Maniacs The Krittika Conflict - By Nick S. Thomas Page 0,35
they do first. Stay inside and keep yourself safe. Got it?"
She nodded in agreement. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm gonna go and see what all the fuss is about," he replied confidently.
He adjusted his gun belt and stepped up to the door, pulling it back slowly so as not to cause anyone to react. He stepped out to see four militiamen. They all wore dark green jackets and matching short peaked caps, with sun protectors hanging down over their shoulders. Metal insignia was pinned to their chests, but he couldn't make it out. Besides this, none of their equipment was uniformed with a variation of weapons, webbing, and bags.
The first thing Mason noticed was that two of them held Mitchell between them as a prisoner.
"Sorry, Boss."
"Not your fault."
The militiamen were coated in dust and looked weary from travel. He could see Alken skulking in the background under the shade of one of the shops.
"You are Captain Mason?" one of them asked.
"Sergeant Hunter, I assume?"
"That's me. Sheriff Alken here tells me you've been causing some trouble. We don't like trouble in this town or any other in our district."
"Glad to hear it, Sergeant. Me and my boys here had some engine troubles and only came for parts."
"Were that the case, you'd have already have been on your way by now. I'm thinking you were paid to be here."
Mason couldn't deny it; for despite it not being their intentions, it had been the way it worked out.
"Word is you killed a man here in town, an offence punishable by death, but I also hear no witnesses have yet been found. Pack up and leave this world, or I'm sure those witnesses will come forward. Neither of us wants any trouble here."
"Yeah, Sergeant, that's a real good deal, but how about this one? You give me my guy back, and I won't blow your head off."
"Now, Sheriff Alken said you'd be one to make threats like that, and yet his head still sits atop his body."
"For now," Mason answered calmly.
"Okay, let's try this again."
He grabbed Mitchell, pushed him to his knees, and held a pistol to the side of his head.
"We've already got one of you. We'll take him with us and try him for the unlawful killing of Herschel, then we'll come back in greater number to take however many of you are stupid enough to still be here."
Mason squinted as he tried to get a read off the man and see how serious he was. Everything he was seeing told him he had to act.
"Sorry, Felix."
"For what?" Mitchell replied; sounding confused.
Without hesitation, Mitchell snapped his weapon from its holster and fired from the hip. The laser hit Hunter square in chest, but he got a shot off as the impact struck. A laser from the pistol clipped Mitchell's ear before striking the ground in front of him. The Sergeant was launched off his feet and disappeared from view. The other three men lifted their weapons to respond, but one was struck a second after Mason had fired. The laser came from the roof and hit one of their shoulders. He was incapacitated and immediately on the ground in pain.
Mason fired the next shot and took out the leg of one. Liu struck the last in the face, killing him instantly. The doors of the bar flew open, and Erin rushed out to Mitchell's aid. Mason was ahead of her and got to the bodies to see Hunter was gone. He saw the Sergeant vanish down a narrow corridor between two of the buildings in front of him.
"Help him!" he yelled as he gave pursuit. He took the bend he had seen Hunter disappear down and could tell by the speed he was making, the laser had made little effect. Mason guessed he must have been wearing the same torso body armour they wore, expensive gear for the average militiaman.
He heard a tussle around a bend and rushed as quickly as he could. As he took the bend, an arm struck out from the corner and clotheslined him. It sent him into a roll, and he crashed down into the dirt with no finesse. His pistol flew out of his hands in the fall. He tried to get to his feet, but Hunter kicked him to the ribs hard. He rolled over onto his back from the impact. His armour saved him from broken ribs, but it still hurt like hell.
"Guess you're not all that, Captain," said Hunter disdainfully.