Page 129 of The Satyr's Guilt
Where is Ram?How long can hecloak?
Wait for it.Thorn prepared to shootaround the corner of their spot. He didn’t get a bullet off beforeshe heard a grunt followed by athud. Sounded like a bodydropping.
Denim tapped her chip.Way to go, satyr.Check off a shooter. Possibly more in the labs.
With the obstacle removed, Galena, Denim,and Thorn darted into the lab after Ram, zigzagging to avoidpotshots from guys who sprang from behind turned-over labtables.
Missing their targets, the humans scurriedthrough a connecting door to the next room.
Denim plastered herself against the wall.She peeked through the side exit. A hail of bullets sent herscrambling backward.
Cover me.Thorn charged through thedoorway to crouch behind a metal cabinet.
Galena and Denim both fired in rapidsuccession.
I’m hit.The Amazon slapped a hand toher upper arm.Only a flesh wound. Not drowsy. Real bullet. Nota tranq.
Ram uncloaked to take out a human whileThorn’s gun sprayed ammo, giving Denim time to race into the labwhere she turned over a stainless-steel gurney. She spotted threeguys firing.Shit. Sorry. Unnecessary chatter.
“Amazon, on your ass.” Denim forgot herD-chip, shouting her warning.
A man charged out of hiding to end-runGalena, but she drew her axe, whipping her arm overhead, launchingthe weapon into his chest. DOA.
A guy’s head popped up like ajack-in-the-box behind a tipped metal bed.
Ping. Ping.
He was aiming for Thorn.
Denim didn’t have a clear target until theshooter jumped up again. She fired. A hole between his eyes oozedred.
Ram flanked the humans. He had two gunsblazing. Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday, move over. Knocking a tableonto its side, he avoided painting a bullseye on his forehead.
Galena winged a guy who squealed like a catwith a stomped-on tail.
Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping.
Bullets sprayed the area where the satyr hidwhile he fired off a few more rounds at the humans. Then hecloaked, reappearing behind a shooter. A shot to the head. Dead guyon the floor.
“It’s him,” shouted a Humans First soldier.“I recognize him from the drawing. Big money for tapping thesatyr.”
Thorn darted forward, discharging bulletswhen he ran, but the humans ignored him to fire on Ram.
The action was aimed at her satyr.
When several of the shooters hightailed itinto the next lab, Ram took off in pursuit.
Is he crazy?Denim eyed the door hehad raced through.
Yes. He is.Galena duck-walked to acounter nearer Denim.Let’s go.
When Denim charged into the room, Ram wasbehind an overturned table, leaning out into the open to fire. Thislarger lab was loaded with shooters, more than the three guys who’djust run in. They targeted Ram, bullets spraying his cover like ameteor storm.
Galena moved in closer to a Humans Firstguy, taking him out with a pop-pop to the chest. Thorn felledanother.
Still, the guns pointed at Ram. Theysacrificed men to keep the heat on the satyr. It made no sense. Andhow the hell did they claim to recognize him?
Denim laid down fire. She lifted a foot totake off in Ram’s direction. When Galena grabbed her arm to try tostop her, she threw an elbow to her friend’s chin, shrugging offthe Amazon’s hold. Denim darted from one shelter to another untilshe crouched alongside Ram.
