“That Pate has always been a trouble maker.” The Director shook her head.
“You’re telling me,” Selene reluctantly agreed.
“So what now? You’ve made an awful mess of my city.” She looked around at the toppled skyscrapers, the fire licking the pavement and the sparks shooting from open wires up high. “City patrol will be here any moment, and you’ll be taken away again. You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” Tine smirked.
A sly smile spread on Selene’s face, and Tine’s smile dropped. “You really think we didn’t think of that?” She rolled her eyes. “City patrol and the rest of your security force have been… rerouted. They have no idea what’s going on here. No one is coming for you, Tine.”
The Director narrowed her eyes and her lips pressed into a thin line.
Selene took a step forward. Finally, she had the upper hand.
“I won’t go down without a fight,” Tine said.
“I wouldn’t expect any less.”
Before Selene could leap into battle, the Director pulled a knife from inside her jacket, cutting a line up the thigh of her skirt. Smart. It’d be hell to fight in a pencil skirt.
With her knife in hand, the Director looked Selene up and down, a smirk on her lips. She leapt, flying across the space between them and swiping the knife at Selene’s head.
Selene leaned back, the knife sailing past her face. Before she could recover, Tine’s ankle slammed against hers, tearing her off her feet. Her back hit the pavement and the air whooshed from her lungs. She stared wide-eyed at the sky, wondering how the hell she’d gotten there.
“Your body’s muscle memory truly is incredible,” the Director smiled. She put a hand on her hip, making no move to attack again.
Gritting her teeth, Selene leapt to her feet. She narrowed her eyes at the woman. She’d worked hard for years to develop her skills. The Director had no idea what she’d gone through to move that fast and hit with such precision.
“But it’d be nothing without my skill.” Tine shot forward, throwing her fist at Selene’s cheek.
Selene leapt aside, kicking Tine’s hand. The knife clattered across the ground as Selene returned her laser pistol to the back of her pants. There was no using her incredibly accurate aim in this fight. If she shot Tine, she was shooting herself, and recovering from laser fire would not be fun.
Tine turned, an annoyed growl rising from her throat as she threw another punch, then wrenched her knee up to hit Selene’s stomach.
Descending to avoid the blows, Selene grabbed Tine’s leg and threw her backward, but Tine used the momentum against her, and flipped back, her foot narrowly missing Selene’s chin.
The Director landed and laughed. “Delightful.”
Selene leapt, heated fury pushing her movements as she threw a jab at Tine’s cheek, her ribs and her spleen. Tine avoided each blow with startling speed, reminding Selene exactly what she was up against—herself. She snarled as she spun and slammed her elbow into the Director’s chest.
Air exploded from Tine’s lungs as she toppled backward, holding her chest and gasping for air. Selene stepped forward again and booted her stomach, forcing Tine onto the pavement.
Tine stared daggers, her hair wild and her green eyes ablaze with anger. “You little bitch!”
“Give up, Director,” Selene panted. “You’re in my body, and I’m not giving it up.”
Her nostrils flared. “You want a fight, little girl? I’ll give you a fight.” Tine jumped to her feet and lunged, throwing jabs at Selene’s face and chest, barely giving her a second to dodge any of them.
Selene leapt back to get some space between them, but Tine just kept coming, wild-eyed like a jungle cat, and ready to tear her to pieces. Tine’s fist made contact with her stomach, and she was forced to double over, even as Tine spun in a roundhouse kick.
Pain exploded through her jaw as the Director’s heel slammed into her skull. Selene hit the ground hard, scraping her bare palms on pavement.
Across the road, she met Rikkard’s gaze. He crouched behind his speeder, a look of concern on his face as he glanced between her and the security guards piling out of the cruisers. He still had their attention, and he had to keep it if she was going to take down the Director. But in order to take her down, she needed to step up her game, and Rikkard needed to focus.
“Pay attention to your own problem!” she hissed in her earpiece. “Before you get yourself killed.”
Rikkard narrowed his eyes, but gave her a brisk nod before turning back to the problem at hand.
Selene sighed and braced her hands on the pavement, pushing herself up off the ground. Her jaw throbbed as she turned back to face Tine, who grinned victoriously, her hands on her hips.
“This isn’t over yet,” Selene said.
Tine laughed. “Where do you see this fight going, Selene? You can’t hurt me, not really. If you kill me, you’ll only be killing yourself.” Her gaze roamed Selene’s body. “You must have had many mods installed to keep up with me. If you don’t get a new body soon, you’ll die in that thing, won’t you?” She raised a perfectly sculpted brow.
Selene’s fists clenched. Tine was right, and she hated it. If Selene wanted to win this, she might have to kill her, but if she did, she was royally screwed.
Tine’s smile grew as Selene’s thoughts raced. Tine knew exactly what Selene was thinking, but Selene had to try. She had to get the upper hand and subdue the Director. Then they could grab one of the cruisers and flee. With a government issued vehicle she and Rik would be out of the city in minutes, and back to Bakura within a couple hours. Then they’d make contact with the pirates, and she’d be back in her body before sunset.
Selene shook her head. She had to focus. This was the goal. She had to live up to her part of the plan: bring down Tine and take her by force.
Holding up her fists, ready for round two, Selene stepped toward her opponent.
Zelena’s smile fell and she raised an eyebrow. “You want to go again?”
Selene glared. “Damn right.”
“All right, then.” The Director shrugged, cracking her neck and stretching her arms before she lunged across the street.
Selene leapt aside, and the Director flew past her. Her heart raced, pounding in her ears, as she used her forearms to block Tine’s blows. Pain shot through her arms with every hit, but she gritted her teeth and bared it.
Come on, Selene.
Her fists clenched, and the second Tine leaned back, she slammed her fist into the woman’s face, sending her sideways. Finally. Kicking out her foot, she swept Tine’s feet from under her, sending her face first into the pavement.
Blood exploded from Tine’s nose, and she quickly rolled out of the way of Selene’s next kick. The Director put space between them, but Selene still held her fists up, ready to go in case Tine leapt again.
“You little brat,” Tine snapped. “I’m going to kill you slowly, but first, I’m going to kill your friends, one by one, by one, until you’re all that’s left, and once you’ve stewed in your own misery inside a vat for a few days, maybe then I’ll kill you, but only when you beg for it.”
Selene narrowed her eyes in defiance, even as cold washed her skin at the thought of being sealed inside a vat again. “That’s a nice super villain rant you’ve got there,” Selene mocked. “But I’d never beg you.” She shook her head. These were only the final, desperate ravings of a mad woman on her last leg. Selene could do this. She could win, and then she’d show the Director what misery really looked like.
“You will.” Tine caught her breath. “I look forward to it.”
Selene smiled. This woman was absolutely delusional. Raising her fists next to her face, she waited for Tine to make the first move.
Her cool green gaze swept over Selene’s flesh, inspecting for weaknesses, and waiting for Selene to move first. But the impatience in the Director’s eyes betrayed her, and she was the first to leap.
Tine jumped off the pavement, reaching
for Selene’s wrists.
Selene pulled back, dodged her grab, and kicked the back of her knee. Tine folded to the ground, her knee slamming into the pavement, but as Selene pulled back to kick her to the ground, a knife flashed out from inside Tine’s jacket, and she stabbed Selene’s leg.
A cry of pain flew from her lips as she crumbled to one knee. Her fingers nudged the edge of the knife as blood gushed around it. Thankfully it hadn’t hit anything major, but damn did it hurt like hell.
Tine stood as Selene looked up, and her knee slammed into Selene’s chin.
Selene fell back with a grunt, and stars burst before her eyes.
Another lance of pain tore through her as Tine’s heel rammed into her gut, and then her head was slammed back against the ground.
Selene moaned as she rolled over, using her arms to protect her head as Tine’s fist slammed into her chest, ribs, and stomach, stealing her breath and her senses as her body ached and her head swam.
She knew this feeling, from the dizziness and the sparks in front of her eyes, blurring her vision. She either had a concussion, or was damn close.
Tine’s foot slammed into her stomach, and Selene flew across the pavement, rolling a few feet, and tangling her hair in the blood dripping from her busted lip.
Selene climbed to her knees, spitting blood on the ground before wiping her mouth. Her scalp stung as Tine yanked her hair, then forced her head down into the hard part of her knee.
Selene collapsed on the pavement, her entire body sore, her leg going numb, and her head throbbing.
“You see, Selene?” the Director panted. “You can’t win. There’s no beating me. There’s no beating the Dominion, and there’s no beating democracy.” She laughed as her hand went to the back of her skirt, and she pulled out a sleek white laser pistol, small enough to hide in her tight clothes.
Selene’s eyes widened as the Director pointed it at her head. This was it. She was going to die. Even she couldn’t survive a shot to the head.
A long moment passed as Tine’s wicked smile grew. Then she tilted her head back to the sky, chuckling. “I told you, Selene. I’m not going to kill you, not yet.” She turned back toward the parked cruisers. All but one of her security team was dead.
Rikkard leaned out from behind his speeder, raising his pistol as the guard peeked from his hiding spot. Rikkard’s laser tore through his face, and the man fell back with a thump.
His chest rose and fell quickly as he breathed hard. Standing from his crouch, he turned to look for Selene, and his eyes widened as he stared at the barrel of a gun, pointed right at his chest.
“You must be Rikkard Gunnar,” Tine said. “I’ve heard all about you.” She smirked. “Former factory worker, abandoned his booster addicted mother to fend for herself while he joined up with the Smugglers Legion. How did that turn out for you?”
Selene’s heart raced as she stared wide-eyed between Rikkard and Tine. No. Not Rikkard.
Blood dripped down her chin as she pulled herself onto her stomach. Her head spun, but she got to her hands and knees.
“Tine,” Selene croaked, her throat closing painfully on her words. “Not him. You want me. Kill me.”
Tine looked back over her shoulder, a grin on her face. “Are you going to beg me for his life, Selene? I might just let him live out the rest of his days in a work camp if you do.”
Her pulse raced beneath her skin, thumping hard in her ears, only causing more spears of pain to push into her skull. Her lips opened to speak, but she couldn’t get the words out. How could she beg this woman for anything? She was evil incarnate. The worst the Dominion had to offer.
“No?” Tine pouted. “Damn. I was really hoping you’d try.”
Selene growled and punched the ground. She hated this. She hated everything about it. But as she looked up at Rikkard, his face solemn, his gaze understanding, she knew she couldn’t let him die.
She yanked her laser pistol from the back of her pants, and pointed it at Tine. Her hand shook violently, so she sat back on her legs, using both hands to steady her aim.
“You’re going to shoot me?” Tine laughed. “But you can’t. If you kill me, you kill you. What a predicament you’ve gotten yourself into!”
“Selene,” Rikkard warned. “Don’t do it.”
Her fingers tightened around the cool metal, her skin slippery with her own blood. She gritted her teeth as she watched Tine’s laughing face.
Selene hated her like she’d never hated anyone before. Maybe more than she even hated Pate, and he’d ruined her life.
“You’re not going to shoot me.” Tine rolled her eyes and looked back at Rikkard. “Any last words to your boyfriend here, before he dies?”
Selene’s whole body shook. It was now or never.
“Selene! Don’t!” Rikkard snapped.
She squeezed the trigger. White-blue light flared from the muzzle of her gun, and sliced a hole through Tine’s head. Selene’s head.
With one eye permanently burned from her skull, Tine turned slightly as she fell. Her one, wide eye stared unseeing at the sky, and the white pistol dropped from her hand.
Shit. What the hell did I just do?
Selene stared at the body on the pavement without really seeing it. What the hell had she done? Not only did she kill her own body, but she’d also killed her only chance at a normal life, of not having to suffer through being a clone for a hundred years, of not having to make the decision when it was time to die.
Her fists balled in her lap, and her vision blurred. Cold descended on her skin, and her chest tightened while sat like a weight in her stomach.
She replayed it over and over in her mind. Tine taunting her, a wicked smile on her face, Selene looking between the Director and Rikkard, choosing his life over hers. Did she regret doing it? Of course not. She’d save Rikkard’s life over and over if she had to. It wasn’t even a choice.
“Selene?” Rikkard crouched beside her, his hand lying gently on her shoulder.
Not only had she lost her body, but she’d lost it to the Director. She wasn’t strong enough in this body. She wasn’t strong enough as a clone, and she might never be again unless she chose to get cloned again and again every few days.
Her eyes squeezed shut and she embraced the blissful blackness behind her eyelids.
“Selene?” Rikkard’s fingers rubbed her weary shoulders.
She sank her face into her hands. How could she face him knowing that she’d lost? Knowing that she’d never have her own body back again? Knowing that the last few days, escaping Pate’s prison, rescuing Rikkard and Sav, Lanny’s death even… it all meant nothing.
Frustration burned through her, chasing away the cold. It was all for nothing. Everything she did only got herself or others hurt. How was she supposed to live like this, constantly ruining her friends’ lives? Constantly getting them hurt?
She was so angry she wanted to scream. She wanted to pour it all out of her lungs and into the air, and never take it back. She wanted the frustration to end, the pain to end.
Rikkard squeezed her shoulder, and her muscles ached. “Selene, we have to go.”
Selene shook her head and finally opened her eyes and lowered her hands. She stared at the Director, dead on the ground, half of her face blown off, the other half a mask of surprise. It didn’t shock her that it felt good to see Zelena Stein dead, or Director Tine, or whatever the woman wanted to call herself. At least Selene wouldn’t have to see her own face flashing across the holoscreen on a daily basis. But on the other hand, Selene would be stuck as a clone forever.
Blinking back tears, Selene stared up at the sky. It wasn’t fair. None of this was.
Rikkard’s arms wrapped around her and he yanked her to her feet.
A hiss of pain slipped from between her teeth as she put weight on the leg Tine had stabbed. The leg that still had a knife sticking out of it.
Rikkard glanced down at the gushing wound, then back at her face. “We shouldn’t remove it until
we get back to the others.”
“You want me to spend hours with a knife sticking out of my leg?” Selene grumbled. What was the point? She didn’t care what happened to this body. It’d be dead in a few days anyway. She leaned down, her fingers wrapping around the cold metal hilt, and yanked it out.
She cried out as pain shot through her leg, and her head swam. Her feet slid out from under her and Rikkard caught her before she fell. He sighed, his hot breath on her face, and his grip tightening around her.
“You’re impossible,” he said. Leaning down, he scooped her up from the ground, carrying her bridal style in his arms.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, pressing her bloody face to his neck. “At least I saved you,” she whispered.
Rikkard stiffened, but nodded as he yanked open the passenger side door of one of the cruisers and set her inside. “You did,” he agreed. He glanced between her face and her wound before ripping off his belt and tightening it around her leg to stop the bleeding.
She winced as it cut off her circulation.
After a few minutes, Rikkard was able to rip the GPS system from the vehicle, and then they were taking off from the New Manhattan highway, banking out towards the desert. Her pounding heart slowed, a lump welling in her throat, one no amount of swallowing could remove.
She closed her eyes and leaned against the window. She’d really fucked up this time.
Selene cried out as nanites shifted through her injury, repairing and binding the stab wound in her leg. Her breath hissed out between her teeth as she blinked up at the ceiling of the small doctor’s office in Erock’s pirate ship.
Against all of her protests, Rikkard had taken her phone and called the pirate captain immediately after their departure from New Manhattan. Now the entire crew was back in the pirate’s debt as she sat in the doctor’s office, her face no longer bloody, but bruising badly as pain shot through her leg.
The Zahkx Alliance: A Sci-Fi Dystopian Adventure (Dominion Rising Book 2) Page 22
