I catch the gun and double-check the safety out of habit, then hold it at my side.
Looking down my nose, I kinda wait and see if Portar dies from that punch for a breath. That is some damn fine control from SeaTac. "You surrender. We land the bo…
Somebody gotta control that gun, and I don't nominate Portar for the job. I look to SeaTac, shift a little to give him room and stay between August and this gun. I give Portar a level stare. "Got my own engineer, and all our bikes. Don't need yo…
Takes me a sec to get what SeaTac is doin', the first time he holds an arm across and I lean in to see where he's lookin', though, I get it. Must be a Unit thing. I trust SeaTac, let him do his thing.
I put a hand on August's shoulder when she ca…
Tonguework. Well. Mine's in my cheek right now.
I nod to SeaTac, grin a little when he talks about his new job title. "Belka, you keep things tight and dry up here when I go in an' parley with SeaTac here."
With a glance to Valentine, I remem…
I watch the boatmen on the surface carefully, stand up more straight. My gun goes back in the holster. We'll catch our breath, see if this isn't a trap.
"Let her.." I point at Bon, "..through to them." I point at Cujo and Ace. "And someone take …
I keep going. I could do this all day, right? I haven't heard Ace's gun in too long and Cujo, I rarely hear her run out of steam, but she ain't had enough time to recover from her mad times. I chase after boatmen with SeaTac, eyes wary for August…
If the boatmen get through to the bikes, they can open the ramp and dump them into the bloody sea and we're all dead here. We have to push them back, or kill them.
SeaTac at the top of the stairs is like sunshine on a rainy day.
"Push em' back! …
I tuck down under the guy who wants to push me down the stairs and flip him over my shoulder, into the guy who was splashing around with Chance.
Shots from past Shottie Man send him to the floor. Gotta be SeaTac. I even see him as I reach up the …
Well, if I'm going to have a wide open shot to the guy and he's going to tell me what he's up to, I can make him grab some floor, too. I throw my machete up the stairs, hard. Should turn once and sink in at this distance, assuming he doesn't dive …
My machete comes out; the gun spits too much lead, it'll bounce around in this metal room that's just us and the bikes, so soak that. I do a quick head-count since we were just over that all that blooded water.
"Go, for the engines! Let's not g…
I keep an eye on August till she picks her way inside, then I'm with Bon, crowding that ramp from the outside corner and ready to clear the way for the other Arrows. Anyone who tries anything with Bon is going to have to try it with me first.
If t…
SeaTac makes his jump, I give him my shoulder to step on and all's well. I don't gotta try and pull him out of the drink. If there's anyone at the top of that ladder, I can't see it - the ship swells up high over my head and I'm too close right no…
A certain look of distaste sticks with me at Portar's description. I'ma take that soakin' hat.
My bike's engine rumbles warm as I rev up. "'Sufficient unto the day be the evil thereof,' as Nana used to tell me. Let's roll!"
Grrrr!
I sign out the plan and talk at the same time, which makes things a little awkward.
"Awright, I want us caught up. Two main flanks to scare on both sides of the deck, keep heads down while SeaTac and I get the rear deck ramp blown open. We get it…
News about the ship all sounds pretty serious. We can probably start another load of fiery splash on the deck with SeaTac's fireworks... I ask him if he's got anything that'd stick to a hull. I could get him close and out again. Maybe we could ju…
"He's from the ship." I explain to Valentine.
"Watauga, if we'd entered that bunker, we'd have been just as likely to shoot you or ourselves or your people as the enemy. Everyone who went in there is dead now. I'm not gonna fill holes in the grou…
"I hear you, SeaTac." I let Watauga go. "Was thinking he could point us to engines or number the randos for us."
I unhitch Sounder's bike, best to leave it to the others now. "Zeus, you go warn SafeCo. Laika, you take this and go with her."
I …
"Yeah, they need more of a lesson, so I'm up for a chase. Not sure how many are in that thing. August said the engines were weak, I think if we can get through the hull or onto the top of the ship, that's the fight." SeaTac's satchel holds some f…