Maniacs The Krittika Conflict - By Nick S. Thomas Page 0,24
you care? We do jobs for money. We don’t uphold the law. We don’t follow moral code. We don’t serve the people!”
“Really? And you think working as a cop is so much different. You might have liked the feel of ‘doing good’, but in the end it was just a job!”
“And so what, you’re such the fucking good guy now?”
Liu looked away and ran his hands through his hair as he tried to cool off. Finally, he turned around, but Mason interrupted before he could speak.
“You told me that as a cop your hands were tied from helping those you felt needed it. Now we have the chance to help, and nobody is tying our hands, and we stand to make a lot of money from it. You risked your life all the time for crappy pay. Now you have a chance to be on the right side of your moral standpoint, and make a tonne of money at the same time. What’s not to like?”
Liu took a deep breath and calmed himself.
“I’m not against helping those who need it. But look around. The crew has survived this far because we took the smart jobs at the right price. We can’t save everyone. I learned that.”
“Then let me go and suss this one out. I’ll see what they want, what we face, and what they’re willing to pay. Then I’ll bring it to the table, and we’ll make a decision as a crew.”
“You do that, and definitely take Erin with you. She doesn’t seem to have such a bad influence on you.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“All I’m saying is that if you accept this call for help, you put her life on the line, same as the rest of us.”
“And you think I would do that if it wasn’t an acceptable risk?”
Liu smirked. “You know what I learned on the force. An acceptable risk is one that puts others in danger to meet your own goals. But that isn’t us, and isn’t you. If you commit to something, you put your own ass on the line, same as the rest of us. Remember that. I didn’t sign up to throw my life away for no good reason.”
Mason nodded in agreement.
“I get you. Hold down the fort. We won’t be long.”
“I hope so.”
Mason started to to walk away but stopped after a few paces.
“You know, when you first joined us, you wanted nothing more than to help those in need. Josiah almost died, after we went back for a kid and his mother that you insisted couldn’t be left behind. What happened?”
“Maybe I realised there will always be evil, and I can’t stop it all. We’re in this for ourselves. We can’t save the whole world.”
‘Maybe you’ll have a chance yet.”
Mason took a deep breath and thought about it for a moment.
“I can’t say we’re a beacon of humanity and the pinnacle of moral conduct. But maybe, just maybe you’ll have a time to proof yourself yet. You told me you were fired for trying to do the right thing, you remember?”
“Yeah,” he replied hesitantly.
“So you were a good cop in a bad world?”
“Yeah.”
“Then a chance for redemption is perhaps not impossible.”
“You talk pretty righteously for a man who works solely for money.”
Mason walked away, smiling.
“Erin!” he shouted.
She jumped to attention with Mason’s rifle held across both arms.
“You’re with me. We’re heading into town.”
She jumped to his side and followed him to the quadcopter. Cayne fired up the engine of Ryant’s truck.
“I thought we were setting off this world as soon as we could?”
“Maybe, but we just might have a job here yet, Erin.”
“I thought you worked for money, not charity?”
“True, but maybe we can do one and get the other for free.”
“You’re a real humanitarian.”
“Famous for it,” he replied as they climbed aboard.
Chapter 5
The sun was high in the sky, and it felt like a painfully hot repeat of the day before as they soared north towards the town.
“How long you been at this work?”
He turned and looked at Erin’s young face.
“Almost as long as you have been in this world.”
“You said you have never been a soldier, why?”
“A soldier fights for a cause and for crappy pay. I fight for myself, and my friends. If I am going to run into a shit storm, I want it to be of our own choice, not some arrogant bastard who is happy to have us earn a medal for him.”
She nodded in agreement.
“You don’t find that morally offensive?” he asked.