The Gadget: The Rondon Chronicles Book One by V. Timlin (speed reading book .TXT) 📕

man, her whole body shaking. Sweat poured from her forehead, her mouth dry with a bitter taste of bile in her throat. She had reacted so instinctively that her mind hadn’t formed a rational thought of what had just happened. She didn’t understand where all that had come from.

Someone touched her. She jumped, shooting an anxious gaze at the intruder—Nat. Her knees buckled and she would have dropped down next to the man if Nat hadn’t caught her.

“It’s over,” Nat said in a soothing voice.

Anouk looked down at her attacker again. Dark red blood pooled beside his head.

“Is he…” Anouk whispered, but failed to finish her question. She knew the answer anyway.

“Yes, he’s dead,” Nat said.

“I—” Anouk closed her eyes and swallowed. “I killed him?”

“It was self-defence. He and the other man appeared to be in this together. We were their targets. Though, I’m surprised there were only two men setting us an ambush. Maybe they saw us and decided to try and take the opportunity.”

Anouk leaned her head against Nat’s shoulder. “Stalo?” Her question was a mere whisper, but Nat heard it regardless of the noises of life resuming its normal course on the street now that all was clear again.

“Who else?” Nat said, next to her ear. “You handled that very well, partner.” There was a smile in his tone. And pride.

She couldn’t bring herself to feel that. She had killed a man. Yes, he would have killed her, but still.

“I… How…” She took a shaky breath. “I killed a man.”

“He would have killed you,” was all Nat said.

No matter how right he was, it didn’t make her feel any better.

Chapter 14

The morning traffic grew busier as Anouk and Nat got closer to the city centre. Nat had caught one of those steam-powered Rondon Taxis Anouk so wished to avoid. She strained her ears; she wanted to spot any anomalies in the rhythm of the taxi that might be a telltale sign of engine failure or a possible explosion developing. Rattling wheels and clunks from engines of the other steam carriages bounced off the surrounding buildings creating a cacophonous symphony and making her attempt futile.

“These vehicles are perfectly safe,” Nat said.

Anouk blushed and dropped her hand on her lap. She had been chewing her thumb. “If you say so.”

Nat winked and resumed watching the bustling streets. Anouk sighed. One thing was sure steam-powered vehicles worked as a good distraction. During their ride she hadn’t given a second thought to the man she’d killed the previous day. Well, not until now.

Following the attempt on their lives, Nat had taken her back to the camp and gone to meet other regular sources, taking Fitzwil with him. Anouk had stayed behind with Vari. She had been too numb to even protest the arrangement. Vari made her a herbal concoction to drink which had tasted disgusting but it had helped her sleep. Still, the man’s empty, lifeless eyes haunted her, and she had woken up in cold sweat at the crack of dawn.

Nat, Vari and Fitzwil had reasoned how it had been self-defence. The rational side of her agreed. He had tried to kill her but still, it bothered her. He might have had a family who was now grieving their loss. The leap from being an accountant crunching numbers, to a bounty hunter ready to crush skulls at a moment’s notice was hard to digest.

Nat touched her hand. “This probably isn’t much consolation, but it’s good the man’s death bothers you. It means you haven’t lost touch with your humanity.”

Anouk tried to smile. “Thanks. How do you know what I’m thinking? Do you own a mind reading gadget as well?”

“Everyone has a first time. Taking a life is… well, it’s not something that should be done lightly, and you’re changed when it’s done, for better or worse.”

She looked down at her hands. They were clean. No trace of blood. Except in her mind. “Does it… does it bother you when you have to kill someone?”

“Every. Single. Time.” Empathy filtered into his quietly spoken words.

She nodded and turned her attention back to the world outside the carriage. Nat’s comments and confession warmed her. She wasn’t alone with her feelings and… he wasn’t a monster.

Their taxi arrived at Victory Square and stopped next to the main entrance of the Royal Anglean Constabulary headquarters.

While Nat paid for the ride, Anouk observed the passing vehicles and people, dreading seeing Stalo in their midst.

Nat tapped on her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Anouk bobbed her head, and they started to stride up the steps. Her back itched as if they were being watched. She threw glances over her shoulder but failed to spot the pair of eyes that bore between her shoulder blades. Was she being paranoid or did other bounty hunters get the same kind of attention? The two dead bounty hunters came to her mind, giving Anouk cause to shudder. Where did Stalo get such resources?

The same charming Sergeant Rosmarus sat in the information booth, wearing his pained flower-wilting expression. Anouk was ready to bet he skipped joyously every day all the way to work.

“Is Chief Constable Loka in?” Nat asked.

“Yes, but…”

“Great, thanks. We know our way.” Nat placed his revolver on the desk and headed towards the stairs. Sergeant Rosmarus’ face turned crimson. He opened and closed his mouth without succeeding to utter the protest hanging on the tip of his tongue. His thick moustache vibrated under his potato nose to the rhythm of huffs. Anouk put her katana on top of Nat’s gun and trotted after him before she could witness the sergeant’s head exploding.

“Poor Sergeant Rosmarus. He’ll have a stroke at this rate,” Anouk whispered to Nat.

They walked into the chief constable’s office. Constable Ethini jumped up from behind his desk, his stature as rigid as a tin soldier. The welcome was different from the one she and Vari received.

Nat made a mock salute. “Hi constable, I understand the chief is in his office.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes, but, please,