Generation Dead by Joseph Talluto Read Free Book Online Page A

two other men stepped in her way.
    “I’m afraid I do think so, darling.  I think you’re going to take that job, and take it right now!”  The leader reached a hand towards his back pocket, where I could see a pair of handcuffs was sitting.
    Before the man even finished talking, Julia was already moving. She ducked down and rolled backwards, coming up behind the two startled pudgy ones with a slim dagger in each hand.  The blades were seven inches long, razor sharp, and as pointy as needles.
    “Don’t make this difficult, missy.  I’d hate to hurt you.”  The leader stepped forward but stopped suddenly, his hands coming up to his neck to grasp at my hand, which had grabbed him from behind.  I turned him quickly to the left, ramming my left fist into his stomach in an attempt to locate his spine.  The air left him in a pained groan and he fell to the ground retching.
    “Funny,” I said, grinning at the two pudgy ones. “I really enjoyed hurting him .” I dropped my hands to my sides and when I raised them again, I was holding my ‘hawk and my knife.  “This conversation is over.”  I crouched slightly, taking in both men at once.  I was already planning my moves should they attack, something my dad taught me to do so much it was reflex.
    The two men looked at me, and then looked at Julia, who winked at the one with the bleach highlights in his hair.  The man didn’t return the favor, and with a shrug, they reached down and collected their boss.  Truth was, they probably would have fought, but they decided it would be better to stay in the graces of their leader than die while trying to avenging him.
    As they dragged him away, one of them fired a parting shot.  “We’ll remember you, mister.  And you, girlie.  We’ll get you, too.”
    Something went cold inside me and I suddenly bolted for the man.  He threw his hands up in defense, but I used the downward slope for momentum and kicked him in the chest, knocking him dozens of feet down the hill.  He came to a stop against a light pole, and I half wondered what it would take to get the attention of the law in this town.  I turned on his friend, but that one skipped backwards so fast I’d have a hard time chasing him.  The man on the ground must have been feeling better, so much so that, when he looked up at me with hate-filled eyes, I returned the favor with a kick to his crotch.  He keeled over and grabbed his wounded jewels, making small mewing sounds through his pain.
    “Come on, Julia, let’s get the hell out of here.  These three aren’t even entertaining,”  I said, sheathing my weapons.  Julia had already put hers away, and as we walked past the still standing fat guy, she lunged suddenly at him, causing him to lose his balance and fall into a rather large puddle.
    As we left the trio, I glanced back and saw the men returning to their leader, trying to get him to stand up and having their efforts rebuked.  I laughed inwardly, but I wondered what my father would have done, seeing what was happening to a town he helped to revive and save?
    “Think Jake is all right?”  Julia asked, looking around at the corners and alleyways as we hurried away from the last altercation.
    “Likely.  He doesn’t attract too much attention.”
    “Jake?”
    “Usually.”
    “Jake?”
    “Sometimes?”  I knew I was reaching, and knew that we could have a big fight on our hands if Jake went a little off the chain.  Given the mood that he woke up in, and the trouble we had, I figured if Jake hadn’t blown by now, he wasn’t going to.

 
     
    Chapter 12
     
    We moved down the hill and back towards the river front area.  People were moving about, going about their business and lives, and there was a general energy to the place.  There was something, else, though, something that didn’t have a specific name to it.  I felt it when we stood down by the candle shop and hardware store. 
    People walking around didn’t look up too much,