Part Three
Ido ran to the center of the courtyard and stopped. Though he stood perfectly still the sound of running feet echoed off the brick walls around him. It sounded like an army scattering in the face of an overwhelming opponent, but it was only three men desperate to escape the Hunter Warrior.
Ido held the hammer defensively in front him and twisted his head left and right, searching for any sign of movement. From the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a shadow darting along a wall. Ido watched it race past him and disappear into a narrow lane between two buildings.
He smiled.
This is what Ido lived for, this is what brought him out into the street night after night. Yes the money was motivation enough, but it was the thrill of the hunt that drove him to risk his life chasing criminals to whom killing was a sport.
Was he really any different?
Ido ran to the entrance of the lane and flattened his shoulder against a wall. He stuck his head around the corner and looked as far as the dim streetlights would allow. The way was clear and he was certain no one was lying in wait for him. Ido had his second wind now and knew it was only a matter of time before he caught up to the men he was pursuing.
He pushed himself off the wall and ran in long strides, swinging the hammer in a huge arc as he went. Ido had no idea of how frightening he looked. It was if the night itself had taken physical form and sought vengence on the wicked.
As Ido ran he thought of Karen, waiting for him at home with Gonzu. She must never be allowed to see this side of him, a ruthless killer little better than the men, and sometimes women he killed. Yet it was a different kind of murder, one that served a purpose. And right now his motivation was to get those three bounties and pay off Zambaner.
This was the second evening after Ido's confrontation with the money lender. The first night had been a waste of time, but earlier today Ido had read a bulletin concerning three men wanted for spine theft. The bounty was substantial, thirty thousand chips for two of the men, forty thousand for the ringleader. Ido was lucky to have stumbled across the criminals in the act of prying the backbone from their latest victim, that was ten minutes ago. The ensuing chase had taken him across two zones into a sector of the city that he was unfamiliar with.
Ido could see them now. Two of the men were of medium height and build. The third was much larger, a cyborg obviously. The man in the rear of the group glanced over his shoulder at their pursuer. He yelled to his companions to turn and fight. After all, it was only some old geezer chasing them.
"Go ahead!" shouted the one nearest to him. "Be a tough guy. Me, I'd rather take on Max here than that crazy bastard who's after us!"
"You'd lose," said the huge cyborg in the lead.
"To hell with you!" said the smaller of the three. "I'm not afraid of anyone, even a hunter."
Ido saw the man turn and face him. He reached under his coat and pulled out a crowbar, the type with a curved claw that was used for ripping out spinal columns.
Ido held the hammer overhead and pressed the switch engaging the rocket drive. The weapon roared to life and seemed to have a will of it's own, pulling it's master toward the criminal in his path.
The man gripped the crowbar at both ends and raised it overhead to parry the expected attack, but Ido had anticipated this and at the last moment he cut the power to the hammer and rotated the weapon in his hands so that the blunt end was facing forward.
The sudden change in attack was too swift for the criminal to counter and Ido drove the shaft of the hammer into his chest with such force that it tore through the skin and punctured his heart.
Ido ran straight into the criminal and they both fell to the ground. He let go of the hammer and flew over the man, landing face down in a puddle of greasy water.
He flipped himself over and propped his body up on his elbows. A burn raced up his right leg and Ido cursed himself. Blood was oozing from a torn knee and his palms were skinned. He shook his head and looked at the dead body lying several meters away.
He smiled, though he was sore and bruised he had taken one of the men down. He was thirty thousand chips richer and it had been a piece of cake, nothing to it.
Ido jumped to his feet and walked over to the corpse. He knew he didn't have much time. He grabbed the shaft of the hammer with both hands and pulled.
It was stuck.
He tugged harder, placing his left foot on the man's chest near the wound and wiggling the hammer around, trying to yank it free. It was useless. Ido surmised that the hammer had become lodged between two ribs.
Ido slid his hands to midpoint of the shaft and fumbled with the release switch. The handle wouldn't seperate in two. He had known for some time that the mechanism that broke the hammer into two pieces had a tendancy to freeze, but he had neglected to get it fixed.
"Damn it!" he shouted.
The criminals were getting away and he was losing valuable time.
Ido shoved the hammer away from him and ran after the remaining two men. He felt a complete fool. He was unarmed and there was no way he could take two hardened criminals without a weapon.
After several minutes Ido had the men in sight. He could tell from their laboured breathing they were exhausted. Despite the pain from his leg and the throbbing from his skinned palms Ido felt strong. Stronger than when he started this chase across the city fifteen minutes ago. He suddenly realized that he could have taken the crowbar the first punk had used but it was too late now. Ido couldn't let the remaining two escape, he needed the money badly. If he didn't bring down those two bounties he would have to face Zambaner's enforcers with empty pockets. He was desperate, and desperation had driven him into making a fatal error in judgement. If he had any sense left he would satisify himself with the single bounty and break off the chase.
Suddenly the men stopped and turned to face him. After a second he realized why, they were in a deadend. There were high walls on three sides and no way out. They were his, he just had to figure out a way to kill them.
Ido slowed to a walk and finally came to a stop just four meters away from the nearest one. He had a good look at them now. The short one was a partial. Human torso and cybernetic limbs. His head was shaved bald and he wore a ripped vest and no shirt underneath.
The tall one was a nightmare. He was a full replacement with red eyes and an exposed exoskeketon. Some cyborgs were like that. They made no attempt to hide what they were beneath a fake skin or clothing. This gave them a menacing appearance that stood out, even in a city populated by cybernetics and androids.
Ido's heart was racing and he felt as if his lungs would burst. Details of cyborg anatomy, techniques of unarmed combat, and scraps of advice from seasoned hunters swirled through his mind as Ido sought a way to defeat these men.
Max placed his huge hands on his hips and grunted. He looked at Ido as a father looks at a child that has interrupted a conversation between adults. An annoyance, someone who needed a spanking and to be sent to his room.
"Something on your mind?" asked Max in a low rumble.
Ido remained silent. What could he possibly say.
"You don't have your hammer now, do you tough guy?" began Max. "Well you might have killed that asshole Charlie, but it looks as if you're in a pile of shit now."
Max stepped back and nodded to his companion.
"Kill him Larmer," said Max. "But try to leave the heart and liver intact. He's a little old, but fresh organs are always in demand."
Larmer reached back and pulled out a large knife that had been stuck in his belt. He leaped forward and swung the knife at Ido's throat. Ido jumped back and the knife passed harmlessly by. The man was fast, as expected from a cyborg, but he was inexperienced. Ido had seen his attack coming and had dodged it easily.
Larmer waved the knife in front of Ido's face and spat on his coat.
"Come on old man," he taunted." You wanted me so bad well here I am."
The criminal lunged forward with the knife pointed at Ido's chest. Ido stepped aside and grabbed the man's wrist as the knife passed by him. He twisted his body and brought the criminal's arm underneath his shoulder, a hold that neutralized the arm and inflicted severe pain on a person, but on cyborgs this technique was useless. Ido knew he had only a few seconds at most before the man wrenched his arm free and continued the fight. Ido felt along the man's arm looking for a smooth, round pin, about the size of a chip. Most often it was located near the elbow, but in some cases it was found further down on the forearm. He found it and dug his fingers in, trying to get his nails underneath the head of the bolt. It was like trying pick up a chip off the street.
"What the hell are you doing!" exclaimed the criminal.
The man yanked his arm free and a burst of blue smoke caused him to turn his head away. The smell was terrible, a concoction of burning plastic and fused circuits. He coughed and staggered back, unsure of what had happened. His right arm hung limply at his side. He couldn't raise it or move his fingers, it was if it had been disconnected from him, but he knew that was impossible.
Ido seized the moment and scooped up the knife that had clattered to the pavement. He held it in both hands and rushed forward, the blade pointed at the man's chest. He drove the knife deep into the man's body, twisting it in his hands to increase the severity of the wound. The man screamed as blood gushed over Ido's hands and splattered his coat. Ido withdrew the knife and Larmer fell forward, cracking his skull against the pavement.
Ido spun toward Max expecting the man to attack him, but the cyborg hadn't moved. He stood several meters away from Ido, his arms folded, staring at him.
"Nice trick," Max said calmly. "But you know that crap won't work against me."
Ido held the knife in his right hand, watching the man's eyes to anticipate what the criminal would do.
Max put his arms down and started to walk toward Ido. There was no caution in his step or any sign of hostility. It was if he had someplace to go and Ido was in his way.
When he was within striking range Ido swung the knife in a wide arc, his intention to ward off the cyborg's encroachment upon him. Max grabbed the blade a bare two inches from his throat and held it firm. He wouldn't let go, despite Ido's desperate attempt to pull it away.
Max twisted his wrist and the blade snapped with a loud clang. He tossed the knife aside and punched Ido in the chest, knocking him flat on his back.
Ido felt as if he had been run over by a car, or at least he was damn sure this is what it must feel like. His ribs throbbed and he fought to fill his collapsed lungs with air, but his medical training told him that despite the pain nothing was broken, though breathing would be difficult for the next few weeks.
Max bent over and grabbed Ido by the collar of his coat, lifting him off the ground and holding him out at arm's length as if Ido was something he didn't want to get close to.
"You got greedy," said Max. "You could have settled for Charlie's head but you came after me too. You're so stupid that I almost take pity on you."
Ido watched Max fold his huge hand into a fist and pull it back to his ear. Max was going to kill him and there was nothing Ido could do to prevent it. He closed his eyes and turned his head away. He hoped that Karen would forgive him, and that Gonzu would take good care of her.
Suddenly Ido heard a crash and felt himself falling. He hit the pavement and rolled onto his back. He felt something heavy lying on his chest and grabbed it with both hands. It was Max's arm, it had been severed at the elbow and was still gripped tightly around his collar. He yanked it free and tossed it away. Max was standing over him, roaring in anger and clutching what was left of his arm.
"Come out, you bastard! You want to fight then lets do it man to man!"
"Strange thing for a spine thief to say," said an unseen voice.
Ido flinched as a blade grew from the cyborg's chest and carved it's way down to his stomach. Max fell forward and Ido had to roll out of the way to keep from being crushed. He stared at the body and then looked up at the shadow standing over him.
"Zapan!"
Ido struggled to his feet and shook his head. Zapan was standing with his legs apart, one hand on his waist, the other holding a short sword and patting the flat of the blade against his shoulder.
"You know something Doc, you ought to pick your targets a little more carefully. If I hadn't been in the neighbourhood you'd have been a goner."
Ido rubbed his chest and brushed away the mud that had caked to his clothes.
"You're right," he said. "I guess I got a little careless."
Zapan shook his head and looked away, contemplating what he was going to say next.
"You haven't been a Hunter Warrior for very long so let me give you some advice Doc. When it comes to taking on a gang of criminals we hunters like to do it in teams. Sure it split up the bounty, but at least you stand a chance of winning. Even I wouldn't take on three at once and I'm the best there is."
Ido frowned and let Zapan continue.
"And one more thing," said Zapan. "Nobody likes a hero, and the rest of us resent it when one of our own gets greedy."
Ido could feel his anger rising and pushed it back. As much as he resented the implication Zapan was right.
"Well, thanks Zapan," mumbled Ido. "I'll take your advice and be more careful from now on. I guess I owe you one."
"Well," said Zapan. "Seeing as how I just saved your life, I think that's worth the bill I owe you for my new arm, don't you agree?"
Zapan let the blade rest against his shoulder and looked at Ido from the corner of his eye.
"And of course Doc, I'll take the bounties."
Ido stared at Zapan for a moment and then bent down and scooped up his hat that had fallen to the street. He placed it on his head and thrust his hands into his pockets. Without a word he turned and started to walk away. His hammer was still somewhere back in the alley and he was in no position to argue.
***
Gonzu laid along the length of the couch with his head propped against one arm. Every few seconds he reached into a bag of fangamounds and plopped one in his mouth. On the floor in front of him Karen sat with her legs straight out. Gally was curled up in her lap with his eyes closed. If there were no cats in this movie he wasn't interested. Karen gently stroked his fur and Gally let out a low purr that was inaudible above the blare coming from the television.
"I am da law!" bellowed a character from the film they were watching.
Gonzu threw another piece of candy in his mouth and relished in the way the vanilla stuck to his molars.
"What is this about?" said Gonzu.
"Well," began Karen. "A long time ago people imagined what it would be like in the future. I guess this is supposed to be a story about Hunter Warriors."
"You mean, like Ido?" replied Gonzu.
"Yeah," said Karen. "I think so."
Gonzu smiled as he imagined what Ido might look like dressed up in the ridiculous costume the character was wearing.
"Well Karen, I want to thank you for making dinner tonight, that was a delicious stew."
"You're welcome," said Karen looking up at him.
"You certainly cook better than Ido, but don't tell him I said that. By the way, how did you get to be such a good cook at your age?"
Karen turned back to the screen and continued petting Gally.
"Mommy taught me," she answered. "And since she was gone so much I had to make my own dinner. Lots of practice I guess."
"I see," said Gonzu.
"Mr Gonzu."
"Yes Karen, what is it?"
"Can I ask you something, about Ido?"
Gonzu stopped eating and looked at her.
"Sure kid, ask away."
"Why did Ido take me in? I mean, doesn't he have a family, anyone to take care of?"
Gonzu thought for a moment before answering.
"Don't you think this is a question you should ask him yourself?"
"Well I would," replied Karen. "But he's done so much for me already and it might make him angry."
"Ido could never get mad at you Karen, he thinks the world of you. But I can tell you this much, Ido is a former Tipharean."
Karen looked up at Gonzu with wide eyes.
"Tiphares, you mean the city in the sky?"
"Yes," he answered.
"But they're monsters aren't they?" she replied. "I mean, that's what people say they are."
Gonzu laughed.
"No Karen, they're not monsters. They're people just like you and me. But they think of themselves as better than the rest of us."
"Does Ido think that way?"
"No Karen, Ido is different. I suppose that's why he's here."
Karen stared for a minute as if she had something more to ask, then she turned back to watching the movie. Gonzu frowned and put another piece of candy in his mouth.
Curious kid, he thought. Someday she would know the whole story but now was not the right time, and he was the wrong person for her to hear it from.
Suddenly Gally raised his head and the fur on his back bristled. Something was wrong, there was a strange noise in the house. Gally knew every sound the old house made, from the wind rattling the windows at night to the scampering of mice as they ran through the walls. But this was a strange sound, a dull thud with an irregular rhythm, and it was growing louder by the second.
Karen had noticed Gally's reaction and stopped petting him. She looked at the cat and placed a hand under his chin as if to get his attention. Gally hissed and Karen felt his claws dig into her leg.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Karen's young ears were next to hear the noise and she put Gally on the floor. Gonzu heard it too and sat up, looking across the room at the door that opened to the hall.
"Turn it off," said Gonzu pointing to the television.
Karen got to her feet and walked over to the monitor, she clicked the power off and the three were enveloped in darkness. Gonzu reached behind the sofa and felt around until he found a lead pipe half a meter in length. Ido had weapons like this strewn around the house, most were souveniers from his hunting.
"Stay here," said Gonzu.
Karen sat on the sofa and curled her legs up. She watched Gonzu creep toward the door and pull it open. He stuck his head out and looked up and down the hall, then made his way toward the stairwell leading two flights down to the ground floor.
Gonzu crept down the stairs and reached the landing. He could hear voices coming from the other side of the door and the scraping of objects being pushed around. Someone was in the clinic and unless he did something Ido might find himself in even deeper debt to pay for new medical equipment.
Stupid punks, thought Gonzu. I'll show them it doesn't pay to mess with a tough old bastard like me. Ido isn't the only one around here who knows how to kick some butt.
Gonzu threw the door open and rushed into the clinic, hoping to catch the robbers by surprise. He took three steps and crashed into something, something that shouldn't have been there.
He shook his head and looked up. There was a cyborg staring down at him and behind him was another. They looked at him and smiled.
Gonzu recognized both of them, they were Zambaner's henchmen, which meant that Zambaner himself was somewhere nearby. Gonzu knew he didn't have a chance, not against these two.
He swung the pipe down on the head of the nearest one and felt numbness race up his arm as it bounced off the man's skull. The blow had no effect, if anything it only served to make them angry.
Gonzu dropped the pipe and ran for the stairs. He had to warn Karen, if anything were to happen to her Ido would never forgive him, that is if he lived long enough to see his friend again. He took the stairs two at a time, grabbing the handrail to pull himself along. The two cyborgs followed at a slow deliberate pace, they were in no hurry.
Gonzu burst into the room and startled Karen.
"Get out!" he yelled. "Run to your room and lock the door!"
Karen jumped from the sofa and ran underneath Gonzu's arm. Once in the hallway she looked to her right and saw the two huge men exiting the stairway. Karen ran in the other direction to her room.
"That's her," said one of the men. "That's the one the boss wants."
Gonzu stood in their way and put his fists up.
"You'll have to get by me creep!" he threatened.
One of the cyborgs absently scratched his nose and looked at Gonzu with narrow eyes.
He grabbed Gonzu by the arm and slammed him into a wall. Gonzu was dazed but managed to kick his attacker in the knee, more of an annoyance than anything else.
"Damn you!" said the huge man. He swung his arm at Gonzu's shoulder and sent the older man crashing to the floor.
"This one's trouble," he said to his companion. "I'll take care of him, you get the girl."
"And don't hurt her!" he added.
The second cyborg grunted and stomped off after Karen. Behind him he could hear moans and thuds as his partner beat up on the old man.
Once in her room Karen locked the door behind her and lept onto the bed. She pressed her face against the window and looked down. The window was painted shut and it was a two storey drop to the ground.
She jumped off the bed and rolled underneath it, all the way to the back wall. Her heart was pounding and she stifled the desire to scream. There was no escape, and time had suddenly slowed to a crawl as she stared out at the crack of light coming from beneath the door.
The light vanished and Karen cupped her ears with her hands as the door exploded into splinters, some of them flying beneath the bed and stinging Karen on her face and arms.
"Come out kid, show yourself now and I won't hurt you."
Karen was near tears and groped around the floor. Her hand brushed against something hard and she grasped it tightly. It was a large nail, about three inches long.
The man ran his eyes over the room and saw there was no place for the girl to hide, she was obviously under the heavy wooden bed. He smiled and got down on his knees, groping his hand beneath the bed in an attempt to grab her.
"I got you now kid," he said to her. "The boss said I had to take you alive, but I can still smack you around a little if you give me any trouble."
Back in the hallway the other cyborg had just finished punching Gonzu in the stomach. He could have easily killed the old man, but he had strict orders not to break any bones or cause serious harm, and he was an expert at inflicting pain without leaving any permanent injury.
Gonzu slumped to the floor and passed out. He had vomited once already and his lips and forehead were cut.
Suddenly his tormentor heard a scream and ran to Karen's room. He pushed aside what was left of the shattered door and stopped. His partner stared back at him, clutching his right hand and shouting every obscenity he knew.
"What's wrong Lycos?" he asked.
Lycos held up his right arm and his partner could see a large nail that had been driven through the back of his hand.
"Damn it all Meridian, the bitch stabbed me!" Lycos roared.
Meridian laughed and Lycos threw him an angry stare.
"Imagine that," said Meridian. "A tough guy like you being injured by a little girl. Just shut up and grab her, and if you harm one hair on her head the boss will be pissed."
Lycos grabbed the head of the nail and yanked it from his hand. He threw it away and tried to squeeze his injured hand into a fist. There was no movement from his thumb and he swore again, knowing that it would cost a week's wages to have it repaired. He grabbed a corner of the bed, tilting it on it's side and pushing it against the wall. Karen shrank back as the man reached down and grabbed her by the hair.
Karen screamed and Lycos cupped his injured hand over her mouth to quiet her. He held her under his arm and the two cyborgs walked back to where they had left Gonzu.
Karen began to cry when she saw Gonzu's battered body. The old man stirred and looked up at her, bracing his back against the wall and trying to push himself to his feet.
"Let her go," he said in a feeble voice.
Meridian struck Gonzu in the face with the back of his hand and he slid to the floor.
"Now, now, that will do," said a voice from behind them.
Both men turned and saw Zambaner standing with his arms folded, leaning against a wall at the far end of the corridor.
"We got her," said Lycos holding Karen in front of him.
"I can see that," replied Zambaner.
He walked toward the group and stopped a meter away. He smiled at Karen, noting that the girl seemed suitably frightened but that she was unhurt, and that was how he wanted her. He turned toward Gonzu and knelt down, putting his face close to the injured man's.
"This is your lucky day," said Zambaner. "I need you alive to tell Ido what happened."
Gonzu coughed and a trickle of blood ran from his mouth down his chin.
"If you harm Karen Ido will kill you," said Gonzu.
"Nothing will happen to the girl, not if Ido pays me what he owes. Tell him it's two hundred thousand chips now and he had better hurry. If he doesn't show tonight tell him not to come at all and I'll take the girl as payment in full."
Gonzu spat in Zambaner's face and grabbed the loanshark by the collar, pushing him to the floor and rolling on top of him.
"You son of a bitch!" shouted Gonzu.
He punched Zambaner several times in the face before he was grabbed by the back of the neck and thrown into a wall, the impact knocked the wind out of him and Gonzu slumped to the floor, too weak to move.
"Don't kill him!" shouted Zambaner to his men. "After this is over you can come back here and cut the old bastard into little pieces, but for now we need him alive."
Zambaner got to his feet and began wiping his face with a handkerchef. He ran his fingers through Karen's hair and pinched her chin with his thumb and forefinger.
"I almost hope that Ido doesn't come," he said her. "You might be worth a lot of money to some people I know."
Zambaner laughed and walked away, waving his arm at his men to follow him.
***
"Gonzu, wake up, are you okay?"
Gonzu felt arms around his shoulders, shaking him into consciousness. He opened his swollen eyes and saw Ido looking at him.
"What happened?" asked Ido. "Where's Karen?"
Gonzu groaned and placed a hand on his swollen head.
"Stop shaking me Ido, it makes me want to piss," he grunted.
Gonzu was wide awake now and could feel every bump and laceration on his body. He turned his head away and spat a ball of red flem on the floor.
"Good grief Ido, you look worse than I do."
"Never mind that," said Ido. "Where's Karen, is she okay."
Gonzu hesitated in answering, he knew what Ido's reaction was going to be.
"Zambaner took her," he mumbled. "He said that you had better show up tonight with two hundred thousand chips, if you don't we'll never see her again."
Gonzu saw Ido grit his teeth and his face turn dark red.
"That bastard!" shouted Ido. "I'll kill him, he has no right to involve anyone else in this matter!"
Ido stood and walked to the case he had set on a table. He grabbed it and started for the door, forgetting all about his injured friend.
"Wait!" shouted Gonzu. "You can't face him alone, he has those two bodyguards with him."
"It doesn't matter," said Ido resolutely. "I'm going to rescue Karen and kill Zambaner. In kidnapping Karen he's crossed that line and now he's a bounty, just like any other trash on the street."
Gonzu stood on shaky legs and braced his back against the wall. His entire body throbbed with pain but he maintained a blank expression and a steady voice.
"You'll need help," said Gonzu. "Two is better than one you know."
"No," replied Ido. "This is between me and Zambaner."
"The hell it is!" shouted Gonzu. "I like the kid too, don't you think I want to see her again? I can be a lot of help, you'll see."
Ido turned and gave Gonzu an angry stare.
"Oh really?" said Ido. "And who the hell was it that let Karen be taken? A lot of good you were when it counted."
Gonzu said nothing and turned his head away. Blood ran from the cut on his forehead and he wiped his nose with his sleeve, he was a pitiful sight.
Ido put the case down and walked over to him. He put out his hands and felt the edges of the large gash on Gonzu's face.
"I'm sorry," Ido apologized. "I know you care about her too. There's no way you could have prevented it."
Gonzu pushed away Ido's hands and looked into his eyes.
"Yeah, you meant it," he replied. "Im just some old fart that's no good to anyone, hell I can't even babysit a kid without screwing it up."
Ido said nothing, he waited for Gonzu to speak again.
"Go on," said Gonzu. "Go get Karen. In my condition I would just get in the way."
Ido picked up the case containing the hammer and pushed his hat down tightly on his head.
"I'll get her," he said. "Don't worry about anything, just wash that cut and wrap it in gauze, I'll take care of it properly when I get back."
Ido left the hall and a moment later Gonzu heard Ido shut the door to the street behind him. He sank to the floor and closed his eyes.
"Yeah," he said to himself. "Take your time Ido, I'm not going anywhere."
End of Part Three
Part Four