Read Online Mercenary Road by Hideyuki Kikuchi - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Tags: Fiction
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destruction. As D pulled the reins to bring his steed down on one side, shock waves, flames, and death whizzed over his head. The horse stayed still, but D got up and looked back the way he’d just come.
A black speck was approaching from the far reaches of the highway. As he watched, it took the shape of an oversized jeep. It halted beside D, and the man in the driver’s seat grinned.
“Never thought D of all people would try to leave us high and dry.”
It was Strider.
From the passenger’s side, Stanza glared at the Hunter, saying, “You try our faith in you.”
The right side of the jeep had a rocket launcher that looked like an oblong tombstone, while the left side was equipped with a three-shot bazooka. The barrel of said bazooka now smoked from recent shots.
“Oh, the cavalry’s here,” the hoarse voice said sarcastically.
“You’re one to talk, running off without us,” Strider said, banging his fist against the steering wheel. “Didn’t the mayor order you to take us with you? You’re a lousy double-dealer!”
“Then don’t work with the double-dealer,” D said.
Strider snorted at this.
“The two of you should do well together. Go give them hell.”
Stanza’s eyes bulged in their sockets.
“Now just a minute! There’s no reason to go saying things like that. May I remind you that we were the ones who just destroyed that armored car?”
“I never asked you to do that.”
D’s reply put a spark of malice in the warrior woman’s eyes. Her right hand glided toward her hip.
“Knock it off,” Strider said to her. “All that aside, who’s that?”
The eyes of all three focused on the motorcar that was approaching from the rear.
“Came back, did she?” the hoarse voice said.
A sound rained down on them from overhead.
“Run for it! It’s a missile!”
At the same moment Strider stepped on the gas, an explosion occurred just five yards to their right. The jeep rolled onto its side. D had already spun around.
“Help them!” Strider shouted, having been thrown clear of the jeep, along with Stanza. His cries were lost in the succession of explosions.
Catching the shock waves on its underside, the jeep spun once in the air over the warriors’ heads before falling to the ground. They could see countless vehicles raising a cloud of dust as they approached from the factory.
Dismounting, D raced over to the jeep, which was still on its side. Pulling the rocket launcher’s remote control from the vehicle’s dashboard, he stared straight ahead.
“Don’t waste your time with that. Help whoever’s in that car!” Strider shouted angrily.
The jeep’s missiles had to be targeted manually. Eliminating multiple opponents in one fell swoop would clearly be impossible without taking precise aim.
Suddenly, the rocket launcher disgorged flames and white smoke. At least twenty missiles were sent off simultaneously. It was unclear whether they scored direct hits, because the flames from the exploding missiles engulfed every last enemy vehicle. Within this ugly orange fireball, more flames shot up—precisely the same number as the count of enemy cars.
“I don’t believe it—every damn one of ’em . . .” the stunned Strider groaned.
Ignoring him, D fired one last shot.
Leaving a white trail behind it, the missile entered the factory building.
The resulting explosion rocked heaven and earth. A pillar of flame rose into the sky. D, Strider, Stanza, the jeep, and even the motorcar were sent flying. First the jeep and the car landed, followed by the three people and the cyborg horse a good distance away.
IRENE
CHAPTER 4
—
I
—
Strider and Stanza both curled up to escape the blast, then spread their arms and legs against the ground on landing. That was the best way to distribute the force of the impact. Above them, white-hot shrapnel, shards of melted glass, and globs of silicon flew through the air. A number of them landed on the armored plates on the warriors’
A black speck was approaching from the far reaches of the highway. As he watched, it took the shape of an oversized jeep. It halted beside D, and the man in the driver’s seat grinned.
“Never thought D of all people would try to leave us high and dry.”
It was Strider.
From the passenger’s side, Stanza glared at the Hunter, saying, “You try our faith in you.”
The right side of the jeep had a rocket launcher that looked like an oblong tombstone, while the left side was equipped with a three-shot bazooka. The barrel of said bazooka now smoked from recent shots.
“Oh, the cavalry’s here,” the hoarse voice said sarcastically.
“You’re one to talk, running off without us,” Strider said, banging his fist against the steering wheel. “Didn’t the mayor order you to take us with you? You’re a lousy double-dealer!”
“Then don’t work with the double-dealer,” D said.
Strider snorted at this.
“The two of you should do well together. Go give them hell.”
Stanza’s eyes bulged in their sockets.
“Now just a minute! There’s no reason to go saying things like that. May I remind you that we were the ones who just destroyed that armored car?”
“I never asked you to do that.”
D’s reply put a spark of malice in the warrior woman’s eyes. Her right hand glided toward her hip.
“Knock it off,” Strider said to her. “All that aside, who’s that?”
The eyes of all three focused on the motorcar that was approaching from the rear.
“Came back, did she?” the hoarse voice said.
A sound rained down on them from overhead.
“Run for it! It’s a missile!”
At the same moment Strider stepped on the gas, an explosion occurred just five yards to their right. The jeep rolled onto its side. D had already spun around.
“Help them!” Strider shouted, having been thrown clear of the jeep, along with Stanza. His cries were lost in the succession of explosions.
Catching the shock waves on its underside, the jeep spun once in the air over the warriors’ heads before falling to the ground. They could see countless vehicles raising a cloud of dust as they approached from the factory.
Dismounting, D raced over to the jeep, which was still on its side. Pulling the rocket launcher’s remote control from the vehicle’s dashboard, he stared straight ahead.
“Don’t waste your time with that. Help whoever’s in that car!” Strider shouted angrily.
The jeep’s missiles had to be targeted manually. Eliminating multiple opponents in one fell swoop would clearly be impossible without taking precise aim.
Suddenly, the rocket launcher disgorged flames and white smoke. At least twenty missiles were sent off simultaneously. It was unclear whether they scored direct hits, because the flames from the exploding missiles engulfed every last enemy vehicle. Within this ugly orange fireball, more flames shot up—precisely the same number as the count of enemy cars.
“I don’t believe it—every damn one of ’em . . .” the stunned Strider groaned.
Ignoring him, D fired one last shot.
Leaving a white trail behind it, the missile entered the factory building.
The resulting explosion rocked heaven and earth. A pillar of flame rose into the sky. D, Strider, Stanza, the jeep, and even the motorcar were sent flying. First the jeep and the car landed, followed by the three people and the cyborg horse a good distance away.
IRENE
CHAPTER 4
—
I
—
Strider and Stanza both curled up to escape the blast, then spread their arms and legs against the ground on landing. That was the best way to distribute the force of the impact. Above them, white-hot shrapnel, shards of melted glass, and globs of silicon flew through the air. A number of them landed on the armored plates on the warriors’
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