by J. N. Chaney
“Is that our lady up ahead?” I asked Lars.
“Indeed, sir. The cargo bay leading to the service elevators is around the back.”
“Step on it!” Rachel yelled. I didn’t need to look behind us to know the trucks were hot on our heels. But I was already squeezing the throttle for all it was worth.
“Son of a bitch,” I seethed, willing the cab to give us a little more.
We had maybe three hundred meters to go when the road four meters ahead exploded, blossoming into a maw of tormented asphalt. I tried yanking the yolk to avoid the hole, but all that did was yaw us so that we approached the obstacle at an oblique angle. The cab tried to absorb the sudden ground inconsistency, but it lacked the power. Instead, a shard of freshly wrecked road caught the underside of our car and flipped us.
My body went weightless as the cabin filled with smoke and bits of pavement. Then we slammed onto the street and continued rolling down the road, my head whipping back and forth with each impact. My leg, which had remained relatively stationary until this moment, banged against the side of the console. A fresh stab of pain extended through nerves and almost made me vomit.
When we finally came to a stop, Rachel hung upside down beside me, half cradled in her restraints. Drops of blood dripped from her head and onto the cab’s shattered roof.
“Rachel,” I said, unfamiliar with the voice coming out of my mouth. My ears rang like a failing drive core. I cleared my throat and then spoke her name again. “Rachel, can you hear me?”
She stirred, blinking her eyes open. “Where… what’s going on?”
“Get out of the cab,” I ordered.
“The cab?” She looked at her chest. Then I saw realization dawn on her face. “Dammit!”
Instantly, Rachel was grappling with the buckles. I undid my own and collapsed on one shoulder against the cab’s inverted ceiling. Then I reached for the doorframe and pulled myself out. My leg throbbed as I attempted to stand on the wet road. I looked across the bottom of the smoking taxi and saw Rachel get up, looking above us.
“They’re coming back around,” she yelled, pointing at the trucks as they banked in a steep U-turn and pitched down toward us.
My first attempt to step away was met with the blast of a car horn as we were still in the damn road. Traffic split around our wreckage like water flowing around a rock. But the spectacle did not stop commuters from their mad dashes home.
“Come on,” I yelled at Rachel, nodding toward the building at the end of the street. I limped forward at first, gritting my teeth against the pain shooting through my thigh. Then I forced my legs into a run, realizing it was that or be atomized by the railguns.
I’d barely made it a dozen steps when another round cratered the street to my left. The energy from the impact knocked me sideways, but I managed to keep my feet under me.
“You okay there, cabby?” Rachel said, steadying me with two hands. I hadn’t realized I’d almost bowled her over.
“I’m good,” I said, my ears ringing even louder now. I refocused on the building and then called to the AI. “Lars, anything you can do to help us out here? We’re pretty exposed and I doubt we’re going to make it.”
“I am working on a potential solution, yes,” Lars said.
“How potential?” asked Rachel as we picked up speed.
“Approximately thirty seconds,” the AI replied.
“I don’t think we have that much time, pal!”
Suddenly, I had an idea. The vehicles behind us were slowing down to avoid our wreck, and then picking up speed again once they were past it. There was no way we’d get to the building in time on foot. We needed speed. We needed a ride. The thought of putting innocent lives in danger did cross my mind, but the way I saw it, we’d already put everyone on this street in danger simply by being here. The faster we got off the road, the faster the commuters would be safe.
“Rachel!”
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Back this way! Come on!”
Rachel seemed reluctant to return toward our wrecked cab, but she followed nonetheless.
“What the hells, Flint?”
“On me!” I slowed as I neared the taxi and then waited for the next hover car to approach. It was a utility vehicle with a flatbed in the back, filled with all sorts of maintenance equipment. Judging by the logo plastered on the truck’s rusted door, this guy was a plumber.
“Climb on,” I called to Rachel.
The driver noticed us as he slowed, his face looking over at me in shock. I gave him a slight wave and quirked grin then hopped onto the flatbed with Rachel. The plumber accelerated, but not before casting us several curious glares.
“Keep going, buddy,” I yelled through the back glass, pointing toward the building at the far end of the street. We picked up speed, doing far better than we would have on foot, when the plumber looked back at us again… but his eyes were on something else. I looked behind us and saw the trucks, along with three more pursuit vehicles, converging on our position.
Bullets rattled through the maintenance equipment on the flatbed, shooting sparks in all directions. One round hit some sort of compressed tank. It exploded, and jarred Rachel off the bed.
“I gotcha,” I shouted, grabbing her wrist. Her legs dangled down, feet skipping along the pavement. She tried to bring them under her but the plumber was driving too fast.
“Take my other hand,” I yelled.
Rachel lunged, feet behind her, and caught my other wrist. I heaved, and she crashed into me as I fell back into the equipment. Something stabbed my back, wedging itself under my shoulder blade.
“Thanks,” she said, but then changed her expression to one of concern. “You okay?”
“Just a cramp,” I said, unsure if that was all it was, or something far worse. There was no way to be sure now. We had more important things to worry about—like not getting blown up by a railgun.
“Lars, buddy?” I asked. “How you coming on that solution for us?”
“Ten seconds, sir. Please stand by.”
I looked through the plumber’s windshield and saw the building not more than a hundred yards away. He was slowing and preparing to make a left turn.
“This is our stop,” I said to Rachel.
“We’ll never make it,” she replied, referring to the remaining distance we’d have to cover on foot.
“We have to try,” I said. “Come on!”
I grabbed Rachel’s hand and we leaped off the flatbed just as the plumber slowed to negotiate the turn. Well, at least that was one commuter who’d survive the night, I thought. Rachel and I broke into a run, heading for the building. We had to cross a wide sidewalk and an open plaza before skirting the main entrance and heading down a side alley.
I looked over my shoulder. Our assailants were doubling back for what I was sure would be their final assault. There was no way they’d miss us in the open like this.
“Lars?” I asked, my voice rising. “It’s now or never, pal!”
“Solution inbound,” was all he said.
Probably as curious as I was, Rachel slowed and looked over her shoulder with me. We watched as the enemy vehicles came about and turned their weapons on us. Suddenly, something flew out between two buildings and struck the side of the first truck. The impact knocked the vehicle sideways, but it wasn’t enough to do more than minor damage.
“That’s it?” I said to Lars with no attempt to hide my displeasure. As if in answer, several more objects appeared from all sides and slammed into the enemy vehicles. They looked like large drones of some kind, but I couldn’t be sure—they were moving too fast.
The vehicles rocked back and forth, until one of the objects drove right through a passenger cabin. Another blasted into the drive core compartment, turning the car into nothing more than a flying rock. More objects pelted our pursuers like massive bullets driving into moving targets, blowing out windows and knocking out deflector panels. Within a matter of seconds, it seemed
as though every occupant in the cars and trucks was dead.
Rachel and I stopped long enough to watch the miracle unfold, only to realize that the driverless vehicles still had considerable momentum and were headed straight for us.
“Over there!” I pointed to a concrete safety barrier that was in place to keep stray cars from entering the building’s ground floor. Rachel and I darted toward the barricade as the dead vehicles hurtled toward as. I caught their motion out of the corner of my eye as we ran, hoping we weren’t too late. Lars had come through to save the day—with whatever those things were—only for us to die in the unfortunate aftermath.
“Hurry!” I pushed Rachel out in front of me.
She sprinted ahead as I roared against the tearing pain in my leg. Metal whistled through the night air and I could sense the giant objects closing in. This would come down to microseconds.
Rachel left her feet, diving for the barrier’s protective cover and disappearing in the shadow. The inbound vehicle’s headlights glared in my peripheral vision. I held my breath and lunged, pushing off the ground with all my strength. My body sailed through the air, laid out horizontally, as the monstrous wrecks of metal struck the street a meter away. The sound was deafening. Then my body slipped into the shadow as the vehicles collided with the safety wall.
I rolled to a stop as plumes of fire and car parts shot around us. The ground shook under my back. It was like being swallowed by a thunderstorm with no way to escape. Rachel reached over and grabbed my arm as the wreckage continued to fly past us, shrapnel and flames screaming like demons from the worst hellholes in the galaxy.
And then it was over. Bits of debris and ash rained down on our bodies like hail and snow, but neither would cause us harm. I coughed several times and then watched thick black smoke rise in billowing plumes, engulfing the building’s face in darkness.
“You okay?” I asked Rachel.
She propped herself up on an elbow and looked at me with a soot-stained face. “Yeah. You?”
“I’m definitely gonna need Lars to probe me later,” I said, hoping the AI would chime in. And he didn’t disappoint.
“Sir, I’m unsure if you are just forgetful or intentionally making fun of me, but I’d like to remind you that I have not nor do I ever plan to probe you.”
“That’s what they all say, pal,” I said as Rachel helped me up. My leg had gotten worse, and I could see bits of metal caked in the congealing blood. Still, this was no time for an examination. We had to get topside, and fast.
“I’m guessing they’ll have reinforcements,” Rachel said. “Come on, we gotta hit those freight elevators.”
She and I set off again, my head suffering from bouts of vertigo and a growing migraine. We ran toward the building’s left edge and then rounded the corner into an ally meant for delivery trucks. Wide cargo bays lay ahead and to our right.
“Any of those doors?” I asked Lars. Our boots splashed through shallow puddles. The scent of urine and old beer met my nostrils, stirred up by the recent rainfall.
“The nearest will do,” he replied. “The first elevator is open and awaiting your arrival.”
“Copy that,” I said, grateful that we would be standing still soon, and even more grateful that we were about to get out of this damned city.
Rachel led the way and banked right, bounded up a set of stairs, and then hurried through an unlocked service door. I chose the ramp instead, unsure if I’d be able to manage the steps. By the time I pushed through the door, I saw Rachel standing inside a wide freight elevator, holding the sliding door for me. No sooner was I in than she let the doors shut.
“Which floor?” she asked Lars.
“I already have it programmed, Miss Fontaine,” he replied. “Please enjoy the ride.”
“Enjoy the ride?” I asked with no effort to hide my sarcasm.
“Yes, that is appropriate, isn’t it, sir?”
“It’s just…” I looked to Rachel for help.
“It’s perfect, Lars,” she said, then looked at me when I gave her a bewildered look. “What?”
“Perfect?” I replied. “That wasn’t exactly the word I was going for.”
The freight elevator picked up speed as we ascended the megalithic structure, shooting through the cloud floor and up toward the docking platforms. I took advantage of the break to catch my breath. But I also knew relaxing was dangerous—rest too much and the adrenaline would wear off. Then, were the fight to erupt again, there wouldn’t be time to ramp back up. Best to stay amped and hyper-vigilant.
“Ship’s ready to go, Lars?” I asked, leaning against the elevator’s wall.
“Affirmative, sir. And Tiny has already urinated on the bridge twice. Not to worry, however: I have deployed maintenance bots to clean up the mess.”
I chuckled. “Thanks, Lars. Saves me the work.”
“My pleasure, sir.”
The elevator started to slow, and the illuminated numbers changed less quickly. When the unit came to a stop, a robotic masculine voice announced, “You have arrived at docking bay seven. Please pay attention while exiting the elevator.”
The doors parted and Rachel and I stepped onto the wide platform where we’d picked up the cab earlier in the evening. Likewise, the Distant Horizon sat on the far end just where we’d left her, only now her thrusters were at idle.
We’d made it. I took a deep breath, feeling myself begin to relax. This high up, the clear sky gave way to stars and a burning pink hue in the west. I didn’t care if we ever saw the underworld again—I liked the fresh air just fine.
“Sir,” said Lars over comms. “I would advise both you and Miss Fontaine to increase your pace and board the ship immediately.”
“What is it now, Lars?” I asked.
“Two civilian shuttles are on an intercept course with our current position.”
I glanced at Rachel. “Could be nothing.”
But Lars continued. “The Horizon’s long-range sensors indicate that the vessels have raised their forward shields and are charging weapons systems.”
“Weapons systems?” I asked as my pace began to quicken. “What kind of civilian shuttles have weapons systems?”
“The kind meant to keep us from leaving the city,” Rachel replied. “Let’s get a move on, Captain Reed!”
“I’m really starting to hate these bastards,” I said.
“As am I,” Rachel replied. She slung my arm over her shoulder again, and we picked up speed, crossing the platform in quick order. We’d clomped halfway up the ramp when the hydraulics kicked in to close it.
“Are we in that much of a rush?” I asked Lars.
“We are, sir. May I lift off?”
“Damn, Lars. You haven’t even given me a hello hug yet.”
“I promise to do so once we’ve achieved an adequate distance from the enemy shuttles.”
“Fair enough,” I said. “But I’m holding you to that.”
I’d barely finished the sentence when the ship lurched. Rachel and I extended our free hands to steady ourselves in the corridor as Lars cleared the platform. We moved toward the bridge, careful not to fall with the Horizon’s sudden motion.
“Activate the dampeners, Lars!” I ordered.
“My apologies, sir.”
“I don’t want to hear it now. Just get us out of here!”
Rachel and I felt the inertia dampeners engage, and the ship stopped moving as violently. We turned the next corner and stepped up to the bridge. When the doors parted, Tiny bounded toward me. He went up on his hind legs, placing a forepaw directly on my injured thigh.
“Godsdammit, Tiny!” I roared, but the dog was oblivious to the agony he was causing me. He licked my twisted face, fighting against my best efforts to push him aside.
“Mr. Reed, I recommend you and Miss Fontaine secure yourselves immediately,” said Lars.
“Getting there,” I replied, finally getting Tiny to stand down. “It’s good to see you too, buddy.”
“Thank
you, sir.”
“I was talking to Tiny.”
“Ah, my apologies. In any case, in addition to being seated, I recommend you seek immediate medical attention. My scanners detect—”
“I can’t do both at once, pal!”
“That is a logical conclusion, sir. Given that fact, I recommend that you be seated.”
“Can do,” I replied.
“I hope to be clear of our pursuers in less than five minutes, which will place you in no further harm than you are presently in.”
“How comforting,” I said flatly. I slid into the captain’s chair and buckled myself in. Rachel buckled herself behind the navigation couch, bringing up holo displays of our current position, as well as the enemy’s.
“Two ships, ETA in twenty-seconds,” she reported.
“Get us out of here, Lars!”
“Right away, sir,” he replied.
The ship suddenly dropped away from the platform. My stomach did a backflip as Lars pitched the ship straight down, headed toward the cloud floor. Light from the planet’s twin moons shimmered across the feathery surface rising to meet us.
“Lars, buddy?” I asked, my tone growing uneasy as we picked up speed. “What’cha doing?”
“Evading our pursuers, sir.”
“I believe the direction you wanted was up!”
“Negative, sir. While we will seek orbit eventually, doing so now would require us to use weapons systems.”
“And why are we against using weapons systems?”
“For the same reason you are against killing people who have yet to display hostility,” Lars replied.
“So you’ve suddenly developed scruples?” I asked Lars.
I braced myself as we plummeted back through the clouds and into the very realm of Veradia that I swore I’d never revisit.
“Vessels in visual range,” Rachel said, bringing up a holo display with a rear-facing view from the Horizon. What looked like two falcon-class shuttles pursued us a few hundred meters back. Their folding wings were set in the closed position, providing them higher speed and greater maneuverability.
I held the seat arms with a death-grip as Lars directed the ship into a tight barrel roll. Then, seconds before we crashed into a traffic-laden street, he pulled up, the force pushing me down into my chair. Without the dampeners, I’d have certainly blacked out, especially considering how much blood I’d lost.