Blest recoiled. Zan’s mouth moved in a hoarse scream.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I cried, “before Chip starts to get antsy.”
We hobbled like three broken musketeers to the exit.
On the way, I caught a brief glimpse of the glass case on the altar, the one that housed Fol’s alien bulb. A brief hesitation had me wincing before I smashed the glass case and snatched up the bulb, the same that Follee had taken up on a whim from Cyber station.
“What are you planning to do with that?” croaked Blest.
“Stuff it up your ass, what do you think?”
“Rusco, these things are fucking dangerous.”
“Exactly. Now move.”
We thrust our shoulders to the door. Nothing. Tight as a spinster’s crotch. Locked. Why wouldn’t it be?
Blest sighed, blowing spittle past his dry lips. “You could have tested the door before you woke up Chip.”
“Hindsight, Blest, hindsight. The key must be in Balt’s purse. Guess that’s what his firearm is for.” I lifted the gun barrel.
“But the noise’ll—”
I blasted the fuck out of the mechanism before Blest could argue. The door sagged open.
“There, see? Now shut up or I’ll put you back in the tank with Balt. Everything’ll work out.” I grinned in satisfaction as I used the rifle to widen the gap to reveal a dim-lit hallway. Broad marble tiles sheened in the sconce light. Zan huffed out a laugh then hissed a breath between his gap-teeth.
I nudged the others out into the deserted hall. Thank Mong’s ugly gods there were no guards. I risked a glance backward and saw our little bug friend, Chip, righting itself, staggering over to his cricket buddy in the nearby tank in a bent-legged crouch.
Time to bug out from this crib.
Chapter 26
Shadows crawled where I motioned the others down the temple hall. Fewer wall sconces lit the broad passageway. Only portraits of Mong and his warriors and ancient warlords adorned the walls. A small air fan chugged away. I started to move toward the exit then recalled a face devoid of hope and a woman’s legs splayed over silk cushions. I halted, mumbled a curse, and backtracked.
“Where you going now?” croaked Blest. “The exit to this shithole is back that way, isn’t it?” He stared around grimly then rolled his eyes. “Oh, Rusco, you’ve got to be kidding? Don’t you get enough skin from Wren?”
Blest and Mong had me pegged, yes, I was a stupid, chivalrous sucker. My true colors coming out. “More than enough skin, Blest. But for now, move.”
He flung off my arm. “Who the fuck are you to give me orders?”
Maybe I should have pistol-whipped Blest for his insolence long ago or left him on Gainor. My brain wasn’t totally sharp-edged this moment, nor was I the greatest tactician. Too many rival emotions, desperate plans and hopes, crossed signals. Too many damn things that could go wrong. Good to see that Blest was returning to his normal obnoxious self. But dammit, we had one chance at freedom and seeing blue skies again! I didn’t want to blow it or lie awake at night, thinking, well, Jet, if you had only tried to save the noble lady who had the guts to stand up to Mong, instead of scurrying off like some damned coward with tail tucked between his legs intent on saving your own skin…
I heard the staccato rap of gunshots ahead.
“Down!” I cried.
The roar of ship engines surfaced above, then sounds of explosions rocking the temple’s massive roof.
“What the fuck?” Blest stared white-eyed at the ceiling. “Mong got a little fireworks celebration for us?”
“No, those are fareons,” rasped Zan. “Attack ships.”
“Maybe Mong’s got a little training exercise then in motion?” I mused.
Something smashed into the roof and the whole temple shook down to its foundation.
“Maybe he’s made himself a few enemies?”
“Come on!” I squawked. “No better time than now to get out of here.”
Commotion reigned up ahead. Three figures came running toward us, rifles in hand. Two trailing—youngbloods. They cast tense glances over their shoulders, at the meslars who pursued them. I halted, Balt’s confiscated weapon trained, reluctant to fire on them.
Good thing I didn’t. The foremost, a tall, shadowy figure loped up out of the dimness, moving like an agile cat. I recognized her at once. My God…my heart leapt. Could it be?
It is you, you glorious sight for sore eyes.
She turned and aimed her R4. Mong’s meslars came waving truncheons at the three. They crouched and spat gunfire back at them. Two fell. One of the fanatical survivors kept running with truncheon raised. She blasted him to shit.
Wren tossed me a better rifle. “You look cute in bald, Russy. But you’re harder to find than a beetle in a barnyard.”
My jaw dropped. Not the grim affirmation one’d expect, but the lean figure was a balm to my beleaguered spirit. “Good one, Wren.” I rushed over and gave her a fierce embrace.
“No time for kisses, Rus. These temple laymen are all lambs but Mong’s hard-boys are out, crawling all over this place with guns.”
I motioned them forward. “Back down the hall. How’d you find out where we were?”
“I asked the hired help, nicely.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet.”
“They’re still picking their teeth up off the ground,” said one of the youngbloods, a curly haired gunman garbed in grey khakis and kevlar.
I gave a curt nod. The short-barreled R6 I’d taken from Balt I tossed to Blest.
I made a signal to move on with quicker speed. Wren blinked, indicating the exit was back the other way. Blest just sighed and shook his head. Knowing time was short, I herded the others on, urging them to silence. The corridor curved in a
