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Trapped in the manhole, Carl spent the day thinking and tormenting
the demon. A small pile of rubble lay under his feet.
It was getting darker in here, and he frowned, glancing up.
Inside his mind, the shon:gili
was yawning and moving in a dream.
Carl took a deep breath and bellowed. He leaped inside the shon:gili,
and change flashed over them. He made a fast grab, snagging the demon by the
tail as it escaped. Carl rammed a nerve in its ear, pulling it out the other. He
tied it fast, and the night was young, and Carl... Carl was renewed and
bellowing with laughter. He flexed his shoulders, marveling at the steel power
in the tight muscles. The shon:gili
howled in response and pleaded for a beer.
Carl spread empty paw-hands. Sorry,
bud. He grinned. Let’s go have some
fun. Wanna play ball, boy? He formed the picture of a black helmet in his
head, and the shon:gili grinned. He
leaped, shooting through the hole and into the short twilight.
Mike finally allowed Cindy to escape his arms. She staggered
passed a huddled Creel and into the bathroom. A shriek split the air. Mike ran
to the tiny room skidding on the tiles to stare at a cringing Cindy.
She pointed at a cockroach on the floor.
"A bug, in my bath,” she cried.
Grinning, Mike hopped up and came down on the roach, flattening
it.
“There. Better now?”
She melted into his arms, and Mike helped her into the shower for a
warm bath.
In the next room, the Asian agent directing the roach-bot clenched
a scream behind shuddering teeth and held his head between shaking hands.
The thin squeal of the dying roach went on and on. He ripped out
the earplugs. Blood ran down his face to mix with the tears.
Benny trotted to the bar with a light heart. Seeing the redskin
and smelling the sweet odor of jasmine tea, he slowed.
Eye bitter, he walked by the man. Chong sighed.
“Sue was walking today,” he said. “How long before she can
walk unassisted?”
Benny turned on him with both fists clenched at his sides. “What
do you care?”
“You leave with her or without her. My . . . employers would
rather have you willing than have to force you through her.” Chong shook his
head. “Benny, our needs are vast enough they would rather see you dead than in
the hands of the Project and the Party.” His voice softened. “Then what
happens? JJ Hannah still lives. But even were he dead, there will always be
another of his ilk waiting to use that child.”
He rapped a fist on the steel door.
“Think about it, Benny. She loves you. For her sake and the sake
of the world.”
The door opened. He went in greeting Jason. The guard looked at
Benny.
“Comin’ in, mon?”
Benny shook his head. He backed away, then spun and ran.
He darted through dark streets and charged over barriers, gone
before the inhabitants could react with more than shouts.
Sweat running from his body, he was gasping for air and in a
screaming hate. He beat his fists against his chest because that was all he
found to punish.
An animal bounded after him.
He stooped and spun with one fist up. Reaching in a back pocket, he
found the knife, and the black blade snapped up, invisible in the dull light.
In a crouch, the animal closed the distance.
A bear? Benny frowned. Behind him, the Guardian Two Swords shouted
into Benny’s ear. Something snapped in his head, and Benny’s eyes widened.
“Shon:gili?”
The werewolf roared. It pounced, twisting around Benny with a
snarl of laughter. It feinted, and Benny lunged. The knife missed by a hair, and
the shon:gili snorted.
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
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