Shadowrun: Deniable Assets by Mel Odom

Author:Mel Odom [Odom, Mel]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
Published: 2016-02-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER Forty-FOUR

On the bed, Rachel Gordon suddenly arched her back and screamed through the oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth. The machines connected to her flatlined and went dark as she fought her restraints.

Seeing her distress, thinking the young woman was in her death throes, Hawke started forward. He didn’t know what he could do, but he had to do something.

Without getting out of her chair, Flicker put a hand against his chest with enough strength to get his attention. “Easy, omae. There’s nothing you can do.”

“She’s dying!” Hawke protested, but didn’t fight past Flicker’s barrier.

“No, she’s not.” Flicker removed her hand. “She’s done this before. A few times. If you touch her, that thing comes out to defend her. Trust me, you won’t enjoy the experience.” She touched the bruised swelling on the side of her face and turned her head to reveal scratches along her neck that looked like they’d been made by talons.

Abruptly, Rachel went limp and dropped back onto the bed. The machinery came back on with a chorus of chirps, and the readouts resumed functioning. As it did that, a team of nurses and a doctor filled the room, but they didn’t try to touch their patient either. Evidently they had learned things the hard way too, because a few of them also showed bumps, abrasions, and bruises. They waited for a little while, checked the machinery, and took their leave.

Hawke took a breath and tried to relax. Even a few hours later, he was still adrenaline-maxed from the debacle at the Hellstorm Club. “This happened before?”

“A few times.”

“What’s causing it?”

Flicker shook her head. “It’s nothing physiological. Whatever’s triggering this is coming from inside Rachel.”

On the bed, the young woman looked worn and pale. Her blood pressure had dropped.

“Whatever was holding her steady is losing its grip,” Flicker said. “Maybe it can’t keep up with the demands Rachel needs to fight whatever she’s battling.” She looked at Hawke. “We need some outside help. The doc here has some astral people. They’ve been able to monitor some of the activity going on in Rachel’s mind and body, but not all of it. None of them have seen anything quite like this.” She paused. “It’s almost like she’s possessed or something.”

Hawke rubbed at his chin tiredly. He’d been thinking the same thing. “Do they have any recommendations?”

“No.”

“I might know a guy.” Even as he thought that, Hawke recoiled from the idea. He’d dragged Flicker into this situation. He didn’t want to pull anyone else in.

“I think you should get him.”

“I don’t want to get anyone else involved.”

“Then you should get the doc to give her a lethal dose and end this.”

Hawke turned to stare at Flicker. She returned his gaze full measure. “I’m serious. For you. For me. And for her. One way or another, this needs to end.”

Hawke didn’t say anything.

“But you’re not going to do that, are you? Because killing innocents isn’t part of who you are.” Flicker’s small smile held no humor, only sadness.

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