Advance (Animus Book 4) Read online

  Advance

  Animus™ Year Two Book One

  Joshua Anderle

  Michael Anderle

  Advance (this book) is a work of fiction.

  All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

  Copyright © 2018 Joshua Anderle and Michael Anderle

  Cover Art by Jake @ J Caleb Design

  http://jcalebdesign.com / [email protected]

  Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

  A Michael Anderle Production

  LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  LMBPN Publishing

  PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

  Las Vegas, NV 89109

  First US edition, December 2018

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Author Notes

  Books by Michael Anderle

  Connect with The Authors

  The Advance Team

  Thanks to the JIT Readers

  Nicole Emens

  James Caplan

  Kelly O’Donnell

  Crystal Wren

  John Ashmore

  Mary Morris

  Joshua Ahles

  Misty Roa

  Kelly Ethan

  Peter Manis

  Terry Easom

  If I’ve missed anyone, please let me know!

  Editor

  The Skyhunter Editing Team

  To Family, Friends and

  Those Who Love

  to Read.

  May We All Enjoy Grace

  to Live the Life We Are

  Called.

  Chapter One

  The dropship pierced through the Amazon’s biosphere with a loud snap. A quick glance out the window revealed dark clouds as droplets of water began to smear across the screens. Clicks and hums indicated that the team had begun to prepare for their landing and tapped against their guns or activated them. One of the mercs moved his arm to one side to cram something in his pack and knocked a grenade off his vest. He grabbed at it quickly but was beaten to it by the bounty hunter across from him.

  The man glared at him in annoyance from sharp, deep eyes framed by dark skin. He huffed an exasperated sigh as he handed the explosive to the merc. “I have no plans to die today,” he murmured. “But if I have to, I would appreciate doing it with my boots on the ground rather than courtesy of a fool who doesn’t know how clips work.”

  The man sneered and hooked the grenade on his vest. He slid against the wall of the dropship. “It wouldn’t have gone off from a small drop. It ain’t no Bouncing Betty.”

  The bounty hunter removed his brimmed hat and ran a hand through his cropped black hair. He replaced and lowered it as he snickered. In in a low tone, he said, “Considering the poor condition of your equipment, I wouldn’t be surprised if those things blew up in your hand the first time you tried to use them.”

  The merc’s sneer deepened and he looked at his two buddies on his left. “Do you believe this asshole? Mouthing off like this.” He pointed a thumb at the cannon on his back. “You’re gonna wish you were a little nicer when the shit goes down and you want the back-up of someone with some real firepower. What’s your little rifle gonna do against mutants?”

  The bounty hunter smiled and hefted his rifle. With a medium barrel and shortened stock, it had obviously seen a lot of use as the gray color had long since faded and long, dark spots dotted the barrel. “This is an old Medusa model rifle, so named because one shot could stop even heavily armored soldiers in their tracks. I like to call her ‘Mary,’ and this old girl’s seen me through more fights than you’ve probably been in. She’ll do the job just fine. I’m not sure I can count on you lot to do the same.”

  The three mercs scoffed and hissed their derision. One turned away while the one farthest away on the bench leaned forward and placed a hand on his knee. “Yer right, Hodder, this guy would do better to keep his lips shut than flap them at all.” He growled and withdrew a small bottle from a pocket on his jacket. “Why would you talk all high and mighty like that? You’re a bounty hunter and you’re slumming it on a retrieval mission with guys like us. You must have fallen on some hard times to work with mercenaries rather than catching us.” He unscrewed the top of his bottle, tilted it, and tapped the side until two pills fell into his waiting palm.

  “I have my own reason for being here.” The man shrugged and watched the merc pass the bottle across the silent team member to the big, grumpy one. He shook his head as he placed his rifle on his lap. “You’re gonna pop some Jolts just before a mission?”

  “Yeah? What about it?” the first, Hodder, barked. “Gets us all nice and peppy. We’ll get this thing done in an hour and be back in time to find some ass on the night strip.”

  “Did you see the tits on the gig dealer back at the port?” his companion asked as he downed the pills. “I want to see if I can’t find my way under that tight blouse of hers when we turn this thing in.”

  “I was too busy peeking at our little minx of a pilot.” Hodder snickered. “I hope you don’t get so amped that you can’t fly, Kane. I wanna see if she and I can’t have a little tumble in the cargo hold on the way back. I’ll bet I can make that ass bounce like the ship’s jets.”

  “Aren’t you a romantic,” another voice interjected. The three mercs and the bounty hunter looked at Kaiden, the fifth member of their team who sat in the dim, shoddy lighting near the back of the junker ship. “You said the same thing back when we took off. If you need a hole so badly, I’m sure the pinhole on that grenade you dropped would suffice.”

  “Another smartass?” Hodder growled. He aimed his cannon casually at the younger man with one large arm. “I’m losing my patience with the two of you. You can stop with your little comedy routine. It ain’t as funny as you think.”

  “I’m laughing.” The bounty hunter chuckled and earned a quick glare from Hodder.

  “Keep it up and I’ll blow you away with this,” he threatened.

  “You might wanna mind your word choice there,” Kaiden mused jovially and deliberately remained in the shadows. “And I don’t think your little show is much better than ours. Your acting is terrible.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Hodder demanded. “This thing is primed and ready. I don’t care if we’re one—” He shot another questioning glare at the bounty hunter. “Or two men short. We can do this fine without you. It’s dealing with punks like you that make chain gigs such a pain in the ass.”

  “For the first time so far, I agree with you,” he said with a
laugh.

  Kaiden chuckled. He hadn’t yet introduced himself, and no one had bothered to ask his name. “If it’s one thing the Fire Riders are known for, it’s accomplishing missions with impeccable grace and success rates.” He pointed to the fireball and jackal tattoo on Hodder’s shoulder. “And not being one of the bottom-rung gangs of the Midwest who are basically the bottom shelf hobo wine of gig fodder.”

  Hodder continued to seethe as Kane leaned forward to get a better look at the lone man. “Do you think you know what it means to be in a gang like ours? And you spout off like this bastard.” He flicked a finger at the bounty hunter. “All that hot air, but you’re on this mission the same as us. Do you think you’re any better?”

  “First off, hell yes, I do.” Kaiden nodded. “Secondly, let’s answer that. How much are you getting paid for this?”

  “Two hundred and fifty thousand credits.” The skinny merc smiled.

  “To split?” the bounty hunter asked. He tipped the brim of his hat up and revealed an amused look like he had a private joke only he knew about.

  “It’s called a deal—two hundred and fifty thousand credits for three members of the Fire Riders. That’s a steal,” he retorted. “I’d bet the two of you get maybe fifty thousand. We’re the cleaners here.”

  “No. You are, as I’ve just explained, the fodder.” Kaiden pointed to himself. “I’m getting two hundred and fifty thousand.”

  “What?” Kane yelled, and his gaze darted to the bounty hunter. “What are you raking in?”

  “That’s not a polite question to ask,” he stated, and his smile became a cool smirk. “But something like four hundred, since you’re prying.”

  “What the hell?” Kane hissed “That gig dealer screwed us!”

  “Shut. Up,” Hodder growled at his crony and shifted the cannon to aim at the bounty hunter. The target simply looked at it and frowned, his arms still folded. The merc traced a finger along the trigger. “Both of you, shut the hell up. I think I should maybe take you out now and collect your fees after this is done.”

  Boots thudded on the metal flooring and a pistol pressed against the side of Hodder’s head. “Like I said, your acting is terrible,” Kaiden said. “You can’t simply fire a cannon. It has to charge, unlike my pistol.” He tapped the trigger threateningly. “And even if you were able to get a shot off, you would blow a hole in this ship and take everyone—you included—down with it. So either you’re blowing smoke, or— Good Lord, did you not even consider that?”

  “Hey, he’s gotta worry about breathing, acting tough, and enunciating. He’s taxed,” the bounty hunter said as his smirk returned.

  “Get away from him,” Kane commanded and brandished a hand cannon. “You put that scrawny little peashooter away, or I’ll give this ship an overdue paint job.”

  Kaiden glanced up, and the direct lighting revealed his tanned face with a scar to the right of his left eye and on the side of his neck. He studied Kane with piercing silver eyes, sighed, and tossed the pistol to his opposite hand. Kane smirked in triumph before a shot rang out. In an instant, his hand cannon was on the floor, and he held his hand in pain. Hodder looked at his friend before he realized that the pistol barrel now aimed between his eyes.

  “You guys are not good at this intimidation thing, are you?” Kaiden asked. He seemed as deft with his left hand as he’d been with his right.

  “Nice shot,” the bounty hunter said approvingly. “Nice gun too. I don’t think I’ve seen one like that.”

  The ace rotated the pistol to display the bronze frame and barrel with a black grip and small venting ports, and the weapon gleamed in the light. “Much obliged. It’s called Debonair. It’s a gift.”

  “Someone has good taste.”

  Kaiden smiled. “He’s usually something of a bastard, but I put up with him—at least until I can take him down myself.”

  “How considerate of you.”

  “Get that thing out my face,” Hodder demanded.

  “Oh, found your voice again?” he asked but made no effort to remove the pistol. “And you managed not to piss yourself. Maybe you do have the backbone to go with all that bluster.”

  “I’ll rip your damn—” the merc began, but a fist knocked his head back into the wall. The shooter raised the pistol and his eyebrows went up in surprise.

  The fifth man had, up until this point, been silent. His shaven head and thin eyebrows gave his large, round face a boulder-like appearance. He folded his massive arms and returned the study. “Take a seat. There’s no need for this. I’ll make sure they shut up.”

  Kaiden looked at the merc, whom he assumed was the leader or head of their little party, then at Hodder who clutched the back of his head in pain. He shrugged and placed his pistol back into its holster. “It’s nice to see at least one of you is civil.”

  “If all of us were like these jackasses, the Fire Riders wouldn’t be any better than street punks,” the man said solemnly. He unlatched a compartment on his belt and removed a pack of Sinner’s Blend cigarettes. “Our rep may not be much better than you make it out to be, but we’re doing some rebranding.” He placed a cigarette in his mouth and raised his other hand to reveal a large gauntlet. The top part of the thumb popped open and a small flame jetted out. He used it to light the cigarette.

  “Surprising honesty,” the bounty hunter said as Kaiden sat beside him, “We’ll see if that pays off. I know the name of your two little caged pugs here, but I haven’t got yours.”

  “Lazar,” he stated and took a puff. “What about you, bounty hunter?”

  “Magellan,” he replied, and the merc looked at him in surprise.

  “Magellan Desperaux?” Lazar asked and received a small nod in reply. “Well, I didn’t think I’d run into someone with your pedigree on a gig like this.” He took another drag and flicked the ash aside. “It makes me wonder what sort of trouble this gig has in store for us.”

  “I would say that this is clearly a hat-trick gig,” Kaiden interjected. “Get in, get the payload, and get out. The guy who put me up to this suggested as much.”

  “I’ve had a few of those lately,” Lazar muttered. “People grade the gig lower so they don’t have to pay as much. They hide it behind easy objectives and hope that we do the actual job they want at half the price or less.”

  “You gotta admire the balls of the people who try that,” Magellan mused. “Tricking anyone dangerous or crazy enough to take on a gig at a rogue port doesn’t exactly lead to a long life.”

  “My source said this was supposedly requested by a corporation. You would think they could spare the creds,” Kaiden protested.

  Magellan chuckled. “Corps don’t exactly have the best idea of what is fair.” He looked at Kaiden. “You’ve been free with your info, but not your name. Tell us, youngblood, what are you called?”

  “I’m not exactly a youngblood, not in this business, at least.” He shrugged and grinned wryly. “But to keep up appearances and niceties and all that, I’m Kaiden—”

  “Damn you.” The three looked at Kane. His armor was cracked, and blood dripped from his hand. “Look what you did to my hand.”

  “I shot your gun and the explosion cracked your armor?” Kaiden asked in disbelief. “And your buddy made fun of this guy’s rifle? How far are you gonna get with that clown suit?”

  “I’ll wring your damn neck,” the merc vowed and shook his good fist.

  “That would be impressive,” Magellan commented.

  “Settle down, Kane,” Lazar ordered.

  “But, boss…” the man whined and held his bleeding hand up again. “Look at what he—”

  “Hey, partner.” Chief appeared in front of Kane.

  The skinny merc shielded his face, “My eyes!” he yelled as he winced and staggered back. He tripped and fell into the aisle and Lazar muttered under his breath in frustration.

  Chief turned to look at the cowering merc. “I should remember that not every peon can truly handle my shining magnificence
. I should show more mercy and discretion.”

  “You haven’t adjusted your light display,” Kaiden muttered and shielded his eyes as Magellan lowered his hat to cover his. “Turn the lights down already.”

  Chief sighed. “It’s a tragedy to have to lower myself to this level for the benefit of others. Life is unfair, I gotta say.” The EI’s luminescence dimmed, and his golden glow faded to a sandy color as small blue and while lights raced around his form. His single eye scanned the dropship’s cabin. “You really brought out the A-team on this one, huh?”

  “You’re quite a loud EI, aren’t you?” Lazar mumbled as he finished his cigarette.

  “I don’t remember linking my oculars to see anyone else’s EI,” Magellan stated.

  “He’s a…special EI,” Kaiden explained. “Well, I have a special EI device, but he’s still unique in his own way.”

  “Yes, praise me,” Chief declared.

  “Goddammit, Chief.” Kaiden sighed. “Is there any reason you needed to pop out?”

  “I’m stretching my legs, partner,” Chief said. Magellan looked beneath the floating orb and then at Kaiden with a questioning expression.

  He waved a hand to tell him to forget about it. “Nothing else, then?”

  “Well, we’re gonna make landfall soon so you might wanna get the rest of your gear on.”

  Kaiden nodded in acknowledgment. “Good to know, but I think the pilot will tell us when—”