s jaw was tight. “Yes.”
“We’re sorry about that,” Darby said. “It shouldn’t be too long. Bender’s injuries weren’t as bad.”
“I’m glad he’s in there,” Lockland said. “Just as long as we still have that guy in our possession, it’s worth it.”
I quickly explained what had happened at the Emporium and that we had the Babble. “I had no choice but to leave Case and Daze outside Port Station. Four was a tough squeeze, seven was impossible. Daze has Maisie. She’ll be able to warn them if anyone is coming. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” They’d better be.
“Did you find any of Dixon’s stuff?” Lockland asked.
I glanced at Darby, who replied, “No luck on that, but we got the tech table working. It contains an incredible interactive hologram map of the city. We were able to find the room where we think the government medi-pod is located, according to Roman’s tracker. Inside, we found three doors, one that leads to a zoom tunnel—”
“A zoom tunnel near our underground space by Government Square,” I interrupted. Darby gave me a look. “Sorry, go on.”
“Holly is correct,” he continued. “By my calculations, our underground safe house is less than a quarter kilometer from our destination. Even if it’s blocked by debris, we might be able to create a hole large enough to get through.”
Lockland’s head angled toward the ceiling as he took in what we were saying. “That’s good. Getting in through the basement will keep us under the radar.”
I nodded. “When we dose the bureau guy with Babble, the information we gather will help us formulate a plan. I’m anxious to understand what’s going on.”
A loud buzzing noise came from above the building.
It was definitely props, but they were the loudest ones I’d ever heard. I jumped up, drawing my weapons, and started to run. “Darby, stay here. Block the hole behind me and grab Lockland’s Blaster. Shoot anyone who comes through that you don’t recognize. Do not hesitate. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” he replied.
At the hole, I turned back. “You can do this.” He nodded as I ducked through the opening, jogging toward a staircase that would take me to the roof.
The props were louder now. Whoever it was would be in the vicinity within moments. I’d been on the higher floors when we first inspected the building, but not the roof. Half of it was caved in, so that part wasn’t an option.
The stairway I’d chosen had a break in the ceiling on the top floor—more like a gaping hole. There was enough debris piled on the floor for me to climb up and see out. Seven was parked in plain view somewhere below me, so anyone flying over would be able to see her. Our location was compromised, no matter what. But from here, at least, I could see what was coming and how many they were.
From the noise, there was more than one.
The trash was shaky under my weight, but held. I popped my head out of the hole, glancing up. A huge craft roared toward me, the
propulsion crazy loud. It was easily four times bigger than an average craft.
As it approached, it slowed.
Then I recognized it. The mover drone from Port Station.
I’d never seen its underbelly, but the coloring up top was unmistakable, as was the size. As far as I knew, that mover drone was the only one around.
Case had managed to steal the damn drone.
Either that, or the guards at Port Station had tracked us down north of the city, which was highly unlikely.
Shaking my head, I jumped down and rushed down the stairs. I made it out front right as Case landed the drone. Daze was in the passenger seat, bouncing up and down, the windshield wide enough for me to see his excitement clearly. Peering into the back, I noticed the man Lockland and Bender had taken. His head was slumped to the side. I assumed that meant he was unconscious, which would be the safest way to transport him until we figured out how he’d managed to down Lockland’s craft.
The props stilled, and everything quieted.
Both doors opened with big whooshing sounds. I wondered what it was like to fly a craft that big. I’d get a chance to find out fairly quickly.
Daze hopped out, racing toward me. “We did it! We did it!”
My arms were crossed as I smiled. “I see that.”
Case exited the craft and opened a secondary door. The mover drone had a door for back passengers. The first I’d ever seen. He pivoted the bureau guy out by his ankles, then hoisted him effortlessly over one shoulder. The man’s head and arms lolled around lifelessly. I assumed he wasn’t dead, or Case wouldn’t have bothered.
Daze came rushing up the stairs, crashing into me, something I was getting used to, his skinny arms wrapping around my waist. “You should’ve seen Case. Maisie helped. She told us how many guards were there. But Case was so calm.” His words came out in a rush as he continued, “He went in there with his Pulse up and told those guys what was going to happen, and then it happened!”
I draped my arm around the kid’s shoulders, guiding him inside, heading down the hallway, Case a few meters behind. “I’m going to need more of an explanation than it happened.” Darby had barricaded the hole, just as I’d instructed, but there were several gaps. “Darby, it’s us,” I called. “It was Case and Daze in the mover drone.”
Darby’s face appeared in front of one of the areas not covered by trash. “That’s a relief,” he said as he started clearing debris away from his side. Daze and I worked on our side.
The medi-pod was still spinning with Bender inside. Lockland was on the ground where I’d left him, but he looked more alert.
“Case took the mover drone?” Lockland asked.
Behind me, Case entered, dumping the bureau guy on the floor with a loud thunk. “Yes,” he said. “We needed a craft, and it was the closest one I could find.”
“Daze said you told the guards what was going to happen, and then it happened. Care to elaborate?” I asked, grinning.
“That’s pretty close to the truth,” he relayed. “They remembered me and my Pulse from when we took Luce. Nobody wanted any problems. There were only three guards. I told them I was going to take the craft, but that I would bring it back if they cooperated, and they’d get a loan of an E-unit for their troubles.” He shrugged. “So far, so good. Maisie didn’t detect anyone coming after us.”
From Daze’s pocket, Maisie agreed. “There are no unidentified crafts in the area. I detect multiple injuries. Lockland. Noncritical. Vitals stable. Bender. Noncritical. Vitals improving. Medi-pod power at thirty-five kilowatts. Impressive.”
My eyebrows rose. “Did you just compliment the medi-pod’s strength, Maisie?”
“Yes,” Maisie answered as Daze pulled her out of his pocket. “Database scanned. Only one medi-pod found with more power. Recognition worthy of being exemplified.”
The medi-pod began to slow.
We all glanced at it as the turbine ceased spinning. “Just so everyone knows,” I said, moving toward the machine, “I tranqed Bender against his will, and he’s probably going to be a little upset. I have zero regrets. He aggravated his injuries trying to get Lockland in here and was in a lot of pain. I was happy to put him out of his misery.”
Once the medi-pod came to a full stop, Darby read the output data aloud. “‘Quadriceps semitendinosus nominal. Hemostasis complete. Rib fracture knit. Esophageal puncture magna-sutured. Patient must re-enter within twenty-four hours to complete healing.’ Sounds like he’s in good shape.”
It was truly impressive. “That’s incredible,” I said. “Daze’s injuries were a little worse than Bender’s, but it took a week in the barracks’ medi-pod to fix him completely.”
Darby lifted the lid.
Bender was awake. “Do that to me again and you will suffer the consequences,” he growled when he saw me, his reaction about how I’d imagined.
I smiled down at him, making sure it was big and bright. “What? Suffer a cold shoulder for a week or two?” I rested my arms against the opening. “You can’t tell me you’d rather have sat there in pain, than be knocked out and come to mostly fixed.”
He sat up, his brawny bicep bunched as he gripped the edge of the pod, his face nearing mine. “You had the right idea. But next time, I control where the dart goes in. You have shitty aim.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Once Bender was out of the medi-pod, Case and Darby lifted Lockland back in. “Wait for me before you question him,” Lockland said as we shut the lid.
I nodded. “We won’t do anything until you’re done,” I assured him, stepping back as Darby hit the appropriate button, this one marked Heal. Once the medi-pod began to churn, I glanced around. “If we’re going to be doing business here once Lockland is done, let’s get this place set up. First thing we need is to clear out some of these bones. I wish there was an appropriate place to put them, but for now we can find some boxes. Then we have to gather chairs. It’s going to be a long night.” I glanced over at the man on the floor. He hadn’t moved. Not so much as a twitch. I was a little suspicious. I turned to Daze. “Hand me Maisie.”
The kid set her in my palm. “I’ll go find some chairs,” he said as he took off through the hole.
I walked over to the man, the status reader out in front of me. “Tell me what’s wrong with this human, Maisie,” I said. “Be specific.”
Her lights twirled around the shadowy room, multicolor dots blinking on the walls and ceiling. After a moment, she said, “Vitals noncritical. Mild concussion and contusions. Minor electrical burns. His pulse rate is steadily increasing due to your proximity. Brain output indicates he’s conscious.”
“So, you’re telling us this asshole is awake?” I asked, jamming the tip of my boot into his side to force him over.
“Yes, this asshole is awake,” she replied in her smooth, unaffected cadence.
Falling in love with a polymer egg—seemingly unlikely before—was now a reality. She really got me.
The man rolled over with a grunt. I bent down, refraining from drawing a weapon. Case and Bender stood behind me, their firepower at the ready. Slowly, the guy opened his eyes. I noted immediately that there was no fear in them.
Instead of talking to him and giving him the pleasure of sneering, I directed my next question at Maisie. “Conduct a full-body scan of this conscious asshole who’s pretending he doesn’t give a shit. We’re searching for any sort of tech that could render a craft inoperable. Whatever it is, it’s going to be small. Then scan for any unusual weapons, including inert objects like polymers or any bio-product that doesn’t contain his DNA.” I watched as the man’s expression dimmed. “Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t like that.” I stood, barely stopping myself from pressing my boot onto his chest while I waited for Maisie to make her assessments.
It didn’t take her long. “Tech identified in the form of a cerulean ball.”
“What’s that?” I asked. I glanced over my shoulder, and both Bender and Case shook their heads. None of us had hear
d of one before.
“Cerulean balls are highly specialized military weapons. They produce a magnetic pulse specifically directed at motor control circuitry. To activate a pulse, one must only engage the dual magnets.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes,” she answered. “The cerulean ball is subdermal, located on the left forearm. Also detected is a biohazard in the form of a capsule. Once taken internally, it will stop all bodily functions within thirty seconds.”
Daze came through the hole at that moment, dragging two chairs behind him.
Perfect timing.
I drew my Gem and hauled the guy off the floor, placing the cold barrel against his temple and forcing him backward onto one of the seats. “Each of you grab an arm,” I directed Case and Bender. Bender held the guy’s left forearm, yanking up his shirt sleeve. I holstered my Gem and withdrew the knife I kept strapped to my thigh.
“I see it,” Bender said. “There’s a scar and a slight pitch right here.”
I nodded, moving my blade toward the destination. Once the tip was within a few centimeters of the target, the man began to thrash, bringing his legs up to try to kick me away. I’d anticipated his move, knowing he wouldn’t let me do this without a fight.
With a flick of my wrist, I relocated the knife tip under his chin, causing him to recoil to avoid being pricked by the blade. “What’s your name?” He gritted his teeth, eyes furious. “What are you doing with a kill pill? If things get too heavy, you’ll just pop it in and take care of things? Why?” His eyes were wild, but he stayed silent. I grinned, enjoying his confusion. “Guess what? It doesn’t matter if you respond. We’re going to get the answers we need soon enough. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a dart, ramming a dose of Quell deeply into his thigh. Quell, developed by Walt down South, caused the recipient to float in and out of consciousness, keeping them in an unaware state.
Danger's Cure: (Holly Danger Book 4) Page 12
