Me? I didn’t miss the view so much. I wasn’t fond of being reminded just how thin a barrier lay between me and a horrible death in the vacuum. I kinda liked the shields, particularly in a firefight... which didn’t mean I wanted to get any closer to them. I looked for another corridor, something that would take me deeper into the station. Stars, even an elevator door or stairwell would be a good option.
“Your wish is my command,” Tens said, and I couldn’t help but think how nice it would be for him to say that more often and mean it.
“In your dreams, kiddo.”
But a door slid open a scant meter from where I stood. The shooters saw it at around the same time I did.
“Fuck.”
I started running as I bitched, really hoping I didn’t get stitched by something that either ended me, or put me in a tank.
“Good luck with that.”
“Thanks a lot, Tens.”
But, before he could respond to that, Mack was making his own set of requests.
“What about one for me? I’ve got four of the fuckers coming down the corridor, and a room with no exits.”
And just like that Tens was gone. “I’ve got you, boss.”
Well, I sure as shit hoped he did, because I was going to need some back-up. Turns out that two meters was one meter too many, and some bright spark got lucky with a solid to the knee joint on my armor, while my ribs took a pounding from several well-sprayed rounds, and another lucky shot hit me in the point of my shoulder.
I ended up with my fingertips touching the door, and pain echoing up and down my body, but I’d kept a hold of the Blazer, even as I hit the ground and ended up lying on the arm that held it. I tried rolling, but the armor had locked up good, so I cussed it out and wriggled until I got to my side and could bring the Blazer up.
Trouble was, by the time I did that, I was looking down the barrels of four Blazers, and some joker had his foot on my hip, while another had his foot on my knee. Well, shiiit.
I stared down those barrels, and carefully opened my hand, splaying my fingers so they were well away from the trigger. I wanted to say something to defuse the situation, but from the looks on these guys’ faces it was better if I stayed quiet. And still. Very, very still.
I took in the face above me, and froze, fixing my gaze on his, and willing him to see just how very much I wanted to live. The gentle pressure of the Blazer’s muzzle against my forehead was not an improvement, but that still didn’t mean I needed Tens’s voice in my head.
“Easy, Cutter.”
Responding, even via implant, would have taken more concentration than I had, so I concentrated on the big guy’s face, and hoped like Hell he didn’t pull the trigger. As if in answer, he crouched in front of me and took the gun from my hand, handing it back to one of the others.
“Who are you?”
I blinked, and he bounced the muzzle against my forehead.
“Who. Are. You?”
“Cutter,” I told him. “Jocelyn Cutter.”
Like that would mean anything to him, anyway. To my surprise, it did.
“From the Shady Marie?”
I swallowed, trying to wet my mouth.
“Yes.”
He grinned. “There’s one helluva bounty on your head.”
I closed my eyes and let the tension drain out of my body, sagging back onto the floor. I could only hope the bounty was bigger if they brought me in alive. I felt the bottom of the muzzle tap me on the top of the head.
“Hey! You still there?”
Well, that deserved an answer, but I didn’t bother opening my eyes.
“Like you’d care.”
“Stars, yes, I care. We get triple if we bring you in alive and in good condition.”
Well, that was good to know. I opened my eyes to watch him lift the Blazer away, and took a breath. That was half the battle. Glancing beyond the guy crouching beside me, I saw there were still two Blazers trained on my head, their wielders standing well out of grab range. With a sigh, I took to studying the man before me.
Grey eyes looked back from a narrow weather-beaten face, and his full lips curved into a satisfied smile.
“You don’t know me,” he said, “but we serve Barangail. Our task is to secure this station; you are just an added bonus.”
His words made me wonder if Barangail would honor the bounty, but what his man said next dispelled my doubt.
“We’re hired for a task, and our contract ensures bounties are paid as promised.”
He reached out, the smile fading from his face, as he patted my shoulder with a heavy-gloved hand.
“First, we need to secure you where you can’t get up to any mischief.”
Uh oh.
I watched as his hand curled into a fist, one he cocked to his shoulder, even as I tried to scramble out of its way. It didn’t help that his smile grew wider, and it wasn’t much of an improvement when there was a deafening boom, and his shoulder exploded. I yelped, and tried to wriggle away, but he glanced down at where his arm had fallen, and then pitched forward.
Above him came the rattle of weapons being raised, followed by the scream of flechettes tearing through the air. I’d managed to tilt my head back enough to see what came next, and really wished I hadn’t. Heads vanished in a shock of vapor, chests exploded, gouting blood, and men fell without ever uttering a sound.
Fan-fucking-tastic! I thought. What the fuck have I stepped into, now?
I figured it was better to close my eyes, and lie as still as the bodies falling around me. That way I’d either go unnoticed, or I wouldn’t have to watch it come.
“Really, Cutter?” Case’s voice was
