Deuces Wild Boxed Set: Books 1-4: Beyond the Frontiers, Rampage, Labyrinth, Birthright

by Ell Leigh Clarke

  Nickie handed the harness to John. “Just get over there. I’ll take care of Grim.”

  John looked skeptical, but he pulled the harness on and clipped it onto the rope. “Are you sure?”

  Grim’s embarrassment was evident. “I’m sorry, Nickie. I just can’t do it. Just leave me here. There isn’t time.”

  As if to prove his point, the volcano gave a protracted rumble that shook the cavern and caused a layer of dust to rain down on them.

  John looked up and pointed to a crack that had opened in the cavern above them. “It’s too dangerous to stay here on your own. That was why I needed someone like Nickie in the first place.”

  “Then I’ll turn back. I can get Durq and Meredith to pick me up.”

  “I’m not leaving you,” she snapped. “What if something happens to you? No, you’re crossing, Grim. We’ll find a way.”

  John made his way to the edge and prepared to zip across. His face fell as he risked a glance down at the slowly rising magma. “Whatever you’re going to do, make a decision and do it fast. This place is about to get a lot hotter.”

  Nickie waved him off. “Then go, and send the harness back for Grim.”

  John nodded and was gone.

  Chapter 16

  Nickie

  On the opposite side, Adelaide, John, and Keen did their best to work out what was going on with Grim. Nickie was gesticulating angrily, which was nothing new, and Grim was backing farther away from the edge with each second that passed.

  “Do you think he’ll do it?” Adelaide wondered.

  Keen nodded. “He will.”

  John smirked. “And if he doesn’t, I’m pretty sure Nickie will just fling him over her shoulder and carry him across.”

  Adelaide giggled. “You silly man. She’s strong, but she’s not that strong.”

  John gave her a knowing look. “If you think that, you’re sorely mistaken. I know what she’s capable of.”

  Keen shuffled, plucking at his suit uncomfortably. “It’s getting hotter.”

  “I know,” Adelaide agreed. “Thank goodness for these suits, or we’d be in deep trouble right about now.”

  John checked his suit’s readout. “You’re telling me. We should keep moving. Nickie and Grim will catch up.” He found a handhold in the cliff face and began to climb to the top.

  Keen glanced across the fissure. “Yeah, I think she’s getting ready to do something anyway.” He turned and joined Adelaide and John, huffing a little as he exerted himself to keep up with the others.

  John reached the top first. He hauled himself over and twisted around to lean over and help Adelaide. When she was safely on the ground he went back to help Keen, but the older man just grimaced at him and worked his way up and over.

  The three watched and waited while Nickie worked on getting Grim to overcome his fear of heights. A deep, protracted tremor shook chunks of rock loose from the already-crumbling roof of the cavern. It was followed by another more chilling rumble, one that wrapped cold fingers around their spines.

  “What was that?” Adelaide asked, her face creased in worry. “It didn’t feel like a tremor.”

  John dismissed Adelaide’s fear with a wave. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just the volcano getting ready to erupt.”

  Keen snorted. “‘Just’ the volcano. Priceless.”

  Adelaide was less than impressed with John’s flippant attitude. “Remind me again why we decided to come along with you on this insane mission?”

  John grinned. “Clearly it was because of my dashing good looks.”

  Adelaide gave him a cold look. “Nope. Not that. All I can think is that I must have had a moment of impaired judgment when I decided it would be a good idea to go adventuring.”

  The deep rumble sounded again.

  Keen looked in the direction of the tunnels. “That sounds like it’s getting closer.”

  “How can it be getting closer?” Adelaide asked in alarm.

  “It’s not,” John insisted. “It’s the tunnels, making it sound like it’s getting closer.” He went back to squinting through the rising steam to check on Nickie’s and Grim’s progress.

  Unconvinced, Keen turned to Adelaide while John’s attention was on their teammates. “Those rumblings are pretty intimidating, I must admit. I’m not so sure we should be this close to an eruption.”

  John wheeled around with a fevered grin. “Where’s your sense of adventure, old man?”

  “Old man?” Keen blustered. “Who are you calling old? Just because I don’t fancy being burned to a crisp or crushed to death if this place comes down on top of us, it doesn’t mean I’ve lost my sense of adventure.”

  John shrugged. “Just saying it how I see it. You have to let go of all that and learn to live in the moment.”

  Keen tensed. “That won’t get us to our goal. We need to be careful, plan ahead, and stay safe.”

  Adelaide placed herself between the two men as they took a step toward each other. “Guys, please. You need to stay focused. Look,” she pointed at Nickie, “she’s on her way.”

  Nickie paced in front of Grim, her temper fraying as her concern for his safety grew with every shower of dirt and dust that fell. “Grim, you have to get your ass across that gap. The fucking roof is going to come down on us at any minute.”

  Grim had backed up against the rock face in an attempt to gain a sense of security. He cringed, his mandibles working fast enough that the translation software took a moment to decipher his words among the panicked klicks. “I want to. I just…can’t make myself do it. I’m sorry. Please just go. I’ll be fine.”

  Nickie stopped yelling and waving her arms and sighed. “No, Grim, I’m the one who’s sorry. I know you’re afraid.” She began to pace and think instead of yelling in Grim’s direction. “Let me see if Meredith can help.”

  There isn’t much I can do to help, Meredith admitted.

  There has to be something. She looked at Grim, who was shaking like a leaf as he regarded the steaming chasm with abject horror. I’m not leaving him behind.

  I don’t see how you’re going to get him across if he is too traumatized to move. It’s a pity he’s too heavy for you to jump over with.

  Nickie growled. “Fuck this!”

  Grim looked up at her with puzzlement.

  “One minute, Grimmie. We’re going to get you over there if I have to sprout wings and fucking fly you across.” If I had just a bit of juice left I could make the jump with him. There has to be something we can do! He’s my friend, Mere. I don’t have so many of those that I can leave them to die. Please?

  There is a way, Meredith answered slowly.

  Why do you sound like I’m going to be pissed at whatever you’re about to tell me? Just spill it so we can get the fuck out of here. She dodged a chunk of rock that fell from the cavern roof.

  You’re going to be less than happy but you need to contain that and get moving. I have been slowly recharging your energy packs. You have approximately half a charge between the three packs. Meredith hesitated. I can transfer the energy into one pack and it would be sufficient to make the jump. However, it has taken this long to gather even this much charge, Nickie. It might be a mistake to use it now.

  What’s the worst that could happen? If you don’t think this is the kind of situation that warrants using it, then I don’t know what the fuck you’re expecting us to get into.

  Okay, say you use the energy pack now, and then you get hurt badly enough to need it. What will you do then?

  Nickie grinned. I’ll suck it up and get on with it. Or I won’t. It’s worth the risk, Mere. Look at him. It’s not even a choice. I refuse to leave him to fend for himself. Dude gets lost on the way from the cargo hold to the galley, for fuck’s sake.

  If you’re sure…

  The volcano shook angrily.

  Yeah, I’m completely fucking sure. Now activate the damn energy pack so I can get Grim out of here before we all die. And don’t think I’m going to forget that
you kept this from me.

  I didn’t imagine you would.

  Meredith flipped the internal switch that activated the pack. Nickie wanted to sing, run, fight, and kick the ever-living shit out of anything that stood between her and her goal as the stored energy hit her nanocytes and fire flooded her body.

  It was as though she’d been released from an invisible weight that had been slowing her down without her even knowing it existed. She’d been far too high to appreciate or even recognize it when the last energy pack had been activated in the bar, but she recognized it now.

  She got to her feet, rolled her shoulders, and held out a hand to Grim. “Come on, Grim. I’ve got you. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  He looked up at her and shook his head, not understanding. “N-no, Nickie!”

  “I’m going to jump you across. I’m at full power, but it won’t last for long so hurry the fuck up. We need to get across before I drain the charge.”

  Grim extended a trembling hand and Nickie pulled him to his feet. His legs refused to hold him, but Nickie was ready for the adrenaline dump he was experiencing. She tucked her arms around her friend and hoisted him into a fireman’s carry. “Are you ready?”

  Grim shook in her arms. “No!”

  “Tough titty,” she replied with a chuckle. She adjusted his weight across her shoulders and backed up to the farthest point from the edge of the chasm.

  You don’t need that much run-up, Meredith told her.

  What about the extra weight? Nickie argued. Grim isn’t exactly made of sweetness and light, and the top of the cliff is farther away than the ledge I sent the others to. She set off, picking up speed as she went until she reached the edge and leaped without hesitation.

  “Holy shit!” Keen exclaimed from the other side. “She’s not gonna make it!”

  The three of them watched Nickie take a flying leap toward them with Grim across her shoulders.

  Adelaide gasped. “She… She is!”

  Nickie and Grim landed in a messy heap on the ground beside them. Nickie groaned and pushed Grim off her. She saw he’d passed out and scrabbled to check on him.

  Grim opened his eyes to see the four of them looking down at him. “Did we make it?” he managed weakly.

  Nickie smirked and pulled him to his feet. “Does it feel like we didn’t?”

  Grim shuddered. “To be honest, a little bit. Thank you, Nickie.”

  “Don’t mention it.” She glanced at the shadows where the tunnels resumed and turned to John. “Lead the way.”

  Rebus Quadrant, Planet Zuifra, Reinek, Labyrinth of the Dead

  They set off into the tunnel system once more, flashlights at the ready.

  Nickie strode ahead to catch up with Grim, leaving Keen and Adelaide to walk together for a spell.

  “How are you holding up?” he asked.

  Adelaide shrugged. “It’s not what I thought it would be. I didn’t think I’d be so scared, but I’m handling it, I think.” She turned her head to scrutinize him. “How about you? Is the level of danger everything you were hoping for?”

  Keen grinned, his bushy eyebrows contracting to hide his eyes. “Hell, yeah! I haven’t been this alive in years. You know, it reminds me of this planet I visited once…”

  Adelaide giggled and hooked her arm through his as they walked. “Just how many planets have you visited? You’re like a fun uncle who comes home from his travels. You have a story for every situation.”

  Keen puffed out his chest. “You know, I have no idea. Hundreds, I suppose. I was a Space Marine when I was a lad. We shipped out to wherever we were needed, and a few places we weren’t.”

  “What was that like?” Adelaide asked.

  Keen shrugged. “Exhilarating. There was a fair bit of waiting around, but then we’d see so many planets one after the other we lost track of where we were sometimes. I loved that. It’s good to be back in the field again and remind myself that variety is the spice of life.”

  “I don’t know,” Adelaide admitted. “I’m not sure that a life filled with adventure is really for me.”

  Keen shook his head. “Should I remind you that you were the one who wanted more adventure?”

  Adelaide looked ahead thoughtfully. “I may have bitten off more than I can chew.”

  Keen inclined his head. “That may be, but you’re here now, so you might as well take what you can from the experience.”

  “Hmmm.” Adelaide smirked at Keen. “Maybe I just needed a vacation from life on a mining colony.

  Nickie slowed to match Grim’s pace when she reached his side. “Hey.”

  Grim patted her on the shoulder. “Hey. Thanks for getting me across. You could have left me there, but I’m glad you didn’t.”

  Nickie brushed his hand away. “As if I’d just leave you there to die, ass.”

  Grim chuckled. “I know that. I knew it before you did.”

  She snorted. “What, you’re psychic now?”

  “No,” Grim told her, “I just know who you are underneath all the attitude.”

  Nickie picked up her pace a little to hide the shine that tried to spring to her eyes. “Fuck me. If I’d known we were going to talk about feelings, I’d have walked on my own.”

  Grim knew she was deflecting. “Nickie, it’s okay. We can talk about something else. John, for instance.”

  Nickie spun to face Grim. “What? Why?”

  “I’m just wondering why you’re so hard on him.” Grim shrugged. “He’s been nothing but nice to you. I thought the mattress was a kind gesture.”

  Nickie scowled. “Maybe I should have left you.”

  Grim chuckled. “Maybe you should give John a break.”

  “I’ll give him a break,” she muttered as Grim fell back to talk to Adelaide. “His arm, his leg…”

  “What are you mumbling about?” John asked as she caught up to him.

  “Nothing.” They were some distance ahead of the others since John was scouting ahead to search out their path to the center chambers. “Are we getting close?”

  “We are. Hey, that was a good thing you did.”

  She looked at him blankly. “What? You mean not leaving Grim behind?”

  He nodded.

  Nickie’s lip curled. “And you would have?”

  “No…” John answered slowly. “But if I’m completely honest, you haven’t struck me as the sentimental type so far.”

  Nickie supposed she should own that, but… “Grim is the closest thing to a friend I’ve got. Of-fucking-course I’m not going to leave him to die alone on some strange-ass planet. Fuck, what do you take me for? I’m a bitch, but I’m not completely heartless.”

  “I’m sorry.” John had the good grace to blush.

  Not that Nickie cared. She prodded him with a finger. “Now you, you’re another matter completely.”

  John grinned. “That almost wasn’t a threat! I really feel like we’re making progress today.”

  Nickie smirked. “Shut it.”

  The group moved in close when the tunnel opened up once again. The rumbling had become a constant drone in the background, lending a sense of urgency to their journey into the depths of the volcano.

  The cavern they came out in was the largest they’d seen yet. It was lit by the same red glow as the cavern with the crevasse, but the light was much stronger here. The downward slope continued, and the shale they were standing on crunched beneath their feet.

  “What is this place?” Adelaide turned a slow half-circle.

  Keen looked up at a familiar sound. “I knew it wasn’t the damned lava!” He pointed into the steamy air between two rock formations.

  Nickie followed Keen’s finger but saw nothing. “I don’t know what you saw, but th—” She was cut off by the air being driven from her body as a half-ton of living rock plowed into her from the side.

  She got to her feet and kicked out at the thing that had struck her. “Get out of the way, all of you!” she shouted, seeing the rocks move again. It was
some kind of stone monster. She narrowly avoided a swipe from its jagged hands and kicked it again to distract it from focusing on Adelaide, who had frozen and was within its grasp.

  Keen and Grim lunged and grabbed Adelaide by the arms and pulled her to safety. Nickie relaxed fractionally when she saw them all duck into a crevice between one pile of rocks and another. What have I got left in the tank, Meredith?

  Just your natural ability. I’m afraid your nanocytes used up the remaining energy to heal the damage to your joints after you made the jump with Grim. You fractured both your ankles on impact and tore multiple muscles and ligaments, and Grim broke three of your ribs when he landed on you.

  Didn’t feel a thing.

  Yes, well. You will feel the next one, so concentrate.

  Nickie didn’t argue. She ducked around the monster and searched for a weak spot in its stone carapace. It left a trail of dust with its every movement, so Nickie figured its joints were the best place to start.

  She drew her weapon, and her palm molded itself around her Jean Dukes Special like a lover on a hot summer night as she brought it up and fired. Rock chips sprayed as the shots impacted, but the monster failed to react.

  Dammit! It doesn’t feel pain.

  She sidestepped and shot, then ducked the monster’s arms and shot again twice with no more effect than if she’d been throwing flowers at the beast. Meredith, how do I kill this fucking thing?

  You will have to dismantle it, Meredith advised.

  Nickie danced as she shot. The rock monster lost chunks of its body, and it still came at her to get to the others. How? I can’t get in close enough.

  She had no opportunity to test any theory Meredith may come up with.

  The monster put on an unexpected burst of speed and lunged at Nickie. It grabbed her and flung her against the wall before she had a chance to break free of its grip.

  She felt her shoulder come free from its socket as she impacted with the rock. The sudden shock masked the pain of her arm breaking as it twisted awkwardly underneath her, but only for a moment. She slid to the floor and lay still.