Their voices faded into the background as Boone’s attention swerved sharply back to the situation developing below. He tensed when he saw a gaggle of park visitors on a zero/zero intercept with the thief and his pursuer.
{I’ve got a cluster of kids headed right for my two targets,} he interrupted tersely.
Asha let out an expletive. {I’m too far away. Won’t make it there in time. You?}
Boone could see the answer before Gabe spoke. {Negative.}
His hand reached up to wrap around the cable that swooped down to intercept their projected location.
{I can,} he said quietly.
There was no time for discussion. Before he had a chance to think too hard on his actions, Boone lifted the canoe paddle and hooked the carabiner over the cable. Gripping either end firmly in his hands, he mentally ticked the seconds off in his head as the man pursuing the thief neared the spot Boone had mentally identified. Before he had a chance to think too hard about what he was about to do, Boone launched himself from the platform and went careening downward.
21: ZIPLINE
Sky Park Grounds
Boone might have underestimated how fast he’d be going when he hit the man. His target went down with satisfying speed—and stayed down. Problem was, once Boone’s feet connected with the back of the man’s shoulders, he kept right on going.
To put as much force as he could behind his initial blow, Boone had done exactly the opposite of what he’d been taught in close quarters combat. He kept his body stiff and his legs locked, allowing as much of the energy to transfer from him into the enforcer.
After striking the man, momentum carried Boone another three meters before he crashed into the platform. He began to curl into a roll, but at the rate he was traveling through the air, there wasn’t much time to adjust before landing.
The collision altered his trajectory enough to send him flying into a hedgerow, which lessened the impact somewhat. Though it probably saved him from broken bones, it still hurt like a sonofabitch.
Somewhere behind him, he heard a young boy’s voice call out, “Mama! Zip lines! I want a ride!”
“Hush,” an adult voice scolded, the sound fading as the mother wisely pulled the child away from the scene of the collision.
* * *
Thad took off at a run the minute he saw Boone launch himself down the cable as if it were some sort of new park ride.
“Lord save us all from damn fool lance corporals who think they’re supermen,” he muttered under his breath.
He rounded the corner just in time to see Boone piston into the back of the enforcer. The thief, a scant three meters away wheeled. What he saw seemed to unnerve him. For a moment, Thad thought the guy was going to bolt. Instead, he shoved the dolly aside and reached for his weapon.
He fumbled the maneuver, his clumsiness telegraphing his obvious inexperience. This, combined with the clear panic writ on his face had Thad reaching for his reserves, urgency spurring him on. As the pistol cleared its holster, Thad launched himself into a flying tackle, one hand wrapped around the man’s wrist and spoiling his aim.
They went down, the back of the man’s head hitting the ceramacrete sidewalk with a loud crack. Thad came up on his hands and knees, ready to counter any move in case the thief was still conscious.
The man was out cold. Thad looked around until he spotted the pistol that had clattered to the ground when they’d impacted the sidewalk. He rolled to his feet and scooped it up.
* * *
The row of bushes that had broken his fall were obliterated where Boone had crashed into them, but they’d not gone quietly, and he had the bloody scratches to prove it. The small patch of grass was softer than ceramacrete, but still managed to give Boone one hell of a road rash.
He ended up on his back, staring up into the darkening sky. Taking a moment to run a quick mental assessment, he realized he held something in his right hand. Lifting his head was a mistake; it dropped back onto the grass, but not before he registered the fact that he’d somehow managed to hold onto the damn canoe paddle.
He chose not to think too hard about what that meant. The only way that could have happened was if one of the carabiners failed. He was lucky his jury-rigged system hadn’t dropped him onto innocent bystanders from a much higher distance.
Sucking air into his lungs, he braced and he rolled up onto one elbow to look around. There was a man-sized hole in the hedgerow now, thanks to him. It provided an unrestricted view of his victim.
His target was knocked out cold, possibly worse. Boone knew the impact could have snapped the man’s neck, unless he had a carbyne-reinforced lattice running through his skull like those in the Geminate Navy had.
A crowd had gathered, their attention drawn by the sight of his body flying through the air. Already a person crouched beside the unconscious man, and a few more were headed in that direction.
Boone scowled when the man emitted a groan and began to stir.
You couldn’t stay out for just a few seconds longer? he thought irritably.
With a groan of his own, he forced himself to his feet, using the canoe paddle as an assist.
“Geminate Navy,” he called out to the civilian trying to render aid as he limped toward the downed man. “I’m going to need you to back away, sir.”
The man scowled up at him. “You could have killed this—”
“And he could have killed you,” Boone interrupted. He bent over the downed man and did a quick pat-down, pulling two weapons from their holsters.
The sight of the CUSP and the pistol drew gasps from onlookers. Tossing the canoe paddle aside, he stepped back, tucking the CUSP into his back waistband, and aiming the compact firearm at the man on the ground.
Pitching his voice so that the crowd could hear, he repeated, “Geminate Navy. This is a hot zone. Weapons fire has been exchanged. For your own safety, seek shelter, now.” When he didn’t sense movement from them, he risked a glance over his shoulder at the gathering crowd.
That was a mistake.
* * *
Thad hauled the unconscious thief to one side, out of the center of the walkway. The sound of fists hitting flesh had him pivoting. What he saw had him doing a mental double take. The younger Marine was engaged in a vicious hand-to-hand battle with the enforcer.
How the hell did that happen? The last time Thad had looked, the corporal had his weapon trained on the man.
It didn’t matter what had happened to upset the balance of power. Boone’s opponent was a brute of a guy who had several kilos on him. Even after the blow the man had sustained, the enforcer was a dangerous opponent.
Thad raced toward the two, assessing the fight as he went. He pushed past a growing crowd, people gawking at the spectacle as if it were some form of macabre entertainment, oblivious to the danger they were in.
“Get back! Get the hell away from there,” he yelled as he shoved between two kids. When they pushed back, he swung his weapon toward them and added a growled, “Now!” to his order.
Eyes widening, they moved a few feet back. It wasn’t nearly enough, but Thad had more pressing matters on his hands. He stopped just outside the reach of the two, gauging the best moment to intervene.
The enforcer had pulled a knife. He thrust toward Boone, and the corporal knocked his hand aside, countering by ramming his shoulder into the man’s gut. At the same time, he grabbed the enforcer’s wrist in both hands and gave it a sharp twist.
Thad heard bones snap, the enforcer roaring an invective. He wrapped Boone in a clinch, delivering several quick, hard blows to Boone’s kidney with his functional hand. Boone drove his knee into the man’s groin and when they broke apart, Thad saw the flash of gunmetal gray. The knife had changed owners.
Before Thad could take advantage of the separation, a figure dove into the fray, bending to scoop up Boone’s discarded canoe paddle. It was Asha.
Wielding the object like a bat, she swung. It connected with the side of the enforcer’s head with a
satisfying crunch, and the man fell back to the sidewalk, out cold.
“Home run,” Thad murmured as he pointed his weapon skyward.
22: NEW PLAN
Sky Park Grounds
{Hey boss?} Bobby hadn’t been gone ten minutes before his panicked voice sounded over the team’s comm channel. In the distance, Petra saw Delia look skyward in exasperation. Her gaze snapped back down at Bobby’s next words.
{Boss! They found me!}
Delia whipped her head around, seeking Petra, tension vibrating from her frame. Petra felt a matching tension coil in her gut, but she held up a cautionary hand, drawing to a stop beside one of the concession stands.
{Who found you?} she asked.
{Too late. They’ve already —} He fell suddenly silent.
Petra’s hand fisted as anger crashed through her, along with a healthy helping of fear and frustration. Everything she had worked so carefully to achieve was crumbling to dust at her feet. She had to find a way to recover from this. She motioned Delia over. With a quick nod, the other woman reversed direction.
{Kele, get back here,} she ordered, sending him a mental picture of the concession stand she’d parked behind.
{On my way,} he replied.
It would take a few minutes for the two to retrace their steps. Petra spent the time mentally flipping through their options. She could think of only one.
“New plan,” she said when they both arrived. Motioning them closer, she flattened her palms against the topmost box. Looking down at it, she said in a low tone, “The items in these boxes will make us very, very wealthy. But only if we can get them off this platform and up to the orbital station in time to rendezvous with the buyers.”
She looked over at Kele, and then shifted to meet Delia’s eyes.
“We don’t know what happened to Ike, and it sounds like they got Bobby, too. Based on Jay’s description, they have to be Mastai.”
Kele and Delia both nodded.
“One of us needs to get these boxes to the dock. The others—” she sucked in a breath, “—will go hunting.”
Delia crossed her arms, a hard light glinting in her eyes. Kele made a rumbling noise that set Petra on edge until she realized it wasn’t the sound of dissent but of agreement.
She held up a hand. In it was a case filled with zipties. “Each of you take a handful, just in case. If you manage to spot an enforcer before he spots you, use one of these on them. With luck, you’ll be able to take him down without drawing unwanted attention to yourself.”
She emptied the case and divvied up the thin sheets between them, each film containing one nano restraint package.
“Three against three,” Delia began, but Petra shook her head.
“We can’t leave the goods unprotected. Kele and I will fight; you take the boxes and get them to the shuttle.”
Delia’s expression turned briefly mutinous, but then it smoothed into resignation.
“Boss… are you sure?” she asked softly. “It’s one thing to go behind Mastai’s backs; it’s another thing entirely to raise a hand against our own. You take this step, you sever ties with Mastai for good, you know.” The other woman’s face was creased with concern.
Petra shook her head. “That ship sailed the minute those enforcers arrived.” She and Kele exchanged a grim look. Reluctantly, she added, “You both can move on, you know. Cut your losses. No hard feelings.”
Delia coughed an incredulous laugh. “If they know this much about the operation, you think they’re not aware that we’re in it with you? She shook her head. “No, we’ve been made. For better or worse, our futures lie with you.”
“Okay then. Let’s do this.”
Delia didn’t bother with a reply, she just nodded and then departed.
Petra turned to find Kele press-checking his weapon, removing and then reseating the magazine. He grinned humorlessly at her upraised brow.
“I’d say the rules of engagement have changed, boss.” There was a gleam in his eye that she hadn’t been there before.
“Enforcers, yes. We still don’t need the kind of heat killing a civilian would bring down on us,” she warned.
Kele lifted his chin in silent agreement.
“Good hunting,” he said, before he took off down the sidewalk and disappeared into the foliage that lined the waterway.
23: SAFETY MEASURES
Sky Park Grounds
Gabe winced sympathetically when Asha’s swing connected with the side of the enforcer’s head.
One thing’s for certain, he thought. That guy’s going to know his bell’s been rung when he awakens.
His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when movement in the distance caught his eye. What he saw had him racing for the CUSP lying on the ground a few meters away. The thief Thad had tackled had regained consciousness and was about two seconds away from drilling a hole through Thad’s head.
Gabe lunged for the weapon like a runner diving for home plate. Ignoring the burn as ceramacrete tore at his palms, he lifted the CUSP and fired. The shot lanced past Thad, close enough for the Unit operator to feel the sting of the beam, he was certain.
Thad pivoted on the balls of his feet, ready to engage whatever threat was lurking behind him. What he saw had him straightening and sending a nod of silent thanks Gabe’s way. He walked over to where Gabe lay, massaging his thigh to alleviate the burn the beam’s graze had imparted.
Thad held out a hand and Gabe grabbed it, rolling to his feet with a wince. Nodding to Thad’s leg, he said, “Sorry about that.”
Thad’s face wore a matching grimace, but he waved off the apology.
“Better’n being holed, ami.” He nodded toward the man Asha had felled. “Mind doing the honors? I know enforcers have hard heads, but I’d hate to have him wake a second time.”
“With pleasure.” Gabe stepped forward, thumbing the CUSP to narrow dispersal and shot the enforcer, point-blank. Grabbing the man by the collar and belt, he hauled him off the sidewalk, dropping him beside the unconscious thief.
“We’re starting to collect bodies,” he observed as he straightened. “Might have to do something about that soon.”
Thad grunted noncommittally, his attention on the dolly. Gabe joined him, and together, the two men piled the strewn boxes back onto the maglev hand truck’s flat shelf.
“Good thing these didn’t break open when they spilled,” Gabe murmured as he set the final box on top and lifted the lid to peer inside. “I’d hate to have to fight off a bunch of civvies wanting to get a closer look at a P-SCAR.”
Thad grunted his agreement, steering the dolly back toward Asha, who was crouched beside Boone. As they neared, the young Marine tried to ease his head from her hand. Asha’s sharp “stand down, corporal” had Gabe hiding a smile.
Boone turned when he saw them approach. “I had him, you know.”
“I know you did. I was just helping things along.” Asha’s voice held the barest thread of humor. She forced Boone’s head back around, fingers probing gently at his jaw. “You’re lucky nothing’s broken. Your medical nano should kick in soon. It’ll help with that swelling.”
Boone nodded his thanks, wincing as the movement tweaked his injury. Thad cocked a brow at him and then deliberately cast his eyes skyward.
“After that stunt you pulled, hoss, I’m sure those teeny little machines are already workin’ overtime inside that body of yours. Best to cool it with the aerobatics for a bit, y’hear?”
“Yessir.”
Asha pushed to her feet and strolled over to where Gabe stood, grabbing his palms and turning them over to examine their skinned surface. “Remember what it was like to feel young and invincible?” she murmured in a teasing tone, dropping his hands and slapping him lightly on the shoulder.
As roughed up as Gabe felt, Boone looked worse. The corporal was covered in scratches and had the beginnings of a shiner, courtesy of the enforcer. He rolled stiffly to his feet with an assist from Thad.
Gabe locked eyes wi
th Thad. “What now?” he asked.
* * *
Boone was glad Gabe asked; he was wondering the same thing. Before the lieutenant could reply, Asha strode over to where the enforcer lay and squatted in front of him, examining the back of his head. Letting it drop back down to the pavement, she sat back on her heels, forearms resting on her knees.
“Hey corporal,” she called out, tone thoughtful. Her eyes remained fixed on the enforcer. “Any chance there’s a first aid kit in one of those boxes?”
Boone’s brows drew together in confusion at the incongruous statement. He looked over at Gabe only to see the special agent glance over at him, mouth twitching in sudden humor.
Not sure what’s so funny about her sudden concern for that grav-sucker, right after she told me to man up about my own injuries…
The whole thing was giving him mental whiplash.
But then the expression on Gabe’s face altered. Boone caught the speculative look he and Thad exchanged before the dark-skinned man shot the medic a sharp look.
“Sad five bros?” he asked.
“Yup.” Pushing to her feet, Asha turned to Boone with raised brows. “Well?”
“Uhh…” was all Boone could think to say as he scrambled to follow the conversation. The response wasn’t exactly his finest moment, but damn, this was making no sense.
Oh yeah, right. The first aid kit.
He blinked, rehashing what he’d seen of the cases’ contents. “No ma’am,” he said after a beat. “There’s nothing in there like that.”
She slapped a hand against her thigh and blew out a breath. “Dammit. There goes the interrogation.”
Sudden Death (A Military Sci Fi Thriller) (The Biogenesis War Files) Page 11
