Stuffing my Beretta into my
waistband, I rolled forward, snatched the AK-47 from the ground
and
leveled it at the remaining three Trolls. Holding the trigger down, I fought the weapon's urge to kick and kept a steady stream of lead into the Trolls. As the weapon chugged, the first Troll hit the ground hard, but the remaining two were still coming fast. I felt the weapon sputter and click. Jammed.
Tossing it aside, I drew my .45 and suddenly felt like I was holding a peashooter after using the AK-47. Snapping my attention up, I saw one of the tubes cycling toward the conveyor directly above us. Rolling onto my back, I lifted my pistol and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the glass and punched a hole in it. As the clear fluid sprayed out, I took aim again. Steadying my arm, I squeezed the trigger again. This time the bullet hit where I intended.
The release clamps snapped open as the control wires were severed sending the tube screaming toward the ground. Rolling onto the balls of my feet, I sprang forward and knocked Toby out of the way just as the Trolls and tube arrived. One of the Trolls was crushed beneath the weight of the tube. As it shattered and exploded open, the clear fluid washed over everything. The proto-humanoid inside hit the concrete floor with a wet splat. Its tiny mouth snapped open and wailed in terror. Convulsing on the floor, the last remaining Troll vainly tried to scoop it up and save it. Cupping handfuls of the gooey fluid in its blue hand, the Troll repeatedly tossed the substance onto the proto as he held it in his arms. As Toby and I stood out of the goo, I felt a cold, hard piece of metal in my temple. "Don't move a muscle."
Out of the corner of my eye I could see the dark shape of a pistol pressed against my face, and the blond Seeker behind it. She held out her arm with Karl dangling limply from her hand. Despite her warning, I turned toward her.
I can't really explain the emotions that washed over me in that moment, but I looked into a face I hadn't seen in a hundred and fifteen years:
Mine.
Chapter It was a trap, and we fell for it. Knowing we were outside, they used our Seeker amulets and my doppelganger to flush us out.
Now it had become a stalemate. The Rose copy stood leering with her gun to my head and holding an unconscious Karl in the other hand. Panting heavily, Toby was on his knees below me, a massive, bloody wound on the back of his neck, while the only remaining living Troll tried to save the pod person I brought down.
I was fast enough to attack my copy, but I had to consider the possibility that she was just as quick. I might be able to take the gun away, but not before she killed Karl. But if I attacked and missed, she could shoot me, then Toby, and kill Karl. Anyway I cut it, someone would die, and probably not the person I wanted to. I frowned as five more blue-skinned Trolls armed with AK-47s charged out from
leveled it at the remaining three Trolls. Holding the trigger down, I fought the weapon's urge to kick and kept a steady stream of lead into the Trolls. As the weapon chugged, the first Troll hit the ground hard, but the remaining two were still coming fast. I felt the weapon sputter and click. Jammed.
Tossing it aside, I drew my .45 and suddenly felt like I was holding a peashooter after using the AK-47. Snapping my attention up, I saw one of the tubes cycling toward the conveyor directly above us. Rolling onto my back, I lifted my pistol and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the glass and punched a hole in it. As the clear fluid sprayed out, I took aim again. Steadying my arm, I squeezed the trigger again. This time the bullet hit where I intended.
The release clamps snapped open as the control wires were severed sending the tube screaming toward the ground. Rolling onto the balls of my feet, I sprang forward and knocked Toby out of the way just as the Trolls and tube arrived. One of the Trolls was crushed beneath the weight of the tube. As it shattered and exploded open, the clear fluid washed over everything. The proto-humanoid inside hit the concrete floor with a wet splat. Its tiny mouth snapped open and wailed in terror. Convulsing on the floor, the last remaining Troll vainly tried to scoop it up and save it. Cupping handfuls of the gooey fluid in its blue hand, the Troll repeatedly tossed the substance onto the proto as he held it in his arms. As Toby and I stood out of the goo, I felt a cold, hard piece of metal in my temple. "Don't move a muscle."
Out of the corner of my eye I could see the dark shape of a pistol pressed against my face, and the blond Seeker behind it. She held out her arm with Karl dangling limply from her hand. Despite her warning, I turned toward her.
I can't really explain the emotions that washed over me in that moment, but I looked into a face I hadn't seen in a hundred and fifteen years:
Mine.
Chapter It was a trap, and we fell for it. Knowing we were outside, they used our Seeker amulets and my doppelganger to flush us out.
Now it had become a stalemate. The Rose copy stood leering with her gun to my head and holding an unconscious Karl in the other hand. Panting heavily, Toby was on his knees below me, a massive, bloody wound on the back of his neck, while the only remaining living Troll tried to save the pod person I brought down.
I was fast enough to attack my copy, but I had to consider the possibility that she was just as quick. I might be able to take the gun away, but not before she killed Karl. But if I attacked and missed, she could shoot me, then Toby, and kill Karl. Anyway I cut it, someone would die, and probably not the person I wanted to. I frowned as five more blue-skinned Trolls armed with AK-47s charged out from