Read Online DIRE : SEED (The Dire Saga Book 2) by Andrew Seiple - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andrew Seiple
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it.
Click-clack.
Wait.
Hadn’t the men said something about the one they were hunting bringing a ‘shotty’ to the meet?
Movement by the edge of the van, and I threw myself across the hood, scrabbling without heed of dignity as the shotgun roared again. Missed this time, though my back itched and ached, and I couldn’t stop to check the wounds. My blouse was sticking to my back, so I was probably bleeding, but how much I couldn’t tell.
I hit the ground on the other side, taking the concrete with my shoulder and rolling, losing my briefcase in the process.
Not good. Very not good. Worse, the noise would draw the hunters. I had nothing to lose by talking now, seeing if we could find common cause.
“YOU’RE MAKING A MISTAKE,” I boomed, my voice roaring and echoing through the garage.
“Dire? You? You’re the one? Why the fuck are you doing this?”
The voice was female and familiar, though it took me a second to place it. Bunny! One of the Midtown Militia, she’d helped me fight the Black Bloods, back during our conflict.
“BUNNY? IS THAT YOU?”
Clicking noises were my only answer. She was reloading the shotgun.
“BELIEVE IT OR NOT, DIRE’S PRESENCE IS A COINCIDENCE. BUT SHE’S WILLING TO MAKE COMMON CAUSE AGAINST THE DUMBASSES.”
Hard breathing. I crouched down, looked under the van. A pair of boots on the other side, standing in a small dark splotch. As I watched, it spread. Blood, had to be.
“YOU’RE HIT.”
“But I’m not down.” Heavy breathing, and a pregnant pause. “Tell them to stand down, or I take you with me.” She sounded mad. Couldn’t blame her.
“THEY’RE NOT HERS.”
BLAM!
Only the fact that I was crouched saved me, as she fired through the thin-walled van to get at me. She’d switched to slugs, fired where she thought I was standing.
“Tell them!” She shrieked. I saw her boots stagger a second, before she started walking around—
—and perhaps thirty feet behind her, coming up the ramp from the ground floor, I saw a man in a suit leveling a silenced pistol.
“BEHIND YOU!” I called, as I rolled under the van, pulled my pistol from my pocket, and shot. It was a bad angle and I missed, missed again as he ran for cover.
Bunny didn’t miss.
Two barrels shouted in lead and fury, and he was lifted off his feet, thrown back against a car’s windshield as it splintered and exploded, as he slid to the ground, chest dark and gory.
“Shit,” Bunny said.
“YOU BELIEVE HER NOW? THEY’RE AFTER DIRE TOO.” Half-truth there. Couldn’t hurt.
She considered, breath a little more ragged than before. Above her labored gasps, I heard the sound of shoes running on the levels above.
“Okay. Got a plan?”
“MOSTLY.” I slid out, slowly, and retrieved my briefcase. When I turned around, I was staring into two sawn-off barrels.
“HEY NOW.” With exaggerated motions, I slid my pistol back into my pocket, and Bunny lowered the shotgun.
“YOU’VE GOT GOOD NIGHT VISION...” I studied her. The right side of her hoodie was soaked through with blood. “...AND A SERIOUS WOUND. YOU NEED A DOCTOR.”
“No!” She leaned against the van. “Just... can you hotwire a car or something?”
I snorted, and the mask amplified and distorted the flat, razzing sound. “PLEASE. THAT’S SO NINETIES.”
I pulled out the universal remote, waved it around various vehicles until I found a Cadillac that was wireless-enabled, and turned the thing on. It purred to life, and I waved her over to it as I hit the UNLOCK DOORS and START IGNITION options.
A faint popping of guns, and flash from the level above as the goons peppered the Caddy with bullets. In response I pointed the universal remote up to the gunmen’s level, and started triggering every remote car alarm I could find. Blaring and shrieking, the cacophony threw them for a second, gave us the chance to slide into the car. I pulled out of the parking spot, sent it screeching down the ramp, and into the ground
Click-clack.
Wait.
Hadn’t the men said something about the one they were hunting bringing a ‘shotty’ to the meet?
Movement by the edge of the van, and I threw myself across the hood, scrabbling without heed of dignity as the shotgun roared again. Missed this time, though my back itched and ached, and I couldn’t stop to check the wounds. My blouse was sticking to my back, so I was probably bleeding, but how much I couldn’t tell.
I hit the ground on the other side, taking the concrete with my shoulder and rolling, losing my briefcase in the process.
Not good. Very not good. Worse, the noise would draw the hunters. I had nothing to lose by talking now, seeing if we could find common cause.
“YOU’RE MAKING A MISTAKE,” I boomed, my voice roaring and echoing through the garage.
“Dire? You? You’re the one? Why the fuck are you doing this?”
The voice was female and familiar, though it took me a second to place it. Bunny! One of the Midtown Militia, she’d helped me fight the Black Bloods, back during our conflict.
“BUNNY? IS THAT YOU?”
Clicking noises were my only answer. She was reloading the shotgun.
“BELIEVE IT OR NOT, DIRE’S PRESENCE IS A COINCIDENCE. BUT SHE’S WILLING TO MAKE COMMON CAUSE AGAINST THE DUMBASSES.”
Hard breathing. I crouched down, looked under the van. A pair of boots on the other side, standing in a small dark splotch. As I watched, it spread. Blood, had to be.
“YOU’RE HIT.”
“But I’m not down.” Heavy breathing, and a pregnant pause. “Tell them to stand down, or I take you with me.” She sounded mad. Couldn’t blame her.
“THEY’RE NOT HERS.”
BLAM!
Only the fact that I was crouched saved me, as she fired through the thin-walled van to get at me. She’d switched to slugs, fired where she thought I was standing.
“Tell them!” She shrieked. I saw her boots stagger a second, before she started walking around—
—and perhaps thirty feet behind her, coming up the ramp from the ground floor, I saw a man in a suit leveling a silenced pistol.
“BEHIND YOU!” I called, as I rolled under the van, pulled my pistol from my pocket, and shot. It was a bad angle and I missed, missed again as he ran for cover.
Bunny didn’t miss.
Two barrels shouted in lead and fury, and he was lifted off his feet, thrown back against a car’s windshield as it splintered and exploded, as he slid to the ground, chest dark and gory.
“Shit,” Bunny said.
“YOU BELIEVE HER NOW? THEY’RE AFTER DIRE TOO.” Half-truth there. Couldn’t hurt.
She considered, breath a little more ragged than before. Above her labored gasps, I heard the sound of shoes running on the levels above.
“Okay. Got a plan?”
“MOSTLY.” I slid out, slowly, and retrieved my briefcase. When I turned around, I was staring into two sawn-off barrels.
“HEY NOW.” With exaggerated motions, I slid my pistol back into my pocket, and Bunny lowered the shotgun.
“YOU’VE GOT GOOD NIGHT VISION...” I studied her. The right side of her hoodie was soaked through with blood. “...AND A SERIOUS WOUND. YOU NEED A DOCTOR.”
“No!” She leaned against the van. “Just... can you hotwire a car or something?”
I snorted, and the mask amplified and distorted the flat, razzing sound. “PLEASE. THAT’S SO NINETIES.”
I pulled out the universal remote, waved it around various vehicles until I found a Cadillac that was wireless-enabled, and turned the thing on. It purred to life, and I waved her over to it as I hit the UNLOCK DOORS and START IGNITION options.
A faint popping of guns, and flash from the level above as the goons peppered the Caddy with bullets. In response I pointed the universal remote up to the gunmen’s level, and started triggering every remote car alarm I could find. Blaring and shrieking, the cacophony threw them for a second, gave us the chance to slide into the car. I pulled out of the parking spot, sent it screeching down the ramp, and into the ground
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