High Flyer - Michelle Diener Page 0,24

vicious.

"She doesn't react the same way as the rest of us, and she literally can't be killed." Linnel sounded completely reasonable as he spoke.

The sad thing for him was, he was more or less right. Although not about the killing thing. She was sure she could be killed. But it would take a bit of trouble from whoever planned to do the deed.

"We've got her lying at our feet, unconscious. She can be killed in seconds, right now." The stranger, the one she didn't know, stepped closer, and she felt boots against her leg.

"Go on, then, Banyon," Linnel challenged him. "Go ahead and kill her. Or try to. I dare you."

"You are not just worrying me, Linnel, you are pissing me off. Get outside with the others and make sure no one is snooping around." The man Linnel called Banyon's voice dropped low.

There was a moment of silence.

"And she lives again," Linnel said, a sense of vindication in his voice. He turned to go, and Hana heard him take a few steps.

“Linnel.” Oniba's voice was low and mean. From the thin slit of her barely-open eyelids, Hana saw him take a step closer, one foot back, and her blood was suddenly fizzing, her body flooded with adrenaline.

“What?” Linnel's sneer was evident.

“She's not invincible. Watch.” He swung his boot at Hana's ribs, and with an almost fatalistic sense of what was about to happen, against her wishes, because Iver was somewhere behind her, still unconscious and restrained, she felt her restraints give, unlocking.

She rolled, so Oniba overextended his kick, stumbling forward.

She was on her feet, swinging the solid metal restraints. They connected with Oniba's temple and without waiting to see the results, she spun hard right, arm extended to hit Banyon.

As she turned, she glimpsed Vannie and Simon's faces, slack with shock, as blood sprayed from Banyon's face where the metal restraints had connected with his nose.

The way to the door, the only exit she could see, was open except for Linnel, who was staring at her with a mix of horror and excitement.

She ran at him, arm back to strike, and with a squeal of fear, he ducked, so she passed him without any resistance.

Beyond the warehouse was a loading dock.

There was one person standing with his back to her, loading a lander, and a guard facing the street.

Oniba had told Linnel to go stand watch with the others, so there might be more, but Hana couldn't see them.

Hana ran toward the guard, her mind calculating how fast she was moving, what her next moves should be, and then she jumped to get the height she needed to hit him on the back of the head.

He went down without a sound, and then she was on the street, looking right and left.

No one was in sight.

She spun, looking up at the roof of the warehouse, and saw someone scrambling down the pitched surface to get to the ground to chase her.

Right at that moment, there were no eyes on her.

She needed to find a way back into the warehouse so she could rescue Iver.

A lander turned the corner near the warehouse, engine roaring, heading right toward her, killing any hope of getting back unseen.

Furious, she ran toward it.

And who knew? Maybe not everyone in Touka City was in on this.

As she neared the vehicle, she saw the driver was wearing the same uniform as the guard she'd just dropped outside the warehouse and it looked like he was driving the lander Vannie and Simon had picked them up in, roof still lowered.

So no help there.

She was committed, though. There was no other option.

The driver blinked at her in surprise and braked, uncertain.

Hana put her hands up. “Help me.” She didn't slow down, reaching the driver's side, and jumping onto the running board.

The lander was still moving, and the driver's hands tightened reflexively on the steering wheel.

He looked around him, to make sure there were no witnesses, Hana guessed. He thought he was the dangerous one in this situation.

As soon as he brought the lander to a stop, she dropped down to the ground, and as she hoped he would, he opened the door and slid down after her.

“Take it easy--”

She'd held the restraints out of sight against her thigh, and as soon as he was down, she jumped back on the running board and lashed out, striking him just above the ear.

He went down with a moan.

Up ahead, Vannie, Simon and Linnel ran out onto the street, and Hana got