A body fell from the rooftops, landing with bone-crunching force on the pavement.
"Headshot!"
Big Top and Rosy leaped back in defensive positions, weapons firing at the large figure that leaped down toward them. The rounds ricocheted off of Isaac's alloyed shell as he landed in a cloud of dirty snow.
Ronnie jumped to the side as Big Top and Rosy covered their retreat with strategic barrages. They were gone before she could draw her firearm.
Isaac glanced at her. "We pursuing?"
"No, we're not pursuing. Not openly anyway. I thought I told you not to come after me."
"Not on your life, Banks. We're partners. We do this together or not at all."
She smiled despite herself. "All right, partner. I have eyes in the sky tracking them. The priority is finding Nora Brewers before they do."
"What about the other girl? Mira."
"Jett found her. He says she's safe."
Isaac's metallic face was unreadable, but she heard the skepticism in his voice. "You working civilians now, Ronnie?"
"I didn't have a choice. Chief won't budge, and we're all there is. Jett knows the girl, and I trust him."
"Without cause. We don't know anything about him."
"He was like us. He upheld the law."
"He was a soldier. His unit was disbanded. They were guns for hire after that. Not exactly heroes."
"How would you know?"
"Research. You know I don't sleep. So I spend my free time investigating stuff. Things got ugly in those days. Really ugly. No telling what he did at the end when all hell was breaking loose. It was every man for himself."
"Then he froze for three hundred years and got a clean slate, Isaac. You really want to have this discussion now?"
"No, I guess not."
"Good." She glanced down at the body. "This their sniper?"
"Yeah."
"Jesus, Isaac. You took out a duly-sanctioned HC operative. There's gonna be blowback."
"What are they gonna do, unplug me? I've got nothing to lose, Ronny. Besides, these guys aren't human."
"Are you serious?" Ronny flipped Headshot over with her boot. Electric-blue fluid leaked from a gash in the back of his neck, glowing against the murky slush on the ground.
"Synoids? You gotta be kidding me."
"The most advanced I've seen. Had to run a scan on the guy to verify it. Couldn't tell just by looking."
She knelt, examining Headshot closer. "Yeah, the uncanny valley look is gone. Still can't put life in the eyes, though."
"That's not all. Speaking of your buddy Jett, these are clones of his old team. The Hellrazors. The last surviving members before the Cataclysm."
"That explains why I was looking at a carbon copy of Jett." She shook her head. "That was bizarre. I was really knocked for a loop until Jett called me. I thought maybe he had a secret life or something."
"Scab worker by day, kill squad leader by night?"
"Yeah, crazy. I know." She paused, staring at the direction the Hellrazors left. "This guy seemed a lot harder than the Jett I know. You know — dangerous."
"Maybe you don't know him so well. How does a synthetic copy of Jett walk around without his knowledge?"
"Let's find out." She tapped the datcom in her ear. "Call Jett."
His profile flashed on her holoband, but no visual projection. Just like the last time.
"Are you all right, Ronnie? What's going on?"
"Where are you? Why isn't your holo on?"
"I'm trying not to be tracked, so I'm sticking to audio. You said these guys are pretty rough."
"Right, good idea. Look — you said you found Mira?"
"Yeah. I'm taking her underground until things blow over."
"You think that's safe?"
"I know the sewers like the back of my hand. Trust me, there are all kinds of caverns no one knows about."
"Where are you now?"
"Headed away from the riots. Going to lay low until the coast is clear."
"You didn't see anyone else from the hit squad? Anyone you might… recognize?"
"No. Mira says someone took out the guys who were chasing her."
"Someone like who?"
"I don't know. Things are crazy out here. Can we talk about it later?"
"Yeah. Get somewhere safe, Jett. I'll check back with you when this is over."
She cut off the connection and glanced at Isaac. "Can you track his signal?"
He blinked, electric eyes glimmering as he stared at a readout she couldn't see. "Yes. Looks like he's heading home. Why the interest?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. Too many questions right now."
"Well, the answers are out here. And right now they're getting away from us."
"You're right." She flipped over to the tracking screen on her holoband, where Big Top and Rosy were displayed via feed from the probe tailing them. "I think we gave those two enough time to think they got away. Let's pick up the trail and see where they lead us."
Incognito buzzed over. "I have a bead on two more squad members, Vigil."
Vigil hesitated, dreading the thought of another encounter with the synthetic ghosts of his past. Damn you, Golding. Whenever he caught up with the man, he'd make him pay for what he did. He imagined Golding somewhere in the Haven. Watching, a dry smile on his face. Somehow Vigil knew he was watching. The city had eyes everywhere, and Golding Enterprises was responsible for most of them.
Put it behind you, soldier. Nothing you can do about it right now. Focus on the mission.
"Where are they?"
"The Breaks. I'm tracking them through the city security cams. Sending the location."
"Okay, I'm close by. Trying to get the hang of these boot thrusters."
"Push off when you jump and when you land. The rest will come to you."
"Got it." He tapped the boot icon on his g-span op screen as he leaped off a rooftop. The sensation was like a trampoline jump as the thrusters hit and lifted him three times further than normal. Another tap when he touched down prevented a hard landing. He staggered, regained his balance, jumped again. And again. And again, until he sailed between buildings like a sleek metallic bird, leaving glittering trails of ice and vapor in his wake. Passing unnoticed by the shouting, violent masses below as they clashed with robotic Peacekeepers and one another.
"They're in the next alley. Big fight going down."
Vigil never slowed, dropping straight down after another assisted leap. All he saw was a mass of heaving bodies before he landed right in the middle, bowling over several as he landed. Everyone wore masks and baggy black ensembles emblazoned with silver scythes, marking them as members of the Grim Reaper Posse, rivals of the Crimson Kings.
Vigil struck hard and fast, using the charged g-spans to deliver electrifying punches left and right. In the middle of the wildly shifting attackers, he nearly missed the two other assailants fighting from the other end of the mob. But unlike him, they were killing people, mowing them down without mercy. His heart sank when he saw them. One was large and muscular, firing a heavy machine gun in tight, methodical bursts. The other was small and lithe, firing handguns with lethal accuracy. A ballistic mask completely obscured her features, but he knew her face as well as his own. He knew both of them. Or had, when they were alive.
Beef and Jisei.
Tatsu. The memories flooded. Waking up to morning light on her face, the rare smiles she gave to him like secret gifts when they were alone…
No, they're dead. These are just cheap imitations. And you have to take them down.
"Proto. Activate Riot Control."
"Charging."
He kicked the nearest attacker back and held out his hands. His display lit up with targets, focusing the crosshairs on every person's head. The g-spans flooded with blue light before discharging multiple blasts from each fingertip. Once, twice, three times in rapid succession. Nearly thirty bodies dropped as the concussive force struck in explosions of azure energy.