HAWK

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: DELIVERANCE (6/6)

The two fighters began circling, each weighing the other up like two video game characters awaiting their players. Kas's opponent was an inch or two shorter than her but a lot more muscular, and she already knew he was fast. Under normal circumstances, she could probably have taken him, but she was far from prime condition. Her body was still recuperating strength following her incarceration and even with the carbachrome plating, she felt terribly weak. Unless she could get her hands on another weapon, she would have to fight smart.

She put her right leg forward and turned her body sideways - her favoured stance as she found it better for kicks, and her legs were now her most dangerous weapons.

A peripheral flash in Kas's vision reminded her she was wearing a WASP mask.

Oh yeah...

'Combat mode,' she whispered, and suddenly a thin white line drew itself around the soldier's body. His limbs were shaded a subtle shade of green, though his left leg had a more yellow tint to it. The visor had scanned him and apparently picked up on a slight injury, imperceptible to Kas, but not to the WASP interface.

Perhaps realising Kas was scanning him, the soldier came at her before she could gain any more advantage. His head was tilted forwards and his fists held high, biceps coiled ready to unleash a barrage of powerful punches. He fired them off one after another, a mixture of high and low attacks that Kas did her best to deflect, though she was forced to retreat backwards as he came fast towards her, stretching his punches to their limits. She knew she was backing straight towards the wall and had only a few feet left before she was out of space. When an uppercut came in, Kas jumped to the side and behind the soldier's back. She combined the move with a stamp-kick to his left calf muscle and it made enough contact that his weak leg buckled and gave way. Kas twirled around and saw that his leg had turned orange in her visor. If that didn't give her an advantage, nothing would. She put up her guard, the entire length of the room now behind her.

'Come at me, pal,' she purred.

She regretted the words soon after. The soldier had stopped directly in front of a small square wall locker which he yanked open eagerly. His hands went in and out before Kas could even see inside it, but the two nightstrikers suddenly held in each of his hands were only too visible. The WASP mask highlighted them bright red.

Son of a--

He went for her. Her kick had clearly done some damage because he was limping like he'd been shot. He was still moving fast, however, and now he was well armed.

You can do this, Kas, you can do this...

He let out a roar as he charged. There'd be no time to think; just one strike with either of the rods would be her ending. She staggered backwards to escape but he was closing on her too fast. She dropped her weight and rolled to the side, tumbling gracefully over her shoulder and back onto her feet. She saw her own nightstriker lying alone in the far corner and dived for it - but it was too late. Her peripherals showed the two red nightstrikers closing in on her from behind. With no time to react, Kas clenched her muscles, closed her eyes and hoped they would just knock her straight out.

Whoomph.

Kas felt a soft blow on her back like she'd been blasted with an air cannon... but she felt no pain. She looked over her shoulder and was briefly perplexed to see the soldier staggering backwards.

Then she remembered: nightstrikers were anti-magnetised against carbachrome defence vests. They were useless against her.

Without wanting to waste another moment, Kas jumped to her feet and ran at the soldier, pulling her fist back as if she was going to punch high. The soldier's guard came up to block, but instead of punching, Kas kicked low, delivering a crushing stamp-kick to his left knee.

Crack.

The soldier's head jerked back as he dropped to his good knee and release an animal howl. Kas cut it short with a swift turning kick to his head that knocked him out cold and sent him tumbling to the ground. She stood over him victorious, her shoulders rising and falling from the short but intense fight.

A soft groan from behind her turned her around. Captain Mack was slumped on the floor, his back against the lockers. Blood was gushing from his nose and staining the whites of his beard. He pinched it weakly to stem the flow. Kas rushed to his side and helped him sit up.

'Damn, Captain,' she said. 'I'm surprised that punch didn't knock you straight out.'

'Thig sgull,' he said through the blood.

'What happened?!' said a voice. Kas turned to see Astrid had returned.

'Fight training,' she answered. 'You ready to go?'

'Ready.'

'You're still going?!' Mack spat.

'I told you, I'm not leaving her behind,' Kas replied.

'Fine, you go and get yourself caught. I'm going to the hangar.' He staggered to his feet and leaned against the wall.

'Are you going to leave without me?' Astrid asked.

'That's up to you. If Kas gets caught, you and I can still carry on with our original plan, but I'm not waiting around so Swanne can catch me too.'

'Then I guess we'd better hurry,' Kas said. Without further pause, she jogged towards the exit with Astrid hovering over her shoulder. The redhead stirred as she stepped over him.

'You might want to restrain these men before they come to,' she said as she pulled the door open.

Captain Mack growled and pushed himself away from the wall.