"Doesn't matter. I'm still going to try."
"Well, in that case, I'm going to record it."
The moment they got outside, she realized that there was a standoff in progress. Three camouflaged airboats were arrayed across the entrance, floating beyond the incline where Meg's jetraft was tied up. Joe stood in the bow of the center one, flanked by two sharpshooters. There was another gunman in each of the two flanking airboats, along with a driver. Marc's team each had one of the gunmen in his sights, and the situation had stabilized into a stalemate. Ferd trotted across the grounds, scanning the shadowed bayou for any sign of a drone.
Meanwhile, Alphon strode past the jetraft, stopped at the water's edge, and glared at Joe. "Haven't we played this stupid game before?"
"I don't think so." At that point, he nodded, and all of his gunmen fired. "And you're right, Mr. Quince. Those are neuroleptic laser rifles. Traitors have more PR value if they're captured and publically tortured."
Alphon winced at the sight of the four fallen men writhing in pain. "Traitors to whom?" he demanded. "You don't work for any government; they exist to serve your masters. So who are you going to turn them over to, some transnational?"
Cinquetta was suddenly distracted by the news feed in her HUD. She'd set it to only pass resin-related alerts, and now there were two of them. The new locks in the Canal Zone had just failed, turning the transoceanic gateway into a torrent, and trashing every ship in the queue. And Victor Schandrul's statement had precipitated a concerted action by heuristics analysts at container ports around the world, tying up trade and sending business and government spokespeople into a tizzy. When she finished scanning the alerts, she refocused on Joe, who looked likewise distracted, with his finger pressed to the receiver in his ear.
Ferd had satisfied himself that there were no drones about, and drifted over towards her. "What's with him?"
"Hard to say. Schandrul just inspired a massive port walkout. World trade is toast. Maybe the bankers are upset."
"Goddammit!" Joe shouted at the air. "On whose authority?"
Alphon flashed a grin at them, and then strengthened his stance. "The clock's running, Joe," he said. "Either you have to come and arrest these men, or you'll have to shoot them again. The thing is, a second shot before they've recovered will be lethal, and you said you wanted to take them alive."
"What are you doing?" Ferd stage-whispered.
"Not a chance!" Joe told his caller, and glared menacingly at Alphon.
"Goading him," Alphon whispered back. "Keeping him in the critical state. We've got to trip him up."
When Cinquetta realized that Marc and the others had stopped twitching involuntarily, she took a moment to catch them each on camera, and then scanned across the three airboats. While she was zooming out, Joe made a sudden move, and she put him back in the crosshairs.
"That's right, I'm refusing your order," Joe said, and threw his earpiece away. "I'm not letting you go, Quince!"
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
