“Come on, sir. You have the best of the best protecting you, sir.” The Marine moved to peer out the window.
His brains covered Frog as the sound of the shot reached them.
“The best of the best?” he yelled and backpedaled toward the door. “Where’s the second best?”
“Right here, sir!” shouted another Marine who curled a hand around his bicep and yanked him into the corridor and along it to the center stairwell.
He thrust Frog through the door and pinned him to the wall. “There will be no freaking out, sir. No one is fine here. We. Are. All. Okay. You got me?”
“I got you,” he told him. “And it won’t be long before she gets you, too.”
“If I’m not mistaken,” the Marine Captain told him as he entered the stairwell with the rest of the squad, “the Witch is using magic. Those last two shots came from a sniper team.” He nodded to one of the troopers. “Harrison has got the perfect thing for that.”
The man unslung his pack and pulled a drone out.
“It’s new, sir. Mark I, fully armed and armored.” He gave Frog a feral grin. “Absolutely perfect for hunting snipers and their friends.”
The guard’s face lit up, but only for a moment.
“It won’t do you any good,” he told them and sounded morose. “She’ll still get you—and if you kill one of her team, it won’t be Stephanie you’ll have to deal with. It’ll be the Morgana.”
The Marines chuckled. “Ooh. The Morgana, huh? Well, when she comes out to play, we’ll shoot her ass, too.”
He shook his head, and the Marine picked him up and shook him before he set him back on his feet and straightened his clothes. “Cheer up, sir! Harrison will deal with your sniper and the rest of us will deal with your witch.”
They hurried him down the stairs and into a side alley, moving quickly and as quietly as their armor would allow.
“The cats will hear you,” Frog moaned and the grip on his arm tightened.
“Man up, sir. You cannot be afraid of a little pussy.”
The sound of the drone taking flight was not enough to drown out the roar from one end of the alley.
“It’s not a little pussy I’m afraid of,” he muttered and caught flickers of blue lightning behind the two huge silhouettes that bounded toward their flank.
The Marines turned and trotted him in the other direction. Behind them, a thump and clatter indicated that one of their group had fallen. This was followed by the chatter of automatic fire and a shriek of outrage.
Frog lowered his head and closed his eyes. “You hit one of the cats, didn’t you?”
He looked back at the swarm of blue shards that rocketed in their direction.
“You goddamned idiots! You really did hit one of the cats. You’d better hope she can heal it or you’re all more dead than you—”
The hand on his arm went slack and the Marine beside him sagged. At a loud crack, the guard flung himself down and hugged the pavement as a Marine landed on top of him. Another report followed.
“For crying out loud.”
“Quit your moaning, sir. You are o-kay.”
To his surprise, Frog found the Marine was correct. He was definitely very okay—apart from being covered in blood and gore. More importantly, he was still alive.
He glanced to where Stephanie had reached the cats and realized he could see her from where he was. The sight made him panic. “We need to move.”
The Marine was already hauling him to his feet. “We got you, sir.”
They bolted toward the end of the alley, only to find it blocked by one very large Dreth who wielded two SMGs and a much smaller human with only one.
“I think you upset her,” the Marine captain yelled, diverted into a loading bay, and blew the door clear with a grenade. “In you go, sir.”
Frog went. There was no way he wanted to be caught in the confines of an alley with Vishlog, let alone Vishlog with two SMGs and a license to kill. A roar sounded behind him.
Or a pissed off Bumblebee, he added mentally.
Lightning crackled as the Marines reached the stairs, hauling him with them.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“To the roof,” the captain told him. “There’s nothing in the rules that says we can’t find our own way.”
He stopped—or tried to, at least. The fourth Marine to become his escort tightened his grasp and didn’t let him slow. “Quit cheatin’ for the other side, sir. Anyone would think you wanted to die.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” the captain declared. “We’ve lost too many men. Let’s not make their sacrifices in vain.”
The way he said it, Frog got the idea that making their sacrifices in vain would be the worst thing in the world and that it probably would be better if he let Stephanie kill him. He fought the fear that threatened to paralyze him and picked up the pace.
“Better, sir,” the man beside him said.
Behind them, two sets of boots stopped.
“Drop me here,” Harrison said.
“I’m staying,” another Marine answered.
“I’m very sure I can get him before she makes it up here.”
“I’ll make sure you do.”
The Marine Captain slapped Frog’s escort on the shoulder. “Keep him moving.”
As the guard was dragged up the stairs, the captain turned back. “Harrison, what’s going on?”
“I got hit, sir. I’m gonna take the sniper out from here.”
“I’ll stay with him, sir. That will give you time. They can’t get to you until they go through us.”
When Frog heard the words, he began to laugh.
“What?”
“You forgot the part where she can run up walls,” he wheezed, but his escort didn’t slow.
“Maybe she has, too.”
“I doubt it.”
“Heat of battle. Go with me on this.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one she wants to kill.”
“Don’t bet on it, sir. The way she’s playing, we’re all in the firing line.”
The Marine proved to be right and booted the door to the sky car hangar on the fifteenth floor open at the same moment that a whoop of delight came from the stairwell. It was followed as quickly by a curse and then, a warning.
“She’s through.”
By then, the captain had joined them.
“That one!” he decided and pointed at a sleek luxury vehicle. “It’s armored.”
“But is it fast?” Frog asked, and the man grinned.
“Fast enough—and very, very crashworthy.”
“Crashworthy?” He gulped.
The captain pulled a small device from his pocket and slid it over the car’s locking mechanism. Catching Frog’s surprise, he opened the door.
“It’s a handy little gadget. I never leave home without it.” His grin faded. “Get in.”
The sound of small arms fire came from the stairwell, followed by an offended roar and Stephanie’s shout of outrage. The captain slid into the pilot’s seat and got the car moving.
“Anders... I need an exit.”
The Marine beside Frog popped the sunroof above them. “My pleasure, sir.”
Indistinct yells drifted across the carpark floor, and the guard glanced nervously toward the door.
“Oh, God,” he moaned as a distinctive feline silhouette fell across the doorway.
Anders hoisted the short tubular weapon he’d shoved across the seat when he’d entered, dragging Frog behind him. Putting it to his shoulder, he began to count.
“Three…”
The captain stamped on the accelerator.
“Two...”
Frog looked away from the stairwell and saw the parking lot’s wall rocketing toward them.
“One!”
Orange light flared above him followed by a whoosh, and Anders released the tube, dropped into the seat beside him, and closed the sunroof. The captain didn’t slow the vehicle but st
eered it directly toward the explosion.
The guard closed his eyes, pressed himself into the seat, and dug his fingers into the upholstery.
“Pussy,” Anders snorted as the driver whooped with hell-raising delight.
“I always wanted to drive one of these.”
It was a short-lived flight.
“Harrison missed the sniper.”
The captain’s quiet observation followed the sound of shattering glass and he sent the car into a gut-wrenching dive. Frog saw the ground rushing toward them and shrieked while both Marines laughed.
“Well, I’m glad someone’s having a good time,” he managed to splutter as the driver pulled the car out of its dive and it careened down the road.
“Quit your bitchin’...sir. There’s the safe zone.”
For one unbelievable moment, he thought they might actually make it all the way there. That was a split-second before a wall of blue rose out of the asphalt and the captain slewed the car into a spark-throwing stop. It finally settled against the wall, and the Marines kicked the door open.
Anders grabbed their VIP by the collar and yanked him out of the car. The captain glanced up.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he said. “She really can run up walls and fly.”
Frog groaned and looked in the direction of the captain’s gaze. “Oh...fuck.”
Stephanie thrust off the wall and encased herself in a ball of blue energy as she did so. Magic crackled in azure ribbons between her and five other balls, one of which was larger than the rest. With one hand stretched before her to guide the sphere and the other holding the ribbons, she steered her globe toward them.
Anders looked over, grabbed Frog, and began to haul him around the blue wall toward the safe zone. “Don’t worry, sir. At least we know where they all are.”
Frog didn’t protest. With Steph’s team inside balls, he still had a chance. It took concentration for her to keep the balls up and shielded and more concentration for her to keep them floating. If he was very lucky—
A bullet ricocheted off the building beside him and the sharp report of Lars’s sniper rifle reached him shortly after. Anders’ hand slid from his arm and the Marine fell to his knees.
“Go, sir!” he shouted. “Run!”
The Marine captain was already firing but his bullets simply bounced wildly off the blue bubbles as Stephanie flew over his head. The captain backed away and reached down to haul Anders to his feet without removing his focus from the attackers. “We shoulda brought a second launcher.”
“Next time, sir,” the Marine promised and coughed. “Damn, sir. This is gonna leave a mark.”
“You’ll be okay. Cover me.”
“Always, sir.”
The man turned and balanced himself to raise his SMG and sight on the bubbles as they touched down. The captain barreled toward them, only to be boomeranged toward his trooper with a sweep of Stephanie’s hand.
He struck the wall hard and rebounded while Lars raised his rifle and Stephanie gestured with one hand toward their principal. “Run faster!” he roared and coughed when his ribs shifted in protest.
“I am getting too old for this shit.”
That was the thought that crossed Frog’s mind. A shiver rippled in the air when magic burst out behind him. He ducked low and sprinted desperately, his arms and legs pumping as he hurdled a bench and bounded toward the low fence surrounding the mansion.
Ahead of him, the safe zone glimmered invitingly. The Marine yelled, “Run faster!”
He tried to obey and to push himself beyond a sprint before he hurled himself into a long, low dive that would carry him through the gate. As his launched forward, white light seared through him and he screamed when a ball of magic burrowed under his skin.
When he honestly thought it couldn’t get any worse, the missile exploded and blades of magic ripped outward to explode flesh and bone in a fountain of gore. That alone almost made the high-powered round that exploded through his skull unnecessary.
Anders stared and his jaw dropped in disbelief. “She vaporized him.”
“And he blew the poor guy’s head clean off his shoulders.” The captain almost sounded more impressed by Lars’s shot than the blatant display of power he’d seen.
“Yeah...” Anders wiped at his goggles. “Oh... Is this...” He picked up the solid piece of flesh that had dropped in front of him. “Is this a finger?”
The other man leaned over and inspected it. “It could be...”
The city faded from around them and they emerged in an arena reminiscent of an ancient Earth tourist attraction.
“We’re in an amphitheater?” the Marine captain asked and glanced at his men.
The Marine contingent had appeared with him, all of whom stared at Stephanie as if she’d grown a second head. She gave them a cheerful smile and decided they wouldn’t underestimate her again.
“AI, may I speak to you a moment?”
The amphitheater faded around her. As soon as she knew she was alone, she looked for the AI.
“I am here.”
“I have a discipline problem and require your assistance.”
“Explain.”
She did. “Do you think you can do that for me?”
“For one round only. It places the Marine team at a severe disadvantage if they cannot receive instructions from their principal.”
“If I target the Marines instead of the principal, does that restore the balance?”
The AI was silent for a moment before it came back online. “It does. For this round, the Marines will win if they bring the principal over the line. They will lose if they do not.”
“If I control the safe zone, do I win regardless?”
“Yes. If you control the safe zone and the principal, you have won. A principal need not be killed to be removed from the game. Some are kidnapped. Should the Marines lose control of the principal and the safe location, they will lose. However, if the principal lives, once he has been returned to the safe zone, the game will be deemed brought to a conclusion and the team returning him the winner.”
“And if he returns himself?”
“He is considered to be part of the Marine team. If he reaches the safe zone by himself, the Marines will be declared the winners.”
“Understood. Thank you, AI. Please return me to the amphitheater and the game.”
The AI complied.
It also returned Frog to the amphitheater and in precisely the condition Stephanie had requested.
He stumbled two steps and against the Marine captain when he materialized in front of her. Stephanie caught Frog by the collar and jerked him toward her before the captain could step between them.
“So, you decided to brag about my abilities, Frog?” she demanded. His eyes widened and his already pale face went even paler.
He shook his head and made apologetic noises behind the seamless flesh where his mouth should have been. As if suddenly realizing why no sound was coming out, he raised both hands to his face and ran his fingers over the terrifying reality.
The squawk he made was full of horror and sadly muffled.
She gave him an evil smile. “What do you think, Frog? Have you learned your lesson, yet?”
He shook his head but almost immediately nodded vigorously.
“What was that, Frog?” She frowned. “I can’t quite understand you. It seems you have something of a problem with...you know...” She made a gesture over her own mouth.
When he flapped his hands and made several more noises, she shook her head and sighed sadly. “You know, Frog, we can end this as soon as you say the word.”
The man literally bounced up and down on the spot and clearly attempted to say something. When no words emerged, she gave him a disappointed look.
“No? You have nothing?” She pouted. “Are you sure?”
The sounds he made became more deliberate and then more desperate, and his eyes were pleading.
Stephanie gave a heavy sigh. “Nothing? Re
ally?”
Behind her, someone snickered and someone else chuckled. A third team member tutted in mock disappointment. She looked at the Marine captain. “Well, he’s all yours, captain. Try to keep him alive this time.”
Frog dropped his chin and leaned his forehead against his fist when she turned away.
The AI spoke. “To your right is a hill. At the top is another icon from Earth’s past. It was called the Parthenon. Dedicated to Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, it makes a fitting goal. Reaching it safely will signify that Frog has learned wisdom and the warriors who accompany him will be rewarded.”
The Marines looked at each other and then at Stephanie’s team.
She threw a shield of magic between them as they opened fire. The Marine captain grabbed Frog and dragged him back behind his men. “Anders, Spizoni, Cotterslie! You’re up!” he shouted and shoved the VIP in their direction.
He stumbled and would have lost his footing if Anders hadn’t caught him.
“We’ve got you, sir,” the man shouted.
Yeah, but for how long? he wanted to ask but obviously had no way to form the words.
“I think quiet suits you, sir,” another Marine added.
“Don’t worry, sir. We’ll get you up that hill.”
With their teammates fighting a desperate rear-guard action, they got him to the edge of the amphitheater. Anders was eliminated on the stairs, speared by a shaft of magic that pinned him to the stone. Spizoni fell as they cleared the car park outside when his head exploded after a gleaming orb stuck to it.
Cotterslie led them past several destroyed buildings and used them as cover from Stephanie’s deadly aim. Behind them, the sound of automatic weapons faltered.
“Run, damn you. Run! Don’t win the goddamned fight for them!” the Marine screamed and fired back the way they’d come. He shoved Frog forward and stopped shooting long enough to hurl a grenade before he grasped him once more and dragged him up the hill.
The ruins gave way to an open hill scattered with sparse bushes and clumps of boulders and stone. The road was the only area that gave them any sure footing.
The Marine cursed with every step and stopped periodically to shoot or throw another grenade. “With all due respect, sir, you need to move your ass or they’ll crawl all over it.”
Witch Of The Federation III (Federal Histories Book 3) Page 24