They had been so close. Pietro had agreed to turn on Mickey, knowing it would eventually mean his death. They just didn’t count on it being so soon.

Ardoss looked down at Pietro. It was a waste. Pietro was a good man, or at least he tried to be. If only Ardoss had known sooner what was going on, maybe his partner would still be alive.

He peeked out of his cover, trying again to see where the shots had come from. Who else knew they were here? There was no way anyone could. Pietro had waited until Jonah contacted him to give him the coordinates. Not even Mickey could know.

That left only one other possibility. There was a spy on board Jonah’s ship.

His vantage point was lousy. He couldn’t see much of anything from where he was. Cautiously, he left his cover, gun drawn, and began to creep across the old cargo bay.

But before Ardoss could investigate further, another shot rang out and he staggered backwards. It felt as though a man twice his size had just punched him in the chest. He looked down to see red blossom down his suit from his left shoulder.

Another shot rang out, ricocheting off a bulkhead. Shaking off his momentary daze, Ardoss managed to duck behind some old crates. They stank of rotting food.

“It’s higher up,” said Jonah, crouching beside him.

Ardoss had forgotten he was there.

“How can you tell?” said Ardoss. Jonah was a coward. Ardoss couldn’t imagine him looking for the shooter.

“There’s an energy burn on the floor, just there,” said Jonah, pointing.

Ardoss blinked and followed Jonah’s finger. Sure enough, there was a burn mark on the floor. If the shot had come straight across, the burn would be behind them or further back on the floor. The shooter was most certainly up higher.

“I don’t get it,” said Ardoss. “That sniper got Pietro in one clean shot. Then he misses? Is he playing with us?”

“It’s more likely he’s under fire,” said Jonah.

“Char?” said Ardoss.

Jonah nodded. “I asked her to keep lookout in case Pietro lied. She’s a crack shot. ”

“Then why is that sniper still firing?” said Ardoss as another blast rang out.

Jonah shrugged, “You assume it’s the sniper.”

The gunshots stopped. Jonah cautiously peeked his head above the crate and Ardoss pulled him back down.

“Char, did you get him?” said Ardoss. “Char?”

“No,” she said. Her voice bitter. “She’s still in here. Stay on your toes.”

“Wait,” said Ardoss, “she?”

“Yes,” said Char, “now keep your eyes open.”

Ardoss felt the adrenaline pumping. Pietro was dead and this woman was still hunting them. How many did she plan to kill? Just Ardoss? The whole crew? What about the other passengers?

That’s when he realized it had to be the businesswoman. She was so quiet and unassuming, the perfect cover for an assassin. It made him sick to think about the time he had spent in close quarters with her. He crept out from the crates, gun still drawn, his left arm useless.

Jonah grabbed his good shoulder. “You’ll be shot.”

“Already been shot,” said Ardoss. “We have to find her. She’s not going to just leave us be. We know too much.”

Jonah worked his jaw, but didn’t say anything else.

Ardoss stuck his head out. He needed to know where she was, what her options were.

Then, movement.

Ardoss leveled his gun. It was not as high up as he expected, not in the ducts or on a crosswalk. She was on top of some crates. Maybe.

He didn’t think a trained gun would be so sloppy.

Char’s head poked out from behind the crates. She pointed to Ardoss then behind him. He turned on his heels, still crouched. His shoulder throbbed, but thankfully the intense pain he knew was coming was still being kept at bay. Too much adrenaline, he figured.

He glanced back to Char, but she was gone, creeping among the abandoned cargo. He moved behind the stack of moldy food where Jonah still hid. Jonah just looked at him as he passed, eyes wide.

There was another stack of crates further along, and some old tanks. A perfect place for her to hide.

How many shots had she fired? How many rounds did she have? Enough to take down one or two people? More?

Ardoss knew he would be the main target, then Char. Jonah would be last, if she didn’t just go ahead and kill the teen and Thrumm after that, to remove any witnesses.

The stack was shadowy and stank. There were too many dark corners for someone to hide. Ardoss scooted along the edge of one crate and around a fuel tank.

There he found himself face to face with his partner’s killer.

Her business suit was torn and bloody in places. Sweat matted her short hair to her forehead. Her skin was flushed and her chest pumped heavily.

“Drop the gun,” she said. She aimed the pistol Jonah had tried to use on him earlier.

“Not likely,” Ardoss said.

“I’ll shoot,” the woman said.

Ardoss smiled. “If you had any more rounds, you would have killed me already.”

The woman grinned, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by a snarl. She dropped the gun, and lunged.

She put all her effort into impacting his left shoulder.

There was the pain.

He cried out and crumpled to the deck. She scrabbled over him and went for his gun. Ardoss rolled over and grabbed her leg with his good hand, yanking hard.

The woman cursed and kicked at him. The first kick hit his forearm, but he held fast. The next connected with his knuckles and his grip loosened. She shook free and crawled to the gun.

Ardoss started to crawl towards her, but the gun was in her hand. She flopped over on her back and fired.

The shot went wild and Ardoss used the moment to roll for cover. He glanced behind him.

The woman was on her feet.

“I’ll make this quick,” she said, “I promise.”

He crouched to pounce on her, but he never got the chance.

There was a scream, primal and terrified as a dark blur collided with the assassin. Two forms fell to the ground and the gun skittered across the deck.

Ardoss went after the gun, all but throwing himself after it. His fingers closed on the grip and he spun around.

Jonah lay on top of the woman, knees straddling her hips, hands on her shoulders.

Jonah punched her and immediately grabbed his hand, rubbing the knuckles.

“Feel better?” said Ardoss.

“No,” said Jonah, “my hand hurts.”

Ardoss laughed.

Jonah glared at him and then he began to laugh.

“Did I miss something funny?” said Char.

Ardoss looked. She stood behind Jonah and the assassin, gun slack in her hands, eyes wide.

“Pietro?” said Char.

“He didn’t make it,” said Ardoss, his laughter gone. Jonah stopped as well.

“She got you,” said Char.

Ardoss glanced down. “At least it wasn’t a few inches over.”

“Small consolation,” she said.

“So how did we miss an assassin on the ship?” said Jonah. He rolled off the woman.

Char crossed the few feet between them. She pointed her rifle at the woman’s head. “Start talking.”

The woman licked her lips, smearing blood across them.

“None of your business,” she said.

Char cocked the gun. “That’s not a good answer.”

The woman glared.

“If you kill her, we won’t get our answers,” said Ardoss.

“Who said anything about killing her?” said Char. She swung the butt of her gun around and slammed it against the woman’s knee.

The assassin screamed and clutched her leg.

“Pietro was never meant to leave alive,” she said, panting.

“What?” said Jonah.

Char nudged the woman’s knee with the barrel of her gun. “Go on.”

The woman winced. “The drop-off was a farce,” she said. “It was a setup. Mickey knew Pietro would only trust you, so he set the whole thing up, arranged for passengers, made sure I could book passage.”

Jonah slumped. “Why?” said Jonah. “Why all of this?”

The woman shrugged. “I do what I’m paid to do. Mickey’s going to kill you when finds out you’re working with an Agent.”

“Don’t count on it,” said Char. “What do you want to do with her?”

“I’ll need to take her back to the Advocacy,” said Ardoss.

“I want a deal,” the woman said. “I gave you information. You have to protect me.”

“Why?” said Ardoss. “You did your job.”

“And when Black finds out you’re still alive, I’m dead,” the woman said.

“I’ll think about it,” said Ardoss.

“You’ve as good as killed me, then,” she said.

“You should have thought about that before you signed on with Mickey Black.”

Char nodded and kicked her.