The Valkyrie Project by Nels Wadycki Read Free Book Online Page A

eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm sure we'll find plenty of clues in here. Maybe we can start by searching the bodies of the guards. Oh , wait."
    The guard's body was just a pair of quickly disappearing combat boots. From what Ana could see, the assassin above them would be gone soon as well.
    Justin appeared from around the side of a crate. "What the fuck is the Infinite Army? If they're infinite, should we be expecting more guys to pop out and shoot each other with acid disintegration guns?"
    "Well, unless one of them called the Infinite General of the Infinite Army before impersonating the Wicked Witch, then I think we're clear of said army for now."
    "Would be one of our easier fights, though," Marisol said.
    "So, what now? Just search the place?" Justin asked.
    "I suppose so. Looks like just the one large room here and a control room upstairs."
    Ana nodded in agreement.
    "Justin, you want to check the control room? Ana and I should be able to case this place pretty fast."
    And they did. Justin was still loading information onto his comm when they met him up in the control room.
    "Nothing suspicious down there," Marisol said.
    Ana didn't exactly agree with her, but she couldn't figure out why. It was just a small tangled thread with one end tethered somewhere in the back of her mind. Half of her was worried that if she pulled on it too hard, she'd just get a bucket of water from the bottom of a well. The other half was worried that if she didn't pull, the child trapped at the other end would be trapped in the well until he starved. Still, she said nothing. There were times when a gut feeling was enough for a Valkyrie to go on, but this one wasn't strong enough for Ana to act on. Yet.
     
    --
 
    Ana spotted him through the window, balanced on a half-sphere, throwing a full sphere against a wall. Bounce. Catch. Bounce. Catch. Swaying a bit, but staying balanced.
    Sweat shone in the shards of sun that stepped through the window, over Ana's shoulder, onto the skin of the few people who occupied the gym. A bronze hue hung in the air like a filter on a camera lens.
    She pushed through the door.
    Bounce. Catch. Bounce. Catch.
    Ana approached, wondering if she looked to outside observers as much like a cat stalking a mouse as she imagined she did. Of course, this mouse could probably have her for dinner instead of the other way around. And in a place not as sparkling clean as this gym, the thought might have turned into an innuendo in her mind. For now, though, it remained a decent hunter-prey metaphor.
    Bounce. Catch. Bounce. Catch.
    "Hey there, handsome."
    Bounce. Smack.
    The sphere appeared much heavier when it struck Jrue's stomach than it had when he was tossing it against the wall. He caught the ball, held it against his stomach, then turned to look at her. He held the pain from the impact to a small squint in his right eye and a sharp intake of breath.
    "Sorry, I didn't mean to be such a distraction." It sounded a lot more like a pickup line than she'd intended.
    "No problem. Just surprised to see you."
    "Aren't doctors always supposed to check up on their patients?"
    "I don't think that applies to field doctors."
    "Nevertheless, here I am. So, how are you doing?"
    "As well as can be expected, really. The docs said that I'll be able to fly again soon. I'd say they said it was thanks to you, but I'm pretty sure your job has already given you an inflated head."
    "Speak for yourself. Your head isn't doing you any favors." Ana blurted the insult. Then after registering what he'd said, "Do people really think that? That Valkyries think their shit don't stink? I've been in the bathroom with those girls and I can provide positive proof to the contrary."
    "Please , Ana dear. Are you really trying to play off that you didn't know the Valkyrie Project is the alpha dog pet project of this whole place?" He was still smiling a bit. She wasn't sure, though, if he was really amused or just trying to be nice.
    "I" —her mind stumbled in searching for