Unleashed Read online

  “That supposed to be a threat?” Sem said, taking a step further into the light and glancing at the boy. “This’ll get messy, Li. Run.”

  Kurt’s finger touched the trigger, but he paused as he got a better look at Sem’s face. Skeletal and scarred, but it didn’t look aged, which would explain her small height. Kurt estimated that this girl hadn’t seen more than 11 years. He usually didn’t have to kill kids.

  His own thoughts echoed: The job required that he put himself aside.

  “No way am I leaving,” Li said, raising his voice and darting to Sem’s side once again. Kurt glanced at him, noticing the smooth, unmarked face. No older than 12. Li’s brown eyes locked onto his and he gulped. “W-We can fight, bud. We’re not just lost little kids.”

  “You should’ve said that you were. I’d be more merciful,” Kurt said, moving his pistol back and forth between the two. His finger flicked the trigger, but he didn’t apply enough pressure to fire. He resisted the physical prompting to inhale, for that would show weakness. He couldn’t let any prey see hints of uncertainty.

  However, weakness existed. Kurt didn’t consider himself ignorant, so he had to acknowledge any weakness. Weakness that compromised his job. Some would say that Kurt had virtue, hesitating to kill children, but in Kurt’s world, virtue didn’t have any value. If not killing a child kept him from honoring his word and fulfilling a contract, then he saw that as weakness.

  “Screw mercy,” Sem said, pulling a small metal shard out of her pocket. Kurt aimed his pistol at the shard and fired, knocking it out of her hand before she could make any move with it.

  “Sem!” Li said, jumping in front of her and staring at the blood that trickled from her hand.

  She hissed and yanked her hand back, shoving it into another pocket. Kurt’s gun followed but he didn’t press the trigger. Li glared, clenching his fist and lunging toward the mercenary. He didn’t change his position or facial expression. He would let the boy make the first move.

  “Last chance,” Kurt said, touching the trigger again. His body wanted to tremble, but he refused to allow the display. He noticed Sem pull the back of Li’s shirt, and for as little optimism as Kurt had, he hoped that she would use optimism. He didn’t put hope in anything, but for once, he allowed himself to feel a hint.

  “Yours too,” another female voice said, and Kurt’s back stiffened when the barrel of a gun touched his brown hair. The narrow barrel indicated an assault rifle, probably an older model. “Li, Sem, listen to the man and get out of here.”

  The Ghost.

  “I’m not letting you face this douche alone,” Sem said, sliding another shard out of her pocket and edging toward him. Li still stood in her way and she pulled on his shirt again, keeping him from attempting a punch. His glare remained.

  “No arguments,” the Ghost said. Her voice didn’t sound anxious, only stern.

  Kurt knew that the protests wouldn’t last long, so he ducked and swung around, punching the Ghost in the stomach with his pistol and grabbing the barrel of the rifle with his free hand. She stumbled back but kept her grip on the gun, craning her neck toward Li and Sem.

  “I meant it! Now!”

  Kurt expected attacks from the side, but when he checked, he only saw Li and Sem scurrying in the opposite direction. Li faced their escape, but Sem tossed a scowl in Kurt’s direction, and he could see the familiar ferocity in her eyes. The craving to kill. Kurt had only tamed that craving through his career, but apparently, this Ghost’s authority tamed the girl’s.

  “You are generous to send them away,” Kurt said, looking back at the Ghost and pulling on the rifle, feeling her resistance. He aimed his pistol with his other hand and examined the 16-year-old’s long, blue hair that sat in a ponytail above her narrow, green eyes and ragged face. A little taller than he expected as she stood only several inches shorter than him, but most definitely his target. “Probably foolish, as well.”

  The Ghost let out a battle cry, using Kurt’s pull to shove the rifle forward and into his chest. It collided with his armor and sent him into the wall, rattling his skull. He lost his focus but fired his pistol several times. His focus returned in time to watch the Ghost dodge to the right. Kurt lowered himself to the ground and slid his leg into the water.

  “Whatever gun that is, good luck getting a shot o—”

  She tripped on his leg, throwing a hand out to catch herself. The resulting splash only hit the right side of Kurt’s face as he shot to his feet and grabbed her back. She threw her elbow over her shoulder and it made contact with Kurt’s lip. The ripping of blood vessels caused the familiar taste to hit Kurt’s tongue. He spit to the side as he kept his grip on the Ghost and pulled her off the ground.

  Her boot kicked his chest and he released her. Sewage hit his face and the taste of polluted water overpowered the taste of blood, followed by a more forceful spit. Kurt wanted to blink the filth out of his eyes but forced his eyes to stay open and focused on the Ghost, slipping his pistol from his left hand into his right. The Ghost positioned her legs to sprint, but Kurt reached again and grabbed her wrist.

  She grunted, curling her other hand and gritting her teeth. She swung but paused when the shot hit. She looked down at her stomach, coughing as blood began to stream.

  “It’s my lucky day,” Kurt said, maintaining the neutral expression on his face. He didn’t savor victory like most of his kind would.

  The Ghost looked back at him. She didn’t display any sign of shock or anger, only a wince from the pain. “Bullets,” she said, tilting her head toward her wound again. “You use bullets.”

  She fell to her knees, only held up by Kurt’s grip on her wrist. He slid his pistol back into its holster, staring at the blood mingling with the sewage water. Perhaps it would purify the filth of the planet, or maybe it would make it worse. Either way, it wasn’t his call to make.

  “Don’t worry, Jaskia Paine,” Kurt said, lifting the teenager over his shoulders. “She wants you alive.”

  Kurt eased off the control panel as the shuttle zoomed through the sky, ripping the green clouds of smog apart. He considered it a blessing that he couldn’t look back to see the clouds re-accumulate, likely with more pollution than before. It would take weeks to rid his ship of the air quality that Peor imparted to him, and Kurt hoped that his next job would not take him back to this cesspool.

  If it did, then he would bear with it. If the job offered enough, then he would bear with anything, but he didn’t want to test his limits like he had today.

  Would he have killed Li and Sem? Probably, but not certainly. Kurt didn’t like to have uncertainty. Should he have killed them? Perhaps for the sake of the job. Only his morals held him back in those few moments in the sewers.

  Morals didn’t hold much place in the life of a mercenary. Morals couldn’t hold much place.

  Kurt glanced down to see a light flashing from the main console. A shrill beep followed. This employer’s availability varied compared to others’ but he didn’t see that as his business. His business began with accepting the job and it ended with compensation. He clicked the button next to the light and looked to the screen on the left as his employer appeared.

  “Mr. Jervada, I’m taking great risks to make this call,” Felicia Malone said, immediately meeting Kurt’s gaze. The crime lord looked a little more ragged than what Kurt had anticipated but her posture still exuded authority and class. Nothing but a jagged rock wall sat behind her. “I hope that you made the planned progress?”

  Kurt leaned back in his chair, putting his boots up on the main console. “Jaskia Paine is secure in the medical bay. Only had to shoot her once, so she’s mostly in the condition you wanted.”

  “As long as she recovers, she will be useful to me,” Felicia said. She narrowed her eyes and didn’t break her stare. “Bring her to me as soon as possible.”

  “Once you compensate me as soon as possible…”

  Felicia clicked her tongue against her cheek. “As per our agreement,
you will be compensated upon my safe delivery.”

  Kurt crossed his hands in his lap. “I told you I don’t play games, Malone. You haven’t given me your location, so until you disclose that information, we’re at an impasse.”

  A crease formed across her lips. He didn’t like the woman’s smirk. “Of course, Mr. Jervada, I was getting around to that. Forgive me if I’m untrusting. Sour history with assassins.”

  “Not an assassin,” Kurt said, rolling his eyes. “Or a robot.”

  Felicia’s smirk faded. “Bring her to Graig. I will transmit my exact coordinates to you now, but expect some resistance upon arrival. Once you mention my name and the target’s name, however, I’m sure that you will be listened to.”

  Graig explained the rock wall. Kurt heard another beep as the coordinates transmitted. He shifted in his chair, eyeing Felicia’s calm but sober expression. He got an uneasy feeling from this, and it appeared obvious that Malone hadn’t divulged everything. However, for the sake of the job, he’d play along until he got his money.

  “I’m on my way.”

  All for the sake of the job. The only job that satisfied his craving.

  1

  Sora Trok let the jagged edges poke his legs as he positioned himself on the rocky surface, focusing on the orange blur over the distant hilltops. He hadn’t watched many sunrises. The smog on Peor kept the planet dark and space travel only allowed him to see a sun as the Killer passed one. Sora had never lived anywhere other than Peor or a spaceship. So, he took advantage of Graig’s clear skies. The ground held nothing other than stone and patches of dirt, but Graig’s bright sun made up for the uncomfortable seating arrangements.

  He hadn’t come here for the sunrise, though. Sora looked from the distance to the closer view. The upright stone slab stood in a dirt patch roughly thirty feet away, and he found that a respectful distance. A distance where he could plainly see the slab, but not close enough as to disrespect the memories underneath the slab. The man underneath the slab.

  The gold, carved words shone brighter than the morning light. ‘DR. VIKTOR ATKINS, FRIEND AND FIRST MATE’ burned into Sora’s eyes once again as the sun illuminated them. He refused to look away and give his eyes comfort. He refused to forget.

  “How did I know I’d find you here?” a soft, soothing voice said. He glanced behind him, noticing Natalia Valie shining nearly as bright as Viktor’s gold name in the searing light. She threw her arm in front of her face, blocking its light as she took a seat next to him. Her curly brown hair dripped to the rocks beneath them.

  “Well, it was either the Killer or here, and you wake up in the former every day, so it’s not hard,” Sora said, smiling. He raised his knees and wrapped his arms around them. “The horizon’s spoiled me. It clears my head before another day gets going.”

  “The horizon’s everywhere, Sora,” Natalia said, removing her arm from her face and gesturing to the open terrain that spanned miles. “You just happen to choose the same spot as Viktor’s grave?”

  “Viktor used to keep my head clear, so I’m getting the best of both worlds.”

  Natalia chuckled, turning her eyes to Viktor’s tombstone. “I guess I can’t argue with that. I think Ursun is ready for us, though.”

  Sora closed his eyes and sighed. He let his eyes relax in the darkness that blocked out the sunlight. As beautiful as he found the light, the darkness still seemed comfortable. Perhaps because it reminded him of space. Perhaps because he felt like it described the last year.

  “I know. That’s why I came here first. You never know when it may be our last opportunity to see him.”

  “Viktor’s much more than a corpse and a decent tombstone,” Natalia said, tugging on his arm. He opened his eyes and looked from the grave to her hazel eyes. “He’s a part of the crew. Wherever we go next, he’ll be there.”

  Sora nodded. He wanted to look at Viktor’s grave again, but he kept his eyes on Natalia. His view of death and loss had changed in the last year and he needed to focus on the present. Viktor would want that. If he had made it here, he would focus on everyone else, just like Sora needed to. “How are you, Natalia?”

  Natalia shrugged, glancing to the ground. “Hopeful. Uncertain. The pirates led us to the Bombard, but how many real connections can they have? Real connections that we can trust? Whatever Ursun has in mind, I don’t want it to lead us astray.”

  “They found Bosnan on Adli before we did.”

  “My point exactly,” Natalia said, tilting her head toward Viktor’s grave.

  Sora stood, extending his hand to Natalia. “We showed up here on our last leg. If they haven’t double-crossed us already, I doubt they will now.”

  Natalia clasped his hand and he pulled her off the ground before turning back toward the base. “I’m not worried about Ursun double-crossing us, Sora,” she said, walking alongside him. “I’m worried about whatever latest connection he’s made.”

  He couldn’t fault her caution. Ursun had treated them graciously since the Killer’s arrival, allowing them to work for him over the last month as a sign of gratitude for his aid in finding the Bombard and as a way to make some needed money, but Sora didn’t know him well. Previously he’d only interacted with his assistant. Ursun offered connections to fight against Bettina, but his last connection was Chief Bosnan. That didn’t give anyone much confidence.

  Sora reached the edge of the crater and stepped out of Natalia’s way, motioning to the ladder below. She smiled and took the lead, turning and sliding down the ladder in her simple blue dress. She didn’t flinch as she descended and made a gentle landing on the metal walkway below. Somehow, she even made using a ladder look elegant. He laughed and shook his head. The Nebula needed that.

  He crouched and grabbed the bars of the ladder before sliding down next, making a slightly less gentle landing on the walkway. As Natalia walked ahead of him, he took a deep breath and stared at the wide, deep crater in front of him. The Killer stationed itself here for a month, but the place still impressed him. According to Tony, a meteor made this crater centuries ago, but Ursun saw more than the remnant of a natural disaster when his pirates found it. He drilled into the walls of the crater and constructed a compound from nothing.

  The walkway that Sora now stood on displayed the fruits of Ursun’s labor. It spanned along the exterior of the entire crater, containing access points to the command center inside the back wall of the crater, as well as ladders to the landing pads below in the crater’s center. He never found himself too far from the Killer.

  He followed Natalia underneath a covering of red and yellow beams, glancing to his left. He spotted the quiet and still Killer on one of the circular landing pads below, getting much needed rest from its recent adventures. However, he doubted that rest would remain for too much longer.

  “Are the others already there?” he said, reaching Natalia’s side and pointing to the docking bay that sat inside the back wall. Red, yellow, and gray beams hung on all sides of the structure, providing cover. Ursun reserved the docking bay for his pirates’ ships and understandably so, considering that it led into the command center. He hadn’t forgotten strategy when designing his base.

  “I think so,” Natalia said, progressing out from their current covering and onto the section of the walkway that would take them into the docking bay from the side. “I saw most people heading in that direction when I went to get you. If this is as big as Ursun says, then everyone will want to hear it.”

  Sora gave an affirming nod. That meant they could all make a unified assessment of whatever opportunity Ursun had.

  They strolled through the side entrance of the docking bay, passing by several pirates performing maintenance on various ships. Ursun kept a diverse group, consisting of people of all species and types. He didn’t discriminate and offered everyone an equal chance if they wanted to join him. Not many people respected pirates, but Sora respected that about Ursun. Queen Bettina kept that sort of equality out of the Nebula, so he enjoyed
seeing that it still existed in the corners of the galaxy.

  The double doors at the back of the room opened as Sora and Natalia approached. They walked into the corridor and turned to the left, passing another pirate who walked in the opposite direction. He didn’t know the human woman’s name, but he recognized her by her flowing, green hair: A guard for the cellblock. Sora paused and glanced in her direction, biting his lower lip.

  Felicia. An issue that he still didn’t know how to handle. The base had better holding facilities than the Killer, but he couldn’t keep her there forever. He didn’t know if he should.

  Sora faced forward and noticed that Natalia had walked a decent amount ahead of him, nearing their destination. He chose not to look back at the guard and quickened his pace, trying to catch up. The end of the hall held the entrance to the command center.

  The steel double doors creaked as they unlocked and separated. Sora noticed hints of rust on the edge of both doors as they slid out of sight. Five years of operating inside a rock wall had taken its toll and pirates didn’t always have military-grade resources to use for a base of this magnitude. He found it impressive that the base lasted this long.

  Sora and Natalia stepped inside the wide command center, brushing past the organized line of computers and scanners that filled both walls. The three-man crew of tech-savvy pirates rushed from one console to another, monitoring incoming messages, job progressions, and solar system readings. Every time he entered the vast room, one computer to his left always took his attention. The screen hadn’t changed in the month that the crew worked here, but he still gave it a glance.

  A stock image of the Bombard took up the entire screen. Red coloring and a warning sign overlaid the flagship. Location unknown.

  According to Ursun’s scouts, the ship vanished after the Killer escaped. They could attribute that to Queen Bettina. If Nelson escaped, then she could have easily stowed the ship away to hide this colossal hit to her government. Her army could have stormed the ship and killed the creatures. However, Sora knew that explanation seemed too easy. Anything could have happened to the flagship and its location didn’t occupy his mind as much as the memories it held.