Peacemaker fgc-3 Read online

  Kali dropped into a crouch, expectingretaliation. Sooty clutched at his head, but he was grinning.

  “Worth it,” he said andsauntered to the ladder. “Sparwood’ll find his goods bruised up.”He snickered as he climbed and disappeared through thehatch.

  “Idiot,” Kalisaid.

  A woman’s scream sounded, then was cut offwhen the hatch clanged shut. Kali’s indignation faded. Kali couldbe experiencing a far worse fate at the moment. And she might stillhave to worry about that, if she didn’t escape.

  The guard jerked his shotgun toward her.“Get to work.”

  Kali opened the furnace door and squinted asheat rolled out. Next to the gloom of the boiler room, the flamesthrew off an inferno of light. While she scooped coal from the binand into the firebox, she debated her options. She could fling ashovelful of burning embers at the guard, but he was too far awayfor her to launch a follow-up attack. She hadn’t seen the captainpass him the keys for her leg iron either. Something on theworkbench might help her escape, but it too was well out ofreach.

  Kali eyed the heavy black chain attached toher ankle and didn’t see any weaknesses. It would take a blacksmithto break one of the thick links. At the other end, the chainattached to an eyelet secured with a hinge to an iron plate mountedflush in the deck. She couldn’t have been the first prisoner to bechained in the boiler room.

  She kept scooping coal into the furnacewhile she contemplated that hinge. In its present state, shedoubted she could wedge the tip of the shovel into the crease topry the eyelet free, but she’d loosened many a rusted old bolt byapplying heat to break the bond.

  The next time she dumped fresh coal into thefurnace, she slipped a few burning red embers out. The guard waswatching her, but the door hid the shovel, and the furnace itselfblocked the eyelet from his view. Kali laid the glowing coals onthe metal plate around the hinge. Making certain not to take toomuch time and rouse suspicions, she repeated the process until apile of hot coals lay all about the eyelet.

  Kali continued to load the furnace for acouple more minutes, giving the iron time to heat. Even if she wasable to loosen the hinge and pull the chain free, she still had todeal with the guard.

  “It’s getting prettyfull.” She paused to mop sweat from her brow. “How much more shouldI put in?”

  “When it’s full, close thedoor and start loading the other one.”

  “Whatever you say, boss.”Kali considered her words, then added, “I don’t suppose there’sanything I can do to talk you into letting me go?” If she was toogood of a worker and didn’t try to wheedle her way out of her fate,that might make him suspicious. “I’ve got money stashed at home.How much do you make as a pirate?”

  “More than you’vegot.”

  “I doubt that,” Kali said.“My partner is a proficient bounty hunter, and he shares hisearnings.”

  “Men who give money towomen are stupid. Get back to work.”

  Kali rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Shecertainly wasn’t going to explain what she did to earn her half. Noneed for him to think she might have a crafty side.

  “It’s powerful hot inhere.” Kali wiped her brow again and leaned on the shovel. “Anychance I can get some water?”

  “You’ve barely beenworking five minutes. You’re fine.”

  Kali made a show of letting her shouldersslump and tried to look weary as she went back to shoveling. Aftera few more rounds, she said, “I just need a little break.”

  She slipped between the furnaces, nudged thecoals off the eyelet with her shovel, and eased the tip into thehinge crease. She wiggled the blade in deeper, relieved when therewas enough give to do so. Then she leaned her weight onto it. Thehinge pin eased upward, but it made a telling creak.

  “What’re you doing overthere, woman?” Footsteps thudded on the deck.

  Kali shoved downward with all of herstrength. The hinge popped free. Kali scattered the hot embers,smacked the shovel against the furnace, making a loud clang, thendropped to the floor on her back, hiding the popped hinge with herbody. She closed her eyes and didn’t move.

  The guard stomped around the corner. Kaliwatched through her eyelashes as he surveyed the mess. “Stupidwoman, what’d you do?”

  Passed out from heat exhaustion, or so shehoped he’d think.

  The guard came close enough to kick her bootwith his foot, then, when she did not respond, he leaned in closer.He reached down, probably intending to take the shovel from herreach. Before he could grab the shaft, Kali whipped it up andslammed the pan into his face.

  The pirate reeled back, but the blow was notenough to drop him. He lunged for the shovel. Kali hit him againand scrambled to her feet. The guard, blood running in twinrivulets from his nose, started to lift his gun. She jammed herheel into his shin, and he yowled and went down. Kali snatched theheavy iron chain from the floor and swung it at his head. Itconnected with a solid thud. The man’s shotgun drooped in hishands. Kali tore it free and backed away, aiming it at hischest.

  “On your belly,” shebarked.

  The man groaned and slumped to the floor,eyes crossing. She found the rope the pirates had tied her withearlier and hurried to bind his hands and legs while he was stillwoozy. If she could find the key to her leg iron, she’d stick thaton him as well and see how well he liked being tied up.

  “You have any morebuckshot?” Kali asked after checking the shotgun. She could fire itonce, but that was it.

  “Not down here,” thepirate growled, his eyes focusing again. “Why don’t you wander upand look for some above decks? I’m sure someone can help youout.”

  “With a bullet to thechest, I’m sure,” Kali said.

  Figuring she didn’t have much time, sherushed over to the work table. She decided the iron band on herankle wasn’t a priority and left it on while she searched throughher tools for, yes, there was the vial of flash gold. She wassurprised the captain hadn’t taken it with him, but maybe Conradwas the only one who knew what it was, or maybe he’d warned themnot to take it. Now if Kali could come up with something useful todo with it before someone came and checked on her….

  Another feminine cry of pain echoed throughthe ship, muffled by the closed hatch, but not muffled enough. Kaliclenched her jaw. She had more than one reason to hurry.

  Kali checked the machine shop drawers andtoolboxes. She doubted she would stumble across something asobviously handy as ammunition for the shotgun, but maybe she couldfind raw materials to make-she did not know what yet. But she hadthe flash gold, so she could power something. She just had tofigure out what.

  A tin of kerosene sitting in a bottom drawermade Kali pause. A slow smile curved her lips. That certainlyincreased the possibilities. Another drawer offered a bunch offunnels and strainers of various sizes. They must fill the ship’srunning lamps down there.

  Kali tapped the shotgun thoughtfully. “If Icould find some kind of pressurized tank…the flash gold could beturned into an ignition system. It’s an energy source, after all.”While she muttered to herself, she rifled through the rest of thedrawers. “Piping, hm. I could make a pump to pressurize a tank withair…like with my spud launcher.” She snorted, imagining herselfracing through the corridors, pelting pirates with potatoes. Thisnew weapon would have to be a little more inimical. She grabbed ascrewdriver and started disassembling the shotgun’s firingmechanism.

  Minutes ticked past as she hunkered over thetable, sweat dribbling into her eyes and dropping from her chin. Ithad to be over a hundred degrees in the boiler room. Still, she’drather be there than in Sparwood’s cabin.

  Muffled grunts came from between theboilers, and Kali jumped. She’d forgotten about her prisoner. Withher new project in hand, she rushed over to check on him. He wasstill bound, though he looked like he’d been trying to saw hisropes off using the corner of the coal bin.

  He gaped at Kali when she came into sight.Actually he gaped at the shotgun in her hands. It still had thesame body, but the two salvaged tanks attached under the barrelwere definite upgrades. On
e held kerosene and the other pressurizedair. A slender tube fed the flammable liquid into and through thebarrel. The flash gold flake was tucked out of sight, inside themuzzle, but she’d imprinted it with a command to ignite thekerosene when the trigger was pulled.

  “Whuf iff it?” the piratedemanded, his words almost indistinguishable through the gag Kalihad stuffed into his mouth.

  Kali doubted her weapon would work on thefirst attempt-given the way the day’s luck had gone, she might evenblow herself up-but she pulled the trigger, figuring she had to tryit eventually anyway. And wouldn’t it be great if it worked withthis stunted vegetable looking on?

  The weapon issued a soft gurgle as liquidtraveled from the tank and through the gun. Though she had takensome care to hide the flash gold from view, streaks of yellowlightning escaped, coursing along the weapon, creating a rivetingdisplay. Kali rolled her eyes. The stuff always seemed to want tosteal the show.

  Then the fuel ignited.

  Kali had been expecting a flame-that was thewhole point of the design, after all-but the three-foot-long,six-inch-wide inferno that whooshed out of the barrel surprised herwith its size and power. She nearly dropped the gun. Even with theflame shooting out of the end, heat crackled in the air, beatingagainst her hands and face, and she eyed the wooden stock withconcern. It ought to be all right, for the short term. Shehoped.

  “What is it, you ask?”Kali said, trying to cover her surprise with nonchalant words. “Ihaven’t thought of a name yet. Got any ideas?”

  “Shit,” the pirate said,sort of. The gag made elocution difficult.

  “That won’t impress anyoneat the patent office.”

  The air buzzed around the weapon, andlightning continued to dance, streaking along the outside of theshotgun shaft to mingle with the flame. The stink of burningkerosene arose, and Kali wondered if she should have made a switchthat could modulate the amount of fuel sent to the flame. Ah, well.Next time. If nothing else, this ought to scare some pirates. Shelet go of the trigger, and the flame died out.

  Thus armed, Kali jogged for the ladderleading to the upper decks of the ship.

  “Whar…goin’?” the piratetried to call through the gag.

  “To put a wrench inCudgel’s wheel.”

  Kali clanked her way up the ladder, the gunbumping and tangling in the rungs, the leg iron adding weight toher ankle.

  “Perhaps not the bestweapon for stealth,” she muttered.

  Nonetheless, she made it to the top andmanaged to juggle her gear long enough to ease the hatch open andpeer out. She didn’t see any feet in the narrow door-filledcorridor above, but the hatch blocked half of her view. Shelistened. Muffled voices came from somewhere nearby, someone’scabin most likely, but no footsteps thudded toward her, so shehoped that meant the corridor was empty. From her point of view,she couldn’t see the steps or ladder that ought to lead to the opendeck up top. All of the doors in view were shut, including one atthe far end.

  If Kali could find the navigation areawithout anyone spotting her, maybe she could surprise whoevermanned those controls and take over the ship before anyone knewwhat was happening. Except that she feared a ship like this,designed like a naval vessel, would have its navigation bridgeabove decks where lots of people could see it. Well, it was themiddle of the night. Maybe the crew would be sleeping or down inthe city, enjoying their ill-gotten earnings on gambling andwomen.

  Kali lifted the hatch the rest of the wayand climbed out.

  “You!” a pirate barkedfrom narrow stairs that had been hidden from view by the hatch. Hecharged her, a cutlass raised overhead.

  Kali cursed in her mother’s tongue andwhipped the modified shotgun up, pulling the trigger.

  This time, with the weapon already primed,the flames leapt to life immediately. The pirate ran right intothem. They poured against his chest, incinerating clothing andsearing flesh. He screamed, an ear-piercing cry of pure agony.

  Kali pulled her weapon to the side andreleased the trigger, half because she couldn’t hold those flameson a man, and half because she was afraid she’d catch the woodencorridor on fire. The pirate’s scream only grew louder. Knowing sheneeded to quiet him, she slammed the butt of the shotgun into hishead. It was cruel to beat a man already so wounded, and she hatedthat she had to do it, but she couldn’t have him carrying on,alerting the entire ship. The pirate crumpled to the deck,clutching his chest, and sobbing. The air stank of burning flesh,and Kali’s stomach roiled. Frustrated with her lack of options, shepushed him so that he fell through the open hatch and into theboiler room below. There was a lock on the hatch, and she threw itinto place. It blocked out the man’s sobs, but she would neverforget the sight of his flesh and muscle being burned off beforeher eyes.

  “What have I made?” she whispered, tears stinging her eyes. Sheshould have found a way to make more buckshot for the gun. It’d bea more merciful way to kill someone. Even a pirate didn’tdeserve-

  A door in the corridor flew open, and abarefoot man stumbled out, gun belt clenched between his teethwhile he fumbled to fasten his trousers.

  No time for self-doubt. Kali stood, foot onthe closed hatch, and aimed the weapon at him. Cruel or not, it wasthe only one she had.

  The pirate stared at her-no, at the strangegun in her hands-and didn’t immediately run toward her. She thumbedthe flames on again, judging him far enough away that he’d feel theheat without being burned. Fire leapt from the end of the barrelwith surprising flair. Narrow streams twisted and twined in theair, shifting intensity and direction, like dancers on a stage.Watching it gave Kali a chill, as there was no mundane explanationfor that. The flake of flash gold had to be affecting it, as if ithad a mind of its own and was taking artistic license. Showingoff.

  After a long, stunned second, the piratestumbled back, his belt falling from his mouth.

  “Go back inside yourcabin,” Kali said, “and don’t come out until the sun’sup.”

  She had no idea what she looked like afterthe rough night, but he stared at her, mouth agape, as if he’d seenthe Grim Reaper. Then he lunged back inside and slammed the doorshut.

  “That’s a better solutionthan maiming people,” Kali said, then shut her mouth, because therewas a tremor in her voice. Her hands were shaking too.

  Somewhere above her, people shouted. Thewhole ship had to have been roused by that man’s scream. Kali wassurprised pirates weren’t already charging down the stairs to gether. Sneaking to navigation was out of the question now, and shefeared she wouldn’t have much time to come up with a plan beforeshe found herself in a firefight.

  Another door opened, this one behind her.Kali spun, weapon at the ready. This time, she recognized the hugeman who ducked to poke his head into the corridor. Sparwood. Hisbeard and hair stuck out in all directions, and a knife in his handdripped blood. His button-down shirt was open, showing black matsof chest hair as tangled as the snarled locks on his head.

  Like a bear, Kali thought. An animal. Not ahuman being.

  She held her finger on the trigger, butdidn’t pull it yet, not when he might easily duck back inside forcover. He smirked, eyes gleaming as he watched her. There was nofear in them. The cotton-for-brains lummox didn’t even look at herweapon.

  He stepped into the corridor and raised hisfree hand, beckoning her with his fingers. He held the knifeloosely in the other, like he didn’t think he’d need it. If herweapon failed her, he wouldn’t. But, no, she couldn’t think likethat. It had worked before; it would work again.

  As if in response to her thoughts, theconverted shotgun hummed in her hands. In the back of her mind, sheacknowledged that that was strange-she hadn’t pulled the trigger toturn the weapon on yet-but she had to stay focused on Sparwood.

  Kali walked closer, slowly, steadily. A softsob came from within the beast’s quarters, but she didn’t letherself feel any relief at hearing the girl alive. She might wellbe beyond help at this point. Kali forced herself not to think, notto feel anything.

  Then the bear leaped for her, his ma
ssivebulk filling the entire corridor. Kali pulled the trigger, even asshe realized there’d be no evading him. He’d crash into heranyway.

  Flames burst forth, a massive inferno thatlit the corridor like a sun. She didn’t aim for his chest, but forhis prick. Even if he survived the burns-and she hoped hedidn’t-she’d make sure he didn’t rape anyone else again.

  The fire flowed into him, engulfing him,wrapping about him and bathing him fully. He didn’t scream, but heroared, all pain and rage.

  Though Kali had thought to stand her ground,to brace herself for his weight tumbling into her, she foundherself backpedaling as his huge form filled her vision. She wasn’tfast enough, and he slammed into her legs, sending her tumblingbackward. She hit the deck hard, the shotgun flying from her grip.The flames winked out, and Sparwood was on top of her.

  His roar filled her ears. He thrashed about,and she thought he was grabbing her, that his knife would come inand eviscerate her any second, but he had dropped the blade. He wasclutching at himself, at horrible burns that had seared throughflesh and muscle, all the way to the bone. He found his feet andjumped off of Kali to pound up the stairs, yelling strangled criesfor water.

  A shot fired on the deck above, and Kalicursed. She doubted she could hope that was one of the pirates,accidentally shooting at their own comrade. She’d probably have menpouring down the stairs in a second.

  Trying to ignore the sick stench of charredflesh, Kali grabbed her weapon and charged into Sparwood’s vacatedcabin. Her first thought was to find the girl and get out of there,but footsteps thundered on the deck above. Kali shut the doorquickly. The tiny cabin seemed a pathetic place to make a stand,but she couldn’t take the time to open the rest of the doors in thecorridor to see if any hid better spots, and she wasn’t about to goback down into the boiler room, where she’d left the angry, woundedpirates.

  The cabin was dim, lit only by a singlecandle in a storm glass lamp, and it took Kali a moment to pick outthe figure huddled in the corner. She was naked, clothes torn offand dumped in a pile. Blood darkened the floor around her, and Kaliheld her breath, afraid to approach. What if…. What if she was toolate?