Rise of a Valkyrie

Part 56

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"He's seeing another woman, isn't he?" Kayla said in anger, hoping that her acting ability was as good as she imagined. "I can tell. Go on—deny it."

"Who do you think you're trying to fool, lady?" said the second man behind her. "I've never seen anyone run that fast and vault up a wall like that. You think we're going to believe you're just some obsessed stalker?"

The first man raised an eyebrow. "I've heard stories. We all have. Young women, freakishly strong, getting in people's business." A car sped past the intersection ahead, but he ignored it. "We're just going to stay here, nice and calm, until our ride shows up. Then you're coming with us and answering some questions. Get it?"

Kayla had heard enough Earth accents in her time at Madam Georgia's, and both men spoke like natives. She'd be lucky if they didn't take her off-world to dissect, and then the entire Helvetic military would become aware of Valkyrie's secrets. There was no way she could let that happen. She'd have to watch carefully for the slightest chance to escape, though the two soldiers were still keeping their distance, guns ready. They obviously weren't fools.

Unlike herself, she thought, as she regretted her choices that day.

"Hey, who's that?" one of the men yelled suddenly as he whirled around.

There was movement down the street. Two women with guns drawn dodged between parked cars. Kayla dropped as gunshots cracked through the air. Both men fell to the pavement, a cluster of bullet holes in their chests. After a long moment, Kayla carefully raised her head, and saw Masey Laukkanen, together with a woman she did not recognize, standing over her.

Masey's face was twisted into a sneer. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, Private Barnes," she said, almost spitting the rank. "I'm going to assume that we are close to your home, and that a pair of Helvet Special Forces soldiers had a moment of total professional incompetence when they took a fancy to you."

Her expression indicated that she didn't believe that for a second, and that her wrath for Kayla would be terrible.

"Um... Not exactly," Kayla said in a small voice. The shock of so much violence left her shaken. Maybe she would have been better off getting kidnapped.

A battered old sedan drew up and stopped in the road.

"Grab him," Masey said, pointing to one of the bodies.

Kayla pulled the dead man up onto her shoulder. She noted, with a shiver, the glazed eyes of the first person who had died as a result of her decisions. Masey's partner dropped the other body in the trunk of the car, and Kayla did likewise, before getting into a passenger seat.

"Keep off the main roads," Masey cautioned the driver.

Nobody spoke to Kayla as they drove off, and she didn't think it wise to try and make excuses. She sat in silence for more than an hour, wondering if she was about to get kicked out of Valkyrie and lose the incredible life she had briefly achieved.

Eventually, they pulled into the depot of a small taxi company. The place looked deserted but for a few non-descript vehicles. Several of the offices looking onto the main garage had their windows blacked out.

When Kayla got out of the car, the driver emerged, and she saw with a shock that it was Christie.

"Chris—" Kayla began, but her friend only smiled sadly, and shook her head.

She followed Masey into a canteen, where a group of women were waiting with grave expressions on their faces.

"Sit!" Masey ordered, pointing to a wooden chair.