Twisted Metal Heart - Eve Langlais Page 0,70
more likely he went scouting.” He sat up and stretched, just missing scraping himself on the stone.
“We should get moving if we want to reach the city early.”
No morning nookie. She was all business today and rightly so. They needed to focus and get to a place they could perhaps snag a map and supplies. Maybe they could trade for a soft bed, and the intimate lover who undulated at his touch would appear again.
While she bundled stuff, he peed off the edge, the arc of piss taking a while to hit the ocean below. He didn’t see any tentacles or humps in the water, not yet, but he didn’t trust it. Back in the cave, he dressed and then packed the rest of their things while Riella crouched on the lip and looked up.
“Alfred should have checked in by now.” Her glance back at him held a frown.
It seemed worry could be a contagious thing. “I agree. Let’s go find him. I don’t suppose you’ll let me go first today in case there’s trouble up top?”
“Stop being chivalrous. I can handle myself.”
“Never claimed you couldn’t.”
She winked at him. “Enjoy the view and be sure to catch me if I fall.”
“As if you’d fall.” He snorted.
“You’re starting to learn.” She reached for the rope and began to climb.
He made his way to the edge and was just about to grab the wiggling rope when it jerked upwards.
“What the hell!” Riella yelled.
His eyes widened as the twitching rope moved upward, out of reach, as if being reeled in. He ducked out as far as he could and saw Riella and the rope being hauled over the edge, but he couldn’t see by what or who. Frustration welled inside, shoving to be released, and yet he held it in and didn’t yell. He didn’t want to warn anyone he was coming. He looked for a spot to climb, and thus was in plain sight when a dark-skinned man, his hair dangling in long knots, glanced over the side. He smiled, his teeth a bright gleam as he aimed his gun.
Bang. Titan ducked back in the cave and turned from the shower of rock shards that splintered. Only one shot was fired. In the disbelief that followed, he heard the roar of his ride’s engine and could only cower uselessly in the cave that kept him penned. Inaction burned, but he retained enough common sense to know that getting himself killed wouldn’t help Riella.
Someone had kidnapped her, which meant he could rescue her. If she didn’t rescue herself first. If he’d not heard the engine, he’d have expected her face to pop into view any second, mocking him for taking too long.
Except the sound of the motor faded, no rope dropped, Riella never reappeared. Time for him to move, and hope no one was left behind.
A quick peek showed no one waiting to take a shot. Angling his body, he examined the cliff face for handholds. It proved a challenge to find a spot he could climb. More than once it was just his extra strong metal fingers and their crampon on rock that kept him from plummeting. It took much too long to get to the top, and by the time he did, they were long gone.
“Fuck!” He kicked the ground, and something went flying. Her goggles. He’d absently grabbed them and stuffed them into his bag when he heard something.
“Mhpgh.”
The noise had him whirling. “Who is that? Show yourself!”
“Ghjfdd.”
He moved toward the sound and found a lump on the ground. A sticky pile of goo clung to a round object. He crouched down and wiped the gunk from it.
“Thank you for clearing that disgusting muck. The pirate spotted me and took me down before I could warn Riella.” Alfred’s metal body hummed in agitation.
“Did you say pirate?” Titan lifted the ball drone and cleared the remains that still stuck to it.
“Yes, pirate. His name is Darius, and he is captain of the Ocean Avenger.”
“You recognized him. How?”
“We met many years ago in the port during a visit to trade. He hired Riella to make him an eye after he lost one in a fight.”
“How did he find you?”
“I found him playing around with our vehicle when I came back from patrol.”
“How is it we didn’t hear him?” Because he’d sure as heck heard his wheels leaving.
Alfred grumbled, “Because he had his guys park in the forest, and he walked over to check out our stuff. I tried to stop him, and