Shattered Salvation, Draft 1 CH 45
#46 of Shattered Salvation
draft 1 of Book 4 in the Tristan Series, where The rescue of an old man turns into a race to find a virus that could wipe out all life in the universe
Katherine faces Alex and figures she will make him pay for his part in her pain
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She turned to block with her cybernetic arm. She didn't have a choice, Alex kept side stepping to her left to slash at her organic arm. Over his shoulder she saw one of her people take down his opponent and hope surged.
"Enrick!" She didn't keep the panic out of her voice. She had no idea how it had happened, but she was utterly outclassed by Alex. His file had documented his skill with the knife, but what he was displaying was beyond that. And that incessant laughter.... The man had to be insane.
Enrick heard her, and Katherine pressed Alex, forcing his attention on her. She got slashes on her organic arm for her effort, but at least Enrick would--
At the last moment Alex ducked right and the blast went over his shoulder, and hers. She smelled burnt hair. Alex grinned at her. Enrick looked stunned.
The man aimed again and fired three times in quick succession. Katherine winced and tried to keep Alex in the line of fire, but he kept dodging and she had to do the same to avoid being hit.
"Stop shooting, you're going to kill me!"
Alex knife flashed and she only just got her arm in the way. Metal slid against metal. Alex tried to slide to her left, but instead of turning, she stepped with him, keeping his back to Enrick, who had his knife out and coming closer.
He was almost within striking range.
Alex ducked, pivoted on a foot, reversed his grip on the knife, slashed up Enrick's front, then one across his neck. He finished the spin to block Katherine's strike, the smile broad on his face.
Enrick's look of surprise faded as blood pours out of his open neck, chest and stomach. He folded back as Alex pressed her.
"Help!" Her cybernetic arm was showing gashes deep enough she could see the circuitry underneath.
Those who heard her cry came to her help, even some of the mercs they had been fighting. They all died .
It was as if Alex was prescient. Just as they'd be about to strike him, Alex would duck or throw himself out of the way or turn to catch the blow. A few jerks from Alex's hands and his attackers would drop to the floor.
She tried to use the distraction to maneuver for the door, but Alex was too quick, and after the first attempt where she turned her back to him and almost didn't get out of the way of the slash in time, he would have cut her spine with it, she wasn't letting him out of her sight, but he was taking down her people too quickly.
She took a step back, it landed on something uneven, she cried out as she lost her balance. Someone caught her. By reflex she opened her mouth to thank him, but it was forced shut as Alex slammed the knife through her lower jaw and into her head.
He was smiling at her, looking her int he eyes. She didn't see any malice there, he was simply happy.
As her vision faded she saw the man approach behind Alex. Her last thought was that maybe someone else would avenge her.