by Dennis Young
Talice gave an insincere chuckle. “He’s my bodyguard. Pretty good one, too.” The humor in her voice faded. “Junior, get her untied and let’s get out of here.”
Aya raised a hand. Junior didn’t move.
Talice swallowed. Damn… okay, plan B. “Look… we’re out of time. Nemesis is bearing down on this place, and we’ve still got hostages to move. I need you. They need you, to calm them and get them out in an orderly fashion. Please, Aya, we’ve got to go.”
“Captain, let me speak to her.” Junior, in a no-nonsense tone.
Well, this is going all to hell… “Go ahead.”
Junior spoke, but in Japanese. Aya looked him in the eye, a bit surprised. Talice knew she was fighting a losing battle then and there.
Aya answered at length. Junior nodded, then looked again at Talice. “She’s not going back, Captain. This is her wish. And she asks…” His voice broke, and he coughed back a shudder. “She asks we help her complete her task. You and me.”
Talice gave them both a hard look. “I won’t be party to murder. And I won’t allow it.”
Junior kept his eyes with hers. “This isn’t murder, Captain.”
Aya slowly picked up the artifact. Slowly drew it apart, revealing a gleaming blade within.
Talice caught the movement. Looked back to Aya as she pressed the blade to her midsection.
Aya looked Talice in the eye. “Thank you, Captain, for your courage. And Jian…” Aya spoke Japanese again. Junior only nodded solemnly. “Goodbye.”
She thrust the knife into her belly and drew it across, left to right. Blood darkened the pale garment, running to the floor.
“No!!!” Talice leapt, but her hip slowed her. Junior caught her, moved her gently but firmly aside, and set her on the floor.
“Don’t interfere,” he said, in that no-nonsense tone again.
Junior stood, approached Aya, now bent over and bleeding profusely. A moan leaked between her clenched teeth. He stood behind her and drew his bayonet. Raised it.
Talice was all but paralyzed with fear, anger, disbelief. She reached for her pulse rifle, but it was not beside her. What the hell?
Junior’s bayonet descended, through Aya’s neck, but not completely. Aya’s head landed literally in her outstretched hands, a sliver of skin and muscle holding it to her shoulders. Blood gushed. Aya’s final sigh exited through her severed neck. Junior dropped his bayonet, knelt, caught Aya’s body, and laid it gently to the floor. Whispered words in Japanese. Tears descended before him.
Talice finally found herself able to move. Groaned and rose, retrieved her pulse rifle from a desk away, and swung it toward Junior. “I should kill you where you are. Damn you! Damn you!!!”
Junior rose. Unbuckled his HCS carapace and tossed it aside. “No reason to mess up good armor.” He faced her squarely.
Talice shook her head. “This is a fucking nightmare. You killed her! You let her kill herself!”
Junior shook his head. “No, and yes. She was going to die. The belly cut is always fatal. I aided her passing, and yes, it’s part of the ritual.”
“It’s fucking barbaric! It’s murder!” Talice lowered her weapon, her voice raw with pain. “Get out of here! Get out of my sight! I never want to see you again!”
Junior nodded and picked up his armor. “As you wish, Captain. Maybe someday you’ll understand.”
“I fucking understand now!”
“No… you don’t. You’re trying to justify your rage and anger by comparing your beliefs to hers. Which actually is not possible.”
“Stop trying to rationalize this! Get out!”
Junior turned to Aya’s body and bowed, slowly and low. Turned back to Talice and gave her a nod. Picked up the knife Aya had used. “Please give this to Mr. Evans. Don’t clean it off.”
He retrieved his pulse rifle and exited the way they’d come in.
Talice sagged to the floor. Her hip screamed, but she didn’t care. She focused on the pain. Her pain. She dropped the knife. Fuck this!
She cried as gunfire erupted outside the building.
* * *
Talice didn’t know how long she stayed there. The gunfire had faded as shadows lengthened outside the windows. She couldn’t look away from Aya’s body. Couldn’t believe what she had just seen. Couldn’t believe Junior would… do what he’d done.
I don’t care. It’s not right. It’s murder, regardless what their beliefs are. And somewhere along the line, it will be paid in full. Somehow.
It was another few moments before she realized her comm was screaming at her to answer. She sighed and lowered her visor. “I’m here, Mac. Sorry.”
“Talice! The hostages are nearly all at the emergency shelter. Abie received a message, a Marine carrier is on the way. You’ve got to get out of there! Nemesis is coming en masse. You’ve got ten minutes!”
“I’m… okay. Just… I can’t talk now. I’ve got a job to do.”
“Your job is to get your ass out of there and back to safety! Briggs and Dosu are on the way!”
“Tell them the building is secure. Tell Gorg… tell him Aya’s journey is complete. I’ll fill him in later. Right now…” she rose. “I’ve got to find Babs.”
“Get back here or I’ll have Briggs carry you!”
“Sorry, Mac. No chance. Take care of the team.”
Talice untoggled her helmet and set it on the desk. Checked Babs’s wristcom still attached to her left vambrace, that it was working. Picked up the bloody knife and the folded cloth on the floor, wrapped the knife, and stowed it in her backpack.
She hefted her pulse rifle and glanced at Aya’s body one last time. Closed her eyes. Opened them again and saluted Aya. Like the Marine she really was.
Headed for the stairway.
Mac’s voice could still be heard from her helmet as she closed the door.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Like a Band of Heathen Angels
(Part Three)
The Many Forms of Pain
“To prevent the enemy from fathoming
one’s intentions is of the first importance.”
Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”
Alone…
For the first time in many years, as a Marine and a mercenary, Talice found herself alone. No one watching her back. No one’s back for her to guard. No comm. No support. No intel. No voice in her ear. Nothing.
She didn’t know if she should feel liberated or scared to death. She opted for the later. Just to keep herself focused.
Babs is close, I know it. Jance wouldn’t put her in harm’s way. She wants to make this a contest. Find Babs before Nemesis does. But won’t make it too hard. So where?
The firefight at the building entrance had yielded three bodies, none of which were Junior. She didn’t know where he’d gone. In a way, didn’t care. But as she moved from building to building and cover to cover, she began to wonder. To question. To care. Again.
Damn him. Damn me, and my temper. Geez, I hope he makes it back to the team. Just… can’t accept what he did. Can I? Too soft, Wyloh. Get a grip, or you’ll be dead. And so will Babs.
There were stragglers now, heading west, toward the escape tunnel. Most were civilians. A few were armed with hand weapons, but none engaged her. In fact, those armed moved faster, getting out of her pulse rifle’s range quickly as they could. No one hailed her or stopped her or hardly looked at her. Most simply trudged by with blank stares and heavy feet. She was twenty minutes into her walking recon when Babs’s wristcom buzzed.
Shall we play a game? Jance.
Fuck! How did… Talice ducked into a doorway, through a hall, and found an empty room. She slid the vambrace cover aside and stared at the message. Gotta be Abie. She received the message, couldn’t contact me by voice, so she put the message through. That means Mac knows. Now what? Geez, what was I thinking when I left my helmet?
The S-H tube rested against her cheek. She drew from it, swallowed, and thought. Typed out a message. No time for ga
mes, and you know that. The Marines are here. The hostages are out, they’re safe. Where is Babs, so we can all get out of here? Talice.
She waited without patience. Took stock of her supplies and health. Her energy was decent, but her stamina was draining away, bit by bit. She knew part of it was the emotional stress now fading.
Aya. Fuck, what a way to die.
The wristcom buzzed. Come on, Talice, where’s your sense of adventure? You search, and I’ll tell you if you’re getting hot or cold. Right now, you’re darn cold. But you always were, right? Jance.
Talice held her temper only for a moment. Then typed. Let me explain something. If Babs doesn’t leave here alive, neither do you. I’ll hunt you down like the scum you are. Try to lift from this planet and my ship will blow you out of the sky. And if we can’t do it, I guarantee the Marines can. All I have to do is give them your number and they can track you down in a heartbeat. Now where is Babs??? Talice.
Ten seconds passed. Then twenty. Then the wristcom chimed again. Go outside. Look up. Jance.
What the…? Fuck.
Talice slid around the wall, checked out the door, then moved through the lobby. Scanned the area, seeing nothing threatening. Glanced upward. There, probably five hundred meters above, was a flashing red light. A drone.
She’s been trailing me all along. Damn her.
The wristcom buzzed. Hi Talice (waving). Jance.
Talice fumed, then calmed. Fine. Two can play this game. She typed. Give me a direction at least. Talice.
She stepped back, waiting. Damn, if I had my helmet, I could have Niky track this message. Hell, Mac should be doing that now! So we’ve got her, regardless. But Mac won’t do anything until she knows Babs is safe. Will she?
A message scrolled across the wristcom. North. That’s all you get. Jance.
Talice checked her location and headed north, staying close to the eastern buildings in case she had to take cover. Groundcars were strewn about, abandoned. There were no bodies she could see, so this area hadn’t been swept by Marines or Nemesis… yet.
Too far south. But they’ll get here.
As if in answer, artillery in the distance suddenly sounded. A dull wump north, then another closer. Then a third. Well, that puts a real time limit on things, doesn’t it?
She stopped to type. Hear that, Jance? That’s the Marines at the door. Talice.
She glanced up. The drone was still there, following. The wristcom buzzed again. Well, you’re getting warmer, but you really need to get on the ball. You’re out of time, Talice. Too bad. Jance.
Talice looked ahead. Row after row of what she knew were prefab buildings, up to three stories tall. Further in the distance, taller buildings, more permanent. Clues… I need clues.
Another buzz. Warmer. Geeze, Talice, move it! Jance.
Talice eased into a painful trot. Watching. More stragglers now, some running. None she could see were armed. Some carrying bags or duffels or simply items gathered in their arms. Once in a while something would be dropped. Seldom did anyone stop to retrieve it.
Kids… no kids that I see, at least no young ones. Glad for that.
A buzz. Dammit, Talice, pay attention! You’re really not with it, are you? Jance.
Talice paused and stepped into a recessed doorway. Looked around, still not sure…
There. Holy shit! How obvious could it be? How the hell did I not think of it?
The hospital stood across the street.
Talice typed. The infirmary? Talice.
She could almost hear a chuckle in the next message. Now the real fun begins. Jance.
* * *
Talice sprinted across the street, barely avoiding a running man. Two women ducked into a side alley, screaming when they saw her gun. She hit the entryway. The auto-doors opened just in time. She paused. This building was substantial, a permanent structure. Three floors up and likely some below. She looked frantically for a map of the place, at last simply heading for the stairway and up.
The wristcom buzzed. Now that you’re inside, use your head, dummy. I’ll give you a few minutes, but the Marines are getting better with their aiming. Jance.
Fuck you, bitch, thought Talice. She bolted up the stairs, hit the second-floor landing. Paused. Listening. Thinking.
Sounds from below. Someone or something was in the floor she’d just come from. She heard the stairway door creak open. She gently crept up the stairs ahead, her pulse rifle pointed back into the stairwell, waiting for Jance, or anyone, to appear. Nothing. Whoever had been there was gone.
Stragglers again? Geez, am I hearing things? No, someone was there, but then…
She returned to the landing, cracked the door open, and entered, sweeping her weapon side to side. Lobby. Status station. Patient rooms.
She ran, one to the other, nearly ready to call out Babs’s name, almost frantic. All the rooms were empty, but some had recently been occupied. Scattered clothing, a partially-filled bag left behind, half-eaten meals, half-empty cups…
The building almost shuddered. Talice knew it was aircraft, probably troop carriers, flying over. She knew time was wasting, too.
One more floor, then downstairs. How much time? Talice glanced at her chrono, then ran for the door. Checked the window, then back out into the stairwell. Listened. Nothing.
Up the stairs, pausing to listen once more. The stairs terminated at the roof, she knew. The door was windowless. She eased it open, bolted for a wall aside, and peeked around the corner.
Hallway. More rooms, but these look like offices. Admin floor, probably. Nemesis is a lot more organized than the Marines think, apparently.
The wristcom buzzed. Still hunting, Talice? My, did you hear that turbocopter go over? Jance.
Talice was ready to scream. Held it back, barely. Went through the rooms quickly, noting these were not just abandoned, but seemed unused in quite a while. There was a fine layer of dust on the horizontal surfaces of desks, tables, even the floor was dull.
Yeah… downstairs wasn’t perfectly clean, either. Not like a real hospital. Damn… Babs, I’m coming for you, I promise.
Back to the hallway, then the stairwell door, and down. She winced in pain, stopped, her breath coming ragged. Her hip was on fire, and she eased her way down the final steps to the ground floor entry. Caught her breath, knowing descending steps was going to be hard.
Fuck it. Do the job, Wyloh.
She started down slowly, listening. Reached the first floor down. Glanced through the door window, seeing a darkened hall with two glowing red lights at the far end. Nothing else.
The wristcom sounded again. She was about ready to stomp the thing into shards. I don’t see you. Where are you? You didn’t think this through, did you? Too bad. Jance.
Now Talice did scream. She didn’t care who heard her. She’d kill them too, if she had the chance.
* * *
Talice took five. Actually, it was more like two.
She had a full magazine of HE in her pulse rifle and two more in her stash. One was AP rounds. She hoped to hell she didn’t need it. Two grenades. Five flares. Her handgun held a full clip and three more in her belt. Her S-H tube was still half-full. She had a spare patch, and knew she would need it once she found Babs and they headed back.
And no helmet. No direct comm with Mac. Couldn’t talk to anyone through the wristcom, because Jance would see it.
Damn. Stupid, stupid, stupid…
Her hip hurt. Her ribcage hurt. She’d twisted her left foot coming down the stairs when she nearly collapsed. She had a splitting headache. Concussed, probably. Other than all that, I’m just fine.
She glanced quickly through the window again. The lights were still there. What the hell?
She pushed the door open slowly. This level was under positive pressure, and it took a bit more muscle than she had thought. The lights hadn’t brightened or dimmed.
She lit her pulse rifle spotlight, shined it down the hall. The red lights were coming from some sort of
device, a barrel with a globe atop it, where the lights were. She took a step. Her chest lit with red dots.
Holy fuck! Sentry robot!
Talice dove for an open doorway as lasers fired and torched the door. She rolled, went prone, stuck her pulse rifle around the corner and fired a three second burst. Her HE rounds exploded against the bot’s armor, and the barrel-shape rocked, but the lasers kept cutting away at the door, then swung to the alcove where she hid.
Fire erupted beside her, traced across her shoulder, cut through her HCS. She screamed, rolled away, and tore the HE magazine from her weapon, jammed the AP in its place, and ran, looking for cover. Nothing.
Gunfire filled the corridor. Heavy fire, and Talice heard the unmistakable sound of AP rounds ripping through metal.
The lasers stopped. Then the firing stopped. She ducked behind a washroom alcove. Crouched, as pain flashed through her hip. Waited.
A figure eased into the darkened doorway. Sprayed suppressant on the lingering flames.
Talice drew a bead, waiting.
The lights flipped on. A trim, dressed-in-black male stood in the doorway. He pointed his weapon away and smiled.
“Junior!!??” Talice nearly fainted with relief. She sagged. Dropped her weapon. Was nearly ready to pass out.
He came to her side and eased off her shoulder armor. “Not bad, Captain, just like a sunburn.” He squirted pain-gel on the raw, red flesh and gently rubbed it in.
Talice couldn’t look away from his face. “How… You followed me, didn’t you? Ditched your armor in case anyone saw you, or if Jance was watching, she’d think you were just another straggler? Damn clever, Jian.”
He looked her in the eye. “Did you really think I’d let you go alone? Marines don’t abandon Marines.”
Talice closed her eyes for a long moment, then met his gaze again. “I’m sorry… I was… angry. I couldn’t believe… I didn’t understand… Aya... Maybe I was wrong.” She wrapped her hand around his neck, pulled his face to hers, and kissed him, long and warm and passionately. Then drew slowly away, her cheek against his own. “Thank you.”
