RAVENDOUR ESTATE, EAST WAREHOUSE
Not good. Definitely not good.
Getting caught in the Ravendours’ secret underground warehouse was bad enough. Getting caught by their top enforcer, Sylph, was even worse. Especially considering it was the middle of the night and they were surrounded by an illegal weapons cache. On top of that, Aki01 had the shipping manifest in her hands. There was no question of their guilt.
But of course, they had to try. “Ah! Sylph, darling,” Évangelique exclaimed with a smile. “So good of you to come check on us. We were taking a late-night stroll on your beautiful grounds and stumbled across this place. Isn’t that right,
mon chéri?”
“Ah… Yes, that’s right,” Aki responded. “We couldn’t sleep and decided to take a walk.”
“Precisely. A romantic walk, husband and wife, under the star-filled sky. But it would seem we’ve gotten ourselves a tad lost. Would you be a dear and show us the way back to the manor?”
Sylph glanced from Éva to Aki and back again. Her expression was passive, unreadable. She said, “Mr. Jellick, with all due respect, do you take me for a fool?”
“Not at all. As I said, we simply got lost—”
“You are trespassing in a restricted area after dark.”
“A simple understanding, I assure you. One I would be happy to clear up—”
“I have been keeping an eye on you since your arrival. A very close eye, in fact. The security of this estate is my responsibility. It is my primary function. And now, it seems, I was right to be concerned.”
“You followed us all the way here?” asked Aki.
The golden Caseal shook her head, slowly and patiently. “I patrol the manor four times a night, both inside and out. You left your balcony door open. When I went upstairs to check, I found the guest room empty. From there it was a simple matter of deduction. There are a limited number of destinations you could have chosen, and this place is at the top of the list.”
So that was it, thought Aki. They had slipped up. Left the balcony door open on their way out. And they had underestimated Sylph. Both her capabilities, and her wariness. Now she was onto them. They had been caught red-handed.
Luckily for Aki and Éva, they still had an ace up their sleeve. And it was a big one—Sylph still had no idea who they really were. As far as she knew, they were a wealthy Newman couple from
Melchior, not a pair of battle-hardened CASTs. That was their advantage, one they could use to catch her off-guard.
Aki sized up their opponent. Sylph didn’t appear to be armed, which was a point in their favor. She was taller than Éva and shorter than Aki. Unlike the two of them, however, she had a CAST body, not a humanoid one. Lots of bulky metal parts. That meant she would be heavier, tougher, and stronger than they were. It also meant she was slower. Probably. Then, of course, there was the matter of numbers. Two of them versus one of her. Simple math. If they worked together, they could subdue her. Probably.
But it wasn’t going to be easy. Not by a long shot.
“So, what now?” said Éva. At first Aki thought Éva was talking to her, but the question was actually directed at Sylph.
“Now I take you back to the manor.”
“A personal escort? That would be most appreciated.
Merci, mademoiselle.”
“For additional questioning,” Sylph clarified. “And you will remain there until I am completely satisfied with your answers.”
“On second thought, I think we can find our own way back.”
“My statement was not a request. Comply, or I will take you by force.”
Éva raised an eyebrow at Aki. “Well, my dear, I think we should probably do as she says. After all, we have no hope of overpowering her.” She threw in a sideways wink. Which Aki took to mean,
Follow my lead.
Aki nodded in agreement. She set down the shipping manifest on the nearest crate. Together with Éva, they headed towards Sylph. Slowly, casually, like they were no real threat. Like they had no intention of resisting. Total, absolute compliance.
Sylph turned away, ready to lead them back to the elevator. That was when they struck. Aki went for Sylph’s right arm. Éva went for her left. A fast grab, before the golden Caseal could react.
But not fast enough. With incredible swiftness, Sylph backflipped up and over their heads, landing directly behind them. And shoved. Both women went sprawling to the floor, skidding several meters away.
“That was unwise,” Sylph said calmly. “Not to mention, impossible. Newmans are incapable of such quick reflexes. Which means one of two things. Either you have augmented yourself physically, or you are not who you appear to be.”
Aki climbed to her feet, then lowered herself into a fighting stance. “Why not come closer and find out?”
“As you wish.”
A split second later Sylph’s palm slammed hard into Aki’s chest. The impact knocked Aki clear off the ground and sent her flying into the nearest wall. There was a dull
clang as her body struck the metal. It hurt like hell, but the damage was minimal.
“That should have broken your spine and several ribs, yet you appear unhurt,” commented Sylph. “Curious. I will have to adjust my strength accordingly. I promise, you will not be so fortunate next time.”
“There won’t
be a next time,” growled Éva. She swung in suddenly from the side, catching Sylph off-guard with a sweeping roundhouse kick to the stomach. “And I will make you pay dearly for laying a hand on my precious rose.”
Sylph staggered backwards but managed to dodge the three subsequent attacks. Easily, in fact, as though she wasn’t even trying. She was little more than a golden blur, bobbing and weaving around Éva’s outstretched arms and legs.
“Perhaps you are wondering why I am so fast?” she asked.
“The thought had crossed my mind, yes.”
“I have been retrofitted with an experimental mobility-enhancement system. Originally developed for the ARKS, but deemed too costly for mass production. The system circulates photon energy throughout my body. I can call upon the energy as needed, providing short bursts of speed.”
“That would explain a thing or two.”
Éva tried again—and failed, again—to connect with any of her attacks. Sylph was simply too nimble, too speedy. It was like trying to swat a fly out of the air. Possible, maybe, but frustratingly difficult. No matter how many times Éva swung at her, the golden Caseal was always a hair out of reach.
Then Sylph went on the offensive. Skirting around Éva’s incoming punch, she stepped forward and delivered a punch of her own. A real doozy. She put all her weight into it, driving an armored fist deep into Éva’s gut. Éva gasped and reeled backwards.
But Sylph wasn’t done. Capitalizing on the momentum from the previous attack, she followed through with a trio of devastating punches. The first spun Éva clear around. The second came with a sickening
crunch of metal. And the third knocked Éva off her feet. She landed hard on her back and rolled over, once, onto her stomach.
That was when it happened. It was the second punch that did it. That
crunch of metal, it hadn’t come from Éva herself. Rather, it was the sound of something in her jacket pocket being smashed.
Her portable holo-emitter.
For a few moments Éva appeared to be two people at once. Parts of her looked male, other parts female. A strange mishmash of pink and purple and black. Bursts of electronic distortion rippled across her body, warping her appearance. There was a garbled crackle, then her Évaan camouflage flickered and died, and suddenly she was her usual self again.
Purple hair, purple eyes. Black jacket, black pants. A low-cut corset that showed off plenty of cleavage.
And a scowl of frustration on her face.
“So. The truth is revealed, at last,” said Sylph. “Since I first saw you, I knew there was something suspicious about you. Now I know why.”
Éva chuckled darkly. “What gave me away? My abundant feminine charms?”
“Your blinking. Organics tend to blink randomly, and in different patterns. You blink at fixed intervals—exactly like a CAST. I noticed it when we first met but did not make the connection until now. My mistake, one I intend to correct right away.”
The golden Caseal stalked forward menacingly. With clear, murderous intent. Before she could reach Éva, Aki appeared and blocked her path.
Sylph stopped in her tracks. Her expression was blank, her demeanor calm. “You would stand in my way, even knowing my capabilities? How amusing. Surely you must realize you cannot win. My specs are higher than yours. Strength, speed, endurance. All the relevant categories.”
“I have found,” Aki replied, “that experience is sometimes more important than raw numbers. And in that category, you may not have the advantage.”
“We shall see.”
The two Caseals circled each other, each waiting for an opportunity to strike. For the other to present a weakness. Aki, still using her Newman persona. Teal hair, chestnut eyes, floral-print dress. Sylph, decked out in golden armor, pearl-white ponytail snaking through the air behind her. Both quiet and calculating. Both ready for a fight.
It was Sylph who struck first. She closed the gap in an instant, her fist on a collision course with Aki’s collar. Aki was able to track the movement with her eyes but her body couldn’t keep up. Comparatively, it felt like she was underwater. Like she was moving in slow motion. All she could do was pivot slightly, changing the angle to soften the blow.
Sylph’s punch didn’t land on her collar. It struck her shoulder instead. That was the best Aki could manage given the circumstances. Still, it was a rough blow. It knocked her back and swung her around. Suddenly she was facing the wrong way. Sylph came up behind her and planted an armored heel on her back. And kicked outward, hard. Aki tumbled to the ground but quickly rebounded to her feet. She wasn’t ready to go down just yet.
Sylph came at her again, faster and harder this time. Her fists and feet pummeled Aki mercilessly. No matter how hard Aki tried, avoiding the attacks proved nearly impossible. She was forced into a defensive stance, minimizing the damage whenever possible.
It was a losing battle and she knew it. Only a matter of time. But what could she do?
A savage uppercut left Aki reeling. Sylph wound up to deliver the finishing blow. Her armored fist cocked back, then rammed forward. But instead of avoiding the attack, Aki stepped into it, cutting it off before it reached terminal velocity. And in doing so, neutralized the force behind it.
But that wasn’t all. Aki clamped onto Sylph’s forearm with both hands, holding the golden Caseal in place. “Éva, now!” she called.
The other woman was ready and waiting. Éva delivered a hard one-two punch to Sylph’s jaw. There was a loud
crack as the metal beneath the synthetic skin bent inward and snapped.
Yet Sylph didn’t go down. She was still on her feet, still raring to fight. With Aki grabbing her arm, she pivoted her body hard to the left. Aki was taken along for the ride, slamming forcefully into Éva’s shoulder. Both women tumbled haphazardly to the ground.
Éva got up first. Or rather, she tried. Sylph intercepted her with a swift kick to the stomach, sending her bouncing across the warehouse floor.
Aki tried to get up next. Sylph stomped down on her chest with an armored foot to keep her pinned to the ground.
“I will finish you off first,” she declared. The words were slightly distorted by her broken jaw.
The Caseal lifted her right arm, and—to Aki’s surprise, and growing horror—a long, thin blade appeared from a slot on the back of her wrist. It seemed Sylph wasn’t as unarmed as she first appeared.
And that was a problem.
It was a problem because Aki was pinned to the ground by an opponent who was both stronger and heavier than her. An opponent now wielding a blade that could finish her off in a single blow. The harder Aki struggled, the harder Sylph fought to keep her in place.
The golden Caseal pulled her arm back until it was taut. Her blade was lined up with Aki’s forehead. Clearly Sylph was planning to pierce her positronic brain—one of the few surefire ways to kill a CAST.
That was it. No escape. From some hazy corner of her awareness, Aki heard Éva calling her name. Crying, frantically, for Sylph to stop. As the end drew near, time slowed to a standstill.
And then—
Before Aki could process what was happening, a purple photon sword was jutting out of Sylph’s chest. Like a shark fin, except sticking out the wrong side. Sylph looked down in abject shock. She was just as surprised as Aki. Her mouth opened, as though she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Then the glowing purple blade swung violently upward, practically shredding Sylph in two.
Her ruined body remained upright a few seconds longer. Then gravity took over and it toppled backwards to the ground, accompanied by a loud mechanical groan. Most of Sylph’s head was gone. Half of her torso had been ripped to pieces. She was dead, no doubt about it.
Aki looked past Sylph’s corpse to the owner of the purple sword. It was Desdemona, the hulking green-haired Newearl. One of Éva’s trusted crewmates.
The big woman sheathed her sword and stepped forward, extending a hand. “I didn’t do it for you,” she grumbled, though Aki hadn’t asked. “I did it because my Master would grieve your death, and she can’t afford the distraction. That’s all.”
Aki let Desdemona pull her to her feet. “Either way, you have my thanks. Though I am curious as to why you’re here.”
“Dezzy is here because I asked her to be,” Éva answered for her. The purple-haired Caseal limped over to where the other two women were standing. “Every well-laid plan needs a contingency, and Dezzy here is ours. She has been shadowing us since we first arrived this afternoon.”
“I… had no idea.”
“Then I would say she did her job. If you didn’t notice her, neither did anyone else.”
Aki raised an eyebrow at Desdemona. “You move well for someone so large.”
“You’d better believe it,” the Newearl huffed. “And I’m going to keep getting stronger, and faster, until I can defeat my Master. Until then, I won’t allow anyone else to take her down. Or to get in my way.”
“A woman of high ambitions,” Éva quipped dryly.
“Very,” Aki replied.
Éva’s expression changed suddenly, from relief to concern. “Are you alright,
mon chéri?” she asked. “You took quite a beating from Sylph. If you’re hurt—”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you certain? I should perform a physical examination to be sure. Thoroughly, from head to toe. Nothing left unexplored! We can’t be too careful, you understand.”
“Really, I’m alright. No serious structural damage. None of my systems were compromised.”
Éva sighed, perhaps relieved. Or perhaps disappointed she wouldn’t get to play doctor. “Very well,” she conceded.
Desdemona nodded towards the golden wreckage that had been Sylph. “I’ll dispose of the ‘garbage.’ You two should get back to the mansion before anyone realizes you’re gone.”
“One small problem,” said Éva. “My holo-emitter had a date with Sylph’s fist and is now a bit worse for wear. I’m afraid it is no longer functional.”
Aki pursed her lips. “I would call that more than a ‘small problem.’ Do you think you can repair it?”
Pulling the device from her jacket pocket, Éva examined it front and back. “Hard to say. I am no tech wizard like Ein, but I may be able to get it working again. It will, however, take time.”
“How much time?”
“Several hours.”
“What are the odds of success?”
“Sixty percent, give or take.”
A moment of silence passed between them. “You’re the team leader for this mission,” said Aki. “The decision is yours. Do we continue, or do we abort?”
It was a tough call. Take the risk, or throw away all their hard work? Éva tapped her chin. “We continue. We have too much riding on this to back out now. Besides, I am a big believer in playing the odds, and sixty percent is still in our favor. Worst case, if I cannot fix it, you can tell our darling hosts I came down with food poisoning and had to leave early.”
“Right. Then let’s go.”
Aki started to leave, then thought better of it. Instead she turned and jogged deeper into the warehouse, returning a few moments later carrying a datapad—the shipping manifest from earlier. “Evidence,” she explained.
Éva looked like she wanted to say something, but didn’t. She had seen Aki’s reaction when they perused the list earlier, the name that had given her such a fright.
OKADA.
There would be time for that conversation later. In the meantime they still had a mission to finish. One last task to complete, the most important job of all—
—Robbing the Ravendours of everything in their bank account.
TO BE CONTINUED
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