Reason For Vengeance (Dark Vengeance Book 1) (37 page)

Tumbler opened her mouth to say something to Sneaker and Valerie drew her pistol smoothly.  She shot Tumbler cleanly in the head, aiming precisely so that the bullet went straight past Sneaker, but his leg was splattered by blood, bone and brain matter.

“Shit, Valerie!” Sneaker exclaimed reeling back.  “What the fuck!”

“She did as you asked.”  Valerie explained matter of factly.  She turned away and walked towards Hanna.  “She got a clean death as you promised.”

“You could have fucking warned me!”  Sneaker shouted at her back.  “You almost blew my leg off.”

Valerie paused and turned towards Sneaker.  “There was no way she was going to live one second longer than necessary.”  She could feel the chill was back in her voice.  She tried to bring some warmth into it.  “I don’t miss at that range.  Your leg was in no danger.”  Sneaker evidently wasn’t happy with that and Valerie couldn’t find anything in her to care.

She went and sat next to Hanna.  “What can you see?”  Valerie asked her and this time there was genuine warmth without her needing to try.

Hanna was curled up in the corner, her legs tucked under her and the datapad on her lap.  It reminded Valerie distinctly of just how she would have sat at home with Tom.  He would be watching Blitzball, with Daphne and Bobbie off to one side playing with their toys, maybe designing and building a Space Station out of Components.

In a way, she should hate Hanna for stirring these memories she could not deal with and wanted to block out.  It wasn’t quite like that though, she felt it caused a connection to her family.  One that still elicited indescribable hurt and heartache, but it was also good for her to remember them again.

“There’s a whole bunch of Tumbler’s people hanging around a few floors down.”  Hanna said without looking up.  “It looks like they heard Sneaker’s announcement and are arguing about it.  No, there they go,” she looked up at Valerie.  “They’re heading downstairs.”

Valerie nodded and turned away from Hanna to stare down the room.  All the emotions she felt during the assault and its aftermath were now draining away.  She could feel the numbness returning and she had a real need for a drink, to return to the bar.

Getting no response from Valerie, Hanna looked back to the datapad and manipulated the controls.  “Yep, so are the others I ‘ve found.”

“What about those working on the doors?”  Sneaker asked as he came over from behind.

“There are no working cameras in the security room.  I do have one down the corridor and the door’s open.”  Hanna explained.  “I can see people in there.  A man stepped out and looked at the camera during your broadcast.  He’s now gone back inside and no one else has left.”

“OK, I think it is time we checked out that aircar.”  Sneaker said and Valerie could feel his eyes on her.  He was expecting a response and she didn’t have the energy.  He paused for some time.  Valerie saw Hanna glance up at her out of the corner of her eye.  Still she could not bring herself to answer Sneaker.

“Rush,” he called.  “Let’s go and make sure our ride out of here is in working order.”  Valerie heard them go.  With Hobbs down the other end going through Tumbler’s office for valuables, it left Hanna and her alone. 

Several times she could see Hanna looking up at her from the datapad.  In a way she reminded Valerie of Edel from the Mulgrew clan, but Hanna wasn’t scared of her.  Hanna knew from when Valerie rescued her, the heist and what Hanna saw today, just what she was capable of.  Yet there was no fear only a hesitancy born of something else.

The girl had a kind heart.  Valerie had a very good idea of what life must have been like for Hanna growing up in Inferno’s Ghetto.  Valerie saw many children who grew up on the streets, turn into the Tumblers and Gaunts of this universe.  Hanna had somehow been able to choose a different path.  Valerie sensed she dragged her friend Deni along with her.  The two of them held a bond as strong as sisterhood

Finally Hanna overcame whatever was holding her back.  “Thank you.”

It was not what Valerie had been expecting and it pierced the numbness.  “I don’t leave people behind,” she said without moving.

“I know that.  That’s not what I meant.”  Hanna said as though searching for the right words.  “Well, I do, but more than that.  I heard what you said to Tumbler.”

Valerie looked up at Hanna and was surprised to see her through a veil of tears.  Only three times had she cried in front of anyone since she was a little girl.  The first had been on her wedding day and the other when each of her babies were handed to her.

Not being able to see Hanna’s face through the tears, Valerie got a good idea from the girl’s body language, Hanna was even more surprised than Valerie.  “Erm, I meant thank you for calling me your friend.”

Valerie looked away and shrugged ever so slightly.  “It’s not important.”

“I think it is.”  Hanna said firmly.  “I learnt a long time ago that friendships are important.  I don’t have many of them.”

For no reason that made any sense to Valerie, Hanna’s comment actually made her chuckle.  “You have no idea girl.”

“I may not be centuries old, but I know what I know.”  Hanna said with an edge of anger.  “Don’t talk down to me like I’m some child.”

No, there was certainly no fear there.  “That’s not what I meant either.”  Valerie said with a sigh, still not looking at Hanna.  “I’ve lived for over a century and I can tell you that friendships are important, even more than you think.  I thought that I now had none, so I am proud to call you friend.”

“Well you have more than one.  Sneaker, Rush…”

“No.”  Valerie said emphatically, looking directly at Hanna.  “Sneaker is a good boss and loyal.  He might even be a good man.  Don’t ever forget that he has his own agenda, his own reasons for doing what he does.  If your path diverges too far from his, he will part ways.  Don’t ever forget that.  I do trust him, but only within those conditions.”

“I know.”  The girl said nodding.

A beeping came from the communications desk, Valerie walked over to it and pushed the answer button.  “What is it?” she said brusquely.

“It’s Crowther,” a voice came back.  “We think we’re just about ready to open the doors.”

“OK, don’t do anything until I say so.  Understood?”

“Understood.”  Crowther said, tension clear in his voice.

Valerie activated her own com.  “Sneaker, it’s Carter.  Crowther has called and said they can open the doors.  How does it look up there?”

“That’s good news,” he came back.  “The aircar is good to go and Rush is powering it up now.”

“Hanna?”  Valerie said looking over to the girl.  “Did you hear that?”

“Yep, it’s all clear.”  The girl said without looking up from the datapad.  “Despite that blind spot leading all the way here, I can account for everyone.  They’re either on the ground floor or working on the doors.  I tagged everyone Sneaker caught on the cameras since you took the Security Room.  I can confirm they’re either dead or where we need them to be.”

“Good work.  Can you walk?”

“Try and stop me,” Hanna said with a grin.  “I’m getting the blazes out of here.”

“Hobbs,” Valerie called.  “Grab what you’ve got and let’s go.  You take point up to the hanger and I’ll follow with Hanna.”

He nodded in reply, shouldered the half full bag of loot and without a word jogged up passed Valerie to pause at the doors, while Hanna pulled herself painfully to her feet.  Valerie sync’d Tumbler’s communication desk to her wristcomp and drew her pistols.

“Sneaker,” she called on her com.  “We’re coming to you.”

“OK, he answered.  “We’re ready to go as soon as you get here and they open the doors.”

With Hobbs leading them ten metres in front, Valerie just behind Hanna, they moved slowly down the corridor and up the stairs.  Hanna was obviously struggling as they walked and they matched her pace.  Valerie’s instinct was to carry Hanna and she resisted.  The girl obviously didn’t want any help.  They were also still very much within enemy territory.  If Hanna missed any of Tumbler’s goons, Valerie wanted her guns free for immediate use.

They met no one as they ascended.  The only bodies were those on the floor below, containing Tumbler’s office.  A large and imposing security door was the entrance to the hanger.  Sneaker must have Hacked his way past the door.  It sat ajar and they could hear the whine of an aircars engines.    Inside the large dark green aircar hovered half a metre off the floor.  They could see Rush at the controls.

He waved at them and the side door opened, followed by Sneaker pocking his head out.  “Come on.  I don’t know about you lot, but I could do with a cold beer.”

“Damn right.”  Hobbs muttered as he passed Sneaker and took a seat in the very comfy interior.

Valerie made sure that Hanna was safely strapped in and went to the co-pilots seat.  “Hey, that’s mine.”  Sneaker called after shutting the door.

“Do you know how to target Pulse cannons or run Legion electronic warfare programs?”  She asked while studying the panels in front of her intently.

“Err.  No,” Sneaker said in confusion.  “We’ve won.   Why do we need those?  All we need is a ride out of here.”

It was an easy error for those unused to combat and Valerie did not blame Sneaker for it.  She had seen it many times before.

“You’re right, we’ve taken the building.  What we don’t know, as we have no communications, is what has happened outside.  For all we know, some of Tumbler’s people are sitting out there with anti-aircraft missiles or have taken Deni and the others hostage.  I want to be ready in case either of those scenarios or a myriad of others hit us the moment we lift off.”

“Ah.  I’ll sit back here then.”  He said and strapped himself in next to Hanna.

“I think she knows what she’s doing.”  Valerie heard Hanna whisper to Sneaker.

“Do you really think we will be flying into missiles?”  Rush asked in a low voice.

“Not really, no.”  Valerie assured him.  “That doesn’t mean it won’t happen and it’s always best to be prepared.  When we go, don’t hang around.  I want us out of here as quickly as you can do it.  Take a hard turn as soon as we’re clear.”  Rush nodded his understanding.  “Are we ready?”

“All we need are the doors open,” he said.

“Good.”  Valerie keyed her com to the sync’d net.  “Crowther.  We’re ready when you are.  Open the blast doors.”

“Here goes,” he replied.  “Do it.”  Crowther said, presumably to whoever had their finger on whatever button they rigged up.

For a moment nothing happened, then day light shone through the opening doors above them.  Rush showed he had taken Valerie’s orders to heart.  The aircar shot up the moment the doors were wide enough.  They soared into the bright blue sky, the sun was low on the horizon below them and the aircar banked hard left. 

The heavy acceleration and G forces from the turn, pushed Valerie into her seat.  A low short cry of pain came from Hanna in the back.  Valerie did not let it distract her, searching her screens for any threat.  With nothing showing, she keyed her com.

“Troll.  Barney.  This is Carter.  We’re in the aircar and clear.  What’s your status?”

There was no answer and Valerie could feel the eyes of the others on her, especially Hanna’s.  Time dragged on for what seemed like an age, when it was no more than a few seconds.  Then the com came to life with Troll’s voice.

“I hear you.  I can’t believe you fucking did it!”

“What’s your status Troll?”  Valerie snapped back.  “Are you safe?”

“Oh, no we’re not.”  Troll said as though it was an afterthought.  “A bunch of them came at as from behind.  Deni saw them in plenty of time and they paid for it.  There was a lot of them though and there’s enough left to stop us leaving.”

“Where are you?”  Valerie said, trying not to sigh.  It really was like pulling teeth.

“I’m in the stairwell on the second floor to stop them coming up.  Barney’s still in the apartment playing sniper with Deni.”  Troll answered more informatively this time.

“Can you get to the roof?”

“Not with my leg.  Took a round to the thigh, it made a pretty bad mess.  There’s blood quite literally everywhere right now.” 

“No threats on the board, Rush.  Take us into a wide arc back to Troll’s position.”  Without waiting for an acknowledgement, she turned around and shouted into the passenger compartment.  “Hobbs, Sneaker.  Have a look back there.  Did Tumbler have any heavy weapons for emergencies?”

“Hang on.”  Hobbs answered as he started opening the floor lockers.  A low whistle from Hobbs gave Valerie her answer.  “She has a fucking Blaster back here.”

“That’ll do.  Hobbs, set it up at the door and be prepared to kill any of Tumbler’s goons you see.  Rush, land us in the street outside that building.  Barney, don’t worry about the compound anymore.  Take Deni and meet up with Troll.  I’m coming in.”

They all responded and Rush guided the aircar round.  The Pulse Cannons on the aircar would have been far more destructive than the Blaster, but would do too much damage.  The Blaster could create just the right amount of mayhem, without taking out half the street in the process.

Releasing her restraints, Valerie got out of her seat and went back to stand next to Hobbs at the door.  He mounted the Blaster on a bracket, designed for just that purpose, and she looked out.  As the aircar came down in the street, she could see several wheelies parked outside the apartment building the others were in.