Chapter 33: Torsha Goes Werecat Hunting, and Rachel Goes Man Hunting

The infected food sources also served another function besides supplying brainwaves. The test subjects would occasionally store their eggs inside the infected for a time, and then the young would eat their way out after maturation. This does not seem to be a biological requirement as the test subjects could lay eggs through more conventional means, but those that were birthed from the infected did tend to be more aggressive than their peers.

James swerved, avoiding laser fire from another droid. He flew on his hoverboard, leading the charge for his men in the air, taking on the flying droids. Leon had mentioned that the droids might be advanced, but he left out a few details. First of all, they were first. Even with James’ razor-sharp reflexes and his glasses using a digital targeting system to aid his shots, he sometimes missed as they swerved to avoid his fire. As an expert marksman, James rarely missed, and when he did, it annoyed the shite out of him. One other thing Leon failed to mention, these buggers had tough armor. James could only take down one after a long while of concentrated fire, and while he was at it, the robotic twat would be shooting at him. Leon probably thought the armor was weak because he was able to cut through it easily with his Psionic Swords, but blimey, not everyone could use magic swords that make storms and could cut through virtually anything.

Grunting from the effort as he made a sharp turn at Mach speeds on his hoverboard, James spun around, flying backwards for a moment as he scooted left and right to avoid a barrage of lasers from a chasing droid. Pointing the toe of his boot at the droid, James fired his last hidden shoe missile, destroying the droid in a satisfying shower of fire and metal. He spun back around just in time to pull up and avoid hitting the large metal platform. He groaned as he held his stomach, feeling backlash to his ribs from such sharp flying maneuvers.

James had only shot down about half a dozen at this point, but there were still hundreds harassing his men. The robots would sometimes gun down Brocktreee’s own forces by accident. It was like the smelly little git didn’t care if his own men died. His breed of scum would no longer rule in Nirvana, Leon would make sure of that much.

A robot chased after James in midair, shooting thousands of laser bolts that decimated the streets and buildings of Platform 181. James used the sheer speed of his hoverboard that Sharon made for him, combined with his own sharp reflexes, to avoid getting hit. He tried to lure the robot away from the residential area of the platform where citizens were hiding. Before the battle, he got the word out quietly that Platform 181 would soon become embroiled in battle, but some people either didn’t get the message, or just stubbornly refused to leave. When James and the robot cleared the platform, leaving the citizens in relative safety, he pointed his guns behind him, using the automatic guidance systems in the guns to find his target despite not having a clear line of sight. He blasted the robot with dozens of shots while leaning to the left and right, avoiding the droid’s fire. The droid continued shooting at him while taking green and blue lasers to its chest. Finally, the droid’s fire petered out as it burst into flames.

As the robot fell flaming to the depths of Nirvana, James noticed some of his men pinned down in a square by a combined force of droids and Brocktree’s men. James’ boys had set up blue energy shields in the shapes of walls to stave off enemy fire, but the shields were slowly fizzling out as the enemy’s shots bounced off. Some of the droids would fly around the shields to pick off James’ men, and they’d only have a few seconds to respond before the droids flew out of range. James felt his anger rising as his men died. Putting the hoverboard into overdrive, James leaned forward into a more streamlined position, diving to aid his men. He flew in shooting blue and green lasers from his pistols, taking down at least a dozen of Brocktree’s men in a few seconds as he took them from behind. He even shot down two more droids in the process. Their armor in the back wasn’t nearly as good as it was in the front.

With the opening he gave them, James’ men burst from their hiding place, finishing off the last of the droids and Brocktree’s men that had gathered in the square. James grinned. He knew his lads were good blokes. They may not have had nice manners like his new Elemental friends, but they sure knew how to scrap when they needed to. James then took to the sky, surveying the state of the air battle as his forces fought Navine’s ship in the area above the platform. He took the time to recharge his pistols, jacking them into small generators embedded in the holsters on his utility belt. It would take a minute before they were fully charged.

“How goes it on your end?” he asked his air commander on the wrist communicator, a captain named Tarshin.

“We’re holding our own against them pussy cats up here, but we can’t make a dent in that frigate of theirs!” responded a voice on the com.

James looked up to see multiple explosions as his fighters and the Werecats exploded in countless dogfights. At least if they kept the pressure up like this, Navine wouldn’t be able to send more dropships to help Brocktree’s ground forces.

“Just ignore the frigate for now, mate,” James ordered. “If all goes to plan, me wolf friend will deal with that heap and its commander.”

Although, Mozar probably should’ve already finished his mission assassinating Navine and sabotaging her ship. Did something go wrong? Don’t you dare die on me, Mozar. There’s too many blokes counting on ya!

As if Mozar heard James’ thoughts, an explosion occurred within the Prowler’s bridge. The vessel didn’t seem crippled as it still kept up a barrage of laser fire, but it did seem to be gradually losing power as the lights flickered off and on, and many of the lasers lost their intensity. James grinned in triumph, pumping his fist. He knew nothing could keep that old Werewolf down.

“Oy! Look out there, Cap’n!” called Tarshin.

Almost too late, James noticed a squadron of flying droids coming his way. He put his hoverboard into a nosedive, barely avoiding missiles and laser fire. James cursed. It looked like at least ten droids had zeroed in on him. He’d never be able to take on that many at once. James dodged for all he was worth, swinging his hips to the left and right as he avoided the laser fire while also balancing on a flying board traveling at Mach speeds. He managed to peck off two of the droids before his board took a hit. James was sent into freefall, smoke and flames leaking from his hoverboard and burning his feet. With what little control he had on his board, James guided himself into a controlled fall, aiming for Platform 181. He just barely made it, landing on the edge of the platform. James jumped from his board, rolling with the momentum of his fall. He eventually stopped when his back slammed into the wall of a nearby apartment. James grunted loudly and drew in a sharp breath. He was banged up pretty good. Even rolling didn’t help much when he landed on the platform. He did his best to slow the board down, but there was only so much he could do. James tried to force himself to rise, but found the task impossible as the best he could do was crawl. James pushed himself up by his arms, panting as he sat on his knees. It felt like his collarbone was fractured, along with a few ribs.

Before James could do anything else, he was surrounded by four droids and six of Brocktree’s men. The enemy all leveled their guns on him, their weapons clicking as they prepared to fire.

James chuckled as he realized something. I’ve lost me glasses. Sharon will blow a gasket. She made those high-tech shades specially for me.

That would’ve been James’ last thought, but then she showed up. Like an Angel from his dreams, she appeared wielding nunchuks, shooting lighting, and looking absolutely gorgeous. Rachel blocked thousands of laser shots aimed at James with her Psionic Weapon, and she only used one hand to do it. James noticed Rachel charging a spark in her other hand. Just when he was sure the enemy barrage would overwhelm her and cut both of them down, she raised her free hand. A bright yellow light filled James’ eyes. He was disoriented, flailing his arms around, and wondering if he’d gone blind. However, a few seconds later, his vision cleared. All of the pirates and two of the droids had already been torn to pieces. James realized Rachel’s strategy. She used that flash of electricity to temporarily blind her foes, and that was all the time she needed to finish them off.

Where’d you learn a neat little trick like that? James thought, wondering if Rachel had always been this good, or if she had just grown sneakier since he’d known her.

Rachel took out the last two droids beautifully, jumping after them as they retreated to the air. One was cut into three parts by her weapon. The other, she blew away with a discharge of lightning from her fingertips. She didn’t even look at her target, firing her lightning while the droid flew behind her. She was amazing!

Rachel landed back to the ground with superhuman grace. Within a moment, she was at James’ side. She held up a white glowing liquid before his face.

“Torsha gave me this!” she said breathlessly. “It should help!”

Not needing any other explanation, James downed the liquid in one gulp. Immediately, he felt better. He shot to his feet grinning. “Damn, mate! Them Monks sure know how to brew a tequila! Thanks, Sheila! Yer a diamond! Ya know that?!”

As he retrieved his pistols from the alleyway, he heard Rachel say softly, “Jimmy.” As he turned to face her, she seemed to be blushing. “Did ... did you know that you’re kinda hilarious ... and amazing?”

James forgot how to breathe. Those brown eyes. That curly brunette hair with blonde highlights. That creamy skin. Those bow shaped lips. That sexy, toned body of hers. He knew from the moment he laid eyes on her, she was different from any other girl he’d ever met.

Of course she’s bloomin’ different! She fights like a ninja and can shoot bloody lightning from her hands! Still, it wasn’t just that. He heard her joke, too. She was also kind of hilarious herself. Hilarious and unfailingly kind. She had all the right qualities in perfect balance.

As they gazed at each other, four of Brocktree’s men were running down the alley towards him and Rachel. Her back was turned. She was looking at him. She didn’t notice them. Why didn’t she notice them? Didn’t she have super senses as an Elemental, or something like that?

James dashed forward, gunning Brocktree’s men just as they raised their rifles to shoot Rachel. At the same time, Rachel also dashed past James, but she seemed to be ignoring him and Brocktree’s men. As the last of the four men died, his rifle falling lifelessly at his side, James heard an explosion behind him. He turned around to see Rachel destroying another droid that had flown over the roof of the building that he had his back to. Even as it fell burning, the droid fired off a few more shots, but Rachel moved her weapon to block each laser bolt. She swung her chained weapon to the left and right hypnotically, moving at unparalleled speeds that cast a yellow haze over her arms. The wreckage of the flying droid crashed down, setting a nearby pile of garbage ablaze as its remains exploded. Her power. The way she fought. Everything about her was so damn beautiful. She was like a heroic Angel spirit in those old stories. A warrior woman whose drive to fight did not overshadow her feminine side.

Rachel turned to James as she nodded down the alley at the men he had killed to protect her. She grinned at him. “Looks like I owe you again, Jimmy. Now, you like to haggle, right? What do you think would be a good price for services rendered?”

James chuckled, feeling embarrassed. He hadn’t felt like this in front of a girl since he was a kid dating for the first time. “Well, seeing as how you saved me life too, I’d say we’re square. Still, given how good a team we make, it makes sense the two of us come to a business arrangement of some kind.”

“Business arrangement?” Rachel said, her grin deepening. Then she dashed forward faster than James could track and took him by the scruff of his shirt as she brought her face next to his. “How about after this battle, you help me get a little ‘experience’?”

James gawked at her, unable to believe how lucky he was getting. Still, he tried to play it cool. He was the experienced one after all. He needed to act cool for her. Clearing his throat, James said, “Why the change of heart, luv?”

Rachel’s gaze went downcast for a moment as she said, “Guess I’ve realized recently how short life can be. You never know how long you’ve got, so you probably shouldn’t pass up a good thing when it comes your way.” Her brown eyes flashed back to him, showing nothing but certainty ... and no small amount of desire.

James grinned. “Always been my motto, sweetheart.”

And then they kissed. It was a really good kiss. Rachel may not have had much experience, but that certainly didn’t show as she drank James’ lips in deep. Out of the corner of his eye, James noticed one of Brocktree’s men turn the corner. The man exclaimed and raised his gun, but James took him with two shots to the throat and head, dropping him in an instant. As the man died, James never broke the kiss. On Rachel’s side, another of Brocktree’s goons appeared, but as he raised his rifle, he was turned to ashes with a flick of Rachel’s fingers as she leaned deeper into James’ lips.

Torsha remained near the main square fighting with Leon and Lucille close by. She still didn’t know how she felt fighting alongside a supposedly former Mystic like Lucille, but she supposed she had bigger things to worry about. After all, Squad 99 needed all the help they could get to end this battle as soon as possible so they could search for Ryan and Éclair.