Ex-Communication: A Novel Read Free Page A

said.
    The thin woman eyed the man and raised her rifle a few inches. “You think?”
    “It was all so fast,” he said, his eyes locked on the rifle’s muzzle. “I mighta just cut myself on something. That’s probably all it is.”
    “Get over to the hospital,” said St. George. “Get checked out. Cerberus, can you go with him?”
    The battlesuit tipped its head and focused on the man. He walked down a wooden staircase and headed down the street. Cerberus followed a few steps behind him.
    “Thanks for the assist, boss,” Makana said to St. George, and then added a nod to Freedom that made his dreadlocks swing. “Bosses. Didn’t think he’d have so many bodies ready to move that fast.”
    Captain Freedom gazed down at the exes. “Helmets,” he said. “This is new.”
    Stealth looked at the guards, then turned her head to Freedom. “How much ammunition was expended in this assault?”
    “Most of it,” said Makana. He glanced at the other guards. They added shrugs and nods. “I’ve only got one mag left after this.”
    “I’m almost out,” said the thin woman.
    “I think I’ve got a couple rounds,” said another man, “and two clips after that.”
    Twin streamers of smoke curled up and out of St. George’s nostrils. “I guess we got here just in time. Let’s get a resupply,” he said, “and some relief guards. Captain, can you stay with them until everything gets here?”
    “Of course, sir,” said the giant officer.
    “And somebody find out if Daniel has … had a family.”
    “I think he had a boyfriend,” said Makana.
    St. George nodded. “Let’s get word to him then.”
    “It is unlikely Legion will make another attempt tonight,” said Stealth. She holstered her weapons and focused on the crowd of exes below. “His demonstrated impatience and the mix of headgear imply this was the majority of his scavenged armor, possibly all of it.”
    St. George raised a skeptical brow. “Are you sure?”
    “He has never returned in less than five hours once he hasbeen driven back. It is more likely he may strike at another part of the Wall, but I would say the odds are against that as well.”
    “So, is this what things are going to be like now?” asked the thin woman. “Because this sucked.”
    Stealth’s expression was hidden beneath the blank fabric of her mask. Her body language was another story. St. George had known her long enough to see the subtle signs.
    “Okay,” he said, “if you’ve got this in hand, Captain, we’ll leave you guys to it and get back to our patrol.”
    Freedom gave them a quick salute. St. George held out his hand and Stealth grabbed his wrist without a word. He focused on a spot between his shoulder blades and rose into the air. He lifted the woman and they shot into the sky, her cloak billowing behind them.
    St. George sailed up to the top of the half-finished building at this corner of the Big Wall. If the world hadn’t ended it would’ve been an office building or apartments by now. Instead, it was a framework of rusted girders and sheetrock. It gave them a good view of the north and west sides of the Wall.
    Stealth lowered herself onto one of the beams. She held onto his hand even though her balance was perfect. She had a firm grip. St. George hung in the air near her, his fingers threaded between hers. “You’ve been expecting something like this, haven’t you?”
    “I have,” she said. “It was only a matter of time before Legion realized he could use the resources of the city to outfit the exes. This will complicate matters for a time. Our ammunition stores are strained as it is.”
    “But you’ve already planned for it?”
    “I have.”
    “So what’s bothering you?”
    “Before the assault, Captain Freedom detained three teenagers attempting to steal a car.”
    “So?”
    “Petty crime has risen almost ten percent in the past few months since the Big Wall was completed. It is a distraction we do not need now that Legion has