Reign of the Reaper : A military Scifi Epic (The Last Reaper Book 15) by J.N. Chaney & Scott Moon

Author:J.N. Chaney & Scott Moon [Chaney, J.N. & Moon, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2022-07-31T07:00:00+00:00

22

“R

’

. The shuttle took damage,” Oui

advised. “She’s pretty mad about it. I think she’s headed back to the Jellybird, if she’s not there already.”

“It is what it is,” I said, annoyed that nothing was going right for us.

Crowds surged through the intersection where the Obsidians had landed. Civilians, police, soldiers, and party goers fled some other slaughter fest, inadvertently overwhelming the dropships. Obsidians savaged them with direct fire, unconcerned for collateral damage.

Men, women, and a few children attempted to flee. One man shoved a woman under a car but was gunned down when he tried to follow.

A group, realizing the danger, tried to flee the way they had come but were met with a wall of humanity coming the other way.

Glass rained down from buildings. Fires broke out in cars. Riot gas and smoke rolled through the chaos like hungry ghosts.

I saw all of it but had a job to do. Oui stayed right on my heels.

“A few more steps and I can grab her,” I said.

“Okay, Reaper,” Oui said. “I better get my JFT tab for this!”

The action slowed as the press of people became too much. Both the living and the dead pressed against the invaders. Even the Obsidian commanders were hesitating, pulling back into defensive

circles near their ships as they reassessed. I grabbed Celia and pulled her behind a car.

“Don’t make me break your neck,” I growled.

“That would be a damned poor rescue!” She was wide eyed, bloody, and brokenhearted at the same time. “As it happens…” She twisted free and wiped blood from her face, then stood with her chin raised. “I have decided there will be more of them to kill tomorrow.

You may escort me from the area.”

“Gee, thanks,” I said.

Celia’s eyes took in the carnage. If her mood had been grim, now she was transformed into a new person. I didn’t know if that was a good thing. The carefree, selfish woman I’d first met reminded me of Elise with a vendetta to enforce, but older and more cunning.

Groups of people fled through buildings, sometimes climbing fire escapes when they couldn’t go any other way. It was a piss poor survival tactic, but desperation drove the people of Orth to near madness. I recognized many from the autograph session earlier.

One of the dock workers cradled the stump of an arm where someone had applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. His friends helped him stagger away from the shooting—which had diminished but not stopped. Celia’s expression changed again. Her body tensed. She clenched the hilt of her sword like she could break it and the world that had driven her to use it.

I wouldn’t want to be her right now. First impressions had never lied more than they had about Tatasam and Celia. She might have enjoyed their adoration, but her expression made one thing clear.

These people meant something to her—something she was willing to die to protect.

“Let’s go,” I said. “Not asking.”

Celia and Naaman led the way. Bug and Oui followed. I brought up the rear of our column, constantly on the lookout for Obsidian pursuit.

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