Page 122 of The Mech Who Loved Me
"Tolerably good," Malloryn replied, "though I'm better withknives."
"Can you shoot himfromhere?"
Malloryn eyed the distance. "Perhaps."
"Charlie?"
The lad shook his head. "I'm out ofbulletstoo."
Kincaid sighed. "I have an idea, but you're not going to like it. I can make that shot, but I need a moment to take it. I need his mind onsomethingelse."
"I want him alive," Mallorynsnapped.
"I want to get out of here alive," Kincaid snarled. "That bomb's about to go off anymomentnow."
"It's got a minute on the clock," Ava called, kneeling in front ofthecase.
Malloryn's lips pursed. "Blood and bloodyashes!Fine."
"Come out, Malloryn. Let's settle this once andforall."
They looked at eachother.
"I'll distract him," Malloryn said tersely. "You kill him." Then he bolted across the open floor. He aimed a scattered shot toward Ulbricht, and the lord ducked, then strode across the walkway, tracking Malloryn with hispistol.
Kincaid eased out of the shadows. He was packing Firebolt bullets. Ulbricht rained bullets down upon Malloryn, forcing the duke undercover.
Come on. Turn this way just a little bit.Sweat dripped down his face, and Kincaid focused on the lord's head, the rest of the world vanishingaroundhim.
"Hurry!" Avacalled.
He eased out a slow breath, squeezing the trigger. The shot exploded out of hispistol.
Ulbricht's head burst like a ripe melon. The headless body stiffened, and then slumped forward onto its knees and hit thewalkway.
"Got him!" Kincaid screamed. The other SOG members seemed to havevanished.
Malloryn sprinted to his side. "Let's get out of here! Ava, howmuchtime?"
"Twentyseconds!"
Kincaid grabbed her by the hand and hauled her to her feet. "Run!" he said, shoving Charlie aheadofhim.
* * *
Hell bloomed around them,fiery with rage. Ava's eyes stung, and she couldn't suck in enough air to breathe. The oxygen in her lungs was hot andthick.
"Keep low," Kincaid bellowed, shoving her through thesmoke.
"Thisway!"
A hand yanked her forward. Malloryn. She had no idea where Charlie and the others were. Behind her another explosion rocked the factory. Then another, like some sort of chainreaction.
The force drove them all into the nearest wall. There was a hand pushing her, a huge shape behind her that yelled in herear, "Run!"
A doorway loomed aheadofthem.
The second she was through it, the heat and light cut down, leaving her in the relative darkness of the back room. So much... smoke. Avacoughed.
