Well knock me over with a feather.
“You are too old to make the trip,” said Vorss.
“Then I will die trying to help my people. I will provide a map in case I fail physically.”
They say never look a gift horse in the mouth. I totally suspected this to be a Trojan horse, however. Still, beggars couldn’t be choosers. Clichés existed for didactic purposes, right?
“I will accept any help I can get,” I said to her, still studying her face. What was her game? I guessed it was possible she hated the Berrillians so much she’d see them dead any way possible.
“When can you be ready to leave?” I asked.
Symetra stood. “Now. Let me find my cane. The camp is fifteen kilometers from here.”
Oh great. She needed a cane. It’d take us a month to get there. Maybe I’d assign Kendra to carry her. I would, but there was the male-female thing there on Mosparo. I was nothing if not respectful of traditional local customs.
Kendra turned out to be an impatient person. Fifteen minutes into our journey, she’d handed me her pack and was carrying Symetra piggyback. I swear, it was like watching a self-loathing two-headed turtle lumber down a hillside. Kendra was complaining that the old woman needed to stay balanced and to not lean to one side. She needed to stop farting too. Symetra complained that Kendra didn’t step correctly, she was going too fast, and her breathing was too fast. She also said no one who mattered had to smell her gas. That brought swear words form Kendra, which elicited them in triplicate from Symetra. Hey, I didn’t complain. It was most entertaining. I couldn’t be certain, but I think the old bag used her cane like a riding crop on Kendra’s thigh. I was prepared to see Symetra fly off the first cliff we came to.
We camped a little after dusk. No point arriving where we were heading in the middle of the night. Plus, Kendra needed a break. We were moving again at first light, much to the distress of our guest.
“This is probably my last day on Mosparo. I should die well rested.”
“No, it’s better to die foggy. Trust me on this,” responded Kendra. “Dying’s not as bad if you aren’t paying much attention.”
“And you would know, child, because you’ve died?”
“Oh yeah. Six or seven times now. But Chankak won’t take me, and the devil’s already got a restraining order on me. So, I’m stuck here with you.”
“I was a powerful woman in a rich family. You never would have been able to speak to me like that if my servants were around.”
“I bet they volunteered for the Berrillians to eat them first.” Kendra then stuck out her tongue at Symetra.
“How dare you. I have half a mind…”
“I know. Maybe if you shut up, the missing half would come back. Why don’t you make that your goal for the day: brain recovery..”
“Your wife is revolting,” she said to me. “How could you marry such a shrew?”
“Let me tell you about my wife.”
“That’ll just about do it, dear husband. I hate to confuse the crazy lady.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” I said. “You’d pay good money for extra turns at it.”
“I heard that, you two imbeciles.”
“Hey, I found something for you to eat, old and pointless. It’s a knuckle sandwich covered in spit. You want I should heat it up for you?”
“Girls, girls,” I said with a huge smile, “let’s give it a rest. I don’t want the enemy to hear us this far off.”
Kendra looked at me and mouthed the word six. She was kind of cute when she seethed.
By midday I caught sight of the small group of buildings. I confirmed with Symetra that it was the facility she was directing us toward.
“I can’t see a thing,” she complained. “How can I confirm what you hallucinate you’re looking at?”
I described the setup.
“Sounds like it. What kind of eyes do you have? No one can see that well.”
“If he couldn’t, how could he tell you what it looked like?” asked Kendra.
“He could be trying to trick me.”
“That would be like trying to drink water from a glass. But, think about it. Why would he trick you about where we are when we’re counting on you for directions?”
“If he’s trying to trick me, he’d be plenty sneaky like that.” Symetra scowled. “He probably gets it from you.”
“He’s getting nothing from me, but that’s another story altogether. Now, it hot here in the sun, and we don’t have extra water. We’ll go attack the bad guys and you stay here and have heat stroke or something for the benefit of society.”
“If you leave me a canteen, I won’t have heat stroke.”
“I know. Like I said, do your part to make Mosparo a better world.” Kendra flashed her a toothy smile.
“Hating you is pretty easy, girl,” said Symetra.
“Any time,” she responded. “So, Ryan, we ready to throw our young lives away?”
“Can’t hardly wait, devoted wife.”
“Seven.”
“I got point. Stay close and don’t hurl insults back at the old hag.”
“I’ll try my best.”
We crouched low and approached the nearest building. It was a wooden shack with tiny windows. Half way there, I caught sight of the first Berrillian. A solitary sentry looking as bored as a solitary sentry in the middle of nowhere was supposed to look. Some things were universal. We held position. I counted four more cats. More had to be inside. Maybe there were ten total. There was very little chatter, so not much must have been going on.
My goal was to gain access to one of their radios and make a broadcast asking my comrades in Project Last Leap to initiate the weapons, something along those lines. Then we had to hightail it back to Wrath without being killed. In my wildest dream, we could hijack a ship or at least a surface vehicle to make the trip quickly. Fortunately, killing the enemy personnel was permissible, desirable in fact. We just had to do it without anyone reporting or suspecting that we were aliens with advanced tech. Two against ten. My kind of odds. Not that I favored them. I was just always stuck with those types of odds.
I signaled Kendra to power up her weapon and follow me. We arrived to the wooden structure without a being noticed. The lone guard would be back any second. I relayed to Kendra I’d take him with my knife. She indicated she understood.
He turned the corner at a leisurely pace, looking off into the distance. I slapped a vise lock on his jaws with my left arm and swiped my blade across his thick throat. He lurched back, slamming me into the wall but collapsed quickly after that.
Crap. Too much noise.
We turned the corner and located the building’s only doorway. We positioned ourselves on either side. I indicated I’d go right and high. She should go left and low. She nodded.
We burst through the flimsy door and caught the sole occupant behind a desk by complete surprise. It was odd, seeing a huge tiger working behind a desk. Not sure why it struck me so funny. It was almost comical.
He lunged for his weapon that leaned against the wall behind him.
Kendra slammed him in the back of his head with the butt of her rifle. In one fluid movement, she dropped the gun, drew her bowie knife, and plunged it into his back.
He started to roar.
She jumped on top of his muzzle, driving his chin against his chest, muffling his cry. Her knife flashed like lightening as it repeatedly stabbed and sliced his pelt. She was good. He slumped forward, never able to get much of a sound out of his mouth.
Kendra spun, slapped her knife in its scabbard and retrieved her rifle.
I pointed to one window and went to check out the other. I saw nothing suggesting alarm in the compound. I turned to her.
She signaled no enemy in sight.
So far, so good. I scanned the room. Crap. No radio. This was a clerical room or something. I stepped over to Kendra and looked out her window. All clear.
“Let’s try for that building over there,” I whispe
red to Kendra. “Follow close. We’ll angle to the right.”
I sprinted the short distance as she covered me, then I covered her crossing. We edged around the building scraping our backs against the wall. Same drill at the door.
The front room was empty. I pointed to the far door. We went through it quickly. Empty too.
We checked out the windows. Nothing was moving.
“We’ll make for the big one on the left. You cover me first.”
“Roger that.”
We got to the door. I slowly turned the knob, then kicked it open. We flew in, me up, Kendra down. Six Berrillians stood like a firing squad, guns trained on us. Symetra stood just behind them.
Son of a bitch.
“Drop your weapons and stand still,” commanded the senior officer.
We complied. In a shootout, we’d both be dead. Never fight a battle you couldn’t win unless there were zero alternatives.
A cat came over and searched us. He removed all our belts and packs.
“Remove your clothing, quickly,” said the leader.
“Are you sure…”
That’s all I said before the back of a huge paw hammered my jaw.
Off with the clothes it was.
“We’re just a couple hungry people looking for a meal,” I said as I stripped.
“Is that so, Jon? I’ve heard a different tale, a much more interesting one. This woman is under the impression you know of a doomsday weapon we have so far missed. Shall I call her a liar?”
“Please do. Then eat her,” said Kendra.
“Whether we eat her or not depends very much on the information we extract from the two of you. If she is correct, we will reward her appropriately.”
“What,” I asked, “you’ll prepare her in a divine sauce as opposed to ripping her apart while she screams?”
He nodded to the one who searched us. He stepped over to Kendra and smacked her as he had me. She sailed a meter and struck the wall. Bang, she got right back to her feet.
“I’ll remember which one you are, kitty cat,” she said to him as she rubbed her chin.
“And I shall forget you as soon as I crap you out,” he replied.
“Hope you brought a few more friends. You and these pussies are already dead.” Man, she was convincingly badass.
“Enough. Time passes unfulfilled. I am Pack Adjutant Roaquar. You are my prisoners. You will tell me the location and nature of your alleged devise. I would not expect warriors such as yourselves to divulge such information freely. I will not insult you by asking you to. I will have my team slowly and painfully dismember the female as you watch, Jon.”
“No matter what you do to her, I’ll never talk.”
“Perhaps you missed my point. You will see in agonizing detail what we do to her. Then we will do the same to you. I have found over time that foreknowledge of the process makes it much more unpalatable. Based on my considerable experience, I’m guessing that after your right leg is gnawed off, you tongue will flap like the wings of a bird.”
“Then start with me, not her.”
“Thank you for confirming you care about her. That will make her horrible death more impactful. Do you know why your pitiful species has fallen so easily to us, Jon? You are weak. You sacrifice for others and place personal concerns before those of the pack. You disgust me.”
“That’s nice. I don’t feel so bad being disgusted at you now.”
He nodded to the guard.
My turn. He stepped over to me. Good. He swung the back of his paw at my head.
Faster than I should have been able to, I punched his paw mid-flight. I felt the bones explode under the skin.
He roared in agony and cradled his paw. He took two steps away from me. That’s when Roaquar put a laser round right between his eyes. The guard was dead before he hit the floor.
“Impressive. You are a warrior indeed. Would that we could have been comrades.”
“Never too late.” I held out my hand to shake.
He waved his rifle, indicating I should lower my hand.
“Why’d you shoot your own dude?”
“He was weak. The weak always die. It is all they are good for. He should not have allowed you to strike him. He should not have allowed you to injure him. After you struck, he should have raged and torn you to pieces. Instead he wanted to show me his boo-boo. Weak fool.”
“Can’t say I blame you. Plus, that’s one less of you for us to kill. Thanks.”
“Your bravado is becoming quite annoying. Tesmack, take the woman outside and begin the process.”
We all exited into the hot, unyielding sun. Kendra was staked to the dirt by her hands and feet. The fact that she was still buck naked was most, err, notable. At least to me it was.
We stood there, Kendra on the ground, Tesmack on all fours at her side, and Roaquar directly above him, still aiming his rifle at her. The rest of the patrol stood behind us in a semi-circle, guns across their chests.
It was go-time. Couldn’t let them hurt my wingman. I dropped five control fibers down my leg and onto the dirt.
One to each guard behind.
When I was connected to them, I spoke again.
Lay down quietly and sleep.
I glanced over my shoulder. They were all out. My plan was complete. I had four sleeping witnesses who would tell of the human warriors who claimed to control a doomsday weapon. They probably sing that song just before they were executed for cowardice, but what did I care? Served them all right in my book.
Single fiber to Tesmack.
When that was attached, I spoke. “Ah, Pack Adjutant Roaquar, there seems to be a problem?”
Without turning he said, “Shut up and watch. The time for talk is over.”
“Yeah, that might be true, but it appears the time for sleep has started.”
He lowered his gun and turned. Oh yeah. The look on his face when he saw the four snoozing cats was precious. I think he disapproved. When he looked back to Tesmack to find him out like a light too, he was stunned.
He pointed his gun at me. “What have you done?”
I put my hands on my chest. “Me? I didn’t do a thing. Personally, I blame you. You pushed these brave soldiers too hard. They needed their rest, and you drove them too hard. This’ll probably be a black mark on your permanent record.” I tsk-tsked him, just to add further flare.
He roared in anger and raised his rifle overhead. I sliced it in half with my finger laser.
If the look on his face was precious when he saw his sleeping squad, now it was double precious. Truly, I’d never seen primal fear, confusion, disbelief, and anger all on one face before.
He threw his front half to the ground and charged me.
I smiled and cracked my knuckles. Good. I needed this.
He leaped in the air to pounce on me. I did a soccer-style flip kick and lifted him past me. He rolled along the ground a few times and bounded right back at me. His growl was pure hatred. He batted at me with his claws. I grabbed his leg at the wrist before he struck and flipped him onto his back.
He was slower to spring back. I could see it in his eyes. Disbelief.
I started to laugh. I laughed for Sapale and I laughed for all the souls butchered by these monsters. The madman inside me laughed because he was insane with fatigue, remorse, and loss. He had born more than he could, more than any human could. He woke up and demanded his retribution, his release.
Roaquar stopped and stared at me. His disbelief had turned to fear. He knew those emotions. Seeing them scared him, as well they should have. He wasn’t afraid to die, but he was sure as hell afraid of me.
He inched backward, probably unaware that he was.
I cut all four of his legs in half with one swing of my laser.
He collapsed awkwardly to the ground and struggled to stand on all fours. He slipped on the bleeding stumps each time he did.
I walked over to him and struck him in the back of the head.
He slumped to the ground.
I continued to pummel him with my fists. I closed my eyes. After who knew how long, I heard a voice.
“Ryan, stop it. He’s dead. Stand down. Stand the fuck down.” Kendra was yelling at me from where she was staked to the ground.
I looked to her. My arms stopped pounding. I looked in front of me. There was nothing recognizable left of the pack adjutant’s head. Just mush.
I stood and looked at my hands. They were covered in what I’d been pulverizing. I stumbled over to Kendra and ripped the stakes from the ground.
The first thing she did was seize me by the shoulders and look deeply into my eyes. “Are you all right, soldier?”
I lowered my gaze.
“No, look at me. Tell me you’re okay.” She shook me roughly.
“I’m not okay, but I’m done.”
“That’ll have to do for now. Are you able to get the hell out of here, or do I have to carry you too?”
That brought a grim smile to my face. “I want to be on top of Symetra. Pretty please.”
She slapped my cheek affectionately. “You pig. That’ll cost you two punches when we get back.”
I rubbed my shoulder in anticipation.
“But that traitorous bitch isn’t coming with us,” she replied.
That brought me back all the way. “Huh?” I scanned the area searching for her. There she was, limping away for all she was worth, cane in one hand.
“You’ve done enough for one day. I’ll deal with her,” she said, patting the side of my head.
“Wait,” I called after her. “Are you sure?”
“Not compromising this mission and that family in that cave. If we spare her sorry hide, we’re pissing away the little good we can do.”
Slowly, reluctantly, I began to nod.
Kendra jogged toward Symetra as she drew her knife.
When the old woman heard Kendra’s foot scrape just behind her, she stopped but didn’t turn. “You want to know why I did it before you kill me. Am I right?”
“Yeah. I am sort of curious what it takes to betray your own people. I do want to know just how pitiful a life I’m snuffing out, bitch.”
“If you told them where your base was and they found it, he promised to help me.”
“Help you what? What is worth our lives, the lives of the beautiful family up in that cave?” Kendra pointed her knife off into the distance.
Forever Series 5: The Forever Alliance Page 10
