"Err...why?"
"Because of the code breaker in the fingertips of your hand."
"I don't--"
"Just place your index finger on the chip and my ingenious device should do the rest," said Freyan.
Phoenix did as he was told and expected to feel something--what, he couldn't be sure. But the act of placing his hand on the chip didn't elicit any emotion or feelings whatsoever. A light on the chip turned from red to green and the deed was done.
"That's it? I expected something... I dunno, something more."
"The hand isn't like the nanobots in your system. It's just a device that serves a function," said Freyan.
"Still...you could have added some bells and whistles."
Kai took the chip from Phoenix and pushed another button that projected a holographic image in the air. He flicked through files, muttering to himself while he did it.
"Anything good?" asked Phoenix.
"I... Oh." Kai clicked on a file that showed the face of each crew member. Phoenix moved forward slightly, at a loss for words. Each image had a credit amount underneath, with "Dead or alive" written above the photo.
They were wanted posters. With credit amounts that made Phoenix's eyes water.
Shit!
18
The crew all gathered in the lounge area of the ship. Phoenix had sent Saoirse to collect whatever information she could get, while he sat in the corner of the room, hands steepled together, foot slowly tapping on the floor.
Kai, Plowstow and L played some sort of card game to pass the time. Every so often, Phoenix caught L looking his way over her shoulder. He didn't meet her gaze or acknowledge her searching looks.
Freyan had nano parts laid out in front of him, and his head was down as he tinkered away. He too cast swift glances Phoenix's way.
Phoenix had not said a word since they had arrived back at the ship. His thoughts raced from one point to the next. Plowstow said the amount of money on Phoenix's head alone could buy you a small planet. Collectively, their whole bounty as a crew could make an entire bounty-hunter crew rich beyond their wildest dreams.
"Stop cheating, Plowstow! I see that card under your foot," said L.
"Wha...what? I don't know what you're talking about, girl. The card must have fallen near my foot by accident, and...and..."
"Hand it over."
"The goddess of Soul would be very disappointed in you, bro. Come on, we're just trying to have a good time here," said Kai
"I keep telling ya..."
Phoenix tuned out the voices and brought his thoughts back to the problems at hand. He knew that they had been hitting Holger hard, but the amount of credits he'd put on Phoenix's head just didn't make sense. Holger wanted to keep his business in the shadows, and this...didn't feel right. Someone else must be coming at him. But who?
Footsteps drew him out of his dreamlike state, and Saoirse entered the room. She swept her gaze around it before passing a hand through her hair. She walked towards the drinks counter, where she poured herself a tall shot and knocked it back.
"Midnight, is everything okay?"
"Turn on the newscast. There is something you need to see."
L did as she was told, pressing a button on the table next to her hand. A holographic image showed a high-rise building made of glass and metal. It reminded Phoenix of a skyscraper in Abu Dhabi, back home on Earth. Glass, interwoven with gold, shone and dazzled like a bright jewel.
Thick black smoke bellowed from the penthouse. The whole top floor of the building was in ruins.
"A few days ago, this was the scene at a local Council meeting. Death, destruction, violence," said a voice while the video played out. "Lord Fren and his son were in peace talk negotiations with Lord Portendorfer, in what was meant to bring the current hostile rumblings in the Council to a close. Many knew of the well-publicised back-and-forth battle between the Fren and Portendorfer families. It isn't worth mentioning that there was no love lost between the two."
The camera panned to the broken glass that littered the floor like crushed petals. A crying mob swayed at the bottom of the building, holding banners and signs.
"While the talks were taking place, a more sinister plan was afoot. Explosives planted by an outlaw group were detonated in the penthouse, killing Lord Fren. His son, Florin, and Lord Portendorfer managed to escape. They have some injuries, but I am told they will survive."
L gasped, covering her mouth. The scene changed to show a body being carried out under a white blanket. The crowd rushed to touch it but were pushed back by guards. Flowers rained from the sky, covering the body till it appeared that the bearers of the body were walking on petals.
"Billions loved Lord Fren. He cured disease with his wealth, he fed the starving, and gave jobs to those who needed them. Many have said that his voice was the only voice of the people on the Council. Now he is gone, who shall listen? Who shall speak for them now?"
Phoenix saw tears drip onto Saoirse's cheeks. She hugged her arms around her, and L got up and embraced her. All were silent as they watched the scenes play out in front of them.
"Who would dare to commit this heinous crime? Who would take a beautiful soul such as Lord Fren from us so early?
"He goes by the name of Phoenix Jones! And he is wanted, dead or alive!"
19
Stunned silence haunted the ship. No one spoke. Saoirse buried her head into L's shoulder and cried. If anyone had told Phoenix that he would see a moment of weakness in Saoirse when she would cry, he would have called them a liar.
But as soft sobs echoed around the room, Phoenix's heart went out to her. His nails dug into his thighs and he gritted his teeth as each sob felt like a hot knife through his heart.
"This ain't good," Plowstow said, finally breaking the silence.
"No, Plowstow, it isn't," Phoenix replied.
"What we going to do?"
"Saoirse, what was your relationship with the Fren family?" asked Phoenix.
"Phoenix! Is this really the time?" L asked.
"Saoirse, I know how you must feel... You know what, I don't. It would be a lie to say that I do. But something huge is afoot here, and to get ahead of it, we need to know what we are dealing with. We need to be prepared, because at the moment we're on the back foot."
Saoirse untangled herself from L and wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. Taking in a few deep breaths, she looked at L before nodding in her direction.
"Lord Fren was like a father to me. He found me at my darkest hour and promised to give me more. He saved me from myself during a time when I thought there was no going back. But, most of all, he gave me what I wanted most, revenge."
"The warden?" asked Phoenix.
"Yes. I have been helping him and his family make a better Council, make something more than just an organisation that only cares about wealth and its own needs--"
A snort from Freyan made Saoirse look his way. "I admire the sentiment; honestly, I do. But there have been greater men and women than you who have failed to change the way a planet works, let alone galaxies," he said.
"They were--"
"Different? They all are, in the beginning. Brimming with hope, joy, righteousness. But power has a way of seeping into the soul of things, mixing in with the foundation. Corrupting after the years have passed--"
"Lord Fren--"
"May have been different, but there is only so much one man can do until his sons take over, and their sons, and on and on. Until the original dream is no longer what it was. Until it's all but lost to the whispers of time," said Freyan.
"You're wrong!"
"Saoirse, that doesn't matter, now. What other things did the Fren family have you do?" asked Phoenix.
"While they worked to try and change things from the inside, I worked from the outside. The main target was Portendorfer. This was why I was in Dredar, to stop the shipment of drugs. It is also why I didn't protest Phoenix's going after Holger. His and the Fren family's aims are the same."
"Murder and revenge," said Freyan.
"Justice! It's time to clean up the way things are. It's time for change," said Saoirse.
Phoenix leaned forward, hands under his chin. There was a taste in his mouth that he couldn't get rid of. Moving his tongue around did nothing but increase its flavour. It tasted bitter.
"Which leads me back to my earlier question. What we gonna do?" asked Plowstow.
"Fight," said Phoenix and Saoirse.
"You two can't be serious," said Freyan. "Now, more than ever, we must go into hiding. Surely you both are not so blinded by rage that you can't see the stupidity of what you are about to do? This...this...isn't a game."
"No, Freyan, it isn't! It wasn't a game when I was locked away for a crime I didn't know I committed. It wasn't a game when billions would have been killed or enslaved on Earth," said Phoenix with a sigh. Getting up from his chair, he paced back and forth. "Billions upon billions have fucking died, because no one was willing to do something!"
"This--"
"Billions, Freyan," whispered Phoenix. "I can't even comprehend that number. Can you?"
"Phoenix, this isn't some spat between you and Holger anymore. The Council are after you--after us. The Council! That equates to all known space. I say we find a place to hide, but I don't really know where we can go."
"I'm not hiding."
"Then run."
"I'm not running," Phoenix spat.
"I agree with Phoenix on this. I believe that Holger is behind this attack," said Saoirse.
"Of course you do," said Freyan.
"If anyone wishes to leave--if anyone feels the risk isn't worth it--then I will offer them as many credits as they need and drop them off wherever they wish to go," said Phoenix, looking around the room.
Phoenix looked to Freyan, who looked away. He could never read the Bloodless One, but he sensed his displeasure. He turned to Saoirse, who was red-eyed from crying but nodded her head. Kai and L stood together, each looking at the other. They both smiled before giving Phoenix a nod.
"What do you say, big man?" Phoenix asked Plowstow.
"Phoenix... I... The Council? The fucking Council! Every ship from here to Drypaw will be looking for us. Every bounty hunter, fucking space pirate, mercenary, family Council armada...the lot! They will all be on our asses. I don't know if I can do this," Plowstow said with a shake of the head.
"But if you do, think of the loot that Holger will have around him. Think of the jewels, the credits, the works of art--"
"I don't think that will be enough," said Plowstow.
"Tell you what. You have twenty-four hours to think it through, then make your decision. That goes for anyone else," Phoenix said before walking out of the room.
20
Phoenix walked the sandy streets of Tortuga, taking in the street performances and the party-goers who danced naked along the beaches. Their lives seemed so carefree, so full of joy, that Phoenix envied them. They cared nothing for tomorrow. Why would they?
Their lives were enjoyed in the moment, lived for the here and now. There was no one on their heels, no boogeyman who lurked in the shadows. The only choice they had to make was what their next drink would be and who they should share their bed with.
Phoenix shook his head and let out a small sigh. He remembered times like those. Oh, how he missed them. The simple life. When he didn't have a care in the world. He spent his days travelling from one island to the next with nothing but a rucksack on his back. Sure, he had gotten bored, but sometimes life had to get boring for you to reflect back on the little things. Visiting the islands, as he called it, always left him feeling refreshed, energised, and ready for battle.
He guessed this place was no different, although the break had been short. It had still served its purpose. It had given him the clarity he needed to forge ahead with the plan that had been rattling around at the back of his mind.
War was coming, and he had to be prepared when that time came.
Phoenix stopped in front of a bar and looked up at it with a grim smile on his face. The exterior told him everything he needed to know before he even placed a foot inside. Paint peeled from a crookedly hung sign that rattled in the breeze. Stains on the side of the building spoke of customers emptying the contents of their stomachs after having one too many.
Phoenix stepped inside and wasn't surprised at what he saw through the smoke. Drunks sprawled across tables, and others used the bar to prop themselves up. Sawdust crunched underfoot as Phoenix made his way through the stale air.
He came to a stop and surveyed the room before he found what he was looking for.
"There you are," Phoenix said, walking up to Plowstow.
Plowstow sat alone, clutching his half-empty glass with both hands. He didn't lift his gaze from the table as Phoenix pulled up a chair in front of him.
"I..." Phoenix let the thought die on his lips. Tapping his fingers along the tabletop, he allowed the silence to envelop them. He brought his hand to his ear and passed his hand over the worn bone. The miniature cracks tickled his fingertips.
"Phoenix, I...this thing...you know."
"I know."
"I mean, it was one thing going after a snort-nosed asshole. I get that, I do. But when everyone is gunning for you, Phoenix... When everyone wants a slice of your ass... I don't... I enjoy being with the crew. I enjoy what you've created, but..." Plowstow let out a sigh and shook his head till his orange plaits whipped back and forth. "This shit ain't right."
"Plowstow, what's really the matter? Does death scare you that much?"
"Yes! What kind of stupid question is that? What fool ain't scared of death?"
"There are worse things than death," said Phoenix.
"Yes, there are. And if I continue down this path, then I will experience them all."
Phoenix leaned back in his chair and gave Plowstow a smile. Lacing his fingers under his chin he stared at the Orcian. "Well, it's been fun."
Plowstow nodded his head as a beep from his holocom diverted his attention. His face lost all its colour as he read the message that he'd received. Phoenix could see his lips tremble as he read the message back, again and again.
"What's got you so spooked? Who's the message from?" asked Phoenix.
"Freyan. Err--"
"Why is Freyan messaging you?"
"Well, you see--"
"There they are!" yelled someone from behind Phoenix.
Phoenix turned to see a large group of men slowly advancing their way. Shit! I thought I would have more time than this.
Phoenix picked up a chair and threw it towards the advancing party. It smashed against the leader of the group, sending him sprawling backwards.
"Plowstow, with me! I'm afraid this chat will have to wait for another time," Phoenix said. Grabbing a sleeping drunk who sat next to him, Phoenix threw him towards the crowd before turning on his heels and making his way towards the back of the bar. He didn't wait to see if Plowstow was behind him; he had a feeling that Plowstow's survival instincts would overrule any information from his brain.
Phoenix kicked a side door off its hinges and found himself in what appeared to be a kitchen. "This piece of shit has a fucking kitchen?" Phoenix asked, looking around in disbelief.
A purple-skinned, potbellied chef picked his nose while he flipped a pan over a flame. He took his finger out of his left nostril and examined its contents before flicking it into the pan.
"Eww, you dirty fucker!"
The chef began to shout but Phoenix pulled his pistol out.
"Is there a back door out of here?" asked Phoenix.
With a nod of the head that made his triple chins wobble, the chef pointed behind him.
"Thanks. Now, get out," said Phoenix waving towards the broken door. "Oh, and if I ever see you in a kitchen again, or even serving from one, I'll blow your fingers off."
As they made their way towards the door, Phoenix halted in his tracks. He unclipped his spare plasma pistol and laid it on
the open flame.
"What are you doing?" asked Plowstow, holding open the door.
"I'm not too sure. I just hope it works," Phoenix said, making his way out the back.
They found themselves in a back alley, where two partygoers were going at it like rabbits.
"Hey! Have you never heard of sex on the beach? You're surrounded by it," Phoenix said, quickly following Plowstow towards the exit.
Sunlight assaulted Phoenix's senses as he emerged from the alleyway. Bumping into the back of Plowstow, he side-stepped him to see what the hold-up was. Another large group of men clustered around the entrance of the bar. Phoenix didn't look behind him, but he could hear distant shouts coming from the alley. They had to act quickly.
"What do we do?" Plowstow whispered.
"I messaged Saoirse to get the ship ready. All we need to do is make it there."
"How the fuck do we do that?"
"I suggest that we run," Phoenix said, bolting out into the open.
Shouts erupted into the air as he began to sprint away from the alley. Phoenix didn't dare look back; he only hoped that Plowstow was close behind him.
"Shouldn't we cover our tracks--"
The explosion in the bar lifted them off their feet and threw them forward. Phoenix hit the sand face first, taking in a whole mouthful of the gritty substance as he rolled over and over. Lifting his head up, he saw a flaming ball punch through the heavens like the hand of God. The air was thick with smoke. Phoenix's eyes watered as he tried to spot Plowstow. Crackles and pops filled the air as bits of floating straw and sawdust fizzed to cinders.
He didn't dare shout in case he was heard. Where was Plowstow? Where was he?
Orange hair against the sand showed Phoenix what he was looking for. He got up to his feet and made his way over to Plowstow. "Come on, the ship's waiting."
21
The crowd were hot on their heels.
Phoenix and Plowstow pumped their arms as they ran, while shouts and gunfire erupted from behind them. Phoenix thought they could simply slip away, but he was fresh out of luck. The crowd chasing them had grown in size. Word must have spread of who he was, and now everyone and their mother wanted a piece of his ass. He liked being the most popular guy in the room, but this was taking the piss.
Revenge: (Space Outlaw 3) Page 7