BooksBarbecue
Back Rapture
Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. 1.
  5. 2.
  6. 3.
  7. 4.
  8. 5.
  9. 6.
  10. 7.
  11. 8.
  12. 9.
  13. 10.
  14. 11.
  15. 12.
  16. 13.
  17. 14.
  18. 15.
  19. 16.
  20. 17.
  21. 18.
  22. 19.
  23. 20.
  24. 21.
  25. 22.
  26. 23.
  27. 24.
  28. 25.
  29. 26.
  30. 27.
  31. 28.
  32. 29.
  33. 30.
  34. 31.
  35. 32.
  36. 33.
  37. 34.
  38. 35.
  39. 36.
  40. 37.
  41. 38.
  42. 39.
  43. 40.
  44. 41.
  45. 42.
  46. 43.
  47. 44.
  48. 45.
  49. 46.
  50. 47.
  51. 48.
  52. 49.
  53. 50.
  54. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  55. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Listen, kid. I’m here to bring in a man alive, and if we do this right, we save a lot of people from dying. I have to sacrifice a few people to save a lot, I can do that. That’s what I am. I don’t like it. I don’t want to kill anybody I don’t have to. But when I say I need your scope, I need your vision, I need your talent, you have to deliver. Pretending you’re invincible doesn’t help me. Being fucked up is fine so long as you compensate for it. You have to carry extra water, that’s fine. But don’t lie to me. Don’t pretend to be something you aren’t.”

Kage flexed her fingers. Took a deep breath. “I will carry more water,” she said.

“Good.” Nyx threw her a water bulb. “Start with that.”

She heard Nyx turn away and start back into camp. Kage looked back at her. “Was there a danger? Did you see anyone through the scope?”

“We have some folks on our tail,” Nyx said. “Don’t seem like bel dames to me. Mercenaries of some sort. Ahmed’s eyes are good, but not as good as yours. They melted back into the desert when they saw the gun—yours is kinda hard to miss with a scope that reflects light like that—but they weren’t just traders. Not enough gear for that. Not dressed like Khairians, either.”

“What were they dressed like?”

Nyx spit on the sand. “Drucians,” she said, and started walking away.

Kage turned back to her gun. Ran her fingers across the smooth metal of the stock. Did she know? Or just suspect? And if the time came, would she cut up Kage and leave her out on the sand for them after all, despite her good sight? I have to stay useful, Kage thought. If she failed again, her chances of surviving to the other side of this wretched place—and her freedom—were slim.

She took the water bulb and packed it away with the others. If she wanted to stop the men who hunted her, she would need to turn around and hunt them herself, or hope she and Nyx could lose them at the next settlement. Whatever she decided, it would be a risk—Nyx or the fukushu-sha.

The fukushu-sha she knew, would kill her now, but it was Nyx she feared in the long run. She was only as valuable to Nyx as she was useful, and she feared her use would run out once they freed their quarry.

Staying with Nyx kept her alive a few days longer. Turning back meant death within the day.

She hoped only that she would not regret choosing to live.

17.

“They’ve asked for a letter.”

“A letter? Why?”