Ghostwalker 07 - Murder Game

close now, Kadan, and he's aware something's up." Nico said. "I don't have a clear shot."

    Kadan hadn't expected less of Bull. The man was highly skilled and a GhostWalker. He couldn't fail to have radar. Sturges was in his sight now, moving slow, a gun in one hand, a knife in the other. He moved with a fluid ease, light on his feet, covering territory but staying in the shadows and keeping the cattle between him and everything else.

    Without warning the man sprang, leaping into the air, twisting and Firing several shots in Kadan's direction. Bullets hit around him, but none came too close. His instincts were more than good; Sturges had a sense of survival. He was back on the ground, flattening himself against the pens while the cattle stirred restlessly, running from one side to another, forcing Gator to struggle to keep them contained.

    "No shot," Nico reported calmly. "He's fast, he's good, and he knows he's cornered now.
    He'll be dangerous."

    Kadan said nothing, rolling beneath the fence, worming his way through the cattle, using his elbows to propel him, relying on Gator to keep the big steers from stepping on him.
    The mud and straw stank, drowning out any scent the other man was giving off.

    Without warning Bull charged the fence, at the last moment rolling under it, not leaping over, giving Nico nothing to spot. Sturges almost landed on top of Kadan, his knife slashing across Kadan's back, kissing skin and laying out a burning brand that stung like hell. Kadan rolled, coming up to meet the other man, the two bodies slamming together hard, each locking the other's wrists so they knelt, shaking with power and strength, gazes locked as well.

    Sturges hissed, recognizing the GhostWalker and for the first time realizing he really could die. He allowed one elbow to bend and rocked back, trying to throw Kadan. The grip on his wrists was relentless. He couldn't move either hand. He lunged forward with a head butt. Kadan shifted as if he'd been waiting for the move. Using Sturges's forward momentum, he flung him forward and up into the air. His head topped the fence and the cattle for just one split second.

    Nico squeezed the trigger and Sturges fell, landing hard, his arms and legs flopping loosely while the cattle milled around him and blood pooled in the straw.

    Kadan retrieved the knife and gun. "Rye. Send in the cleaners. That's six and we're on the clock."

    It took a little bit of time to locate these two, and we got lucky," Ryland said, moving through the vineyard. "Flame hacked into the Reaper's computer and found this little ABC Amber LIT Converter
    http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

    ABC Amber LIT Converter
    http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    hideaway the two own together. Apparently they've set up a range for target practice. She saw an invoice for some hefty equipment. When I say target practice, I'm talking moving targets, like we use in the urban training."

    "So what are they doing?" Gator asked.

    "They've built quite a small city built back here. We did a series of aerial photographs and the buildings are mostly shells."

    "A stage." Nico glanced at Kadan. "They practice the murders here, so they can perfect each one before they carry it out."

    "The details matter," Kadan said. "They're serious about getting the most points possible for each allotted murder. That's like the Reaper. He's a perfectionist and would be very serious about winning if he entered the game." He looked around at his team. "This," he waved his hands toward the compound, "is a perversion of everything we believe in. Our training, every soldier who went through months and years of training to save lives.
    They've warped the skills given them and the training practices, in order to perfect murder. They disgust me, but don't for one moment think they don't know what they're doing. I know the Reaper. I've worked with him and he's good. Better than good. You can't afford one mistake."

    "Do we know what kinds of psychic or genetic enhancements either of them have?" Nico asked.

    Ryland shook his head. "There's no documentation. Not in any files Lily could find on Whitney's computer or in any of the ones Flame hacked into on the suspects themselves.
    There isn't a whisper among the teams, either. We're going in blind."

    "Do we have a clue what the winning team gets once the game is over?" Gator asked.

    Kadan shrugged. "It's the title, no matter what else. The common bond they all share is ego. They want, no, they