Free Codename: Night Witch by Cary Caffrey

nail-biting process as the heavy rig kept sinking into the soft gravel. Then, with a jolt, the two front wheels hit the ground, bouncing hard.
    Minutes passed, and it was all the two of them could do to sit there staring at each other, cold sweat dotting each of their foreheads.
    "We need to get out of here," Sigrid said at last. "Whoever set those chains…"
    Jaffer nodded. "Yeah. You may be right. But we'll need to get those tires changed—"
    Sigrid heard it first: the high-pitched whine of thrusters. Four longspurs appeared, blasting over the rise. The spiders had arrived to see what flies were wriggling in their web.
    The longspurs sped toward them at incredible speeds, not six inches above the road. Theywere sleek, open-air repulsor craft. The riders rode on top in the open, saddle-style seats. There were no restraints and no crash protection—which was exactly as the riders liked it. Longspurs were built for speed, nothing as mundane as practicality.
    They came in fast, heading straight toward them. Their engine cowlings, painted with red and yellow flames, stood out from the gloom. Eyeless black skulls adorned their front repulsors. The riders were no less impressive. They were all dressed in worn riding leathers painted with the colors of their clans. Long scarves wrapped around their necks protected them from the wind as much as it hid their faces. Only their black eyes were visible as they peered through the twin lenses of their riding goggles.
    The four longspurs circled Jaffer's rig once, then twice, before coming to a stop in front of them. The leader raised his fist and waved it in a series of circles over his head. His men revved their engines in time, the crescendo growing to a deafening roar that shook the rig's windows.
    The leader made a cutting motion and the roar died away.
    "Bloody hell," Jaffer said, sounding more annoyed than concerned. "Hang on. I'll take care of this."
    "Wait!"
    "Don't worry. They're harmless. Mostly."
    Before she could stop him, Jaffer had his door open and was climbing down the ladder, leaping the last few rungs to land on the graveled shoulder. Sigrid leaned forward, peering over the edge of the dash to watch.
    All four of the riders dismounted. They took up positions around the front of the rig. Three men and one woman. They were all of them armed.
    The largest of them strode toward Jaffer. He was immensely tall and broad shouldered. Sigrid thought he looked like some Viking warrior with his matted black hair and long braids. A shotgun rested casually on his broad shoulder.
    Standing before Jaffer, he drew the scarf down over his chin to reveal a scruffy beard and grime-covered, bloodshot eyes. He looked Jaffer up and down and smiled.
    "Well, well, well. If it isn't Jaffer."
    " Bins, " Jaffer said, in a way that made the man's name sound more like a curse.
    "Almost didn't think you were going to stop in time. Not many people beat the spikes."
    "You didn't exactly give me much of a warning."
    "Yeah," Bins said, scratching his head with the muzzle of the shotgun. "Sorry about that. If I'd known it was you…I'd have moved 'em closer to the edge."
    "You're a real stand-up guy, Bins. A man among men."
    "Just trying to make a living. So, what's your cargo?"
    "Sea greens. Fresh."
    "Fresh?" Bins said, and gave a whistle. "Expensive."
    "And perishable. So if we can move this along—"
    Bins held up his hand. "Not so fast. There's a lot of hungry people around these parts. I might have to take some of those containers off you."
    With his interest piqued, Bins moved past Jaffer to stride down the length of the rig toward the cargo containers. Jaffer had to run to catch up. He stepped in front of him and put a hand on the jacker's chest.
    "You're not taking my cargo."
    "I might."
    "Look, we both know how this goes. You shake me down and I pay the toll; then we both go on our merry. So unless you brought along something bigger than those longspurs, I doubt you'll be towing much of my cargo