Deception of Age by Michael Anderle

Author:Michael Anderle [Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Erik slowed as the sound of machine-gun and rifle fire died out in the distance. He hadn’t heard any explosions, which was a good sign, and the familiar tenor of the heavier weapons suggested it was Anne and Kant doing the shooting. The battle hadn’t been all that long, but that could mean a thorough, quick defeat for either side.

“We need to keep moving,” he announced.

Jia, Erik, and Tala crouched near the wall of a hall. They’d slowed when they heard the first shots, the docking bay still a decent distance away. Now there was clanging from one direction and heavy but slow footfalls from the other. No matter what direction they went, they’d run into someone potentially dangerous.

Tala kept rubbing her wrists and looking down the hall, her expression on the edge of panic. “That fight was in the direction of the lab.”

“Either Anne or Kant has their exoskeleton and survived,” Jia suggested, “or the enemy has similar gear and took them out.”

Tala whimpered. “Y-your friends are dead?”

Erik shook his head. “Doubt it. Anne would be irritated to let random guys kill her here. I bet she’d even bitch about dying on Io.”

“I don’t think you don’t die just because it’s irritating.”

“You haven’t met Anne,” Erik replied, looking back and forth. “I’m hearing trouble toward the docking bay but a potentially friendly exo coming our way from the GPG.”

“We’re screwed either way if neither of those is our people,” Jia noted. “And there are a lot of assumptions there. We can’t handle an exo with these guns. From now on, you need to travel with the TR-7 strapped to your back.”

“Not a bad plan, but for now, let’s gamble on reinforcement.” Erik stood, raising his pistol. “But we might need to head to the GPG if they’ve taken out Anne and Kant. We can’t let them take that thing.”

“That might mean we’re walking right into an enemy Elite.” Jia shrugged.

“Elite?” Tala looked between them. “You know who’s attacking us? Some special elite mercenaries?”

“We’ve got a pretty good idea, yes. Mercenaries, not so much.”

“You’re not really inspectors, even elite inspectors, are you?” Tala looked hopeful.

Jia shook her head. “We don’t have time to go into it. I agree with Erik. If we’re going to have to fight either way before we make it to our other equipment, it makes more sense to fight closer to the GPG.”

Tala took a deep breath. “I’m beginning to wish I’d gone to another lab. Marine biology or something that wouldn’t attract the attention of terrorists!”

“I don’t know,” Erik replied. “If these are the people we think, they’ve probably got a lab where they’re cybernetically modifying whales to slit people’s throats.”

Tala blinked. “W-what?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Erik jogged forward with Jia, both ready to shoot anyone they didn’t recognize.

Tala followed them. She was calm enough, given the situation, but there was no telling how long her control would last. She’d almost lost it over the falling rocks and tremors. Seeing a man get shot could easily send her over the edge.

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