No time to draw breath. On the top floor, there was only one door. The bad news was that it was fortified. I guess behind that thick slab of dura-steel was the elevator winch room, maybe electronic cupboards as well as the roof access.
"I'll shoot the lock off," Çrámerr shouted, still loving every second. I imagined him in a few months time, after the terror had died down, entertaining his Zero-G golfing buddies on his private moonlet. "Well, of course, I was the only one who knew what was what. That's what they pay me the big bucks for, ha-ha. And you should see the size of my compensation payout. Anyone fancy another gin?"
Before I could shout "No!" he'd raised his 10mm and fired at the hinges. 10mm slugs ricocheted around the landing sending chips flying everywhere and leaving craters in the wall. One whistled within centimetres of my head and another slammed into Geroge's abdomen. He uttered a sudden "whoof," and fell forwards out of my arms, collapsing in a broken heap on the Konkreet.
"Stop it!" I yelled over the comm-link.
Reluctantly, Çrámerr ceased fire. I handed him NcDona's Augmented Flux-Blaster. I didn't think its owner would be needing it any time soon. "Set it to precision fire and take care," I told him. Dragging NcDona's body, Clemency and I ducked around a corner and let the Alpha-male do his job. Just to keep their heads down, I asked Clemency to fire a few shots down the stairwell. Red-hot balls of energy rocketed down.
By now the incredible heat of the Flux-Blaster had melted the hinges and the armoured door stood ajar. Sprinting up, I helped Çrámerr wrench it open sufficiently wide and then ran back round the corner to fetch Clemency and NcDona. I didn't like the look of the man's state. He was breathing fast and shallow. Definitely in shock.
We hauled NcDona through the door, his feet scraping over the Konkreet. As soon as he was through, Çrámerr and I put our shoulders to it and wedged the door closed. It wouldn't hold the Krilla onslaught for ever but it would have to do. From my backpack, I took an anti-personnel mine and set it up facing the door. That would give the first ones through something to think about.
"Still having fun?" I asked Çrámerr sarcastically.
He nodded. I guess he was having the time of his life. That's the thing with these senior management types. They are so insulated by wealth and privilege and contacts they think nothing bad can ever happen to them. Sure, they may suffer temporary inconveniences – like a robot breaking down or their luxury space-flight to a paradise world like Elysian is delayed but nothing that can't be solved by throwing large sums of money at it.
Carefully, we carried NcDona up another flight to one of the switch rooms. Once, long ago, the building's janitor must have used it as a secluded place to rest. A desk with an old-fashioned water heater and mugs stood on top of it, a chair and an old calendar depicting women from several systems in a state of undress took up one wall. The room smelled damp and mouldy from disuse.
"You keep watch for Krillaz," I said to Çrámerr while Clemency and I see if we can fix Geroge."
"Who put you in charge?" he asked. Good question but not one I was gonna waste time answering.
"Just do it," I snapped. "Unless you have great medical skills?"
He hadn't and, preferring the macho role of Krilla shooter anyway, he stepped outside into the corridor. I reckoned he saw himself as the handsome action lead of the latest holovision movie. Immediately, Clemency and I got to work. Gingerly, we undid NcDona's body armour and laid it by his side. His helmet rolled off, showing a massive bruise above his right ear. Gently, I touched it but didn't like the way my fingers pressed deep into his skull.
That injury wasn't the worst on his body. We both winced when we saw what lay beneath his body armour. Çrámerr's ill-fired 10mm had ripped a great hole in his belly. But that wasn't all. While we had been busy fighting for our lives earlier on the stairwell, NcDona had been slumped against the wall – the heavy blow to the head accounted for that. Unnoticed by us, a Krilla must have got to work. It had chewed deep into his lower abdomen. It was a hideous sight and he wouldn't recover – not without major surgery. Wincing, I hoped Economou would be footing that bill.
All we could do was stabilise him and stop the massive blood loss. Already, just by taking off his armour, more red fluid was leaking over the floor. Clemency opened NcDona's first-aid pack and then her own. Making a grimace of distaste, she wrapped padded gauze bandages around the wounds.
In the meantime, I jabbed him with all-purpose genericillin – Krillaz are notorious disease carriers – then another vial of super-coagulate to slow blood loss and still another of fast acting pain relief. I dropped the vials onto the floor. Then a pack of plasma and saline for rehydration. I watched Clemency's slender hands as she worked and admired how she quietly got on with the horrible task. She was wasted as a corporate drone – she should have gone into medicine like her father.
Catching her eye, I said, "I think we've done all we can. There's no more we can do until he gets to hospital."
She looked up and caught by the moment, I drew her towards me and kissed her full on the lips. I gazed into her glacier eyes and saw warmth deep in their icy depths. She didn't pull away but draped her arm around my neck and kissed me deeply. Yes, even under these circs, it was as good as I imagined.
Sure, I know she's out of my league. I will never become a top, mega-Hydran earning executive of a big interstellar outfit like Economou. And I don't want that. I am what I am – a recovery agent. It was a spur of the moment thing. Two frightened people thrown together in great peril. However, I enjoyed the moment and I immediately downloaded it to my long-term memory banks.
Çrámerr was still outside and I couldn't hear anything so I reckon the Krillaz were regrouping. And devouring our late companions. They'd be back. And I didn't like how that big albino had caught us in a pincer. All the same, seize your pleasures when you can. So I kissed Clemency a second time.
Eventually, reluctantly, we broke apart. "We have to get out of here. First, I want to find that beacon. Alright with you?"
She seemed surprised to be asked. "Stay with NcDona – though I think he'll be fine for the moment. I should only be a few minutes." I stepped onto the landing nodding to Çrámerr who was still guarding the door.
"How is he?" Çrámerr asked.
"Not good."
Running up the next flight I was soon out of his sight. Didn't have time to answer loads of questions. Right at the top was an ornamental cupola – like a little belfry, except there were no bells. I guess being the City Hall, the designer wanted one little ornamental flourish to make it stand out from the rest of Bas-Hinna's blocky buildings. Wind howled through the slats and I breathed deeply, enjoying the fresh air after the stench of blood and Krilla. Rain pattered against the side and dripped on the floor.
I found what I expected in the middle of the floor. A transponder sending beams of light – and probably a radio signal – through the slats and over the city every 3.141 seconds. Kneeling by the machine I saw it was fitted with a little plutonium battery which meant it should be broadcasting for decades. Next to it – in a transparent waterproof bag – was an electronic notebook. Flicking the on switch, I waited impatiently for it to boot up.
There. On screen appeared icons for videos. I selected the most recent and Âgustin's long, aristocratic face appeared. He looked scared but resolute. A smear of blood snaked across his forehead and cheek. Pushing back his floppy hair, and looking around with a frightened expression, Âgustin spoke. "If you've found this, then please help. Please. There's three of us – myself, Vernoff and Amir Illouz, our guide." He lowered his voice. "But I don't think Illouz is going to make it... the Krillaz chewed him up really bad. Please come quickly."
On the video, his gaze skittered across the room. "We're heading to the food processing plants over by the river. He gave the exact planetary coordinates." There was a bit more – personal stuff for his parents and fiancée – but nothing important.
Sitting back on my haunches, I thought Âgustin had made a good choice of place to hole up in. Like a lot of worlds, Hancox 1 isn't suitable for agriculture. Who wants to eat bryophytes three times a day? No-one. So, using water and bacterial sludge-farms – no it doesn't sound appetising, put like that – they can turn genetically modified bacteria into anything you want. Steaks, burgers, most vegetables, bread, pasta. Sure, it's artificial – and doesn't have all the fine detail you'd expect to see if you look closely at a carrot or whatever – but it tastes as good as naturally produced. And the food's fortified with all the vitamins you need.
Of course, gourmets and back-to-nature environmentalists turn up their noses but for most people, that's what we eat. And very good it is, too. So if Âgustin could find some bacteria and get one of the plants working, they'd be no shortage of food or water. With enough ammunition, Âgustin and Vernoff could hold out pretty much for ever.
I punched the air and whooped. My million Hydran reward was looking a lot closer than it had an hour or so ago. Only problem was how to reach it. We still had loads of Krillaz, all with their blood up, between us and them. I peered through the slats at the street below. Driving rain obscured my vision but even so I couldn't see any Krillaz scurrying about. That was a good sign so I kicked out the slats on the sheltered side and watched them fall. No Krillaz came out to investigate.
Taking the notebook with me I hurried downstairs. "We're moving out," I told the others, telling them what I'd discovered.
"Crunch time," Çrámerr said. He looked glad to be leaving.
"We can't leave Geroge," Clemency protested from by his side. "If we can get him to hospital, he should be fine."
"Hell, Economou will pay for his body to be rebuilt. I'll see to that personally. He'll be bigger and better than before," Çrámerr said, punching his fist into his palm.
"Of course we're taking him with us," I said, explaining my plan.
Leaving Clemency to provide covering fire, Çrámerr and I scooped up NcDona and, supporting his heavy body under his armpits, we lugged him upstairs. The man was a dead weight. Once or twice, he groaned thickly through his narcotic fog. Hoping against hope that the Krillaz wouldn't choose this moment to break through and attack. Encumbered as we were, they'd slaughter us.
We made it up to the cupola safely.
Rummaging through my battle-vest, I found a long length of line. It's pack said it was designed to carry 400 kilos. More than enough. Knotting the line into a harness I fitted it to NcDona's body and then tied the other end around one of the cupola's supports.
I'd done all I could.
"You go down first," I told Çrámerr, "and look after NcDona. Keep an eye open for Krillaz."
Çrámerr looked like he was going to protest that I was usurping his authority so I sweetened the pill a little for him. "You lead and we'll follow." Just as well he didn't catch the glance Clemency flashed me.
Swinging one leg over the sill, Çrámerr lowered himself down to the street. When he was half way down, it all turned noisy. There was a loud crash from below followed by a massive explosion as the anti-personnel mine was activated. The building shook. Death screams from the Krillaz but we all knew the rest of the horde would be up the stairs shortly.
"Hurry!" I yelled to Çrámerr over the gusting wind.
In fairness to him, Çrámerr hurried and leaped the last few metres to the ground. Giving him a thumbs-up, I swiftly attached NcDona to the line. His body was limp – whether from blood-loss or analgesics I don't know. Not that it mattered much – either way he was so much dead weight.
"Give me a hand here," I called to Clemency.
The woman rushed over and together we hoisted NcDona over the sill and started lowering him down. The constantly blowing wind caught him and despite our efforts his body banged against the wall.
Scurrying and high-pitched squeals and chattering came from the stairwell. "Try and hold 'em off."
Clemency nodded, crossed to the stair top and fired a few shots down. Hand over hand, as fast as I dared, I lowered NcDona's body as Çrámerr watched it descend. Then disaster struck. Whether my knots weren't sufficiently secure, whether the wind and rain caught his body – maybe even my panic from the imminent onrush of Krillaz – NcDona's body came loose and he took the fast way down twisting once as he did so. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. Horror-struck I watched as NcDona's body smashed onto the hard Konkreet. He landed on his head – and he wasn't wearing his helmet.
No way could he survive that. A couple of hours ago we were six. Now we were down to three.
Behind me I heard boom-boom-boom from Clemency's Bassoonka. Sounded like the Krillaz were getting close now.
"Leave them," I shouted over. "Let's get out. Now."
A few last shots just to keep their heads down and then she ran over to me. No time to go one at a time, so we both swung out together. Holding her body close to mine, we lowered ourselves down. Needless to say, we went as quickly as we dared.
Glancing up I saw a row of evil rodenty faces glaring down at us from the cupola. Despite everything, I laughed. Taking one hand from the line, I gave them the finger. Not that they'd understand the gesture but it made me feel better. There was no way the Krillaz could catch us now. By the time they'd run down all the staircases we'd be long gone.
We dropped down and stood next to NcDona's corpse. "What happened here?" Clemency asked.
"Your boyfriend Vargo dropped the ball," Çrámerr said bitterly. I guessed he had noticed our looks after all.
"Sort it out later – before all those Krillaz join the party. Let's get back to the Steg first."
"Shall we take him with us?" Clemency asked.
I shook my head. "He'll slow us down. C'mon. Hurry."
Çrámerr looked like he was about to object. But we'd already lost Kham and Thalami to the monsters so he quashed his conscience. Have you noticed how easy it is for senior management to do that when their own necks are on the line? Only a thought.
Picking up NcDona's Flux-Blaster, we trotted back to the Steg. There, we got another shock. A group of Krillaz were gnawing on its tyres. Now, a Steg's all-terrain tyres are made of puncture resistant rubber with metallic strengthening. Even so, the Krillaz' hyena jaws had chomped chunks out of them. Not good. The other side of the planet from good in fact. It was like they knew we were relying on our vehicle to get away.
One of the rat-men looked up and squealed to its clan buddies. That was its very last action in life as I sent a hail of shards their way. The rest ran away, some leaving trails of blood. I noticed that these seemed to be juveniles.
We clambered into the Steg and shut the door behind us. Taking off my helmet, I laid it on a now disused bunk and rubbed my forehead. We looked at each other. Clemency looked openly shocked and I think even Çrámerr was putting a brave face on things. I guess – alright, I know – my face showed the exhaustion I felt.
How could it all have gone so badly wrong?