“They’ll do anything for sufficient credits,” Tam muttered.
She didn’t let the merc disrupt her focus though she gave him credit for trying. “So you’ll be a little tougher to kill than anticipated. I’m not afraid of hard work.”
“Not according to your dossier. I’ve been curious, though. Did they tally up your body count? I’ve always thought it seemed low.”
She slashed a chain toward him, but he was already sliding to the side, and it slammed into the wall behind him in a cascade of sparks. “Sorry, not telling. I have my secrets.”
If I can’t fight him the normal way, then I need to shift my attack strategy.
“You can trust me.”
Dred laughed at that. “The only person on station I trust less than you is Mungo.”
“That’s the one who eats people?”
“Then you understand your place in the hierarchy.”
“That’s harsh. The crazy one with the bone chair doesn’t seem as if she could be relied upon in a crisis.”
The conversation made it hard for her to focus on killing, doubtless what he intended. He had been circling, watching her defenses, and soon he’d go on the offense. Since this fight could not end in clemency, she had to figure out how to take Vost out.
“He drops his shoulder when he’s considering a strike,” Tam said softly.
“Unfair,” Vost chided.
She smirked. “It’s not interference. It’s an insight.”
“Thanks for the tip.” Vost etched a mocking salute at Tam, and then he slashed toward her, each knife slicing the air until she swore it made a sound.
She whipped her chains around as a defensive measure; it would take someone stronger and faster to get inside her defenses when she was braced for a strike. A lesser opponent would already be bleeding from half a dozen cuts. If I used blades instead of chains, I don’t think I could keep him at bay. She feinted a blow, and he dodged, allowing her to land the true snap at his ankle. He flinched when metal slammed into bone, but he was tough enough to shake off the pain. The strike left her off-balance, and he slashed a cut down her left arm. Hot blood trickled from the wound, slicking the metal length of the chain.
“That looks painful.”
She snarled a smile. “How’s your leg holding up?”
One of the mercs said softly, “They’re pretty evenly matched. Should I shoot her?”
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 ass**les 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?”