Crimson Rain by Tex Leiko Page B

twitching on the triggers of her acquired pistols as if she wanted to unload every round into Badger ’ s body.
    She ran her tongue across her lips and tasted the blood from the split she had on her lower lip from Badger ’ s fierce backhand. “ Call that graze on your ear even for the mark on my lip, friend. I ’ d love to kiss and make up, but I ’ ve got my hands full. On that note, I say g ’ night, pal. Don ’ t even try to retaliate. You ’ ll regret it. ”
    Badger didn ’ t say a word, just stared at her with the occasional glances over to Max. His solid expression screamed one word—murder. He would gladly do it the moment the time was right. He knew , too , that if he so much as gave her an inkling, she might die tonight, but so would he.
    “‘ Til we meet again , love, ” he said with a wink.
    At that, the three of them were off into the night. The darkness and the rain quickly shrouded which direction they headed. Their pace was quick until they were back into Crimson ’ s part of town. It was about three in the morning. It was still dark, but the rain had subsided. They all looked tired and were still sopping wet from the rain.
    “ Well, doc. That wasn ’ t how I thought my night would go at all. Look, in this backpack here, I ’ ve got the next four treatments. I watched you well enough I think I can give them to myself. I left two pieces of tech that I found on your desk as payment. I think they ’ re cloaking devices, but I ’ m not sure. I ’ ve never seen tech like that. It ’ s a long story, one I don ’ t have time for now, ” Zarfa said as he turned his back to them and began his journey down the road.
    “ But! Wait! ” Max shouted.
    Zarfa hesitated then halted.
    “ Look, I ’ m grateful to you. You can have the bots, I don ’ t care! You saved my life. I don ’ t need your money. But re-think it, please? Didn ’ t you see what was going on in there? The Psyker Scream phenomena isn ’ t some mere craze over fad music. It has to be something deeper. ”
    “ I ’ m already involved in something deeper, but thanks for the concern, doc. ”
    “ Max is right, you know. You might want to reconsider. If you don ’ t choose wisely, you may wind up on the wrong side of a war that is about to begin. That isn ’ t a threat, just a fact. Look, I would love to explain, but after tonight, I am quite tired and need to get my beauty rest. Zarfa? That ’ s your name, right? Look, I recognize you from earlier today. I saw you stumbling around. First treatment today, right? You can ’ t do another for, at the minimum, five days from now. Meet me tomorrow, mid-day at Max ’ s clinic. I ’ ll explain. ”
    “ Fine, ” Zarfa said, then proceeded to make haste in the direction he had originally started walking.
    “ You ’ re staying the night with me, ” Crimson said with an eyebrow cocked.
    Max ’ s heart began to race and thump. He was nervous. The night had already been unpredictable, and now he had a beautiful woman not asking, but telling him he was going to stay the night? A beautiful woman still holding two loaded guns like they were toys. A beautiful woman who could kill him with ease regardless of which of the two of them were holding the pistols.
    He cleared his throat and said with his voice crackling, “ I am? ”
    Crimson could tell he was blushing, even if it was dark out. His face was a dead giveaway that he had taken her wrong . “ Yeah, you are. They know you ’ re Max. They know you ’ re a doctor. They know you r clinic is in the slums. Whether you ’ re helping them or not…you ’ ve been seen with me; that makes you their enemy. I would say sorry, but you are the one who wanted answers. ”
    “ So you ’ re protecting me? ”
    “ I ’ m protecting myself. If they got to you, they would use you like a bartering chip to get me. I sorta like you. I don ’ t want to kill you unless you give me no other option. So you are staying here until I can escort