James Axler – Starfall

A baron’s business, J.B. knew from firsthand experience, was usually deadly. As he watched, the leader of the group evidently made the decision about what they were going to do.

The riders split into two equal groups and spurred their mounts. The ones who had longblasters brandished them. They rode along the outer edges of the ville, but left no doubt that they were converging on the basin where Ryan and Jak had gone. They numbered nearer thirty than twenty, but J.B. hadn’t been able to get an accurate count, either.

Both halves of the group left swirling dust trails in their wake.

“By all appearances,” Doc stated, “those riders seem to be in a hurry. They lack even a veneer of quietude.”

The Armorer turned his attention back to the building Ryan had chosen as his advance point for the scouting mis­sion. “Yeah, but mebbe they’re going to be enough of a diversion to allow us to get the others out of there.”

“Chem storm’s not going to give us many alternatives,” Mildred said. “We stay out here, that storm will strip us down to our bones in minutes. The forest won’t give us any protection. Unless we find a place to hole up.”

“Only good places to hole up nearby,” Dean told her, “are those buildings ahead of us.”

J.B. nodded. All things considered, there really was no choice. “Let’s go.” He was the first one through the broken window, letting the Uzi dangle from the shoulder strap as he climbed down the uneven brick wall using his boot toes and fingers.

Before he reached the ground, a forked tongue of purple lightning slashed across the sky, followed immediately by a rolling cannonade of thunder.

Chapter Four

Ryan slid the Steyr’s strap over his shoulder as he rounded the building where he’d left Krysty. A crumpled iron fire escape sprawled over the back of the building, forming a leaning cage of iron bars and steps that allowed him to run up the structure. It would put him near the top of the build­ing.

In the past, the fire escape had hung on the building. Now it was loosely secured, vibrating as he slammed his boots against it.

The dogs raced through buildings as they sought their prey, and they drove more ghoulies out of their hiding places. The ghoulies fought back, swinging their home­made weapons and screaming hysterically in their shrill, gibbering voices. The dogs attacked mercilessly, tearing great hunks of flesh from the ghoulies with their flashing white teeth. The Slaggers trailed behind, getting closer. They cut down any ghoulies who crossed their path, filling the air with the yammering noise of blasterfire.

Jak stayed close behind Ryan, having an easier time scrambling through the lopsided fire escape because of his smaller size and incredible agility.

A pair of curs scampered up slabs of concrete near the fire escape, then vaulted through the bars, landing only a few feet ahead of Ryan, scrambling to regain their balance on the uneven steps.

Shifting with uncanny speed, the lead mutt threw itself at Ryan, its mouth spread open to reveal the glistening fangs.

Ryan threw up an arm, managing to get it under the big animal’s muzzle rather than shoving it into the dog’s mouth. The fangs snapped together, missing the one-eyed man’s face by inches. The dog’s fetid breath swirled around Ryan, almost foul enough to make him nauseous.

The sheer weight and strength possessed by the animal pressed Ryan back as it dug its back legs against the steps. Ryan strained, levering his arm under the animal’s muzzle, deliberately putting all his pressure against the dog’s throat to close down its breathing passage.

The animal remained determined to reach him. The jaws continued to angrily snap at him, scattering hot spittle across his face. The second dog surged forward, as well, sidling in beside the first.

Ryan slipped his panga free of its sheath, fisting it in his free hand so the blade pointed down instead of up. More of the dogs followed along beside the fire escape now. One of them leaped for the iron structure, but it rebounded from the other dogs and tumbled eight feet to the ground.