Four rifles turned in her direction, and she left her spot. She sprang to the top of the next still, avoiding the catwalk since a dozen meters of it had been obliterated. She leaped across two more stills before dropping to her hands and knees again, hoping to creep to the edge and find another chance to fire.
The two others came in from the tasting room door, a voice spoke into her mind, startling her.
Erick.
Jelena and Thor had spoken telepathically with her before in times of crisis when the comms had been out, so she’d experienced it, but they didn’t do it often. It definitely wasn’t a natural form of communication for Masika.
I’ll try to keep these four busy, she thought back, hoping he would be able to hear her words. Presumably, she could receive but not transmit.
Hearing footsteps thundering below, she stayed near the center of the still to make sure the men wouldn’t see her.
Or we could lock all six in here, Erick said, blow something up, and run back to the ship.
What are you going to blow up? I don’t bring anything flammable with me to pick up cargo. Masika wished she had brought explosives. The damned rifle was next to useless against combat armor.
You’re sitting on something flammable, Erick replied dryly.
Blazers squealed at the far end of the building. Masika risked poking her head over the still. Two men were on her side, looking for her, and she spotted two others in the direction Erick had gone. Her keen ears caught two more clomping around behind the stills.
We shouldn’t blow up the distillery’s property, Masika thought, bringing her rifle to bear on a man with his back to her, looking for a way up to the still she’d been on earlier. I doubt the owners have anything to do with this.
How can you be sure?
Masika groped for a way to tell him they were after her and had probably been hired by Stellacor, but the man below shifted so that a seam was toward her. She fired, holding down her trigger. The man stumbled back. Had she caught the spot she’d damaged before?
Unfortunately, his comrade raced toward her. Instead of simply raising his rifle to fire, he sprang into the air. The servos in his leg armor gave him the strength to bound the thirty feet to the top of her still.
Masika fired the whole time he was in the air. She jumped to her feet and backed away so he wouldn’t crash into her, but she kept firing, aiming for the seam at his crotch.
He yanked his rifle across while he was sailing toward her, bringing it to bear. Masika shifted her aim and fired at it.
The weapon wasn’t armored, and it blew up spectacularly.
A stream of curses escaped her foe’s mouth as he landed atop the still. Masika leaped forward, knowing she couldn’t hesitate. He had more weapons, and if he simply grabbed her with his gauntleted fingers, he could crush her bones.
She slammed a side kick into his chest, much as she had with the door. A normal person’s blow probably wouldn’t have knocked him over, not with the stabilizers in his armor, but her engineered power was another matter. He was already on the edge of the still, and when he stumbled back, his boot found nothing but empty air. He flailed as he fell backward. He might have caught the lip of the still, but she kicked again. The man went flying across the aisle, his back hammering against a still across the way. It rang like a bell, the noise echoing through the building.
Masika aimed at him, but glimpsed movement below. The one she’d been firing at before shot at her.
She flung herself onto her back, afraid she’d reacted too late. But he hadn’t been aiming at her after all. His blazer blast slammed into the still just under her, blowing open another hole.
Then, to her shock and horror, the still exploded under her. Now she was the one to flail as she flew through the air.
Flames roared up from the position she’d just been in, the entire top of the still melting and warping under them.
The crazy thought that ran through her mind as she sailed away was that, if things were going to be blown up, she should have let Erick do it after all.
Then she slammed down onto something. The wall? No, the catwalk. The metal reverberated under her back.
She groaned in pain, but made herself roll over. If she stayed down, they would be on her right away. That other man might be jumping up even now.
Flames still leaped from the top of the still, alcohol that hadn’t spilled out burning like a lake of fire. Masika pushed herself to her hands and knees, but her back ached, and something stabbed her in the leg like a knife. Groaning again, she reached down to check the wound. A piece of shrapnel stuck out of the side of her calf. Wonderful.
A scream came from below, followed by another explosion. Flames leaped from other stills, and heat and light flooded the building.
Moisture rolled into her eyes. Sweat? Tears? She dashed it away, and blood smeared the back of her hand.
Erick? she asked silently, wondering if he’d been responsible for the explosion. She wondered, too, where her rifle had gone. She must have dropped it when she’d been flung away from the still. Damn, that was careless.
A hand appeared in front of her face, and she reared back, a punch ready.
But her brain caught up to her instincts. That hand wasn’t armored. And it was attached to a pale arm and a T-shirt about dating engineers.
She clasped it, and Erick pulled her to her feet. Her leg stung, and she gasped as soon as she put weight on it. He wrapped an arm around her waist and nodded toward the front of the building. For a weak moment, she wished she could simply lean against him and wait for her pain to subside. But it wouldn’t, not until they got back to the ship and to sickbay.
I’ve got them distracted, he spoke silently into her mind.
Good.
He tried to lead her toward the exit, but she held up a hand, bent down, gritted her teeth, and yanked the shrapnel out of her calf. The pain intensified, and she almost blacked out. But she snarled and refused to succumb to something so weak.
Three suns, woman, don’t do things like that, Erick said, but more than the words came into her mind this time. Some kind of energy—his energy—accompanied them.
It didn’t take away the pain, but it made her feel refreshed. Stronger. She jerked her head toward the exit.
Ready.
Smoke obscured the catwalk as they navigated it, leaving the flames of the exploded still behind. But more flames came out of another one near the exit, and something was billowing black smoke into the air from the back of the building.
The catwalk wobbled, trembling under their steps, and Masika realized they had almost reached the section the man had blown up earlier.
We’re going to have to go down soon, she thought, glad the words flowed so quickly this way. The catwalk sagged alarmingly, and Erick stopped.
Can you jump? he asked.
I’ll have to. Normally, she could drop thirty feet, roll at the bottom, and come up running. Her leg wouldn’t appreciate it, but she would have to do it now. Can you?
She had seen Thor float himself over walls, but Erick had said he couldn’t do that. And normal people didn’t drop that far without hurting themselves.
I—
His response was drowned out in the squeal of weapons fire. Blazer bolts streaked through the air in front of and behind them, cutting through the smoke.
Masika and Erick dropped to their bellies as one, his staff clanging on the railing. She winced at the noise. Someone was already shooting, so the men must have an idea as to where they were, but she doubted they’d seen well through the smoke. If they had, they wouldn’t have missed.
Find your way out, Masika told him, then rolled to the side, between the railings.
She twisted in the air as she dropped, hoping she could judge the distance in the smoke.
The bare stone floor came up quickly. She came down on both feet, immediately rolling to soften the landing. It still sent a jolt through her, and an agonizing stab of pain erupted from her wounded calf. Gritting
her teeth, she scrambled upright and forced herself not to hobble.
Movement came from her left. One of the men sprang out of the smoke, fingers spread to grab her.
She spun and kicked, using her good leg for support. Her calf protested again when her boot hammered into an armored chest, but she waited until afterward to cry out.
The man’s momentum sent her stumbling back, even though she’d struck a solid blow. She hurried to catch her balance, but her heel slipped in the tequila painting the floor. Her leg flew out from underneath her, and she fell.
In better circumstances, she might have caught herself before falling, but her other foot slipped as well, and she clunked an elbow against a still on the way down.
Cursing, she rolled over, certain the man would spring back and get her, but thanks to her kick, he had slammed into a still on the other side of the aisle. It didn’t appear that damaged, insofar as she could tell through the smoke, but a wrenching noise thundered through the room, and the entire structure tipped over. There was just enough clearance for it to smash straight down to the floor in the center aisle—and atop the man. He’d been in the process of getting up, but it flattened him like a hammer hitting a nail. Even his armor crumpled under the weight of the full still.
Gaping at it, Masika didn’t scramble to her feet right away. Had that killed the man? Or was his armor protecting him somewhat?
He’s still alive, but pinned, Erick spoke into her mind.
He came up from behind her, caught her under her armpits, and lifted her upright.
You’re making a habit of picking me up, she thought.
He must have found her rifle when he’d been climbing it down because he handed it to her. If you would stop running away from me, maybe I could keep you from being knocked down in the first place.
I told you, I don’t need… She trailed off as he helped her stagger toward the door, smoke still choking the air, and heat roaring off the fires burning in the back. Had that been pride speaking? Saying she didn’t need protection or help? Against normal men, she could handle herself, but in combat armor, a man or woman had as much strength and speed as she had—and was nearly impervious to weapons fire. To admit she needed assistance against such a foe wasn’t truly a weakness, was it?
Jelena and I protect each other all the time, you know. She creates a barrier around us while I do attacks, or I make a barrier around us while she convinces a herd of cattle to stampede.
Masika snorted, well remembering that incident.
How would we protect each other? Masika asked as he paused to peer out the doorway. I can’t make a barrier or do Starseer things.
I’m sure we could figure out a system if we worked together more often. Like maybe I could figure out how to make a barrier with a little hole in it that you should shoot through.
You think we should work together more often? This pickup mission hasn’t gone that well for you. Masika grimaced at the headlights of that shuttle. It was parked outside the gate. They wouldn’t be able to escape without running by it. How many more people were inside?
I’m not bleeding as much as you are.
Which means things are going well?
So far. He grinned at her through the soot and blood smearing his face, then led the way outside. There are two men left in the shuttle, he added. They’re… uh oh.
Erick squeezed her waist. “This way,” he whispered, leading her off to the side rather than down the road.
Masika hadn’t expected to be able to stroll down that road without being spotted, so she didn’t object. Certain the men inside had reported their trouble already, she ran faster than Erick. That made it hard for him to keep his arm around his waist and support her, but he tried gamely.
I can run on my own, she told him. At least until we make it back to sickbay.
Sorry, just trying to be supportive. He dropped his arm and ran side by side toward the freestanding barn with her. My mom told me women like that.
It’s true, but it’s easier for me to run without something tall and gangly attached to my side.
I’m not gangly. I’m lean. Ropy. Virile.
Virile? That wasn’t exactly a synonym.
I thought I’d slip that in in case it impressed you.
They slowed down once they reached the barn, but not by much. A door or a hatch slammed somewhere. Masika thought it came from the front gate rather than the building, but she could hear shouts from coming inside the distillery. It wouldn’t take the men inside long to figure out that she had escaped. Sort of.
They rounded the corner of the barn, jogging along the back side. There were only a few feet between it and the stone wall of the cave. Masika glanced through an open back door and saw that the donkeys were still there, dozing and munching hay, either unaware of the nearby chaos or disinterested.
Jelena will be pleased that we haven’t disturbed the furry natives with our escape, Erick observed, still speaking into her mind.
Yet. Our escape isn’t assured yet. Masika replied the same way, finding it quick and easy. And it didn’t hurt that they could communicate that way without making noise. It surprised her to realize she didn’t mind having Erick poking into her head. She would have thought that type of intrusion would disturb her, especially after she’d endured other intrusions in her life, but this was practical.
They slowed as they reached the corner of the barn. A good thing because a man and a woman were now standing inside the gate with rifles resting in their arms. They weren’t wearing combat armor, but that didn’t mean they weren’t a threat.
“You find her yet?” the woman asked. Even though her words were soft, murmured to transmit through her earstar, Masika caught the words. Her hearing wasn’t as enhanced as that of a cyborg with middle-ear implants, but when her senses were heightened for battle, she heard, felt, tasted, and smelled much more than usual.
Someone inside must have replied because the woman spoke again. “Just find her and haul her out. Stellacor is paying a lot for her.”
Masika grimaced.
There it was. Proof. All she’d suspected was true. Stellacor knew she was alive and wanted her back. These people were here for her, and she was putting Erick, and perhaps the entire crew of the Snapper, in danger.
She glanced at him, wondering if he’d heard, or if he was using his Starseer senses to read their minds.
The dark shadows behind the barn obscured his features, but he seemed to be concentrating intently on something. Could he speak telepathically to the captain and Thorian from here? Maybe he was calling for help.
Masika looked down at the rifle in her bloody, grimy, tequila-stinking hand. People had already been injured inside, if not killed. Would she have to shoot those two people to get out of here? They weren’t wearing armor, and they hadn’t noticed her yet. Two shots, and the deed would be done. But if they worked for Stellacor… wouldn’t killing their people only make the corporation more angry with her? Just because they wanted her alive didn’t mean they wouldn’t torture her once they got her. Not that their experimental treatments hadn’t been torturous even before they’d had a grudge against her.
The man had been scanning the field as the woman spoke, and he squinted when he looked toward the barn. Masika edged back from the corner. Erick didn’t move. She started to grab him, but the man yelled out first.
“There’s the male!”
Erick blinked as Masika grabbed him and pulled him back into the shadows. An instant later, a blazer bolt slammed into the stone wall two feet away.
“What were you doing?” Masika demanded.
She tried to step past him, intending to lean around the corner and fire back, but he stopped her by sticking his arm out.
“If you’re trying to be supportive again, now isn’t the time.” Masika shoved his arm away, but a boom came from the direction of the gates.
Someone screamed.
Masika leaned around the corner in time to see the woman and the man flying through
the air. They landed twenty feet away from the gate, both sides of which were now warped and flattened. The man struck down on one of the sharp agave plants and cursed, rolling away.
Now, Erick urged, pushing Masika toward the remains of the gate. While they’re distracted.
They’re not distracted, Masika thought, though she hurried to run after him. They’re injured.
Which is very distracting. Trust me, I know.
Masika pointed her rifle toward the groaning man and woman as she and Erick sprinted toward the exit. She also watched over her shoulder, certain that whatever armored men were still able to fight would run out. They had to have heard that explosion.
She and Erick were twenty feet from the gate when her expectations came true. Three soot-covered men raced out, weapons pointing into the field.
Masika lifted her arm to fire, but Erick knocked it aside with a cry of, Don’t! in her mind.
The word rang so loudly, she almost tripped and fell.
Don’t, he added more softly, glancing back. I’m camouflaging us. They can’t see us.
Indeed, the men were peering in all directions, their gazes skimming right over Erick and Masika. Finally, one of them saw their comrades trying to get up after being blown ten meters, and two of them ran in that direction.
That’s amazing, Masika thought.
And it’s almost impossible when you’re doing it over moving targets. I’ve been working on it a lot these last few months. Lots of opportunities for practice.
They ran through the gate, and Masika slowed down, gawking at the smoking remains of the shuttlecraft. Less than a third of the hull stood intact, and charred shards were scattered everywhere. She knew these people had wanted to capture her, and hadn’t cared if they killed Erick in the process, but she worried she might have only made matters worse for herself.
Movement in the smoke at the back end of the craft made her jerk her mind back to the present. Erick had taken the lead when she slowed down, and something lunged out at him.
He squawked, almost tripping as he lurched to the side. A soot-covered figure with a wrecked half-metal face lunged at him. An android. With all the speed and power of a machine.
Orphans In the Black: A Space Opera Anthology Page 58