Chapter 25

We stayed below for a week. There was little to do and after a while we began to develop cabin fever. The gang war had faded out as a lot of the soldiers, a few lieutenants, most of the captains and so on had been taken out. Now it was more a case of many of the street punks trying to move into the vacuum that had been created. Both the Yaks and the Dons were also moving into the vacant areas. Both were meeting with some resistance but little by little they were taking over. If only we could get a war going between them! No, we weren't going to try that but it was a thought.

We had to get out. Finally Blake agreed and we called ahead and made reservations for a little place at the corner of Belmont and Olive in downtown Seattle. We asked for a banquet room for sixteen Orks and four humans. At 7:30 pm we pulled into Gracie's and went in. We were shown straight to the banquet room and a waiter came to take a drink order before our meal. If you've never been to Gracie's it isn't your normal hole in the wall. The prices are a bit steep but the food makes up for it. They bring in huge plates of ribs, chicken, sausages and you should try their barbecued salmon, it is great!

When it came time to place our ordered Dane and I went for the salmon, Blake ordered chicken and everyone else ordered ribs. We also had another drink and relaxed.

The food came and we made pigs of ourselves. I couldn't finish what was on my plate and neither could the rest of us humans, not even Cain. I had eaten until I was stuffed and it looked like there was that much more still to eat. The Orks were smacking their lips and wanting to know what was the dessert going to be? I had the rest of my salmon placed in a bag to take with me, ordered a cup of kaf, real kaf, and relaxed. This was what made life worth living.

Feeling the urge I got up and started to look for the facility. On the way back I saw a couple of guys that looked out of place, they still had their top coats on. I strolled back to the banquet room and upon shutting the door motioned for everyone to be quiet. Softly I reported what I had seen and that I thought we were going to have problems. While we were all dressed in more normal street clothes, not our street running attire we did have our weapons and armored coats with us. We had strolled in with them over our arms looking normal. We just didn't check them at the door with the little gal at the cloakroom. We quickly gathered our gear and got into it.

Blake called for the waiter so he could pay the bill and as we were waiting several of the Orks walked out. He took the bill, added a generous tip and slotted a credstick. With that out of the way several more of the Orks walked out. After waiting a few moments the rest of us walked out. With all these people around I didn't want to get a shoot out started in here. I had my pistol in my hand with my hand down to my side as I walked out. When they saw us the two that I had spotted started to stand up. I shot one and Dane shot the other using the stun rounds and we kept going. I don't think anyone even saw what happened except that the two men slipped and fell down from too much to drink. The waiters were hurrying over to assist them as we walked out.

Blake and Thunder both decided that they didn't want to hear any loud bangs so we didn't head for our cars. There was a good chance that explosives had been planted in them. We walked down Belmont for several blocks and then up Spring. When we got to Seneca we turned right and headed south towards the piers.

We had two groups ahead of us and one behind. Just a few blocks down Seneca on the right is a park. By now we knew that whoever had been at Gracie's was looking for us so we had to hide. When we got to the park we entered and stayed in the shadows still moving south. We had no more than gotten into the park than we heard the screeching of brakes and doors opening. Whoever they were they had found us.

Taking up positions of cover we started to look for our opponents. Into the park came four men. We could hear voices behind them so we knew this wasn't all of them. Thunder moved some of his people around to provide a better field of fire and to cover some parts of the park that would have allowed them to approach us from the rear. We now had a good defensive position and just waited.

We could hear two more groups moving our way when Cain spoke up. "They're samurai alright. Lots of dark areas on their auras. There is a group in front of us. One north, one south and three moving across the park from the east. There's four or five in each group. I didn't spot a mage or shaman with them but you never know, they might have one on call and have him headed this way. We're only slightly out numbered."

"Can you slow any of them down a bit?" questioned Blake.

"Yeah, I can try. Cover me." And he moved deeper into the park. Thunder sent three of his people along with Cain and shifted a couple of others around to take up the slack.

While they were doing that one of those coming in from our front moved where I could see him. Taking careful aim and a slow squeeze on the trigger I fired a burst from my H&K. The three rounds sounded like a rapid exhale with the silencer in place. I hit him and he went down immediately. Another nice thing about stun rounds is that they work through ballistic armor. That's the kind that most people wear as it stops or slows down most bullets.

I shifted my aim point and waited. Soon someone was going to come and check on Charlie and when they did I wanted to be ready. In less than a minute someone darted out from behind one of the benches to check on the soldier that I had hit. With him exposed I also shot him. With stun rounds you don't have to make a killing shot. You hit them and the chemical in the jelly penetrates clothing, armor, etc. and knocks them out. Granted they're only out for three to four hours but seldom do fire fights last that long anyway.

I had just turned back to let the others know of my prowess when I saw a red streak from deeper in the park. A red streak and then a loud bang. Cain had set off a spell. Soon there was a second one in a slightly different location. I don't know if he took them out but he had just damaged a bunch of them. I turned back towards the front. Why brag about taking out two when he had just hit two groups!