Terra Nullius by Zachary Forbes

Author:Zachary Forbes [Forbes, Zachary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Forbes Brothers
Published: 2024-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

28.

Tarha was still strapped to the wooden chair when the Fortunidaran wearing the pressure-smoke canister touched a hand to his ear. A faint voice could be heard transmitting from a small device on the side of his face. It looked like half a headband.

The man tapped Driguez, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her since he’d removed the cloth from her eyes. Driguez leaned back and let the man whisper something in his ear. His face turned sour, like something annoying had sprouted up to annoy him.

Was it Jord? Had he arrived like Driguez had suggested? It seemed like the only explanation for why they’d been waiting here so long. Tarha tried to lean forward and listen in but the pressure-smoke guy raised his weapon at her. She couldn’t free her wings from behind the cloak to deflect it, so she settled cautiously back into place.

“Just tell him to watch closely,” Driguez said to the man. “And go prep the rover. We can’t leave that if we bail.”

—

The back wall of the first building did have three garages, just like the front of the second building. Each one was gated shut and a plump Fortunidaran stood behind the second gate with one hand to his ear and the other shaking a handgun. He was quivering, Slipp realized. Probably a young recruit who’d never been in a firefight before.

Slipp followed the man’s gaze to the electrical box Elona had ducked behind. How much he’d seen Slipp couldn’t be sure of, but the man definitely saw something.

Slipp tapped his earpiece. “He knows you’re there.”

“What do I do? We need to act or Jord’s gone,” Elona replied.

“I’ve got Aurtor on the roof. They won’t be flying out of here.”

“What if they execute your girl?”

“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” Slipp said. His voice was down to a stern whisper. “I’m heading back to the front to make some noise. He’s focused on you, but he’s shaken. Anything loud will throw him off balance. When he turns around, and he will, I need you to take the shot.”

She said nothing back.

“Sergeant?” Slipp asked.

“I hear you,” she replied. “But what if he’s not SDR? What if it’s private security and neither of our targets are in there.”

“Then I’ll take the fall. Doesn’t matter. What’s another life sentence matter to me? Our goal right now is to make sure we get our people out alive. Understood?”

She said nothing.

“Is that understood, Sergeant?” Slipp repeated.

There was another brief pause.

“Understood, sir,” she said.

“Good. Be ready to take the shot.”

Slipp weaved back around the building through the sand and up to the window. A quick peek inside revealed the preppy guy standing still. He was in front of the curtains, one hand on the wall and the other on his pistol. Slipp stepped back and shot a look up at the roof and didn’t see Aurtor staring back down. He moved to the front door.

Two targets. Slipp thought. Only one if she takes the shot.

He ran his hand along the hollow crust of the doorway, building his confidence.

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