"I know that, you idiot. I didn't ask where it came from, I asked what it was," whispered Julius.
"A scream?"
"Oh, thank you very much for that insightful information."
A loud bang made everyone in the room jump.
Both of Julius's men pointed their rifles towards the front of the house. Hands gripped tightly, their gaze tried to penetrate the walls. Neither one spoke.
Another bang quickly followed the first.
"Shouldn't one of you go and check it out?" Julius asked.
"It could be a trap."
"How do you know if you don't go and find out?"
"I..."
"Holocom the men out front, at least. Do I have to think of everything myself?" said Julius.
"Tai, Max, come in."
June looked up at Florin wide-eyed and shrugged. Florin gestured for him to try again.
"Tai, Max. What's going on out there? I heard a scream and loud banging--is everything alright? Over."
The silence that followed constricted the room. Florin breathed in and out slowly; he could feel his heart beating through the damp fabric of his top. Licking his lips, he backed away from the front door.
"Is this June?" A raspy voice came over the holocom.
No one spoke. June looked at his partner, who gave him a shrug.
"Who is this?" asked June.
Gunshots echoed through the air making everyone drop to the ground. Julius covered his head and screwed his eyes shut. Peering through his lashes, he could see that everything was where it ought to be.
"June, you still there? You didn't shit your pants, I hope."
"Whoever this is, you're dead, you hear me! Dead!"
Smoke made its way under the front door and began to fill the room. Within minutes, visibility had dropped to fifty percent. Julius brought his shirt over his mouth as he began to cough.
"Fuck this! I'm not going to be burnt alive," June's partner said, running to the thin glass door that led to the decking outside. Shots shattered glass as bolts buried themselves in the guard, throwing him back. Something small and round followed through the now broken glass door.
"Flash-bang!" June shouted too late, as a bright flare erupted in the room.
"My eyes!" yelled a distant voice.
Julius tried to get to his feet, but he couldn't find his bearings. He stumbled forward and came crashing down on his knees. His hands splayed out before him, and he looked out into a world of white light. He could hear what he hoped was June fumbling next to him.
"June! Good gods, man, do something! The enemy is at our gates!"
The steady crunch of glass sounded like distant rolling thunder coming off the grassy hills. It grew louder and louder by the second.
As the white faded to the edges of Julius's vision, he looked up at a blurry image of a dark figure whose eyes burned a hole through his soul.
"The enemy has come a-knocking, asshole!" said the figure, kicking him in the face.
38
Phoenix kicked Julius in the face, splitting his upper lip. Julius crawled backward, away from Phoenix, scuttling like a crab trying to avoid the pot. As Julius got up to his hands and knees, Phoenix kicked him again, this time in the ribs. Julius cried out in pain and stayed still.
"Are you June?" Phoenix asked, pointing to the cowering guard.
"Err...I--"
"The question was a simple one. Are. You. June?"
"Yes."
Phoenix gave the guard a simple nod and walked over to him, lifting him up by the front of his clothes. Phoenix carried him over to the decking and held him over the railings.
June's feet kicked back and forth in the air, eyes wide as he stared into Phoenix's face. He began to mumble incoherently.
"June, June, shhh. Come now, I don't care what you have to say. The only parting word of advice is, if you see my friends down below, tell them I won't be long," Phoenix said, throwing the guard with all his might. June's body sailed in an arc, his screams trailing behind him.
Phoenix made his way back into the room to find Julius trying to escape. Phoenix folded his arms as he watched him tumble forward, falling over in his panic to flee.
"If this isn't the most pathetic sight I've seen, I don't know what is," Phoenix said, walking up to Julius.
Phoenix brought his foot down on Julius's leg with a stomp. Julius let out a high-pitched scream and clutched the broken limb. Bone fragments poked through his clothes as he rolled around on the floor.
"Now I believe this is the most pathetic thing that I have ever seen."
"You...you...won't get away with this," said Julius.
"You know, people keep telling me that. Yet here I am, getting away with shit."
"What do you want?"
Phoenix threw his hands in the air. "Just to be left the fuck alone. Is that too much to ask? I only just found out about the whole space travel thing, and I would like to do some exploring. Sightseeing. You know, date some natives, love and live life again. But Holger keeps pulling me back in!"
Julius sat up, his back against a wall, and took out a small flask. Unscrewing the top with some effort, he knocked back its contents, licked his lips, and took another swig. "You know, my good man, I have Holger's ear. All this can go away, if you agree to work with us instead of against us. People like you are hard to come by."
"People like me?" Phoenix said with a raised eyebrow.
"Determined, hard-working, and most of all, hard to kill."
"I wouldn't--"
"How long have you and Holger been butting heads? How many times has he tried to kill you? He's a Portendorfer, for god's sake. A Councilman! We kill people with a snap of our fingers all the time. But you..." Julius said, shaking his finger in Phoenix's direction. "You are special. With nothing more than a small crew, you have managed to cause a lot of stress for an important few."
"Phoenix!" said Plowstow, barging through the door. "I've just been in touch with L, they've got Saoirse and Florin. But we got company a-coming."
Phoenix barked out a laugh and shook his head. "So that was your plan? Keep me talking while reinforcements arrived?"
"Oh no, my good man," Julius said, placing a hand over his chest. "They are not my reinforcements, they are Florin's. When they see the chaos and destruction you caused, along with two injured members of the Fren family, there will be questions asked. I will do my best to answer them, you understand--"
"In a light that favours you?"
"This is the game we play, my good man," Julius said with a smile.
"I could always tell them the truth."
Julius didn't say anything but simply tilted his head to the side and smiled.
"But who would believe me, right? An enemy of the Council, a wanted man, a killer of the upper classes. Plus, with Florin so near death's door, anything could happen between now and when he's seen by a medical team," said Phoenix.
"Accidents do happen in space travel." Julius smiled.
"Plowstow, wait for me out front. I won't be long."
Plowstow looked at Julius, then back at Phoenix, and gave a nod before closing the door behind him.
As Phoenix began to walk towards Julius, the latter placed his hands up before him and said, "Hold up, my good man. Wait! What are you doing? Can't you see there no--"
Phoenix grabbed Julius by his injured leg and dragged him out onto the decking. Bone shifted and moved out of place, and Julius yelled in agony. Phoenix dropped him near the broken railing and moved back, pulling out his pistol.
"You can't be serious! You're not going to shoot me? You're meant to be the good guy! Where is your compassion? Heart? For god's sake, man, I only wanted power and what's mine! Is that such a crime?"
Phoenix tapped his pistol against his thigh and slowly shook his head as his face contorted. He wanted to scream; he wanted to yell. Instead, he gritted his teeth and took in a deep breath.
"I keep telling you people. I don't know who you think I am, but I'm no hero
. I only do what I need to do to survive. This blackness, this rage and evil that is in here," Phoenix said, tapping his stomach, "is kept at bay by the people I love who are better than me. More merciful, more... They keep me from crossing that dark line that will make me become worse than anything you have seen.
"Because when they look upon my face, they will not see someone that they loved and knew. They will see that monster who is trapped inside here, and they will run and hide. And I will lose that love forever. But if you, Holger or even Lord Portendorfer himself, want to test me...want to harm people I care about... I will sacrifice all of that to keep them safe, and I will scorch the earth that you all stand on. Goodbye, Julius."
A single shot rang out, creating a smoking hole through Julius's head. His body tumbled backwards into the darkness.
39
Phoenix ran through the corridors of the PH1, his boots squeaking along its floors. Entering the bridge, he saw the panicked faces of Kai and Plowstow.
L was sitting in Saoirse's chair.
"Err...L, why are you at the controls of the ship?" Phoenix asked.
"Midnight is in the medical bay, along with Florin. She's in no condition to fly this ship--our good doctor said so. So I stepped up and decided I would give it a go," L said with a beaming smile.
"Do you think now is the best time to be giving flying a go?"
"Well, it's now or never."
"I mean--"
"Phoenix! Can you fly this ship?"
Phoenix shook his head.
"Kai, Plowstow--can you?" L demanded.
Both shook their heads.
"Well then, it's decided," L said, crossing her arms.
"L, can you?" asked Phoenix.
L's hair turned light grey as she bit her bottom lip. "Phoenix, I built this ship. Flying it should be a piece of cake. It's not like we have any other choice."
Phoenix could see the glares that Kai and Plowstow were sending his way. He looked at them and stopped himself from shrugging. He passed his hand over his head as he sat down in his chair and laced his fingers under his chin. "So, what's the situation?"
Kai said, "Well, we were attacked by two ships while we orbited. We figured they were Julius's ships, trying to take out any witness to his dirty deed. We took them all out pretty easy, all told."
"All good, then," said Phoenix.
"Not quite, bro. Not quite. While we were collecting Saoirse, we picked up a bunch of signals coming our way. They should be entering the planet's orbit any minute."
"What are we waiting for, then? Let's get a fucking move on," said Phoenix.
"Okay, okay. L, take her up," said Kai.
"Here goes," L said, pressing a few buttons.
Nothing happened. The ship remained idle on the ground. Plowstow started to say something but turned it into a cough when he saw Phoenix's face.
"How does the ship fly when Saoirse isn't at the controls?" Phoenix asked, throwing his hands in the air.
"She normally pre-programmes it so the ship takes care of it," said Kai.
"Give me a minute; I'm just a bit rusty," L said, pushing button after button.
Phoenix gripped his armrest. The only sounds on the bridge were L's cusses and the stabbing of buttons. Phoenix leaned forward as Kai looked his way.
"What's wrong, Kai?"
"We'll have company in less than a minute. I'm counting multiple ships on the sensors. Far too many for us to fight off. We need to move--now!" said Kai.
"Hold on, I'm trying. I think I've nearly got it."
There was a boom from the outside that vibrated through the floors of the ship. It sounded like the god of thunder getting ready for war.
"What...was that?" said Plowstow.
"Five, six, nine, ten! ships have entered the atmosphere of the planet! Contact in twenty seconds," said Kai.
"L!"
"I think I've got it," L said, pushing a series of buttons.
The roar from the engines felt like a hot meal on a winter's night. Phoenix breathed a sigh of relief as the familiar rumble worked its way through the ship.
"Okay, here goes," said L.
With a wobble and a shake, the ship slowly lifted from the ground, but it didn't make it far before settling back down again.
Phoenix noticed dark spots on the viewing screen, getting larger by the second. They left a trail of smoke in their wake.
"Is that--" Phoenix pointed to the screen.
"I don't wanna fucking die like this! L, get this ship in the air!" Plowstow screamed in a wild panic.
The viewing screen was filled with the image of the approaching ships. They loomed, large and menacing, on the screen. Four ships, flying in a straight-line formation, fired their missiles.
"Incoming!" Kai yelled.
40
"L!" everyone on the bridge screamed.
"I've got it!"
The engines screamed, and the ship pivoted up and shot towards the open sky. It moved with such force that Phoenix's head was pushed back into his headrest. The engines howled with the force of an unleashed beast as the ship climbed even higher, missiles exploding in its wake.
"Woohoo!" L yelled, doing a little dance on the spot.
"L! Shouldn't you be looking where you're flying?" Phoenix said, his hands gripping the armrest in a death grip.
Plowstow and Kai both stared at each other in open-mouthed horror as the ship weaved and bobbed uncontrollably in the air. Plowstow turned a pale shade of green and covered his mouth.
"Oh, yeah, right," L said, returning to the controls. "Kai, give me our status."
"We have six destroyers on our tails. Sis, I don't need to tell you that they pack a punch. They're trying to hail us. Should we open a channel?"
"No," Phoenix said, getting to his feet. "Do not answer. I want them to be completely in the dark as to who we are--"
"Do you think that is a wise move?" Freyan said as he walked onto the bridge.
"In these circumstances, yes."
"All we have to do is simply explain what happened, and I am sure this all can be sorted out. They will listen to reason, I am--"
"Freyan! Look at the shit we're in, will you? We have one member of the Fren family unconscious, with broken bones and a hole in his stomach. Another member of the same family is lying dead down some hill. Not to mention the place is covered with dead or wounded guards that were meant to protect him.
"After we turn Florin over to them, how long do you think it will take before they kill us, torture us, or plain shoot us out of the sky? And even if they don't kill us, how long will we be in some hell-hole before Florin regains his wits to tell them what really fucking happened?"
"Bro, your trust in people really needs evaluating."
"Shut up, Kai," Freyan and Phoenix yelled.
"War and violence is not always the solution," said Freyan.
"Show me one planet that we have been to where it hasn't been!" Phoenix said, glaring Freyan's way.
Freyan shook his head and folded his arms, turning his attention to the screen in front of him.
"We have two light fighters closing on either side of us," said Kai.
"Plowstow, blow them out of the--"
A sharp look from Freyan halted Phoenix in his tracks.
"Plowstow, try and only hit their engines, keep the casualties to zero. When we get out of this, I want as little dirt on us as possible."
Plowstow gave a curt nod and turned his focus to the task at hand. Phoenix brought up an image of the ship's wings. Two small sleek paper-thin spaceships with a round ball shape in the middle of each ship were pursuing them hard.
"Plowstow, wait! Do not open fire until they do. If all else fails, we can just say that we were protecting ourselves," said Phoenix.
The crew didn't have to wait long for red lasers to shoot out from underneath the light fighters. They struck the ship's shields but caused no damage.
"Well I guess that's all we need. Fire away," said Phoenix.
The
PH1's missiles hit both ships at the rear simultaneously. They wobbled then dropped off the screen in a trail of black smoke. Phoenix switched to the rear cameras and watched two more light fighters and a destroyer make their way towards them. The light fighters didn't hesitate, and opened fire immediately.
"Ha! These fools think that my baby can't take those sorts of shots--how ridiculous," L sang. "She can take the best those little fighters can give and so much more. Knock them out of the sky, Plowstow!"
Plowstow looked at Phoenix as L let out a mad scientist laugh. Phoenix shrugged helplessly and motioned for him to carry on.
As the two light fighters drew closer and closer, firing with reckless abandon, Plowstow waited for his moment. The ships didn't make it easy for him, zigzagging back and forth, zipping high and low, sweeping over each other in a beautiful aerial display. The destroyer sat back while the two light fighters kept up their dazzling display.
"Plowstow, fire the heat seekers," said L.
"Won't the destroyer just blow them out of the sky? Firing when we're wide open?"
"Try... See what happens," L said with a smirk.
Plowstow did as he was told and let fly the heat-seeking missiles. Tree batches, stuck together in a cluster, made their way towards the ships. The destroyer opened fire upon the missiles, trying to take them out before they made contact, but as their lasers struck the PH1's heat seekers, it broke the cluster apart. Instead of a batch of three missiles, now there were twelve. The enemy ships did their best to avoid the incoming onslaught, but they were blown out of the sky.
"How is that only targeting their engines?" Freyan said, pointing at the viewing screen.
"I'm sure they had escape pods or something like that," Phoenix said with a dismissive wave of the hand.
Phoenix could feel Freyan's stare burning into him, but he refused to face the Bloodless one.
Five destroyers popped up in front of the PH1.
"Where the hell did those come from?" said Phoenix
"They must have used the trees for cover," L said.
"Shake them."
The PH1 took a sharp dive; green filled the viewing screen. Phoenix gripped his armrest as the ground loomed closer and closer by the second.
Revenge: (Space Outlaw 3) Page 14