CHAPTER 9:
Dax Kelly, the Stranger, was out of ammo. His lungs burned and he was bleeding from several wounds. Despite this he ran like hell, doing his best to avoid further contact with anymore Delaque Shadows’.
Every alleyway he ventured down was occupied by a gun toting ganger or upstart juve, everyone of them was pissed off and itching to scrag him. He managed to get away from most of them without any real fighting, but he had been tagged by a few stray shots. At the current moment, Bad Dust was not the safest place for an Orlock.
His head pounded and his heart beat was becoming slower as he leaned back against a rusted old bulkhead. He panted , trying not to be so damned loud, gripping his blade tight he squatted, desperately in need of a breather. The constant shouting, gunfire and taunts reminded him that Dino and Colt might still be alive. He spat blood, wiped his forehead and carefully slid away from his temporary hiding spot. The glow globes were so dim he could barely see three feet in front of himself. He jogged along the wall, trying to remember which way was out. Whether it was the darkness or the loss of blood the Stranger had no time to react as an arm reached out of the gloom and pulled him into a gap in the wall, one hand covering his mouth.
A harsh, low voice commanded in his left ear.
“ Don’t move, don’t’ make a fraggen sound or we're dead mate…..
you wanna live you’ll shut yer trap and be still…….they’re here….”
The voice turned the Stranger’s head towards the eerie scene as ten Delaques silently moved passed them, their goggles, visors and shades shining ambers and malicious reds, blades drawn.
Inch by inch the voice dragged Dax backwards, until he could no longer see his hunters.
The voice whispered in his ear again.
“ Okay slick, if you wanna skip town, you better follow my lead, if not, you can try hiding in this place but them sneaky gits will find ya….”
Dax nodded yes to the voice, even though he could not make out who his rescuer was.
A large grate was slowly lifted and gently placed to one side, the metal scraping across the mesh wire floor. The voice dropped into it with a muffled thud, the Stranger followed suite, seeing no alternative to his dilemma. The passage way was big enough for a grown man to move at a decent pace hunched over and it went on for several yards.
They came to small porthole at the end of the tunnel and the voice gave him a thumbs up and opened it.
“ This ‘ere hole leads straight across to another tunnel that shoots straight down to Hive Bottom. This is the only way out mate.”
Dax’s head was swimming, his body functioning only on his basic need for survival.
“ Then I guess were going to see the Sump then…….I have to know why your helping me and who you are though friend, and thanks for saving my sorry arse back there….” Dax mumbled.
“ Name’s Ren , you don’t owe me squat, just figured you needed helping is all. Lets just say a friend of a friend of a friend told me you might need some looking after, your mates may not have been as lucky as you though. Anyways….come on then, long way down this trek is. Best tie off all them wounds before you bleed to death, bloody zombies will smell you a mile way, not to mention the rats and other nasty things down at the bottom.” He chuckled a bit.
Dax tore his bandana into strips and did his best to stem the blood loss. He followed Ren down the tunnel wondering what was next.
* * *
Nadine sat cross legged staring at the ornate painting on the wall.
She was not sure what it was supposed to be, it looked somewhat pornographic to her. She sipped from her wine cup not enjoying the weak effect it had on her and the flavor was not to her tastes. Overall she was despising her “safehouse” that resided in the boundaries of House Ran Lo.
“ Do you like it Nadine? “ asked a sultry female voice from the doorway.
Nadine was startled out of her daze and smiled as Brianna joined her on the lounge couches.
“ Im not sure, what is it supposed to be? I mean I know it’s a woman and many men but what are they supposed to be? “ Nadine asked, trying not to offend The Noble woman.
Brianna gave her a sly grin, and batted her eyelashes.
“ A famous artist from the planet Chiros painted that in honor of me and my talents with men….”
She gleefully said. Nadine raised her eyebrows at Brianna and gave a wry grin.
“ Well then my dear Nadine, today you have a visitor who wishes to speak with you, be careful to give nothing away as he is well known to many as a sturdy interrogator. Worry not though, he is gentle and honest as they come, for Enforcers that is. All the Arbites are somewhat boring if you ask me, this one though, he is quite charming.
Play nice and I’m sure he will leave soon.”
Nadine grimaced at the thought of having to answer to a law dog of the Enforcer precincts. She knew she had to play the part though. It was the only way herself and Dax would be safe.
“Brianna,” called Nadine as the mistress made her way out, “ Whats this Enforcer’s name? “
Brianna sighed at the thought of saying his name, a slight blush coming to her face.
“ He is Alik Rodrigo, the highest ranking Adeptus Arbites officer here on Primus, I’m sure you have heard of him. Anyways….I’m off to see dear Old Grimskull, he is waiting in the gardens with Vaedon.”
Nadine’s temper rose and her spirit turned sour. Arbitrator Rodrigo.
The most hated Enforcer in all the Underhive. He had killed Dax’s brother and tortured many of her friends and now he was coming to see her. His repuation for violence was legendary in the downhive bars and gambling dens. He was known to make sweeps of entire domes and break the most hardened ganger- his shock maul and bloodied fists always getting the right answers.
* * *
The dank, suffocating air of the tunnel began to take its toll on the Stranger. Even with the tourniquets the loss of blood was proving to much for him. His sweat was cold and beading slowly, his breathing was now ragged and sparse. He wondered if he was going to make it to the Bottom or just die right here.
He continued the arduous descent, focusing all his energy on his footwork and never loosing sight of Ren, the murkiness making it more tedious than normal. He slipped a few times, each time Ren stopping to curse his clumsiness.
“ Never in all my days met such a loud hit man before.” Ren scolded.
Dax smiled , “ Seems every one knows me and my business these days…”
“Aye mate, that they do…do you not know ‘bout the price on year head? Bloody mess you got yourself in lad, bloody mess….”
They clambered down the tunnel for another forty minutes in silence. A muzzle flash sliced the gloom, momentarily lighting up the shaft. Ren sped up his decline, letting his body drop several feet before grabbing onto the rungs. Dax did his best to evade the gunfire untill finally his body sagged and he plunged down crashing into Ren, both underhivers disappearing in the darkness.
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