Firewall (Magic Born) Read Online Free PDF Page A

less said, the better. He had no idea what these people were like. She started to speak but Doran beat her to it.
    “The rations aren’t enough inside the zone?” A hard, grating laugh fell from her lips. “No shit, pal. But what do you expect when you allow yourself to be treated like fucking animals at the zoo? You take your scraps like good little witches and you say, ‘Thank you,’ and slink back into the nasty little hovel they let you live in.”
    Tuyet stepped between them, the movement of her body through the headlights throwing shadows across the tree line. “No harm, no foul, Doran. Let’s just work this out and get moving.”
    Doran stood half a head taller than Tuyet’s medium height and packed considerably more muscle. If that wasn’t intimidating enough, there was the shotgun strapped to her back to consider. Tuyet knew from past experience that the woman had other weapons hidden on her as well. The question was, had she left her most dangerous weapon at home? Memories of the time
before
the last time they’d tangled made Tuyet hope that Doran had.
    Nonetheless, she held her ground and stared at the River Ghost bandit.
    Doran kept her eyes on Tuyet but turned her head a fraction to address her nearest minion. “Take it.”
    Nate said, “What?”
    “Take it all,” Doran said with a smile.
    “No!” Nate surged forward, caught by two River Ghost men on either side. “There are kids in FreakTown who need that food!”
    “We’ve got kids to feed too.” Doran began to walk away.
    Tuyet said, “Don’t do this. Let’s work something out.”
    “You’re in my world now, cupcake,” she called over her shoulder. “What I say goes.”
    Tuyet drew a deep breath. The act called forth power that spiraled up from deep inside and coiled like a snake ready to strike. She had one chance to make this work. They couldn’t afford to use their stun guns, not when River Ghost had firearms. But if she could make a statement, maybe Doran would respond. Displays of strength were respected by these people, so Tuyet intended to put on a show.
    The River Ghost bandits traveled in trucks and SUVs as old as what the New Corinth group had scrounged, but their vehicles were modified for tougher use. Even so, they had electronics. Tuyet started with that, casting a wide net to gather all of the vehicles’ computer systems under her control as she dove into a working trance. She shut the rumbling engines off, the sudden quiet jarring.
    Confused voices called out. Nate edged closer, practically vibrating with the anticipation of a fight. Doran turned back to face her, a mix of amusement and annoyance on her face.
    Tuyet went for the headlights next. The night plunged into darkness. Nate moved quickly, disarming the nearest River Ghost. The other four in their group acted just as quickly, the drivers headed back into their vehicles and the others engaging with members of River Ghost. Tuyet was aware of it all. The sounds of the fight reached her through the dark blue haze of trance. She kept her focus on her task, pushing virus hexes into the vehicle computers. Every system networked into each car’s computer would be affected and soon inoperable, which would make the vehicles little more than a dusty art exhibit for twenty-year-old autos.
    Nate and the other two drivers—one Magic Born, one Normal—flanked Tuyet. She turned on the headlights again, the sudden brightness meant to be disorienting. It worked on most of the River Ghost group, except for Doran, of course. The leader still stood calmly in the middle of the chaos, gazing at Tuyet.
    Tuyet smiled as she wove a spell similar to calling on neon. It siphoned energy from the headlights, the night once again plunging into darkness, this time slowly. Tuyet gathered the energy under her control then directed it outward in a wide blast. Every member of River Ghost was caught in it. Even Doran was knocked to her butt. Dirt and chips of busted asphalt swirled in the air