He felt lucky that only two of the large Escher women had stepped on him as they ran past. He stuck his head back up a moment later, only to have it kicked from behind by a straggler. The last thing Derindi saw before losing consciousness was the bouncing bottom of a young Escher wearing a black outfit with some strange red writing on the back.
Yolanda glanced behind her. She’d been running for only a few minutes, but already Scabbs had fallen a full dust dune behind. The Wastes were inside the Hive, but the strange ventilation-spawned wind patterns from the surrounding domes that had brought the dust to this area in the first place, also produced dunes that looked almost natural.
The Wildcats were maybe two dunes behind Scabbs and would start firing soon. Yolanda could see the curved wall of a dome ahead, but she knew the Eschers would be on top of her before she could find the entrance tunnel, and would reach Scabbs before he even made the wall.
They had to make a stand. The question was, did she make it before or after Scabbs got shot? Better to have a wall behind her, but by then Scabbs would be dead. ‘Helmawr’s rump,’ she said. ‘I’d better save the little scabber.’
Yolanda dived to the ground at the bottom of the next dune, and then crawled back to peer over the top. When Scabbs crested the dune, she reached out and tripped her partner, sending him rolling down the dune. ‘Get up here,’ she hissed and then pulled out her laspistols.
As the Wildcats reached the top of the dune behind her, Yolanda fired two blasts that slammed into the hive dust, melting it into slag under Vicksen’s feet. ‘That’s far enough!’ yelled Yolanda. ‘Speak your piece and leave, or I’ll shoot you where you stand.’
Yolanda could just see Vicksen’s head and shoulders and the tops of two or three Wildcats behind their leader without exposing herself too much. Vicksen turned and said something to one of the girls and then turned back and cupped her hands around her mouth. Yolanda watched the other ganger as Vicksen spoke.
‘We need your help, Yolanda,’ she called. ‘Let me come over there – alone – and we’ll talk about it.’
The ganger Vicksen had spoken to had her head bowed, like she was working on something. Whatever, it was, it made Yolanda suspicious. That, and the fact that Eschers were not known for talking out their problems. ‘I don’t believe you,’ she said and punctuated the statement with another blast from her laspistol that went right past Vicksens’s ear. ‘The next one goes between your eyes. Now leave!’
‘I’ve got a better idea,’ said Vicksen. ‘You leave – in pieces.’
The other ganger turned, with a grenade launcher in her hands. Yolanda pushed away from the dust and rolled sideways down the dune as the top exploded, sending a cloud of dust and metal fragments raining down around her. She slammed into Scabbs, who had made it half way up, and both of them rolled, bumping and jostling each other, all the way to the bottom.
By the time Yolanda and Scabbs got themselves untangled and stood up, the Wildcats were coming over the top of the blasted dune. Yolanda looked for her guns and saw them sticking out of the dust near the top of the dune. She pulled out her sword instead.
The sword was a jet-black katana. Its metal reflected the pale, blue light emanating from the rafters above the Wastes, giving it an eerie green shine. Yolanda struck a fighting stance and glared at the Wildcats, daring them to move within range. Upon seeing Yolanda standing there with her powerful arms and legs, wicked sword, and death in her eyes, anyone but an Escher woman would have hesitated.
In fact, the younger Wildcats stopped at the top of the dune, but Vicksen, Themis, and several others ran down the dune and encircled the bounty hunters. Yolanda moved to put herself and Scabbs back-to-back while keeping her eyes on Vicksen. ‘Too afraid to fight me woman to woman?’ she asked, staring straight into the Wildcat leader’s eyes. ‘Worried you can’t take me alone?’
‘No,’ said Vicksen smiling. ‘That’s exactly what I want, in fact.’ She snapped her fingers and said, ‘Now!’ The gangers surrounding Yolanda and Scabbs all fired at the same time. But there was no explosion, just a mass of sticky webs that hit them from all sides, gluing the two bounty hunters together and sticking them fast to the ground.
Vicksen walked up, grabbed Yolanda’s sword by the blade, and yanked it out of her webbed hands. ‘Just not here,’ she continued. ‘Not now. We’re going to do this in as public a place as possible.’
‘Why?’ whined Scabbs. ‘What do you want?’
‘She knows,’ said Vicksen. She was now staring deep into Yolanda’s eyes with a big smile on her face. ‘We never fought for control of the Wildcats, and until one of us is dead, the Wildcats can have no leader.’
‘But why me?’ asked Scabbs. ‘What have you got against me?’
‘You’re the reason she left in the first place,’ sneered Vicksen. ‘You and the wretched Kal Jerico. For that you will both die, once I am crowned the true leader of the Wildcats. But that must happen in front of an audience so the entire Hive will know that I have beaten the great Yolanda. So, you both get to live a little longer. Well, at least until we reach The Breath of Fresh Air. The courtyard will make a fine arena for our battle.’
‘Aren’t you worried about the enforcers?’ asked Scabbs.
‘What, me worry about men with weapons?’ sneered Vicksen. ‘Hardly.’
Bobo snuck up behind Dutt, who was crouched behind a rubbish pile in an alley across from the armourer’s place. He’d thought it over and over, and had decided that something wasn’t quite right. There was more to this mission than a simple R&R, and he hated working in the dark. It was time to compare notes.
He was amazed at how close Dutt had let him get. He could have killed him ten minutes ago if he’d wanted, but that was why Bobo worked for the Spire and Dutt worked for Nemo. The next part would be tricky, though. Dutt still had his pict-camera trained on the shop. If he turned and caught Bobo in the recorder’s field of vision, Nemo would have a record of this meeting.
He took another step forward, ready to drop to the ground and roll if Dutt should turn around. Before Bobo could take a second step, Dutt lifted a needler and pointed it right between Bobo’s eyes without even turning his head.
‘Impressive,’ said Bobo. He slid to the side a few steps, and Dutt tracked him with the needler. Nemo’s spy still hadn’t turned. ‘Very impressive. I’m not here to take you out. If I was, you would already be dead.’
Dutt turned, leaving the pict recorder on the pile, pointing at the shop. He spread his arms, palms up, although Bobo noticed that the barrel of the weapon never wavered. He wasn’t sure what the shrug was supposed to suggest, so he just continued. ‘I’m here to talk. There’s something not right about this mission. So I thought – it sounds crazy now that I’m saying it, but it’s been a crazy few days, huh? – I thought we should talk. You know, compare notes. Okay, if you don’t say something soon, I’m just going to shoot you for spite.’
Bobo watched in fascination as Dutt raised his empty hand to his mouth. He opened up and reached inside with two fingers and his thumb. The fingers twisted slightly, and Bobo could swear he heard something click. When he brought his fingers back out, he was holding a tooth. Dutt reached down and jammed his hand into the rubbish heap up to the elbow, then brought his muck-encrusted arm back out, and spread his hand to show that it was empty.
‘Now I can talk,’ Dutt said. ‘Nemo’s subvocal implant. It transmits everything I say right back to Nemo. I had it modified, so I could remove it whenever I want.’
‘Interesting boss you have there.’
‘It’s a living,’ replied Dutt. ‘I saw you at Noritake’s.’
‘Only because I wanted you to see me,’ said Bobo. ‘I saw you first.’
‘Whatever.’ Dutt glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Jerico was still in the shop. ‘Say what you have to say. They’ll be coming out soon.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Nemo’s had the armourer bugged for ages,’ said Dutt. ‘It’s one o
f Jerico’s favourite haunts. Spill it. Why are you here?’
‘I just got a bad feeling about this one. Too many big things happening all at once. There’s the vampire, and now I hear that a Spyrer team is hanging round these parts and we’re both watching Jerico for our respective masters. It seems that everyone knows that something big is about to go down, but nobody’s telling us what it is or how far away from ground zero we need to be when it happens. And I don’t know about you, but I hate working in the dark.’
He watched Dutt as he spoke, trying to pick up any clues from body language that would tell him how much the other spy knew. From his expression, Bobo was fairly certain Dutt was just as in the dark about the objectives of this mission as he was. That at least was comforting.
‘So, what do you want to do, work together?’ he asked.
The remark dripped with sarcasm. Bobo didn’t need to read his face to figure that one out. ‘Not work together so much as share information,’ he said, matter-of-factly, in an effort to disarm his fellow spy.
If it worked, Dutt didn’t show it and he was better at hiding his emotions than Bobo thought. ‘You first,’ was all he said.
‘Fine. I did seek permission to eliminate you, but I was denied,’ he said. ‘Either my boss doesn’t care if Nemo gets there first, which I don’t believe, or he’s working with Nemo on this, which I can’t believe.’
‘Maybe there’s another explanation,’ said Dutt with a smirk. Bobo just stared at him, unable to think of anything. ‘My boss happens to know that your boss, Hermod Kauderer, is the one who sent the Spyrers down here. We’re just witnesses. They’ll be doing all the heavy work.’
‘Does my bo… does Kauderer know that Nemo knows?’
‘Sorry, I’m done sharing,’ he said as he reached into the refuse pile for his tooth. Before he pulled it back out, he cocked his head slightly. Bobo suspected he was listening to some transmission in his ear. He still hadn’t pulled the tooth out of the trash.
‘Wait,’ said Bobo. ‘What was that?’
Dutt left his arm in the pile of refuse and smiled at Bobo. ‘You first.’
Bobo wondered what he had that Nemo might be interested in knowing. It came to him like a laser blast. ‘You know the noble travelling with Jerico?’ he asked. Dutt nodded. ‘He has orders to eliminate any witnesses once the mission is completed, including Kal Jerico.’
Dutt couldn’t hide his pleasure at that nugget of information. ‘Well then, you might want to know that the vampire just took out an entire Van Saar gang at The Breath of Fresh Air,’ he said. Bobo gave him a blank look, although he’d already guessed the rest. ‘That’s where your boss’s Spyrers will be headed next.’
Kal was dumbstruck. ‘There’s a Spyrer unit chasing Armand as well? What in the Hive did he steal – the old man’s brain?’ Kal looked back and forth from Fewell to Valtin. Fewell continued hammering, obviously pretending he hadn’t heard the part about stolen merchandise. Valtin, on the other hand, glanced at the ceiling and wouldn’t look Jerico in the eyes.
He knows something, thought Kal, but he was wise enough to know Valtin wouldn’t spill it here in front of Fewell. He turned back to Fewell, and made a big show of being upset. ‘Great. Just great!’ he said. ‘Not only do I have to defeat a Spyrer-suited vampire, but I have to take on an entire team of Spyrers on the way.’
Fewell and Valtin just stared at him. Kal took a few deep breaths to try to show that he was calming down, and then asked, ‘Any idea where I can find these Spyrers?’
Fewell shook his head, and continued tapping on the armour. Kal couldn’t tell if the armourer was buying his act or not.
‘I think I might know someone who can help us,’ said Valtin.
Bobo watched from behind Dutt as Jerico and Valtin left the armour shop. He let the rival spy, and his pict-camera, leave the alley first, and then stepped onto the street and simply followed his targets. Bobo had a very practiced saunter. He looked like any other person out for a walk, even when he was the only one on the street. It was a gift. His short stature, coupled with a calm self-confidence, was quite disarming and nobody ever suspected he could be capable of doing anything wrong.
This natural ability allowed Bobo to tail Jerico and Valtin back across the city to the docks. He wasn’t sure where they were going and wasn’t all that worried about it until they entered Madam Noritake’s. Bobo didn’t know if he should follow them or not, but he knew three secret ways out of the pleasure house and assumed Jerico knew of at least one of them.
He chanced it and slipped inside, ducking behind a large urn that always stood next to the door. Kal and Valtin were talking to Madam Noritake. She was a short woman with straight black hair that didn’t quite reach her shoulders. You wouldn’t call her pretty, but you also wouldn’t call her plain – at least not to her face or anywhere within ear shot. Madam Noritake could be a vindictive little woman.
Could they possibly be looking to score a little pleasure at a time like this? The vampire was in the city, the Spyrers were on their way, and these two were going to go off and have a little cuddle? Bobo had to get closer to hear what they were saying.
Both Kal and Valtin had their backs to the door, so he slipped out from behind the urn and dropped into a comfy chair in the little sitting area across from Noritake’s desk. He couldn’t see Madam Noritake, but he could hear her squeaky voice. ‘He’s not here now,’ she said.
‘Do you happen to know if Mr Bobo will return later today?’ asked Valtin.
A ringing began in Bobo’s ears as his heart pounded faster. They had come looking for him? What in the Hive was that about?
‘Maybe. Maybe not,’ said Noritake. ‘I’m not his mother. I just rent rooms. Ten credits gets you half an hour. You want a room while you wait?’
Bobo heard Kal say ‘Why ye–’, but then Valtin cut in. ‘No, thank you. We’ll just wait down here.’
Bobo’s heart pounded even harder and faster. They would be coming toward him in mere moments. He glanced around for some escape and then caught sight of Jenn Strings, wearing her customary string outfit, coming down the stairs. She saw him and smiled. He motioned toward Jerico and made the talk signal with his other hand.
Jenn was a smart girl. That was one of the things Markel liked about her, along with that string outfit. She walked right up to Kal, flipped her long, blonde hair away from her face and pressed her lithe body against him. ‘Hi there,’ she said. ‘This is Madam Noritake’s House of Fun. Want to have some fun?’
Bobo didn’t look back. He took his chance and ducked back behind the urn and then out the door. From there, he made his way around to the alley and climbed hand over hand up the ventilation shaft to the roof. The panel at the top lifted off: one of the three secret exits. He’d never used it to actually break in, but a few moments later, Markel Bobo was walking down the stairs toward Madam Noritake’s desk.
‘I shall return later, madam,’ he said. ‘Please keep my room ready for me.’
Madam Noritake just stared at him. He could tell she didn’t have a clue as to where he had come from or how he got there. Best not to push it, he thought. She’s not the brightest bulb in the house. Besides, Valtin was already headed toward him. Jenn was still talking to Jerico. They were on the couch now, and her hair flips looked more like she was genuinely flirting and less like she was protecting his escape. He’d have to talk to her about that later.
Valtin spoke. ‘Mr Bobo, I believe?’
‘Yes,’ said Bobo. ‘Do I know you?’ His face remained calm, despite the pounding heart that was now finally quieting back down.
‘No, but I know you,’ said Valtin. ‘Or rather I know of you. We have a common acquaintance. A Mr Kauderer?’
‘Yes, I know Kauderer,’ replied Bobo. ‘Are you a friend of his?’
‘Not exactly,’ replied Valtin. He looked around the room and then dropped a hundred credit bond in Markel’s hand. ‘Is there somewhere we can talk privately? We need some information about another
group of mutual acquaintances.’
Bobo looked at the bond. Perhaps this day was turning out alright after all. He suppressed the smile that endeavoured to cross his face. ‘We can speak in my room if you’d like.’
‘Drop her in the middle of the square,’ yelled Vicksen as they entered the courtyard in front of the Breath of Fresh Air. The large fan spinning in its housing above the square provided a cool breeze and the only sound other than Vicksen’s voice.
Vicksen’s auburn ponytail swung back and forth as she scanned the empty square. ‘Where in the Hive is everyone?’ she asked. ‘Lysanne, go into the Fresh Air and announce the battle. We need a crowd for this.’
As the young ganger ran off across the square, Vicksen tossed her shotgun to an Escher with black, spiked hair, named Brandia, and then unbuckled her bandolier and handed it along with her dagger to a juve standing nearby. She grabbed her chainsword from its sheath as the juve moved off. ‘Themis, drop Yolanda’s sword on the ground and then pat her down for hidden weapons.’
She walked toward the middle of the courtyard where Yolanda lay, bound hand and foot. ‘This is a sword battle,’ she said. ‘Me and my chainsword versus you and your little knife.’
‘That’s hardly fair!’ said Scabbs. Two Escher women, Kirsta and Suzeran, held the squirming little half-breed between them near the back wall. Scabbs looked pitiful and small compared to the tall Escher gangers. He barely came up to their breasts, and had no chance of breaking their hold on him. Vicksen smiled as she thought what this victory would mean to the gang.
‘It’s a katana,’ spat Yolanda. ‘I don’t need machinery to add power to my sword arm.’
But her insult fell on deaf ears, for Vicksen was looking at Lysanne, who had returned from the bar with a dour look on her face. ‘What’s wrong?’ asked Vicksen.
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