Dane Curse (18 page)

Chapter 34

As I stood at my window watching the sun sink behind Bittenbach Bay I thought it all over. Was it possible I was wrong about Mindgame’s involvement? Maybe. If he took a dose of Bleach it would explain why he didn’t have a mark on him. And if he somehow survived long enough, maybe he could’ve created what even Professor Varius couldn’t... a nullifier that worked on Pinnacle.

No. That story had more holes than a colander.

First off, how could Mindgame have lured Pinnacle downtown in his street clothes? And also, why didn’t he leave any evidence in the room? And what about the missing burn marks and bullet hole? Sorry SPECs, none of it adds up. Plus, I remembered how destroyed the schematics were, there’s no way a technician could’ve accurately gauged what was on them, and the fact that this fantasy nullifier was missing didn’t help.

No, it was far more likely my theory was correct, and Mindgame was a red herring meant to throw us off Lynchpin’s trail. Now all Monday had to do was get the autopsy results to prove I was right.

The sun had finally disappeared behind the ocean sending a cool wind blowing through the city. I normally find this time of night as pleasant as a foot rub, but all it did now was serve as a reminder of another day down with no hard answers. Things were moving too slow and too quick simultaneously, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that was a side effect from when Skip shifted my head through time. Either way I was getting antsy. There had to be someone I could engage on all of this. Someone who might be able to give me an opinion on everything that was going on. Someone in the know with information of their own.

Then it hit me: Sledge.

He’s a smart investigator, and plugged into the Sindicate. I could run my theory by him and get an objective opinion. Maybe see if he was kicked off the case, too. After all, he did promise to help.

I fished his address from my files and was at his place in no time, leaving Jane around the side of the building. All it took was a twenty’s worth of grease for the doorman, and up to the third floor I went.

I rang his bell, but there was no answer. I tried again and still nothing.

That left me two options— hang back and wait for him to come home, or let myself in and wait for him there. It was an important decision. One I felt that should be made indoors, so I pulled out my pick, and went to work.

The door swung open, and I stepped into the dark hallway. “Hey Sledge, it’s Dane. I come in peace.” There was no answer. I closed the door behind me. Once my eyes adjusted I walked down the hall, and into the living room. On the left was a large television, two leather couches, and an easy chair with its back facing me. To the right was the kitchen, and a dining nook with three chairs and one small table.

I looked for a light switch nearby, but came up empty, so I took a few steps into the living room to see if I couldn’t find something to illuminate the place. A bright beam of light cut through the blinds from below. It only lasted a second, but that was long enough to see “Sledge!” I leapt back. “Is that you?”

I hadn’t seen him from behind, but Sledge was sitting in the chair, slumped forward, with three empty scotch bottles at his feet. “Hey buddy, sorry to wake you,” I said, “are you feeling ok?” I’ve downed three bottles in one sitting before, and it’s knocked me out too, but Sledge wasn’t breathing, which even on a nasty bender is the one thing I always remember to do.

“Come on, not again…” I gave him a smack on the chops.

It hit wet.

I ran to the kitchen, found a switch, and flicked it on. My fingers were covered in blood. I sprinted back to the chair and spun it around for a closer look. Sledge’s one organic eye was open, dull, and dead, while the cybernetic one was black, and cold. The bloodstain on his chest was so massive it looked like he had a red napkin tucked into his shirt. Gently placing my hand under his chin I lifted it up to inspect the wound. His head flopped back like a Pez dispenser. The slice ran all the way back to his spine.

I looked around the room. There was no sign of a struggle. That meant one of two things: either there was so much Scottish running through his veins that Sledge couldn’t put up a fight, or he knew his killer. I wanted an answer, but I learned my lesson earlier at Mindgame’s. I had to get out quick. Before I could leave though, I had to eliminate any evidence that I was there, so grabbing a towel from the kitchen I wiped my prints off of everything I touched, then bolted for the door. As I did another burst of light came into the apartment.

This one was accompanied by a voice.

“We know you’re in there, put your hands up and come out peacefully!”

I ran to the window, and pulled the blinds aside. SPECs. Dozens of them. On the ground, in the sky, everywhere. I dropped the blinds and took a step back. A loud blast filled my ears as the wall exploded. It sent me flying over the couch. I landed hard, and came to a stop on my back.

“Perpetrator, this is Agent Dodd of the Special Powers Extraction Commission. You are ordered to drop all weapons, and exit the building with your hands up. Comply with the order and you will not be harmed.”

I turned over, and crawled behind the kitchen counter. Gunfire filled the room. Bullets knocked off chunks of wood and plaster above me. I looked at my chest. No blood, I was fine. I took a deep breath, removed the mask from my pocket, and fastened it over my eyes.

Then I pulled out Rico.

“That was a warning, come out peacefully or we will force compliance,” the Agent called out from below.

“That was a warning?” I yelled back.

“Suspect, come out with your hands up!”

I peeked around the corner. On the other side of the missing wall were a dozen SPECs, each hovering with their arm cannons aimed inward.

“Come out with your hands up, I will not tell you again.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. I’ve been in a few sieges before and the only thing they have in common is the ground crew always gets chatty. I don’t know why. All they have to offer is Impenetron or Ayers Hill, and both of those come in way behind attempting escape.

But the thing about escape is, it needs a route.

I knew the hole in the front was no good. That way was all teeth and claws. I looked toward the bedroom. There could be a backdoor, but if not I’d be boxed in worse than I was now, which left me only one choice; the way I came in.

Taking a deep breath I got to my feet, and sprinted towards the hall. The place came alive with lead before I got step one. Plants, the walls, every flat surface exploded upward like a pond in a rainstorm. I caught my fair share, but the SPECs were loaded with regular slugs so the only thing they were hurting were my threads.

When I was halfway across the living room it felt like a train clipped my thigh. I went down screaming. My leg burned bad. But I pushed through the pain, and bounced back up, scrambling sideways.

Just four more steps and I’d be safe.

Then another shot, just as strong as the last, caught my arm. I spun sideways, and again I went down. The pain was worse this time. My shoulder felt like it was on fire. But I could see safety. Ignoring the throbbing in my limbs I dove forward like I was stealing second, and when I slid to a stop I was in the hall.

For the moment they couldn’t reach me.

I got to my feet and the burning in my leg and arm got worse. I shook my clothes, and a dozen or so bullets fell out. Two of them didn’t look right. They had a familiar blue glow, and started burning a hole through the carpet. 
Azures
. The SPECs were using Azures. But how? The implications were grim, but I didn’t have time to ruminate. I sprinted toward the door, and with one punch, knocked it off its hinges.

“Hands up.”

“Suspect has emerged-”

More SPECs were waiting outside, two on the lower staircase, one up top, and all three had me dead to rights. I didn’t know if they were packing regular bullets or if they were loaded with the blue beasts so I raised my hands up high.

“Drop your weapon!”

“Don’t you move, you-”

“Look.” I scanned all three. “If I’m going to drop the gun I have to move. I won’t put up a fight, I promise. Just don’t shoot.”

“Drop the gun!” It was the SPEC up top. “On the ground. No funny stuff!”

“Ok,” I said, trying to sound gentle, “no funny stuff.” I knelt down. And slowly lowered my piece to the carpet. Then I leapt. Clearing the handrail I landed on the upper staircase. I grabbed the Agent there and knocked his gun arm to the side. Then I drove my head into his faceplate. It shattered and he went limp as I ran up the steps to the next level.

“Fire!”

The space between the stairwells exploded with artillery. A voice called out, “Damn it, Agent down, suspect is fleeing the scene.”

I reached the top of the stairs and stopped. There was a metal door that led to the roof. On the other side was freedom, and probably more than a few lawmen, although maybe not. They could be swarming through the front door, and rushing up to reinforce the three I left below. But there was only one way to find out for sure.

I kicked the door open, and took a step outside. It was worse than I thought.

Over twenty Agents were there to greet me, and if ever a moment called for witty banter it was now, but my tongue had gone thick, so I dropped to one knee, and started blasting. Two fell straight away. The rest returned fire. I shrugged off the attack and switched to explosive tips, taking out the rocket boots of the three nearest Agents. They tumbled from the sky, down to the street.

Two more advanced on my right. I turned to them, and fired twice, catching both in the chest. Then a shot clipped my temple. I ducked down, shielding it with my arm.

“He’s invulnerable!”

“Then aim for his eyes!”

“Who’s got the blue boys? The reds? Bring in the heavy ammo.”

I rolled forward, took aim at the guy talking, and with the last of my explosive tips brought him down.

“Pull back!” The twelve remaining Agents leapt into the sky, and retreated into three hovering clumps. There were four to my right, five to my left, and the rest straight ahead.

They all fired at once.

With a quick roll to the side I avoided the lion’s share, but what lead I caught was enough to trim my trousers. When I came to a stop I aimed at the group on the right, and generously gave them all of Rico’s target seekers. The ordinance twisted through the air and found its mark. Then they weren’t there anymore.

But the other eight still were, and they kept firing. It wasn’t hurting much. I took aim at the five boys on the left, and with a few well-placed stunners sent all of them down to their friends.

That meant only three SPECs left.

Then blue fire flashed in my periphery. Its impact filled my eyes with static. I spun around and pulled focus on the last group of Agents. Fully automatic blue flames spat from one of their arm cannons. It felt like someone was ironing my face as each shot caught me right in the kisser. Staggering back and screaming, I fired blind.

Another Azure clipped my shin. It ripped my legs out from under me, and I fell, catching the low wall on the ledge between my shoulder blades. The world was spinning. Before me an Agent stood, taking aim. I lifted Rico, and pulled the trigger.

All I heard was click, click, click, click.

“Damn it,” I said before two more Azures hit my gut.

“He’s empty.”

“It’s under control. Let’s clip him.”

I waited for them to advance, but the Agents stood their ground, and left me wondering which angle they’d take. I figured it out when a spotlight blinded me from above. I covered my eyes and looked up. A silver ship hovered there. It was bleeding fresh men. They floated down, and once their perimeter was secure the nearest one closed in.

He had a collar in his hand.

My mind went blank. There was only one option left.

I rolled over on the ledge, showing them my back, and slid my hands inside my jacket.

“Halt! Hands where I can see them.”

“I give up,” I said over my shoulder, “I surrender.”

“Show me hands. Get them up high!”

I spun over to face them. Rico was gone, and in my left hand I held Lois. I clicked off her safety, and she came to life glowing bright green. Her barrel doubled in size and length. I set the blast to scatter shot, took aim, and put my finger on the trigger. Two metal ribbons whipped from the butt of the grip. They snaked their way down my arm, crisscrossing each other in a latticework pattern that ran to my shoulder, onto my chest, and around my back. It would help spread the kick evenly.

My pistol’s green energy built up in slow motion. The SPECs started to scatter. It wouldn’t do them any good. They could run as fast as their rocket boots let them, and in half a second they wouldn’t be much more than scorched meat. Truth be told, I didn’t want to do it, but this was the only choice.

Then I felt the kick. But I hadn’t pulled the trigger. And Lois jerked to the left, not straight back like she should. A red mist sprayed from my wrist as an unfamiliar pain ran through my arm. I screamed, and when I looked down there was a small hole in my sleeve. Smoke rose from it as blood poured out.