Voyage of the Sanguine Shadow 1: Shadow Galactic Read Online Free PDF Page A

the Yubitsume’s oyabun .  Pretty
important guy.”  He glanced toward Takeo.  “That’s his dad.  There’s a gene key
linked to his gun that sent out a distress signal the instant he squeezed off
that first round.  A Yakuza fire team is already en route.”  He straightened. 
“Sure, you might start sifting through whatever’s left of us, but it’s hard to
find anything that’s even intact when one of us humans gets struck by a ton of
stone.  Simple physics.  And then you’ll have his blood all over you, and trust
me, they will not stop looking for you until you’ve been broken.  You’re an old
stone, maugal.  Probably fresh off a prison rock, am I right?”
    It regarded Gavin as if it had just suddenly become
aware of his existence, and its shoulders avalanched down to slump.  “But…”
    He rested his hand on the maugal’s neck.  “Go to
ground.  Keep low and hop on a shuttle to someplace deep in the dark, maybe one
of the new colonies.”  He regarded the remaining thugs as they stirred.  “Leave
them.  You’re better than that, better than them.  Plus, I think you killed
one.”  Gavin nodded toward the limp heap at the base of the dented parcel
truck.
    “Right,” growled the monolith.
    “Go,” urged Gavin.  “I saved your life, and you
spared me mine.  That’s square in my book.”
    The maugal straightened and smiled steeply with a
flicker of dignity.  It stomped back toward the shadows.  “Thanks.”  It paused
and turned around.  “I won’t see you again, bludder,” it added before vanishing
from sight.
    Gavin exhaled, relieved, and he glanced to his stunned
companion.
    Takeo stared at him with wide eyes, his mouth
slightly open.  “How…?”
    “I’ll explain after we’re back on the road.”  He
nodded toward the looming stone edifice of Supernova Express before turning
sharp eyes to his friend.  “Wait.  When the hell did you start carrying a gun?”
    Takeo regarded the three surviving attackers. 
“I’ve always carried a gun.  You just never noticed.”
    “Are you serious?” 
    His friend nodded.  “Since I was sixteen.  My
father insisted on it.  I’m going to ask these guys a few questions before the
police arrive.”  One by one, Takeo dragged the assailants to the curb and
retrieved a bundle of zip ties from Gavin’s toolbox.  After he had bound their
hands behind their backs and their feet at the ankles, he returned to Gavin’s
side.  Fogg took the form of a parking meter crowned by a rotating blue and red
lamp.  “Go get her.”
    Bright light flashed from the east as the sun
crested the horizon, and it lit up Afskya’s indigo sky.
    Gavin nodded and clapped Takeo’s arm.  “We’ll be
right back.”  He turned and hurried along the sidewalk, closing quickly on the
club.
    He slowed as he approached the front doors, where
a bulky, horned male rhidorm served as bouncer.  Around the corner of the
building near a pair of trash bins, Gavin noticed a huddle of people keeping
out of sight.  His eyes flitted over the shadowed group.  A very tall woman
whispered, “It’s not an exact science, Captain.  He’ll be here… eventually. 
Trust me.”  Her eyes tracked directly to him, and she held his gaze.
    Gavin looked uneasily away, but he felt her eyes
fixed upon him.  “Hey, Chris,” he said to the cornuted rhidorm bouncer, and he
nodded.  He rushed the last few steps to the entrance.
    “Hey, Gavin,” rumbled the bouncer, and he pulled
the door open.  Thumping dance anthems roared out into the night.  “That your
friend shooting off fireworks in the alley?”
    He chuckled in response and nodded.  “Something
like that.”
    Chris’s thick, gray skin wrinkled deeply as he
winked.  “Go on in.”
    Gavin stepped through, and the door closed behind
him.  A young woman with matted blonde dreadlocks waved him past the ticket
booth, and he muttered his thanks.  He scanned the foyer for Taryn.
    He hardly had time to seek