Gunship

by J. J. Snow

  “This is just great! I can’t even feel my legs! Or my ass…” Ty grumbled some more about what he was going to do to Tiny when he saw her. The adrenaline rush was short lived, though, as the cold and damage to his body gave over to fatigue and he passed back out, swinging slowly in the rush of air, surrounded by the darkness of the vent.

  —————

  Marek escorted Reilly to the detention wing. People they passed in the corridors ignored them, as if it was normal to see a woman in chains dripping blood from a head wound being escorted by a well-armed, fearsome-looking tattooed man in battle rattle.

  He used his metallic pentagon key card that Welch had provided him to gain access to the wing. Cameras were everywhere on the space station, part of Crazy Ray’s paranoia and the biggest challenge to their rescue attempt. Marek escorted Reilly into the torture wing and past the camera leading down the corridor to the holding cells.

  He opened the first empty cell he came to and ushered her inside. Reilly pretended to pass out, which really wasn’t too hard to do. Marek preoccupied himself with slowly removing her shackles while he took a look at the head wound. It formed a deep, angled depression with lacerations above her left ear that steadily oozed blood.

  “You could’ve just got him to hit you with his fist instead of the bottle,” Marek whispered, gently probing the wound with his fingers while Reilly winced. He turned back to her wrist restraints.

  “No, it had to be a one-shot deal. I knew if he knocked me out or close to it, he’d stop and turn to something else. He wants me alive for now, because he needs to know how much I know about his plan and how much Crazy Ray knows. And because he thinks he can get me to help him take down the galaxy—ow!” Reilly winced again as Marek leaned in and pressed a piece of cloth from her torn shirt to the gash, trying to stop the bleeding. He continued to stand over her in a threatening pose while he checked the rest of her face. Anyone watching would see a prisoner being bullied by a jailer, no more.

  Reilly nodded for him to go. “I’m fine. Go find Ty and Tiny. We need to figure out how to get the hell out of here. Preferably sooner than later.”

  Marek had started to go when she called out softly to him again. “Be careful!” Reilly admonished.

  He looked at her incredulously. “Ma’am, no disrespect, but you’re kidding, right? Think about where we are right now!”

  “You know what I mean!” she closed her eyes again as he stomped out of the cell and slammed the door behind him. The clanking metal and Marek’s receding footsteps echoed eerily in the silence of the wing. Reilly couldn’t help but shiver as she breathed in the smell of blood and vomit, sweat, urine, and disinfectant. She was ready to get the hell out of this place.

  —————

  Crazy Ray was perched lazily on a large white sofa with red pillows when Jamie ushered Tiny into his suite. An oval table with a bottle of wine and two glasses sat to one side while in the background the stars and asteroids drifted by, framed by the metal welds of the huge sky wall. He was simply dressed in an Asian-style, black button-down shirt, loose black pants, and shoes. The sleeves of the shirt were casually rolled up, revealing a series of dragon tattoos and kanji characters along his forearms. Tiny noted that a few looked like they had been done in a prison setting or at least somewhere less formal than a tattoo parlor.

  He grinned his slightly crazy grin to welcome her. She noted with a bit of relief that his characteristic head tilt wasn’t present, so not in a killing mood, at least not at the moment. He patted the sofa next to him, and she calmly walked over and sat where he indicated. Jamie stood off to the side of the door, quietly fascinated with a bowie knife he had just retrieved from one of his pockets. He twirled it delightedly, oblivious to anyone else in the room, and retreated to a chair in an alcove, talking softly to himself. Tiny watched him go, more curious than anything. He seemed to her less of a sociopath and more like a mentally ill child. She wondered how he had come to be aboard Crazy Ray’s station.

  She turned back to find Crazy Ray studying her again. He was constantly in motion, arms and legs sprawled about, eyes, eyebrows, mouth twitching. Tiny suspected it was part of his repertoire to prevent people from reading him easily. She sat demurely and stared back at him until he finally grabbed the other glass of wine and thrust it into her hand with a saucy grin and leaned back into the sofa.

  “So, tell me what brings a lady like yourself to the bounty hunting business.” He took a gulp of wine and smacked his lips expectantly.

  Tiny also took a sip from her glass and then traced her finger delicately around the edge. Crazy Ray watched her every move intently. She glanced up at him and shot him an intense stare, then looked back down. It was time to play the most dangerous of games. She paused again as if undecided and then glanced back at him, put her chin up, and stared him in the eye aggressively.

  “Death, really. And the money isn’t bad. I like to travel, see new places.”

  “Ah! Death, then.” His eyes gleamed. “Unusual for a woman, though not I suppose for one in your line of work. I too am in this line of work…for death, as you so eloquently put it. The pay and fun toys are just fringe benefits. Besides, I get to meet so many interesting people! Always so many coming and going with the business. Of course, some also get to stay on a bit as my special guests.” He smirked before glancing back at Jamie. “Jamie over there is one of my newest employees. I acquired him from a small freighter that docked a few months back. They didn’t want him since he had killed off a number of the families on board. He claims he did it because he was trying to make them beautiful, which I found to be fascinating. I was rather afraid he would be dull, but instead he has proven to be a prodigy of sorts. You should see what he can do with a bowie knife!” Crazy Ray leered at her and then sat back again.

  Tiny looked at him again over the rim of her glass before taking a next sip. The man was quite insane. He obviously felt, though, that this was a normal conversation to have with a guest. She remained stoic, her face as smooth as glass as she returned his stare. He was sizing her up, deciding how much he wanted to share, and gauging her possible responses. She realized he was also a bit nervous. He’s not used to dealing with anyone who isn’t implanted outside of the business arena.

  A second, less encouraging thought also occurred to her. He’s nervous because he fears rejection. And if I reject him or act negatively in any way, he will probably just kill me…or have Jamie do it.

  “I had heard you have some of the more talented detainers in the galaxy. Perhaps I will have time to observe some of their work while I’m here?” Tiny suggested, although inwardly she was sickened by the thought. She had to build rapport with him if this was going to work.

  Before she could say another word, Crazy Ray had grabbed her hand and pulled her off the sofa, dragging her over to the nearby wall. Tiny forced herself to relax as she tried not to spill any of the wine on the floor. Crazy Ray tapped on the wall once and it opened to reveal racks of discs. He gazed up at them lovingly. Then he looked back at her with a smile. “These are all of my sessions, gifts from my detainers, every one special, unique, made just for me. I have over seven hundred in my collection.”

  Tiny casually sipped her wine as she regarded the discs. The job had taught her long ago how to close herself off from situations like this, how to shutter her emotions and bury them deep inside. That was the only thing that kept her from being sick now, and it was the thing that kept her alive. He was showing her a brief glimpse of his trophies, seven hundred people he had had killed to meet his insatiable appetite for blood. It made sense. She had given him a glimpse of hers, so he wanted to share his. At the same time, it was obvious he was trying to impress her. So she would play along and act impressed, since she had no choice. But secretly, she would imagine yet again how rewarding it would be when she killed him and all the lives she would be saving by doing it.

  She nodded. It would be rude to directly comment on the trophies, so ins
tead she gave him another intense look and turned just slightly towards him. The body language would make her appear interested, receptive to what he was saying, approving of him and his sick hobbies. “You have a very impressive space station, Mr. Alton. I am glad that we have had the chance to stay a bit. Everything is very well turned out.”

  Crazy Ray grinned and took a step closer to her. “So you like it, then?” he breathed, a hint of relief and excitement in his voice. They both knew the space station wasn’t what was being complimented in this delicate exchange.

  She smiled and nodded silently, then drank some more wine as he led her back to the sofa. He sat back across from her and stared at her some more with his very intense gaze.

  “It’s not very often that I find myself intrigued by a woman.” Crazy Ray propped his head on his arm. “But you seem to be quite different. Most of them I get bored of within an hour, sometimes within a few days if I’m lucky. Do you enjoy literature?”

  “Yes, if it speaks to me or if it has a purpose. I don’t enjoy art just for art’s sake.” Tiny was pleased to see the comment had struck another positive chord with him. He chuckled and then slid closer to her again.

  “My dear, I’m beginning to feel that this is possibly the start of a beautiful relationship.” Crazy Ray put his free arm around behind Tiny’s back and removed one of her knives, looking at it, fascinated, before tossing it across the room into the wall near an unconcerned Jamie who continued to play with his bowie knife.

  He leaned in closer and whispered, “Good steel, that one, has potential to allow for a lot of creativity.” He licked his lips as he watched her, like a wolf licking its chops.

  Tiny leaned in towards him as she palmed her other knife and then, quick as a snake, tossed it next to the first. “You have no idea how creative I can get.”

  Crazy Ray laughed delightedly and then poured them some more wine. “I’m sure you must be famished, dinner first and then…we can talk about getting creative!”

  Tiny smiled dangerously at him and nodded. She had him on the hook, now all she had to do was keep him there and let the rest of the plan catch up.

  —————

  Marek checked his room and then his handheld. Tiny had left him a brief message: motivator gone bad, check and set as needed for pre-flight. It was one of several possible messages she could have sent. He headed for the Tether ship and the cargo bay.

  No one harassed him as he walked through the station, and while the cameras recorded everyone, there seemed to be no real focus on his activities. He had just boarded the ship when he heard a commotion in the bay.

  Welch’s security team was in the process of facing off against Crazy Ray’s security. Some of the space station personnel appeared to be preventing them from accessing one of the holds. The lead security trooper was aggressively waving his blaster at Crazy Ray’s people and ordering them to stand down. Suddenly a shot was fired and people began running, shooting, and diving across the deck. Laser rounds bounced off of the ship’s hull as the entire bay erupted into a battlefield. People crouched behind crates and vessels, exchanging fire, some hitting their targets but most missing.

  Marek remained still in the cockpit, watching to see what would happen. A moment later, the large glass sliders opened. In walked a class five Enforcer. Marek had never actually seen a class five before. The frame was a sleek, flat, metallic black that made the machine seem to drift rather than walk. Its red laser eyes scanned the room, taking in everything and everyone. Then, without warning, it launched itself towards Crazy Ray’s people. Anyone who didn’t move was dead. The machine was a flaming, whirling ball of death as claws and guns slashed and mowed down the opposition. It was over in minutes.

  As the Enforcer stood down, Welch’s men placed breacher charges on the front of the hold door and blew it. Several of them pushed forward into the darkness and returned hauling out crates that the others set upon and began to force open. The first three crates revealed an odd mix of items. Clothes, shoes, jewelry, photos, and other objects were dumped onto the cargo bay floor as Welch’s men sorted through them, confused. Marek, however, recognized them for the horrors they were. These were Crazy Ray’s trophy crates, where he kept the trinkets from each of his kills, gifts from his detainers along with their videos. He shook his head. That was why Tiny had chosen that hold for the backup plan. Marek reminded himself again that he was glad to have the woman on his side.

  The next crate out drew a few yells as the lead security trooper came over to examine the contents. He nodded and directed the men to secure the crate as he picked up his handheld. Marek quietly finished what he had come to do and then departed the ship, taking his bag with him. Welch’s men remained focused on the crates as he proceeded along the opposite side of the bay and gained access to the corridor to the detention wing. His work was done here. The crate of discontent had been found and the explosives planted. Now it was up to Tiny.

  —————

  Crazy Ray had just finished off a very rare steak and opened a second bottle of wine. He was feeling quite good at the moment. The dangerous yet attractive woman across from him was exceeding his every expectation so far, and the evening was going very well. He topped off her glass and then noticed Jamie was still at the door, playing with his knife.

  “Jamie. Time for bed, dear boy!”

  Jamie looked up and grinned as he pocketed his knife. He giggled once and then disappeared down the lift.

  Crazy Ray turned back to his guest. “He’s the only one I can let out. Some of the others, well, they love me, but they also envy me. So I keep them in the wing. Jamie provides me with some companionship in between work…and company.”

  Tiny smiled a dark smile as he beckoned her to join him on the sofa again. He was a bit drunk, though not enough that she could take advantage of him…yet. But if all went according to plan, she wouldn’t have to worry about that much longer.

  She sat down and leaned back, assuming a relaxed pose on the corner of the large sofa, aware that his eyes were tracing her body, watching every subtle move.

  “I haven’t asked it…but tell me your name.” His eyes were dark and intense.

  “But that takes away some of the mystery, doesn’t it? And the mystery, once it’s unraveled, once we come to the end, it is no more.” She smiled at him, purring the words, enticing him, daring him.

  He smiled grimly. “All mysteries eventually unravel and end. It is the way life is.” He set his glass down on the table, leaning forward.

  “Then let’s keep this one going for a bit longer, shall we?” She smiled as he rose and walked towards her slowly.

  He leaned over and took her glass, drank the rest of the wine, and tossed it across the room, both of them ignoring it as it shattered. He hovered over her, leaning on the back of the sofa, intense, staring into her eyes.

  “I think we shall, my dear. You certainly don’t disappoint.” He pushed her tac-shirt back to reveal another knife nestled by her collar bone that he slowly withdrew and admired before setting it on the sofa next to her.

  Crap! The bastard is going to kiss me! Tiny thought as Crazy Ray leaned in and slid his other hand on her leg. She leaned in towards him and gave a small throaty sigh just as the door to the lift opened.

  About damn time! she thought, then opened her eyes.

  Crazy Ray put his head down for a brief instant before looking back at her. His head canted at that odd angle as he grinned one of his worst maniacal grins.

  “Well, my dear, it looks like we’ll get to double our pleasure tonight!” Crazy Ray reached over her for his gold-trimmed blaster.

  Tiny grabbed her knife and palmed another, staying in perfect character. “Death becomes us, doesn’t it?”

  He smiled as they both turned to face the unfortunate visitor. “It does, my dear. Now what were you saying about creativity earlier?”

  Razam Welch stood in the doorway, surrounded by a group of his security troope
rs. His hair was wild and matched his eyes as he leveled a rail gun at them.

  “So sorry! I hope I’m not interrupting anything important?” He matched Crazy Ray’s fierce grin with one of his own.

  Well, this just got real interesting in a hurry! Tiny noted as the room went silent.

  —————

  Seth lay very still. His mind was clear and his breathing even. The team had unhooked him hours ago from the equipment, and all that remained was a basic life support scanner that checked his vitals every hour. They had estimated he would sleep for most of the next twenty-four hours, and so he had been except for a brief run to the latrine.

  He could hear voices talking low in the hall outside his room. The treatment had sharpened his hearing enough that he could tell one of the voices belonged to Zain. He focused, trying to hear what was being said.

  “…left hours ago and should be well into the mission now. All we can do is wait,” Zain said.

  “Sir, I could’ve provided some backup. At least they would’ve had a fighting chance then!” said a male voice Seth didn’t recognize.

  “Captain Callum, I appreciate your willingness to dive into the fray, but I am going to need every single ship and crew I can get in the days to come. Reilly Campbell can handle herself, and her crew is made up of some of the best in the business. If anyone can make it through, it would be that bunch.”

  “Did she know, sir? Did she know Razam Welch was going to be there too?” Callum demanded.

  Zain sighed heavily. “You know the answer to that question.”

  “So you let them walk into a trap? One of the best crews in the fleet, and you didn’t tell them?”

  “I don’t think I like what you’re implying, Captain. Besides, they had already departed the facility. That kind of intelligence can’t be risked over the span. Campbell knew the risks she was facing with Alton, and even if she had known Welch was there, she still would’ve gone. Sergeant Ty is one of hers, and there’d be no end to trouble if I even hinted at stopping her from going.”