Tam leveled a look on them, and even Dred found his expression chilling. “If you break the terms of the truce before the match is concluded, you will find hell to be a comfort after what I do to you.”
“Stand down,” Vost said.
An idea struck Dred, and she changed up her tactics. In a move almost too fast to track, she drew the blade from her boot and whipped it at him. Vost spun to the side, but not quite fast enough; it sliced a path down his side as it went by, and his distraction allowed her to land a hit with the chain. She put her full strength behind it, and something in his chest cracked. Ribs, most likely.
“Nice,” Vost said, spitting blood. “But how many more knives do you have?”
“I guess you’ll find out.”
But the noises she’d heard a long way off—not a bluff, just enhanced senses—were coming closer. Soon, her people surrounded them, and rifles fixed on the three mercs. The rest of Queensland might not understand, but this was a matter of honor. She’d struck a bargain, so this needed to play out without interference. She glanced around for Jael, but he was focused on her bleeding arm, not listening to her words.
“Stop,” she yelled. “Let the fight continue!”
But others were yelling, “Kill the mercs, gut them! Let’s finish this!”
Dred tried again. “Queenslanders, this is an official grudge match. Doesn’t matter if Calypso’s here. The agreement is made, and battle has been joined.”
The shouting increased in intensity, drowning her out. Maddened men shoved toward the mercs, screaming bloody murder, and it was a testament to their courage that they didn’t cut and run. Instead, they looked to their commander, asking silently, Stand or fall back?
A third and final time, Dred tried to leash her people, but they wouldn’t listen. In another second, the walls would be painted in blood, and her word would be dust. She made a split-second decision. Her eyes met Vost’s. Run, she mouthed.
Unable to believe she was doing this, Dred turned and deliberately blocked the path with her body, so the mercs could escape, the only way to keep her promise.
40
Last Resort
For the moment, the battle was over.
Bodies lay all around them, more than Jael could remember killing in one go since he became a merc. Instead of feeling exhilarated or even relieved that they’d won, he wondered if there would be anyone left to clean this mess up once the dying stopped. For a few seconds, he imagined maintenance bots like RC-17 banging repeatedly into decaying corpses and eventually scanning them, then cleaning around them.
Can’t decide if that’s hilarious or grisly.
Jael dragged in a deep breath. It had been a long time since he was simply . . . tired. In a way, it was a welcome shame. His designer body had limits now, boundaries that could be crossed. If pushed hard enough, he imagined he could even collapse from exhaustion.
“What’re you smirking at?” Martine asked.
No percentage in telling the truth; it didn’t do to show weakness even to your allies. So he shared his thought about the cleaning droids. When he finished, both Martine and Calypso were shaking their heads.
“You are not right,” the smaller woman said.
“You must admit, it’s quite a picture.” Calypso was grinning. Apparently, she had a bit of a taste for the macabre.
“If they succeed in wiping us out,” Martine’s voice chilled. “Then those assholes can tidy up this mess.”
Calypso offered, “The rodents would eat the corpses down to bones by the time the new owners arrive.”
“Cheerful notion.” Jael shook his head as he cleaned his weapons.
Jael was about to suggest they move on when the bot they’d just been talking about rounded the corner toward them, all lights flashing in a blinding pattern, but it wasn’t playing the standard unauthorized personnel warning that Ike had programmed. The thing was beeping in sequence, but the lights and sounds made no sense to Jael. It circled his feet urgently, and he glanced at the two women.
“Any clue what this thing wants?”
She shook her head, kneeling to look at the unit. “No idea. I haven’t seen it in days, actually. Not since Ike died.”
All the lights on the RC unit turned green at the same time. “Pass phrase recognized, playback authorized.”
A chill ran down Jael’s spine as Ike’s voice came out of the droid. “If you’re hearing this, I’m dead. Sorry about that. Wills told me a while back that I didn’t have long. In this place, I’m guessing I didn’t die of old age. Whatever got me, I hope it was quick.”
“I’m sorry,” Jael said quietly.
The message continued, oblivious to the living. “You must be wondering what’s going on with 17 here. I recorded this and programmed him to locate you and play it if I didn’t tune him up on schedule.”
“You clever bastard,” Calypso said.
“Don’t know what’s going on, but I have some secret stashes that might be useful. I’ve been sitting on them, but now that I’m gone, there’s no point in hiding them any longer. You know what they say, you can’t take it with you. If you follow the RC unit, he’ll take you to where I’ve hidden some goodies. So I guess that’s it. Thanks for being good to an old man, and . . . I’ll see you around.”
“Message complete,” the RC unit added. “Play again?”
“Holy shit. This is like finding buried treasure. What do you think it is? Parts? Food? Weapons?” Considering the state Queensland was in, Martine seemed pretty damn excited.
Calypso lifted a palm. “Hold up. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we can’t tear off and leave Dred to fight these assholes alone. Once the blood dries up, there will be time to see what Ike left us.”
Jael said nothing at all. This felt like hope from beyond the grave, a quiet promise that things were never as bad as they seemed.
DRED let Vost get away. The thought echoed like thunder in Tam’s head. He didn’t understand why, but he suspected it had to do with the unfinished grudge match. This is why we need the formality of the circle. If the others had come upon the fight within the usual arena, they would’ve known not to interfere. But regardless of Dred’s honor, he needed to know where the mercs were holed up. I’m not much of a spymaster without proper intel.
“I’ll track them,” he said to Dred.
Other Queenslanders got in his way, pushing and shoving, as they tried to chase the mercs. But Tam slid past them. One of the benefits to being small. A few aliens moved as if to accompany him, but Katur shouted, “Stay! Follow Keelah’s commands. I’ll be back soon.”
With each passing second, Vost got farther away. “You don’t have to—”
“I disagree.”
“Find out where he’s hiding. This isn’t over between us.” Dred gave clearance for the mission, then she beckoned the rest of the Queenslanders. “Looks like we won. And you thought it couldn’t be done! Shall we take the fight to Mungo?”
Since he and Silence had been mounting mobile strikes on Queensland for days, it was time. She has this in hand. Soon, they’d control the whole facility.
Until the next squad arrives.
But impossible things were never achieved by fixating on their insurmountable nature. Tam didn’t try to change Katur’s mind. He could’ve explained that this wasn’t an assassination; silent executions were best left to Silence and her cadre. No, Tam excelled at gathering information and deciding the best way to make use of it, and he hadn’t made up his mind about Vost. Doubtless, Katur felt differently after the massacre in the Warren.