Page 42 of The Satyr's Guilt
Dante’s money also found a doctor whodeveloped a sedative which could be delivered by a bullet. The aimwas to target a fucking otherworlder, plug them with a tranq, anddrag their ass back as proof. Proof these Aeternals existed. Marsput several three-man teams together. They checked the portals inNew Orleans, trying to capture any Aeternals who used them. So far,bupkis. One dead and a miss.
An overzealous team emptied four loadedprojectiles into an otherworlder creature. Too much juice. Theother candidates escaped through a portal.
Mars nodded at the arrival, kicking out achair with his foot. The ex-agent took the offered seat, loweringhis body into it. He stared at the general, who continued tappingon the table.
Outside, insects, birds, and other crittersbroke the silence of the night. A car pulled in, its tirescrunching gravel.
A red-headed, freckle-faced man strode intothe kitchen. He was only five-foot-six but sported solid musclesfrom hours of working in the gym. Mars chose him because of thenumber of missions they had gone on together. He was reliable.Vicious when necessary. The soldier was without a conscience, buthe was loyal to a big paycheck.
“Manny.”
“Hey. Look at you,” he said, taking theother chair beside Mars. “Ben’s right behind me.”
The last squad leader came through thescreen door, letting it slam after him. His face sported a scowl,but Mars didn’t think he had another expression.
With all three present, the general restedhis beefy forearms on the table, staring the men down, one byone.
“We’re failing here. It’sun-fucking-acceptable.” He motioned at Ben first. “Explain.”
“We took the guy down with too many shots.Now we know it was overkill. Literally. In our defense, the docsaid they could take four.”
Mars looked to the ex-agent.
“Almost got two. They’re strong. They’refast. Scurried back through a portal.”
The general squinted not because the lightswere bright. He was pissed. He wanted a win. “Manny?”
“No encounters.”
Mars opened a tattered case at his feet. Heremoved three syringes, slamming them down. “What I have here areequalizers. Straight out of Dr. Frankenstein’s lab.”
The men nodded. Ben licked his lips, lookingeager for an upgrade.
Mars landed his fist with a loud thud,sending the table bouncing. “I want success. I want a creature.Now. You think the Firebrands are mean SOBs? You haven’t seen me inaction.”
Dante had chosen him for his reputation.Relentless in pursuit of his target. Cruel and bloodthirsty when heran it to ground.
A village in Africa was his legacy. Theydefied the warlord he worked for and paid the price. Every man,woman, and child. It was his job. And he loved his job. His newpower was a perk.
“Line up and drop yourpants.”
****
Dax was MIA. Again. Bounty tried his D-chipand the private cell number only she knew.
No Dax.
She asked Ram and Brak to make discreettrips to his known haunts. The O blud dens on Scath.
No Dax.
She checked his apartment in Covenkirk.
No Dax.
She was about to invade his hide-away inBloodhaven. No one else was aware of his cabin in the vampireregion. He told Bounty about it only because he trusted her not touse the info unless there was an emergency.
Wasn’t this an emergency?
