Valhalla Can Wait #2
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The main courtyard, of what had been city hall, was now occupied by a row of seven battered APCs, their paint rusted, and headlights cracked. Despite that, Danni knew they were all still serviceable, still viable to carry troops to and from battle. So as she and the other bidders stood on the balcony, she wondered just what exactly Mr. Weston was about to show them. In addition part of her wished Vance was still linked in; she could use his analysis on whatever was about to happen, right about now.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Smithy stated, “the tank is an integral part of any nation’s war machine. And from that one design that rumbled over the fields of Flanders a myriad of designs have sprung forth, as well as an equal amount of weapons for the grunt of the field to deal with them. Well tonight,” he announced, as a man walked into the courtyard, a bulky looking canon slung over his shoulders, the weapon’s barrel lined with blue lights, “I announce the extinction of the tank!!” He yelled as the man fired a burst of light and the sound of screeching metal emanating from the courtyard as a shell smashed through the line of APCs and the perimeter wall, into the building over the street. As the light faded, the sound of applause filled the air, and Danni found herself the only one not clapping, a worried look on her face as she imagined what the weapon would be like, in the hands of any of the others around her.
“Bidding will commence in five minutes.” Weston stated, “So take the time to tell your backers what you’ve just witnessed.”
**
Danni sat in the woman’s restroom, as the transceivers in her mask linked back to the Abbey at a painfully slow rate. “Vance are you there?” Danni asked, as she heard someone else enter the bathroom.
“Thank God, I completely lost you for a few minutes.” Vance sighed, relief flooding his voice. “Listen I have an ID…”
“It can wait, I just saw the ‘Chisel’ in action.” Danni spluttered, as she peaked out through the door to see the unknown woman standing outside, her phone clamped to her ear. “It’s some kind of rail-gun, one that’s man portable and fires a shell strong enough to cleave through a column of tanks.”
“Are you sure? I’m bringing up some satellite images of city hall now…oh my, those husks were…”
“Yes they were, do you know of anything like this outside of science fiction?” Danni asked, as the woman outside left, the door slamming behind her.
“The US and British Navy are using an electromagnetic catapult to launch aircraft, and there is talk about large scale canons for ship defence, both are viable but there have been teething problems. It is after all a new technology.” Vance replied, “Cost and overheating are the major problems, but in a hand hold weapon there is also the issue of powering the weapon. My guess is that the ‘Chisel’ is using a neodymium magnet to fire the shell.”
“Neodymium, that’s a rare mineral right? And I’m guessing that charging the magnet does structural damage?” Danni asked, as she stood up and left the stall.
“It’s possible, new technology goes through all kinds of problems.” Vance answered, as Danni stopped as she saw a briefcase left under the sink. Bending down, Danni ran her hand along the top of the case, before backing up. Heading for the door, she felt something impact on her back, its tip digging into her skin. Spinning round she saw the attacker, holding the walking stick like a rifle, smoke billowing from the end.
“Soko?!” Danni asked, as the old man advanced on her, his feathered mask making his face look inhumanly menacing. Without saying a word, he took a swipe at her, with his gun cane, his target only just blocking before she slipped under his guard, and delivered a punch to the face. Staggering backwards, Soko threw his cane away, and held his hands up in a defensive stance, before lashing out, the blow slamming into Danni’s throat. Wheezing she doubled over, before receiving a knife chop to the back of her neck.
“This pain is going to be intense, but you will survive assuming my employer wins the lot.” Soko told Danni, as he slammed a two clawed knuckle duster into his victim’s neck. “If he doesn’t get what he wants, you won’t leave this bathroom.” He added, as Danni screamed in pain, before receiving a kick to the chest. “Fight the venom all you want, only one has ever resisted for more then a minute and you aren’t her.”
**
Danni grunted in pain as she opened her eyes, and looked up at the high ceiling before sitting up in the bed she found herself in. Looking to her left she saw her mask and wig lying on the bedside cabinet, and placed the later on her head.
“You have cancer.” A Greek accented voice stated, causing Danni to look over to the right where Jase Sallas AKA the Manticore was sitting, his mask off to reveal forest green eyes, tanned skin and a goatee.
“It’s in remission.” Danni answered, “Why are you here?”
“I declined to bid.”
“Let me guess Moscow did a cost-benefit analysis on that thing, and found it wasn’t worth the amount Weston wants for it.” Danni announced, as she checked her mask. “At least tell me they booted Soko for attacking me.”
“He’s still in there.” Sallas answered, “The two terrorists left early when they couldn’t afford the price, they were fools, this Gun-Smith knows his weapon is a white elephant.”
“So there’s something else.” Danni whispered, “Do you have any idea what it is?”
“No, but the nano-trancievers I seeded on everyone picked up mention of a second lot for auction.” Sallas answered, before removing a coin sized disc from his suit pocket. “It’s also how I found you.”
“Great security picked up my pistol, but everyone else managed to get weapons into this place.” Danni complained, before fitting her mask back onto her face. “So what do we do about this second lot?”
“We find it.” Sallas stated, as he got to his feet and placed his own mask on his face. “And when we do we access what to do with it.”
“How do I know you won’t betray me?” Danni asked, as she covertly opened the communications link in her mask.
“I could ask you the same thing.” Sallas answered her.
“You lead, I’ll follow.” Danni announced, “We will need to find this weapon first. Once we have, then we can discuss our agendas, and go from there.”
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