Deep Space Endeavor 3 Death Match by Ron Francis Read Free Book Online Page B

was able to slip her shoes on and she didn’t think her assassin had noticed either. She was about to turn on her portable lighting unit when she heard it. The ever so slight metallic ring of a dagger being drawn from its sheath. It had come from her left, so she took a gamble and kicked out hard to her right. She connected and she heard a grunt. She was able to turn on the portable, but a kick to the hand sent it flying onto the bed. Just enough light was emanating from the portable to throw the room into shadows. Her attacker took a step back, and Ariel thought she saw him smile.
    “This is going to be fun. It has been so long since I have been presented with any kind of a challenge. I do so enjoy a good challenge. I will also really enjoy killing the beloved cousin of the great Jesse Marcos. No one who has ever seen me has lived to tell the tale. I can see you wish to know who I am. It is simple; just ask yourself what year is it?”
    Her breath caught and her heart leapt into her throat as she whispered,” “The Dragon!” The fear was threatening to take control of her, but she wouldn’t let it. She had to survive, if for no other reason than to warn her cousin that it had begun. She noticed his lips curl almost into a smile that let her know her guess was accurate as much as his next words did.
    “Very good,” he teased. “But now you die.” He came at her straight on as his dagger missed the mark. He swung again and she was able to get her arm up in front of her throat as he sliced into her arm. She cried out in pain as she connected with a right hand to his jaw. The blow staggered him for a moment and Ariel took advantage by kicking him hard in the groin. Instantly, she was at the door fumbling with the lock. She was through the door just in time to hear the dagger hit the door as it closed behind her. She glanced back and the tip of the dagger was sticking out of the door. That was some throw, she thought as she continued to run down the empty corridor. As she ran for her life, she noticed the bodies of her two bodyguards and realized that help might not be coming. She sadly mused that it didn’t look like they died quickly and painlessly either. She looked down and realized she was trailing blood from the cut on her arm. She covered her wound with her ripped sleeve and continued to run as she heard her door open. Then, she heard soft but deliberate footsteps coming down the hall after her. She had to make it to the security station. She had to last until her other men arrived. The Dragon had killed the two guards outside her room, but he probably didn’t know about the two that were with the shuttle. She also had eight other guards posing as guests stationed around the resort. Some, if not all of them should already be on their way.
    She made it to the lobby and it was a bloodbath. Blood splatter could be seen all over the walls and several pieces of furniture. Bodies littered the floor as she rounded the corner and gasped in fear. She was horrified to see that there were at least seven dead, including the two security guards. One dead behind the counter, a luggage boy was dead and three guests were dead as well. She began to wonder just how many people the Dragon had killed in his quest to murder her. She knew she couldn’t outrun him for long, and she needed to get the wound in her arm tended quickly because she was losing blood, so she stopped and looked for something she could use to fight with. She saw it almost instantly, stanchions, signifying the cafe was closed. Each stanchion had a six-foot long cobalt colored chain attached to it. She quickly ran over and unhooked a length of the chain. She then took off her pajama top, deciding for the added range of motion. She ripped the sleeve off her top and tied it around her wounded arm stemming most of the blood flow. She didn’t feel at all self-conscious about the skimpy tank top she was wearing. The reality was she wore less to the pool. She did,