by JN Chaney
He snickered. “Now, Jace. We both know you’ve got her hidden somewhere. I saw the security footage from Taurus. She boarded this ship.”
“I don’t remember that. Must have been a different ship.”
He looked at the nearby thug. “One of the crates was moved out the last time we were here, wasn’t it? Let’s have a look at the cargo hold.”
“Aye, sir.”
Fratley made sure I followed him. His thugs pushed me along until we were inside the bay.
The crates were all nestled tight against the wall, having been moved to their original spots. Fratley walked to the nearest one, the same crate that had been pulled out, and examined it. “Let’s get this moved, shall we?”
Two broad-chested individuals grabbed the side of the box and pulled it back, sliding it against the metal floor, filling the bay with a loud screech. When they had it cleared, Fratley went to the back wall and leaned in close to look at it.
“Looking for something?” I asked.
He tapped his cane on the wall, and there was a deep thud. “Got yourself a hidden compartment, do you?” He waved one of his men over to him. The lackey handed a small device to him, which Fratley took. “Can’t say I blame you. I had a few of my own, back when I was in your shoes.”
He pressed a small button on the device, then scanned the wall. Not two seconds later, the compartment raised, revealing itself.
Fratley stared into the empty section of my cargo bay, leaning in, but finding nothing. No signs of any intruders. Not a single trace of any fugitive passengers.
“Satisfied?” I asked.
He peered back at me and smiled. “Not quite yet, I’m afraid.”
Fratley tapped the side of his ear, opening a com channel. “Find them yet?” he asked. “Uh huh. Oh, well, that was fast work. Good work.”
The ravager boss twirled his cane in the air and began walking back toward me.
“Something going on?” I asked.
“Why don’t you follow me, Jace? You’ll want to see this.”
We left the bay and proceeded down the hall. I could already hear something up ahead, coming from the lounge. There was movement, the sound of someone shuffling their feet, followed by a grunt. “Sit the fuck down and don’t move,” a man snapped.
As we rounded the corner, I already knew what to expect. Abigail came into view right away, her long, brown hair flowing down the side of her neck, followed by a stern look as she stared with those fierce hazel eyes at the three goons standing before her.
Then, as I finally stepped into the lounge, I saw one of the men holding Lex, gripping her shoulder with one hand as well as her white hair with the other.
Fratley smacked his knee. “Hooey! What a sight. Looks like I’m about to get paid! Thanks for keeping these two safe for me, Jace.”
Lex’s neck was strained, with the man holding her hair so tight. I could see she was in pain.
Abigail noticed it too, and she set her eyes on the guard’s face. I knew the first chance she got, she’d try to kill him. I only hoped she could contain herself long enough for me to figure something out.
“Of all the guys to give me shit, I’m glad I kept you alive, Jace,” said Fratley. “I’m about to get paid twice in a single day.”
I felt the urge to grab my pistol and shoot this asshole on the spot, but quickly buried the impulse. “How nice for you.”
Fratley ignored me, walking to Lex’s side. He took her by the jaw and examined her face. “All that money, just for you.”
I noticed Abigail tense up, leaning forward a little more, watching the man with the cane.
“I wonder why the Union wants you back so bad,” said Fratley. “You got something they need?”
“She’s just a kid,” I said.
“Weird-looking one, though, ain’t she?” he asked, running a finger through her alabaster hair. “Freaky.”
“Get your hands off of her!” yelled Abigail, unable to hold back anymore.
Fratley let go and turned to the nun. He took a step closer to her, then raised his cane and struck her, right in the jaw. She fell on the floor, suddenly bleeding and moaning. “What was that?” he asked, calmly standing over her.
“Hey!” I shouted.
Fratley laughed. “Toss me a rag, would you?” he asked one of his men.
I swallowed hard, suddenly afraid that this psychopath would murder someone. “Please, Fratley, just calm down!”
He smiled as he wiped the blood from his cane. “Calm?” he asked, looking at Abigail as she lay on the floor. He kicked her, a sly grin on his face.
Abigail yelped, reaching out with her hand, trying to crawl away.
“Everyone’s calm,” said Fratley.
“Why don’t I get that money over to you, huh? I owe you, what, seventy-five thousand? I’ll toss in an extra fifteen. What do you say? Ninety thousand credits, all yours.”
Fratley bent back to look at me, arching his eye. He stood there a second, like he was processing what I’d said. Then, he smiled. “Oh, Jace, you know just how to warm my heart.” He smacked his cane against heel of his boot. “Let’s see those creds!”
“Sigmond, transfer ninety thousand credits to the following account number,” I said, looking at Fratley. “Go ahead.”
He grinned. “44-029-11000.”
“Request acknowledged,” said Sigmond. A few seconds passed. “Transfer complete.”
Fratley reached out his hand toward the nearest thug. “Pad.”
The man retrieved it from his side. “Yes, Boss.”
“Let’s see,” Fratley said, taking the device and examining it. “Yes. Yes. Here we go.”
I said nothing, letting him take as much time as he needed.
“Ah, great job, Jace. It looks like it’s all here. Isn’t that something?”
“You’re welcome,” I said.
“Now, we just need to get the little brat over to that Brigham bastard.”
“Brigham?”
He fanned his hand dismissively at me. “Forget it. Doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that I’m leaving with the kid. There’s a warrant for the nun, so I’ll be taking her, too.” He nodded to the thug hold Lex’s shoulder. “Get her on the shuttle and strap her in nice and tight. Same with that one.” He pointed to Abigail. “Give her a rag so she stops bleeding everywhere.”
The guard forced Lex to stand and nudged her along, toward the back of the lounge. Another two men picked Abigail up, one on each side.
“Are you selling them to the Union?” I asked.
“They want the girl unharmed, but the nun…well, she ain’t gotta be in one piece. Might let the boys have some fun before we head back.”
I felt my hand squeeze and my chest stiffen.
“As for what to do with you, Jace, I’m a bit torn. Most times, I’d kill a man where he stood for trying to fuck with my bounties, but you did all right getting me that money. I know you’re soft on those two, so I’m trying to be reasonable. It’s easy for a man to fall for a girl when he’s surrounded by the Void. I get that. Hell, I used to do the same shit, back when I was in your shoes. So, I’m thinking it ain’t all your fault. It’s just your dick. You can’t help it, right?”
I kept my eyes on Abigail as they carried her away. “Sure,” I said, trying to bottle my emotion.
“I’ll tell what I’ll do, Jace, since I understand you so well. I’ll let you work it off. You bring me a cut of all your earnings for the next year and maybe I’ll forget this ever happened. That’ll keep you square with me.” He tapped his cane on the floor. “No one else gets a deal like this, buddy. You’re lucky I like you.”
I wanted to reach across the room and bury my pistol in his mouth. This fucking asshole. “Wow, Fratley. I don’t know what to say.”
“Ain’t it the truth? And if you’re lucky, maybe I’ll extend the deal a bit longer. Just do right by me from now on, because trust me, you don’t want to piss me off again. Not after this. You understand? Come on,
Jace. I gotta hear you say it. I gotta hear you say you understand.”
“I get it, Fratley,” I said.
“Good,” he responded. “That’s real good.”
“There’s a problem with that plan, though, unfortunately,” I said, eying the guards as they shoved Lex toward the airlock.
“Oh?” chuckled Fratley. “How’s that, Jace? You got a better idea? You want a bigger cut? I’m afraid this is as good as it gets, pal.”
“No, that’s not it,” I said, looking back at him. “I’m not after more cash.”
“Then, what?” he asked. “You want me to give you an hour with the nun?”
I stared at him, unblinking, a bead of sweat running down my temple. There was a strong possibility I could die today, and it’d be all my fault for what came next. I could walk away right now and live, take other jobs and do other things, maybe even retire to a resort planet somewhere far away. My life could be a cakewalk, no question about it.
But easy wasn’t meant for men like me. No, I liked to play the hard game. I liked to bet it all.
Fuck it, I thought, sweeping my hand inside my jacket and clutching the extendable pistol under my belt. “I’ll need a bit longer than an hour,” I said, tapping a button on the gun, causing it to fully form in my hand. In a solid, quick motion, I brought the barrel out and aimed it straight at Fratley’s face. “That is, if you don’t mind.”
Fratley smirked. “Now what are you gonna do with that little thing, Jace? Kill a bug? You forget I have six guys standing behind you?”
I heard a rifle load. “Put the weapon down!” shouted one of the ravager soldiers.
“Not happening,” I said, maintaining my aim. “Try anything and I’ll shoot.”
Fratley shook his head. “That’d be a big mistake. Like I said, you pull that trigger and Jimmy over there will blow a hole clean through your skull.”
“I guess we’ll find out,” I said. “Isn’t that right, Octavia?”
Fratley raised his eye. “Who the fuck is Oct—”
A bullet exploded from a metal grate above one of the men, striking him in the head and killing him dead. The grate fell from the ceiling, landing on the now deceased guard.
Octavia popped out of the opening above, holding my pistol, and fired two shots at the other nearby men.
A bullet struck the first in the stomach. He staggered, firing his weapon into the ceiling in a panic.
The second shot hit his friend in the foot, ripping the boot to pieces, along with the man’s toes, leaving a massive hole where his flesh should be. The man screamed, trying to lift his weapon towards the vent, but before he could, a third bullet hit him in the chest, sending him into the food counter and down to the floor where he lay still.
Octavia Brie dropped from the gap in the ceiling and landed on the body beneath her.
Fratley’s eyes widened at the chaos unfolding before him. “Stop her!”
Another soldier took aim, but Octavia struck first. Her shots hit the both the man and the coffee maker behind him, sending shards of glass and black liquid into the air.
Fratley and I both dove to get out of the way, attempting to avoid the storm. We met on the floor, inches from each other’s face.
It took us both a second to realize what was happening. I tried to aim the pistol at him, but he reached for my wrist before I could move it. I raised my hand to get some leverage, but Fratley only slammed it back down, attempting to knock the gun from my grasp. When I refused to let go, he released the magazine and ejected the loaded round from the chamber, then threw both the bullet and the magazine away from us.
I managed to yank the gun away from him, though it was empty, and proceeded to get to my knees. He tried to do the same, but I lunged at his throat, pinning him. I raised the empty pistol above my head, preparing to beat him to death with it, when a shot fired from behind me, hitting the wall to my left. Fratley took the opportunity to jab me in the side, rolling me off of him.
Fratley reached for his cane, which had fallen a short distance from him. I tried to scramble after him, but I was too slow. He grabbed the stick and brought it down on me, towards my skull, but I blocked it with the barrel of my gun. He pivoted to his knees, then pressed the cane further down with all his weight behind it.
I clenched my jaw and pushed back on him, but he was determined. A quick glance to my right revealed a small coffee cup, which had rolled towards us. With one hand on the pistol to keep the cane back, I went for the cup, snagging it with the tip of my index finger. With a strong, decisive motion, I slammed it into Fratley’s jaw, knocking him sideways.
As he fell, I reached for the cane, quickly tossing it behind me. Before he could move, I leapt on top of him, straddling his chest and grabbing his collar. With all the strength I had, I decked him in the face, striking him so hard it numbed my knuckles. Blood spattered from his nose, but I kept beating him like a man possessed, and after a moment his mouth dropped open, like he was about to talk.
But before he could, I slammed my bloodied fist into his cheek again.
“Jace!” called Lex from across the ship.
The sound of my name jarred me, and I stopped with my fist hovering above Fratley’s head. He had a dizzying look on him, like he was lost and confused, about to black out.
“Mr. Jace!” yelled the little girl.
I dropped Fratley by the shirt and instantly rose to my feet, turning towards the back of the ship. “Lex?”
“Help!” she cried. “Mr. Jace, please help!”
I started running, snagging Fratley’s cane as I bolted through the lounge and into the corridor to the airlock.
As I rounded the back corner of the ship, I saw Octavia on the floor, a man standing over her. He had my pistol in his hand, aimed at Octavia.
I threw the cane at him, hitting him in the arm. He fired the gun instantly, hitting the side of the corridor wall.
I sped up as I neared him, ramming my shoulder into his chest and knocking him back. He dropped the pistol, so I swept my hand under the gun and brought it up to meet him, letting a bullet loose right as my barrel found his stomach. It struck him true, right in his belly. He staggered, but came at me again, as though he was unaware of the injury.
I pulled the trigger again, but nothing came. It was empty.
The thug collided with me. He was twice my weight, and his body fell on me, knocking me to the floor. He brought both his fists up and slammed them into my chest, forcing the wind from my lungs.
I wheezed, trying to push him away, but he was too big.
He hit me again, and pain rattled through me. I couldn’t breathe. My ribs were suddenly numb.
The ravager soldier grinned, even as blood pooled from his lips, and he lifted both his hands, ready to finish the job. His nose flared as he clenched his teeth.
My body tensed as I anticipated the final blow. There was nothing I could do to stop him. Nothing I could say, except—
The man’s head jerked as an explosive noise filled the ship, pieces of his skull and brains splattering onto the side of the wall. He sat on me, a confused emptiness in his eyes, and then he fell forward, collapsing beside me with a loud thud.
Dr. Hitchens was standing four meters away from me, clutching the extendable pistol I’d dropped in the lounge, both his hands extended against his heavy belly. He looked absolutely horrified, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just done.
Fuck, neither could I.
I pushed myself away from the freshly deceased body and slowly got to my feet. “Holy shit,” I muttered, holding my aching chest. “Holy shit, Doc!”
“Did I…get him?”
I put my fingers over the barrel, lowering both his arms. “Easy.”
He looked at me. “Where are the girls?”
“I’ll get them back,” I said. “Stay here while I’m gone, would you?”
“O-Okay,” he said, staring at the dead man in the hall.
I wiped my forehead, then looked at Octavia. She w
as still motionless on the floor, but I couldn’t worry about her now. Not when the others were still in danger. “Look after her. I’ll be back in a minute.”
He ran to his associate. “Octavia?” he whispered, taking her by the chin. “She’s breathing! She’s breathing.”
“Stay with her and shout if you see anyone else,” I said, entering the door to Fratley’s shuttle, my weapon ready.
I slipped inside the airlock and into the shuttle, which was almost sizable enough to be its own ship. The interior was sufficient to walk upright in, and about two meters wide.
Piles of trash sat in the corner—beer and bags of junk food. A dozen empty seats lined both sides of the ship, with a curtain resting behind them. I limped my way to the rear of the section, keeping my pistol aimed and ready.
“Get away from me!” yelled Lex.
The girl’s voice sent a flutter down my chest, and I doubled my speed.
I pushed the curtain aside, stepping into the back of the ship, and saw two men standing with Lex between them.
Abigail was also there, and back on her feet, much to my own surprise. One of the men had her by the hair, his fist around her neck. They seemed to be locked with one another.
“Jace!” shouted Abigail.
“Stay where you are!” yelled one of the men, his rifle pressed against Abigail’s chest.
I dragged myself forward, aiming my gun at the one holding Lex. “You touch the kid and I’ll send you to Hell.”
“Try it and we’ll kill them both!”
I took another step, keeping my aim steady.
“Do it, Jace!” yelled Abigail. “I can handle myself.”
There was only one bullet left in my little extender pistol. Hardly enough for two thugs. I’d have to make the single shot count. “Get your hands off of the kid unless you want to see what your brains look like on the outside.”
“This one is ours,” he said, bending over Lex and taking her by the chin. “Just wait until we get her back to the—”
I fired the final bullet, hitting him in the jaw and destroying his face. He fell in front of Lex and she shrieked an ear-piercing scream.
The other man watched his friend hit the ground, a look of horror on his face. “You bastard!” he yelled, then turned to Abigail, no doubt to follow through with his threat.
