She nudged the short tripod, which was clamped to the end of the barrel and got into a more comfortable position.
After adjusting the scope for wind direction and range, Charlie felt confident that the target was a reasonable first-shot possibility.
She loosened her grip on the rifle’s trigger for a while, partly to stop her hand from getting achy while preferring to save her energy for later.
The sound they heard as K8 locked down startled all three of them. The building was now sealed. No more warnings would be given until the test was about to commence.
The two men, who had stayed outside guarding the building, even though Micky had told them to leave, left in a hurry heading towards K6.
“It’s going to be a long thirty minutes Miss,” Dread said.
“It certainly is.”
Dread shuffled around on his knees until he was face to face with Charlie.
“What on earth are you doing?” She irritably asked him.
Dread said nothing but began rubbing the front of his trousers in a provocative manner until he had an erection. It grew rapidly in front of Charlie’s eyes as it started pushing the front of his pants outward. He slid his trouser zip fully down, letting his erection push hard against his underpants.
Charlie, seeing all of this, started getting nervous. He was a large man and she was in a vulnerable position.
“How about a little fun, Miss? No one will see us up here.”
“Back off,” she snapped.
“Stop harassing the woman, damn you,” Thunder shouted up at Dread.
“I’m alright Thunder. I’m calm,” he assured him, patting Charlie’s rear again.
She’d had enough of this she decided. So turned over onto one side, clenched her free hand into a fist. Then walloped his erection, side on.
“Ooh. Do that again, please?” he encouraged, almost salivating at the mouth, visibly enjoying her aggressiveness.
Charlie then realized that was the worst thing she could have done.
It seemed to have stirred him even more she realised, as he managed to slip his hand inside her blouse trying to find one of her breasts. He found it and attempted to fondle it.
“Get off me!” she almost screamed.
Another mistake Charlie decided as she watched his facial expression suddenly change to one of determination.
She also realized that he was putting his career on the line. But for what? There was no way she was going to let him rape her.
He moved again, surprising her, and started to pull her trousers off.
“Come on, take ‘em’ off, you know you want it,” he said grinning evilly.
Charlie, taking a chance, suddenly scrambled to her feet, her rifle almost forgotten, while she calculated how to get rid of this creep.
“Dread. Damn you, behave yourself,” Thunder shouted again.
She gave Dread a hard look, then rasped. “If you want me, then do it properly,” then lay back down on the gantry. With her back to the floor and her legs facing the stairway.
She opened her legs, teasingly.
Dread stood straight up, beaming with anticipation as he came around to face Charlie. Then she slid her grey trousers down a fraction.
Seeing this, he promptly dropped his trousers and underpants around his ankles, then stood proudly over her.
‘Bloody hell,’ she thought, seeing his throbbing erection. ‘He’s not putting that thing in me.’
“I knew you wanted me,” he said. Breathing hard as he said it, and holding his erection in his hand. He was almost drooling at the mouth at the thought of taking her.
“Like it rough do you? I can be as rough as hell,” he said, as he moved in to take her.
Charlie suddenly pulled up her knees and brought her legs together.
“Wow, I’m going to enjoy filling you,” he snarled.
Charlie kicked her legs, up and outward as hard as she could, straight at his stomach. Catching him by surprise, sending him screaming and tumbling backwards down the stairway.
Charlie cringed as she thought she heard Dread’s bones cracking as he bounced down the stairs, hitting the handrail’s upright supports as he went.
Then Mr Thunder cursed as Dread crashed into him at the bottom of the stairs.
Charlie shakily stood. Held onto the handrail, then looked down the stairway, to see Thunder knelt over Dread.
“How is the randy sod?”
“He’ll live Miss. But he won’t be coming back up there I’m afraid.”
“I don’t want him back up here anyway,” Charlie said firmly.
“I think he might be a little bit lighter, Miss,” Thunder said, smiling as he pointed to a piece of flesh that was caught up in a ‘V’ section of the handrail.
Charlie looking, saw what Thunder was talking about. She could see Dread’s completely severed scrotum, halfway down the stairs. It was wedged in the V-shaped joint, and blood that was still ebbing from it dripped steadily onto the stairs.
She felt sick, thinking about what had happened.
‘What had she done?’ She thought.
“Serves the randy sod right,” she said out loud.
Then returned to her firing position on the gantry, making sure the extra bullets were in easy reach.
Thunder came up the stairs and gingerly removed Dread’s severed scrotum and its contents, placing them in a plastic bag.
“Sorry about this Miss,” he said. Looking at her anxiously, wondering if she’d be able to continue.
“Not half as sorry as he will be when the shock wears off.”
“Can’t argue with you there Miss.”
But Thunder couldn’t stop smiling to himself. He was glad that someone had finally had the guts to take Dread on.
‘He deserved everything he got,’ he thought.
“Poor bastard,” he muttered, not really meaning it.
Then went back down the stairs to deal with Dread’s wound. He managed to stop the bleeding using the standard emergency medical kit that all operators used. Leaving Dread drugged up, not only to stop the pain but so as, not to alert anyone to what they still had to do.
Charlie was relieved that Dread would be all right, eventually. And that she still had Mr Thunder to protect her back.
She checked her watch. Although it had seemed a lifetime, only eleven minutes had passed. They still had 19 minutes, which gave them plenty of time to set up for the shot.
Chapter 35.
There you are.
Micky got into the Limo, which had been waiting at Cebro’s main gate. He was panting. Then he picked up the killer’s mental emotions again.
‘He’s in a large car park,’ he thought.
“Just tell me where to go, Sir?” Chris asked Micky. Stressing the word sir.”
“Ok Chris,” Micky replied, realising that Chris had addressed him formally and wondered if he had been told off again.
“He’s in a car park to the East of us.”
“Which one? There are several in that direction,” Chris asked.
“Well, he’s walking at the moment, and he’ll want to be close to Cebro if only to see K8 go up in smoke.”
Chris thought on, then said. “OK. We’ll try Stewart Avenue first. It’s just off the Industrial Highway, and a reasonable place to start.”
“Ok Chris, get after him.”
As Chris started turning the limo to go out of the gate, Micky, sensed that the killer had finally reached his car.
“Are we clear sir?” Stratton asked stopping the Limo from driving out.
“He’s been and gone Stratton,” Micky replied, anxious to be on his way.
“How? We didn’t see him, sir.”
“It doesn’t matter now. K8 will blow soon but don’t worry, there won’t be any radiation.”
“Well done sir,” Stratton replied, then looking at his watch said. “Just 18 minutes to detonation.”
“I know. Can’t stop now. Chris get a move on, he’s reached his car, damn i
t.”
Chris shoved the accelerator pedal to the floor, and the Limo surged forward with its tyres squealing, scraping the road as it banked then turned right onto the Industrial Highway. Their Limo then accelerated rapidly on towards the turning into Stewart Avenue.
Micky could ‘feel’ the killer. The feeling was much stronger now. They seemed to be getting closer to him with every second.
Got you, he thought. Then. ‘Hello. What’s this?’ He wondered. I can feel he’s annoyed at something. I bet the cloak’s failed, or maybe it’s not covering him well enough?
He studied the killer’s emotions again. It’s like an undressing emotion, he thought. Then he understood. He’s taking the Cloak off, he realised.
“Chris. He’s taken his stealth cloak off. Now we’ll be able to see him. He can’t hide anymore,” Micky said with jubilation sounding in his voice.
He fumbled for more of Doctor Henning’s tablets. Took one from each of the two strips and swallowed them.
He wasn’t worried what the long-term effects would be. They were giving him the strength and energy now, and that was paramount to him.
As the Limo swerved into Stewart Avenue, almost riding on two wheels. The killer’s car was just pulling out of the car park, heading north.
Micky’s mind was flooded with the killer’s hatred, as he finally sensed that Micky was approaching.
The killer’s latest car, a dark green sedan, accelerated rapidly up Stewart Avenue. Then suddenly swerved right, across a rough road that joined Sellers Avenue, then headed south. With Micky’s Limo in hot pursuit.
“Where the devil is he going?” Chris groaned as the killer swung left, and out onto the Industrial Highway. Sliding again, as he turned then grazed a parked car.
“Keep with him whatever you do,” Micky urged.
“He won’t get away this time,” Chris growled.
Both cars sped on but were similar in performance so the gap between them remained relatively constant.
Micky looked at his watch, it was 11:59.
“You can call in your reinforcements in one minute, Chris.”
“We’re getting close to North Governor Boulevard. Why the hell isn’t he turning north to the Delaware Expressway?”
“I think his home must be here, somewhere.”
Then, far behind them, came an explosion as the dummy charge went off. It startled them both, even though Micky had known it was coming.
He looked out of the Limo’s rear window to see a plume of smoke rising into the air above Cebro.
“Grief sir, is that real?”
“Only in one sense. Call in now while we still can.”
Chapter 36.
Charlie’s Moment.
Charlie lay on the gantry of K7, the connector on K8’s conveyor fixed in her rifle’s scope.
She knew the flash of the explosion was coming as she watched the ‘dummy’ charge going through into the K8 container. But, though the blast still shook her for a few seconds, her ability to concentrate was all that mattered at this instant in time.
‘Now, I’ve only got 20 seconds left before the real charge comes through,’ she reminded herself.
“Come on!” she said out loud, urging herself on.
The charge casing that held the fissile material had started moving along the conveyor system.
“It’s now or never,” she told herself.
The connector could be seen in the scope’s crosshairs as she slowly squeezed the trigger.
The rifle fired, jolting her shoulder slightly. But she kept the scope’s sight on the connector.
Two seconds later and she could see that the connector was still there.
“Damn,” she yelled out loud. ‘Don’t panic,’ she told herself as she inserted another round into the chamber.
Took aim, held her breath. Then fired again.
She watched as the real charge came along the conveyor and into the edge of her scope’s view.
Only one second left. Then, suddenly the connector was gone.
“Bloody hell. That was close,” she almost shouted, while shaking with relief.
“Good shot Miss,” came Thunder’s voice from below as he saw the conveyor stop.
“Thanks,” she acknowledged, slowly getting up.
Charlie stood for a while, realising that this part was over. But not knowing how everything would end.
She looked down the stairwell and saw a couple of medics who had followed the same route they had used to get here.
“How’s Dread doing?”
“He won’t be singing your praises for sure Miss. Apart from the damage to his private parts, he’s only got a couple of broken bones. But it’s a wonder he didn’t break his neck.”
“Well, that’s good, at least he’ll recover,” she said folding the miniature tripod back onto the barrel, which she then unscrewed and clipped back onto the shoulder strap.
Charlie started down the stairs, passing the patch of blood where Dread’s testicles had been parted from their owner.
‘Must be one in a million chance of ripping them off like that,’ she thought, almost smiling.
Once down the bottom, she went over to Dread, and looking coldly at him, said.
“No one tries to rape me and gets away with it. Especially not you Mr Dread. Just be thankful that I didn’t kill you.”
Mr Dread looked up at her with sorrowful eyes but didn’t speak. His testicles were now in a medic’s ice box.
“Can we go now please while there’s a chance of meeting my little fellows again?” Dread asked them.
“Yes Mr Dread, I’m sure it’s safe to leave now,” one of them replied as they picked up his stretcher and carried him off.
“Well, Mr Thunder, we’d better get some transport.”
“I’ve already called Cedric. We’ll go in the Jeep, and a car will meet us at the gate in 6 minutes.”
“OK, let’s go,” she replied, then heard her transceiver beep.
“Hello, Hanson. Everything’s hunky dory now.”
“Glad to hear it, Miss.”
“You do realise that means you are still on schedule with Acarea?”
“Indeed we are Miss, thanks to you and Micky. I’ll talk to Cedrick later.”
“Fine.”
The call ended.
Within minutes, they arrived at the gatehouse, courtesy of the site jeep, and were met by Stratton.
“That was a bit hairy, Miss.”
“Certainly was.”
With that, a black Mercedes pulled up beside them, and a man got out.
“I’m here to take you to Cedrick, Miss,” he said.’
Looking at him, Charlie saw that he was a burly man, but he was also smart looking with an air of determination about him.
‘Cedrick must specialise in burly men,’ she thought, smiling to herself.
“I thought Cedrick was in Chicago?”
“He is Miss. That’s where we’re going.”
“No. No, I can’t. I’ve got to wait for Micky.”
“I have my orders, Miss. You’re coming to Chicago with us.”
“Who the hell are you?”
“Marc’s my name.”
“No Marc, I won’t. Let me talk to Cedrick.”
“It’ll just be the same answer, Miss,” Thunder added.
But Marc called Cedrick, anyway. “Here you are, Miss,” he said handing her the handset. “He’s on.”
“Cedrick. I’m staying here until Micky gets back.”
“Get in the car or my men will force you,” Cedrick replied, his voice hard and cold.
She was stunned by his tone.
“Cedrick. Why?”
“Damn it, Charlie. Do as you’re told for once in your life.”
“But what about Micky?”
“Damn it, get in the car, Charlie. I’m doing what Micky made me promise to do. Protect you,” he said, then paused briefly.
“If he survives, he’ll come to us in Chicago. Now get in the damn ca
r. Thunder,” he called, “Get her in now.”
Charlie put her hand up. “All right, all right. I’m going.”
Chapter 37.
Death’s Door
A police car dropped in behind the killer’s speeding car. But it was only there for a few seconds before a purple beam hit it, causing the police car to crash head-on into another car.
Chris veered around the developing carnage and carried on the chase.
“Sod, we’ve lost him, sir,” Chris said in disgust.
“No, Chris. He’s still up front, I can feel him. Keep going.”
Another police car joined the chase, a long way behind them.
Pedestrians were diving for cover as the pursuit progressed into North Governor Printz Boulevard.
Micky suddenly felt the violent, but jubilant, mental jab that the killer aimed at him. Micky could almost hear all the killer’s thoughts.
See Micky, you couldn’t stop me, we’ve done it. Crilla is safe.
Then Micky felt the killer’s emotions turn to feelings of fear. Then, suddenly, nothing. They had stopped altogether.
Micky had no idea what the man had meant.
We’ve done it. Done what? He wondered.
Then realised the killer must think he had succeeded, and the whole of Cebro International was now radioactive.
But, Micky knew better. He had felt Charlie’s emotions, even from this distance. So he knew she had succeeded in hitting the connector.
The Acarea project was still on track.
They could see that there was a commotion up ahead. As they got closer, it soon became apparent why.
“There he is sir.” Chris almost shouted in excitement.
Then a purple beam came from somewhere close to the killer’s car and hit the underside of the Limo.
“Hold on sir, steering’s gone,” Chris yelled as the Limo speeded on.
Death of Time (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 4) 2nd Edition.: A thrilling, psychological, Mystery and Suspense, sci-fi detective thriller. (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy) Page 23