Page 32 of The Lone Cyborg
“They just went into the tunnel. Time to go. Unless I can convince you to wait here?”
Her face was pale but she shook her head.
“I want to know what’s happening.”
“Very well.”
He took her hand and helped her down the route he’d found during the long day. They emerged in the rocks just behind the shelter. Both of the remaining men were close to the lava tube. He would have preferred to have them separated, but he would deal with it. Mattie crouched next to him and they waited for what felt like hours.
Finally a low rumble started beneath their feet, gradually increasing to a deafening roar and she clung to him as the ground trembled. The sound faded away and a few last aftershocks jolted the ground before they too faded away. One small puff of dust emerged from the entrance to the lava tube, looking ridiculously innocuous compared to the force of the explosion.
Both of the men were staring toward the entrance. Before they had a chance to recover from their surprise, he launched himself out of the shadows, racing across the open area. The closer man looked up, mouth widening in a startled “o” but it was too late. His fist swung out and knocked him to the ground. The leader’s eyes widened but he kept his composure, bringing his rifle up to aim at him.
His cybernetic arm swept out, knocking the rifle from the leader’s hands before he shoved him to the ground, pinning him beneath his heavier weight.
“Don’t move or you’re dead,” he hissed, as his arm pressed against the man’s throat.
The man gave him an icy stare, remarkably calm under the circumstance.
“What do you want?”
“You chose the wrong cyborg. You killed my horse, threatened the woman I love, and you’re going to pay.”
“You’re making a mistake. I have powerful friends.”
“Unless they can resurrect you from the dead, not powerful enough.”
“Is there a problem?” the second man asked from behind him, and Jeb felt the cold nudge of a gun barrel against the back of his neck.
Fuck. He hadn’t hit him hard enough. He cursed silently as weighed his options. If he released the man beneath him, there was a chance the man could reach his rifle. He couldn’t hear any sounds to indicate the other two were still alive, but he couldn’t take the risk that he might be wrong.
“No problem,” he said calmly. “Just discussing how much this little excursion is going to cost you.”
“Don’t talk to him,” the leader snapped. “Hand me my rifle. And tie this bastard up.”
The man behind him chuckled, the cold steel of the gun pressing harder against his neck.
“I don’t think so. I’m tired of you bossing us around like you’re so much better than us. And credits go a lot further when there’s only one person spending them.”
Heat seared his cheek as the man behind him fired—not at Jeb, but directly between the leader’s eyes. Before he could even blink, the heated barrel was back at his neck, his ears still ringing from the blast.
“Now then. There has to be something valuable on this damn claim and I want it.”
The stink of stale sweat and liquor assailed him as the man pressed closer and he grimaced. He didn’t even try to twist his head to see him—he didn’t doubt for a minute that the bastard would shoot him.
“You’re a fool. The only thing of value is the claim itself and there’s no way in hell she’ll sell it to you. Not now.”
“It doesn’t matter. All I need to do is kill her and claim it for myself—or rather my employers. Unless you have a better offer?”
“Not interested,” he said flatly.
“Oh, I think you are. Because if you’re not, then I think I’ll just kill you here and go collect your lady. I reckon she’ll be more… accommodating.”
He gritted his teeth. The man was right. He had to think of something and it needed to be convincing. He racked his brain, but he couldn’t come up with a solution that didn’t involve putting Mattie in even more danger.
“You know, I was expecting to get a nice little nest egg for all of this hassle,” the man mused, as he pressed the hot metal barreleven harder against the side of Jeb’s neck. “But a cyborg should be worth something.”
Jeb didn’t have to fake a grimace this time.
