Black Market Merchant

Chapter 89: Into the Fire
56 had just barrel rolled over the next rooftop across the street to safety when Orville asked, ”So what’s your idea?”

56 quickly looked around him for any drones following him. Sure enough, there were three in plain sight, hovering about nearby roofs. The drone pilots didn’t react in time and failed to hide them in time. 56 quickly snatched his pistol from inside his jacket, turned over in the air to fly backwards to the west and shot a single round at each drone. The first two drones were sent shattering in plastic bits to the street below. While the third managed to duck in time and only had a propeller get hit, but it too was sent spinning the ground.

Before they were shot, 56 saw the symbol marked on their wings, AFR. Now he confirmed it indeed was them. It seemed even neutral cities were not out of their reach.

”Well Orville, before I tell you, filter their communication to isolate where the drones are.” 56 replied spinning around to face where he was flying. ”We need to draw them in closer and take them out in one shot. Shooting them one by one won’t work with the amount of ammo I got.”

”Ok.” Orville replied. ”Are we using the Camera Flashback?”

”Yep. We just need a getaway car.” 56 replied looking down below.

They were flying low, only two meters or less from the low rooftops of city apartments and duplexes. Along with the occasional air conditioning unit or ventilation pipe there wasn’t much else to conceal their movements, they were completely exposed. From the way he flew, 56 looked like a dolphin swimming. He had to constantly rise and lower his torso to change his altitude. The miniature jet engines in his legs were running at a steady even speed, letting him move about somewhat freely in a perpetual forward motion.

”My sensors are indicating that they are still flowing us closely.” Orville said bobbing alongside 56. At this speed, maybe around 40 kph, it was still easy to keep up. ”No sign of any military grade aircraft though. Seems like the AFR doesn’t have any air clearance from the city government. Lucky us!”

”Yes, lucky indeed.” 56 said eyeing the airspace above. ”Let’s get somewhere higher and let them know exactly where we are.”

”Roger!” Orville shouted as the two ascended sharply into the air.

They flew up thirty meters before coming to a halt. This let them have an excellent view of the immediate area. It also let every drone see exactly where he was. With out to much effort 56 could spot several approaching from multiple directions. His eyes, however, were not looking at the drones, but the grounds below them.

”There, that will do the trick.” 56 said taking a nosedive towards the ground. There was a small farmers market going on and the traffic there was light. Traveling right for the market was just what he needed.

Orville saw what 56 had indicated, based on 56’s trajectory, and let out a moan. ”Awe, a trash truck? Can’t we ride in something better? I don’t want produce in my circuits.” The trash truck was just then backing up to a dumpster and preparing itself to collect the trash.

”We won’t be in it.” 56 replied giving a chuckle. He then landed casually into the middle of the market. A few startled shoppers and shop keepers backed away from him. It wasn’t every day you see someone flying without any hover vehicle.

”Get the Camera Flash bang ready.” 56 ordered Orville.

”On it.” Orville replied. He then rotated down and forwards so that his back panel was facing up towards the sky. A small compartment door slid open and a silver canister appeared. ”Ready!” Orville chirped.

”Wait for my say so.” 56 said watching the rooftops.

Just as he expected, a few drones started to fly over the edges of the roofs. Clearly another rookie mistake. They should have known that when seeing a target go for a landing, that one should approach the area with caution and observe before exposing yourself to confront or follow. Seeing that they were still lacking in experience, 56 reacted by giving out his next gamble.

”I give up!” 56 shouted up at the buzzing drones while raising his hands upward. ”Come get me.” Then murmuring to himself he said, ”Release Armament.”

His legs engines immediately turned off and his shins and feet returned to their natural looking positions as the metal closed within a blink of an eye. If one hadn’t known beforehand that he had been flying with his feet, they wouldn’t have seen anything strange about him. Other than he was standing in a marketplace with no shoes. Not exactly the most sanitary thing to do.

At that moment, a dozen or more drones appeared from over the rooftops. They quickly surrounded 56 and Orville from all sides. They were not capable of shooting anything at him but getting hit by one was not a good idea either. They explode rather well for something so small.

”Now!” 56 shouted to Orville.

A bright flash exploded from the canister on Orville’s back. The onlookers scattered around the market shrieking and yelling in fear as the light temporarily blinded them. The drone’s cameras were no exception. They stuttered around in the air as their pilots were also being affected by the light.

”Let’s go.” 56 said as he grabbed onto Orville and tucked him under his arm.

He then sprinted towards the trash truck that was just now leaving to get on the road. The sudden flash drew the driver’s attention just long enough for 56 to reach the truck. He dropped onto his knees and neatly rolled under the vehicle, nearer to the rear of the truck. Luckily the electric trash truck still had tires and right was where the spare tire was being kept. Breaking the plastic pin holding it into place, 56 then scooted it out of the way and grabbed onto the underside of the truck. He raised himself up into the gap created by the missing tire with his free hand, while the other he still held onto Orville. Just at the same moment the driver started moving again.

56 could feel the edge of his long green jacket dragging on the ground just a few centimeters from the road’s pavement. It was an unnerving feeling and he inwardly hoped that there would be no speed bumps or potholes along the way. The truck drove around the block and started to backup to another dumpster.

”Are we going now Boss 56?” Orville asked as the truck stopped in front of the dumpster.

”Nope. Let’s go one more stop before we leave. Need to make sure that any lingering drones won’t spot us.” 56 replied adjusting his grip. ”Osprey drones would have been affected somewhat from the light, but only in that immediate area. We need to go farther to escape out of their line of sight.”

Luckily, the trash trucks next stop was only three blocks away, at the end of another alleyway. 56 simply let go of the trucks underside and lay on the ground. As the truck finished up its trash collection and drove away, 56 let the truck drive right over him. As soon as it did, he jumped up and dashed down the opposite way of the alley.

Reaching the street on the far side of the block he again murmured, ”Activate Aerial Armament: Stage 1.”

His feet split, then slid up his shins as the shins split open into four parts. Then the jet engines nestled inside burst into life once more, launching him upward into the air above the street. All within half a second.

He didn’t fly high, just high enough to go over any oncoming ground traffic. He quickly found out his bearings and sped towards the glowing blue light in the sky’s west. There was an odd rumbling coming from this direction, he could hear it over the sound of the wind.

”Any tracking signals nearby?” 56 asked Orville.

”None, Boss! Looks like you tricked them good.” Orville replied.

”So now I can tell you then.” 56 said to Orville, still tucked under his arm. ”Every city this size has got four Hunters Clan lodges on each side of them. Moab City is no exception. If a Twisted Hoard is coming, the Hunters will definitely be going out for bounties. We just need to tag along, get over the wall and then fly off for a few days. Let everybody think we’re gone, then come back and fly our ship back to the hideout.”

”Oh, that make sense.” Orville replied giving a beep of understanding. ”They won’t see that coming.”

The Hunters Clan lodge soon came into view and as fortunate would have it, there were three Hunters already outside. Seeing them 56 quickly deactivated his Armament and landed with a soft thud on the empty street. Casually he started walking towards them, along with Orville now freely hovering alongside.

”Hey, got room for one more?” 56 called out.

The tallest and oldest looking of the three turned to face him.

”Who are you?” Dixon asked.

”I am just wondering if you Hunters are going to be facing the Twisted. Can I ask you all for a ride over the wall?” 56 said still coming casually closer.

”Why would you want to go there? You’re clearly not a Hunter and not really armed for combat.” Dixon said looking him over. ”Not to mention shoeless.”

”Yes, my appearance is unsightly, but give me a gun and I’ll prove my worth.” 56 said spreading out his arms and giving a smile.

”Ah, just ditch this guy Dixon.” Sam said a bit annoyed and his hover bike raised another meter higher. ”We are wasting time. Look, other Hunters are already taking to the skies.”

Above them several hundred black shadows were zooming towards the western walls. Each one represented a Hover Vehicle of some kind, each carrying one or more Hunters. It was confirmed now that a Hoard was present. Not many other things would get this number of Hunters motivated to move out together.

”Come on. You can keep everything I kill. Consider it my fee.” 56 prodded again.

”Fine. Get on. If you fall off it’s on you.” Dixon said shaking his head in disbelief. He turned to get into his hover bike and reeved it up. Its electric engines gave an excited purr as power coursed through its wires.

”Thank you very much.” 56 said hopping onto the flat bed Hoover vehicle. As soon as he grabbed hold, Dixon and the others took off. The bikes reached a hundred meters effortlessly in seconds. After the sudden climb they leveled out to fly towards the west wall.

”What do we call you, stranger?” Tammy called out to him from her bike.

”56 is what you can call me. It’s my nickname.” 56 shouted back.

”Alright than 56, here!” Tammy called back while tossing a long-barreled laser rifle to him. ”Once we get closer shoot at the biggest ones. They are worth more!”

”Alright!” 56 replied. Then looking down over the edge of the flat bed, he saw them. The Twisted Hoard.

The sight that he beheld filled him with nervous excitement. There were so many of them, more then ever would have guessed, all charging the blue plasma wall of the city. The dust the hoard kicked up appeared to look like a sandstorm sweeping the dessert.

Near the back center of the dust cloud was the largest, most monstrous creature he had ever seen. 56 was unsure whether believe what he was seeing was real life or a nightmare. From this height he estimated it to be the length of three Blue Whales and twice as wide. A physical impossibility for a land creature, but not for a Hoard Mother!

His first thoughts were, ”Will the city survive this assault? Or will that thing destroy it first? Also, why did I think this was a good idea?”