Chapter Twenty Five

Geraldo had heard the gunshot, followed by the perimeter alarm, only then did he start to get up off the floor. He froze when the door opened and a seeker mech scampered in. It paused for only a moment before it clicked over to him.

Geraldo held out his hands and flinched when the cold metal of the machine antenna wrapped around his face before it began to scan him. He kept his eyes open and as still as he possibly could. The mech released him and moved on to the apartment's bathroom before it finally left.

Geraldo let out a slow unsteady breath. His head throbbed with the beat of his heart, a rhythmic drum just past his skull. He got up and moved to the window slowly, on unsteady feet.

Outside was a swarm of Cy-Tech vehicles and personnel. He stepped back from the window as a gun ship pivoted around the building, the pilot obscured behind black ominous glass.

“Do not leave your apartments.” A voice boomed from a loudspeaker. “Stay inside and await physical inspection of your dormitory.”

Geraldo cursed and turned away from the window. He was trapped in the apartment, unable to pressure Gabriela. If he were to leave, he knew the mechs would subdue him or worse. Gabriela was at the mercy of Cy-Tech.

If only she had surrendered to him, then she would be in Taurus’s custody. Despite his suspicions of her, and her attack against him, he didn’t wish for her to end up in the custody of corporate mercenaries.

To make matters worse for him, Gabriela had taken his gun, as well as the evidence he needed to prove his case against her.

There was something off about her story, something that didn’t make sense to him, it was too well-rehearsed.

Geraldo quickly made his way over to the cluttered kitchen counter and riffled through the collection of discarded food containers. He found the receipt she had told him about, just as the door was thrown open.

Armor-clad Cy-Tech officers filed into the room, shouting for Geraldo to get down on the ground. He slipped the receipt into his back pocket as he complied, prostrating himself once more on the floor of Gabriela’s apartment.

The officers secured the room, while two officers cuffed his hands behind his back before they wrenched him to his knees.

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“Well, well,” a familiar voice said. “I thought I smelled vicilin.”

Geraldo looked up at the cold green eyes of Kristopher Andrews. He smiled down at him.

“Helping a fugitive is a class two felony, Detective Montes,” Andrews said with a smile. “I’m sure you know that?”

Geraldo looked away from Andrews and ground his teeth. It was going to take intervention from Taurus to get him out of Cy-Tech custody. He knew nothing he could say would get Andrews to release him. There was too much circumstantial evidence. He was in her apartment, she was on the run, and she had his gun.

“What?” Andrews tutted, “No witty come back?”

“If you want my come back,” Geraldo growled and looked back up at the man. “Then go scrape it from your mother’s teeth.”

“Funny.” Andrews said with sneer. Before he slammed his fist into Geraldo’s face.

Geraldo grunted as his head flew back from the impact. Blood streamed down his face and filled his mouth. He leaned forward and spat thick crimson blood onto the floor.

An officer came up behind Andrews and whispered something into his ear.

“Are you sure?” Andrews asked the officer. The gleeful malice in his eyes was replaced by something more primal.

The officer nodded before he took a step back.

“Where is she?” Andrews demanded.

“You lost her?” Geraldo looked back up at him and laughed. “Not even you can be that big of a fuck up.”

The air rushed from Geraldo’s lungs when Andrews landed a kick to his stomach. Geraldo slumped forward and soundlessly gasped for breath.

Andrews knelt down in front of him and lifted his head up, holding his face in his hand.

“Listen, you crippled fuck.” He sneered. “I am going to ask you one more time, and if you don’t give me the answer I want then I will beat it out of you, do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.” Geraldo gasped.

“Where is Gabriela Fohren?”

“I don’t know.”

Andrews shook his head.

“Wrong answer.” He grabbed Geraldo’s shirt to hold him steady.

“I mean it.” Geraldo flinched when Andrews brought his fist back a second time. “I don’t know where she is or where she is going. I wasn’t here to help her.”

Andrews paused his hand still in the air. “Then why are you here?”

“She’s the subject of an official Taurus inquiry.”

“What inquiry?”

“That’s protected corporate information, you know that.”

Andrews let his fist down and sighed.

“Get him up.” He motioned to the two officers at Geraldo’s side to pick him up. Geraldo winced in pain as they lifted him to his feet.

“I’m going to make some calls. If your story doesn’t pan out then your crippled ass is in a world of hurt.” He turned to his officers. “Take him to headquarters.” Andrews ordered.

The officers drug him from the apartment.