Read Online Windswept by Adam Rakunas - Free Book Online

see if their foam cannons were armed, but could only see the boats hopping over the spray and now heading toward the cans. Better to assume they were ready to fire, which meant getting their attention pronto.
    I blinked up a picture of the skiffs and fired it out to the Public with a landstamp and a note: NOW DROWNING. WALWA NOT COMING TO MY AID. AVENGE ME WITH LAWSUITS AND STRIKES . I waited a few moments, and the skiffs veered hard to port, right toward me, though they had slowed down a bit. Did that mean WalWa had a watch agent on the Public that scanned for anything I said? It had been a while since I’d gotten that kind of rise out of them. I’d have to see what kinds of hoops I could get the boat crews to jump through once they’d hauled me on board.
    Then my head buzzed with a message: we’re coming to get you. stand by. That was quick, seeing how the skiffs were still a ways off. Then I looked at the message signature: banks .
    I kicked and pushed myself up to get a better view and saw the recovery launch was heading my way. I also saw that it was now loaded with people. HEAD TO SHORE, DUMBASS , I texted back, but the launch kept chugging toward me. Great. Not only did Banks not follow instructions, he was also one of those lazy twits who shorthanded all his texts. What else should I have expected from a Big Three lawyer?
    I kicked up again to look at the WalWa skiffs; they had cranked up the speed, and a quick zoom showed their round, warty riot foam cannons were aiming in our direction. I swam at the launch until they were close enough to throw me a line. My shoulders burned as I hauled myself on board. The Breaches, all pale and pooped, gave me goggle-eyed stares as I climbed over them to the pilot house.
    “Do you not know how to follow instructions?” I said, shoving Banks away from the wheel. “I told you to head for shore, not to come back and get me.”
    “But it’s choppy out here, and–”
    “This? This is a calm day,” I said, spinning us about and putting the throttle to All Ahead Flee. “I could have swam all the way home if I’d wanted. You think I don’t know how to handle myself?”
    “No,” said Banks, “I just thought–”
    “Until you’ve had a solid meal, two beers and your pai’s firmware reburned, you don’t get to think,” I said, looking over my shoulder. The skiffs bounced over the waves, and would be within firing range in minutes. “You know why? ’Cause you don’t know shit about what goes on here. Everything you’ve learned about life went right out the window the minute you entered that can. You got me?”
    Banks blinked a few times, then said, “I do. Turn us around.”
    “Oh, so you’ve had a change of heart?” I said. “Can’t deal with someone who’s Union calling the shots?”
    “No,” said Banks, “it’s just that the only way out of here is to turn us around. We’re not as fast, but we’re more maneuverable, and by the time they come about–”
    “Look,” I said, “I don’t know what they taught you about naval warfare in law school, but I can assure you that it’s wrong. Those skiffs are all loaded down with enough riot foam to freeze us for a month, and they’ll be good and ready to fire as soon as we’re in range.”
    Banks nodded. “Good. You see my point, then.”
    “Did you hit your head during re-entry?” I said. “They’re gonna be in range in thirty seconds, and once they start shooting and that foam starts setting–”
    And then I realized what the mad bastard was getting at. I cranked the launch around hard. “Everyone, hold on to each other!” I yelled. “Duck down low and don’t let go. You,” I said to Banks, “start throwing as much useless weight overboard as you can. Except yourself.”
    “So, I’m not useless?” said Banks.
    “The day’s still young.”
    He gave me a smile, then moved about the launch, chucking everything over the side. I braced myself against the wheel as we barreled toward the