It was 4am by the time we got prepped and left the building I was held in, and the General had organised a couple of cars and an escort for us as we were on the other side of the city to where the shuttle station was located with shuttles waiting to get us back to the dock in orbit.
The city was eerily quiet, the residents still asleep waiting for the sun to mark a new day, and the low hums of the cars grew louder as they approached and stopped in front of us. The reflection of the city lights cast off the pristine body work, helping them to blend into the landscape of the city.
“We’re not going in the same cars?” I asked as the General waved Henderson into one vehicle and me the other.
“You’re the one with the bounty. You’ll draw them out,” Said the General as he hopped in his vehicle.
Great, just being used as bait at this rate, I thought as I slammed the car door shut.
The cars peeled out and began the journey across the city, keeping several metres apart as they cruised along the empty streets.
“Hope you guys are ready,” I said half jokingly.
“Should be smooth sailing,” the driver joked in return.
The buildings started to get closer and taller, signalling our exit from the industrial areas to the more dense city centre. The streets started to get busier as early risers hit the streets and it made me more nervous - more people, more potential threats to eventuate.
Although I was riding in the back, I kept my eyes peeled ahead, watching the car in front of us. We were only ten blocks away from the shuttle terminals before it all started to turn to shit.
The car in front gracefully veered onto the curb, like it was being purposefully pulled over until a sudden bang of impact into a storefront. No sudden braking, no sudden swerve. Whatever happened to the driver of the car was sudden.
A sharp turn tumbled me across the backseat of the car as the driver decided to duck down a side street. I grabbed my pistol that Henderson unlocked for me just as the driver started to slow down. I could see him reach into his jacket while watching his rear view mirror.
“You’re not are you?” I said in disbelief.
“It’s a million Nuvora coins, nothing personal.”
As far as I knew, he was unaware that I had been gifted a pistol. As he came close to a stop he pulled his hand out of his jacket and began to turn in his seat. I instantly unloaded a barrage of bullets into his seat and flung the back door open, before turning and unleashing more through the window. The anger may or may not have made me go overboard.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Looking up and down the road there were no other cars, the convoy had been split up and as far as I knew I was on my own again.
A sharp screech echoed down the street as I pulled the officers body out of the drivers seat, my plan to take his car up in the air once I saw it wasn’t the same type as the convey cars. They came to a halt just up the road before five people piled out of it, unleashing their own wave of bullets.
I ran to the back of the car, bullets whipping by me and shards of glass dropping like snowflakes as I was pinned down. I had no where to go. Trapped behind the heap of junk in the middle of the road, I blindly held the pistol over the body and let it rip, giving myself a quick moment to make a break for the sidewalk where I could use a number of things for cover.
I ran for it and instantly had bullets whirling by me again, I tripped, slamming against the pavement but managed to scurry to the closest bit of cover.
Out of nowhere, more would-be bounty hunters arrived. Word was out, and a firefight in the street only made it more easy for others to find me. My only option was to run and shoot and pray for the best.
A few quick honks of a horn called my attention to an intersection, it was Henderson and a sudden glimpse of survival kicked me into gear. She covered me as I sprinted to the car before she hopped into the drivers seat.
“What the hell happened to your driver?” I asked as she floored it.
“Tried to kill me,” she said with a smile, “how about yours?”
“Yeah, the same,” I replied as I began to laugh. I started to lose count of the times I had been shot, shot at, stabbed, sliced, knocked unconscious, and passed out, that it had become numerous.
“Okay Carter, I think you’ve become as crazy as the rest of us now. You’re truly Miltech now,” she laughed.
By the time we had pulled up to the terminals, more of Fletchers mercenaries and bounty hunters were hot on our tail. I’m not too sure how she did it, just being a fucking nutcase I guess, but Henderson was still in heels, walking backwards and picking them off with ease. One by one.
“Quick let’s go,” I shouted to Her as we closed in on a shuttle.
While she graciously ran in heels I was dealing with a reluctant shuttle operator who I had to trial out a pistol whip on to make him comply.
“Go now,”I shouted as Henderson jumped into the shuttle and I cover fired until the doors hissed shut and thrusters kicked in.. not before the shuttle got peppered by bullets in a last ditch attempt to take us down. Lucky for us, enough distance had been put between us and it just sounded like some relaxing rain on a tin roof.
—-
The space dock was trashed, remnants of its own battle evident from the sparks flying off damaged circuits, burn marks from explosions, debris scattered, and lifeless bodies strewn across the floor.
We quickly paced across the dock to the outer curve, where the Mortifera was docked. As we got closer there was a small squad, fully kitted out in Miltech battle-suits that stood at attention as we approached.
“Ma’am. Sir. I’m Major Hamilton of the Nuvora platoons assigned to tour with the Mortifera,”
Henderson thanked them and ordered them onto their accompanying ship. “Major Hamilton, undock your ship immediately once you’re aboard and connect to my Comms channel.
Being back on the bridge of the Mortifera felt empowering and safe, like no harm could happen now, though it felt lacking from the absence of both Jeremy and Ro.
“Major is the dock clear of all civilians like I asked?” Called Henderson over the comms channel to Major Hamilton.
“Yes ma’am,” he responded.
“Good, we’re going to blow the fucking thing up,” commanded SecMajor Henderson. “That’ll set them back a few decades.”
Several pulses and bright flashes occurred simultaneously, the Mortifera dealt a parting blow and out of all the crazy things Henderson had ordered, so far this was the one I agreed with and hoped the General would see reason in.