Chapter Seven
Trespassers
Nightsky's Doss
Tacoma, Seattle
July 12, 2059
2:24 pm
Nightsky stirred ever so lightly. His eyes are shut, blocking out the afternoon sun. The bed is so comfortable it must be a sin. A bed, a real bed. Not just mattresses tossed on the floor. Nightsky shifted his pillow. The lump of the Sai didn't even bother him. He had become accustomed to feeling the weapon. His hand reached under the pillow, giving his head more support, and resting it across the knife's hilt.
Reassurance.
The covers were thick and fluffy. It's like being wrapped in a big blanket. Only it wasn't uncomfortably hot to be curled in them. It was peaceful and strangely cool. A little piece of heaven in a low-rent building. Nightsky had changed clothes at the team's safehouse. He burned them. A long, hot shower washed away the rest of the smell from the crash. The dry, charcoal stench was all but a memory.
There was a clicking sound. Barely audible in the cold room. Almost like boots scuffing across the concrete floor. Nightsky paid it no mind, dismissing the sound as fanciful dreams. Calm, restful dreams for once instead of the nightmares that had plagued him a few months ago. The clicking continued, uninterrupted.
A new sound, something vaguely like metal being dragged across something. Again Nightsky ignored it, feeling much too tired after the night's activities. All he cares about is rest.
"Get up!"
A voice! Definitely not in Nightsky's head either. It was real. The sudden realization snapped the adept's eyes open. A nervous feeling found its way inside as the fear of someone breaking into his place became real.
It takes a second for Nightsky's eyes to adjust to the light. Then a figure at the end of the bed becomes clear. A human, though a bit short and a little overweight. Synthleather clothing almost matches his skin. His eyes are large, like eggs in the middle of his face. A pistol is gripped tightly between chubby fingers. A Predator.
Predator? Nightsky spares a glance at the table next to the bed. The pistol there is missing. It's now in the man's hand. The fear inside subsides quickly. This guy wasn't a professional. Nightsky would smile, but that would give the secret away. The man had picked up a dud.
"I said get up!"
Nightsky looked him over, noticing the butt of a pistol peeking around the man's immense waist. He did a double take on the Predator, making sure of its origin.
"Who are you?" Nightsky demanded, trying to buy time instead information.
"Name's Willis, but that's none of you're bloody business!" Willis spat, showing how uncomfortable he was in the late midday heat. After all, Nightsky's place didn't have a very good air conditioner. "Get up and put these on!" Willis tossed a pair of handcuffs at him.
Nightsky spared a glance at the cuffs. At the same time he tightened his grip on the Sai still under the pillow. This guy wasn't a thief. A thief wouldn't have bothered to wake him up. A thief would be after something in the building as well. Willis did not seem interested in any of that. The barrel of the Predator waver. Willis is deadly serious. Something that Nightsky affords a grin at.
The grin ques the strangest look from Willis. Right before Nightsky snatches the pillow and hurls it at him. Willis bats the fluffy object away, sending it barreling to the floor. He chuckles, feeling the act is almost funny. A pillow versus a Predator? Ares versus Serenity Sleep Comfort?
"Is that suppose to hurt?" Willis bellows, but his joyful laugh ends suddenly. Nightsky is on his feet, leaping across the bed faster than Willis would have thought possible. The gleam of metal in his hand. Willis pulled the pistol level, snapping the trigger while hoping that he would be just in time.
Click!
"What tha-?" Willis pulled the trigger again.
Click! Click!
"Never take a dud, Willis!" Nightsky bowled into him, shoving the point of the Sai deep into the man's shoulder. Willis fell back, slamming his head onto the concrete with enough force to break the skin. Nightsky flipped up, pulling the Sai free, landing right over the chubby man's head. A foot smashed into his face. The Sai found itself at Willis's throat before the blood stained the floor. "You must be stupid or an amateur. I left that Predator unloaded just incase someone tried to use it against me. Gives me a chance don't you know?" Nightsky stripped Willis's pistol out of his belt. He could see why Willis went for the Predator now. Willis's pistol was nothing more than a hold-out, a special of the streets.
Willis tried to get up, flailing his arm. Nightsky quickly locked the appendage around his knee.
"Now I'm going to ask you some questions and you're going to answer. Else I'll shove silver-laced steel into your cranium. Got it?"
"Go frag yourself! I'll fragging-?"
The tip of the Sai drew a trickle of blood. "Quiet." Nightsky scorned. "You're not after money. Else you wouldn't have bothered to wake me up. Someone sent you. Who?"
` "Go to hell."
Nightsky tightened his grip. "It's obvious you weren't hired for you're personality or you're skill."
Skill? The realization hit Nightsky suddenly. This pathetic excuse for an assassin has a complete lack of skill. How did he get in here in the first place? The front door has more locks than a safe. To say nothing of the concussion grenade booby-trap. How the hell did Willis get past it? He couldn't have. Unless.....he had help.
The look in Willis's eye confirmed his suspicion.
Nightsky frowned. ".....drek........"
A flicker of movement came from the doorway. Nightsky started to turn, but was far too late. Tiny darts stuck into his flesh. One in his arm, another in the shoulder. A biting electric current leaped from the connecting wires, filling the adept's nervous system with jolting fire. The Sai shook out of his hand. He fell to the floor, jittering. The body unable to respond to his commands. Instead he was wracked in pain, feeling the edges of unconsciousness creeping in. Desperate to fight the pain in his muscles, Nightsky forced himself up, only to see the world spin around him. He dropped, hitting his head on the hard concrete. The last thing he saw was a metal hand before the darkness claimed him.
Willis gasped for breath. "What the frag were you waiting for? Did you want him to slit my throat?!" He held his hand over the pinprick wound on his neck. Though he seemed more concerned about the hole in his shoulder. "Why did I have to come in first? Why couldn't you?"
"Shut up, whelp." The gruff figure growled, bearing a broken-toothed grin and flexing his metallic cyberarm. "Put the handcuffs on him. Let's get this drek over with."
3:12 pm
"Alona! Wait up!"
Alona paused in her walk, holding her school bag tighter. Linna rushed up to her side. Also in her school uniform, Linna was on her way home. She had wide eyes about her, excited about something.
"Hey, Linna. Where have you been?"
"Oh it's been the busiest day!" Linna smiled. "I've been looking for you all day. Mind if I walk with you until my stop?"
"How did things go with Ronald last night?"
"Oh!" Linna widened her eyes. "That's what I wanted to tell you. Well, actually he was a bit of a bore. It was okay for a while. We had a nice dinner and we drove most of the streets of Seattle. He's a little anxious. Well, more like a lot anxious, but that's not what I really wanted to tell you."
"What is?"
"Well, we went cruising and ended up stopping in this completely deserted place somewhere in Redmond."
"Redmond?!" Alona was shocked. "Linna, you know how dangerous it is there. How could you let him take you to a place like that? You could've gotten hurt."
"Calm down, Alona. You sound like my mother. I think Ronald's been there before. It was some kind of old airport. He said his dad bought it and was going to turn it into some kind of business. A tour service I think. Anyway, he started acting so macho and how we were all alone and we had the whole place to ourselves. His ego could have outweighed his car."
Alona giggled.
"Right before he starts to make his move these lights pop on. You should have seen Ronald!" Linna grinned, finding the whole thing funny now. "He was scared out of his mind."
"Lights?"
"Yes. This helicopter came out of no where and landed right across from us. A bunch of people got out and moved into this van that had been sitting nearby the whole time."
"Who were they?"
"I don't know. I was a little scared at first, but when I saw Ronnie's face turn pale I almost lost it. It was so funny! Those people didn't stay long. After they left Ronnie tried to act all big like it didn't bother him. He is so self centered."
Alona smiled. "I thought you like him?"
"I did. He was always to brash and cool, but it was just so funny seeing him completely out of control of the situation."
"You should be nice to him. Don't make fun of him for it."
"I can't. It's just too much to resist. Say...." Linna lifted a lock of Alona's hair. "Are you still wanting that dye? I've got time tonight. We'll make it look good."
"Sure!"
A Sedan pulled up next to the girls. A tall man got out. He stood tall and lean, a hint of elfish features peaked from his sharp eyes and pointed ears. His voice is rich and warm. Though somewhat unsettling. Alona recognizes him as someone who she has seen with her mother.
"Ms. Alona." The man address, being completely polite. "Your mother has requested your presence. I've been sent to give you a ride."
Alona stared at him for a moment. There was something in his voice that eluded her. She couldn't put her finger on it. Finally she gave a shallow nod. "Look, Linna, I've got to go. Call me tonight, okay?"
"Sure." Linna said cheerfully.
The man opened the door for her. Alona got in, her arm brushing across his hand. It shocked her at first. The feel of his skin. It was so strange.
And why is he so cold?
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