Free Scenes from an Unholy War by Hideyuki Kikuchi Page A

you, sweetheart.” Raising one arm, he got up on his horse.
    All three of the men started to ride back toward town.
    “Hold up,” Rust called to them.
    Halting his steed, Palau twisted around with a look on his face that asked, What is it now?
    “Where do you think you’re going?” asked the sheriff.
    “Where? Back into town, I guess. Later on, we’re gonna pound that freaking Hunter into a pulp.”
    “If you wanna pound someone into a pulp, do it out there,” Rust said, pointing toward the gates.
    “What?”
    “As sheriff, I’d like to propose a certain plan. Basically, it’s a lightning strike at the Black Death gang’s camp thirty miles south of here to deal some damage to their equipment and personnel.”
    Gil and Josh turned and gaped in amazement. Palau’s jaw dropped.
    “Our cyborg horses could make the trip there and back in less than two hours. Figuring in the time for the actual assault, we could be back in the village drinking wild cobra whiskey in three hours.”
    Baring his teeth, Gil started to say, “Hey, that’s what I—” Apparently he couldn’t help himself.
    “Yeah, D told me. I was surprised how close our ideas were,” the sheriff said smugly.
    “Hold on, there—that was my idea!”
    “In that case, you shouldn’t have any complaints about it.”
    “What’s the problem, then?” Gil shouted. Though he was desperately trying to restrain himself, he started cracking his knuckles. It was his instinctive way of demonstrating his resolve. At his enormous size, he definitely got the point across.
    “The problem’s whether it can actually be done or not,” Rust replied flatly. “I think it can.”
    “You’re damned straight it can. The one and only Gil Mandalay came up with that idea!”
    “I’m surprised we both came up with exactly the same thing—so, should we give it a shot?”
    Josh and Palau’s expressions changed.
    Grinning, Rust said, “Then you’ll have to try out my idea. Too bad I won’t be there to see it happen, though.”
    Gil was still spoiling for a fight, his lips pursed, but the other two men became rather amiable.
    “You mean we can go ahead?” asked Josh.
    “Yes, you guys and D. I couldn’t have picked anyone better for the job.”
    “You didn’t come up with that plan at all, did you?” Gil barked, jabbing a finger as thick as a baby’s arm at the end of Rust’s nose.
    “It doesn’t matter who came up with it. This is how it’s going to be. Get yourselves back here tonight. That’s an order.”
    “You dirty—”
    If Lyra hadn’t stepped between them, Gil probably would’ve lunged at the lawman.
    Seeing how he grit his teeth and restrained himself, a hoarse voice jeered, “My, aren’t you the feminist.”
    “I don’t wanna hear any funny voices outta you, you damned traitor! Okay, Sheriff, we’re gonna go out there and stir things up. But the leader’s gotta be—”
    “Me,” D said, naturally.

DEATHS HAND IN HAND
    chapter 4
    I
    —
    A thousand yards shy of their target, the four men dismounted.
They’d hea rd the Black Death had scouts with keen hearing and the ability to see well in the dark. From experience, they knew they couldn’t go any closer without being detected. Though it was D who ordered them to dismount, no one voiced any complaints.
    A light danced in the distant darkness, most likely a fire at the outlaws’ encampment.
    “The enemy probably has scouts out,” Palau said as he looked all around. The hair that covered half his face glowed with the strange green light from his electronic eye.
    “We’re counting on that peeper of yours. Come through for us, big guy,” Gil said, giving him a slap on the back. Since they were both huge, the other man didn’t even budge, though someone D’s size might’ve been sent flying.
    “Well, I can see a structure. A farmhouse?” Palau ventured.
    “That wasn’t on the map,” said Josh, cocking his head to one side.
    “Let’s move.”
    With this signal from D,