Retired

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

I started to retreat when I heard a voice over the bob. "Move it, sir. I have you covered." It was Angel. That blessed woman was still alive. I grabbed Asta's hand and bolted across the intersection. Angel popped up and started to fire.

We made it to the other side and Angel fell down again. I could not stop for her. My only concern had to be Asta. "Angel, are you still with me?"

"Move your ass, sir."

"I will be back for you."

"If you get the fuck out of here, they will quit shooting at me. Now move it!"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, as I grabbed Asta's hand and we continued up the street. About half way up, a car turned the far corner. It was a heavily armored limousine. I fired a single round into the window of the shop we were passing and pulled Asta inside.

Once inside, I looked at the sales people huddled in the corner. An idea came to me. "Your majesty, I have a plan. It is crazy as shit, but it just might work."

"Tell me."

"While I cover us, I need you to take off your clothes."

A few minutes later I moved out the side door with Asta in tow. We were still under fire. The armored car followed me as I headed for the palace.

We made it about halfway there when another car cut us off. I had to pray my plan would work. I was going to die here, but at least Asta had a chance.

A man stepped out of one of the cars. I recognized him instantly. He was the leader of the Grand Duchess Daria's forces. "You have led us a merry chase for years, Marshal."

"The chase is not over," I snarled.

"I am afraid it is. You are going to die here, right after I kill the Empress. Maybe they will give your corpse another medal. Your majesty, would you be so kind as to shut off your body shield, so my men don't waste any ammo?"

The woman next to me raised her hand to her belt and hit the button. The body shield that blurred her features fell away. I could see the look in the man's eye as his anger rose. Under the shield was one of the sales people from the shop.

"Damn you!", the man screamed, as he leveled his gun at me. "I am going to turn you into a meat pie."

As he took aim, his hand suddenly jerked to the side and his rail pistol spun off into the street. Angel came out of the alley next to him and continued to fire. The men jumped into their car and backed out at high speed.

I moved over to Angel as she sagged to the ground. "Did the Empress get to you?"

"Yes, sir, she was escorted out by Gold Unit in an armored car. I came looking for you."

"Foolish! I was not worth risking your life."

"You can fire me later, sir," she said, as one of our armored cars pulled up.

"Get her to the base infirmary, now."

When they drove her off, the rest of the troops formed up around us and escorted the salesgirl and myself to the palace.

When we arrived, the emperor was waiting for us. "Drake, did you get any clues as to who was behind this?"

"Did Asta make it back?"

"Yes. She is in the royal apartment."

I nodded. "It was the Grand Duchess Daria, Robert. Angel shot the leader of her guard in the hand. We can use that to get the courts to order a truth beam scan."

"That is not possible. The grand duchess and her headman have been here at the palace all day. I was in a closed meeting with them."

I looked at Robert like he had grown a third eye. "It was him, Robert! I saw him plain as day. His right hand should have a hole in it."

Robert led me to the meeting room. There, in plain sight, was the man that I had seen on the street. However, his hand was completely unmarked. I didn't know how he did it. It just wasn't possible to heal wounds that fast.

I went to the security room and reviewed the palace tapes. They clearly showed the grand duchess and her headman sitting in the meeting hall all day. He had never left. Not even to go to the bathroom.

I brooded over this for days. We had nothing other than three eyewitnesses to his presence. The physical evidence did not exist and the fact that his hand was whole ruined any chance of getting a court order. She was a duchess and that meant we could not accuse her without some evidence that would stick.

The salesperson from the store was rewarded for her courage. She would never have to work again for the rest of her life.

Angel recovered quickly. Her wounds had not been bad. She was now the only member of Silver One.

We rotated Silver Two into position and re-designated them. That left Angel without a unit.