The grenade caught ’em both easy, brightenin’ the alley like the mother sun. Wind and grit snapped past me, yankin’ my hair this way and that, but I moved right out inta the blast, takin’ a deep breath of roasted meat and metal. Gods I was hungry.

The baked ground cracked beneath my boots, but I paid it no never mind. I wanted to see my work! My first target—a long-legged beauty—had gotten away, and everyone else had been blown clear to pieces. I was hopin’ one of these boys was tough enough to stay more togetha.

I found the dip of the blast and sauntered down the edge. The smoke was thick and fulla tricks, but I found ’em, sure enough. I stepped over the first body and straddled it like a lunar looly, hair droopin’ at my sides.

“Wooeee, friend, but ya look a mess!”

The body was cracked and torn, ragged bits of armor fizzlin’ as its mirror cells tried to make matches and failed.

I clucked my tongue.

“Ya had some toys, fella.” I reached down to touch the phantom plate only to singe my fingers. “Sweet Core, man, but you are hot!”

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I tugged on a thermal glove before goin’ explorin’ again, rollin’ the corpse round until I found three knives strapped to its back. When I picked ’em up they started hummin’—least the first one did, the other two blew out quick, so I tossed them. I flipped my new steel pokey from hand to hand, likin’ the way it felt.

“Why thank ya, friend.” I gave the charred body a lopsided grin. “Looks like old Keb owes ya a favor. Ya just name it and it’s yours.” The corpse only sizzled in response, and I laughed. “Have it your way.”

The smoke broke, and what was lefta the screamer leapt at me, yellin’, spittin’, dyin’. My pistol gave it two new eyes and a nose just for fun. The beastie fell back, and I holstered my gun.

“Now what do ya think you’re doin’?”

I stepped over Mr. Bashful and round to the animal. The thing was still managin’ to croak and gasp, floppin’ round like it had somewhere to be.

Damned if I didn’t snort in admiration.

“Ya may be one ugly critter, but by Core ya keep on comin’.” The three holes I made in its face looked at me, and its mouth opened to make one last gasp. Then I heard a clang and looked down to see my new knife layin’ on the ground. Even stranger, my fingers and legs felt prickly numb, and my throat burned awful fierce. That’s when I realized that there was a line of somethin’ sharp and sticky in my neck, and then I was fallin’ but not movin’ and—

shzzzzzt