Audacious

25

''Are you sure?'' Abby asked.

''Auntie, Bronc's not like other men. When he says he'll do something, he does it. He said he was going by the shop today to show off his new gear. He spent yesterday playing with it, getting it tuned in. Figuring out what it would do. He was like a baby with a new rattle, I told him. He was fun.

''But he didn't make it to the shop. Mick didn't see him. And the Bones, they aren't on the street today. At least none of the ones I spotted would talk to me. They're avoiding me. The Bone Man has to have taken him. Abby, I don't dare go to the Crypt to see the head Bone Man. Not by myself.''

''No. Don't. Can you make it to the tram station?''

''Yes.''

''I'll meet you there as quickly as I can. It may take a bit. I need to get some things.''

Kris could only guess what those things were. But she knew for sure what one of them was.

A princess.

Abby offered further hope and advice to take care before cutting the line. ''You'll excuse me, I seem to have pressing business elsewhere,'' the maid said, getting up from the table.

''I'm going with you,'' Kris said.

''Did you hear Cara? Don't you know why her Bronc is up to his ears in trouble, Kris? He got too close to you! He doesn't need more proof of that.''

''No, the guys giving him grief need reminding that you don't mess with a Longknife. Or someone close to a Longknife. I'm with you, Abby,'' Kris said…and managed to stand without too much of a groan.

''Need I remind you that you're in no shape for a fight,'' Abby snapped.

''So I guess someone else will have to do her fighting for her,'' Captain DeVar said with a hungry grin. He tapped his wrist comm. ''Gunny, I want three squads, in civvies, armed for a street fight of escalating violence, ready to depart in fifteen minutes. Include general tech support and two teams of snipers.''

An ''Aye aye'' answered him.

''Your Highness, I would recommend that you not be in uniform, either. If we're about to give a hard lesson to street punks, no need to show the flag.''

''Can your Marines take these punks?''

''Oh, yes, ma'am,'' Captain DeVar said with an evil chuckle. ''Quite a few of my Marines started on the streets, ma'am. They know how those punks fight. And it took about fifteen minutes at boot camp for some drill instructor to knock the shiny off them. I know what those gangers are good for. And you know what Marines can do. This will be quite a lesson. And who knows. Some of the survivors just might show up tomorrow to sign themselves in. It's been known to happen.''

Fifteen minutes later, the Marines began deploying…according to their captain's battle plan.