Page 50 of Legend of Scorpio
Scorpio, however, frowned. With favorable weather conditions, why would the pilot deviate from standard protocol?
The rumble of a vehicle had him whirling to watch as a pickup truck in major need of a muffler zoomed down the road bordering the field. It didn’t slow, but he still watched it until the taillights and the noise of its failing exhaust system disappeared.
But silence didn’t return.
Whump.Whump.
“Is it me, or do I hear a fucking chopper?” Cancer exclaimed.
With his belly tight, Scorpio snarled, “Get ready. I think we’re about to be ambushed.”
Aries swore. “Leo, soon as you get eyes on it?—”
“Fear not, boss. I will knock the birdie from the sky,” grunted the man getting into postion with his heavy duty artillerary.
“Cancer, ignore the chopper and you stay focused on guiding your drone. I’m sending mine in to sabotage the left engine.”
“Already aiming for the right,” a concentrating Cancer muttered.
“Chopper in sight,” Leo advised as the blinking of its lights became visible. “Get ready for fireworks, boys.”
The boom as the rocket launcher fired didn’t startle. They were used to the noise of heavy munitions, and Leo’s aim proved true. The smudge in the sky turned into a fireball as the munition struck and exploded it. The deafening sound had Scorpio’s ears ringing, and he could barely hear Aries yell, “I just lost control of the drone.” He shook his remote, as if that would help.
“Fuck me, mine’s not responding either,” Cancer hollered in reply.
“Heads up. Incoming!” Aries hollered as the drones, no longer under their control, dove at the Zodiac crew.
Scorpio used the rifle to bat one out of the sky, even as the knot in his stomach tightened. It would seem Cetus’ seer had predicted their operation. Worse, they’d coordinated an ambush of their own that included more than just the single chopper. More whomping could be heard.
Leo confirmed it a moment later. “There’s another bird in the sky. Make that two.” The blinking lights pierced the light mist.
“Abort,” Aries shouted. “Mission is compromised. Everyone, get your asses back to the tower.”
Frustration filled Scorpio at yet another failure.
“Zodiac that, boss.” Cancer was the first to turn into a streak of light that disappeared. Leo stood with his big toy and a scowl. He beamed out a second later.
Not Scorpio. He clenched his jaw as he watched the pair of choppers coming in low. From this height, he could see the merc behind the mounted machine gun.
“Let’s go,” Aries yelled. “We lost the plane. No point in being target practice for these assholes.”
The man had a point, even if it burned. A reluctant Scorpio began the activation of his tattoo, only to pause as he noticed the lights of a vehicle that slowed on the road. The dark SUV, identical to the one they’d used to come to the field, halted, and from the passenger seat spilled Doc just as Aries winked out of sight.
She ran for him, and Scorpio didn’t realize he did as well until he was close enough to see her frightened face. “What are you doing here?” he snapped.
“Sage said I had to come, or something bad would happen.” She came to a panting stop in front of him.
“Too late.” He glanced past her to see Capricorn exiting the SUV. The culprit who’d brought her to the ambush. They’d be having words later. “We have to get out of here. It’s a trap.”
Her eyes widened. “I’m too late.”
“I don’t think your presence from the start would have mattered. They knew we’d be here.” He tucked her against him. “Head to the tower,” he shouted to Capricorn. “Mission is a bust.”
His friend glanced at him then the choppers in the sky before disappearing. Wild how they could get back home fromanywhere with pretty much a simple thought but actually getting somewhere required either intense math or a permanent portal.
The wind from the chopper blades whipped Rebecca’s hair around her face, and he couldn’t help but be surprised the mercs hadn’t started shooting. The delay worked in their favor.
“Hold tight,” he exclaimed as he went to draw from his tattoo to beam them back home.