The Man between my crosshairs (girl X assassin)

Chapter 45/The death of Styles

A/N It's always difficult to end a book. There is something about the bleak finality of it that kind of makes it very hard to type. Still, It's been a wonderful trip, thanks so much for being here with us. Reb and I would like to take Zoe and Ryan's hands and bow very politely to you. FYI Zoe wanted the book to self-destruct at this point while this has points for style be assured we persuaded her otherwise.  Zoe & Ryan everyone's favourite source of mayhem will return.  meanwhile, your authors will return in the near future with another novel of literary cunning.  RK&Reb. 

Blocklanding field:  week later. 

Zoe and  Ryan and mother sat together on some temporary racked seating on the edge of the landing field. They were just three more faces in a sea of spectators. All had come to watch the spectacle of the landing of the next City Block. The crowd was massive. Beyond the stands, many RV's had formed a temporary city around the landing site. People looked at their personal screens and at the public huge displays watching the block re-entering the planet atmosphere. The huge shield had glowed brightly as the block had re-entered.

"If you think about it it's totally insane," a commentator said from some speakers "it's like trying to land an office block from orbit. We are still in radio black out....3..2..1 yes we have received. The block is in the pipe 5 five 5."

At this, the audience cheered. One of the worst moments was over but the most important was if the building could land intact.

For a second the picture switched from the bright glowing building on the telescopes. Now they caught the face of Harry styles watching everything from his ringside seat close to the landing site. He looked nervous like an expectant father after the long hours of labour others had done.

"ladies and gentlemen ladies and gentlemen." The excited voice on the tannoy said "there is a dog can you see the dog it's running across the landing site?  It must have got loose, it's very dangerous out there stay back what ever you do. "

The crowd responded en masse. Many stood up many twisted to see them on the screens. You could sense by the tone that they all thought the dog would be crushed by the machine.

"Do you think anyone cares about a dog?" Ryan said.

"Watch," said Zoe.

This time before the announcer had time two point it out everyone began to notice a small girl running after the dog. The girl was young, old enough to run fast, young enough not to realise the danger she was in.

Some people stood up to run after the girl but robots stopped them from putting themselves into danger. Other robots went after the child it was now well ahead of them. At this point the dog was obscured by the shadow of the Block coming in to land on the very point the dog and the girl running for. The crowd was now almost as one shouting to the girl come back.

Until now the announcer had a jumble of sentence fragments. "OMG is that..., the girl she's after the dog.. keep back... is that Mr Styles?"

From his forward position, it looked like Styles had got onto his escape bike. Instead of retreating he was running after the girl.

"Ladies and gentlemen I think that Harry Styles is trying to save that girl." The announcer proclaimed.

The audience broke into a disjointed chorus. Many encouraged Harry to drive after the girl and save her. The building was still falling above them but it was clear many were telling Harry getaway. Suddenly rather than falling the building's retrorockets fired at the last-minute. Huge airbags inflated underneath. While the building speed was slowing down it was still moving very rapidly. A huge amount of prairie dust was blown away by the engines and everybody looked away.

"dog," Ryder said.

"Robot," said Zoe out of ear shot.

"Girl?" Mother said.

"Robot," Zoe said.

Ryder looked on "you just dropped 100,000 ton building on your target. I must say you've got Style"

Zoe winced at the pun.

"If your target was Wiley Coyote," said Mother.

******

After the fuss had died down Zoe and mother made their way down the steps to the back of the stand. They looked carefully around and then opened a hatch in the ground.

"all clear" Zoe said.

Out of the underground passageway pop the head of Harry Styles. Zoe and mother quickly rushed him to the car that rider was driving. Inside the back were Cathy and Jericho. Harry was filthy from dust and carrying a small unnatural dog that had stopped moving. The windows of the car have been turned to be very dark. Outside they could see the faces of the audience in shock as the legendary Harry styles had died.

"Harry Styles Property tycoon is dead," said Zoe handing over a new identity card. "Richard Palmer the gardener is born. You need to pull this on."

She handed Harry a skin colour hood, with Harry began to pour over his head.

"What are you going to do now?" Just said Jericho. "if anybody recognises you you're done"

"Well, I thought it was my time in life where I could retire," Harry said. "I've always had an affinity with plants. I just want to grow old, play the guitar, be visited by my daughter sometimes, maybe see the grandchildren that's your job, Jericho."

Jericho nodded. "but where can you go you won't be recognised?"

"I've always needed a gardener," Zoe said checking the time "my habitat is a mess it's practically overrun."

"Its a risk" Mother said. "if Dark Orbits discovers that you have failed to kill your target. They will not look at things to kindly."

Harry moved around pushing his hood backwards and forwards. "Where are the eyes on this thing," he said in a muffled way.

"Soon I will be Dark Orbits. I'm not sure if I want to carry on in the assassination business for long."

"Oh," said Ryder's disappointed voice from the front the car.

"well first I'm going to  painfully kill everybody who lined me up," Zoe said.

"Yehy!" Said Ryder. "Can I help?"

"If you promise to be good. But I'm seeing there could be things beyond it. New opportunities. first I will take my place in the Council. I promise mother"

"Thank you, dear. You make an old woman proud." She said as the car pulled into the huge tent.

Soon the arrived at the spaceport. Mother handed tickets to Zoe, Ryder and Harry now Richard. Everyone said good-by.

"Next time you're near Mars do come and drop in" Zoe said to Cathy as they hugged, she looked at them "I'm sure your going to be very happy together".

They got out and followed by self driving luggage walked to the waiting rocket.

"Speaking of proud what do you think of the assassination?" Zoe said

"Generally very good. But What about Rule number one?" Mother said as they showed their travel cards to the robot and got on to a small moving platform big enough for five at the end of a large moving arm.

"Which rule number one?" Zoe said as the mobile arm lifted them up to the cabin door.

"Rule number one. It's not a kill unless you see a dead body." Mother said as the wind caught her light grey hair.

"What body?" Said Zoe looking at Harry in his identity mask.

"Oh" said Ryder getting what Mother had meant. The elevated platform reached the cabin door and they began to enter the ship.

Zoe looked at Ryder and then caught on.

"The flight is about to depart will everyone get into their seats" the ship announced.

"Oh Raven's body" Zoe said looking shocked and the doors closed.