Stranded: (Space Outlaw 2) Read online

  "Children can be so cruel, can't they? How did you ever get over it?"

  "I killed them both. Strangled them with my bare hands. Sweetest memory from my childhood."

  Phoenix felt his face pull taut and his hands clench. So this was who he was dealing with.

  "Something wrong?" asked Duke.

  Phoenix could think of nothing better to do than put this sick dog down. The smirk on Duke's face turned his stomach. Phoenix could feel the bile rising in the back of his throat. He wanted nothing more than to spit it in Duke's face. Phoenix forced a smile to his lips.

  "Sounds like an interesting story," said Phoenix.

  "I will tell you the whole tale, sometime. It makes for wonderful dinner conversation."

  "I bet."

  "But for now I think there are a few things that we need to discuss--"

  "Such as?" said Phoenix.

  "For one, the wounding of two of my men," Duke said with a cold stare.

  Phoenix scratched the top of his head and looked at a loss. He turned to L, his eyebrows furrowed, and give a shrug. "I injured one of your men. Hmm." Phoenix tapped his lips as his forehead winkled deep in thought. "Can't say I recall doing that."

  "Really? Interesting. I had many eyewitness reports that claimed a man of your description blew a leg off one of my men. How did they describe you now... Yes, that was it. So fucking ugly he appeared to be something a dust worm shat out. He was as dark as a dust worm's shit left out on a hot summer's day. With such vivid descriptions matching your image, you can see how one would get confused," said Duke.

  "Hmm, doesn't sound like me at all. You must be confused," said Phoenix.

  "I don't get confused," snarled Duke.

  Phoenix gave Duke a dismissive shrug and turned to L. "You got everything you need?"

  L nodded her head quickly, hugging her arms across her chest.

  "You planning on going somewhere?" Duke asked.

  "Right out that door," Phoenix said, pointing to the door behind Duke.

  Duke allowed a sly smile to creep along his lips. Shaking his head, he said, "That I can't allow."

  "Really? I didn't think the choice was yours to make."

  "Now, you see, that's where you're wrong. Everything that happens in this city happens because I allow it to happen. I allow the ships to come and go. I allow the sex workers to work where I choose. I allow the players at my VRG clubs to win and lose as I see fit. So, you see, in regards to you coming and going, that choice was never yours to make."

  "Ahh. So you're the law around these parts, then, are you?"

  "You could say that," said Duke.

  "You see, that's where I have a problem. I was never good at obeying the law when I was growing up. It always left a bitter taste in my mouth. I was something of a wayward child. And you know something... I haven't really changed much," Phoenix said with a shrug.

  "Maybe it's about time someone taught you a lesson," Duke said, cracking his knuckles.

  "Ahh, poor Dukey. Many have tried, all have failed. What can I say? I am a hard-headed fool."

  "Hard heads can be broken--"

  Whatever else was meant to be said was swallowed as an explosion blew the door from its hinges. It flew forward and smashed into Duke, lifting him off his feet. Phoenix turned on his heel and pulled L and Kai down. He didn't know why he did it, but his gut had never been wrong before, and he wasn't going to start doubting it now.

  Phoenix just had time to cover his head before the glass wall blew outwards, showering shattered glass everywhere. Cries of pain could be heard as glass shards embedded themselves in flesh. Smoke began to fill the room, reducing visibility to zero. Phoenix didn't need to see. He knew which direction he needed to head in. Picking up what he prayed was L and Kai, he ran forward and crashed through the window.

  He heard screams as his body became dead weight and dropped like a stone.

  25

  Air rushed past Phoenix's face as he made his descent. He held L close under one arm. He wanted her close. Safe. Protected. Kai, on the other hand, didn't receive any such treatment. Phoenix had simply thrown him through the window and hoped for the best, expecting the worst. Landing on the balls of his feet, Phoenix expected a bigger jolt than the one he received.

  Strange. That should have hurt a lot more than it did.

  Phoenix placed L on her feet, and shouts from above him made him look up. Angry bleeding faces could be seen peering down at him. Bringing his pistol to bear he fired a volley of shots up at the window, and the onlookers had the sense to fall back inside.

  "Come on! Let's get going," said Phoenix.

  Plasma fire rained down from the heavens, scorching the earth around them. Pointing his pistol behind him, Phoenix fired blindly, not caring what he hit. Kai lay some way off, holding his sides and moaning in the dirt. A slight trickle of blood ran down the side of his face. Phoenix grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and half dragged, half lifted him to his feet.

  Another explosion rocked the building behind them. Flames leapt into the air, dancing with the darkness of the night. Debris pelted the floor around them as parts of the building began to fall upon them like a rain shower.

  "Brother, look what you did!" Kai said. "I don't think this is the best thing to do. I mean, Duke's gonna be mad. Real mad. And when he gets mad, people get hurt–like a lot. Maybe it would be best--"

  "Shut up and run," Phoenix said, pushing him forward.

  Phoenix looked up just in time to see Saoirse fly through the air ahead of them. She flipped and turned as gracefully as any Olympic gymnast. She landed on her hands and did a double back-flip that planted her on her feet.

  "So unnecessary," Phoenix said, running towards her.

  "I like to put on a show," Saoirse said with a smile.

  "Thanks for the help, back there. Fighting my way out of that would have been messy for all parties involved."

  "I could tell you needed some help. Sorry I didn't give you any warning," Saoirse said.

  "Don't--"

  Shouts from ahead of them drew their attention to a group of men clustered outside the guardhouse. The gang member they had taken out earlier was now awake and well and pointing angrily in their direction.

  "I'll thank you later, if we get out of this alive," said Phoenix.

  The men in front of them didn't hesitate to raise their weapons in their direction, but their actions were too slow as Saoirse threw what appeared to be small round metallic balls their way. All thoughts of shooting Phoenix and the others vanished as they ran for cover.

  Phoenix expected an explosion of some sort, but what he got instead was a light display, as blue lights connected together and leapt ten feet into the air. The blue current leapt onto anything metallic and melted it until it was just a puddle of goo on the ground. Phoenix heard cries and screams from gang members as their guns melted into their flesh. The odd smell of burning flesh and melting metal left a strange taste in the back of Phoenix's throat.

  "We need to lose them in the city before we head back to Rusty's," said Phoenix.

  A scream of rage cut through the night sky behind them. It threatened that pain would be met until pain became the only emotion that they ever remembered; it would show no mercy.

  But all it told Phoenix was that they needed to move.

  Duke rose from the rubble of the wooden door like a demon from hell. He lifted himself up to a standing position, his eyes narrowed, teeth clenched. Someone offered a hand but he slapped it away. The flames of the building threatened to lap his back. He looked at his hands and noticed that they were shaking. Closing them into fists, he brought them down to his sides.

  "Duke! They're getting away!"

  He didn't know who the voice belonged to but it sounded faint. As if someone was shouting it from a distance.

  "Duke!"

  He snapped his head to the left and saw one of his men shouting something. What could possibly be so important?

  "Duke!"

  Wh
at had he been doing before he hit his head? Who was he talking to? A blurry image from a distance grew larger and larger by the second. The outline was hazy. The image was dark. No. No. The person was dark. Skin like the little balls of drugs he gave the sex workers. Why was he so important?

  He felt someone tugging on his arm. He looked their way and they backed off.

  Why was that face so important?

  What was that in his ear? Argh! I remember now. Like a sandstorm dropping all it contained in one area, Duke remembered what had happened. He remembered why he was bleeding. But most of all he remembered why he was so angry.

  "I want those fuckers found! I want that fucker with the earring in front of my feet. No one is to kill him. He will pray for death before I am finished with him. L and Kai I want back unharmed. They are both too valuable to me. Do you hear me?" Duke said, looking around at his men.

  Duke's men ran before the onslaught of his wrath and rage; anyone who was too slow got a kick up the ass or punch to the back of the head.

  "And find who the fuck blew up my warehouse!"

  26

  Phoenix ducked and dodged as men spilled out of the warehouse like ants. He fired back wildly, trying to give himself as much hope of survival as he could. He didn't dare look back. He heard the shouts and the howling but his single focus was on the streets and alleyways up ahead.

  Bricks exploded above his head showering him with mortar.

  Saoirse spun around and pointed her gun in his direction. Phoenix's body reacted before he had time to think. He dropped to the ground and plasma bolts singed the fabric of his clothes as they passed overhead. The screams of the dying sounded a lot closer than Phoenix would have liked.

  He picked himself back up and ran alongside Saoirse. He didn't say anything but gave her a sideways look and just shook his head.

  "What?" she asked.

  "Maybe saying 'duck' wouldn't hurt next time," Phoenix said, eyebrows raised.

  "There wasn't any time. You're a smart boy, you would have figured it out."

  "Sometimes I worry more about you killing me than I--"

  The roar of multiple engines brought a halt to what Phoenix was going to say.

  L looked over at them wide-eyed.

  Kai huffed and puffed next to her, holding his side. He seemed to be in some pain. Phoenix didn't know if it was just because he was unfit or if the fall from the window had done some damage.

  "We need to split up," said Phoenix.

  "I agree," said Saoirse.

  "You take L. I'll take Kai. We meet back at Rusty's."

  "No, Phoenix, I'm not leaving my brother again. I can't, I won't. I--"

  "L, we don't have a choice! The bigger the group, the easier the target. This is our only option. I'm sorry--"

  "You don't understand, Phoenix. You don't understand. I can't leave him. I made a promise," L shouted.

  "L, everything will be alright. Trust me. Everything will be okay. Now you need to go with Saoirse, and we'll see you soon. Saoirse, you okay?"

  Saoirse looked over her shoulder at the scene behind her. Her face didn't paint a pretty picture of what she saw. Phoenix turned his head to see what had her so worried. Four vehicles that looked liked pickup trucks hovering above the ground dropped the bottom out of his stomach.

  "Shit! Hover cars? Really? Fucking hover cars! Do you know how long Earth has been waiting to see one of those invented? I can't believe this shitty-ass planet got there before us. Man, I feel depressed."

  "Take to the roofs. Those models are old and can only hover ten feet at most," said Saoirse.

  "Be safe!" said Phoenix.

  Saoirse gave Phoenix a nod as she dragged L away. They took a sharp left, vanishing from sight. Phoenix fired behind him hoping to draw as much attention his way as possible, so the other two had a chance.

  He looked over at Kai, who looked worse than ever. Sweat poured down his red blotchy face, and his hair had taken on a grey tint. The roar of engines kicking into drive pounded in Phoenix's ears.

  The enemy was coming.

  Phoenix grabbed Kai by the shoulder and pushed him forward. The sounds of hooting and war-cries were too close for Phoenix's liking. He stole a glance behind him and saw a vehicle closing in. It was about the size of a small family car with the roof cut off, and its headlights dazzled Phoenix's vision. He could just about make out men leaning out of the hover car, banging weapons against its sides.

  It was closing in. Its lights illuminated everything in front of them. Plasma bolts scorched the earth behind their feet. The noise of the engines drowned out all other sounds.

  "Down there," said Phoenix.

  They squeezed into a tight alleyway just as the hover car smashed into the wall behind them. The space was too small for it to fit through.

  Phoenix pushed Kai forward and looked over his shoulder as an ugly-faced man tried to make his way through the gap. Phoenix fired his pistol and got the satisfying sight of the pursuer holding what was left of his face. The scream that followed warned others of what was to come if anyone dared enter.

  "Move, move!" said Phoenix.

  "Where do you want me to go?" Kai asked.

  "Up that ladder. We haven't got much time."

  Kai wheezed and huffed as he pulled his skinny frame up the ladder. Phoenix placed a hand under Kai's ass and pushed him up. Even with Phoenix's support, the going was slow.

  "I see you VRG players get a lot of exercise," said Phoenix.

  "Listen, man, my brain gets all the exercise it needs. From the prayers that I offer Soul, to the playing of DD4. The mental strain that things like that put you under are like no other. After you have been shown the true signs of the way of the universe, exercise seems so unimportant. You can't--"

  "Shut up and move faster. I can't push your ass up this ladder all day."

  Kai collapsed as they made it onto the roof of a building. Phoenix pulled himself up and over the edge, and was about to berate Kai when a blow across his shoulders sent him sprawling to his knees.

  Phoenix kicked his leg out behind him, making contact with something soft. He climbed to his feet and spun around to see his attacker cupping the spot between his legs.

  "Looks like balls are in the same spot the universe over. Too bad for you." Phoenix sent the man flying off the roof with a forward kick to his chest. He ran to the opposite side of the building and saw the tattooed faces of men making their way up another service ladder. They hadn't seen him yet.

  Too bad for them.

  "Hello, boys, how you doing?"

  Three faces looked up at him angrily, the anger quickly turning to fear when Phoenix aimed his pistol down. He picked his shots well. He shot the first goon on the ladder, who collapsed downward on the other two. He listened to their screams of terror all the way down till he heard a thud.

  Phoenix ran back to Kai, who was bent over with his hands on his knees. His sweaty face grimaced as Phoenix approached.

  At least he wasn't still on his back, thought Phoenix. That was something, he supposed.

  "Get your ass moving! I told L that I would get you back to her, and I like to keep my promises. Now fucking move."

  There was a loud boom and the building shook under them. Kai moved backwards and tripped over his own feet. He was too close to the edge of the building and fell backwards, swinging his arms in front of him, trying to claw at the air.

  Phoenix saw him falling before his eyes. Running forward, he leapt and caught Kai with both hands. Phoenix braced his muscles as Kai's weight took its toll.

  Thank God the bastard is skinny.

  "Kai, you still alive? Otherwise I'll drop your ass! I don't want to be carrying a dead weight!"

  "I'm... I'm... Yeah, I'm still alive."

  "Good to hear it. Now, up you come."

  For the second time in as many minutes, Kai was once again huffing and puffing, face stricken and hair colourless, on the building roof.

  "Stay low. I'm going to see what that was." Ph
oenix stayed low as he made his way to the other side of the building. He could see men shouting at one another. He couldn't tell what they were arguing over and he didn't care. What caught his attention was a weapon not unlike a cannon sticking out of the boot of the hover car. Phoenix could still see the smoke billowing from the barrel.

  "How am I going to... Ah." What appeared to be highly luminous storage chambers could be seen tucked in the front of the hover car. Phoenix took aim, making sure the shot hit its target. "Surely they wouldn't be so stupid as to..." Phoenix said, pulling the trigger.

  The blast from the hover car temporarily blinded Phoenix. The wash of hot air swept over him. There were no screams. There were no cries of pain. The only sound was of roaring flames.

  27

  Duke paced back and forth. His anger had not burnt out like he thought it would; it had only intensified, the more he reran the night's events. He had been left battered and buried. One eye was swollen and small cuts bled freely. He muttered under his breath as he paced.

  Blake got up from where he sat, in a chair off to Duke's side, to see if he could stem the bleeding.

  "I told you I'm fine!" Duke said, pushing him away.

  Blake's lips pressed into a fine line as he stood in front of Duke. He thrust his hands on his hips and simply shook his head, sitting back down.

  "What?" Duke asked.

  Blake didn't respond. He simply stared into space.

  "Can you believe this? The state they left my warehouse in? My house! Everything is ruined. From the VRG laboratory to the weapons hold. They think this will set me back! Me!"

  Duke's pacing increased. He stopped in his tracks and threw a chair across the room. It shattered against the wall.

  "Why are you not saying anything? Why do I always have to sort the messes out?"

  Blake sat up straight and looked Duke in the eye. He gave Duke a simple flick and wave of his hand before settling back in his chair.