Back on Deck 178

  Ruri and Leido were leaning on the wall near an elevator. Not directly blocking the path for others, but looking intimidating enough for people to walk by. She was focused on the BHC office down the hallway. Leera and Cathy would bring out Frey any second now, maybe a minute. All they had, was an elevator ride to intervene – a cramped, contained space without any meaningful strategic entry point. It was no option. Between them and the Ryugamine Cruiser were 28 levels. Could have been 30, 40 or 50 -it wouldn’t matter. None of it would really buy her any time. In her head a clock began ticking.

  Leido was second guessing the ordeal in its entirety. He looked at drunk tourists, desperate gamblers, happy families – children.

  “I can see you are brooding a plan, but truth be told I don’t think we can make it work.”

  She never stopped staring.

  “I don’t make plans. I hate them.”

  “It’s military. A lot of them too. These aren’t your lowlifes with a homemade shiv. We’re talking rifles, grenades, fuck – they probably have rockets too. Can you imagine Ruri? Fucking rockets.”

  She smiled.

  “Yes. Fucking big leagues.”

  He was concerned but even for him that scratched an itch. The worry in his face turned briefly smug.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  Like in every other corner on the sphere some speakers nearby pumped upbeat jazz. Ruri started tapping her feet to it unconsciously. The Cruiser had to be on the main deck, there is no other place for a ship of that size, at least that much she could deduce. It would be heavily guarded without a doubt.

  Down the hallway the door just opened. Frey got pushed out, his hands were cuffed with basint locks. Leera and Cathy walked close behind him.

  It was game on.

  “You need to shoot it.”

  “What?”

  “The Cruiser. You need to shoot it.”

  He somewhat stuttered a little hesitant.

  “With – my – blaster?”

  “With our Ship. I need you out there.”

  She was serious. That was the angle. A hull breach in the Sphere would result in a lockdown. That would mean more time and an opportunity to slip through the chaos of the evacuation procedure.

  “You want me to shoot a ship near civilians?”

  “Don’t say it like that. Have some faith in your aim. Just disable them.”

  “Still. I mean – it’s mad.”

  “Not mad, but yeah, bold I guess.”

  “What do you mean bold? We have no clue how the Sphere handles stuff like that. People could die.”

  The escort walked straight to one of the other elevators, way down on the other side. Ruri pressed the button at theirs over and over. She could see it rushing down on the display beneath her.

  Deck 180, 179, 178.

  “Okay, okay. Just get out there, threaten to shoot, hold the position. Maybe that’s enough.”

  “Maybe?”

  “Just go. Go.”

  She knew it would take some time. Their ship wasn’t even docked directly at the sphere but on one of the outer layers, only reachable by transit. She shoved Leido a little and pointed him toward the express. He took off. She needed something – a stumble, a hiccup or bad joke, just anything to pass some time. She jumped in and spammed the close button. She could see that Cathy and Leera had to wait, while her doors already closed.

  Nice.

  The Elevator was fast.

  Deck 160, 159, 158.

  It stopped and some people entered. Two Vyons were holding the door for their friend – obviously drunk. One pointed outside making a joke in a language she couldn’t understand. Their friend was occupied with some lady, maybe flirting or at least trying to if you consider sluggish one-liners as flirting.

  Of course.

  The door wanted to close, but they kept it open again. Some friends mocking each other with silly gestures wildly pointing around - it all seemed like a game of dare to her.

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  Fuck, where’s Riga when I need her.

  The Lady declined whatever the Vyon was proposing to her, his buddies couldn’t be happier. They closed the door leaving him stranded and burst out in laughter.

  She had an idea.

  Deck 155, 154, 153.

  She laughed shallow.

  “Hey, you guys sure he’s, okay?”

  They laughed.

  “Yeah, we only play a little game.”

  “I figured.”

  Deck 152, 151, 150.

  The doors opened. She could see down the hallway that the elevator of the escort was probably not there yet.

  “I like to play these games with my friends too.”

  She was charming in a little bit uncanny way – the dudes didn’t mind.

  “You guys wanna hang out?”

  They looked at each other like they couldn’t believe it’s finally happening.

  “Sure.”

  “You know what would be funny. My friends Leera and Cathy are on the other side, would you mind playing a little prank on them?”

  On the other side the elevator was filled to the brink. Leera, Cathy and Frey stood close to each other.

  Deck 152 ,151, 150.

  The doors opened and the people swarmed out. They had to wait a moment before Leera pushed Frey outside. The two Vyons already walked up.

  “Hey, you must be Cathy.”

  He threw a can of beer towards her. She caught it. He opened one of the same brand. The other friend chimed in hyping them up.

  “Chug, chug, chug!”

  Leera interrupted and swept the hypeman off his feet.

  “What are you doing? This is official business.”

  He wanted to get up but immediately got pushed down again.

  “Stay down.”

  The other one put down his can. Some people stopped and a slight crowd formed around them.

  “Hey, hey – it’s just a joke.”

  Cathy threw the can back at him without holding back. Straight in the face. He tumbled before falling down losing consciousness. Leera let go of the poor Vyon on the ground and flashed her id to the people around. Clearly intimidated he tended to his friend. Cathy already pushed Frey some more like nothing even happened. He wanted to say something, but spared himself the humiliation, that would probably have followed. Even the crowd dismantled itself easily – after all this was just your average craziness business.

  Meanwhile Ruri had made out the Cruiser and observed the charade from amidst the crowd of people. In terms of distraction, it was poor at best. They handled them in mere seconds and were already moving again. She counted the soldiers.

  10, 15, 20.

  They were some more scattered around. Probably even more on the ship. She knew Leido couldn’t possibly be around and yet she looked past the cruiser hoping her crappy ship would just flare up in the distance.

  The escort proceeded quickly. They entered the landing stage and the turnover was already happening. They stopped shortly to hand over some documents to a soldier close by. She had no choice. Something – she needed just something.

  “Hey!”

  Ruri emerged from the crowd and a soldier immediately stopped her with a gesture – polite but firm. Cathy noticed.

  “Is that the Bounty hunter?”

  Leera remained near Frey and nodded to Cathy to take care of it. She moved closer.

  “Hey, you – what’s up?”

  “I’m so sorry to bother. I think the guy actually stole something from me.”

  “Something?”

  “Yeah – a necklace. It’s from my mother, actually. She would hate it if I lose it and I would even hate it some more – haha. You see it has…”

  She wanted to stall but Cathy interrupted.

  “I get it. Let me take a look.”

  Fuck.

  She had hoped to get close to Frey to do, well she would have decided then. Her eyes drifted past the cruiser again. A light, boosters, a distant point growing bigger and bigger – none of it. Leido could be close or far away she didn’t know.

  Cathy walked back to Leera.

  “She lost a necklace, let me search him real quick.”

  Leera looked stern observing Ruri and caught her eyes gazing to the horizon. Frey was confused, had it with the shoving, but before saying that there is no necklace, he realized – there is no necklace. Cathy loosely tapped up and down. Again, up and down. A little annoyed.

  “Do you have her necklace?”

  He played dumb just a little too good.

  “What necklace?”

  Cathy punched him right in his face. Clenched fist to the bone. It hurt. Ruri could see her contract fleeting away. She tapped her feet.

  What’s left? Something, anything – please.

  Leera didn’t mind the casual violence beneath her and observed Ruri growing nervous. She knew that there was no necklace and took one step, leaving Frey just a little behind her.

  That was it. Bold – no she’s kidding no one. It was mad, but mad was what she needed most now.

  She screamed.

  “Frey!”

  Everyone turned to her – Cathy, Leera, the soldiers in front and in the back.

  “Throw the purple grenade!”

  Leera understood and tried to side step, but even with cuffed hands was Frey quick about it. He ripped the purple grenade from her belt.

  He didn’t overthink it. Bold – no. Mad – most definitely.

  Everything happened so fast. Cathy tried to jump him. He didn’t give her any time and threw the grenade behind him in one motion.

  Some soldiers already duck, one jumped inside the ship. Leera and Cathy stared.

  Nothing. He had tried to activate the trigger, but this was about as much he could do.

  If red is thermite and yellow shrapnel…

  She drew her blaster fast and clean.

  Then purple must be BIG.

  A shot flashed past them hitting the grenade.

  A shockwave threw about 10 soldiers from the landing stage. The following blast tore a hole in the ship and flung everyone that held on to something far away. Cathy, Leera, Frey and even Ruri flew wide. The jazz, the people, the flinging chips and sweet air were no more. Lights turned red, Shutters were released and launched down protecting the Sphere. The pushed back ship was cut off and drifting into space.

  Sirens left, right, above and below. Every speaker turned shrill.

  Breach detected. Please find the closest emergency exit. Remain calm.

  Screams were everywhere. People ran past and over each other, some hit by trampling, others stuffed into a corner.

  A light track at the side of the pathway appeared, signalling the nearest exit.

  She couldn’t hear a thing. Dazed she walked towards Frey. Maybe Cathy was already up, maybe Leera had enough time to bring out her gun, it didn’t matter. She only had eyes for the target.

  She tumbled. It was now or never. She couldn’t go back where she came from. She fell on Frey, fighting unconsciousness, maybe he was doing the same. She pulled out her grappling gun, aiming for a balcony atop. It would be scuffed. Really fucking scuffed. She shot - It stuck. At the balcony – no. She couldn’t tell. Good enough – maybe. She didn’t really have a choice anymore. She held Frey tightly and pushed them off the landing stage. They swung, but her arm couldn’t hold longer than a second. They were flinging again. Crashed through a big plant pot barely missing the edge. It still rang, even more now. Nonetheless she pushed herself up letting out a strained cough.

  She saw it all unfolding for a second. Soldiers down, a panicking mass, red blinking lights.

  She couldn’t resist.

  “Topping off the fucking Hog, because that’s what I do.”