[dcs_p]Aiming down it fired 3 times, producing cries from the young man. His eyes filled
with tears, and his breathing became ragged. Lowering his face in front of the
screen, the thin individual sporting the gun sneered an ugly smile. He began to
speak, “Mrs. Strider, how unfortunate your son has lost his way and ended up on
my doorstep. Though I, Redjack Ryan, have been a kind man to him, you have
apparently failed to teach him the necessary manners. He was caught with this
weapon, concealing it beneath his jacket while on his way to MY sleeping
quarters. Thankfully my friends have disarmed him, and brought him to my mercy.
He has confessed his intentions of ‘revenge’ for his father. But I’m sure you and
yours know all about those intentions, right Mrs. Strider? Well now I’ll continue to
teach him a few new things about these guns he likes so very, very much. Care
to watch?”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]As Redjack Ryan leveled the gun one last time to the young man’s face, the
image began to break up. The screen flashed off as a bullet penetrated the
kneeling figure’s head, tearing a hole through his temple savagely. A black, blank
screen saved Xandar and Joanna from the carnage obviously wrought when the
bullet exited the other side of William Strider’s head. Joanna inhaled loudly, while
Xandar turned to face Strider once again. But Strider wasn’t where he had been
standing, instead he stood in the hatchway. He was keeping eyes on Joanna,
Xandar, and the corridor.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”Xandar, toss me that TK rifle. We’ve got company in a few minutes. There are 6
or 7 left, and one of them is a smart one.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Xandar eyed the TK, realizing just how much trust Strider was putting in him. He
contemplated killing Beckett…or Strider, who was obviously mad with plots of
vengeance. Xandar frowned, knowing revenge was no way to make a living. Yet
he also believed this Strider might have an actual plan, a plan that might get
Joanna, Strider, and Xandar himself to some sort of safety. Xandar would have
to trust the man, at least for now. He could use Strider’s knowledge of the enemy
pirates to at least get Joanna out of THAT upcoming mess. Picking up the TK and
the gauss rifle, Xandar walked over to Strider.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”I sure hope you have a clue what you are doing.” Xandar said. He handed
Strider the TK assault rifle. “Will they come as a group?” Xandar raised his
eyebrows.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”At least four of them will. ‘Banter’ will come alone first, in the position of scout. If
we can kill him silently, then we can ambush the others.” Strider sighed in misery,
surveying his destroyed leg, courtesy of Joanna. “But Banter isn’t the main
problem. Kinta is the problem. That’s one of Ryan’s favorite infiltrators. I tried to
learn as much as I could about Kinta when I discovered this would be a Kinta
mission. If the incompetent Jagrah had taken the infiltrator assignment we’d be
home free by now. But I know little about Kinta, making him or her our primary
concern. Kinta will be following the others, bringing up the rear. I had to stay
somewhere in the middle when we first invaded, then I took a shortcut to get
ahead of Banter. Nevermind that.” He pointed Harlow to Joanna’s direction. “Hide
in there for now. Once I take care of Banter we will cover the corridor together.”[/dcs_p]