scrambled the last couple of metres to the flares and set them off.
The Troop Float fired another warning burst as Derek made his move. In the smoky confusion it caught his aircraft by chance on the tail.
The ’copter crashed down within metres of me, exploding. The sky rained fractured plastic, hot metal and tiny bits of Derek’s jelly tissue-replica.
A chunk of rotor cartwheeled straight towards me, slicing into my leg as it bounced on over the edge of the building.
While the smoke continued to plume I rolled like crazy towards the gutter covering along the edge of the building and forced myself underneath it.
I heard excited shouts as the Hi-Tel’s own security burst from the lift spraying semi-auto fire. I peered out from underneath the corrugated plas to see the Troop Float peel off.
Much as I appreciated the rescue, I didn’t want to be caught up in the post-mortem, and Delly was about to leave the building, so I squirmed on along under the gutter shield, dragging myself through a cushion of rat dung.
As I crawled past the control room and behind a set of tall barricades I squeezed out from under the cover and scrambled unsteadily to my knees. Not only was the chic top in tatters but my pants looked like shit-crumbed shredded paper.
I was bleeding all over the place, especially from the leg. The fleck of burns on my back throbbed.
‘You are popular.’ Lavish Deluxe was leaning against a flimsy UL, waiting for me.
‘What will it cost for you to get me out of here?’ I couldn’t see any point in wasting time.
He didn’t even have to consider. ‘An introduction to James Monk.’
Yes.
‘Sure thing. Wrapped in a bow if you like.’
The smile that spread across Delly’s face was almost indecent. He hopped in and powered up the tiny engine, manoeuvring it for a short, tight take-off across the tarmac. Right off the edge of the building.
‘You can’t take off there. There’s not enough room.’ My words were lost in more explosions, and my heart leaped across the abyss to the next building then back into my chest.
Gaol and failure had to be better than flying in an ultralight off the edge of this building. Didn’t it?
Delly hopped out again and nudged the lightweight craft backwards until the tail touched the back of the lift housing.
I glanced over my shoulder. The control room was empty - deserted. The only audience we had was the Hi-Tel security, and they were fighting the blaze engulfing Monk’s crashed ’copter.
I ran to the tail and climbed into the wire basket built into it. Not exactly how I’d planned to leave one of Viva’s classiest Hi-Tels. I really had to do something about my lifestyle.
We came off the building and fell - a nauseating, ear-popping drop. I kept my eyes shut and gripped the sides of the basket, wondering how long before we smacked a hole in the ground.
Fierce pain constricted my chest and breathing. It didn’t matter how long it took, I realised, I was going to have a heart attack long before we hit.
I tried to remember what I wanted my last thoughts to be. There was something, I was sure. Something I’d made a pact with myself that I would think - something that would counteract all the bad karma and mistakes. Something that would gain me entrance to a bar where I could sit and get drunk without watching my back.
Nope. Gone.
The world spun. Literally. The UL, Deluxe and I were in a death twirl.
I heard him scream in exultation as I vomited. The spin of the UL slapped the mess back into my own face.
I felt all my muscles slacken towards unconsciousness. Not good. My grip slipped. I pitched out of the basket, tethered by one hand only.
Another Deluxe scream. And words that I couldn’t savvy.
The fingers on my grip hand began to uncurl. I couldn’t do anything to stop them.
His scream went on, long and hard and exultant. I focused on the sound and used it as a reason to stay alive, forcing my fingers to close again around the steel.
Try, you
The Troop Float fired another warning burst as Derek made his move. In the smoky confusion it caught his aircraft by chance on the tail.
The ’copter crashed down within metres of me, exploding. The sky rained fractured plastic, hot metal and tiny bits of Derek’s jelly tissue-replica.
A chunk of rotor cartwheeled straight towards me, slicing into my leg as it bounced on over the edge of the building.
While the smoke continued to plume I rolled like crazy towards the gutter covering along the edge of the building and forced myself underneath it.
I heard excited shouts as the Hi-Tel’s own security burst from the lift spraying semi-auto fire. I peered out from underneath the corrugated plas to see the Troop Float peel off.
Much as I appreciated the rescue, I didn’t want to be caught up in the post-mortem, and Delly was about to leave the building, so I squirmed on along under the gutter shield, dragging myself through a cushion of rat dung.
As I crawled past the control room and behind a set of tall barricades I squeezed out from under the cover and scrambled unsteadily to my knees. Not only was the chic top in tatters but my pants looked like shit-crumbed shredded paper.
I was bleeding all over the place, especially from the leg. The fleck of burns on my back throbbed.
‘You are popular.’ Lavish Deluxe was leaning against a flimsy UL, waiting for me.
‘What will it cost for you to get me out of here?’ I couldn’t see any point in wasting time.
He didn’t even have to consider. ‘An introduction to James Monk.’
Yes.
‘Sure thing. Wrapped in a bow if you like.’
The smile that spread across Delly’s face was almost indecent. He hopped in and powered up the tiny engine, manoeuvring it for a short, tight take-off across the tarmac. Right off the edge of the building.
‘You can’t take off there. There’s not enough room.’ My words were lost in more explosions, and my heart leaped across the abyss to the next building then back into my chest.
Gaol and failure had to be better than flying in an ultralight off the edge of this building. Didn’t it?
Delly hopped out again and nudged the lightweight craft backwards until the tail touched the back of the lift housing.
I glanced over my shoulder. The control room was empty - deserted. The only audience we had was the Hi-Tel security, and they were fighting the blaze engulfing Monk’s crashed ’copter.
I ran to the tail and climbed into the wire basket built into it. Not exactly how I’d planned to leave one of Viva’s classiest Hi-Tels. I really had to do something about my lifestyle.
We came off the building and fell - a nauseating, ear-popping drop. I kept my eyes shut and gripped the sides of the basket, wondering how long before we smacked a hole in the ground.
Fierce pain constricted my chest and breathing. It didn’t matter how long it took, I realised, I was going to have a heart attack long before we hit.
I tried to remember what I wanted my last thoughts to be. There was something, I was sure. Something I’d made a pact with myself that I would think - something that would counteract all the bad karma and mistakes. Something that would gain me entrance to a bar where I could sit and get drunk without watching my back.
Nope. Gone.
The world spun. Literally. The UL, Deluxe and I were in a death twirl.
I heard him scream in exultation as I vomited. The spin of the UL slapped the mess back into my own face.
I felt all my muscles slacken towards unconsciousness. Not good. My grip slipped. I pitched out of the basket, tethered by one hand only.
Another Deluxe scream. And words that I couldn’t savvy.
The fingers on my grip hand began to uncurl. I couldn’t do anything to stop them.
His scream went on, long and hard and exultant. I focused on the sound and used it as a reason to stay alive, forcing my fingers to close again around the steel.
Try, you
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