“Nope.” Dah pointed out to the east. “You see that small alley between the Grand Palisade Casino and the Presidential Suites Hotel?”
“Yeah,” they all said together.
“Our contact is down in there somewhere.”
There were Reapers everywhere running through the vacant streets.
“Oh. Great,” Puar said dryly. “This won’t be hard or anything.”
“Eh! It’ll be easier than you think,” Dah chided, dropping the duffle bag he was carrying and pulling out a tool that really was going to make the job a whole lot easier.
“Are you kidding?” Brix squawked.
“Sure not,” Dah said setting up the tripod and securing it to the floor.
“We’re zip-lining it?” Brix asked again.
“Yup,” Dah answered, setting the rocket-propelled harpoon on the tripod.
“That’s like, five hundred yards!”
“Five hundred and twenty-five yards, to be exact,” Dah corrected, using the launcher’s onboard computer to measure the distance, wind direction and speed, angle of launch and flight time. Once everything was measured up, the rocket launched and soared for the Grand Palisade Casino’s roof. Several seconds later, the harpoon impaled the utility closet and a grappling hook deployed to keep the harpoon from coming out.
The motors on the launcher ratcheted the cable tight to test its reliability and then gave a green light indicating it was safe. Dah was up first. He hooked up his zip rollers and got a running start. The light on the launcher turned red for fifteen seconds and then turned green again, indicating the next rider could go. Brix held back letting Kay go next. Then Puar offered to let Brix go.
Brix shook his head, saying, “Why didn’t Dack just land over there instead of all the way up here?”
“What’s the matter?” Puar asked.
“I’m uncomfortable with heights,” he admitted.
“Aww, come on, Brix. It’s just several thousand feet in the air. Think of this way: If you fall, when you hit the ground you’ll be dead before you can feel anything.”
“Great,” Brix grumbled. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
“Anytime!” Puar said before hooking up and jumping.
After another moment of hesitation, he hooked up, squeezed his eyes shut and jumped.
He could feel the wind across his face as he zipped down toward the lower building. After what seemed like twenty minutes, Dah’s voice cut through the wind.
“Brix, you fool! Open your damned eyes and slow down. You’re coming in way too fast!”
Brix opened his eyes and realized he was right on top of them. He pulled down on the lever that crimped the rollers together and acted as a brake. But he was so close at that point, that he came crashing into the party and they all piled up in a heap of arms and legs. Curses worked their way to the top of the pile where Brix lay sprawled out.
Brix elbowed his way over the pile of people, prompting more cursing and yelps of pain. Once he reached the edge, he rolled off to the floor. In short order, they all untangled their limbs and got to their feet. Each of them scowled at Brix; he was standing like a child who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He finally made eye contact with them, shrugged and simply said, “Oops.”
“Can we please get on with it?” Kay asked, stretching her neck.
“Let’s get going,” Dah said.
The next step was to rappel down the side of the building into the alley where their contact was supposed to be waiting. They secured their ropes, each equipped with motors and pulleys, to the utility room where the roof access staircase was located and slid down, stopping three quarters of the way to survey the area. There were Reapers swarming down below them.
“So now what?” Puar asked angrily.
“I don’t know,” Dah admitted. “I just assumed there would be someone waiting for us. My brother set this up.”
“Maybe you should contact him!” Puar retorted sarcastically.
As Dah pulled out his com unit, a voice called out to them.
“Hey over there!” a man shouted.
Dah looked over in the direction from which the voice came and saw a man standing atop a two story building at the end of the alley where it dead-ended. From that distance, Dah didn’t recognize him, but really didn’t care given their current situation of dangling like worms on hooks.
“You look like you could use some help!” the man shouted.
“What gave you that impression?” Dah snapped back.
The man pointed down at the Reapers that were now digging their claws into the side of the building and climbing up after them.
“Damn it!” Dah growled under his breath.
“Here!” the man yelled, producing a rope and throwing it to Dah. “Grab this and I’ll pull you in!”
In short order, the mysterious man helped them all over to where he was, secured the ropes and led them down into a moderate-sized room that was dimly lit; Dah still couldn’t get a good look at the guy’s face. He pulled the hidden hatch shut and locked it. Only seconds later, thumping on the roof rumbled throughout the complex. The tension in the room was almost tangible.
“Relax,” the guy said. “The whole area is encased in Ti’tan’lium. They’re not getting through, I guarantee it. So, you must be Captain Dack’Tandy Dah.”
“That’s right,” he replied.
“Man, you two really are identical, aren’t you?”
“Yep,” was all Dah said. He sure wished this guy would just cut to the chase!
Feeling Dah’s impatience he did just that. “Your brother asked that I give you some better weapons. I owe him a favor, so this makes us square. Make sure you tell him that.”
“Will do.”
“Follow me,” he said, nodding his head deeper into the complex. They followed him into a living area where a kitchen and dining table sat. A gigantic net’vyyd hung on the wall. Beyond that, was a staircase that led down into what looked like a bunker entrance.
“Wow,” Puar said, breaking the silence, “You really seem to be roughing it.”
“I’ve spent more money than you’ll make in twenty years on this place. So far, it’s held up to even the Reapers and it hasn’t fallen to any Vyysarri attack.”
The door was open and dark beyond. As the man stepped into the bunker, lighting panels above him flickered to life illuminating the man’s face. Instantly, everyone recognized him as the most infamous criminal Seryys City had ever seen, Ken’Neth Kreer. The same man whose life Khai had saved and from whom he received the weapons used to free Prime Minister Puar.
“We seem to keep meeting under these circumstances,” Dah remarked.
“So it would seem, Captain Dah,” Ken said. “I assume Khai has gotten himself in over his head again?”
“Yes,” Dah said. “He’s being held at some abandoned research facility. We’re busting him out.”
“Well, if I can help Khai out, it’s worth it. He saved my life and I told him if he was ever in a bind, that I’d bail him out.”
“How’d a soldier end up saving the life of a mob boss?” Puar asked.
“I was overseeing a delivery of weapons to one of my gun runners in the Brogaan Sector when a Vyysarri warship targeted my ship and shot it down. Before I could crawl from the burning wreckage that was once my flagship, the Vyysarri had touched down and were overrunning the place. My gun runner was killed, ninety percent of my crew was killed and I was knocking at the Founders’ door. Khai pulled me from the wreckage and dragged me to safety.
“Had he not been there, I would’ve been food for the Vyysarri.”
“The universe works in mysterious ways,” Puar said.
“Indeed it does,” Ken agreed.
“So how’d my brother come by a favor from you?” Dah asked, not hiding his disapproving tone.
Ken tensed for a moment, then said, “Men with money and power have connections everywhere,” and left it at that.
“You didn’t answer my questi
on,” Dah pointed out.
“Quite right,” was all Ken said and led them into the armory.
They geared up quickly and left quickly, not wanting to do anything to upset one of the most powerful crime lords in the galaxy. Ken escorted them to the door and locked them out. The Reapers that were once trying to pound the hatch in had finally given up and left the rooftop. Dah looked over the edge and there were still four or five romping about. They each grabbed a rope that had been secured to a post on Ken’s roof and swung off. With a slight tug, the motors at the top kicked on and started pulling them up. It only took a few moments before the Reapers took notice of them and started climbing up the wall after them.
Once they got to the top, they only had a few minutes to get out before the Reapers were on them.
“So you had a plan for getting us in, did you have a plan for getting us out?” Puar snapped.
“Yup, sure do!”
Using his knife, he cut the zip line rope, wrapped it around his arm several times and took a running leap from the building. When the motor at the other end near the ship felt the slack, it instantly started reeling him in. The rope length shortened with every second of Dah’s freefall. Eventually, the rope snapped tight and Dah swung toward the building. It started looming up quickly, much too quickly for Dah’s taste.
“Mmm, this is gonna hurt!” he muttered under his breath.
BAM! Dah impacted the side of the building breaking several windows. The air was stolen from his lungs and he wheezed as the pulley yanked him up the side of the building. Eventually, he was able to get his feet under him and run up the side of the wall as he was being pulled.
In no time, he made it to the top. He used his codepad to unlock the ship and get it started up.
Kay watched Dah recklessly leap from the roof and swing toward the building from which they came. It suddenly became clear why Dah did that. That building was tall enough that landing there didn’t draw the Reapers’ attention whereas the Palisade was short enough that had Dah landed there, they would’ve had to fight through a throng of Reapers just to get back to the ship.
As Kay watched the Bucket lift off and move in their direction, Brix yelled at everyone.
“We’ve got Reapers coming up!”
Kay looked over the ledge and he was right, there were dozens of Reapers digging their claws into the walls of the hotel and climbing up at them. Kay grabbed one of the ropes, taking a running leap off one corner of the roof and drawing her Kit’Ra at the same time. She swung across the face of the hotel taking a long swipe with her sword, cutting the heads off of several of them as the rest started opening fire. As Kay stopped her swing at the edge of the building, a Reaper managed to reach out for her and cut the rope with one of its claws.
“Kay’s falling!” Dah’s voice came over the com as he approached.
Kay fell.
Using the reflex package installed in her brain, she quickly pulled her grappling hook and threw it with all her strength. The hook hit the roof but didn’t catch anything. Moving with more purpose than anyone had ever seen in him, Brix sprinted for the hook and dove for it. The sharp point of the hook pierced his hand and went all the way through. He growled with pain but held on and grabbed the hook with his other hand. With his bulk far outweighing Kay’s small frame, she stopped instantly.
Brix started backpedalling to pull her up as she climbed. Puar was firing down at the Reapers still and was not able to help him. He pulled the pin on a grenade and let it cook in his hand for a few seconds before dropping it. He timed it almost perfectly and the thing went off in the middle of large group nearly to the top. He hooted a victory and started raining bullets down on the remaining Reapers.
Brix held fast until Kay could make it to the top. As she swung her leg up onto the ledge Dah piloted the ship to the edge of the rooftop with the ramp down.
“Get in!” he yelled to the others.
They all ran for the ramp. On the way, Kay cut the rope from the grappling hook imbedded in Brix’s hand and they both jumped for it. They both hit the ramp at the same time and rolled in. Puar was close behind them. Once they were all on board, Kay hit the ramp button and it closed up tight. Now armed to the teeth and having a destination, Dah had to smile. Just like old times! He pulled the ship up and put it into hover mode. Once the ship floated for a moment, he left the cockpit to go check on the others.
Kay was trying to remove the grappling hook from Brix’s hand while Puar was getting bandages ready. Kay injected some liquid Kryylopax into his hand to numb it and yanked the hook out. Brix growled with pain and then it was over. Puar wrapped bandages tightly around the wound and taped it up to keep the bandages from coming off.
“Do we need to have that fixed?” Dah asked.
“No, sir. I’m right as rain. Let’s go get Khai out, then we can worry about this.”
“Okay,” Dah said approvingly. “Then strap in. We’re on our way.”
“Dah,” Kay called out, walking after him. “A moment, please.”
“Sure. Walk with me.”
“I don’t concur with Brix on his injuries,” Kay said bluntly.
“He seems to think everything’s fine. Why do you disagree?”
“Because he’s a guy and won’t show any sign of weakness, but it’s his gun hand and the damage to it is great. I strongly suggest we take him to Medic’s place and see if he can at least patch up the broken bones.”
“Okay,” Dah said without a fight. “Give me a minute.”
“Sure,” Kay offered, stepping out of his way.
“Hey, Brix,” Dah called out returning the main hold. “Kay seems to think you’re more hurt than you’re leading us to believe. Are you?”
“Not a chance!” Brix said definitively.
“All right,” Dah said skeptically. He pulled his sidearm, ejected the magazine, cocked it to pop the last round in the chamber and tossed it to Brix. He caught it with his off hand. “Pull the trigger for me.”
Brix gingerly put the gun in his other hand and carefully put his finger on the trigger. He tried to pull the trigger but the bone in his hand that led to his trigger finger was badly broken and he couldn’t. It wasn’t that the pain was too great, after all the Kryylopax was numbing everything from his elbow down, he simply couldn’t move that finger.
“You need medical attention,” Dah insisted.
“No I don’t,” Brix argued. “Just give a few minutes and I’ll be able to do it!”
“Listen, Brix. A gunner with a broken trigger finger is completely useless to me. We’re headed for Medic’s hideout to get that fixed whether you like it or not!”
“But, sir!” Brix protested.
“Do I have to make it an order?” Dah threatened.
“No,” Brix answered with a defeated tone.
“Good. Kay,” Dah called out, “set a course for Medic’s hideout, please!”
“You got it!”
Chapter Seventeen
This is it! Seryyk thought. Stiprox had summoned him to reward him for his years of loyal and flawless service. To see his face would be a great honor. He couldn’t wait. He paced the corridors of the large, lavishly-decorated ship that undoubtedly belonged to Stiprox with his vast wealth.
“Seryyk,” one of the Kil’Jah Assassin bodyguards called out to him. “Stiprox will see you now.”
Seryyk stood a little taller and straightened his tunic. He walked into a dimly-lit receiving chamber. In a throne-like chair at the end of the room sat a diminutive Vyysarri apparently hunched over with age.
“Come closer, young one,” Stiprox called out.
Seryyk complied, but was stopped before getting too close by two more Assassins. At this distance, the elderly Vyysarri seems… off. Seryyk cannot quite put his clawed finger on it, but pushed his misgivings to the back of his mind when the man began to speak.
“Seryyk, I have brought you here today because you have been outspoken in your service to our great cause. Your service record is
exemplary save for one small indiscretion.” Seryyk’s mind raced! What did he fail to do? The Reapers are running free, Sibrex is dead with Khail framed for the murder, not to mention a perfect record on all of his previous assignments. What is this man talking about? “…though you did defeat the traitor Sibrex and frame General Khail, my sources tell me that you failed to actually kill Sibrex! He is in critical condition in a military facility outside Klomehaven. Your failure insults me! However, due to your exemplary record, I am willing to absolve you of your mistake if you complete this mission.”
“I am at your disposal, master,” Seryyk said, kneeling, humbled by his master.
“I know. I own you,” Stiprox said arrogantly. “My sources tell me that you won’t be able to infiltrate the facility, but I also know that Captain Dack’Tandy Dah and three others in his company are headed there to extract General Khail. You are to stop them from getting there. I am providing you with a ship and the identification of Captain Dah’s ship.”
Stiprox motioned to one of his guards and she stepped forward with the information and handed it to him.
“Succeed and I will forgive you for your last failure. Fail and there will be consequences.”
“Yes, my lord. It will be done!”
“Good. Now go, I have pressing matters elsewhere.”
As he left, he looked over the information provided for him. The ship he was looking for was a Grind Haul-Class freighter named the Bolt Bucket. Not a flattering name, he thought. But it didn’t matter, the ship would be scrap before the end of the day, he could guarantee it.
As promised, a ship was waiting for him in the hangar of Stiprox’s ship. It was fast, and fierce-looking. It would be perfect for taking down Captain Dah’s ship with his friends in it.
It was now the second hour of patrolling the sky around the facility waiting for Captain Dah’s vessel to arrive. At last, it showed up. Seryyk grinned as he pushed his ship to full throttle to intercept it.
Chapter Eighteen
“Uh, Dack?” Kay called out from the sensor console in the back of the cockpit.
The Seryys Chronicles: Of Nightmares Page 12