Read Online Tears of Kerberos by Michael G. Thomas - Free Book Online Page A

checked his map on his small datapad. According to the data sent by his contact the suspect was thirty metres across the dance floor, sat at a round table and flanked by two guards. He nodded to his men and without waiting they went up the staircase and towards the wide glass entrance leading into the dance hall. As they reached the last few steps Johnson pulled out his pistol.
    “Non-lethal,” he whispered over the radio system.
    The two armoured officers checked their weapons were set to the low power settings before indicating they were ready.
    From the glass doorways they could see the lights moving about but it was impossible to see what else was happening.
    “Go!” said Johnson.
    The first officer pushed the door slightly open and then tossed a stun grenade inside. As soon as it reached the centre of the room it flashed. The pulse was strong and would incapacitate anybody in the room. Without waiting the three were inside the dance hall, but it was quickly obvious something was very wrong. There were no dancers and the only people in the room were already on the floor, face down as though they had been told to get down. Johnson ran to the table to find his contact slumped across the table with his datapad smashed on the ground.
    “Shit!”
    The rest of the team moved in and secured the area, each checking for signs of the suspect.
    “Sir, blood!” called one of the officers as he pointed out a dark trail running out to the side of the room and stopped at a wall.
    “Get that music off!” shouted Johnson as he examined the wall. He tapped his pistol and could easily tell it wasn’t thick. Pulling it back he struck the wall and the pistol smashed through the thin layers. Pushing his hand into the hole he found he could slide the section of wall to the side. It revealed a messy room full of smashed computer terminals and papers. He was about to enter when a man in a suit appeared from behind a stack of machines and opened fire with an old fashioned shotgun.
    Johnson’s reactions were only just quick enough to save him but the ATU officer behind took the full brunt in the chest, flying back two metres before crashing down hard. Johnson leaned around the gap and fired three rounds at the man but he had already vanished. From his position Johnson could see the window was open and outside were the rusty metal railings of the fire escape.
    “Fire escape!” he shouted and ran into the room to give chase.
    As he reached the ledge the man was already down the first part of the metal staircase. He fired a shot to try and make him stop. There was no way the man was going to wait though and he kept moving. Johnson squeezed himself out of the window and onto the iron gantry that led to the staircase. As he rushed down the steps he could make out the shape of the man below.
    “In pursuit of suspect, I need the fire escape cut off, block the street. He is armed and prepared to use force!”
    The suspect was crouching near the ledge and as Johnson emerged he fired a blast of lead shot that managed to catch his right leg. It was a near miss but a few of the tiny pieces of lead managed to take chunks from the close fitting armour he wore under his suit and made him lose his balance. With a flailing action he tried to grab the railing but it was too little too late. He crashed down and rolled down three steps. Johnson looked up to see then man, he was dark skinned and had serpent like tattoos on his cheeks. The man lifted the shotgun and pointed it at Johnson.
    “No, wait!” he shouted but the man didn’t hesitate, he pulled the trigger but nothing happened other than the click of the hammer.
    The man muttered and then turned to continue his run to the bottom of the fire escape. Johnson lifted himself up but the pain in his back and legs told him the fall had hurt him more than expected. He heard shouting and leaned out over the side to see the man running across the lane. Taking careful aim he pointed the weapon low and