Gunslinger Girl

by Lyndsay Ely

  She holstered her weapon and grabbed Luster by the shoulders. “Listen to me and don’t ask any questions. Go find Garland and Duchess, and then the three of you hole up in your room. Go fast, and don’t stop to talk to anyone. Do you hear me? Anyone!”

  Luster’s face crumpled with fear. “Why, what’s—”

  “There’s no time to explain.” Pity squeezed tighter. “Barricade the door and don’t open it for anyone. Not the Tin Men, not Santino, not anyone except for one of us or Selene herself. No matter what you hear. Promise me.”

  “I…” Luster nodded. “I promise.”

  Pity began to let her go, then wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged tight. I’m not losing everyone, she thought. I refuse. “Go,” she ordered again.

  They waited until Luster’s delicate footsteps were out of earshot.

  “You better hope she’s not scampering off to Sheridan,” Siena said.

  “She’s not.” Pity prayed it was true. “Let’s go.”

  They came to a stairwell and ascended. A few floors up, Pity ducked her head out into a hall. “It’s clear.”

  “Are we going through the Gallery?” Max whispered.

  “No.” She thought for a moment, trying to orient herself. “We can’t. Sheridan said the Gallery was taken care of. It’s a good bet the Tin Men there now are Santino’s. We have to go the other way, through Selene’s rooms. Down here.”

  They came to the long hall. As soon as Pity saw the first door, she swore.

  “I don’t suppose you have the codes,” Siena said.

  Stupid. In her panic, she had forgotten all about the locks. Fighting the urge to slam her fists against the thick steel, she searched for a solution. But she was no engineer. Should have paid better attention during all those hours with Finn in her workshop.

  Max punched in a few combinations at random. Each was met with an angry flash of red. “We can turn back, go through—”

  “No.” An idea materialized. “Siena, give me your bag.”

  The bounty hunter raised an eyebrow but handed it over. Pity fished out the shock stick, said a silent prayer, and jammed it into the keypad. There was a flash and a hiss, followed by a spray of sparks. Then a heavy clunk. Max grabbed the handle.

  The door opened.

  Not quite as elegant as what Finn could have done, but…

  “Not bad, Jones.” Siena herded them both through, into the hall with the second door. Pity repeated the process but hesitated before the third.

  “There’s a pair of guards on the other side,” she whispered. “We don’t know whose side they’re on.”

  “Not ours.” Siena pulled out a pair of tranquilizer guns. “Pity, lock. Max, you get the door. I’ll take care of the guards. Ready on three. One, two… three!”

  Zzzzt. Click.

  Max yanked the door open.

  Thwip. Thwip.

  Thud. Thud.

  Pity peeked around the corner. The two guards lay motionless on the floor, tiny darts protruding from their necks. Beyond them, the elevator doors stood open.

  “Last chance to get out of here,” Siena said to Pity. “Assuming they’re trustworthy, your friends are probably safe by now. No need to risk a fight if it can be avoided.”

  Pity felt temptation’s barbs under her skin, but Max seemed to sense her thoughts.

  “No, we see this through,” he said. “Or you can forget about me coming quietly.”

  Siena toed one of the drugged guards pointedly but stashed her tranquilizer guns. “A deal’s a deal,” she said. “Best not come up on Selene with weapons drawn. Beau has always been one to shoot first and ask questions later.”

  The elevator seemed to move slower than Pity remembered, the hum of the hydraulics the only sound as each floor came and went. Almost there, she told herself. It’s not too late… it can’t be. Selene would hear them out, and then Casimir would turn the tables on Sheridan’s borrowed mercenaries. She prayed that the Reformationists hadn’t decided to march early.

  The elevator shuddered and stopped. A moment later the doors opened, revealing Selene’s living room.

  But there was no Selene.

  Adora sat on one of the couches, her back rigid. She looked over as the three of them spilled into the room.

  Halcyon stood behind her, a gun leveled at her head.

  CHAPTER 40

  Pity drew.

  “Don’t!” Halcyon’s arm stiffened, his normally jovial face sagging with panic.

  Fingers on the triggers, Pity aimed one gun at Halcyon and the other at Adora.

  “Which one of you?” Her gaze swept back and forth. “Which one of you is a traitor?”

  Halcyon didn’t answer, his brow beaded with sweat.

  Adora scoffed. “You know, I really thought you had half a brain in that country head. Max, you want to tell your girlfriend not to shoot me, please?”

  “Don’t listen to her!” Halcyon found his voice. “Lower your weapons… uh, please!”

  “Lower yours.” Siena stepped into Pity’s peripheral vision, her shotgun raised. “If you ain’t a traitor, then we’ve got her plenty covered.”

  When he didn’t move, Pity felt a sick slither in her stomach.

  “Boss, please.” The pleading grief in Max’s voice made the feeling worse. “Halcyon, put down the gun.”

  Halcyon’s jaw tightened. “I can’t.”

  “You lying, conniving son of a bitch!” Pity was moving before she knew it, descending the steps to the sunken floor, advancing on Halcyon. “How could you?”

  He retreated back several steps and swung his weapon toward Pity. “Don’t come any closer!”

  “How could you?” She stopped a few feet away, both barrels trained on him. First Santino and now Halcyon. The betrayal seared like a hot iron.

  “This wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said, his words weak. “You’re supposed to be… Max… I…” He trailed off.

  “What is he talking about?” Max said.

  Realization came to Pity in a flash of orange. The notes. “He means this wasn’t his part in the plan. We were supposed to be in the theatre this morning. I’m right, aren’t I? You were going to get Max and me together and then deliver us to Siena, weren’t you? Max so Sheridan could fulfill his deal and me so he had a way to force Max to cooperate.”

  He didn’t respond, but the truth was painted on his features. “I—”

  “You better be about to speak one hell of an explanation.”

  The gun dropped an inch. Halcyon smiled, sad and sheepish. “The Theatre,” he said simply. “I only wanted to share it with the world. I wanted to share you with the world, Pity—you and the rest of them. Selene refused to acquiesce, but Sheridan, he promised me…”

  Pity holstered one of her weapons and closed the gap between them, grabbing Halcyon’s wrist and twisting the gun out of his grasp. It fell to the couch as she brought up the butt of her other gun, smashing it into his face. He cried out and fell to the steps. Blood gushed from his nose.

  “Pity, dammit!” Max appeared beside her. “That was the stupidest thing I’ve ever—”

  “He wasn’t gonna pull the trigger,” she said icily, staring down at Halcyon. “Even if he had the guts to do it, he wouldn’t shoot one of his best acts. He betrayed Selene for the Theatre.”

  Halcyon groaned. Red dripped over the lower half of his face and onto his suit.

  “Well, aren’t you clever.” Adora picked up the gun beside her like it was a dead rat and tossed it to Siena, who added it to her arsenal.

  “You’re welcome!” spat Pity. “What did he tell you?”

  “Nothing. He arrived a few minutes ago, pulled a gun on me, and told me not to move. I listened.” A perturbed expression tempered Adora’s manner. “But Daneko—”

  “What about him?”

  “Daneko supposedly said he needed to see Selene right away—something important about Patrick Sheridan’s departure, but he’d only tell her.” Adora eyed one of the doors, a tin
ge of apprehension creeping into her voice. “They were bringing him up from his cell.”

  “Does that open into Selene’s office?”

  “Yes.”

  “We need to get to her first. Casimir is about to be attacked. Get up!” Pity ordered Halcyon, who obeyed reluctantly. “Siena, Beau or not, Santino might be in there already…”

  “And we’re not going in like fools.” The bounty hunter smirked. “You don’t need to tell me how to take a room, Jones.”

  They went to the door. Adora paused in front of it, her hand on the knob.

  Pity readied herself. “Halcyon, you next. Don’t you make a peep, either, boss.”

  “I harly thing I neeh to.” He pressed an orange handkerchief, now mostly crimson, to his broken nose.

  “Shut up. Siena and I will follow you. Max, stay in back.”

  Behind her, she heard him take an apprehensive breath and let it out. He put a hand on her back—a simple touch, familiar and reassuring. The memory of him, his arms around her, the feeling of his lips on hers… Her muscles threatened to give out. Pity gritted her teeth and stood straighter.

  Now was not the time to lose her steel.

  Adora opened the door and went through. Halcyon followed, and then she and Siena, smooth as dance partners, their guns raised.

  Pity had only heartbeats to take in the scene. Selene sat at her desk, Beau and Santino to one side of her. Daneko was on his knees in front of the desk, hands chained behind his back, with a trio of Tin Men for guards.

  And behind Daneko, with Hook, was Sheridan. His hands were tucked in his pockets, a disarming grin frozen on his face.

  Whatever was being said faded like the last notes of a song.

  Beau.

  Pity turned to him and their gazes locked. His eyes bore into hers. Her muscles tensed. Fast as lightning, he pulled his gun—

  —and aimed it at Sheridan. “Nobody m—”

  There was a hollow crack as Santino brought his shock stick down on Beau’s head. He collapsed, gun flying from his fingers and across the dark marble. Pity sucked in a fearful breath as Adora bolted to Selene’s side. In unison, Hook and the Tin Men pointed their weapons at Pity and Siena.

  “Hold your fire! No one fires a shot without my say-so.” Sheridan’s command carried easy, presumptuous authority. For the first time Pity clearly saw the man who had fooled them emerge. “Everyone just… relax. You two as well,” he said to Pity and Siena.

  “Yes,” said Selene. “Everyone contain themselves and tell me right now what is—”

  “Shut up, Selene,” said Sheridan.

  No one moved, save for Beau. Facedown and dazed, he tried to push himself up. Sheridan pointed and Santino raised his stick again, bringing it down in a wide arc. It connected with Beau’s calf. Even from across the room, Pity could hear the wet snap. Beau screamed.

  “Santino!” Selene yelled. “Stop! Stop right now!”

  Santino ignored her, his attention on Beau, who was still trying to rise. “Stay down, jefe.”

  His club fell once more, breaking Beau’s other leg. This time he didn’t scream, only let out a strangled bark, and fell to the floor, still. Santino grabbed Beau’s wrist, pulled off the alarm band, and threw it away.

  “You…” Selene’s voice was pure acid. She started for Santino, but Adora stopped her.

  “If she reaches for her console, put a bullet in her,” Sheridan instructed the Tin Men. “Well, this is not how I planned things to play out. Put your guns away—now. And raise your hands.”

  “Not a chance,” said Pity.

  “Do it, Jones.” Siena lowered her weapon, placing it at her feet. “We’re outgunned here.”

  Sheridan grinned. “Wise. But I suppose a bounty hunter with your years would be. Listen to her, Pity.”

  Defeated, her arms felt like iron as she slid her guns back into their holsters and put up her hands.

  “Thank you.” Sheridan sighed and shook his head, pointing. “You… you are trying, Pity. All you had to do was leave quietly. I wasn’t even mad when you changed your mind—I can forgive an emotional moment. But instead of going along with my men you had to—”

  “Going along?” Hot rage coursed through her. “They drugged me!”

  “Serendipity.” Selene’s voice sliced through the charged air, quiet but imposing. “What did you change your mind about?”

  Pity nodded at the gang leader. “Sheridan was working with Daneko all along. He’s behind the attempt to kill you, and now he’s trying to take over Casimir. He…” She faltered. “He promised to free Max if I helped him.”

  Selene’s expression didn’t change, but frigid fury radiated off her. She turned to Daneko. “I assume this is the ‘vital information’ about Sheridan that you were about to confess?”

  A sly smile slit the gang leader’s face as Santino approached him and unlocked his chains. As he stood, one of the Tin Men passed him a handgun. “Close enough. Oh, Selene, I have pictured this moment a thousand times while I suffered pretending to be your prisoner. Your reign is over.”

  “He’s right.” Sheridan went and picked up Beau’s weapon. “Cessation is mine now, Selene.”

  “Ours,” said Daneko.

  “Of course. Even now, our forces are approaching. In a short time, Casimir will be under our control.”

  Selene scoffed. “Even if you kill me, you couldn’t hold it for a day.”

  “Oh, I’m not alone.” Sheridan beckoned Halcyon, who slunk over, never once looking in Selene’s direction. “I’ve got the Theatre Vespertine. And I’ve got a new head of security, who in turn has enough Tin Men to allow my forces access to Casimir. Which will happen any minute now.”

  Selene’s face hardened.

  “It’s true,” Pity said. She let her hands drop a few inches as she spoke. “They’re marching now, hidden among the Reformationists.”

  “And when that’s done, Daneko will take your place, and I will return east to claim mine.”

  He glanced at Pity, as if daring her to reveal Max’s secret. As if it mattered now. Her jaw clenched, but she said nothing.

  “Enough,” said Daneko. “Kill her.”

  “No!” cried Adora.

  “Oh, relax,” Sheridan said. “Nothing needs to change for you, Adora. I know value when I see it. Step away from Selene, and you can keep your position. That’s a pretty good offer, isn’t it?”

  Adora crossed her arms. “Mr. Sheridan, you can take that offer and shove it up your—”

  “Take it, Adora,” Selene said, too calm. “Say yes. It’s a good deal.”

  Pity didn’t miss the note of resignation the words carried. Adora’s impassive visage shifted to angry confusion.

  “No,” she said.

  “Take it,” Selene commanded.

  “I said no!”

  “Here,” said Sheridan. “Let me make the decision a little easier for you.” He raised the gun and fired.

  Adora lunged to push Selene out of the way, but a fraction of a second too late. The spray of bullets tore through both of them, their bodies tumbling to the floor in a bloody tangle. Adora’s head lolled to the side. She coughed once, a bubble of blood forming on her lips before she went as still as Selene beneath her.

  The world turned static gray, like the moments before a bad storm. Pity’s ears buzzed. She blinked and the buzzing turned to screams.

  Beau. His ghostly pale face was twisted with horror. He reached for Selene, still yelling.

  “Good Lord—Santino!” Sheridan cried. “Shut him up.”

  Santino pulled out his knife.

  Pity dropped her arms and drew.

  She fired twice before she had a chance to think, or to aim. Santino’s shoulder and side exploded in crimson. He cried out and dropped the knife, which fell beside Beau. In the corner of her eye, she saw Daneko raise his weapon. The shot rang out as Max collided with her, knocking her to her knees.

  No. Daneko had missed her, but she felt the bullet hit anyway, a shard of
terror right through her heart.

  “You idiot!” Sheridan screamed.

  “Shit!” said Siena.

  The bounty hunter dove on her shotgun and came up firing. She caught one of the Tin Men in the chest. Through tears, Pity saw Halcyon’s purple form dart away as Hook shoved Sheridan behind him. She unloaded one revolver in their direction, hardly looking where she fired. The other arm she wrapped around Max, who lay on his back, a ruby stain spreading across his gut.

  She heard a second shotgun blast and a scream, and then Siena was beside her.

  “Move, Jones!” she screamed, grabbing the collar of Max’s shirt.

  Siena dragged him behind the desk as Pity drew her other gun and covered them. Bullets whizzed like angry wasps as Hook, Daneko, and the remaining Tin Man fired at them. Pity took aim. An instant later Daneko’s gun went flying, scarlet strings of meat where his thumb had been.

  “Ahhh!” Pity felt a line of pain blaze up her arm as she tumbled behind the desk.

  “You hit?” Siena was on one knee reloading, her head low.

  “A graze.” She gritted her teeth, filtering out the pain. All she could see was Max propped up against the desk. She scrambled beside him, boots skidding on the dark, bloody marble. His chest was rising and falling with rapid breaths, his face blanched.

  “You stupid—” Her voice hitched. “Why did you do that?”

  Max gave her a weak grin. “Do I really need to answer?”

  She ripped his shirt away to reveal an angry hole leaking blood.

  No.

  “We have to stop that!” Siena drew a handgun and fired around the desk. “Here!” She reached into her bag and pulled out a square packet. “You know how to apply a field dressing?”

  Hands trembling, Pity grabbed the packet and tore it open. She positioned the patch over the gunshot and pressed down.

  “Uggnnn!” Max’s head drooped, eyelids fluttering.

  Pity slapped him. “Don’t you dare! Stay awake!”

  Max’s gaze came back into focus. He lifted one hand and put it on top of hers, where they pressed against his stomach. “I’ll hold it.”