Crusade For Vengeance (Dark Vengeance Book 2) (14 page)

The bar was dark, close and humid, stinking of too many people in too small a space.  The sticky floor underneath Button’s boots explained the stale beer aroma underpinning it all.  Tall, with an average build, he slid his way past the groups of drinkers towards the bar.  It was midway through the evening and most of the patrons were on their third or fourth drink.  Some, who were a little unsteady on their feet, realised when they bumped into Button, there was no fat on his frame, only solid muscle.

People were three deep at the bar waiting to be served.  Button took his place in the queue with easy patience.  The bar hadn’t stinted on the staff and they were experienced enough not to skip people in the queue.  People rattled through their drink orders until a small space appeared in front of Button.  He managed to squeeze an elbow onto the bar.

Catching the eye of the bartender looking after his area, he flashed her a twenty sov note to let her know he was waiting and settled back for his turn.  Those who arrived before him got served as was their due, then she turned to him.

“What’ll it be?”

“Pint of ale, please!” he shouted to be heard over the din of music and conversation.  She turned away to fulfil his order and a strong hand grabbed his upper arm from behind.  Button glanced back before reacting more violently.  He smiled when he saw the tall, blonde woman.  Snatching her wrist he pulled her through the crowd and into a hug.

“Cus!” he said happily.  “Glad you could make it. Have you got a drink yet?”  Those around him may have objected, but not only was she stunningly attractive, her shoulders were also wider than his own.  They weren’t made from the cut muscle of a body builder, but the sleek lines of a lethal fighter.  Something well recognised in the bars in this part of the city.

“Yep, and I’ll happily take another,” she told him.

“You got it,” he turned back to the bar and, as luck would have it, the bartender was just returning with his pint.  “Sorry.  Could I have another of those please?”  He passed her enough cash to pay for them both.  With a nod she handed him his drink and went off to pour a second.

“Have you got us a table?” he asked his cousin and took a sip of the beer.  “Hmmm, that’s good.”

She nodded.  “Over in the back corner.”

“Excellent, and here’s yours.”  Button passed the pint over to his cousin and waved the change away.  “Keep it.”  He told the bartender before following his cousin.

With easy grace, she moved through the crowd back to her table.  A half-drunk pint and her coat lay across it, to show it was taken.  Button smiled at the thought of anyone even thinking they could take it while she met him.

Sliding in opposite each other, they both settled in and took a drink.  It was quieter here and easier to talk, also under the coat would be a very sophisticated anti-listening device.

“Good to see you Julianna, it’s been too long.”

“You’re right there, Chao.  Were you followed?”

His laugh in reply was completely genuine.  “Only if they were tracking you.  No one tails a Devil unless they want you to and then it’s only to hand out a very nasty surprise.”

“Alright, alright.  We can’t all have spent decades being trained by the Legion.  Where did they send you off to this time?”

“Shadow Company has been bouncing all over the place for the last couple of years.  Ever since we lost Major Carter on Furioso, they’ve kept us very busy.  The last few months haven’t been fun.  We’ve been on New Titan on a training mission and believe me, that place is as cold as its name sake.  Anything new on your front, Jules?”

“No.  Completely the opposite, Billy had us keeping our heads down for the last couple of years.  I’ve been stationed here permanently as the Cell leader.  Arlene, my Intel Officer and the only survivor from the sweeps after Furioso, and I have been rebuilding.”

“How bad was it?” he asked seriously.

“I have never gotten as close to being captured.  If you hadn’t given me the name of that guy, I don’t think we would have survived.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more, the entire Legion was on lock down.  No leave, nothing.  Even the Devils were kept on a very tight leash.”

“What you did kept us alive, so don’t worry about it.  You spoken to your mother?”

“Hah.  Not a chance.  The Privileged son who runs off to join the Legion as a Private soldier?  Not only that, but in over sixty years, never accepts a promotion.  She wouldn’t see me on her deathbed and that’s a very long way off.  Sometimes, I think refusing to use the family name annoys her the most.”

“Or it gives her the most pleasure you’re not dragging it through the mud by being Private Rousey.”

“True.  Who knows?  What about your Dad?  Have you managed to get word to him?  You know he worries and he’ll keep it quiet.”

“What do I say?”  Julianna threw her hands up into the air.  “By the way Dad, your little girl is alive and has joined the Rebellion?”  She shook her head.  “Oh, and it’s all cousin Chao’s fault.  His war stories put ideas into my head.”

“If you’re going to get into trouble, you might as well drag me in.  This black sheep can’t get any deeper into the Family’s bad books.”

“Anyway, enough about a family who would like absolutely nothing to do with us.  Do you have any new contacts for me?”  Julianna asked.

“Right of course.  I might have excited you with my stories, but you’re the one who dragged me into recruiting for the Rebellion.  Who’s the one to blame?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she laughed and waggled her fingers at him.  “Gimme.”

He rolled his eyes and slid the flash drive over the table to her.  “With all the rushing around they’ve had us doing, I’ve found some good ones scattered all over the place for you.”

“Excellent.  What about Shadow Company?  Any luck there?”

“Come on, Jules,” he said shaking his head.  “I’ve told you before.  Those guys and girls are hard core.  They may not love the Privileged, but they would have followed Major Carter into a Black hole.  With Forlani picked as her replacement, there is no way they would go against her.  If the Legion brought someone new in to run the Company, we might have a chance, but not with Forlani running the show.”

“OK, Chao.  I hear you,” she pointed at his glass.  “Looks like you’re running low.  Same again?”  She’d finished her original pint and was well into her second.

His own was nearing the end and he nodded.  “Yeah, sounds good.”

“Alright, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”  Taking her glass, she headed to the bar and Button chuckled when he saw a few admiring glances going her way.  Those doing the admiring looked over to where she came from.  They swiftly diverted their gazes to their drinks under Button’s stern gaze.  It was completely false, he trained his younger cousin personally while she grew up.  There was not a single person in this bar she couldn’t handle.  Himself excluded anyway.

Leaning back and relaxing a bit he sipped at his pint.  Determined to eke it out until Julianna returned with a fresh one.  What made her join the Rebellion he wasn’t sure.  He knew she loved his stories when he was back on leave and she hadn’t even turned ten, but he thought she’d follow him into the Legion.

When he heard she died in an aircar accident he was devastated.  His uncle Eli, Julianna’s father, was the only one in their family to support him.  As a young man on leave and unable to go to his parents, Eli took Button in.  He and Julianna became a surrogate father and sister to him.

Ten years after the accident, Julianna approached him and, after a very long and loud argument, convinced him to join the Rebellion as a Legion recruiter.  While he reminisced, his eyes scanned the crowd, partly an instinctive response to search for threats, but also admiring the women who weren’t his cousin.

A tall bald man with tattoos on his arms moved some people out of his way, not aggressively, but with the promise of it if they didn’t do as he wanted.  Someone stepped past him, through the gap he created.  The shock hit Button harder than even a Pulse round to the chest.  Without thinking he was out of his seat and moving through the crowd as fast as he could.

He wasn’t gentle this time.  He left a number of wet backs and chests from spilled drinks in his wake.  Reaching the door leading outside, he slowed enough so it didn’t slam open and stepped outside.  Looking up and down the street, he caught sight of the tattooed man going down an alley.  The moment the man was hidden from view, Button sprinted to the corner and glanced round carefully.

He was just in time to see the bald man turn down a second alley further in.  Again Button sprinted forward and stopped.  Cautiously, Button peeked round.  A hand grabbed his jacket collar and yanked him clear round the corner, catching him completely by surprise.

Over sixty years combat experience came to the fore.  His fist lashed out in reflex, only to be blocked.  Before he could attempt a second move, he was slammed bodily against the wall so hard, the breath was blasted from his lungs.  His eyes snapped open and he froze as he stared into two cold, hazel eyes.

“Major!” he gasped, almost not being able to believe what he was seeing.  Standing in front of him, and holding him feet off the floor against the wall with one hand, was Major Carter.  She looked different.  There was none of her customary warmth in her eyes.  They were colder than the most ruthless killer Button ever met.  He had no doubt it was her.  The woman’s strength alone was proof.

“You’re alive,” in the back of his head, Button kicked himself, the shock causing him to state the obvious.  “How is it possible?”  His brain managed to take control of his mouth.  “Shit.  Have I interrupted a mission?”  It was the only explanation.  She must have been sent on deep cover after Furioso.

The Major lowered him slightly so his feet were back on solid ground.  Her pistols were still in her holsters on her thighs, but he didn’t even consider trying anything.

“No.”  The words almost grated out of her mouth.  It was like she was struggling to control herself.  “No missions.  No more.  Only one.”  He could see moisture in her eyes.

“Put him down.  Now!”  Julianna stood at the alleyway entrance with a Mag pistol pointed at the Major’s head.

“Don’t kill her.  Please.”  Button demanded as quickly as he was able.

“Why?” his cousin demanded.

Button didn’t move his head from where his eyes we’re locked with the Major’s.

“I’m not talking to you, Jules.  Lower the gun.  Slowly.”

“What?” the confusion was obvious in her voice and Button couldn’t blame her, but right now he was terrified for one of the only members of his family he actually cared about.

“Do it now,” he said as calmly as he could manage.  “Trust me.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw the gun lower and there was an almost imperceptible relaxing in the Major’s stance.

“Guv?”  Button wanted to scream in frustration.  This alleyway seemed to be a major Speedway tonight.  The tattooed man stood at the other end.  Fortunately he hadn’t drawn his weapon and Julianna didn’t raise hers.  “Everything alright?”

The Major gently let go of Button’s jacket and stepped back.  “Don’t tell anyone you’ve seen me, Button.  You owe me.”  It was a demand with absolutely no give in it.

“You have my word,” he told her and meant it.  Nodding, she turned her back on them and walked out, passing the tattooed man, coat flapping around her.  He looked wonderingly at Button for a brief moment and followed.

“You alright?” Julianna asked.  “Who was she?”

Button’s heart was slamming against the inside of his chest as rapidly as it did in full combat.

“Did you get those drinks?”

“Yeah, they’re on the table.”

“Good.  I need one.”

Back at their table, Button downed half the pint before looking at his cousin.

She was gazing at him with concern.  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

There was very little humour in Button’s laugh.  “You have no idea how right you are.”

“Who was she and why did you tell her not to kill me when I had her dead to rights?”  She was obviously confused, angry and concerned.  She could tell he had been afraid.

“That woman is the most dangerous person you could ever meet.  She could have killed us both easily, like stepping on ants.  I can see the look you’re giving me, Jules.  Trust me I’ve seen her do it more times than I would care to remember.”

“Who was she, Chao?”

Button ran his hand through his hair.  Just minutes ago made a promise but something told him this was not what the Major meant.

“You just met Major Valerie Carter, my old CO.  The one who we were told died on Furioso.”

Julianna sat back and started to say something before stopping herself.  Button could see her sorting through questions and discarding them.

“OK.  If they covered up her death she must be hunting the Rebellion.”

“No,” Button shook his head.  “Whatever is going on, it has nothing to do with the Legion.”

“How can you tell?  What did she say?”

“Not much, but I have never seen her like that in over forty years.  She was...” he paused.  “She was in pain.  Pain like I have never seen before.  When I mentioned the missions...  I can’t explain it, it was the way she reacted.  I think the higher ups believe she’s dead as well.”