Free Omega Force 7: Redemption by Joshua Dalzelle Page A

employer's thanks," Lucky said. "We have no further need of your assistance."
    "Sure," the Watcher said, backing out the door. "No problem." Once he left the pair moved quickly to the sled.
    "He's still alive," Jason said. "Hold him down and I'll dose him." Lucky leaned over and gently restrained Crusher as Jason pulled out three auto-injectors that Doc had rigged up, each containing a cocktail of drugs and nanobots that were designed as a catchall for whatever condition they might find him in.
    Jason pulled the safety caps off with his teeth and pressed the devices firmly into the thickest part of Crusher's shoulder. The big warrior grumbled and shifted as the heavy needles deployed and the injectors shoved the viscous mixture into his bloodstream.
    "These will start working fast, but we've got to get him to the infirmary quickly," Jason said. "Let's go ... you lead and I'll push him along."
    Lucky opened the door and Jason maneuvered the unwieldy sled out and to the left, waiting for the battlesynth to move ahead of him and take point. He should have known better than to think things would go so easily, as if they could just wheel Crusher out to the Phoenix and be on their way. As soon as they made the right turn into the last corridor they could see the path was completely blocked.
    "You have something I want," the same alien who had been in a bidding war with Jason called out. "I intend to take it." He had at least twelve bodyguards with him, their bulk completely obscuring the view ahead.
    "I don't think the Watchers would appreciate you trying to strongarm one of their paying clients within their own walls," Jason said. "Do you?"
    The alien thought this extremely funny for some reason, laughing in a bizarre cough/wheeze sort of way. "Who do you think paid them to have you make your way down this back corridor with my prize?" he said. "They are fully aware of the situation."
    "Please let me handle this, Captain," Lucky said, walking calmly towards the group. They all tensed up, but held their ground.
    "I know what you are, battlesynth," the alien said. "But you know as well as I do that any energy weapons fired in this corridor will trigger the security measures and we'll all die, including your boss. You're nothing more than another strong body here."
    "I am fully aware of the restrictions placed upon us," Lucky said calmly, still walking. He pulled off the tunic he'd inexplicably been wearing to reveal two of Crusher's wickedly curved long blades fastened to his back. "I have no need of energy weapons to dispatch you and your hired muscle."
    Jason watched with fascination as Lucky reached behind his back and grabbed both blades, releasing them with an audible snick and bringing them around, crossing them in front of his chest.
    "You don't want it to go down like this!" the alien called shrilly. "Just give me what I want and I'll be on my way." Lucky was only ten feet away at this point so Jason just stayed silent and watched to see what his friend had in store.
    Lucky stopped and held his arms wide, the blades angled down slightly. Once he saw the battlesynth had no plans to let them by, the auction loser signaled to his security detail to attack. The results were much as one would expect.
    The first two to reach Lucky were hurt, badly. The battlesynth smoothly stepped up and crashed the pommels of both blades into the sides of their heads. This eliminated two threats, but it also let the remaining ten know that a battlesynth wasn't just a synth with energy weapons bolted on. The strength and agility had taken them by surprise and now they were exercising much more caution, trying to use tactics over brute force to take him down.
    It didn't matter. Lucky was a blur of motion, disabling three more guards with a combination of two well-placed slices and another bone-crunching hit with the base of a knife. A shuddering moan caught Jason's attention and he looked down in time to see Crusher convulsing so hard he almost