Investigating Deceit by Michael Anderle

Author:Michael Anderle [Michael Anderle]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Erik jumped to the side and squeezed off a burst.

Bullets bounced off the armored chest of the cyborg, but the Tin Man grunted as one ripped into exposed tubing, red blood mixing with blue fluid. The Tin Man changed direction and rushed toward the narrow space between two crate towers.

He took a few more rounds from Erik, but the attacks didn’t slow the cyborg.

Jia didn’t hesitate and fired at the exposed head of the other Tin Man. He anticipated the shot, racing behind a crate. The bullets narrowly missed, striking his cover. She fired a few more rounds near the crate.

Her target didn’t pop back around.

The first Tin Man grabbed the top of a crate to yank himself up. Erik nailed the killer with a few more shots, but they didn’t do much damage as the Tin Man pulled himself to his feet and then jumped backward, disappearing into the shadowy spaces between crates.

“Got a little cocky, huh?” Erik shouted, eyes roving. “I don’t seem to be dead, Tin Man, and now you and your friend are the ones hiding. If you’re so tough, why are you hiding?”

Jia kept her weapon aimed at the crate concealing her earlier opponent. Neither Tin Man had fired at the detectives, which suggested they lacked guns. That gave Erik and Jia a small advantage, but that didn’t do much to slow her racing heart. If either cyborg landed a single hit, it would be enough to finish a normal human.

Just give me one decent shot, Jia thought. They’re tough, not invulnerable.

The crates rattled on both sides as the Tin Men ran and jumped from crate to crate, their outlines barely visible in the darkened storage bay. Erik held down his trigger to send a river of bullets toward the first cyborg. A few sparks danced as he struck his target, but unlike after his first attack, the enemy didn’t react.

Jia didn’t fire at Erik’s target. She concentrated on following the shadow of the second man as the two cyborgs continued to circle them above the piled crates. The cyborgs moved farther out with each loud, thudding step.

“If we split up, they might double up on one of us.” Jia sucked in a breath. “It’s annoying dealing with someone who is almost completely bulletproof.” She didn’t want to admit that she would have liked a rocket or grenade.

“No worse than a lot of bots we’ve dealt with.” Erik shrugged and reloaded, eyes constantly roving. “And we’ve got them on the defensive.” He nodded to Jia, then jogged toward a rattling crate tower. “I’m betting these guys are used to not having people put up much of a fight. Let’s finish this so we can go to the station and complain about all the reports we’re going to have to fill out because we had to shoot a suspect.”

“I’ve almost achieved control of the system,” Emma reported. “You just need to hold out for a few more minutes.”

Erik grunted and continued his jog. “This will be over by then.

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