The Last Horizon (25 page)

She was an incredible and courageous girl, proud and strong, and I was glad our lives crossed paths.

She was moving on, and so was I. Behind the innocence of her youth was the heart of a warrior; a girl that wouldn’t give up hope, and a girl that would fight to keep her dreams alive. We decided to stick together for a while when we got back to Earth. We would help each other put the pieces of our lives back together.

Our friendship is
just one of those things that I’ve come to consider a gift from fate. She and I came from such different upbringings but somehow a thread had pulled us together. It’s like we were meant to be friends, and even the light years couldn’t put the distance between us.

Scotty remained a mystery to me.
There was still a side of his personality that remained hidden and dark, but all I had to do was look into his eyes and the whole story was right there. I managed to get one look in when we were in Cybelle, and it was like looking at the floor of an ocean; shadowy, unpredictable, and desolate.

We braced ourselves as
I ramped the drives to full capacity and headed into the void of the Event Horizon. We were going home at last…

Epilogue

Suspected Crimelord Found Dead

By Jacob Fry
e | The Metropolitan June 29, 2408

NEXUS (The Metro) –
Robert Charon, age 54, of New Detroit, Earth was found dead in his country home on Sertina’s Pass on Nexus yesterday morning at approximately 7:30am. Local law enforcement officials suspect Charon’s death was the result of a power struggle within the infrastructure of the crime family that Charon allegedly led.

In a similar incident, twelve police troopers and fifty-eight people were killed in Cybelle the same morning during a violent stand-off with organized crime bosses believed to be linked with Charon.

The conflict resulted in a massive explosion that rocked the mining colony and injured over two hundred people and caused an estimated 18 million credits in damage to the colony’s Inter-port and support buildings.

Emergency Response and HAZMAT Teams were onsite fighting a chemical fire caused by the explosion, and injured colonists were evacuated by air to Fluture General for treatment.

Police believe that Charon’s killer is still at large, and detectives are still looking for leads.

K
urlie stood up and polished-off his drink. It was late, and the club was finally quiet. He looked across the dance floor as he put on his jacket and dashed the ashes of his cigar into the tray. He could hear the faint clatter of rain outside, and he put on his trench coat and checked the Gemini 9mm in his shoulder holster.

“Get the counts right, Charlie
,” he nodded at the bartender as he puffed on his stogie, “and lock up for the night.”

“You got it, boss.”

“Alright, then,” Kurlie winked, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He motioned at the two bodyguards that stood at the door waiting, and the three men went out the rear exit into the alley behind the tavern.

The driver had his
car idling in the rain and he turned to one of his men as he opened the back door of the sedan. “Stay here and help Charlie close.”

The henchman looked at Kurlie
vacantly and coughed a thick glut of blood before he collapsed.

“Jesus!”

Kurlie looked up and saw his other guard sprawled on the pavement. The silhouette of well-dressed figure holding a weapon with a sound suppressor stepped out of the shadows and stood quietly in the falling rain in front of him.

“YOU!”

“It’s nice to be remembered. Good evening, Mr. Montrell.”

“How the hell did you slip by my men at the
Inter-port?”

“It’s nice to see you again.”

“Okay, let’s get this over with.” Kurlie growled as he pulled the Gemini
out and pointed it at the man.

Scott pull
ed the trigger of the Raven and blew the 9mm out of Montrell’s hand.

Kurlie turned to run when Scott fired two rounds into Montrell’s legs and dropped him to the ground. Kurlie panted as he pulled himself across the asphalt.

He looked up and Scott stood less than three feet away…his eyes gleamed in the darkness, and his face was expressionless as he glared at Montrell.

“Who are you, you son-of-a-bitch!” Kurlie s
creamed as he shivered in the downpour.

“
Holly.” Scott pointed the Raven at Montrell’s head and put two bullets between his eyes.

The rain
fell harder as the man vanished into the haze.

Acknowledgements

A special thanks and shout-out across the pond to the following ladies for contributing their talents and beauty to the cover art, and giving a face to Nikki Wells:

Photography by Kate Monica
for the image “pale”:

http://fiery-sky.deviantart.com/

Vicky (model):

http://notwhatyouwanted.deviantart.com/