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

knew she would pass out soon if she didn’t… the prod, you fool! She reached under her coat, her fingers fumbling for the weapon. Her hand found the handle. She swung, targeting Stalo’s head. He jerked his head out of the way and she missed him by several inches. Still, Stalo grimaced in pain—his sudden pull had aggravated his bullet wound. The pressure on Anouk’s throat released, and she staggered back, holding her throat, gasping for air. Oh, sweet oxygen! How wonderful it was to breathe again.

“Anouk!”

“Nat,” she croaked, her knees almost buckling in relief. She turned when Nat entered the room. Jasper grabbed Nat’s ankle, trying to pull him down, but Nat pressed his prod against Jasper’s neck. Mr Sunshine jolted, then lay still—Madam Valeria screamed. She jumped up, her clawed hands slashing towards Nat’s face.

With a mournful expression, Nat pressed the prod on Madam Valeria’s neck. Her fall to the floor wasn’t as graceful as her trademark gliding gait—Madam Valeria slumped in an awkward heap next to her lover.

Nat pulled out his revolver, his face in a grim mask and he pointed it past Anouk. She turned… Stalo had recovered and was aiming at her with her Phines.

Chapter 23

“Drop your weapon or she dies,” Stalo demanded loudly over the persistent and ear-splitting fire alarm.

Anouk glanced at Nat. She had no illusions about Stalo—he would definitely carry out his threat. But would Nat yield now when her life was on the line? Would she want him to? In the end, did it really matter? Stalo would shoot them anyway, as soon as Nat obeyed his command.

Nat stood still, giving no sign of complying. His revolver remained aimed at Stalo, his hand steady. The two men—the two enemies—measured each other with their cool stares.

“It’s over, Stalo. Enforcers will be here soon,” Nat called back.

“I am my Lord De Meriweth to the likes of you,” Stalo snapped. Then a cruel grin split Stalo’s scarred face. “Yes, it is over… for you.”

Anouk craned her neck to look in the direction of Stalo’s gaze. Two masked men had stepped into the salon, shotguns in their hands. The taller man was none other than Captain Biddulph. It was indeed over.

“Down!” Nat yelled. He dove sideways, twisting his body and firing towards the doorway. Without hesitation, Anouk dropped flat on her stomach in time to see the man beside Biddulph jerking backwards as if he had been kicked. She crawled under the divan; her electric prod was no match against firearms. Gunfire continued back and forth in the room, even after the fire alarm silenced.

“My lord, the enforcers are surrounding the building. We have to go,” a man shouted. Anouk’s ears rang, but she would have recognised that voice anywhere… Captain Biddulph.

“Very well,” Stalo growled.

Anouk couldn’t see where Nat was from her position but judging by the gunfire exchange, he was trying to stop Stalo and the captain from leaving. She chewed her lower lip, wondering how to help.

Stalo’s feet came into Anouk’s view. His heels rose as he crouched, taking cover behind the divan. Her heart missed a beat. Was Stalo coming to finish her? Not if she reacted first. She turned on the prod, and stabbed towards Stalo’s ankles, but at the same time he jumped and vanished from view.

More gunshots and footfall retreated down the hall leaving the salon silent. Anouk gathered her courage to peek out. First, she spotted Madam Valeria and Jasper, both still unconscious. At least she hoped they were indeed unconscious and not dead. By the doorway lay the other of Stalo’s two men, but she couldn’t see Nat.

“Nat?” she called.

No answer.

A loud bang came from the hallway. Anouk started at the noise, causing her to hit her head on the divan’s wooden frame.

“Fuck,” she hissed in pain.

It hadn’t been a bomb but sounded like someone kicking in a door. Hasty stomping and calls filled the hall. Anouk tensed.

“Search the building. Move, move!” Chief Constable Loka’s barks cut through the noise, resulting in loud stomping and hasty treads. Anouk allowed a small sigh of relief to escape her lips.

She crawled from under the divan and crouched, holding the prod ready. When she glanced around the room, her stomach sank to her boots. Had Nat followed Stalo and the captain? Without her? Blast that man! If he got killed now when she wasn’t watching his back, she would find him and kill him again.

Gaining strength from her irritation towards Nat, she straightened herself. She had to find him. She took a step, but her legs threatened to buckle.

“Steady, girl,” she muttered, and took support from the divan. After a few deep breaths, she was the master of her body again. Her senses stretched and alert, she walked towards the door. She stopped next to Madam Valeria and hesitated. She wanted to go after Nat, but if Madam Valeria or Jasper needed first aid, the law required her to help. Well, strictly speaking, that was her planet’s law and might not apply in Anglea. She cringed at her internal argument. An enemy or not…

She looked around for a gun, but the weapon Jasper had carried was nowhere to be seen.

“I need to tie their hands, just in case.” Anouk’s eyes went to the strap around Madam Valeria’s waist. “That will do.”

She knelt next to the woman and pulled the strap free before reaching for the knife in her boot and cutting it. Anouk tied Madam Valeria’s hands behind the back and placed two fingers on the woman’s neck—there was a pulse. Anouk let out another sigh of relief. She moved next to Jasper, tying his hands first then she tested his pulse—it was weaker, but it was there. She studied his body to see where she had hit him and lifted the hem of his coat. She sucked in air. His white shirt was torn on his side and saturated in blood. She bent to look closer, her heart hammering. If the wound was serious, or worse, fatal…

A rough-edged