Thieves' Guild Series (7 eBook Box Set): Military Science Fiction - Alien Invasion - Galactic War Novels

by C. G. Hatton

  He didn’t reply but she didn’t let up. “What’s the odds of LC ending up randomly on a freighter owned by a guy who was shot down by ‘aliens’, who is actively being investigated by the same unit that developed the virus they were sent to steal?”

  LC was walking ahead of them, shoulders tensing as he couldn’t help but overhear them talking about him.

  NG sent back bluntly, “There are no odds. I don’t believe in coincidences.”

  DiMarco took them into a room that looked like a mess hall and told them to wait, pointing at LC and adding, “For Christ’s sake, don’t do anything stupid,” and left.

  Martinez prowled around the room, not hiding her disgust. “What are we missing, NG?” she sent, keeping the connection as tight as it could be, no idea that LC could listen in anyway.

  ‘You’re missing something bloody obvious,’ Sebastian mocked.

  Elliott.

  NG sat down, opposite to LC, and looked across into those pale eyes that looked even more haunted now than when the kid had first come back into the guild. “How did you end up on that ship, LC?” he sent.

  LC’s eyes flicked across to the door for a second. “It was just there. I had nowhere else to go.”

  Martinez sat down next him. “Gallagher’s desperate,” she sent, staring at LC herself. “He buys a ship that turns up out of nowhere. Cheap. A piece of junk. That isn’t a piece of junk at all. It has stealth capability we know is way ahead of anything we have, an AI that is all but invisible, jump capacity way beyond normal parameters and a JU operative on board masquerading as an engineer? What are the chances Elliott and the Duck are also JU? They could have chased LC out to Sten’s World, and picked up Gallagher because he was shooting his mouth off about aliens at Erica, and they knew that was where they’d sourced the tech they were working on, for the virus.” She glanced at NG. “It’s alien, right?”

  LC had started to shake his head at the point where she said they could have chased him out to Sten’s and looked like he could throw up when she said the virus was alien.

  “They were there before me,” he sent vaguely, not convinced. He switched to direct thought, ‘Oh shit, is this…? Are you…?’

  NG cut him off. “The Duck’s been taken on board the battle cruiser?”

  LC nodded.

  “Elliott can shield life signs. Do the Wintrans have Gallagher?”

  Before the kid could answer, the Senson engaged with another connection, linking automatically without permission even though it was an unknown.

  “Not yet,” another, softer, voice whispered inside his head.

  NG sent back, opening a surreptitious link to Martinez, “Elliott?”

  “I take it Luka told you about me?”

  “Some.”

  “NG… the infamous NG of the Thieves’ Guild.”

  ‘You’d better hope he hasn’t heard about the Assassins…’

  “It doesn’t matter who I am,” NG sent back. “I’m here to find Gallagher. That’s all.”

  From his expression, LC was also listening in.

  “Our dear Captain Gallagher. Why, now, are so many people intent on finding him? What does the legendary Thieves’ Guild want with a mad old freighter captain from the Between?”

  LC had called this guy a jerk and it was easy to see why. Elliott was taunting him. From what LC had said, Elliott knew Gallagher’s story. The guy also knew about the virus and not so long ago it had been a priority to take him in. It suddenly looked like he wasn’t just another loose end to be secured.

  “If you haven’t noticed,” Elliott sent casually without waiting for an answer, “we’re impounded and shut down in the holding tank of a Wintran battle cruiser – the Expedience, if you’re interested, Zang’s pride and joy – and it will be in orbit around that colony in about three hours. They’re running an impressive operation. Slick considering there are at least two corporations working together. I don’t think I’ve ever seen UM take orders from Zang before. I understand you gave young Thomas an authorisation code to call in the Tangiers.”

  NG looked at LC.

  ‘Not me,’ the kid thought back.

  Elliott didn’t pause. “The Tangiers is a tenth the size of the Expedience. Do you really think they’ll be able to take it on in a stand up fight? Tell me, NG, are your boys capable of getting on board this battle cruiser and getting to the AI core?”

  ‘Don’t trust him,’ LC thought.

  NG shook his head slightly. ‘I don’t.’ But it was starting to look like he might not have a choice. Utilising any asset external to the guild was always a risk, usually a calculated one with a mass of intel. He’d had to wing it before in the field, many times, and as much as his gut feeling was agreeing with LC, that there was no way they could trust this guy, he also had a sinking feeling that this might be his only option.

  “I’ve seen Luka in action,” Elliott sent. “Is Zachary as good?”

  “Why?”

  “You want to send a message to Zang? Take out one of his flagships.”

  Sebastian stirred. ‘Now there’s a man after my own heart.’

  ‘You don’t have a heart.’

  ‘You don’t have time to be screwing around. Take it. Send them in there. Have your revenge.’

  “Can they get to the AI core?” Elliott sent again.

  “Yes, they can. You want to tell me why?” It was like a bizarre negotiation with a client.

  “We take out the AI and that battle cruiser will be a sitting duck when the Tangiers turns up.”

  “And how do we take out the AI?”

  Elliott laughed. “I have a means but it needs to be injected directly into the core. What I have in mind will take both of them if we’re going to disable the AI completely. It’s only temporary but it will buy us some time. Are you up for it?”

  He made a snap decision and sent back, “Yes.”

  “Good. I’m curious to see the Thieves’ Guild in action. I’m assuming that ship Zachary has in orbit has enough stealth capability to get in close. I can help disrupt things from here. Let’s get them on board and see what they can do.”

  The connection cut off abruptly, leaving an eerie silence.

  Martinez was frowning. “Are you seriously considering doing this?”

  NG didn’t have a chance to reply as the door opened. He stood up as Duncan burst in. No questions or small talk just a pissed off, “Come with me,” and a curt message to LC as he thought, ‘Tierney is planning on keeping you all hostage and offering you up to Zang. I’m not prepared to let that happen. Don’t say a word and do as I say. And tell me now, straight up, if I’m to extend this courtesy to your boss, or not.’

  It was something that LC sent a ‘yes’ straight back with no hesitation.

  NG headed to the doorway, gesturing Martinez and LC to wait. “I need to speak to Tierney.”

  Duncan was a towering figure, muscles taut with controlled urgency. It was easy to see how he’d built that reputation in the military. “I’m giving you a way out,” he said, his voice a low rumble.

  “We’re not running,” NG said simply. “Where’s Tierney?”

  Duncan looked at LC who was desperately trying to remain impassive. The kid had been on the run for so long, it was tough for him not to react now with that knee-jerk need to disappear.

  The big marine looked back to NG, hand reaching for his gun. “You’re going to use Luka as bait.”

  “We’re going to finish this.” It was a calm and reasoned statement, and to give them credit, Martinez and LC stood firm behind him.

  A slight smile twitched at the corner of Duncan’s mouth. He closed the door. “Thom has contacted the Tangiers. That race to get to Gallagher just split three ways but we don’t know how long it will take them to get here. We have less than four hours before the battle cruiser makes orbit, less than one hour before the fighters start airstrikes if they run this operation anything like standard ops. Tierney is evacuating and digging in to defend but only as a contin
gency. He’s working on the assumption that Zang wants Luka alive and will talk first. I don’t believe that for one second. If they’re running this under the cover of clearing out rogue mining operations, they’re going to come in hot.”

  “They will,” Martinez chipped in. “Zang wants LC, dead or alive. He doesn’t care.”

  “I don’t understand what you gain by handing over LC.”

  NG checked the band on his wrist. “That’s not the plan,” he said and reached out to Hilyer with the Senson. “Get your ass down to the surface, Hil. How much time do we have?”

  “Forty seven minutes before the fighters reach low orbit. They’ve been authorised to use Endermaine.”

  Shock tactics. Contain and control. Casualties expected and acceptable. He could hear Martinez cursing under her breath. He glanced back over his shoulder and couldn’t help the grin that slipped out. Like old times. “You want to run some interference?”

  She laughed.

  NG looked back at Duncan. “Let me talk to Tierney.”

  The leader of this pirate colony was sitting at his desk, an imposing figure, unmistakable from the scar on his jawline, his reputation as a ruthless brigand somewhat belied by the neat and orderly paperwork in front of him. His mind, however, was an intense swirl of anger and frustration.

  The whirlwind of consequences that had tumbled into chaotic being since Zang Tsu Po had made his decision to blackmail a Thieves’ Guild handler and two of his best operatives were mind-numbing. Jiro Tierney had been building a stable colony here, trying desperately to move away from the violence of raiding. In one fell swoop that anonymity had been destroyed, all because LC had been forced to run to the edge of the galaxy and had nowhere to go except a ship that was chosen at random by one of Tierney’s lieutenants as a potentially useful freighter.

  ‘It’s all very sad. They’re doomed. It’s sad. Get out of here before we get embroiled in it.’

  Sebastian was chiding constantly but lazily, no real dark malice in there. It was irritating rather than draining like it used to be.

  Nothing was like it used to be.

  NG walked into Tierney’s office. Martinez had assigned two of the troops from Security to stick with him. Excessive but effective.

  Tierney didn’t stand. “Who are you?” he said, pulling no punches.

  “That doesn’t matter right now,” NG said, calm, no need to antagonise but no need to be subservient. They were not prisoners here and he wasn’t going to act like it.

  Tierney’s face pulled into a wry smile. “We’re assuming that you’re Thieves’ Guild. Do you want to tell me otherwise?” He was thinking that all he had to do was contact the Wintrans to offer LC up to stop them descending on his colony.

  “Won’t work,” NG said.

  “What won’t work?”

  “Handing in my field operative. You think the Wintrans will take Anderton and just go? How much is the price on your head? And the others here? You think they’ll forget that? The Expedience is an Advantage class battle cruiser with a complement of over ten thousand. Three thousand heavily armed marines are going to descend on this place and wipe it, and everyone in it, off the map.”

  Tierney kept the smile but his expression hardened. “And what’s your plan?”

  “We take out the battle cruiser.”

  There was a moment of disbelief then Tierney laughed and stood up. “Excuse me but I have a defence to organise.”

  “I take it you’ve never encountered the Thieves’ Guild before,” NG said softly.

  Tierney leaned on the table. “Only what I’ve seen here – a wanted fugitive pursued by a host of bounty hunters who led the entire Wintran militia to our doorstep. I don’t have time for this.”

  NG turned on the charm. “I need LC to do what I’m planning. Give him up to Zang and you will lose. Help us and you get to stay here and run your colony.”

  ‘We don’t need help from anyone.’

  Tierney wavered. He wasn’t the leader of this band of pirates without good reason. And he wasn’t stupid. Hiding away in the back of beyond hadn’t stopped him keeping up to date with current events and the thoughts running through his mind kept going back to what DiMarco had told him about LC, those peculiar talents that suddenly all made sense when they’d found out the details of the bounty and the fact that the kid was Thieves’ Guild. Tierney was also a good judge of character – he had to be, no one kept a group like this together without a total command and understanding of the intricacies of individual personality.

  “You say you can take on the battle cruiser?” Tierney said. “How?”

  “Leave that to me.”

  Tierney walked forward, rounding the desk until he was face to face.

  NG stood his ground.

  “Persuade me,” Tierney said, voice dripping distrust.

  “I don’t need to. We’re doing it anyway. Whether you and your people benefit depends on whether you work with us or not. Your choice.” In reality, he didn’t care whether these people lived or died but he knew how much this place meant to LC and he knew how simple it could be to save them. But that decision wasn’t his.

  Tierney stared at him. “I heard someone say once,” he said finally, “that dealing with the Thieves’ Guild was like selling your soul.” He stared for a long moment. “I see what they meant.”

  NG checked the magazine and clicked it back into the gun. He glanced at his wristband, twenty three minutes. It was going to take them twenty to get clear of the town and meet up with Skye and Ghost. He looked up. “Where’s LC?”

  Martinez was checking her own kit. “He’s with DiMarco.”

  There was something wrong. He turned, scanning around, looking for hostiles and hard pushed to identify anyone who wasn’t paranoid, tense and on edge.

  Martinez frowned. “What’s wrong?” She was in the process of slotting her gun back into its holster but she stopped and pulled it out, holding it down by her thigh.

  ‘You need to get out of here.’

  He knew that.

  Hal Duncan appeared at the door. “Time to go.”

  NG paused, froze for a second and went wider, deeper, catching a hint of intention and narrowing down the threat.

  “LC, get out of there,” he sent and said out loud, moving for the door, fast, “Who the hell is Tanzi?”

  Duncan cursed, spun around and ran, feet pounding, pulling out a massive handgun as he moved.

  There was shouting up ahead, small weapons fire and flashbangs. Martinez grabbed NG’s arm and one of the Security troops veered in front of him. He tried to fend them off, feeling nothing but confusion and fear up ahead.

  Time slowed.

  Sebastian whispered viciously, ‘Showtime.’

  NG tried to respond but any thought of reply was cut off abruptly and violently as the shockwave from the explosion hit and his world crashed into darkness.

  Chapter 26

  A log cracked in the fire, sending sparks scattering.

  She glanced at it, drawn in by the curling, dancing fingers of flame. “Trouble followed him out into the Between?”

  “Inevitable. We sent the full weight of the guild’s military wing with him, yet…” He shook his head slightly, picked up the jug and topped up both goblets. “You cross swords with the best assassins and brigands the galaxy has to offer, you must expect to get cut. No matter how good you are.” He looked up at her. “It is not so much that we met our match. We met a cascade of enemies who, truth be told, have been lining up and waiting for us to falter. Nikolai, whether his actions can be justified or not, has borne the brunt of it.”

  •

  There was a blur of nothing then pain. A vague awareness of Sebastian fighting for control and a disembodied sense of chaos.

  He was flat on his back, sparks of pain prickling in his face, arm, neck, chest, knee, too many to count, ears ringing.

  Fingers pressed against his neck, checking the pulse, a touch that was so cold with hatred it shot tendrils of ic
e into his skin. The sharp point of a blade pushed against his throat and NG reacted with pure instinct, ignoring Sebastian with disdain and shooting a hand out to grab the wrist holding the blade. He threw his whole strength against it and twisted, driving the knife away and up into the neck of his assailant.

  There was a strangled gasp and the body sagged onto his. He shoved the weight of it off him and rolled away, pulling a gun from a holster and coming up in a half-kneeling crouch. He held the aim unwavering at the guy’s head, aware of the pounding of each heartbeat.

  A distant echoing shot broke the silence that was booming in his ears and the body in front of him jerked.

  He recognised the figure beside him as Martinez and forced himself to his feet, standing back to back with her, guns up, no idea if there were other threats incoming. The Senson made a clear connection.

  “That was too close. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” he sent back, sensing the presence of three or four armoured figures closing in on them, recognising them as Security, and relaxing somewhat. He blinked dust and crap out of his eyes and lowered the gun. Someone was screaming for a medic, the sound muted through the buzzing in his head.

  He turned to look at Martinez. She was bleeding from dozens of scrapes and wounds, but nothing serious. She nodded towards the body next to them. “Do you recognise him?”

  “Sceznei,” NG sent back, coughing, throat dry and chest feeling like there was a fist pushing against it. “One of Devon’s old buddies. She warned me about him.”

  “How did he know we were coming here, NG? The only people who knew were with us in that room.”

  “And the Chief set traps. He’ll figure it out.” He wiped a hand across his eye, smearing bright red blood and fine yellow dust into a sticky paste. They were out of time, he knew that without needing to look at the band on his wrist. He started to scan for familiars, finding Duncan nearby, down but intact, Garrett with the incoming rescuers and DiMarco in the heart of it, wounded but alive.