by Jan Domagala
For this job he had gone alone, for a simple pick up like this he did not require any backup. Wilde was confident that the Rover 5 could handle this job alone. The Rover had been supplied with Tanya Wilde’s tracking code implanted within her NI much like those supplied to Col Sec personnel, so there was no way he could not find his quarry. Jonas Wilde was also confident that the Rover could handle one ex-marine security guard. Wilde fully expected the Rover to reach his quarry long before the authorities could be alerted. Once the security guard had been neutralised there was no doubt in his mind the Rover would secure his daughter and bring her back to him.
Up ahead he could see his targets; they were slowly strolling through the crowd of shoppers seemingly oblivious to anyone who could be following them. This would be easier than he thought.
* * * * *
“Just keep walking and don’t look around,” Taylor said sotto voce.
Tanya was immediately alerted to the fact that something was wrong but she did as she was told and carried on as if nothing had happened.
“Good girl,” he added as they carried on through the crowds. Accessing the battle com. through his NI, Taylor spoke to Hawk. “I think we’ve picked up a tail, can’t be sure, he’s good, damn good but I don’t want to take the chance. How soon before you get here?”
Hawk had landed the shuttle and commandeered a sky-cab to the mall. The moment he received the call from Taylor he had just entered the main thoroughfare and was closing in on them.
“I’ll be with you asap, I’m in the mall not far from your location, just keep an eye out for me and keep close to Miss Wilde and as many people as you can. I’m banking on them not being foolish and trying to capture you in front of so many witnesses, they’ll want to separate you from the crowd first,” Hawk replied.
“Will do, Cap,” Taylor replied.
Although Hawk had told him that the danger was minimal it didn’t stop the sudden feeling of dread that almost overwhelmed him, forcing him to increase his pace. He felt underneath his armpit for the Sig P996 he knew was there and felt only slightly reassured.
* * * * *
The Rover closed the gap between himself and his targets. They were only a few metres away from his grasp but there were still too many bystanders around for his liking. His orders were to terminate the guard and bring back the daughter, but they didn’t say how. He was programmed for independent thought and that included the ability to improvise, but there was the problem of trying not to bring attention to himself or what he was about to do. His life was forfeit but OMEGA had to remain behind the scenes until Wilde was ready to bring them out into the light. He wasn’t privy to when that was to happen but he did know it would be soon and he wasn’t to be the catalyst.
The walkway they were on was three floors up from the ground and there were still plenty of people around even though some of the shops were beginning to close after a full day of trading. Malls such as this one were still popular even though the population could get anything they needed through the GalaxyNet. These malls gave something that the GalaxyNet couldn’t, which was social interaction on a personal level. People could get out and interact with each other and that was still so important in these days of ever widening expansion of the galaxy. People still needed to have relationships, not just online but in the real world.
If he could get them close to one of the shops in the process of closing then perhaps he could isolate them inside it, get rid of the guard, then walk out with the daughter.
To the left of them was a clothes shop that was beginning to close up for the night, switching off the advertising lights that illuminated the exterior of the shop front. Quickening his pace the Rover closed in on his targets, he wanted to reach them just as they got level with the shop he had selected.
* * * * *
Hawk had zeroed in on Taylor’s NI tracking signal, Col Sec had reinitialised his original tracker and relayed it to Hawk’s NI. The third floor beckoned as he left the escalator and he looked for the two people who were depending upon him for help. The crowd was beginning to thin as some of the shops began to close but he could not see them at first. What he did see though was a tall man making his way forward, his head quite clear above most of the people on this floor. Not unusual as there were many people who topped six feet six, but this particular man was focused on something ahead of him and had increased his pace almost forcing his way through the people who were just there to enjoy themselves. This worried Hawk and he began to rush forwards.
“Taylor, I’m on this floor and just behind you, there seems to be someone closing on you so keep moving. I’ll be with you in a few seconds,” Hawk said through the battle com.
Drawing his Sig, Hawk pulled back on the slide to prime the weapon, holding it down by his leg so that no one would see it and be alerted to the danger and possibly cause panic. He continued towards Taylor and Tanya hoping he would reach them before the large man did.
Less than a couple of feet to go and the Rover would be within range of his targets. His timing had been impeccable; in a few short steps they would all be where the Rover had planned them to be. Being totally focused on his targets, the Rover was unaware of anything other than them.
* * * * *
Behind him, closing the gap to within six feet, Hawk was watching the tall, well-groomed man intently.
* * * * *
Taylor was trying desperately not to look behind him, hoping that his one-time friend and captain would not let him down. Tanya on the other hand was getting more and more nervous and as they reached the shop front she turned to glance behind and saw a huge, muscular man right behind them.
Taylor saw her glance over her shoulder and the colour drain from her face and immediately knew they were in trouble.
Rover saw the girl turn and look right at him and then the guard. The game had changed, his advantage of surprise negated somewhat, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. He was confident he could handle anything they threw at him.
* * * * *
Taylor saw the huge man react when he looked at him and knew he had to act fast if he was going to gain any sort of advantage.
Reacting as quickly as he could he aimed a punch towards the huge man’s face. Rover saw it coming and caught the fist in his left hand then back-handed Taylor across his face with his right hand contemptuously, sending him staggering back away from the girl who started to scream, a scream that reverberated through the mall as people nearby picked up on what had just happened. They started screamed along with her until total chaos broke out.
“Oh shit!” Hawk said as he saw what was happening and knew time had run out. He saw Taylor go flying and the huge man turn towards the girl who he knew must be Tanya Wilde. Knowing what was to come he launched himself across the remaining space between them at the huge man.
Hawk landed on the Rover’s shoulders sending the two of them crashing to the floor. Hawk rolled off the Rover and was first to recover his feet. “Get behind me,” he said to Tanya without taking his eyes from the Rover who looked up at him, smiling so savagely it chilled his blood, then got to his feet.
“Are you their protector from Col Sec?” the Rover asked, as he looked Hawk in the eyes still smiling with a look that said ‘you fool, don’t you realise what you’ve stumbled into?’
Taylor got to his feet and shook his head to regain his senses then grabbed Tanya by the hand and pulled her towards him away from the fight.
“Glad to see you, Cap,” he said.
Hawk looked the Rover up and down and realised that he wasn’t as big as he’d thought. Hawk stood at six feet six and the man before him was no more than an inch taller and probably no more muscular than him either, so he returned the smile then added a wink.
“Yep,” he said, “so bring it on.”
“Oh, you will so wish you hadn’t said that,” the Rover said just before he launched himself at Hawk.
Hawk sidestepped the onrushing giant and smashed his right fist into
the man’s ribs as he went past him. The Rover stopped on an instant, turned and struck Hawk across the face with his right fist.
Hawk staggered slightly caught unawares at the speed and ferocity of the counter attack and didn’t see the giant move past him to go for Taylor and the girl.
Taylor stood in front of Tanya hoping to prevent the attacker from reaching her. The Rover struck Taylor a straight right to the face, which snapped his head backwards viciously, causing the ex-marine to stagger to the point of almost losing his balance. The Rover then grabbed the front of Taylor’s shirt and heaved him over the balcony into the abyss to fall towards the floor three stories below.
Before he knew what was happening Taylor was in the air over the balcony falling to the ground. The knowledge that he was about to die wasn’t as bad as knowing he would never see Tanya again. He hit the floor without uttering a sound and died instantly.
Hawk saw his friend thrown to his certain death as casually as someone would toss away a soiled tissue and knew that he had a real fight on his hands, not only with someone who was incredibly strong and fast but completely ruthless and devoid of any moral compass. Having lost his weapon when he’d launched himself at the giant, he realised that he’d possibly lost his advantage and, until he regained the Sig, he would have to handle this the old fashioned way.
The Rover turned to Tanya and gave her a smile, “You’re coming with me or you die here too,” he said.
Unable to move through sheer terror, all Tanya could do was stare up at the giant killer standing before her with an evil grin on his face.
Rover reached for her, his hand appearing impossibly huge to her and she stepped back away from him until she was backed up against the balcony railing.
Hawk lashed out with his right leg in a mawashi geri, a roundhouse kick to Rover’s ribs, which felt like kicking a slab of plascrete.
Rover just turned to look at Hawk and said, “That was a mistake,” then backhanded Hawk across the face sending him staggering away a few paces.
“I can see I’m going to have to deal with you first,” Rover said and turned to face Hawk.
“Bring it,” Hawk said not showing the trepidation he felt at the upcoming battle. He had to find a way to hurt this guy and so far nothing he’d done seemed to have any effect on him.
“You’ll live to regret saying that, but don’t worry, it won’t be for long,” Rover said coldly as he advanced on Hawk.
“Say, haven’t I seen you before?” Hawk said, as the realisation dawned on him that the man before him was almost the twin of the clone he’d captured at the chamber.
Rover stopped momentarily, the thought that he’d be recognised never occurred to him but now that he had he knew that he would have to deal with all leads, and quickly.
“You saw my brother, but I will be the last thing you see,” Rover said with menace.
“Wow, that was really bad, did you mean it to come out like that, you know, like it was from a comic book?” joked Hawk as he prepared for what was going to happen. If he could rattle the giant then perhaps he could find a weakness.
Rover snarled at the insult and swung a tremendous right hook at Hawk’s face. Hawk ducked beneath the punch at the very last second, actually feeling the wind go through his hair above him, and then delivered two very fast punches to Rover’s midriff. Hawk moved out of range before Rover could react. The punches would have doubled a normal man in half but the giant simply grunted and shrugged off the effects coming after Hawk once more.
Rover swung another punch at Hawk as his fury built up inside and again Hawk ducked beneath and smashed another salvo of punches into the giant’s stomach and ribs. Rover bellowed his rage as this time he felt the blows.
“I’m going to crush you,” Rover snarled and came at him again. This time though he threw a punch at Hawk’s head then an uppercut, hoping to catch him as he went low to avoid the first attack.
Hawk’s reflexes were on an almost hyper level by this time. He saw the first punch, then almost as if he knew what the giant had planned, stepped back out of range then back in to jab Rover full in the face with a left that smashed his nose. When Rover tried an uppercut, Hawk hit him with a tremendous right cross, rocking his head so viciously sideways that he almost went down.
“So he can be hurt,” thought Hawk, then went in for the attack again. Rover tried to hit him again and again but Hawk was too fast for him.
Hawk started to get too confident though and as he punched Rover repeatedly in the face opening up cuts with every blow, Rover began to accustom himself to the pattern of attack and he blocked the last blow and countered with a punch of his own that rocked Hawk back on his heels. As he staggered back he looked at the clone and knew then that somehow the clone would fight until he died without allowing whatever pain he felt to encumber him or slow him down. Hawk would have to end this fight quickly and decisively if he wanted to come out of it alive and intact.
Rover smiled at Hawk. He’d taken everything the man could throw at him and he was still standing. He knew how that would intimidate most men and, thinking Hawk was like most men, he came forward once more.
Punch after punch he threw at Hawk who blocked or ducked every one without showing any signs that he was troubled by the attack.
A slashing right cross opened up a cut on Hawk’s left cheek, the only blow to connect, but he didn’t allow it to slow him down or affect his response.
Rover knew it was just a matter of time before his attacks got through and did some real damage so he continued his onslaught.
They were still close to the balcony railing that led to the floor and certain death should either of them fall over, the same fate to which Rover had assigned Taylor. Rover was trying to force Hawk closer to the railing in the hope he could throw him over as well. Rushing at Hawk he tackled him around the waist and slammed him into the railing with such a bone-crunching impact that Hawk felt it right down to his toes. He cried out in pain as his back was slammed into the railing and his breath was forced out of his lungs.
For once Rover had the advantage and this time he would not squander it.
Slamming his forehead into Hawk’s face to further weaken his resistance he then rammed a slab-like fist into Hawk’s stomach to expel any air that was left in his lungs.
Hawk felt his strength leaving him as the punch forced him into paroxysms of coughing; he was already seeing stars before his eyes from the head butt. His legs threatened to no longer support him; he felt them begin to give way as he began to think that he would lose this fight after all. Doubt filled his mind and he was thinking that perhaps it would be better after all to just give in and let the clone throw him to his death. The only thought that kept him going was that he would be letting down thousands, maybe millions of fellow humans. He knew that should OMEGA win this then it would leave many lives at risk and Hawk realised that no matter what he couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t give in.
Allowing his legs to sag he bent at the waist slightly, taking the weight fully onto his legs.
Rover smiled a confident smile thinking he had won and that the girl would be his to do with as he wished, to return to her father or to kill if he thought fit.
Reaching back with his right hand in readiness to strike the final stunning blow before hurling the intruder to his death, Rover was caught unawares by what happened next.
Hawk grabbed the clone by the legs, slammed his shoulder into his midriff causing him to double over, then picked him up and tossed him over his shoulder into the air past the railing and to the floor. As with Taylor there was no way he could survive that fall.
In fact, Rover never uttered a single sound as he flew to his death, the only sound being the sickening thud when his body hit the floor below, killing him instantly.
Hawk looked over the railing to see the outcome of his action. When he saw the blood pooling around Rover’s head he knew he was dead and that, for the moment, the girl was safe.
“Phew!�
� he said as he wiped blood away from his cheek with his left hand. Looking around there were only a few people who had remained behind to watch the struggle, not realising just how deadly the conflict was, and of course, Tanya Wilde. She had been rooted to the spot by sheer terror at what was happening. Never in all her short life had she been witness to such brutality and she found it terribly fascinating in some perverse way.
“Is he dead?” she asked hesitatingly.
“Yes, quite dead, which means that you are safe,” replied Hawk. Offering her his hand he said, “Come on, let’s get out of here and back to Earth.”
12
Tanis Rygar and his team had returned to Cordoba fully expecting to be debriefed then tasked again to go after the marines who had escaped the chamber on Canto, wherever they may be, to tie up all loose ends. He had no idea what Wilde had in store for him and, if he had, he probably would have run for the nearest starship, jumped to hyperspace and kept going as far away as his engines would take him.
As it was, his demise was postponed by the recent actions of the man he’d been sent to kill, an irony he would never see.
As Wilde waited for the return of his daughter he monitored the progress of the Rover 5 he had sent to bring her back. When the signal was terminated with the death of the Rover he was furious. A delay to his plans was something he just would not tolerate. Using his NI he called another Rover 5. He would have to clean up what had happened and rectify what had gone wrong, and perhaps use this to his advantage by implicating Eisenhower and getting rid of Rygar at the same time. He had planned to do that anyway but this way he could utilise what was already at hand and adapt the present situation to his demands, rather than create a new situation.