Chapter 51: Acceleration
Tendo began rapidly issuing commands through the comm. “Lin, fall back and provide support to Team 2. Yaten, stay on the van, but do not engage. Team 3, release Norton and support Team 2. N15, follow the van from the air.”
The white van passed close by Yaten and Lin as it exited the parking lot. She didn’t want to let it go, but she had her orders. Her team needed her. Lin’s jaw clenched as she broke away from Yaten, her motorcycle roaring to life beneath her. The echoing sound of gunfire still rattled from the parking lot, and her heart pounded in sync with the rapid-fire shots. She weaved through the chaos, her eyes darting to the scene unfolding ahead. One attacker lay motionless near the SUV, and three others were taking cover behind cars, firing relentlessly at the black vehicle. Through the shattered windows, she could see Liki and Jotaro alternately returning fire and ducking back into cover.
“Norton is free! Backup is coming Team 2!” Lin heard Sumiko shout over the comm.
This went to hell fast, Lin thought, revving her bike. She leapt off the back, letting the motorcycle crash into one of the attackers who was crouched behind a bench. The man barely had time to react before the bike slammed into him. His scream was cut short as the weight crushed him. Lin put two extra bullets into him as she strode up, just to be sure.
She dropped into cover behind a compact car. Firing a volley of shots, she pinned down the man on the right side of the SUV. “Liki! Covering fire for you!” she barked into the comms. “Move!”
Liki reacted instantly, flinging open the rear door and darting into the maze of parked cars. Her small frame made her nearly invisible as she disappeared between the vehicles, her tail flicking behind her like a shadow.
The third attacker popped out of cover, spraying bullets in a wide arc before ducking back down to reload. As he fumbled with his weapon, a low growl rumbled from behind him. He froze, his eyes widening as he turned to face a pair of enormous metal jaws. Norton, the robotic security dog, lunged forward, his metallic teeth clamping down on the man’s head. The attacker’s scream was muffled as Norton shook him like a ragdoll, his body flailing uselessly before going limp.
The last man, hidden behind a car three spots away from the SUV, reached under his jacket and pulled out a grenade. Trembling slightly as he pulled the pin, his eyes darted toward the broken windows of the vehicle. He raised his arm to throw, but before he could, a single shot rang out. The bullet tore through his hand, and the grenade fell to the ground beside him.
Panic flashed across his face. He scrambled to his feet and, clutching his wounded hand, ran out of cover in desperation. Liki emerged from between two nearby vehicles, and fired two more shots from Kaji’s gun into the unknown assailant’s back as he ran, then she vanished back into cover. The man crumpled to the ground, and the grenade exploded behind him, finishing him off.
For a moment, the parking lot was eerily quiet. The only sound was the faint hum of Norton’s servos as he released the lifeless body from his jaws. Lin cautiously stood from her cover, her gun still at the ready. “Clear,” she said into the comms, her voice tense. “All hostiles neutralized.”
Tendo’s voice came through, calm but urgent. “Good work. Lin, regroup with Team 2. N15, report.”
N15’s voice was cool and detached. “Van is on the move. Heading east on 5th. Appears to be en route to a secondary location. Sky-Crate is continuing pursuit.”
“Transmit the van’s location data to all team vehicles,” Tendo said. “Yaten, maintain distance, but not too far. We can’t risk losing them.”
“Yes sir,” Yaten responded calmly.
“What happened to the man that was with the abductor frame… Wukmir? Does anyone have eyes on him?” Tendo asked.
“I’ve still got a drone on him, he’s on this monitor over here. He started running away down the path when we started shooting back. He’s still running but trying to look casual,” N15 informed the team.
“Okay, keep on him and relay his location to the authorities. We’ll let them pick him up,” replied Tendo.
Lin holstered her gun and jogged toward the SUV, where Jotaro was leaning against the side, clutching his arm. Blood seeped through his fingers, but he waved her off. “I’m fine. Just a graze. Kaji’s in worse shape.”
Lin’s stomach dropped as she looked inside the vehicle. Kaji was slumped in the passenger seat, his shirt soaked with blood. His breathing was shallow, and his face was pale. Dave was there beside him, his hands pressing against the wound in an attempt to stem the bleeding. “Juni’s here somewhere isn’t she?” he asked with panic in his voice.
“Becs,” Lin said, pressing on her earpiece, “We need you on the scene.” Her voice was uncharacteristically tense. “Kaji’s been shot right through his vest. He’s losing a lot of blood.”
Inside her car, parked at the far end of the parking lot in the shade of a large tree, Juni’s heart skipped a beat. She had been waiting for this call, though she had hoped it wouldn’t come. She grabbed her medical kit from the passenger seat, and got out, taking deep breath to prepare herself. “I’m on my way,” she replied, finger on her earpiece.
Slamming the car door shut behind her, Juni broke into a sprint, her kit clutched tightly in one hand. The chaos of the parking lot was already visible as she rounded a row of vehicles. The sound of gunfire had subsided, but the aftermath was grim. Bodies littered the ground, and the acrid smell of smoke and blood hung in the air.
She spotted the SUV immediately, its windows shattered and its frame riddled with bullet holes. Lin was crouched beside it, her face pale but focused. Beside her, Kaji lay on the ground; Dave was close by, applying pressure to Kaji’s wound, using his own shirt to staunch the bleeding. Liki knelt by Kaji as well, holding his head in her lap.
Juni dropped to her knees beside Kaji, her eyes quickly assessing the damage. His blood was already pooling on the ground, and his breathing was shallow and irregular. “Move,” she said sharply, placing her kit on the ground and snapping it open. “Let me see.”
Dave hesitated for a moment before shifting aside. Juni’s hands were steady as she began examining the wound. She pulled out a pair of scissors and cut away Kaji’s shirt. With Dave’s help, she unbuckled and removed his “bullet-proof” vest, exposing the jagged bullet hole in his side. The vest hadn’t stopped the armor piercing round but he certainly would have been dead without it.
“This is bad,” she muttered under her breath, pulling out a roll of gauze and a clotting foam spray. “But he’s not done yet.”
“Is he going to be okay”? said Liki, her voice small and worried.
“Don’t worry, Liki. Juni is amazing. She will save him,” said Lin, reassuringly.
Juni didn’t look up, her focus entirely on Kaji. “I’ll do my damn best.”
Tendo’s voice came through the comm, sharp and urgent. “Lin, catch up with the van and rejoin Yaten. N15 and I are still tracking from the air in the command crate.”
Lin nodded. She grabbed her helmet, secured it, and hoisted her motorcycle off the ground where it was still tangled with the dead attacker. In one swift motion, she mounted it and sped off, leaving a trail of rubber on the pavement.
Liki watched her go, wishing that she could do more as she hovered near Dave and Kaji. Juni was working furiously, her focus entirely on saving him. Something inside Liki snapped—a mix of fear and determination. “Tendo, let me help. I want to save Katya.”
Tendo’s reply was immediate, his tone firm. “No. If we lose you, then we have no operation. I know you can run fast, but there’s no way you can keep up with that van on foot, or Lin and Yaten on their bikes.”
Sumiko, who had been silent until now, spoke up. “Liki could use Norton.”
Lin’s voice cut in. “Tendo, if we lose Katya, we risk blowing our cover at the handoff. We need her back,” she calmly insisted.
There was a pause, and then Tendo let out a long, exasperated sigh. “This is a stupid, stupid thing I’m about to let you do. But Lin’s right. We need Katya, and I know you can handle yourself better than any of us, Liki.”
Liki’s heart leapt. She wasn’t going to be left behind. Sumiko’s voice came through again, addressing the robo-security dog. “Norton, pursuit mode.”
Norton, standing guard nearby, whirred to life. His metal paws retracted, wheels descending in their place, and a small seat with low handles unfurled from his back. “Hop on, Liki,” said Norton’s grandfatherly voice.
Dave stood up, his face pale and his hands trembled slightly, still clutching his balled-up, bloody shirt. Cuts and scratches from the shattered glass criss-crossed his skin, but his focus was entirely on Liki.
“Liki, wait!”
She turned, her ears twitching at the sound of his voice. For a moment, their eyes met, and Dave saw the determination etched into her features—the same resolve that he saw in her eyes whenever she talked about protecting him.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said, worry in his voice. “Let Lin and Yaten handle it. It’s too dangerous.”
Liki shook her head, her tail flicking behind her. “I have to, Dave. We have to save Katya to save the other Wimils…”
Dave hesitated, his hands clenching at his sides. He hated seeing her put herself in danger, but he also knew better than to underestimate her. He’d seen her in action—her speed, her strength, her unshakable courage. He’d promised himself that he was going to give her her freedom, and the space to forge her own her identity. This was her practicing that freedom. Making choices. Becoming who she was meant to be. As a wave of helplessness mixed with pride washed over him, he realized that she had to do this, and he had to let her.
“Just… be careful, okay?” he said finally, his voice softening. He stepped closer and pulled her into a tight hug, his arms trembling slightly.
Liki’s small hands gripped his blood stained undershirt as she hugged him back. “I will,” she whispered, her voice steady and a fearless look in her eyes. She pulled away and flashed him a small, reassuring smile. “I’ll have Lin, Yaten, and Norton with me. We’ll save Katya.”
Dave managed a weak smile in return, though his heart still ached with worry.
Without hesitation, Liki leapt onto Norton’s back. She leaned forward and gripped the handles tightly. The robotic dog surged forward, his wheeled legs leaning in unison like a professional speed-skater as he accelerated and rounded the corner out of the parking lot. The wind whipped through Liki’s hair, and despite the tension, she had an absolutely giddy look on her face.
“Whee! Go faster!” she exclaimed as Norton sped up, the world blurring around her.
Dave watched them go, his chest tight with a mix of fear and pride. He knew she could handle herself, but that didn’t make it any easier to see her ride into danger.
Be careful, Liki, he thought silently, the uncertainty and dread causing his jaw to clench involuntarily. Come back safe.
Tendo’s exasperated voice broke into Dave’s head through his subdermal comm. “Please tell me that girl didn’t just shout ‘Whee!’ in the middle of an operation.”
Chapter 52: Extraction
Tendo’s voice cut through the static on comms, cold and edged with tension. “Katya, respond. If these are your men trying to extract you, I will pop you. Do you hear me? You have thirty seconds to respond.” He was bluffing, of course. Killing her wasn’t an option at this stage—she was still crucial for the final hand-off. But if she had betrayed them, maybe, just maybe, he could rattle her enough to make her reconsider. And if not… well, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.
The silence stretched, tense and suffocating, until Katya’s voice finally came through; weak, groggy, but unmistakably her. “These… aren’t my men. They’re Rawls Rice’s. Please, Tendo, do not pop me. I’m not—” Her voice cut off abruptly, replaced by the sound of a man’s rough tone in the background.
“She’s awake already? Napster, inject her again.”
Katya’s voice returned, desperate now. “No, no, no, no—” A muffled cry, and then silence.
Tendo exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. “N15, run a profile on Rawls Rice. Now.”
N15’s voice was calm, clinical. “Minor New Jersey drug kingpin. Low-tier but connected. Based on Graves’ interaction with Wukmir, Rice had past dealings with her. This set up is probably personal, not professional.”
Yaten’s voice interrupted, steady and clipped. “Van’s getting on the freeway heading east. Orders?”
Tendo leaned forward in the command crate, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the data streaming across the holographic display. “Follow them. But don’t engage. Not yet. Lin, Liki—regroup with Yaten before we move. And remember, no heroics until we can get them in a controlled environment. Civilians are still a factor.”
Lin’s motorcycle roared as she sped down the freeway, weaving through traffic with programmed precision. Her voice came over the comms, calm but edged with urgency. “ETA two minutes. Liki and Norton are a few miles back. They’ll catch up.”
In the background, voices from Katya’s comms filtered through—harsh, fragmented. “Calm the fuck down, Karl… what? Everyone? Shit. Okay, just get out of there.”
“What happened?” said another male voice.
“Karl says everyone else is dead. Special forces guys appeared and took ’em out,” said the first voice, the same voice that had ordered ‘Napster’ to inject Katya again.
The second voice, incredulous, cut in. “Bullshit. Special forces?”
“Karl says a whole team of ‘em. Took out the crew that was s’posed to wipe Graves’ men. At least five or six dudes in black tactical gear. And a giant mech.”
“A fucking mech?! What the fuck is going on? That’s gotta be bullshit.”
“Either way, we’re moving to Plan B. If there really are special forces on us, we need to lose ‘em. Get to the second location.”
The van swerved off the freeway, and Lin’s eyes narrowed as she followed at a safe distance. They drove through narrow city streets, seemingly unhurried until they reached the outskirts of town, where the van turned off the road and into a large empty parking lot. “They’re pulling into the parking lot of an unfinished Big Shop. Could be trying to lose us,” reported Lin.
Yaten’s voice was tight with restraint. “Copy that. Let’s see what they’re up to.”
The van rolled into the parking lot, its tires crunching over the partially paved surface. Two men emerged, moving quickly, their postures tense. Between them, the abductor frame carried Katya’s limp form inside it, her head lolling unnaturally. They hurried into the half-built store, disappearing into the shadows.
Lin and Yaten pulled up at the far end of the massive parking lot, their bikes concealed behind a stack of construction materials. Lin dismounted quietly, her eyes scanning the area. “This doesn’t feel right. Too quiet.”
Tendo’s low voice came through the comm. “Hold position. N15’s running a scan.”
N15 calmly responded after a few moments. “Four drones above the store. Just the two heat signatures inside the building. Two unidentified individuals on the roof with high-powered rifles. They’re in cover. This is a trap.”
Yaten’s hand tightened on his weapon. “Confirmed. Let’s not walk into it.”
Lin crouched low, her eyes scanning the rooftop for any sign of the snipers. “Agreed. But we can’t just sit here. Katya’s in there.”
Tendo exhaled slowly, his mind racing. “We need a plan. Fast. N15, any weaknesses in their setup?”
“The drones are Qual-Trans U73s, autonomous and equipped with automatic small arms—easily hacked. I can take them over, but the guys on the roof will be alerted as soon as I do. The ground is higher on the east side of the building so the men on the roof are exposed if you approach from the east.”
Tendo nodded, his voice firm. “Lin, Yaten—get back on the road and approach the building from the east. N15 will hack the drones and turn them on the snipers as you engage them. Liki and Norton should be here any minute. While Team 1 engages, Liki and Norton will go in to retrieve Graves.”
Lin’s lips curved into a thin smile. “Copy that. Norton, report your location.”
Before Norton could answer, voices from Katya’s comm crackled through again, their tones urgent and edged with fear.
“Well, Rice says we gotta do Graves ourselves and then get the hell outta here. Karl talked to him, and his special forces story got him spooked, so he ain’t coming,” said the first man hurriedly.
A second voice, hesitant and slightly higher-pitched, responded. “He’s making us do it? I ain’t never done no woman that way—”
The first man cut him off sharply. “Don’t be such a pussy, Crimble. It’s exactly the same as when we cut up Mikey, the only difference is she ain’t got a dick. Plug in that saw over there, and I’ll get her clothes.”
Tendo came on the comm. “Shit, We’re out of time. They’re going to kill Graves. Lin, Yaten move in. As soon as you start moving, N15 will hack the drones to give you cover.”
N15’s voice cut in, calm but with a hint of urgency. “Um, about that, sir. I pinged the drones, and they’re not completely standard. They’ve been upgraded with some custom firewalls. I can get through, but it will take at least a few minutes.”
Tendo grimaced as the situation became a worst case scenario. “We don’t have a few minutes anymore. Find another way. Now.”
Before N15 could respond, Norton’s old man voice entered the comms, steady and matter-of-fact. “Liki and I are here.”
The screeching whir of an electric saw powering up filled the background, a high pitched, menacing wail that sent a chill through the air. Barely audible over the sound of the saw, one of the voices on Katya’s comm shouted, “Napster! Drop her right here!”
Suddenly Liki’s voice came over the comm. She sounded calm and determined. “I’m going to save Katya. Follow me.”
Norton appeared, leaping over the grass and shrubs that surrounded the parking lot, his wheels trading places with his paws in mid-air. Liki clung to his back as he landed, running full speed across the vast open space between the road and the grey, unfinished building.
“Dammit, Liki!” shouted Tendo. He sighed, “Okay, Yaten, Lin… cover Liki!”
Liki and Norton charged across the parking lot, the wind whipping past them as Lin and Yaten scrambled to provide cover. Lin’s fingers flew over the controls of her motorcycle, and with a sharp click, a plasma rifle unfolded from its side. She grabbed the weapon and darted forward, taking cover behind the concrete base of a light pole. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the roof of the building, her finger hovering over the trigger. Show your ugly heads, you bastards, she thought grimly.
Yaten moved in tandem, deploying an AM shield from his bike, the smart-material surface rippling as it powered up. He ran out into the open, zig-zagging across the lot. “I’m coming, Liki. Lin will cover us,” he said into the comms. “We’ve got your back.” His voice was steady, but the urgency in his tone was apparent.
Norton’s paws kicked up gravel as he galloped forward, Liki clinging to his back. She gritted her teeth, eyes locked on the entrance of the unfinished store. She willed a massive adrenaline dump into her veins, feeling all her senses come alive as her mind focused on one thing: saving Katya.
The rooftop snipers opened fire, their bullets whizzing through the air, Norton’s speed and erratic movements making him a difficult target. His mechanical body whirred as he deployed a dozen flares into the air over the lot, the bright lights momentarily disorienting the drones. The machines hesitated, their sensors overwhelmed by the sudden distraction.
There you are. Lin’s plasma rifle hummed as she took aim, her eyes narrowing behind the scope. With a single, precise shot, she took out the first sniper before he could even fire a second shot, his body crumpling silently to the rooftop. “One down,” she reported over the comms, a hint of morbid satisfaction in her voice. Lin’s sharp eyes noticed that one of the four drones seemed to be holding back, descending to the roof until it was almost below the front facade of the building. That one’s backing away… An observation drone?
The other three drones, now recovering, swooped down toward Norton, their guns spitting bullets. The low-caliber rounds ricocheted off Norton’s boron carbide plating, the sound sharp and metallic. Liki leaned to the left, using Norton’s body as cover, her body pressed tightly against his side.
Yaten followed in Norton’s wake, a plasma pistol in hand. He fired a shot at one of the drones, the plasma bolt searing through its hull. The drone exploded in a shower of sparks and metal. “Drone down,” Yaten barked, but his triumph was short-lived.
The remaining sniper shifted his aim to target Yaten. Yaten instinctively raised his AM shield, and the crack of a rifle shot echoed through the air. The surface of the shield rippled as the bullet struck, the adaptive material arranging itself to absorb and redirect most of the impact. Though the shot was stopped, the force was enough to render the shield useless, its smart-material surface beginning to crumble like dry sand. Yaten threw down the burnt-out shield as he ran.
“Shield’s down,” Yaten growled, his pace never faltering as he continued toward the building. “I’m exposed, Lin. Take out that sniper!”
“The sign is in the way! I have no line of sight from this angle!” Lin shouted back, as she fired at and destroyed another drone.
Yaten saw the sniper reloading to fire at him again. Caught in the open, Yaten held up his arm in front of his face and prayed it would be enough. A shot rang out, and the bullet hit him in the forearm, the force of the impact flinging his arm across the parking lot, and spinning Yaten around as he fell. His shoulder sparked and smoked as he lay on the ground momentarily dazed. Twenty feet away, his metal arm twitched on the ground. He’d lost his real arm in the war; the one that formed the Central United States and the two other successor states, the Southern United States of America and the Western Alliance of States. The sniper began to line up another shot. As Yaten struggled to get up, he knew that the next shot would be fatal. The sniper’s finger tightened on the trigger. Yaten braced himself, his body still reeling from the impact of the shot that tore his cybernetic arm off, knowing there was no time to dodge—no time to save himself.
The sniper hesitated as the wind picked up around him. He looked up just in time to see the undercarriage of the command crate descending rapidly. He made a futile attempt to scramble out of the way as it landed on him, silencing his terrified scream. Dust and debris billowed into the air, the force of the landing sending a shockwave across the roof of the building.
Yaten looked up at the scene unfolding on the roof, shielding his eyes from the sun with his remaining arm. “The freel fujuck?” he muttered in disbelief, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
Over the comms, N15’s calm voice cut through. “Sniper neutralized. I couldn’t hack the drones in time so I did the next best thing.”
“Thanks. Next time do that before my arm gets blown off,” muttered Yaten, pushing himself to his feet. He glanced at the smoking wreck of his detached arm lying nearby but shook his head. No time for that now. He retrieved his plasma pistol from the ground, his expression hardening as he turned toward the unfinished store.
Liki and Norton were approaching the front door, a single drone the only remaining adversary. Norton’s voice crackled over the comms, a rare note of excitement breaking through his usual calm. “Go, Liki!” he barked as they approached the door. Liki didn’t hesitate. She leapt off his back, tucking into a roll as she hit the ground, coming up in a crouch. Norton, meanwhile, kept charging forward. His mechanical legs propelled him up the unfinished wall of the building, his powerful hindquarters launching him off the wall and out into the air. The last drone tried to evade, but Norton’s jaws clamped down on it with a sickening crunch. Sparks and metal shards rained down as the drone was torn apart.
While he was still in the air, the fourth drone reappeared from over the top of the building. It moved incredibly fast. Too fast. Lin took a shot at it, but the small size, and fast speed of the drone, coupled with the generally low muzzle velocity of plasma fire caused her shot to miss by fractions of an inch. “Shit,” she cursed. Seemingly unarmed, it headed directly for Norton. It’s not an observation drone… it’s a suicide drone, she realized in horror. “Norton, look out! It’s a—” was all she could yell before the final drone slammed into Norton’s hindquarters as he landed.
The explosion blew off Norton’s left hind leg and damaged his rear stabilization system. He was thrown back twenty or thirty feet by the blast, but he recovered quickly and staggered to his remaining three feet. As Norton slowly dragged his damaged body towards the store, he said, “I’m fine! Keep going, Liki! I’ll be right behind you.”
Though she was reassured by the thought that Norton wasn’t destroyed, she was already moving, sprinting into the building at full speed. Inside, the scene that greeted her was grim. Two men knelt over Katya’s motionless form. One of them, a wiry man with wild eyes, was struggling to pull Katya’s shirt off over her broken arm, still in a cast. Her pants were already draped over his shoulder. The second man, Crimble, was bald and scowling. He gripped a buzzing circular saw, its blade inches from Katya’s exposed thighs.
The abductor frame, Napster, whirred to life, its mechanical limbs unfolding as it turned to confront Liki. She skidded to a stop, her body tense, like a tiger ready to pounce. Crimble glanced up, his eyes widening in surprise. “What the—a fucking Wimil?!” The wiry man let go of Katya’s top and began fumbling for his gun.
I need to save Katya. She darted forward, her movements impossibly fast. Napster charged her as she ran, but Liki sidestepped it, her lithe body slipping past its mechanical grasp. She swept the robot’s leg as it was caught momentarily off balance, and it crashed to the ground in a heap. The wiry man finally got his gun free, but Liki was already in motion. She snatched a loose piece of rebar from the floor and flung it with all her might.
The rebar hit him across the face, and the gun clattered to the ground. He cried out in pain, clutching his nose as he fell, but Liki didn’t stop. Closing the remaining distance in an instant, she spun, driving her foot into the bald man’s ribs. He staggered, the saw slipping from his grip. She caught the handle of the saw and twirled around the man, taking out his legs as the cord of the saw wrapped around his neck. Liki yanked the cord, spinning the man around as he fell. His brief scream was cut short as he landed face-first on the whirring saw. She tossed away the bloody saw and turned to the wiry man who was rolling on the floor clutching his shattered nose. She finished him with a ruthless stomp to the throat. Behind her, Napster finally pulled itself off the ground and charged again, swinging its mechanical arms at the back of her head. Liki gracefully ducked the strikes as though she’d done it thousand times before.
She turned to face the abductor frame. Liki darted forward, delivering a series of rapid kicks and punches, each strike precise and powerful. Her blows fell harmlessly against the robot’s metal frame. “Ow,” she muttered. Her knuckles were red and bruised, but she ignored the pain. She was strong and her bones were reinforced but she couldn’t damage the robot’s graphene-coated cobalt body with her bare hands. Realizing that she was unarmed and unable to hurt it, the robot began to advance, aggressively flailing its arms at her.
Desperation flickered in Liki’s eyes as she glanced around for anything she could use. She grabbed a chunk of concrete from the floor, hurling it at the frame’s head. The heavy rock struck it in its facial sensory cluster, shattering one of its dozen optics, but the robot barely faltered. It swiped at her with its arms, forcing her to leap back. The frame continued its relentless advance, driving Liki toward a low wall. She pressed her back against the cold concrete, fists raised, knowing she just had to keep from being hit for a few more seconds. The frame’s arm shot out and grabbed her wrist. Its legs and torso began to open, its intent clear—it was going to trap her inside itself just like it had done to Katya. Panic flashed in her eyes as she struggled against its hold, but she couldn’t break free.
Suddenly, the robot froze in place. Seemingly confused, it released Liki’s arm. Napster’s head rotated completely around, its optics locking onto something behind it. Norton was there, his mangled hind leg still smoking and sparking, with his powerful jaws clamped around the robot’s right leg. Norton yanked hard causing the frame to fall flat on its face. Napster’s hands clawed at the ground, its mechanical fingers scraping uselessly against the concrete as Norton dragged it away with a low growl. The sound of metal on metal echoed through the cavernous store as Norton pinned it to the floor and began to tear the frame’s limbs off its torso.
Without hesitation, Liki rushed back to Katya, her small hands trembling as she checked the woman’s pulse. Unconscious, but alive. She crouched beside her, shielding Katya with her body as she kept a wary eye on Norton and the struggling robot. She collected the discarded weapon of the wiry man as well, just to be safe.
The abductor frame thrashed wildly, its arms flailing as Norton tightened his grip. Sparks flew from its joints, the sound of grinding metal filling the air. Norton’s metal jaws clamped down harder, and with a final, wrenching pull, the robot’s head came free, its legless, armless body crumpling to the ground in a heap of twisted metal.
The Sky-Crate hovered briefly before descending with a loud clang just outside the store’s entrance. Its engines hummed as the rear door opened, and Tendo stepped out. Lin and Yaten came sprinting up as well. Lin’s plasma rifle was slung over her shoulder, her expression tense but focused. Yaten clutched his wounded shoulder, grimacing.
Tendo’s jaw tightened as he nodded. “N15, provide overwatch. Lin, Yaten—secure the perimeter.” He unholstered his plasma pistol and walked into the darkened entrance, calm but wary.
Inside, Liki knelt beside Katya, her small hands carefully checking the woman for injuries. Norton stood nearby, his metal frame dented and scorched. His back end was mangled and missing a leg, but he was otherwise functional. The remains of the abductor frame lay scattered across the floor, its shattered torso sparking faintly. Tendo’s eyes swept the room before landing on Liki.
“All hostiles down. Graves has been recovered unharmed,” Tendo reported into the comm. The team responded with some clapping and a few cheers.
“Nice work, Liki. Sloppy, but it worked out. Let’s get Graves out of here.” He gestured toward the entrance. “Lin and Yaten are outside. We’ll move her to the Sky-Crate.” Tendo holstered his pistol and gently lifted Katya.
“Yes, Good job, Liki. You were spectacular!” Norton said as he slowly limped toward the entrance, sounding like a proud grandfather at his granddaughter’s dance recital.
“Thank you, and also thank you for saving me. Will your leg be okay?” asked Liki with genuine concern.
“Oh, I’ll be fine,” Norton said, his tone as steady as ever despite his missing leg. “Just a few repairs, maybe a new leg, and I’ll be back to normal in a couple of days. Don’t worry about me.”
Liki smiled and reached out to pat his head, but then stopped, motionless for a moment. “Oh, wait,” she said, her sharp eyes darting back to the two dead men.
Norton paused mid-stride, his damaged metal frame creaking slightly as he turned to face her. “What is it?” he asked calmly.
Without another word, Liki rushed back across the dark store, making a beeline for the two defeated thugs. She knelt beside the fallen body of one of the gangsters, and snatched Katya’s discarded yoga pants from the dusty floor.
“She’ll probably want these,” Liki said, her tone matter-of-fact as she turned to rejoin the group.
Chapter 53: Reminder
The command crate touched down on the helipad with a soft thud, its engines winding down into a low hum that melted into the night. Dave stood at the edge, hands buried deep in his jacket pockets, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. Before he could even take a step forward, the crate doors hissed open, and Liki exploded out like a comet, launching herself at him with uncontainable energy. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her face burying into his stomach as if she were trying to merge with him. Dave laughed, scooping her up and spinning her around. She clung to him, her legs wrapping around his torso, and she pressed her lips to his in a wild, deep kiss.
“We did it! We saved Katya!” she cried. Her tail swished behind her, a blur of motion that betrayed her exhilaration.
Dave couldn’t help but grin, her joy was infectious. “I know, I’m so proud of you!” he said. He leaned in, kissing her face all over—her cheeks, her nose, her forehead—making her giggle, a sound like joyful music.
She calmed slightly, and cradled his face in her hands, her blue eyes suddenly serious. “I… I had to kill some people,” she admitted, her voice trembling with the remnants of adrenaline. “But they were really, really bad. They were going to chop off Katya’s legs! I couldn’t let them hurt her, not after everything.”
“You did the right thing,” Dave reassured her, his voice steady. “You were amazing.” He kissed both her cheeks, his lips lingering as if to soothe the weight of her actions.
“Alright, save the kissy time for later,” Tendo’s deep voice cut through the moment, his tone as no-nonsense as ever. He stepped off the crate, followed closely by N15, who was already tapping away on his tablet. “We’ve got a debrief to get through. Meeting room. Now.”
Dave sighed but nodded, gently disentangling himself from Liki and setting her down. “Come on,” he said, taking her small hand in his. “We’ll have kissy time after the boring meeting.” Liki giggled and smiled her funny, scrunched-up smile at him.
They passed Sumiko headed to the helipad, and Tendo instructed him to help Katya out of Sky-Crate and see her to the infirmary bedroom. Liki squeezed Dave’s hand tightly, her tail curling around his leg as they continued following Tendo and N15 inside. The safe house was eerily quiet, the usual hum of activity replaced by a heavy silence. The weight of the mission hung in the air, a stark reminder of the cost of their victory.
The meeting room was already set up when they arrived, the wall screen flickering to life as N15 took his place at the front. Tendo sat down near Lin who was already there, waiting. Sumiko and Yaten arrived moments later. Jotaro, Kaji, Juni and Katya were all conspicuously absent. Dave and Liki settled into their spots near the front, Liki perched on the edge of her seat, her eyes darting between the screen and the faces around her.
“Alright, let’s get started,” N15 began, his voice calm and measured. “First, the mission report. The operation was a success. Graves successfully contacted Serik, and the hand-off is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. The trade will take place at Tyrell Marina, 12:30 AM, on the Delaware River near the coast. Preparations will be made for the new operation, and we’ll have a separate briefing when the time comes.” A map of the river with the marina marked appeared on the screen.
Tendo nodded, his gaze shifting to Liki and Dave. “Two days,” he reminded them.
N15 continued, checking his tablet. “And then, of course, there was the unexpected… uh, side operation. Katya was recovered, and the abductors were eliminated. Wukmir tried to flee but was apprehended by the authorities about twenty minutes ago. There was also one other attacker still alive, but he’s been taken to the hospital. We recovered the head of the abductor frame in case we can pull any info from its memory, but that’s unlikely. As for our side, we suffered casualties. Kaji is in critical condition and has been transported to the hospital. Juni accompanied him to ensure he receives the best care possible. She reports that he’s stable for now. Jotaro went with them to get medical attention for the bullet wound in his upper arm. Norton suffered major damage and will probably need a whole new back end, so we’re going to be without a guard dog until the operation. And then Yaten—”
“I’m fine,” Yaten interrupted from the back of the room.
Sumiko chuckled. “A scratch? Your arm’s off!” he joked. The room was silent, the one hundred year old pop culture reference evidently lost on everyone. Sumiko shrugged at the lack of reaction.
“Yaten is going to need a new arm, a trip to the cyber-doc, and probably a thorough checkup,” N15 continued. “And if anyone wants to visit Kaji when he wakes up, clear it with Juni first.”
Dave felt Liki’s hand tighten around his at the mention of Kaji. He glanced down at her, his heart aching at the worry in her eyes. “He’s a tough lookin’ guy,” he whispered, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “He’ll be okay.”
Liki nodded, but her tail drooped slightly, her usual spark dimmed.
“As for the intel gathered,” N15 continued, as a photo of an overweight, bald man with a long facial scar crossing a white eye appeared on the screen, “we’ve identified the abductors as part of Rawls Rice’s network. Graves wasn’t trying to escape custody. The situation was apparently the product of a personal feud between Rice and Graves. Rice’s men were trying to carry out a well-organized hit on Graves and her men. So far, we have no intel on how Rice’s men knew to find Graves at the meeting. Hopefully, Graves herself can give us more info on that. Katya is awake and alert but currently resting. She’ll be debriefed separately, but initial examination suggests she’s unharmed. Drugged, but unharmed.”
N15 paused as pictures of Serik and Desmond Reuben appeared side by side on the screen. “We don’t know if Serik or his man, Reuben, were aware of the gunfight or the other events that transpired, but we have to assume they’ll hear about it, either through contacts or on the news, which may complicate the hand-off two days from now. What those complications may entail remains to be seen. Oh, and analysis of the background sounds from the phone call with Serik indicates he may currently be at sea or on a docked boat. Whether that means anything for our operation will require more analysis.”
Dave swallowed hard, the gravity of the situation sinking in. He glanced at Liki, her brow furrowed in concentration. She’s been through so much already, he thought, and soon it’s only going to get worse.
“Liki,” Tendo said, his voice pulling her attention away from the display. “You did good today. Real good. But, BUT… do NOT make going off cowboy-style into a habit. You understand, right?”
Liki shook her head, her expression serious. “No,” she said softly. “What’s cowboy-style?”
Tendo pushed his sunglasses to the top of his bald head, revealing his stern, grey eyes. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Never mind… I mean, don’t go off and do things on your own without asking me first or at least informing everyone what you’re doing.”
“But they were going to kill Katya…” she said, her voice tinged with confusion.
“Yes, I know, and you did the right thing,” Tendo replied, his tone calm but firm. “But you can’t do that every time there’s a problem. Unless there’s no other way, stick to the plan. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” she said softly.
“Good, because things are about to get a lot more dangerous,” Tendo said. “Alright, that’s it for now. N15, keep me updated on Kaji’s condition. Liki, Dave, get some rest. You’ve earned it. But be ready. Like I said, things are about to get a lot more dangerous… and more complicated,” he added as he stood and walked to the door.
As everyone began to disperse, Dave and Liki lingered for a moment, the weight of the debrief settling over them. Liki’s tail twitched nervously as she looked up at him. “Dave,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, “I don’t care what Tendo says. If you’re ever in danger, I’ll save you no matter what. I’ll do anything, even if I die.”
Dave’s chest tightened at her words, his heart aching with a mix of warmth and fear. He pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her narrow shoulders as if he could shield her from the world. He held her head gently in his hands, his thumbs brushing against her cheeks as he looked into her determined blue eyes.
“Liki,” he began, gentle but firm, “I don’t ever want you to die for me. If it ever comes to that… if you ever have to choose between saving me or saving yourself, you let me go. Do you understand? I… I don’t think I could live knowing that you died for me.”
Liki’s tail stilled, and her eyes shimmered slightly as she stared up at him. “But… I’d do anything to keep you safe,” she whispered, a slight tremble in her voice. “You’re a real person. My person… and I’m just a Wimil.”
Dave’s throat tightened. He knelt down and pressed his forehead against hers, his breath mingling with hers. “You’re not just a Wimil… You’re everything. My everything,” he said as his emotions welled up. “You’re a real person too… and you’re a better person than I’ll ever be. That’s why you have to promise me. Promise me you’ll never throw your life away for mine.”
Liki’s eyes filled with tears, but she nodded slowly, her hands clutching at his shirt. “I don’t want to promise that,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “But I’ll promise if you promise me too. Promise me that you’ll try to stay alive too, because I need you. I need you just as much as you need me.”
Dave’s heart swelled, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, his fingers digging in to her shoulders. “I promise,” he murmured.
For a long moment, they stood there, holding each other in the quiet of the meeting room, the weight of the world pressing down on them. But in that moment, there was nothing else but the two of them, their hearts beating as one, their fears and hopes intertwined. Dave stroked her beautiful, soft hair, and she looked up into his eyes. He picked a tiny shard of broken glass out of her silky locks, and he finally noticed that her face was covered with smudges of dirt and spatters of dried blood. He realized that he almost certainly looked worse.
“We should probably go clean ourselves up, huh?” he said, standing.
She jumped up and grabbed his shoulders, wrapping her legs around his waist. “I sort of like how you look when you’re all dirty,” she giggled through her sobs, pressing her face close to his.
*
Dave stepped into the shower, the warm water cascading over his tired body, washing away the grime and blood of the day. He sighed, letting the tension in his muscles ease as the steam filled the small space. Just as he began to lather up, the shower door slowly slid open, and Liki stepped in, her perfectly proportioned frame silhouetted against the steam. She moved towards Dave, her head tilted slightly, tail swishing behind her, as she mimicked Lin’s ‘sultry walk’ from the meeting yesterday in a way that was half sexy, and half… awkward.
“Daaaave,” she said, her voice low and teasing, her blue eyes full of mischievous intent. She placed one hand on her hip and cocked her head, trying to strike what she must have thought was a seductive pose. Dave couldn’t help but smile. It didn’t matter how awkwardly she posed—Liki’s mere presence was a seduction, her every movement captivating. She could have been bundled in layers of winter gear or draped in a burka and a gas mask, and she’d still manage to take his breath away. There was an effortless allure to her, a raw, unfiltered charm. And then there was the fact that she was standing in front of him completely naked, her skin glistening under the falling water. No amount of awkwardness was going to stop him from becoming aroused in short order.
“Don’t forget what you promised,” she purred, her tail flicking slightly as she took a step closer.
Dave blinked, confused. “That I promised to not die?” he asked, the memory of their earlier conversation pressing a weight on his chest.
“No, not that promise,” she said, pouting slightly. “The thing you promised me the day before yesterday! Remember? We had a race, and I saw your DNA…”
It took Dave a moment, then it clicked. Ohhh… that promise. His cheeks flushed slightly, and he laughed nervously, running a hand through his wet hair. Liki’s eyes widened, her excitement palpable as she reached out her hands and stepped even closer, her fingers brushing against his chest.
“You want it right now?” Dave asked nervously as he looked down at her, her body just inches from his.
“Right now,” she said firmly, her gaze locking on his lower body in a way that sent a shiver down his spine. She wasn’t asking—she was commanding, and Dave couldn’t help but feel a thrill at her audacity. He knew exactly what she wanted, and she knew that he was going to give it to her. Her tail coiled possessively around his leg, anchoring him to her, and she pressed her small body against his. Her breasts flattened against his skin as she trapped his now fully erect penis between their hot, wet bodies.
“Yes, my queen,” he murmured playfully, though there was a hint of earnestness underneath. “Your humble servant shall feed you at once.”
Her eyes lit up, as a wide, Cheshire cat-like grin spread across her face, her pearly white teeth gleamed and she licked her lips in anticipation. For a fleeting moment, Dave felt a tiny flicker of something… fear? No, not fear, exactly, but a kind of awe at how thoroughly this small creature had him wrapped around her finger. He was absolutely, completely hers. In that moment, as she pressed against him, dripping wet and utterly confident, he knew there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
