Chapter Seventy-Seven - Anticlimax

Chapter Seventy-Seven - Anticlimax

Chapter Seventy-Seven - Anticlimax

We crossed the barricaded street and moved through a crowd of wide-eyed idiots who didnt seem to understand the concept of not standing right next to the incursion zone.

It was probably not that big a deal, but I imagined one of those bigger flying bastards showing up. There would probably be more deaths to trampling than anything the xeno could do.

The mobile base came to a rolling stop next to the temporary forward base Id visited just a few hours ago. Hours that felt like weeks.

Where will you be going now? Gomorrah asked.

I looked over at the nun. I... I think Im going to go check on my family, I said. They were caught in the middle of all that and...

She nodded. Thats fine. You go see if theyre safe. I think Im going to stick to the edges for a while. I doubt there will be much work for me to do, but Ill be around if Im needed.

Cool, I said. Keep in touch? I asked before extending a closed fist towards her.

She bumped it after a moments hesitation. Likewise.

I grinned at her before stepping off the side of the mobile base. Or at least, over the railing, then down along one of the sloped sides and onto one of the tires. The drop from there was a bit lower and a whole lot more manageable. The two Dumbasses clattered along after me with robot-cat-like grace.

It earned me a few looks, but the pervasive dont fuck with a Samurai field kept people off my back. You got the kittens address? I asked.

I do. The rooms theyre in have cameras. I can confirm that theyre in good health and somewhat safe.

Somewhat? I asked.

Theyre within five kilometers of the edge of an incursion.

That was... a fair point. I was going to comment on it when I saw a familiar soldier moving by. Monroe! I called out.

The man stopped and turned my way. Maam? he asked.

Hey, you think I can borrow a car? I asked. And, uh, someone to drive it?

Are you returning into the incursion zone? he asked. Im afraid that, per corporate regulations, our squadron wont be able to return for another few hours, but I can find another to accompany you.

Nah, I said. I just need someone to drive me out into the city. Uh, the part of the city not filled with aliens.

Oh, he said. One moment then. The soldier turned away while bringing a hand up to the side of his head. I could hear a faint murmur as he spoke at someone, but his helmet insulated me from most of it. Speedy is free, he said. You can meet her over by the hovercarpool. Thats just over there. We appropriated a parking garage.

Thanks Monroe, I said.

No problem maam. And good work out there. We did good.

I gave him a thumbs up before he went on his way, then I took off in the direction hed pointed me in.

The parking garage was a few floors up, but the power was still on and the elevator I called down cleared up real fast when the people within took a look at me. I was a bit... bloody looking. My pants had a few tears and my hair was a bit wild. I tried to fix myself up using the reflection on the inside of the stainless steel door.

When I stepped out of the elevator--having given up on cleaning myself--it was to find Speedy waiting for me leaning against the far wall. Heya boss, she said before flashing me a gap-toothed grin. The meds Id given her were supposed to grow her missing teeth back, but that still left her looking like a meth addict for a bit. Th.ê most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

Heya Speedy, I said.

I requisitioned one of the faster cars, she said while pointing over her shoulder with a thumb.

The faster car turned out to be some sort of muscle car, all squarish and brutal, with armored plates riveted to its sides and a light bar across the roof. It even had additional lights at the front; the super-bright sort that could blind a person in mid-day if they annoyed the driver.

Speedy was giggling to herself as she slid into the drivers seat. I was tempted to maybe call up an Uber instead of riding with her, but the extra effort that would demand--and the charge on my rather pitiful credit account--lead me to folding.

Where to? Speedy asked as she settled into her seat.

She grinned, then that grin faded a bit. Your threats arent any fun when I know you could carry them out, she said. Can I get an arm like that? Oh, and you still owe me a knife.

I barked a laugh. Fuck off, I said.

She pulled the door open wider to let me in, then, because she was a little shit, she shouted. Room service!

I swear! came an all too familiar and angelic voice. When I find out which one of you ordered room service again Ill...

Lucy stepped around a corner and froze up.

Cat!

I was rammed backwards by a few dozen kilos of worried Lucy, her arms squishing me tight while her crutches clattered to the floor behind her. Lucy, I said as I pulled her close and let my head fall atop her head.

Oh, youre alive, she said.

Why do you sound surprised? I asked. The joke fell short when I saw the tears in her eyes. Hey, its okay?

She sniffled, then smiled before climbing onto tip toes and pressing her lips against mine. Her hands crawled up my sides and she let out a surprised little noise when she bumped into my new arm.

I melted a little, the stress keeping me rigid dissolving, and when she tugged me back and we stumbled deeper into the penthouse, it was all I could do not to collapse onto the floor with her.

Kids! Lucy said as she pulled away for just a second. Were going to be busy for a bit.

There was a chorus of ewws from the Kittens.

And then a deluge of questions. Where had I been, did I kill lots of aliens? Did I film it? Could they see my guns? What was up with my new eye, and the arm?

Later, I said while counting heads. The twins were there. Nose was on a couch staring at a screen. Daniel was out of his chair and on another couch where he waved.

Spark and Tim were... doing something to a toaster and Bargain and Nemo were paused halfway through the act of rolling across the hardwood floor mid-fight.

Thats all I had time to see before Lucy yanked me into a bedroom. A nice one, with a four-poster bed, and an attached bathroom and a thick carpet underfoot.

My boots came off with a clunk and my invisibility jacket fell off at some point.

And then I was sitting on the edge of the bed, Lucy pressing down on me until I fell. How was your day? she asked rather coyly.

It just got better, I said.

She paused, eyeing me down from within a curtain of her long hair. Do you want to talk about it?

I... maybe? I said.

She smiled. Give me a minute then. I need to use the washroom, and then we can... talk.

I grinned up at her and watched her move off. She was a bit awkward without her crutches, but it was fine. A temporary problem.

My head rested back onto the bed and I smiled at the lingering scent of Lucys cheap shampoo.

Good night, Cat.

I didnt have the energy to ask Myalis what she meant. I was safe. I was as close to home as I could possibly be.

My eyes slid shut...

***