or we'll start with yours!' snapped Kassar, and then he stopped, grabbed Random's hood, and pushed it back to reveal his face. 'You!'
'Me!' said Random, and punched Kassar in the mouth. He grabbed the dazed Cardinal, swung him around, and held him as a shield. There was uproar among the watching Church troops. Random smiled into Flynn's camera. 'Long live the rebellion!'
'Oh, nice plan,' said Ruby, throwing off her robes and drawing her sword and disrupter. 'Really subtle. Couldn't have done better myself.'
The Church troops broke ranks and ran toward the three figures by the podium, closely followed by the security forces. They all had swords in their hands. Ruby turned to face them, fire in her eyes. Some of the prisoners managed a ragged cheer. Random looked at his watch.
Toby Shreck turned to Flynn. 'Tell me you're getting this!'
'I'm getting it, I'm getting it! It's all going out live. Is that who I think it is?'
'Don't know the woman, but the other's Jack Random all right. I should have known he'd make one of his patented last-minute rescues!'
'Hate to spoil your scenario, boss, but there's only two of them and hundreds and hundreds of everybody else. Hostage or no hostage, they don't stand a chance.'
'What the hell,' said Toby. 'It'll make a great show. We are talking major awards here, Flynn… Where the hell did
Ruby looked at Random. 'I suppose you're going to say you planned that?'
Random laughed. 'Of course. Though the timing was a bit close. Search Kassar's pockets; see if he's got any keys to the padlocks.'
And that was when Half A Man came striding forward, sweeping men aside, heading straight for Jack Random with a sword in his human hand. Random pushed Kassar away from him, drew his disrupter, and snapped off a shot. Half A Man raised his energy arm to block it, and the energy beam ricocheted harmlessly away into the sky. And so they came together, two men touched and shaped by alien forces, neither of them wholly human anymore. The power of the Madness Maze burned in Random, but even so he was hard-pressed to stay in the fight. Whatever else the aliens had done, they had made Half A Man a formidable fighter. He'd been a warrior longer than Jack Random had been alive, and he never grew tired. Their swords clashed together, neither giving an inch.
Cardinal Kassar, meanwhile, had come out of his daze, and was fighting head-to-head with Ruby Journey. He'd started with contempt, but was quickly fighting for his life. He called on all his training and experience as an elite Church warrior, and found it wasn't enough. She drove him back, step-by-step, sweeping aside his defenses with ease and cutting him at whim. And though she could feel the boost surging up within her, she kept it down, refusing the advantages it offered. She was all she needed, all she'd ever needed, and she'd decide whether to use her extra gifts or not. She grinned into Kassar's sweating face. She could kill him at any time, and both of them knew it. But she wanted it to last. Ruby Journey was enjoying herself.
Daniel Wolfe drew his sword, ready to rush into the fray himself, and then stopped as he saw how frightened Stephanie was. She needed him to protect her. He glanced at the factory's main entrance, but there were already too many rebels between him and it. There was no safe cover anywhere. All he could hope for was not to be noticed. So he pulled his sister behind the teleprompter, made her crouch down, and stood protectively over her, determined that no one would get to her without having gone through him first.
Lily and Michel clung together, staring about them with wild eyes. A small group of rebels broke away from the main fight and headed their way. Lily pushed Michel away from her, glared at the approaching rebels, and called up her witchy powers. But all her weak esp could manage was a rushing wind that barely slowed the Rejects. One of them cut at Lily with his sword. Michel pushed her out of the way, and the sword cut into his throat and out again. Blood sprayed, splashing Lily's horrified face. Michel fell dying to the ground. Lily crouched over him, crying and screaming hysterically, until a rebel passing by on his way to free the prisoners cut her down out of reflex. Lily and Michel died together, a long way from home, two children in a violent adult world they never really understood.
Half A Man finally realized he couldn't beat Jack Random as easily as he'd thought, so he disengaged, turned, and ran. He had a better idea, and besides, with the rebels so close, the safety of the factory took precedence over everything else. He ran back into the factory, cutting down anyone who got in his way. First, he'd shut down the timer on Kassar's explosives, and then he'd raise the factory's force Screen again so that most of the rebels would be trapped outside it. Those left inside would soon fall, and the factory would be safe. He smiled with his half a mouth. Let Jack Random rattle his sword against an energy field and see what good it did him. There were better ways to win a war.
While Half A Man was disappearing into the complex, Alexander Storm and Mother Beatrice were leading the clones out. The clones took one look at the carnage and mayhem spread out before them, and froze in the doorway. Storm and Beatrice yelled for everyone to stay put and keep their heads down. While the clones huddled together, the rebel and the Sister studied the situation thoughtfully. Some of the attacking rebels were trying to free the prisoners, but the heavy-duty padlocks were slowing them down.
'They'd better be quick,' said Beatrice. 'As long as those chains hold, the Wolfes could still fry the prisoners at the press of a button. And anybody else who happened to be touching the chains or locks at the time.'
'Good point,' said Storm. 'I'd better give them a hand. I was always good with locks. But then, everyone needs a hobby.'
'You're a brave man, Alexander Storm,' said Beatrice.
'Damn right,' said Storm. 'Jack isn't the only legend around here, you know.'
Kassar backed away from Ruby, panting for breath, blood screaming from his wounds. He still held his sword, but it shook uncontrollably in his hand. Ruby went after him, still smiling. She'd had enough fun for the moment, and now it was time for the Cardinal to die. He saw the decision in her eyes and frantically held up his other hand.
'Back off, bitch! The controls for the prisoners' execution are wired into my glove. One step closer, and they're dead!'
'You're bluffing,' said Ruby calmly. 'If you could do that, you'd have done it by now, just for spite.'
Kassar smiled. 'Try me. What will your precious rebel friends think of you when they learn you could have saved the prisoners, but didn't choose to?'
Ruby shrugged, sprang forward, and brought her sword savagely down with all her strength behind it. The heavy blade sheared clean through Kassar's wrist, and his hand fell twitching to the ground. Kassar screamed breathlessly, dropped his sword, and grabbed the stump of his wrist, trying to squeeze it shut. Blood pumped past his gripping fingers.
'I've never given a damn what people think of me,' said Ruby Journey.
'I'm rich,' said Kassar, forcing the words past gritted teeth. His face was white as a skull. 'Name your price.'
'Now, that's more like it. How much have you got?'
'How much do you want?'
'All of it. Where is it?'
'In a safe. In my quarters. Gold. Payroll for the Faithful. Let me go, and it's yours.'
Ruby thought for a moment. 'Thanks for the tip, Cardinal. I'll check it out later. Now, say good-bye.'
Her sword swung around in a long double-handed arc and cut off Kassar's head. It went bouncing and rolling away into the surrounding crush and was quickly lost to sight, kicked this way and that and trampled underfoot. Ruby smiled, satisfied. A good kill, and gold for afters. The day was looking up. She searched Kassar's pockets, found a set of keys, and went to help free the prisoners, humming a merry tune.
