me drop my guard, then hit me with a hard hook to the ear. I fell to the ground, a ringing sound blocking out all the other noises and pain exploding through my head.
Fuck, that hurt.
I had made the classic blunder of underestimating my opponent. Now I was in a fight I might lose, and I couldn’t do anything about it. I tried to get up but felt dizzy. The guy took the opportunity to kick me. I groaned as he started taking out all his repressed anger on me, swinging his foot viciously at my stomach.
Without warning, he dropped on his back beside me. Emmy had started fighting back. I sat up just as Emmy delivered a blow to his jawbone, directly between the ear and the chin. The thug fell to the ground and didn’t get up again.
“Are you feeling okay?” She reached down and grabbed my hand, helping me to stand.
I felt my ribs. I didn’t think he broke them, but I would have some severe bruises. I hoped he hadn’t done any damage to my internal organs with those kicks.
“I’ll be fine. Let’s get out of here. He might be only stunned.”
“We have a few minutes. I doubt he’ll be getting up soon.”
She hooked her arm through mine, making it look like we were a couple on a stroll. Our positioning allowed her to support some of my weight. I was still dizzy from the blow to the ear.
“Speaking of stunned...” The bright lights of the spaceport made us both squint as we entered the building. I winced at the falsely conversational tone of voice. “Why did you move when he told you explicitly to remain where you were? He fucking shot me! I could be in a coma or dead right now.”
We passed an older man. Emmy gave him a charming smile and then turned back to me, her eyes shooting daggers.
“I could see the settings on the gun and knew you would only get a brief shock. We needed to get away from him. If anyone catches us, your plan isn’t going to work.” I looked away from her because I didn’t want her to see through my explanation.
“That’s bullshit.” Her voice sounded furious. “You were angry and wanted a piece of his ass.”
“Maybe.”
We walked out the main door and found a self-driving hovercraft. After we entered the vehicle, I finally allowed myself to relax, ignoring the pain in my head and my side.
Emmy programmed a destination into the hovercraft, then turned to face me again. “Maybe? That was a bone-headed move. You could have gotten me killed.” She paused. “I suppose you could have gotten yourself killed as well.”
“I thought I was getting us out of trouble.” I didn’t like the feeling creeping up on me. Had I made the wrong decision? I preferred it when people didn’t question my choices.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t knocked him out?”
I didn’t have an answer for her.
She answered the question herself. “It’s simple. You would have been beaten to within an inch of your life, and you would have screwed up everything.”
We lapsed into silence for the rest of the ride. As we pulled to a stop on the corner of a busy street and got out, she put my hand on my arm. I looked down at Emmy’s hand briefly, then up at her eyes.
“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid. We can figure things out together.”
“Did you just ask me to be your partner? I was under the impression that you didn’t need any help.” I didn't bother to disguise the bitterness in my voice.
“I understand I need help now.” I felt my eyebrows go up in surprise. “But I’ll never need the kind that’s going to get us both killed.”
“Fine.” I knew I wasn’t being graceful, but it was the best I could do. “I won’t do anything stupid, and we’ll make decisions as a team.”
“Great. Let’s never talk about it again. I know someone who owes me a favor.”
* * *
I couldn’t stand this woman anymore. I was following her down an alley in the middle of the city, and I was seething. She had called me stupid twice. I regretted coming along on her ridiculous
Fuck, that hurt.
I had made the classic blunder of underestimating my opponent. Now I was in a fight I might lose, and I couldn’t do anything about it. I tried to get up but felt dizzy. The guy took the opportunity to kick me. I groaned as he started taking out all his repressed anger on me, swinging his foot viciously at my stomach.
Without warning, he dropped on his back beside me. Emmy had started fighting back. I sat up just as Emmy delivered a blow to his jawbone, directly between the ear and the chin. The thug fell to the ground and didn’t get up again.
“Are you feeling okay?” She reached down and grabbed my hand, helping me to stand.
I felt my ribs. I didn’t think he broke them, but I would have some severe bruises. I hoped he hadn’t done any damage to my internal organs with those kicks.
“I’ll be fine. Let’s get out of here. He might be only stunned.”
“We have a few minutes. I doubt he’ll be getting up soon.”
She hooked her arm through mine, making it look like we were a couple on a stroll. Our positioning allowed her to support some of my weight. I was still dizzy from the blow to the ear.
“Speaking of stunned...” The bright lights of the spaceport made us both squint as we entered the building. I winced at the falsely conversational tone of voice. “Why did you move when he told you explicitly to remain where you were? He fucking shot me! I could be in a coma or dead right now.”
We passed an older man. Emmy gave him a charming smile and then turned back to me, her eyes shooting daggers.
“I could see the settings on the gun and knew you would only get a brief shock. We needed to get away from him. If anyone catches us, your plan isn’t going to work.” I looked away from her because I didn’t want her to see through my explanation.
“That’s bullshit.” Her voice sounded furious. “You were angry and wanted a piece of his ass.”
“Maybe.”
We walked out the main door and found a self-driving hovercraft. After we entered the vehicle, I finally allowed myself to relax, ignoring the pain in my head and my side.
Emmy programmed a destination into the hovercraft, then turned to face me again. “Maybe? That was a bone-headed move. You could have gotten me killed.” She paused. “I suppose you could have gotten yourself killed as well.”
“I thought I was getting us out of trouble.” I didn’t like the feeling creeping up on me. Had I made the wrong decision? I preferred it when people didn’t question my choices.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t knocked him out?”
I didn’t have an answer for her.
She answered the question herself. “It’s simple. You would have been beaten to within an inch of your life, and you would have screwed up everything.”
We lapsed into silence for the rest of the ride. As we pulled to a stop on the corner of a busy street and got out, she put my hand on my arm. I looked down at Emmy’s hand briefly, then up at her eyes.
“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid. We can figure things out together.”
“Did you just ask me to be your partner? I was under the impression that you didn’t need any help.” I didn't bother to disguise the bitterness in my voice.
“I understand I need help now.” I felt my eyebrows go up in surprise. “But I’ll never need the kind that’s going to get us both killed.”
“Fine.” I knew I wasn’t being graceful, but it was the best I could do. “I won’t do anything stupid, and we’ll make decisions as a team.”
“Great. Let’s never talk about it again. I know someone who owes me a favor.”
* * *
I couldn’t stand this woman anymore. I was following her down an alley in the middle of the city, and I was seething. She had called me stupid twice. I regretted coming along on her ridiculous
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