Page 91 of Sky Song
“Ren!” Paloma hollered. “Over here!”
Ren hopped over from out of nowhere and patted his pocket meaningfully. “All good. A tidy sum.”
“Is it enough for the files?” Cricket asked tightly.
“We’re square.”
“The chip,” Lyle mumbled and extended his hand.
Ren placed a small electronic device in it and closed his fingers around it. “Hold it like a fart on a date. Let’s go!”
They heaved together, pulling Lyle to his feet. Angry spectators ambushed them, and Ren elbowed one in the nose. Blood sprayed.
“Your no bloodshed rule is such bullshit,” Cricket shouted.
“It was an accident!” Ren shouted back, deftly tripping a small but wiry alien who tried to grab Lyle by the hair. The small alien went down, taking the next man with him, and the place descended into a melee.
Fire-breathing Zaron materialized in front of them. His hair was standing up and a red mark decorated his chin. “You are more trouble than you’re worth,” he yelled at Lyle. “See that this motherfucker is off the property fast,” he ordered Ren. “I have a hunch the peacekeepers will be here in no time.”
With the help of Ren and Paloma, Cricket hauled Lyle out of the door. Mark was absent from his post, and no one wasthere to observe their haphazard exit. They all fell on the ground, panting.
“Zaron must be spitting mad,” Paloma remarked.
“He sure is,” Ren confirmed. “He bet on the Levisur.”
“But you didn’t,” Lyle pointed out, slurring. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was breathing fast.
“I never bet. But if I did, it would have been on you, ratchet thief.”
“Zaron won’t let us back now, will he?” Paloma worried her lip.
“My heart will not be broken if he doesn’t,” Cricket remarked.
“He’ll cool off. Always does.” Ren turned to Lyle. “That was one nasty trick to pull. You should've let him win.”
To Cricket’s surprise, Lyle shifted uncomfortably. “I thought I had it,” he wheezed. His breathing grew more labored. “I was hazy… the shock… it wore off… fast.”
“What shock?”
“He shocked himself with electricity before the fight to get some energy,” Cricket explained unhappily.
Paloma groaned. “You were the one who tripped all the breakers and fried the club’s electrical circuit? If Zaron knows, he’ll kill us all.”
“I thought I had it…” Lyle said again, agitated. His legs moved restlessly.
“Hush, it’s alright,” Cricket hovered over him. “It’s over.”
“I kept the focus… through the fight…”
“Yes, you did. Hush now.”
But he wouldn’t stop. “You don’t get… it. I tried so hard…”
“Lyle, please. You won, that's all that matters.” She was getting agitated herself. Paloma also looked panicky, and even Ren had an uncertain look about him.
“I tried so hard… but then I lost focus… In the third round… Bam, it was gone…”
“I’m so sorry you had to…”
