10 Minute Tales

Mar 20

The firefight persisted for a couple of minutes. Queenson's experience, Aurora's accuracy and Abe's overkill of a weapon bought them some breathing space. Some of the goons had pressed the offensive, giving the others time to catch their breath. Aurora beamed.

"Five incapacitated, none fatally injured." she beamed. "Given there were nine when we entered, I think I did pretty good."

"You haven't learned anything, then." Queenson growled. "Your showboating ruined the element of surprise, if you hadn't taken a hit you wouldn't have needed to show your true nature."

"Well, yeah, but they were gonna land that hit anyway."

"It is curious." Abe commented, looking at a doorway. Flashes of light betrayed the energy shots flying in both directions. "They are unerringly accurate. They are rivalling even Aurora for accuracy."

"None of 'em got under ninety-five percent." Aurora commented. "Here I thought all humans were that accurate when they were augmented."

"It's weird, but it's even more reason to get through them. This is the boss's private army, remember, if he's gonna escalate this crime spree then we'd have to defend the entire city from these guys."

"Sinis seems to be a suitable home for them." Abe frowned. "We shall take care of business, I presume?"

"Damn right we will." Queenson loaded a fresh battery, marching towards the doorway. "... seems like they're all over the stairway."

"Damn, they have the angle." Aurora frowned. "Don't think I can snipe right at this angle."

"Then hang back, let us take care of it. Cover our backs as best you can."

"Got it." Aurora took a running start and jumped up. She slammed against the wall, but used her momentum to jump again and grab the railing of a landing above her. After a moment swinging, she managed to climb up and took careful aim at the doorway. "You're covered." Queenson nodded.

"Abe, got that peeker?"

"When do I not?" Abe smiled, revealing a piece of broken mirror on a stick.

"Damn, you haven't upgraded, have you?"

"And why should I? This is more than adequate for the task."

"Well, I guess." Queenson shrugged. His choice. Abe poked it around the corner, frowning slightly.

"Three marks, all up the stairway. Armed with assault rifles." The mirror suddenly shattered, splintered by another well-placed shot. "And quite accurate."

"No way we're getting out of there with our heads intact." Queenson frowned. Crack! Aurora shot another target; the flop of a body didn't as much as distract him. "We need to break them up somehow."

"I have just the ticket." Abe grinned. "I trust you don't mind this misuse of spent resources."

"Spent resources?" Queenson raised an eyebrow quizzically. Abe brought a used battery out of his pocket, gripping it tight. Queenson's eyes widened. "You're not going to..."

"Oh, but I am." Abe grinned, throwing it into the doorway and up the stairs. As he guessed, the guards were skilled enough to shoot it out of the air; however, this proved to be their drawback. The chemicals in the battery exploded from the sudden excess of energy, and electricity surged through the entire room. Queenson grunted as an errant lick of energy caught his leg.

"What the fuck?!" He stared at Abe. "How was that non-lethal?!"

"Electrical discharge. It will hurt, but it should not kill." Queenson sighed, frustrated. First was Aurora's showmanship, and now Abe's unorthodox techniques... did he have any control over this situation?