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.The lack of pre-planning was another, far more important problem.Even with two former Legionnaires providing information, it was too easy to miss patterns they could have noticed after a few days of studying their target.The guard she was hiding behind a computer desk was a case in point: he’d shown up early, while Lady Shi was still seeing to the man he was supposed to relieve, and if she hadn’t moved fast – and non-lethally – he would have sounded the alarm.She disliked working with do-gooders; their scruples and optimism were vexing at best, and downright dangerous at worst.Not all of her current partners were sticklers to rules and morals, though.As she secured the guard, Lady Shi reminisced about her time with Condor and Kestrel.They had been rather amusing, even if they were mere dilettantes when it came to the ways of pain.They had limits, and were afraid of crossing them.Even better, now that he’d had her, Condor felt some measure of obligation towards her, which might make him hesitate at a crucial moment down the line.That suited her just fine.She’d used her body as a lure, bribe and trap before, and the two vigilantes had kept her entertained, especially Kestrel.Of course, the real fun would begin the day Lady Shi had that little bird in her power and she showed her victim that limits were for the weak.Lady Shi knew that she might never get the chance to indulge in such things, unfortunately.They were all likely to die in the next hour, or be captured, which under the circumstances meant death as well.Nichevo, as her dead lover used to say.It didn’t matter.Satisfied that nobody else was about to enter the cubicle, she sat down by a computer terminal and punched the access codes she’d been given.A biometric scanner came to life, and she dutifully positioned herself so her retinas could be read.A few hours ago, her identity had been entered into the Legion’s databases; the scanner accepted her as a high-ranking functionary, and let her access the Legion’s security systems.A few keystrokes later, her main task was completed.Security sensors along several sectors started transmitting a doctored video loop showing empty corridors and rooms.It was a pity all the security protocols she’d breached would be changed as soon as this escapade was over, but even so, the information she’d collected about the Legion would be worth a fortune in the black market.She’d easily quadruple the fee she was getting from Condor.After completing her primary objective, she began disabling other systems, to ease their escape.A few minutes later, she leaned back on her chair with a satisfied smile.The vaunted Legion’s defenses were down.Now she could…“Step away from the computer.”Someone had managed to sneak up on her, which rarely happened.She should be dead, but of course her opponents were do-gooders as well, and their kind wouldn’t attack without announcing themselves.It would be rude to do otherwise.Lady Shi rose to her feet and turned to face the newcomer.He was a large man, almost as large as her Bear, with neatly-trimmed light-brown hair and beard, and strong Nordic features.He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, but she recognized him nonetheless: Berserker, a Legionnaire of some renown.“You’d better not have killed Sergeant Ivarsson,” he said.“The man owes me money.”“Both guards are alive,” she replied.“Good.I will do you the same courtesy, then.”He moved, and he was fast as well as quiet.* * *The alarms were shrill and piercing, not at all the kind of sound you want to hear while setting up a fairly delicate piece of pseudo-technology.Neo Artifacts might be just expressions of the will and desires of their creators, but you still had to deploy them properly or the damn things would refuse to work.Kyle Carmichael gritted his teeth and continued putting together the device, the first collaborative effort of Hiram Hades and Doc Slaughter (with an assist by good ole Kyle himself) in history [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]