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Laser Illusion
I heard lots of celebrating and cheering coming from the speaker, which apparently now worked. Two pairs of feet came charging down the hallway as I made my way back, Olyvia and Layla embracing in the hallway. The kid attacked me in a hug, high on revelry at still being alive while Olyvia leaned against the far wall and took several deep breaths.
“Nice shot,” I said through a mouthful of Layla’s white hair, giving Olyvia thumbs up.
She nodded her thanks with a smile, and we began back down the hallway in an effort to find our way back to the cockpit. We needn’t have bothered. Miles came barreling down the hall with a fist ready to meet my face.
I ducked out of reaction, pulling Layla down with me. Miles smash his fist into the wall, the wood and metal buckling. The pirate withdrew his fist and swung around to have another go at me, his little tirade interrupted when Olyvia grabbed his wrist. She pushed it back at him, smacking him in the face with his own hand.
“Back off!” She snarled.
“You back off, wolf!” He snapped, jerking his hand free. Shooting an angry look at me, he growled, “what the hell were you thinking, tampering with my ship?”
“I was thinking I wasn’t ever good at joystick-controlled games,” I answered, pushing Layla off and rolling to my feet. “I can’t hit the broadside of a barn with anything as clunky as those cannons.”
“So you cut me off?!”
“I saved us from getting our asses handed to us!” I snapped. “I reinforced the outside wood so it could withstand a hit and made copies so it would be harder for Annie to actually hit us. Unless you were counting on her actually sinking your ship for some reason, I thought I was doing you a favor.”
He snorted. “Your motives don’t matter so much as your tact. You’re supposed to do what I ask, not go gallivanting off on your own!”
“Rod helped save our skins,” Layla argued, just now getting to her feet. “And you want to punish him?”
“We’re not under your command,” Olyvia reminded him, “We could have easily jumped off the ship and let you fight it out alone.”
“And I could easily drop you off right now for deliberately withholding information,” Miles snorted. “Unfortunately I’m better than that. I stick to my word.” He stalked up to me and growled, “luckily for you.” He tossed me my phone. As soon as I caught it, he sucker-punched my gut, making me crumple. I had a few missed calls and a text, asking what happened.
“What was that all about?” Layla quietly asked as we followed Miles back to the cockpit.
“I discovered his ship’s secret and now our captain is mad,” I said loudly.
“What secret?”
Miles’ shoulders hunched as he tensed. I waited two seconds longer before answering.
“It’s easily hackable,” I lied.
His shoulders relaxed. Olyvia caught the motion and raised her eyebrows, giving me a questioning look. I gave a little shake with a smile and she understood. I would tell her eventually, I suppose. But first, if I had a moment, I was going to pester Miles with questions. It’s not every day you meet a pirate with a self-aware ship.
My phone buzzed again, and I dropped behind the pack to answer it.
“Should I be worried?” Aw, the me on the other end of the phone actually sounded concerned.
“Not anymore. We just successfully repelled a Hunter’s ship and scraped by with our lives.”
“...you what?!”
“You heard me. Olyvia got to play with a giant lightning gun and fire cannonballs from a flying pirate ship.”
“I knew I should have gone with Olyvia, jerk.”
I let out a short laugh, making the girls look back at me.
“You heard the part where we nearly escaped with our lives, right? Did I skip over that?”
“Still better than my day’s been so far.”
“Huh. Why did you call me?”
“To make sure you’re still alive. I don’t want to be in the middle of something only to be hit by a wave of memories that aren’t mine. It’s like cold jelly for the brain.”
“Yup, still alive.” There was a pause. “What?...no. No way. No no no!”
“What is it?”
“Gotta go!”
The line went dead. I glanced at the phone and shrugged. He was still alive for the moment. That’s always something. Here’s hoping he stayed alive a little longer.
Now...as for the vault I’m getting ready to rob...