A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 3

alley.
Stumbling, knees skidding on gritty, filthy cobbles—
    So filthy, the murk of hidden diseases, infections – his
mother had been so angry, angry and frightened. They'd
had to go to a healer, and that had cost money – money
they had been saving for a move. To a better part of the
slum. The dream ... put away, all because he'd skinned his
knees.
    Just like now. And darkness closing in.
    Oh Momma, I skinned my knees. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I
skinned my knees ...
     
    As mayhem was exploding in the buildings to either side,
Gesler crouched lower. He glanced over to his right and
saw Pella. An arrow was jutting from his forehead. He was
on his knees for a moment, his weapon falling, then he
sank down to the side.
    Sharpers going off in that building, then something
worse – a burner, the flare of red flame bursting through the
ground-floor windows. Shrieks – someone stumbled outside,
wreathed in flames – a Malazan, running, arms
waving, slapping – straight for Moak and his squad—
    'Get away!' Gesler bellowed, rising and raising his crossbow.
    Moak had pulled out his rain-cape – the soldiers were
rushing towards the burning man – they didn't see – the
satchel – the munitions —
    Gesler fired his crossbow. The quarrel caught the sapper
in the midsection, even as the munitions went off.
    Flung back, punched in the chest, Gesler sprawled,
rolled, then came to his feet.
    Moak, Stacker, Rove. Burnt, Guano and Mud. All gone,
all pieces of meat and shattered bone. A helm, the head still in
it, struck a wall, spun wildly for a moment, then wobbled to
a halt.
    'Truth! To me!' Gesler waved as he ran towards the
building the heavies had entered, and where the sounds of
fighting had grown fiercer. 'You see Sands?' he demanded as
he reloaded his crossbow.
    'N-no, Sergeant. Pella—'
    'Pella's dead, lad.' He saw Thorn Tissy and what was left
of his squad – Tulip and Ramp – heading towards the doorway
after Tugg and his heavies. Good, Thorn's thinking
clear —
    The building that had swallowed Able, Jump and Gupp
was a mass of flames, the heat pouring out like scalding
liquid. Gods, what did they set off in there?
    He darted through the doorway, skidded to a halt.
Sergeant Tugg's fighting days were over – the soldier had
been speared through just below the sternum. He
had thrown up a gout of bloody bile before dying. At the
inner doorway opposite, leading into a hall, lay Robello, his
head caved in. Beyond, out of sight, the rest of the heavies
were fighting.
    'Hang back, Truth,' Gesler said, 'and use that crossbow to
cover our backs. Tissy, let's go.'
    The other sergeant nodded, gesturing towards Tulip and
Ramp.
    They plunged into the hallway.
     
    Hellian stumbled after Urb, who suddenly halted – it was
like hitting a wall – she bounced off, fell on her behind.
'Ow, you bloody ox!'
    All at once there were soldiers around them, pulling
back from the street corner, dragging fallen comrades.
    'Who? What?'
    A woman dropped down beside her. 'Hanno. We lost our
sergeant. We lost Sobelone. And Toles. Ambush—'
    One hand leaning hard on Hanno's shoulder, Hellian
pulled herself upright. She shook her head. 'Right,' she
said, something cold and hard straightening within her, as
if her spine had turned into a sword, or a spear, or whatever
else won't bend, no, it'll bend, maybe, but not break. Gods, I
feel sick. 'Join up with my squad. Urb, what squad are we?'
    'No idea, Sergeant.'
    'Don't matter, then, you're with us, Hanno. Ambush?
Fine, let's go get the bastards. Touchy, Brethless, pull out
those grenados you stole—'
    The twins faced her – innocence, indignation, both
dreadful efforts, then the two pulled out munitions.
'They're smokers, Sergeant, and one cracker,' Touchy said.
'That's all—'
    'Smokers? Perfect. Hanno, you're going to lead us into the
building the bastards attacked from. Touchy, you throw yours
ahead of her. Brethless, pick the open flank and do the same.
We ain't gonna stand around – we ain't even going in slow
and cautious. I want fast, you all got that? Fast.'
    'Sergeant?'
    'What is it, Urb?'
    'Nothing. Only, I'm ready, I guess.'
    Well that makes one of us. I knew I'd hate this city. 'Weapons out, soldiers, it's time to kill people.'
    They set off.
     
    'We done left everybody behind,' Galt said.
    'Shut that whining,' Sergeant Balm snapped, wiping
sweat and mud from his eyes. 'We just made it easier for the
rest of 'em.' He glared at the soldiers in his squad. Breathing
hard,