Chapter Nine—Uninvited Bozos

John glanced up the mound at Kyle as he jumped. He flailed slightly but caught his balance as his UABs belched, slowing him down into a moderately soft landing that kicked up a cloud of dust.

John coughed.

“Who are these uninvited bozos? Kyle asked.

“I don’t know,” John said, “but I think we should take cover.”

“Wait,” Lexa said. “Kyle, did you see any markings on the transport?”

“Yeah, why?”

“If you can get me a visual reading, I can check my database to see which corp the craft belongs to.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

The transport’s engines roared from behind another mound. “It’s coming! Quick, over there!”

They ran to an alcove that looked a lot like an old bus stop covered with junk, the metal completely rusted. “This isn’t much cover,” Kyle said.

“Better than nothing.”

The transport hovered over the area, casting the dry earth and the rusted metals in blue lights. A pale searchlight moved about, questing for their quarry.

Kyle leaned out to get a look at the shuttle. The markings on the side, they looked like a black triangle atop a field of slanted yellow bars. The letters MCH visible.

“Is that good enough?!” Kyle asked.

“Yes!” Lexa exclaimed happily.

Kyle leaned back. “Who the hell are these guys?”

“Checking…”

“This isn’t going to be good,” John said.

“Wait,” Kyle said, leaning out slightly. “They’re leaving again.”

The area got quiet.

“Lexa?” John asked. “What do you have for us?”

“I have it!” she said excitedly. “That marking belongs to one MerCorp Hardware.”

“What the hell is that?” Kyle asked.

“It’s a subsidiary of Envi-Tech.”

“Envi-Tech?” John asked.

“Wait,” Lexa said. “I’m doing a deep dive into the uncensored holo-net.”

“And?” Kyle asked.

There was a mild note of concern in Kyle’s voice, so John wasn’t the only one feeling apprehensive.

“It seems Strogaus—“

“Oh shit!” Kyle said. “They’re coming back.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’ve about had enough of this!”

“It’s a mercenary company,” Lexa said.

“That’s not good,” John added. “You think these guys have been hired to find and kill the culprit?”

“You mean like quietly remove it?”

“Yeah.”

Kyle shrugged. “Could be. And they’re ruining our stakeout.”

“You may want to pay attention,” Lexa said.

“To what?” Kyle asked.

“The transport. Men are disembarking as we speak.”

“What?” John asked and took two steps forward. As he did, he got a clear view of the MerCorp transport. Men in pale-grey and black urban tactical gear were repelling out of the vehicle. “Well this isn’t good. Kyle, we’ve got company.”

“Good!” Kyle said. “I’m up for some action.”

“We need to move!”

Kyle took off, running toward the junk mound nearest them where he had set up the tech. Once they were in cover, he said, “John, the cameras.”

“Right,” he said, activating his holo display. They had a live feed.

“Look!” Kyle said, “There they are.” He pointed a finger.

“I can see them,” John said.

It was ten men. They came out from behind the mound they had repelled next to and were fanning out in the open space, clearly after someone. They split into two five-man squads, each breaking off to encircle the mound they were behind.

“Not good,” Kyle said. “Going up.”

“Kyle wait!”

But he activated his jump boots, flying up at high speed, landing, then boosting again. He was at the top in no time.

Glancing down at his holo display, John could see the two squads coming around the junk mound. They would be in visible contact with John in another thirty seconds or so.

“I’ll open up on the group to your left, John,” Kyle said over their wristlet coms. “You hit them from the front.”

“All right.”

John removed his pistol from his holster and stalked forward with his gun at the ready.

“I can see them,” Kyle said.

“Are they close?”

“Yep! Coming into your vector…! Now!”

John pulled the trigger, his pistol jerking backwards violently as a rail of energy burst forth, taking his first target directly in the chest.

The rail put a hole through him.

“Whoa!” John said, his wrist hurting just slightly from the kickback.

“Told you!”

More men came into view as they fanned out. John crouched behind an old frame as Kyle laid down heavy fire from above.

“WOOOOOOO! YEAH!” he screamed over their wristlet coms.

John came back up and put a rail shot through another target, then the last guy went down as Kyle peppered him with hot energy rounds.

“Not bad!” John called.

“Shit!” Kyle said, John needing no forewarning as Kyle spoke. “They’re on your six!”

Running, John repositioned himself on the other side of the rusted-out frame as the squad of five opened fire at the top of the mound where Kyle was.

John wasn’t able to see as he glanced out of his place of cover, but he heard Kyle’s activated UABs scorch to life.

As their attackers came into his view view, John put down two shots, but missed both times as weapons fire slammed into the vehicle frame he was behind, some of the shots penetrating through thin areas.

John huddled down, making himself as small as possible.

“Shit! KYLE!”