Afterglow by Tim Jordan

Author:Tim Jordan
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857669889
Publisher: Watkins Media
Published: 2022-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 38

The Pointy End

“We’re so dead,” Casima muttered to Keller. The pair formed part of a bizarre procession with Casima up front in a wheelchair, her detached, spare legs slung across her shoulder. Keller walked behind pushing the chair, eyes scanning the surrounding halo of Nevis security personnel armed with an array of epoch-spanning weaponry from swords and hatchets to goshguns and laser carbines. A cluster of soldiers in full armor held a long metal pole from which dangled the detached torso of Ursurper Gale swinging like a rib roast on a rotisserie. They had cautiously rolled him in reams of duct tape assumedly to prevent his arm from grabbing anyone. Keller doubted that tape would hold, but where would Gale go with no legs?

“We can just leave this with you,” Keller pointed at Gale, “and head for the doctor. Casi needs urgent treatment.” A soldier with a gas-masked face prodded him on with his gun barrel and said nothing. “Are we under arrest?” Keller tried.

“Quit it,” Casima snapped. “These guys aren’t talking.”

He leaned over the chair back and spoke right into her ear as they rolled on through the seemingly endless corridors. “How did you escape?”

Casima’s fingers flickered in what Keller assumed to be some form of sign-language. “Hidden talents. I finger-signed a Macanese shop assistant and convinced her to help me. We redirected the cameras with face-mirrors and detached my legs so I could slip out of Gale’s harness. We contacted the Nevis’s security. They thought I was nuts, but I gave them the codes to the barge’s security network and they tapped into the lab cameras. Once they clapped eyes on Gale things happened really fast.”

Keller shook his head in disbelief. “Risky, Casi, real risky.”

They funneled into Nevis’s forward tanker, passing through extensive networks of barracks and residences. “This where the Nevis family live?” Casima whispered.

Keller nodded as they entered a massive wedge-shaped space at the prow of the ship, a single multi-level apartment with huge windows looking out across the open sea. The metallic interior décor resembled the insides of an ancient but pristine combustion engine.

“Nice place,” Casima said, easing out of her wheelchair and into the couch next to Keller.

The soldiers hung Gale like a prize fish from a hook that dropped down from the distant ceiling. A rectangular woman with clipped, black hair and a fearsome boxy face emerged from a side room and stood staring at Gale.

A man in a wheelchair followed the square-lady. Small, old, and frail, his head propped up by a support, he worked a joystick with both hands to maneuver the chair into position behind Keller and Casima.

Square-lady shook her head in disbelief. “I should be very upset with you for bringing such a dangerous article aboard my ship.”

Keller stood and presented his hand. “I’m sorry, we haven’t met. Keller Morten and this is my partner Casima Salean.”

She glanced at the hand but didn’t take it. “I’m Reet and this is Ben.” She pointed at the wheelchair man. “Our family owns the Nevis.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.