The Gadgeteer

Chapter 20

ANOTHER PAIR OF feet jogged up. Turning, she raised her arms as if to block another attack. It was Sam Hicks this time.

"I thought you would have changed before heading home," he said, trying to hide the edge of concern in his voice. "Who have we got here?"

"I don't recognize him." She gave the prone man a nudge with her foot to roll him over onto his back. "But shoot me if I show up for anything in a skirt again."

"You were quite graceful. It was almost artistic, the way the skirt swung as you dodged. It reminded me of the shows in the Chinese theatre."

"Really? I suppose that's why you came running over after he was down."

He chuckled. "Well, I didn't realize I'd miss all the fun. You can handle yourself. This is your occupation, after all."

Laughing, she shrugged. She wasn't the only female on the planet with this playful approach to serious battle, and Hicks seemed comfortable with her choices. Society considered women that could fight to be emotionally unbalanced, unladylike, and sometimes coarse, but it was also a good challenge for both body and brain. It got her blood moving to out-think and out-manoeuvre an opponent. The survival aspect gave it a nice edge, but she wasn't a violent person. It wasn't like she went around punching people.

"So, super squirrel, let's get him booked, then talk about tomorrow," Hicks said, reaching down to lift the man into a fireman's carry across his shoulders. He started for the police station.

"Wait, I want to question this one. This was a targeted attack."

He stopped, eyebrows raised. "You're sure of this?"

"He was leaning against a wall on the other side of the street, smoking, when I walked out. He didn't follow immediately, but he was waiting for me."

"Where would you have him taken?"

She thought about it, and the only place was her house. She didn't want the man in her house.

"I know a spot," Sam volunteered.

A couple blocks away, Sam stopped in front of a tin door at the back of an abandoned apartment building. Arabeth reached out and pulled the handle. The door wasn't locked. Looking at Hicks, she wondered if he'd used this building for questioning people often. She pulled it open the rest of the way and waited for him to walk in.

The dimness of the interior took a moment to adjust to. She heard the thump of a body on concrete as Hicks unloaded the man.

"Is he waking yet?" she wondered.

"I don't think so. There should be a lantern near the door - can you see it?"

She turned and spotted it, glad her eyes adjusted quickly to dim light. Pulling a small matchbox out of her satchel, she lit the lantern and carried it over. They were on a loading dock, on the interior section.

"I need to know why I was his target. Who sent him, and what was it related to? I've got too many mysteries going on right now for it to be an easy guess."

"No reflection on your skill, but he seems amateur. Couldn't be military-related."

"No offense taken. I agree, so is it related to an old bounty, or something new? I had an old hunter tell me I shouldn't be doing bounties in my own town."

"There is wisdom in that."

"But that defeats the purpose. I'm doing it to keep my own town safe." She sighed. "Time to wake him up."

She pulled a small leather case out of her satchel and opened it, revealing a row of seven small vials. Pulling one out, she uncorked it and waved it under the man's nose.