Darklanding Omnibus Books 01-03: Assignment Darklanding by Scott Moon & Craig Martelle

Author:Scott Moon & Craig Martelle
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2018-02-13T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Sideways

“I do not like this,” Mast said as he watched Ike swagger down the street.

“Wait, it’ll get better,” Thad said.

Ike put a hop in his step, turned as he bounced along, and presented two middle fingers to Thad and Mast.

“That is an odd selection of fingers. Does it mean something?”

Thad clenched his mouth shut to avoid laughing. “I’m trying to look mad as hell. Stop it.”

“Yes, we are very angry. I forgot the plan,” Mast said.

Thad burst out laughing.

Ike stopped, stared, and then spat on the ground. When he turned, there was real hate in his movements. He strode straight to a row of lockers on the side of a prefabricated building. He cursed as he spun the combination. After several attempts, he punched it.

“I think that worked. Are your people in place?” Thaddeus asked. “What is he doing at that locker?”

“The children of Ungwilook are even more rightly ignored than the adults,” Mast said. “Did I say that correctly this time?”

“Depends on what you mean. I think you missed in this context. Let’s see where Ike goes,” Thaddeus said.

“He will not go to the ship,” Mast predicted.

Thaddeus nodded. “You’re right. Eventually he will, but not now.”

They moved forward as Mast talked on a simple handheld radio. Before they released Ike, he had equipped a dozen neighborhood children with matching devices and explained they were to follow Ike and not be seen. Unglok children were as small and nimble as the adults were tall bone-racks.

“There is one thing I hope he does not do,” Mast said.

“Relax, Mast. I know how his type thinks,” Thad said.

“What if he gets paid a bonus to take out the Sheriff of Darklanding, and very badly murder the deputy also-ly, before he starts his strike. What is a strike, exactly? Mast is so confused.”

Thaddeus's hand went to his gun. In a flash, he understood his plan was simplistic and fatally flawed. Ike's job would be easier without law and order. “I don't think he has it in him. He's a bully, not an assassin.”

“You do not sound very firmly certain of your conclusion,” Mast said as he watched Ike yank open the locker and pull something out.

Ike grabbed a blaster and shook it free of the holster. “Lawman!” He marched forward, gun at his side, fire in his eyes. “You don't know who I am or who my family is, but you're gonna learn.”

“Mast, move over to his flank.”

“Is that a good idea? Please define flank? It is different from the flank on a steak, I must assume.”

Thad pointed with his non-gun hand. “Take cover at the corner of that building.” He stepped into the street, his long fire coat hanging open, brushing it back on his right side for easier access to his blaster. “Gunfights should always happen from a position of cover and concealment with the option to shoot and move.”

This situation was as outside his comfort zone as it was unavoidable.

Ike's anger transformed into surprise, something Thaddeus had seen many times in men realizing they'd made a bad decision in anger.

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