Page 86 of The Fighter
The bald man got the message because he muttered, “Fine. I’ll put mine away if you and Miss Curly over there lower your guns as well.”
I didn’t move. “How about you three just go home and leave us alone? I like that idea better.”
“Don’t let them leave with my Gut Cleanser, Vic. It was your stupid idea to steal their drone,” Jake with the nasal voice protested just as a loud blast from a siren made us turn to look toward the village. A police drone was flying toward us.
“Well, fuck me sideways, it’s the police, Vic. You better take the blame for this mess. Me and Jake were just following your orders.” Mr. Bushy Eyebrows looked nervous.
Vic raised a hand to rub his bald head in frustration and sputtered, “I didn’t order you to be idiots and attack two women. I’m not taking the blame for any of this shit. All we did was offer to help the women out of the rain.”
“Put down your weapons and place your hands in the air.” The large guns on the side of the police drone were pointing straight at us. Vic, Laura, and I were quick to comply and put down the weapons we’d been holding and raise our hands in the air.
Another drone appeared at high speed and from the cross on the bottom, I could tell it was an ambulance.
“How did you call for them?” Mr. Bushy Eyebrows sneered at me.
“I didn’t.”
“Of course she did.” Jake with the nasal voice scoffed. “Only a Motlander with a brain implant could have called them while talking to us.”
“Brain implants are illegal,” Vic pointed out.
“Not in the Motherlands, you dumbass.”
We watched as a police robot was lowered while the drone kept hovering above us shining a strong light on all five of us. The robot walked over and used a firm voice. “Are you two Laura Aurelius and Raven Pierson Boulder?”
“Yes, we are,” Laura answered while I raised my chin giving the three men a told-you-so look.
Vic and Jake exchanged a glance with Mr. Bushy Eyebrows, who shook his head with defeat.
“Inspector da Vinci dispatched us to make sure you are safe until he arrives. Does anyone need medical assistance?”
I looked at Jake, whom I had knocked down earlier. “Do you?”
He snorted offended. “Fuck no. I can handle a girl. It didn’t even hurt. I was just off balance.”
That made me want to kick him again and harder this time.
A huge stroke of lightning flashed across the sky and almost blinded us.
The only one unaffected was the police robot, who continued, “Have these men caused you women any trouble?”
Laura turned her head and whispered to me. “They deserve to eat shit, but if Magni finds out what happened he’ll double down on my security.”
I gave all three men a sharp glance before I addressed the robot. “No, officer. We had a firm conversation with them and solved the disagreements we had.”
“In that case we’ll dispatch the ambulance.”
I looked up to see the medics’ drone and that’s when my eyes caught something in the sky.
“What is that… Laura, look.” My hand pointed up.
Laura leaned her head back and used her hand to shield her eyes from the rain. “It looks like a falling drone.” As soon as she said it her hand grabbed for my arm and she gave a small scream of panic.
Her strong reaction made them all turn to look up and see the drone falling from the sky.
“Fuuuckk…” Jake elbowed Vic. “That guy is going to crash.”
“Laura, it’s not them.” We knew Magni and Leo were on their way, but surely it couldn’t be them.
