Angel of Reckoning
Page 18
Another explosion overhead, and it looked like the Resistance had scored a hit against the Syndicate! The moment of joy was short-lived, however, as a new wave of Syndicate warriors arrived moments later in their blood-red armor, and had the nearby street cleared of resistance within mere moments.
Then, across the little square they now found themselves at, two retreating Resistance fighters went running.
“There!” Mackie said, motioning so the others could see. One was bald and the other had short hair cropped on the sides and combed to the side. They were on the retreat, and one had paused to kneel down beside a section of wall close to the floor.
He sprinted over and, before the two fighters could slip within and close the door, he was there, holding it open and the fighters looked up at him with terror and confusion.
“I’m your newest recruit,” he said, glancing at the other the girl and grandma approaching. “We need shelter.”
“A little late to the fight, pal,” the bald one said, and then slipped inside, but the other nodded, and held open the door for all to enter.
BRRRT! A line of bullets hit between them and they all fell back and away from the door, looking up to see a Syndicate warrior in all red, his face covered in a red mask with silvery, shining glass over his face. A symbol like a snake eating itself was on his chest, and a rifle was pressed up against his shoulder.
Mackie put himself between the warrior and Sammy, while the Resistance fighter unslung his rifle and started firing at the warrior. Bullets bounced off of the red armor, and the warrior just kept coming.
“Get inside!” Mackie shouted, but when he looked, it was only her grandma. Her eyes went wide, and she pointed.
Sammy had run around back of the warrior and, to their horror, was running toward him. She leaped with a shout, distracting the warrior, who turned to look behind himself just as she slid between his legs and came out the other side, both hands on his rifle.
She yanked, and for a moment Mackie thought she might actually get it. Of course, the warrior was too strong, yanking the rifle back, about to slam it down on the little girl, when she hesitated.
In that moment, the Resistance fighter had managed to charge and shouted, “Down!”
The girl ducked and he unloaded on the Syndicate warrior, but the warrior just smirked and turned to him, then lifted his weapon to shoot—what he hadn’t seen was that Mackie had come around to the other side, darted forward, and jammed the end of his shotgun up back of the Syndicate warrior’s helmet.
“Never hit little girls, asshole,” he said, and then pulled the trigger.
Helmet and all went flying, blood splattering, and Mackie just had enough time to snatch Sammy away and shelter her with his body before he heard the splat of brain matter falling to the ground.
“Get inside!” the Resistance fighter hissed, and this time there was no hesitation, aside from the moment, just before entering, when Mackie looked back and saw again what he thought for sure he couldn’t have seen mere moments ago. A face he recognized all too well… one he couldn’t believe for a second he was actually seeing, because if he was, none of this was worth fighting for—Quinn herself.
No, he convinced himself as he dropped down after Sammy and found her grandma and the other Resistance fighter waiting.
“What happened?” the bald man demanded. “They can’t be down here.”
“Believe me,” the other said, glancing over to Mackie and then Sammy with a newfound level of respect, “they’ve earned their place, and damn sure proven themselves.”
The bald man frowned, considered his companion, then nodded and stuck out a hand. “Welcome then, to the Resistance.”
Mackie shook the hand, still in a daze over what had happened, and the fact that his obsession over saving Quinn’s daughter and joining the Resistance were both fulfilled in one moment.
A glance at Sammy revealed she wasn’t impressed, and was apparently as troubled as he was.
“You saw her too?” he asked.
She nodded, hesitated, and then shook her head. “No, my mom wouldn’t betray us. She wouldn’t. Get out there, kick some alien butt, and find her. You promise me.”
“I promise,” Mackie said, and then turned to follow the other two fighters to fulfill his destiny. First step, get the daughter on your side—check. Next, save the world, and get Quinn to go on a date with him… Maybe harder goals, but he meant to see them through nonetheless.
The Syndicate had just better get the fuck out of his way.
Stories By Justin Sloan
CURSED NIGHT
Hounds of God
Hounds of Light
FALLS OF REDEMPTION (Trilogy)
Land of Gods
Retribution Calls
Tears of Devotion
RECLAIMING HONOR (A Kurtherian Gambit Series)
Justice is Calling (Audiobook available)
Claimed By Honor (Audiobook available)
Judgment has Fallen (Audiobook coming)
Angel of Reckoning (Audiobook coming)
MODERN NECROMANCY (Trilogy)
Death Marked
Death Bound
Death Crowned
ALLIE STROM (Trilogy)
Allie Strom and the Ring of Solomon
Allie Strom and the Sword of the Spirit
Allie Strom and the Tenth Worthy
Michael Anderle
Kurtherian Gambit Series Titles Include:
First Arc
Death Becomes Her (01) - Queen Bitch (02) - Love Lost (03) - Bite This (04)
Never Forsaken (05) - Under My Heel (06) Kneel Or Die (07)
Second Arc
We Will Build (08) - It’s Hell To Choose (09) - Release The Dogs of War (10)
Sued For Peace (11) - We Have Contact (12) - My Ride is a Bitch (13)
Don’t Cross This Line (14)
Third Arc (Due 2017)
Never Submit (15) - Never Surrender (16) - Forever Defend (17)
Might Makes Right (18) - Ahead Full (19) - Capture Death (20)
Life Goes On (21)
**New Series**
The Second Dark Ages
The Dark Messiah (01)
The Darkest Night (02)
The Boris Chronicles
* With Paul C. Middleton *
Evacuation
Retaliation
Revelation
Restitution 2017
Reclaiming Honor
* With JUSTIN SLOAN *
Justice Is Calling (01)
Claimed By Honor (02)
Judgement Has Fallen (03)
The Etheric Academy
* With TS PAUL *
ALPHA CLASS (01)
ALPHA CLASS (02)
ALPHA CLASS (03) Coming soon
Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles
* With CRAIG MARTELLE *
Nomad Found (01)
Nomad Redeemed (02)
Nomad Unleashed (03)
Nomad Supreme (04)
Nomad’s Fury (05)
Trials and Tribulations
* With Natalie Grey *
Risk Be Damned (01)
Damned to Hell (02) coming soon
Hell’s Worst Nightmare (03) coming soon
SHORT STORIES
Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 01 (7.5)
You Don’t Mess with John’s Cousin
Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 02 (9.5)
Bitch’s Night Out
Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 02 (13.25)
With Natalie Grey
Bellatrix
Rise of Magic
* With CM Raymond and LE Barbant *
Restriction (01)
Reawakening (02)
AudioBooks
Available at Audible.com and iTunes
The Kurtherian Gambit
Death Becomes Her - Available Now
Queen Bitch – Available Now
Love Lost – Available Now
Reclaiming
Honor Series
Justice Is Calling – Available Now
Claimed By Honor – Available Now
Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles
Nomad Found
Nomad Redeemed - Coming Soon
The Etheric Academy
Alpha Class
Alpha Class 2 - Coming soon
Anthologies
Glimpse
Honor in Death
(Michael’s First Few Days)
Beyond the Stars: At Galaxy's Edge
Tabitha’s Vacation