My go:
This story features Peter Tyler, an NPC in Kvant and is set in Sihnon in December 2517.
The irritating dog was no longer being irritating, Major Peter Tyler thought, as he watched the poodle snoring under the Christmas tree. He took another sip of his wine as this undercover assignment continued – an evening pretending to be a banker, when in reality he was something else entirely.
His unit, or part of it at any rate, had been hired for a covert surveillance/protection operation – to keep an eye on a rich heir until she turned 21 and gained access to her full trust fund, worth a considerable amount of money. If she died before then, her uncle would inherit instead… which was an obvious motive for murder. Thus, a group of Brent Cross mercs were staking out this party, waiting for an assassin to show up and then deal with the situation – hopefully in the process gaining the proof they needed to take this person to the authorities.
As he watched the woman in her festive red dress dancing, the usual masculine urges came about, but he suppressed them – she was half his age and that really, really wouldn’t help his career.
Something interrupted this train of thought. He saw a man in a Santa outfit approaching the woman. His highly trained eyes noticed the bulge in the man’s stomach and the location of his hand…
"Gun!" he yelled, racing forward to tackle the shooter. Tuxedo and red suit tumbled to the ground together, grappling frantically as two other Brenties grabbed their charge and swiftly escorted her out of the elaborate hall. Tyler’s reflexes weren’t what they were and he took a punch to the head, rolling to the floor as his opponent sprinted for the fire escape, killing a waiter as he ran.
Tyler got up and went after him, blood oozing from his head - he was going to get this guy come hell or high water. He followed him down the stone corridors, but the head injury was making him feel woozy… then he missed his step and tumbled down a flight, landing hard, but remaining conscious.
He again got to his feet and reached the bottom, kicking open the door ten seconds after his quarry, feeling the cold winter air go through his tuxedo. He saw his quarry getting into a mule and he saw his own company vehicle ahead of it… He jogged over and got into the car, starting the ignition and then reaching for the gear lever.
He moved it to where he thought first gear was, but his vision was blurring and he actually moved it into reverse. There was a sickening crunch as he went straight back into a concrete wall at ten miles per hour… followed by the sound of gunshots as others did his job for him.
Major Tyler was fined two weeks’ worth of wages for operating when unfit – and had to pay for the repairs.
- Silent
Last edited by Silent Hunter (2013-04-13 15:22:55)