First Chapter—Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host

With the release of Mack ‘n’ Me: The Transporter’s Favou,r the fourth book of the Mack ‘n’ Me ‘n’ Odyssey series fast approaching I’m continuing the first chapter reads, I was doing a while back.

You can find the first chapter of the first book, Mack ‘n’ Me: Origins, HERE, and the first 500 words of the short story that takes place between these volumes, HERE.

Today’s first chapter is from the second book in the Mack ‘n’ Me ‘n’ Odyssey series, Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’s Host.

What’s it About?

I stayed off Mack's radar for a good three months, or so I'd thought. Maybe he was just letting me run. He found me, kicked my ass and hauled me right back on board. He'd been doing that on and off for the past twelve months. Problem was, Odyssey was also on my tail, and, when this job was done, Mack was supposed to hand me back. Not gonna happen. And, now I was back to Square One: Kick free of Odyssey & kick free of Mack... just as soon as the mission was done, because how could I turn my back on *that*?

Mack ‘n’ Me:Blaedergil’s Host is the second science-fiction novel set in the Odyssey universe. In it, Cutter is back in Mack’s company, and still trying to work out how to get away from him, his merry band of space-faring freelancers, and Odyssey.

NOTE: The main character swears like a sailor, and the support cast aren’t much better. If swears bother you, then this story may not be to your taste.

And here it is:

Mack ‘n’ Me: Blaedergil’sHost

 Chapter 1: Retrieved

Odyssey caught up with me on Hancock. I’d taken a vacation from Mack, for what had to be the third time. Man was definitely not going to be impressed with me, when he finally caught up. Too bad. I’d needed a break, still hadn’t had the time I wanted to work out what I wanted to be, without his influence or Odyssey’s interference.

I’d told him about that, once, and he’d just given me this sad-eyed look.

“You know that ship has flown, don’t you?”

I’d blushed, felt my cheeks heat as they grew red. Sure I knew that ship had flown. I just hadn’t wanted to admit it, not even to myself.

“And you signed a contract with me.”

Man sure knew how to push.

I’d shrugged.

“Girl’s got to be allowed to change her mind.”

“Not when she’s signed a contract.” Mack was nothing if not persistent.

“That depends on the circumstances,” I’d snapped back, and I saw his eyes widen.

“You’re saying you feel coerced?” he’d asked, volume giving his words the edge of a roar.

“Given the choices.”

This was true. My choices had been rather thin: Odyssey had wanted me dead; Mack had offered me a job. Not much of a choice.

“We had a deal.”

“We still do, but I need a break.”

“I could just break your neck.”

I’d stared at him, and he’d sighed.

“Fine. We’re between jobs, but you come when I call, okay?”

I continued to stare, and he scowled at me.

“I’m not kidding around, Cutter. Your contract’s not up yet. You come when I call, okay?”

I raised an eyebrow, and pushed off the wall. I can’t help being sulky. Run of luck I’d had? You’d be sulky, too. I figured if I made my twenty-fifth birthday, I might reconsider the whole sulky thing. That shit gets old in a fairly rapid fashion. Either way, I’d nodded.

“Fine.”

It wasn’t really an agreement, and I figured Mack knew that. I figured he was already trying to work out ways of tracking me down, and wondered where they’d hidden the tracer this time… and how long it would take me to find a doctor willing to take it out.

Okay, so I also wondered whether or not Mack would release the funds I had in my account, but I didn’t let an ounce of that worry show. It’s not like he was my nanny. I’d picked up the day pack I’d had sitting by the side of my bed, and headed for the door.

“You’re going, now?”

The look on his face had been priceless.

“You might change your mind.”

Tens snorted inside my head. Comms guy, huh?

“You know I can find you any time, right?”

I’d felt my lips twist into a smirk.

“Yeah?” I said, out loud where Mack could hear. “Let’s see how long that lasts.”

And I’d left.

I’d also bounced myself right off-world, again. Took a fast warp out. Was pretty sure I could hear Tens swearing in my head, as the trace-link shattered.

I snickered as warp closed around me, cushioned by a properly appointed pod, and let myself drift into sleep. Mack was well behind me, and he’d be back there for a good long while, since I knew he had business he had to complete before he broke orbit. I got myself ported over to a second ship and bounced, again, erasing myself from the first ship’s system, as I went.

I didn’t erase my payment, though.

That sort of shit gets you noticed—and I was noticeable enough.

I musta got around four weeks on Hancock, before Odyssey came along.

I’d even gotten a job. It didn’t start until evening, because: restaurants, and waiting tables is just that awesome, so I’d gone out to get the groceries, so I could sleep in in the morning.

Tyson bumped into me in the street. I had a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, and a box of butter in the bag. I still hadn’t gotten over getting the groceries for myself. I pretty much figured that the feeling of independence that came with it weren’t never growing old. I turned to apologise for getting in the way, and recognised him.

“Hey, Ty! Fancy seeing you here.”

I would have asked if he was on a job, but that just seemed impolite. That, and I was already suspecting why he’d come, and I didn’t want to confirm it. Not even in my head.

Besides, I remembered Basics. Most of what we were trained to do wasn’t the kind of stuff you talked about on the street.

Funny thing was, though, I didn’t think there’d be a likely target for Odyssey for at least a half a mile. Wrong kind of neighbourhood, ya know? Then again, I hadn’t stuck around long enough to get a broad idea; I’d gotten out just as soon as I could make the getting good… and botched it up just as fast.

It was kinda cool knowing Odyssey seemed to have washed its hands of me, and let Mack take me on, instead of spacing me, or putting a blaster through my brain. I pretty much figured they weren’t here after me, but I couldn’t work out what else they might be after.

The area was sort of all lower-middle class with no crims around. I knew. I’d double-double-triple-checked. Just cos I was seeing what life might have been without them, didn’t mean I hadn’t been pretty good at what they’d trained me to do.

The look Ty gave me was a real wake-up call. Sort of surprised at my response, followed by a tight-lipped smile that flickered over his lips, and then vanished like it hadn’t ever been. It was the puzzled frown that got me. That, and the sudden grab that locked my upper arm in his hand.

We stopped, and I turned to face him in the street.

“You’re wanted in the office,” he said, grabbing me by the other arm.

“Like the stars, I am. I’ve got a shift starting in an hour and a half, and a shit tonne of stuff I need to get done beforehand. Keep your hands to yourself.”

I tried to shrug him off, but he was a good bit taller than I was, and maybe a good bit stronger, and the look on his face was starting to scare me.

“You can’t quit,” he said, even though I was very much under the impression I already had.

“Sure, I can,” I said. “I quit when they decided they’d rather terminate me than my contract. I left, and now I don’t work there anymore.”

Ty tightened his grip on my arm, and gave me a little shake. One little shake for each of the next three words he spoke.

“You. Can’t. Leave,” he said, bringing his face close to mine.

I stared at him.

“Sure, I can,” I said, rolling my arm in his grip. “It’s a free world, and you can’t stop me.”

“I just did,” he replied, and held me tight, when I tried to pull away.

“I’m being retrieved?” I asked, and he looked up and over my shoulder, although the look on his face wasn’t exactly welcoming.

Warmth filled the space behind me, another someone bigger than I was.

“Yup,” sounded, low and confident in my ear.

Mack.

“You coulda just asked.”

“Would you have come?”

“Hell, no, and I’m not coming, now.”

I pulled my head back, ready to go full head butt into Ty’s face, but Mack was just as fast as I knew he could be. He dodged the backward tilt, and had my hair in his fist before I could do more than get ready to strike, had an arm around my throat before I realised he could. Was putting me under with a choke hold I just couldn’t avoid. I was out in seconds, wondering why on Earth Mack was working with Odyssey to bring me in.

Hadn’t he picked me up, when they cast me aside? And didn't we have a contract?

What in Hells…

--------------------

Would you like to read more?

Mack'n' Me: Blaedergil's Host is available direct from Amazon, Smashwords, DriveThruFiction, Google Play and Kobo, and via Smashwords and Draft2Digital distribution. More links can be found at Books2Read.