Valkyrie Hunter
Chapter 36

I carefully regarded Sylgard I could see uncertainly in her eyes. “Right, let’s get this done,” I announced. “Sylgard I want your people to give me covering fire while I go over the top. I really didn’t know what was behind the barricade. I had already taken note that the barricade on this side of the road was about three metres high and the other less than a metre and a half an easy traverse even for a tracked APC like the MRECV.

“You sure about this Silver?” Sylgard asked.

I wasn’t going to lie about my chances. “No, we must do something.” I gave her a look a hard thing to do while wearing a helmet. “I do have an advantage I’m quick and I’m a smaller target.” I was quicker than an average human that was more than likely to what the Keepers had done than the Elders mucking around with my DNA. I continued. “When I say ‘go’ keep their heads down!”

“What?” Sylgard looked puzzled.

I hadn’t the time to explain what I’d just said. “Just keep them from shooting at me.”

I didn’t give her a chance to answer as I edged to the barricade. Which seemed to be built from ground cars, household furniture and concrete barriers. I took a deep breath and crossed my fingers. “Go!” I yelled scrambling up the barricade. “This is madness,” I kept saying to myself. “I shouldn’t be doing this?” I did wonder if I’d gone mad. Bullets whizzed past I kept going then I was over.

I had a slight breather on the other side and scrambled down. Past the barricade it was open run to the main entrance of the Town Hall. An open road and a set of steps I had to traverse first. There was no time to find an alternative way in I had to act fast. I ran towards the main door only to find I made a bad mistake. I gasped in dismay to see the doors had been blocked by piled up office furniture but there was a gap. I was committed it was do or die and I wasn’t about to die. I charged up the stairs and leapt. As I did so I realised my error but I was committed. I dived through the gap like some old vid crazy stuntwoman. Although the gap was small it was big enough for a human in combat armour. No Valkyrie could have done what I did they wouldn’t have fitted, not even naked and covered in grease. The dive was prefect unfortunately it was then that my plan unravelled.

The landing had much to be desired. I hit the hard surface of the floor tumbling over and over unable to stop. I bounced against the wall opposite the door. I ended with my rear kissing the wall and my legs splayed up it. Trying to get up I flopped around like an upturned turtle. It would have been hilarious if not for the deadly seriousness of my situation. I’d lost my coil assault gun. I knew I had when I started my dive but after that I could remember seeing it I’d been too busy trying to stop myself. All I had was my Seven Double ‘M’ strapped to my hip. I reorientated myself surprised that with all the noise I’d made no one came to check it out. I’d though I’d be hip deep in rebels by now all want a piece of me. I quickly surveyed my surrounding noting the blocked off passages and doors. It was the same as the exterior wood covering concrete underneath. I wondered if this had been deliberate? I took stock of my situation and moved as quietly as I could to the stairs to the next floor. The stairs were wood as were the walls with under lying concrete supports. I drew my pistol and started up stairs my weapon following my eye line as I swept the stairs. This was what I had been trained to do long before the Valkyrie had taken over my life. I reached the next floor without encountering anything that had me worried. I cleared the corridor noticing the bloodstains. Whatever had happened was long ago from the brownish colouring to the blood splattered all over the floors. I could see pock marks on walls. Whatever had happened the occupants of this building hadn’t gone quietly unlike my entrance. I was lucky that I hadn’t been shot dead. I was sure Thirika and Runa would have taken me to ask over it. I had just acted on instinct and stupidly at that. I couldn’t see anything here so I took the stairs up.

Cautiously I climbed the last set of stairs ready for anything. I pushed down my rising doubts and carried on. Stepping on to the landing I took stock of my options. Directly opposite the stairs I’d ascended was another set of stairs. I couldn’t remember seeing stairs opposite as I came up. I surmised these stairs led directly to the top floor. The stairs showed use with a trail on muddy boot prints coming up. All the prints led to the left-hand corridor. It was where I’d guessed the rocket launcher was situated. I went on alert my pistol at the ready I couldn’t afford to take chances. Suddenly I stiffened hearing the steady tramp of boots on the stairs opposite. Taking a chance I darted across the landing to the banister opposite me and peered down. I couldn’t see anything but I certainly heard someone coming up the stairs. She was cursing as she did so. Immediately I stationed myself behind the wall beside the banister on the right. All the doors on that side of the corridor had been barricaded so the likelihood of someone sneaking up behind me was slim to none. The woman coming up the back stairs had covered up any noise I’d made. I leaned and peered out ready to go into action, gone were the fear and doubts that had dogged me. Gun at the ready I waited.

A Valkyrie dressed in civilian pants and top with a green and brown patched smock thrown over her top. I supposed the rebels’ idea of camouflage, which looked out of place in such an urbane setting. I shouldn’t be surprised my green and grey was certainly out of place but at least I looked more the soldier. Which I wasn’t I’d had no proper military training. I watched the rebel struggle up the stair carrying a long taller than a Valkyrie canister in each hand. She cursed and swore as she manoeuvred bulky packages up the stairs. Suddenly a mad crazy idea seized hold of me. Probably more crazy than my Tarzan like swing in the forest when I knocked out two Valkyrie out to end my life. Unlike that time I hadn’t Thirika watching over me. Here I was on my own. I had to be quick and deal with her before I could deal with the rocket launcher. I suspected that the canisters were rockets for the launcher. I took a chance and vaulted over the stairs landing directly on the back of the rebel. My weight and momentum smashed her face first into the stairs knocking the canisters out of her hands. She lay there still. As I scrambled off her. I wasn’t certain I’d killed her. I’d regret that later or knocked her out cold. Reaching down I felt for a pulse. There was one faint but it was there. I hated the fact I’d killed her it wasn’t the Valkyrie way. Yes issue a challenge then fight but lately that had seemed to have gone by the wayside. I still smarted over those I killed protecting Miranda. I hadn’t given them a chance to surrender. I shook myself out of the funk I was getting myself into I still had a job to do. I was surprised that no one had come looking I hadn’t been exactly quiet. Climbing back up the stairs I halted at the top. So far my actions hadn’t drawn attention. Slowly I went left heading towards where I guessed the rocket launcher was sited. I could hear talking for the door at the farthest end. Other doors this side had been boarded up.

“Where is that lazy mato!” a Valkyrie voice called. “I’ll skin her hide if she doesn’t get a move on.”

“Calm down!” A second voice replied. “She is trying to be useful and who was the one that decide to place all our supplies in the basement?”

“They are safer there,” the first voice said petulantly.

“Mother,” The second swore. “There are rooms closer to the top. Why didn’t you open up another room up here? I’m tired of tramping up here and sleeping down there. It stinks of blood.”

“Too dangerous,” the first said.

“Really,” The second sighed. “No you are right.”

I listened in deciding on a course of action. It seemed I’d only have to deal with two. I had to make this quick. I edged closer to the door weapon ready. I’d shoot if I had to. The door was close I took a chance and glimpsed in. The room had been cleared of debris. There was a large gaping hole in the wall. Overlooking the gap was a box like structure on a heavy looking tripod. The box had what appeared to be sighting screen and a number of flashing buttons. Scattered on the floor were a couple of those cylinders the other Valkyrie had been carrying. Two Valkyrie in civilian clothes stood looking out the gap. Both wearing jeans and shirts in a variety of colours with leather vests over their tops. They also carried coil assault guns. Girding up my courage I leapt through the door.

“Drop your weapons!” I yelled at them.

Both turned swiftly and stared at me shocked expressions on their faces.

“Drop your weapons and surrender!” I shouted at them. The die had been cast.

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