“If we’re going to die, I’m taking as many of those bastards with me,” Leif lifted her firearm and pointed it at the corridor.
The returning cats fanned out around the room and took refuge behind the assorted chairs and desks.
“Security breach in Sector Z118,” a stern-sounding voice thundered down the tunnel, “Shoot to kill.”
“Forget that,” Handax slid the machine gun Moses had confiscated from the security guard from his shoulder, “Mind if I borrow this?”
“Hold them off till I’m done,” Moses reached into his belt for his hand gun with his free, right hand. He aimed it at the door and kept an eye on the absorption process. “Twenty seconds. I’m right here with you.”
The sound of charging footsteps grew louder and louder…
Leif hid behind the console and held her gun in both hands. Handax inadvertently stepped on Katcheena’s glasses, crunching them against the ground. “Whoops.” He slid across the console deck, crouched behind the chair and aimed the machine gun at the door. “Ready, guys?”
“Oh, yeah,” Moses held his hand gun at the corridor. “Let’s give ‘em hell.”
“Leif,” Handax shouted over the console. “Protect Moses till he’s done transferring.”
Leif cocked her weapon and knocked the side of her head against the console, enjoying the adrenaline rush. “You got it, babes.”
“Here they come…”
A USARIC mercenary ran into the room, ready to open fire with his USARIC-issue machine gun. He took a look around and saw Moses in the middle of the room with his arm pressed to the console plate.
BLAM!
Moses fired a shot at the mercenary. “S’up?” The bullet smoked in the wall a few inches to the right of the man’s head. He saw the barrel of Moses’ handgun facing him, “The next bullet won’t be so kind, my friend.”
“Okay, okay,” the mercenary unhooked the gun from his shoulder and set it to the floor, “Don’t shoot.”
“Get on the floor and lie down, face-first.”
“Whatever you say.”
The mercenary carefully placed his chest on the floor. In doing so, he caught sight of Leif and Handax hiding behind the console. To his left, dozens of scared kitties peered from behind the chairs and desks.
“How many cats got out?” asked the mercenary.
“A few. I don’t know,” Moses said. “Now it’s your turn to answer my question. How many of you scumbags are coming?”
“Dozens. We’ve been ordered to shoot—”
“—Shut up.”
“They’re already here,” the mercenary said.
“What?”
The mercenary pushed himself onto his back and reached into his boot strap. “Advance! One on the console, and two behind the deck.”
“Huh?” Moses double-took as everything slowed-down to a crashing halt. “What the—”
The mercenary pulled out a Rez-9 from his boot and fired at Moses. The charge hit him in the shoulder, breaking the skin and sending a charge down his body.
Handax closed his eyes, hearing a bunch of footsteps enter the room. “Okay, now.”
He jumped up from behind the console and fired off a round of bullets at the USARIC militia.
Thraa-a-tat-a-tat!
At least seven armed mercenaries returned fire, their random bullets smashing the furniture and walls to pieces.
Leif screamed and launched herself sideways, firing at them. Her bullets caught two USARIC militia in their legs. They dropped their weapons to the ground and screamed blue murder.
“Reloading!” Handax unbolted a side magazine from the machine gun’s housing and thumped it into the grip.
“Come out, now!” screamed a USARIC mercenary as bits of the console pinged and burst apart from the gunfire.
“No! Put down your weapons!” Handax screamed as he witnessed Leif try her luck. She launched her behind onto the console and blasted ten successive shots at the five remaining USARIC mercenaries, hitting two of them in the chest. The latter of them swung his arm to the console and pulled the trigger.
BAMM-SCHPLATT!
Leif’s forehead opened out like a flower as the bullet careened through her skull. The back of her head thumped against the console, killing her instantly. Her dead eyes stared at Handax as her grip loosened on her firearm.
“Leif, no,” Handax screamed and hulked the machine gun over the console, yanking on the trigger, “Die, you scumbags.”
Pow-pow-pow-pow-click-click-click-click.
Blind-firing got him two kills on the spot, leaving two injured USARIC mercs backing away from their fallen colleagues.
Handax threw the empty machine gun aside and reached for his handgun. He daren’t peer up from the console for fear of getting hit in the face by a stray bullet.
He slowed his breathing in a futile attempt to decelerate his heartbeat – the organ in question ready to jump up through his throat and shoot through his mouth.
“Is that all of them?” asked one of the mercenaries.
“I think so. That guy on the console. Headshot on the girl.”
“Good. Check the corners and clear the area.”
Handax kicked himself against the back of the console and checked his gun. He was so close to hyperventilating and giving himself away.
“What do we do about these damn cats?” a mercenary pointed to the petrified kitties cowering behind the debris.
“They’ll be here in ninety seconds. Mark the area as clear, then we execute.”
“No, no, no, no—” Handax whispered through the sweat forming on his lips. He turned to his left and saw a congregation of terrified cats look to him for rescue.
Clomp, clomp, clomp…
“Oh, God…” Handax knew it was a matter of seconds before the mercenary found him hiding. He took a final breath and booted the chair next to him away from the console. It provided a distraction as he jumped out from behind the console and unloaded his magazine.
BANG-BANG-BANG!
The approaching mercenary opened fire on the chair without compromise. The bullets tore through it, breaking it into sections across the ground.
Handax spotted his opportunity. He slid over the console and blasted the man in the back, busting apart his shoulder bone. The mercenary dropped the gun and hit the floor, dead.
“Oh, God. Moses,” Handax saw Moses’ corpse sprawled across the console. By his sneakers, Leif’s body had fallen to the ground. Both his friends were dead. “I… I…”
“—Sucks, doesn’t it?” came a voice.
“Huh?” Handax double-took and turned to a mercenary chuckling to himself at the entrance. He’d lost his weapon and wasn’t quick enough to reach the discarded firearm on the floor.
“Wh-what?”
“Both your friends, there. Dead. And then you go and kill one of mine.”
“But, but…”
“I guess that’s your buddy barbecuing out on the airfield, too, right?
Handax didn’t know how to respond. He stood still, flummoxed, and lifted his gun at the man’s face. He wondered why the mercenary wasn’t firing at him.
“You’re not going to shoot me,” the mercenary said. “Do you know why?”
Handax’s nerves got the better of him. He could barely keep the gun lifted. The anxiety reflected in his voice when he spoke. “No, why?”
“Because there’s only one way out for you. And that’s in a body bag with your friends. And, of course, all these furry little turds.”
“What…” Handax closed his eyes and shook away the sweat. “What is USARIC doing with these cats?”
“I dunno. Who cares,” the mercenary kicked himself away from the wall and approached the console. “I don’t ask questions. USARIC pays my wage and I get to feed my family. Do you know what they’re paying me to do, now?”