Stranger King Read Online Free PDF Page A

voice begged.
    “You shot first,” Lena demanded, “Why?”
    “You don’t know what they’re doing here, do you?”
    “It’s none of my business.”
    A harsh laugh, “Of course. Go where the coin is, eh? But at what cost, merc? At what point are your lives worth more than money?”
    She looked up, seeing Stiar stumbling toward them. Lena nodded to her. Stiar grabbed a container from her pack, removing the syringe from it. She injected it into the figure’s forehead and he slumped over to the ground.
    “I’ll message the station. Throw him over your shoulder. Can you carry that much?”
    Lena nodded, hoisting the man up and slinging him over her back. Stiar rang through on the vid-screen on her wrist, informing the contact about the trespasser.
    *
    Lena stood as Stiar returned from the direction of the interrogation room, she opened her mouth to ask, but Stiar waved her off.
    “It’s nothing. Just a rival firm trying to collect information. Apparently this sort of thing happens all the time.”
    “I want to talk to him.”
    “You want to talk to this piece of shit?”
    “He said something to me out there, I want to ask what he meant.”
    “Kid, his brains were probably frying out. He probably doesn’t even remember what day it is now.”
    “Still.”
    “Alright. He’s pretty drugged up and restrained. I don’t know how much you’re going to get out of him. I’ll get the report ready when you’re done.”
    Lena hesitated, putting her hand on Stiar’s arm.
    Stiar said quietly, “I’m fine. Go talk to your prisoner.”
    Lena walked to the room, nodding at the security guard. She laid her weapons on the table and sat in front of the captive. He was bound by his ankles and wrists to the wall, the manacles rubbing into his sunburn and causing the skin to blister and break.
    “More questions?” he laughed hoarsely, “I told your friend everything you needed to know. She’s good at what she does. You too. I’ve never seen someone run that fast in the daylight.”
    “I had good motivation.”
    He replied with a weary grin, “Good to see there’s still some loyalty among mercs.”
    “I thought you were trying to shoot me and just had terrible aim.”
    “That could be true, too.”
    “What did you mean when you spoke to me in the woods?”
    “I was trying to get you not to shoot me.”
    “You could have said something else. You could have told me about your wife and kids, or your sick little grandmother.”
    “I don’t have a wife or kids or a sick little grandmother.”
    “Which means you’re bad at lying.”
    “Look, I told everything to your colleague out there. What is this? An old-fashioned good cop, bad cop routine?”
    “Did she hit you?”
    “Yes.”
    Lena frowned. “I guess she was a little sore about her shoulder.”
    “And I’m a little sore about my neck. You were very close to nicking an artery.”
    “Lucky for you I actually am a good shot. Now answer my question.”
    The man looked up warily at the security camera. “They might kill me if I tell you.”
    “I have a suspicion they might kill you anyway.”
    “That’s not very comforting.”
    “I try to be honest,” Lena retorted.
    “Look. There’s nothing to tell. I told your colleague everything.”
    Lena glanced up at the security camera. “You’re not trying to protect me, are you?”
    He laughed, “Trust me, I’m really not that noble. I was sent to investigate what was being researched here. I didn’t find anything, I swear.”
    “What were you hoping to find?”
    He smiled sadly. “Something. It doesn’t matter now. We heard a rumor … it was worth investigating. Turns out we were wrong.”
    “Do you want me to contact your people?”
    “No. They’ll deny I’m part of their group. It’s sort of like what’ll happen to you if you ever get captured … you didn’t know that, did you?”
    “I did,” Lena said. “I agreed with full consent.”
    “Well, I guess you’re braver or stupider than