The Prospects (Short Story): Above the Stars Read Online Free PDF Page B

from the fishing boat’s deck. His instantly pictured Chak cutting everyone around him to pieces.
    He couldn’t let that happen. He had to save lives, even criminal lives.
    Alex leapt with his arms flailing. His fingertips barely caught a closed porthole’s lip. His feet dangled in the chilly waves, which were strong enough to tear his shoes off. He grit his teeth but couldn’t get enough of a grip to pull himself up.
    He reached into his jacket pocket. The curved knife slashed through the fabric as he drew it. He stabbed the hull. The smell of rust and rotten eggs gusted from the gash it cut through the steel.
    Alex dug his fingers into the hole. The jagged metal cut his fingers. He got his toes into the porthole, cut another handhold, and pulled himself up to the deck’s railing.
    On the other side of the deck, Chak simultaneously fought several Chinese men armed with crowbars, wrenches, and whatever other weapons they could improvise. They all bled from deep cuts in their ragged clothes. Chak dropped into a combat stance with a knife in each hand. “Get some!”
    Alex drew his pistol and fired into the air. “Freeze. MAB. Nobody move. Put your …”
    Something heavy thudded into the back of Alex’s head. His ears rang so much he couldn’t put up much any resistance when someone yanked his pistol out of his fingers and jammed it against the side of his head.
    Alex’s vision slowly returned as he was yanked to his feet. The balding long-haired Chinese man on the other side kept the pistol pointed in his face. “Hands up, gwielo .”
    Alex raised his hands.
    The long-haired man said to Chak. “Stop or he die.”
    Chak dropped his knives. He tilted his head so his hat covered his eyes.
    “Agent, yes?” said the long-haired man. He took the handcuffs from Alex’s belt, took the curved knife from Alex’s hand, and cuffed his wrists with the chain around the rail. “Any heroes come near, you die.”
    “Don’t worry about the heroes. Qing Long is coming for you.”
    The long-haired man tucked the curved knife into his belt and spoke in Cantonese to the crew. They laughed.
    “Qing Long just legend,” said the long-haired man. “What come for us, too slow. Qing Long can see all. This man not find us in Hong Kong. Not find us in Vancouver. Not find us ever.”
    “Don’t think it’s that easy,” said Chak.
    The long-haired man looked Chak over. “I learn English from comic book. You superhero. De Novo team member. You heal fast, yes or no?”
    “At least you didn’t call me short.”
    “Can you heal from no air? Can you heal from drown?”
    Chak shrugged. “Never tried it.”
    “We try.” He shouted something in Cantonese. The other sailors grabbed every rope, cable, and chain on the deck and wrapped them around Chak. The long-haired man took Chak’s hat and put it on his own head.
    Alex wanted to buy time before they threw Chak over the side. He yelled to the long-haired man, “How do you say ‘really stupid’ in Chinese? Because that describes you.”
    The long-haired man glared at Alex.
    “You sell a drug that kills its users. When word gets out, no one will buy it again.”
    “Rich junkies want best new thing. First time, give great high. Mind becomes big as universe. Second time, good as first, but take too soon, die. Third time, forth time … no one live past fifth time. We have money. We gone. Dealers stay, they take blame. Not stupid.”
    “Killing Chak is stupid. He’s teamed up with almost every hero at some point. They’ll come after you.”
    “They not know. We make last sale, be richest men in China.” The long-haired man scanned the horizon. “No one come. No one follow. We kill you so you not talk.”
    He yelled in Cantonese. The sailors nodded. Four of them picked up the bound Chak and lifted him.
    “Don’t do this,” said Alex.
    “You, no tell me what do,” said the long-haired man.
    The boat came to a jarring stop. The shock made everyone lurch. The four men holding