Maniacs The Krittika Conflict

CHAPTER 10



They'd never gone west of the town before, but it didn't look any different to where the ship had come down. It was a coarse rocky terrain lacking in moisture. Despite that, the smooth suspension of the truck swallowed up most of the hard impacts along the way. It was a small team to be taking on a rescue mission, and they all knew it.

"Here's how we're gonna do this. They get near this truck, and we take them down silently. No need to kill them if you don't have to. We need at least one uniform clean for me to wear. I'll approach the office as one of theirs. Meantime, I want Hughes to be fifty paces behind me and ready for support when things kick off. Hella, find another way in through the roof, sides, anywhere you can."

"It's a prison. Ain't gonna be any."

"I'll find something, Hughes."

"We're passing them now!" yelled Avery.

They ducked down low into the truck be. Mason hugged the tailgate and stayed just high enough to get a view of the place as they trundled past. It was quiet. Three vehicles were parked up outside. It appeared the prison could hold only a dozen prisoners at the most. It was a small complex with an accommodation block for the staff next door. Nobody was visible from outside.

"Doesn't look too bad," he whispered.

The truck passed the Marshals’ station without incident as they’d expected. At that point, Avery cut the power of the truck and let it roll to a halt. He jumped from the cab and walked around to the back to address them one last time.

"You sure about this now?"

"Yes, just one question. We start shooting, you gonna have a problem with people getting killed here?"

"As long as it ain't us. Those marshals are in Volkov's pocket. They've never lifted a finger to help us."

"Good to know."

Mason went to crawl to the back and through the hatch into the cab.

"Wait till they pass."

Half an hour had gone by, and they were all getting concerned. They were worried Avery had turned them in, and it was becoming all too apparent that if it were the case, they were in a giant coffin.

"Come on," whispered Mason.

"We can't stay here any longer. We'll just have to go in."

"No, Hughes, let's give him a chance. They're probably just dragging their heels."

"And if they're waiting for Volkov to arrive and blow the shit out of us?"

"Well then none of it matters, does it?"

"All the work you do this messy?"

"We usually we have a solid plan. Can't say it always goes the way we want it."

Hughes shook his head.

"Look, he's still alive," Hella said. "Must be doing something right."

"Yes, they're coming," said Hughes.

It wasn't long before they could hear the footsteps; and their previous concerns replaced by new ones. The plan was coming together, but timing was now everything. They could hear the discussion Avery was having with the two deputies.

"I still can't believe you didn't keep your truck maintained, you, the parts guy."

"I deal in ship parts. I ain't no auto mechanic."

"And there I was thinking there was more to a job than one thing. Volkov will have your balls for this."

"And yours too if he knew you left me here."

Three sets of footsteps passed them, heading towards the engine bay of the vehicle. Hughes noticed out of the corner of his eye that Hella was already on the tailgate of the vehicle. She flipped herself nimbly up onto the top of the canvas roof with barely a single sound. It was a sight unnatural to him that sent a quiver down his spine. She moved more like a stalking cat than a human.

Mason sat in the driver’s cab and could see them approaching along the vehicle’s side. Avery had kept them close to the truck just as he had wanted. They were completely unaware of the danger they were walking into. He pushed the door open hard. It smashed into the first deputy and launched him off his feet.

Before he had even landed, Hella was airborne and descending on the other man. He was forced down onto his back with the weight of her body, and she drove a quick punch into his head. It knocked him unconscious against the hard ground. Mason was quickly out of the truck and stormed towards his opponent who was fumbling to get his pistol out. He slammed his boot down on the man's inner elbow, and he squirmed in pain. He pulled out his own pistol, flipped it to grip by the barrel, and cracked it down on his head. Blood burst from the man's head, but he managed to lash out and push Mason aside. The deputy was stunned and again tried to reach for his pistol. Mason rushed to his back, taking him into an arm lock and pulling him to the ground. He wrapped his leg over the man's gun hand until he passed out from the hold on his neck.

Mason sighed in relief, "That was close."

Hella grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet, but only just. She felt half his weight and probably was.

"What the hell's going on here?" came a call.

They both turned around in a panic, and Mason's heart stopped when he saw a third deputy draw out his pistol fifteen metres back from the truck. The crack of a laser weapon rang out and hit him in the chest. He was dead on his feet and slumped down to the ground. Hughes jumped from the back of the vehicle with his rifle in hand. Mason wanted to thank him, but they had more pressing concerns.

"This is gonna get ugly quick!" he yelled, rushing to the back of the truck. He grabbed his rifle and rushed towards the building.

"What do you want me to do?" Hella asked, as they made a break for the office front.

"Same as before. Find a way in and get to Mitchell!"

A uniformed militiaman appeared at the door with a rifle but was riddled with a double tap from both of them.

"Christ, ain't this supposed to be a Marshal's department?" Hughes asked.

"Volkov must have sent some help. At least that's taken away some of his number from the town!"

"What a relief."

They got to the door the man had come from and burst through inside as quickly as they could. They found the counter empty, but voices further into the complex could be heard. For a moment they thought they had gotten away with it, until a loud siren sounded off.

"Shit, we gotta move."

They rushed behind the desk and down the only corridor that continued past it. Two militiamen rushed towards them but hadn't got their weapons raised. Mason fired two shots into each of them, continued moving, and knocked them both down. Another rushed out from a side door, slamming Hughes into the wall opposite. Mason turned in time to see Hughes drive a knee into the man. It hit like a train, causing what must have been major internal injuries. It dropped him to the floor.

"Those legs do more than walk then?"

Hughes smiled. "They aren't all bad."

They rushed past several cells; the prisoners watching in shock as the two gunmen passed them.

"That's him!" Mason shouted.

Mitchell was flat out on a slab of concrete resembling a bed, but with none of the niceties. He was conscious but barely lucid. He hadn't even noticed their presence.

"Felix! Can you hear me?"

He turned slowly and smiled. "Boss?"

It was the only occasion when he wouldn't rib him for saying it.

"Can you walk?"

"Uhhh...walk? Why would I want to walk, Boss? I want to sleep."

"He's out of it," whispered Hughes.

"They must have pumped him full of drugs, a guarantee that he goes down for good."

"I hear he's a junkie. Maybe he got himself into this."

"No, not a chance. He's come through for us, and we're gonna get him out of this."

Mason stepped back and fired at the locking blade. It sheared off. He hauled the cage door open and rushed inside.

"Mitchell, don't you worry, we're gonna get you out of here. You're gonna be all right."

Christ, Felix, we really are in the shit here, he thought.

He could see Hughes was thinking the same.

"Where's Hella?" he asked.

Mason looked around, but there was no movement, except for the other prisoners. Glass smashed down beside them, and a body of a militiaman dropped from the roof, hitting the floor beside them.

"Christ!" Hughes shouted.

They looked up and Hella dropped in through the skylight she had clearly just thrown a man through. She landed down beside him as softly as she could.

"They were waiting for us."

"How many, Hell?"

There's another three up there like him."

"On your tail?" Hughes asked.

"Dead," she replied.

It wouldn't have been believable, had they not seen her handy work the last few days. With the skylight gone through, they could hear the shouts of troops gathering outside.

"How many more you think are out there?"

"More than we can handle."

"Volkov must have really pulled out the stops."

"He must have known I'd come. He's betting on capturing me will put an end to his troubles."

"Smart."

"Maybe, but he just f*cked with the wrong guy."

A megaphone cut in and echoed around the room.

"You are surrounded. Lay down your weapons, and come out with your hands up!"

"I didn't take this job to go to prison."

"Nobody's going to prison, Hughes. Have a little faith. Let's look at our options. This place got an internal garage?"

"I'm on it," Hella said, and she rushed off to scout the building.

Mitchell was rambling and sitting down against some of the bars of his cell. Mason knelt down beside him and slapped him in the face.

"Come on, Felix. You gotta hold it together!"

"Boss, let me sleep."

Mason pulled a medipack out of a pouch on his vest and took out an e-shot.

"All the stuff in his body, you sure you want to do that? It could kill him."

"We don't get him on his feet in the next two minutes, and he's dead anyway. Way I figure it Mitchell's body has survived every substance known to man. If anyone can manage it, it's him."

"Not exactly something you'd want to be noted for."

"Better than being dead."

He held the device onto Mitchell's throat and clicked the button on the top. Mitchell's eyes immediately opened wide, and he shot to life. He stared deep into Mason's eyes and for a moment wasn't sure of his surroundings.

"Where the hell are we?"

"Where do you think?"

He looked around at the bars and the other prisoners.

"Ah, shit. I feel like hell."

Hella ran back into the room. "They've got four ducted fan bikes in the garage."

"They could have left those for us. No protection whatsoever, so they could gun us down no problem."

"You underestimate us," replied Mason.

He got up and rushed to the other cells to address the prisoners.

"I'm gonna give you all a chance to get out of here. There are bikes waiting for you. You want out?"

They erupted in excitement, for he knew they were all resigned to a similar fate Mitchell had been. He had no idea if they deserved to be there or not, but he didn't have the luxury of caring. He pulled out a smoke grenade from his belt and handed it to Hughes.

"You wait with them at the door. Do not let them out until I say. Then pop both the smokes and let 'em go."

"But, how?"

"Just do it. Once the doors are open, you head for the roof immediately."

"How?"

"There's a ladder in the garage," Hella said.

"Right, you grab that, and get it set up to that skylight."

He lifted his comms unit. "Avery, you there?"

It was silent for a few seconds until he responded with a whisper.

"What the hell is going on, Mason?"

"We need a way out..."

"Ain't no way I can get through those boys."

"Just listen. We're gonna pop some smoke grenades in a second. You wait ten seconds and then come for us. Get as close to the east wall as you can. Avoid the entrance. We're gonna blow it."

"How you getting to the truck?"

"Off the roof."

"What?"

"No choice, please just do it. Remember, ten seconds after you see the smoke, get up to the east side wall."

"Yeah...all right," he replied hesitantly. "Good luck."

"And to you."

Mason pulled out a C11 charge from his webbing. Besides a little ammunition, it was all the gear he had left at his disposal. He went towards the entrance and hunkered down so as not be seen over the desk when he reached it.

This is gonna be damn close!

He put the charge on the desk and noticed a glimmer of movement above it. It was a shadow from troops right outside the door. He knew they were close to breaching. He pulled out his pistol.

“Stay back!” he yelled, firing random shots in quick succession out towards the door. He flicked the arming switch on the explosive and rushed back, firing a few more shots.

“We’re running out of time!” he shouted.

Hella was propping up the ladder as he arrived.

“Hughes, you ready?” he asked over the comms.

“Ready.”

“Do it.”

They heard the faint whine of the mechanical doors of the garage lifting.

“Throwing smoke.”

A few seconds later they heard the ducted fans of the bikes spin up. Mason began to count the ten seconds in his head.

Ten, nine.

“Get up there,” he said to Hella.

She didn’t hesitate. She almost ran up the ladder at a surprising speed. Hughes rushed out towards him and scrambled up after her.

Eight, seven, six.

He looked up. Hughes had made it to the roof. He lifted up the trigger for the device, praying it wouldn’t bring the building down on them. His thumb tapped the trigger, and an ear splitting blast soared through the structure, rocking the ground beneath them. Dust filled the air, and Mason took his chance to get up to the roof. They heard a hail of gunshots as the militia fired at the bikes, but the other prisoners were not their concern.

A second crashing sound could be heard below, and Hughes looked over the edge to see Avery’s truck smashing through two copters which had been brought in for cover my the militia. The rotors at a corner of each were smashed apart as the hulking vehicles were brushed aside.

“That’s Avery. He’s coming all right!” he shouted to Mason.

The Captain got to the rooftop and rushed to the edge, but Avery’s truck came in too close and smashed into the structure, causing it to shake and almost take them off their feet.

“Onto the roof!” Mason ordered.

He climbed onto the ledge and fired two shots into the canvas before leaping and hoping for the best. Hella and Hughes were close behind, and all three crashed through the canvas, landing hard in the cargo bay with no finesse at all.

“Go!” Mason screamed.

The truck pulled away as fragments of the wall it had crashed into collapsed down behind them. Hughes was the first up and lifted his rifle to fire some covering shots, but laser pulses flew at them. One clipped part of his exoskeleton, and he twisted violently and dropped down below the tailgate. Mason rushed to fill his place. There was no time for checking on him as they made a break for it.

He took a few shots, but Avery turned quickly and put the prison building between them and most of the shooters. They were gaining speed and were quickly out of range. He turned back. Hughes was trying to pull himself up onto the raised side runners of the bed. Hella was sitting back and dusting off her coat, ignoring him completely. It was the first realisation for Mason that she really was what had been suspected.

She shows no emotion or empathy at all.

Mason reached down and hauled him up into a seated position.

‘You all right?”

He looked down at the wound. His trousers and skin beneath had been clipped badly below the knee.

“I can’t feel that far down, anyway.”

Mason looked back up at his face to see he was telling the truth, but the exoskeleton support was also snapped beside the wound.

“I ain’t gonna be walking anytime soon.”

A laser rushed past the side of the truck as he said it.

“Can you still shoot?”

Mason reached down, took a hold of his rifle, and threw it into the soldier’s hands. They could see two copters approaching rapidly. They were far faster and more nimble than the hulking vehicle they were making their getaway in. Mason fired quickly; the shot knocked one of the militia off the lead vehicle. Hughes joined in, but Mason looked back to Hella. She was still sitting calmly behind him. He pulled his pistol and tried to give it to her. She refused.

“Until I can use it to perfection, I’m not using it at all.”

“We ain’t got time for your bullshit. Take the damn gun!”

She snatched it from his hands and moved up between the two of them.

“Shoot something!” he yelled.

She loosed off a shot, but it went far wide of its target.

“Shit, you really can’t shoot.”

“Screw you!” she shouted as she tried harder.

One of the copters zoomed past into their blind spot.

“This one’s mine!”

She flipped out onto the rooftop as she had done before and quickly leapt onto the vehicle that was coming up beside them. She was out of the other two’s view, so they turned their attention on the other vehicle.

“Take their fans out!” Mason yelled.

They both focused their fire on the front fans of the quadcopter, and within seconds smoke was pouring from them, and the vehicle shut down. Mason took a hold of the rear of the roof and jumped onto the tailgate to check on Hella. She was at the controls of the vehicle. The two occupants were dead. He smiled back in response and sat back down opposite Hughes.

“She okay?”

“More than okay. Maybe she can’t shoot for shit, but God help any of us if we end up in a knife fight with her.”

They eventually rolled back into town to cautious looks from the few who were out to see them, and the many others who watched from their windows. Liu was waiting in the porch of the bar and looked in disbelief. He hadn’t expected Mason to return any other way except battered.

Avery stopped the truck outside the Digger to a cheer of applause from the crew who came out to join Liu. Mason leapt off the back and helped Hughes down. He could only stand on one leg while Mason helped him hobble along. Erin was quick out the door to assist his other side as Hella rode the copter up and parked behind them. The bodies were still sitting in the seats behind her. It was an uncomfortable sight to behold.

“You get him?” asked Liu. Mitchell stumbled and fell out the back of the truck.

“Yeah, but he’s a mess.”

“No more than you,” snapped Mitchell from his position in the dirt.

“Avery! Damn fine job you did out there!”

He turned to the others. “Saved our lives.”

“Avery!”

There was no response.

Liu stepped up beside the cab of the vehicle. His face turned to stone. He pulled the door open and reached inside. He looked back at the others with sad eyes.

“He’s dead,” he said solemnly.

Mason handed Hughes over to Kaper who had come to greet them and stepped up to the cab himself. A laser shot had struck him through the cab and inflicted a mortal wound on his torso.

“He held on till he got you back safe,” said Liu.

“A brave man.”

“Yes, but no less dead.”

The two of them stepped down from the truck. Viktor stood at the door of the bar with his arms crossed and looking moody.

“Great job, brought one man back at the loss of another. Great work.”

“Not now, Vik,” Mason sighed.

“I never knew you cared about these folk.”

“I don’t, Liu, but I’d like to think I wasn’t working for a man who’d risk a load of our lives for one.”

“Have you no soul?” asked Erin.

Viktor smiled back. “I’m in this life for number one, me. I’ll fight for money, but not some misplaced sense of loyalty.”

“That why you were kicked out of the Alliance Army?” Hughes asked.

Viktor strode up to the wounded ex-soldier still being held up by Kaper and Erin. He smiled for a second, and then quickly punched Hughes in the face. He dropped from their grip and almost hit the ground.

“Viktor!”

He snapped around, glaring at the Captain. Mason could feel trouble brewing, and he knew it was time to have it out while they still had the luxury of doing so.

“We’re in this together, Vik. We all agreed it, so let’s start acting like professionals.”

“Exactly my point,” he replied. “Ever since we got this job, you have failed at every opportunity to seal the deal and get paid. I could have killed Volkov with one shot. One shot! One, bang, down. Instant pay cheque. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, move on, next job. But no, you had to protect everyone and let him go, and where are we now? One man dead and one a f*cking wreck.”

“You want to leave this crew, you’re welcome to anytime, but while you’re here, you follow my orders whether you like it or not!”

Hughes was helped back to his feet and spat out blood on the floor. It partly spread over onto Viktor’s boots. He looked down in disgust, and his hand grew nearer to his pistol.

“Don’t even think about it, Vik. Remember who the boss is here.”

“The Boss? ‘Cos that’s a title and a job you ain’t seemed happy about since I came on board. Looks like you aren’t up to the job. Maybe you don’t even want it. Maybe it’s time someone more capable takes it on, huh?” he asked the group.

None of them seemed to give their approval, and Erin look on with absolute horror of what was even happening while she was supporting a wounded man; and a dead one lay in the vehicle beside them.

“So we are a team, and the best man should lead. Maybe it’s my turn?” he asked.

Hella began to circle behind him, but he had already anticipated her move and turned, pointing his finger at her.

“Don’t even think about it, you crazy bitch. Next time you touch me will be your last.”

She held up her hands as if to look innocent and took a few paces back.

“Didn’t know you were so emotional about it,” she replied.

Mason could see it was escalating and knew only he could put an end to it.

“Viktor!”

The hulking man turned around to face off against him. He waited for Mason to speak and clenched his fists.

“All right, so you want a shot at being the Captain.”

“Max?”

“No, no, Liu, if he wants a shot at me, he’s welcome to take it.”

“What the hell are we doing here? Fighting each other with the enemy on our doorstep?”

Ben Liu approached him so they could talk privately, but Mason interrupted him.

“We need him. I put him in his place, and he’s the weapon we need him to be. We put him down now, and we’re down a fighter worth more than his weight in credits.”

“And if you can’t beat him?”

Mason looked at him in surprise. “Your confidence is overwhelming.”

“Just being realistic.” He turned and looked at Vik’s intimidating presence.

“I want this cleared up before the real fight begins. I want to know I can rely on everyone in the team when the time comes.”

Ben shook his head. “I hope you’re right.”

“Okay, Vik,” said Mason. “Here’s the deal. No guns, no blades, no weapons of any kind. We fight it out here and now till one of us submits or can no longer fight.”

“Sounds good.”

“But let’s be clear about this. If you win, you can step up to run this gig. If I win, you accept by command and start respecting my authority.”

“It’s a deal.”

Erin was speechless. She let go of Hughes and stepped forward to intervene, but Hella grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“They need to do this.”

“Why? What is there to prove?”

“Who calls the shots.”

“A team divided is a team broken,” Hughes explained.

“So, what? You want this?”

“Yeah, sure, just as long as the Captain wins.”

None of them wanted to imagine the possibility of Viktor taking charge of the outfit. Vik pulled off his coat, revealing his strong physique. He looked like a man born naturally large and who’d worked with his body his entire life. He smiled as he unclipped his gun belt and dropped it down beside his coat. Mason could see he was looking forward to the fight. He threw off his own gear, and the two of them stepped out into the middle of the road.

Viktor stood a full head taller than Mason, and despite the Captain being well built himself, he looked like a boy compared to the towering ex Alliance soldier.

“We’re gonna get this sorted and have the job done by morning.”

“Keep dreaming, Viktor.”

Viktor lunged forward quickly with a right hook which was surprisingly swift, and Mason narrowly ducked under. He knew he couldn’t afford to get tied up by the heavier fighter. He kicked to the inside of Vik’s leg, but it barely wobbled him. Vik responded with a barrage of jabs and hooks, closing the distance. Mason fended them off, but Viktor was on top of him. He protected his head, but Vik dropped low and hit up with an uppercut that took the wind out of him.

The Captain was hunched over from the impact, and Viktor shoved him over onto the hard surface of the street.

“Come on, I haven’t had my fun yet!” Viktor sneered.

Mason coughed and spluttered as he tried to refill his lungs with air.

“Is this the man you follow? You’re paid to fight, and you want him leading you?”

Mason got to his feet and took up a stance to continue. Viktor came back at him with the same three combination, two jabs and a right hook. Mason voided to his left and hit him full on in the face, following it with a left, causing him to stumble back. He could see it was a shock to Viktor.

Vik came right back at Mason with a jab, and then quickly closed the distance and got into a standing clinch. He drove a knee up into Mason, further compounding his painful ribs, pushed between Mason’s arm and head, driving an elbow down onto his neck.

The strike drove Mason down onto his knees and almost broke his collarbone. He quickly reacted by hitting Viktor in the groin with the hardest punch he could deliver, followed by a second and a third. Viktor howled in pain. Mason launched up with an uppercut to his jaw, sending him crashing to the ground like falling timber, but he wasn’t finished. Mason stamped on his stomach and punched him in the face. Blood to burst from his nose.

Despite the punishment, Vik was still trying to get up. Mason offered out his hand to help him up. Viktor took it, as he knew he would. He hauled him up and twisted to his right side, driving his elbow into Vik’s shoulder blade, still maintaining a grip on the arm and driving him face down into the ground. All of Mason’s weight was on his back, and he held the arm back at the very limit before it would break in the socket. Viktor groaned but despite the pain, refused to go as far as screaming.

“Tap out, Vik, Tap out!”

He tried to fight it, but Mason only drove his elbow in deeper.

“All right, all right!”

“All right, what?” asked Mason.

“All right, you win.”

“And?”

“And I accept you’re the Boss.”

“No, I’m the Captain. And what else?”

“And… I’ll follow your orders.”

“Well, all right then.”

Mason released his grip, spun him over, and hauled him to his feet. Both were nursing wounds. Vik still had a smile on his face even though blood was dripping into his mouth, but it was now an amused grin. Mason could see he had won the man’s respect.

“You fight dirty.”

“Only as dirty as I have to, Vik,” he replied, patting him on the back. Mason strolled back to the others triumphantly, but still holding his painful ribs.

“All that worth it?” asked Erin.

He stopped and replied sternly.

“Yes. Look at him. In a fight he’s worth two or three of you, and now he’s on our side.”