Unity by Carl Stubblefield (epub read online books TXT) 📕

than halfway into the brain. The tooth-filled maw between the lobes roared in protest, only to be filled with more broken bits as the dagger-like remains clinked off shuddering teeth and sank into the soft tissues behind them.

Another deflected shield hit the corner of one of the glass oculars, causing a spiderweb of cracks to snake across its entirety. Servos whirred in protest and the brain began to buck on its brain-stem like an enraged bull in its agony, jumping and dropping amid broken bits, further impaling itself.

With fewer shields to focus on, the M.I.N.D. managed to lift some of the few remaining shields and they began to fling blindly about in a mad attempt to hit Yuki by chance. Only by using Shadowstep was she able to dodge three shields coming from different directions. Two of the shields collided midair, but only spun off wildly, regaining their trajectory after a wobbly interruption. Hitting on their ‘strong’ sides wouldn’t damage them, unfortunately.

Yuki tried to reach out and grab another shield, but it was moving too fast and she worried about having her ribbon totally cut off, leaving her with only one weapon.

They began to bob as they spun madly around the brain, angry hornets protecting their disturbed hive. Despite all the damage that had been dealt, Yuki had only managed to bring it down to 60% of its max health. The damage from the shards was not going to cut it. A quick check showed her heel-guns were empty as well.

The shields were flying so quickly and erratically that any attempt to whip the M.I.N.D. itself was quickly dashed. After severing a foot-long length of her more intact ribbon, she retreated back to look at her options. The shields only spun faster and faster, compensating for their number being cut in half. The enormous organ swung around, unable to keep itself aloft for more than thirty seconds or so before crashing down, causing a multitude of shards to bounce up into the air. After impaling itself, it would jump up again, swaying like a top-heavy cobra before crashing down again in a different spot.

Yuki could see that the key to ending this was the relatively narrow brain-stem. But how to get to it? She doubted she could even approach amid the shields that jetted by so quickly they were beginning to blur together.

If only those damn shields were out of the way!

It wouldn’t solve everything; she would still be at the mercy of the bucking brain and getting flattened as it slammed to the ground. But the brain did cast a large oval shadow beneath it… Before Yuki had too much time to think, she saw the boss rotate slightly as it began its fall. But it was going to fall on top of the shield that stuck out of it! Like a cat ready to pounce, she pumped her legs. A bone rattling moan resonated through the chamber as the M.I.N.D. landed on its own shield, sinking it deeper into the lobe and temporarily the shields flew off like shuriken, lodging in the walls and floor. Before it could totally settle to the ground, Yuki took her chance and activated Shadowstep.

“Does she always twitch like that? How do we know if something’s wrong?”

“I honestly don’t know, Aurora. She hasn’t been in the field long enough to really get a feel for her capabilities.”

“Well, I hope she—” Aurora paused, looking up from Yuki’s prone form as if she had heard something suspicious.

“You see it on your minimap too?” Tempest asked, voice turning severe.

“Unfortunately, yes. You think she’ll be okay?”

“Do we have a choice?”

Tempest keyed on his comms. “Gus, follow our location nav-point and meet us, we’ve got company. Prime, Yuki is at this nav-point, stay in stealth and make sure no one harms her while she finishes her slice.”

“Okay,” Gus confirmed.

“Copy. I’ll be there in five minutes, Prime out.”

“They’re at the hospital’s mass transit exit, let’s go,” Tempest urged Aurora as they tore out of the small equipment shed.

“I’m only seeing two…” Aurora gasped as she ran up the covered walkway.

“For now. Let’s hope it stays that way.”

“I hate running. I hope whoever is behind those red dots on my minimap is ready for an ass kicking, because they’ve put me in a very bad mood. Who even knows we’re here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He spat before shouting, “Don’t do this, Kenway, we had an agreement.”

Rounding the corner they found the bald man affecting a golf clap.

“Aye, and I’ve honored that agreement. You have the information you wanted. Now that our business is completed, I have just found another offer. Seems someone is interested in anyone poking around in their affairs, and is willing to pay good money if I can deliver the meddlers to the interested parties.”

Gus turned and slid down an embankment, slipping on loose moss and sludge to join the others, neon lights illuminating the alley with blues and reds in the undulating mist.

“Liar!” Gus yelled, catching his breath and swiping his hair out of his eyes.

“I am a dishonest man,” Kenway said with pride. “And you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest—”

“You think you and your cat can handle all three of us? I take it your cronies didn’t want any part of this?” Aurora challenged the pirate as she saw the odds had tipped in their favor.

Kenway shrugged. “Why split the bounty?”

“I know you better than that, pirate. The only one you could compel to go with you is your tiger, isn’t it?” Tempest remarked sardonically.

Gus recognized the tone and found it affected Kenway in much the same way it had him—reckless anger.

Kenway opened and closed one fist, the hiss of pistons echoing in the alleyway. A sharp crackle sounded as a taser attachment sparked to life on his multi-tool arm.

“This has grown tiresome. Let us be done with it!” Kenway roared as he launched his attack.

Gus saw a red dot appear on his chest and looked up to see the