Page 80 of Velvet and Valor

“Don’t do it, Axel,” she says. “There’s…are you wearing dynamite strapped to your chest?”

“No,” I say. “And I don’t see where we have much choice.”

I throw the pouch of gems as hard as I can in Moorcrock’s direction. It bounces around, thudding and echoing in the darkness.

“I said throw it to me, Hercules,” Moorcrock snaps. “Go, see if it’s the stuff.”

I bought us a few more seconds. I look for the exit. Moorcrock and his boys are between us and the way out. Just great. This isn’t going to end well.

“June,” I say through tightly clenched teeth. “Give me your gun.”

“What?” she asks. “Why?”

“Just do it, please.”

She hands me her weapon. Snub nosed revolver, not the best, but I’ll take it.

“Get ready to move,” I say. “When I distract them, I want you to run for the exit as fast as you can. Don’t slow down, don’t look back.”

“Axel, what are you going to do?” she asks, fear dancing in her eyes. God, I love her so much. This might be my last, my only chance to say it.

“I love you, June,” I say.

Before she can reply, I mash my mouth on top of hers. I kiss her hard, trying to express everything I feel in just a couple of seconds.

“Axel, no,” she whimpers. “Don’t do this, please.”

I prepare to get out of my cover and sell myself as dearly as I can. A whistling sound cuts me off. A familiar whistling sound.

“Duck!”

I tackle June and cover her with my own body right before the RPG hits. An orange fireball blossoms across the room, turning virtual night into virtual day. I catch a glimpse of Ezra standing in the threshold, tossing the smoking launcher to the side and drawing out his combat rifle.

“Did you call in a freaking tank?” June shouts.

“Better, I called Ezra,” I said. “Old army buddy. Heavy weapons expert. You’ll like him.”

“Are you kidding? I love the guy already, considering he just saved our butts.”

Ezra mows down Moorcrock’s goons with the lead hose, cutting them to ribbons in a matter of seconds. Moorcrock runs off into the darkness, giving us the slip. Or so he thinks.

“You all right, Axel?” Ezra calls.

“Never better,” I reply. “Where did you get that thing, anyway?”

“Just a little souvenir,” Ezra replies.

“Yeah, from the black market. Keep June safe!”

“What?”

I take off after Moorcrock. He disappeared behind a storm sluice. I find that the sluice slants downward into a channel designed to lead out to the ocean.

“End of the line, Moorcrock,” I shout.

He spins around and levels a pistol my way. I throw myself to the ground as he fires off a three-round burst. The echoes of the ricocheting shots mingle with his rapid footsteps.

I spring to my feet and give chase. He disappears into the gridwork of derelict ship hulls. I slow down to a walk, moving toe to heel in order to reduce the sound of my footsteps. Sweat rolls into my eyes and I blink it away.