22. Davrik
CHAPTER 22
DAVRIK
T he pirates stumble from their ship, hacking and wheezing. One clutches his face, skin blistered and raw. Alice's handiwork, no doubt. My chest swells with pride - and worry.
I crouch in the dense foliage, tracking their movements. The injured one breaks off from the group, cursing through his burns. Perfect.
"She couldn't have gone far," he calls to his companions. "Split up!"
The others fan out in different directions while he staggers closer to my position. I ease back, deliberately snapping a twig. His head whips toward the sound.
"Got you now, you little-" He stumbles after me, right where I want him.
Twenty paces ahead looms one of the massive carnivorous plants Alice showed me last week. Its purple-veined leaves spread wide like an invitation, dripping with sweet-smelling nectar that masks its deadly nature.
"This way," I taunt, keeping to the shadows. "Unless those burns are slowing you down?"
"I'll show you slow!" He charges forward, exactly as expected.
I dodge behind the plant's thick stalk. The pirate follows, boot sliding in the slick secretions around its base. He pitches forward with a yelp, straight into the waiting maw. The leaves snap shut with crushing force.
"You should have paid more attention to the local flora," I mutter, watching the plant's digestive enzymes begin their work. "Alice would have warned you about that one."
His muffled screams fade quickly. Four more to go, and I know exactly where to find the most dangerous specimens on this planet. Alice taught me well, even if she never intended these lessons to be used quite like this.
A shout echoes from deeper in the jungle - female. My blood runs cold. Time to hurry.
The female pirate's boots crunch through fallen leaves. "Over here!" Her companion crashes through the undergrowth to join her.
I press myself against a massive tree trunk, remembering Alice's excited voice as she taught me about the local wildlife. "The call sounds like this." She'd cupped her hands around her mouth, demonstrating the specific pitch and rhythm that would draw out the territorial beasts.
The pirates edge closer. "Come on out. We just want a chat about your cargo."
"Yeah," the male adds, "a friendly discussion about proper sharing etiquette."
My fingers curl into the proper position at my mouth. The sound starts low, building to a warbling crescendo that echoes through the canopy. The pirates freeze.
"What the hell was that?" The woman's voice wavers.
A deep growl answers from the shadows. Red eyes gleam between the trees, followed by the distinctive rattle of armored scales against bark.
"Oh shit." The male pirate stumbles backward. "Is that-"
"Run!" The female grabs his arm, yanking him along as the massive predator bursts from the foliage. Its segmented tail whips behind it, clearing a path of destruction as it charges after them.
Their terrified screams fade into the distance, punctuated by the creature's ear-splitting roar. Alice had called it something scientific, but I prefer my own name for it: death on four legs.
"Should have stayed on your ship," I murmur, pushing away from the tree. The sounds of pursuit grow fainter - the beast won't give up until it catches them or drives them far from its territory. Either way, they won't be bothering us again.
Another set of heavy footsteps alerts me to the fuzzy giant's approach. Through the dense foliage, his bulk moves like a shadow, all brute force and no finesse.
"Getting tired yet?" His gravelly voice carries through the jungle. "We can do this the easy way."
I duck under a low-hanging branch. "Easy is boring. Let's make it interesting."
The pit lies thirty paces ahead, concealed by a carpet of fallen leaves and vines. A lot like the one Alice fell in not too long ago. I'm sure there's an exciting scientific explanation for how these pits form, but I'll save that lesson for another day.
"You're just making it worse for yourself." His breathing grows heavier as he gains on me. The thundering footsteps shake loose particles from the canopy above.
I weave between the trees, letting him close the gap. "Actually, I'm making it worse for you."
"Cocky little-" He lunges, massive arms reaching.
My fingers wrap around a thick branch as I leap. The momentum carries me in an arc over the pit. Behind me, the pirate's triumphant laugh turns to panic. His bulk and speed work against him - there's no way to stop his forward momentum.
Leaves explode upward as he crashes through the natural camouflage. His roar echoes off the pit walls, followed by a satisfying thud.
I drop back to the ground and peer over the edge. The pirate thrashes in the bottom, eight feet down, trying to find purchase on the smooth walls.
"Careful," I call down. "The indigenous life down there doesn't appreciate being disturbed."
A high-pitched squeak emerges from the darkness. The pirate goes very still.
"What was that?"
"Ask the local expert. Oh wait, you kidnapped her." I turn away from the pit, leaving him to contemplate his poor life choices. "Have fun making new friends."
I make my way back toward the pirates' ship, following the trail of broken vegetation and boot prints. The local wildlife seems to have gone quiet - never a good sign.
A slow clap echoes through the clearing. "Impressive work with my crewman." The pirate captain steps out from behind the ship's landing strut, his scarred face twisted in a smirk. "Though I expected nothing less from the famous Courier Davrik."
"Your reputation doesn't precede you at all." I scan the tree line, keeping my stance loose. "Which probably explains why you're reduced to harassing research stations."
"Where's the rest of my crew?"
"Making friends with the local wildlife." I bare my teeth in what humans would never mistake for a smile. "The ones that are still breathing, anyway."
He draws himself up, muscles rippling under his worn flight suit. "You think you're clever, don't you? Taking them out one by one?"
"I think I'm efficient. No backup coming, by the way. Hope you weren't counting on that."
"Don't need backup to handle one pretty boy courier." He cracks his knuckles, circling to my left. "Been wanting to test myself against something shiny anyway."
"Flattering, but I have other appointments." My eyes track his movement. "Where is she?"
"The scientist? You tell me. Slippery bitch is long gone." He lunges, faster than his bulk suggests possible.
I pivot, letting his momentum carry him past. His elbow catches my ribs - definitely enhanced cybernetics in those arms. The impact sends me staggering back.
The captain's cybernetic fist whistles past my ear. I duck under his next swing, driving my knee into his gut. He doubles over but recovers quickly, servos whirring.
"Getting slow in your old age?" I taunt, dancing back. "Those enhancements can't make up for poor technique."
"Still talking?" He charges again. "Thought you were in a hurry."
I sidestep, grabbing his extended arm. Using his momentum, I slam him face-first into the ship's hull. The metal rings with the impact.
Blood trickles from his nose as he spins to face me. "You think you're better than me? Some pampered courier-"
My fist connects with his jaw, cutting off his words. "Actually, I know I'm better." Another strike rocks his head back. "And I'm getting really tired of your voice."
He swings wildly, desperation replacing skill. I block each blow, methodically breaking down his defense. My knuckles split against his cybernetic parts, but I barely feel it. The thought of Alice alone in this jungle drives every punch home.
The captain stumbles, spitting blood. "Wait-"
I grab his throat, lifting him off his feet. "Where. Is. She?"
"I don't- please-" His enhanced fingers scrabble at my grip. "She ran south, toward the ravine. We couldn't catch her."
I slam him down, pinning him with my knee. "If you're lying..."
"I swear!" He tries to squirm away, but I hold him firmly. "We just wanted the cargo. Didn't mean to hurt anyone."
"Should have thought of that before attacking my mate's station." I increase the pressure until he whimpers. "Give me one reason I shouldn't feed you to the local wildlife."
"Please," he gasps. "I'll leave. Never come back. Just let me go."
"Stop!"