Foxtrot Hotel (Harriet Walsh, Book 4) by Simon Haynes

Release date: December 31, 2020

Subgenre: Science fiction mystery, Humorous science fiction

 

About Foxtrot Hotel:

 

 First a dead body shows up on Harriet's favourite beach.

Then she discovers the whole place is going to be bulldozed for an apartment complex.

She's convinced the two are connected, but she'll have to untangle a web of lies and corruption to reach the truth.

Meanwhile, someone has decided that the best way to avoid discovery is to silence Harriet... for good!

 

Excerpt:

 

 Harriet had to tap the screen several times before she managed to place her call. "Bernie, it's Harriet," she said, in a low voice. "I just found a body on the beach."
"I see. Have you notified the coroner?"
Harriet frowned at Bernie's matter-of-fact tone. She hadn't expected hysterics, but maybe some kind of emotion, even if it was just a programmed response. "Not yet, no. I thought I'd report it first."
"Very well. And did you collect the litter I sent you for?"
"No, I have not collected the litter," snapped Harriet. "There's someone lying here dead, and for some reason I thought they might take priority over a few sweet wrappers and paper cups."
"Of course, of course. But you will complete your mission before returning, yes?"
"As you wish," growled Harriet, and she hung up. Then she called the coroner's office, and after a brief wait she got the automated answering service.
"Please state your name."
"This is Peace Force officer Harriet Walsh, currently at Horseshoe Cove," she said. "I'm afraid there's a body--"
"Name too long. Please restate your name."
Harriet's lips thinned. "Harriet Walsh."
"What is the nature of your call?"
"Dead body," said Harriet curtly, unwilling to risk a longer explanation.
"Thank you Harriet. Connecting you now."
A moment later she heard a man's voice, human. "Thanks for waiting. Did you say you had a body for collection?"
"Yeah, this is Peace Force officer Harriet Walsh, at Horseshoe Cove. The deceased is two thirds of the way along the beach. Looks like a male, somewhere between fifty and sixty years of age. It's hard to tell."
"Thank you, officer. Will you wait for the team?"
"I'll be in the carpark. You can't miss me, I'm with the Peace Force cruiser." Harriet rang off, still eying the shoe, the trouser leg and especially the tattoo. It showed a dagger of some kind, with a skull motif on the handle and the blade wrapped in barbed wire. Some kind of gang marking? Military or special forces? Or just someone who had too much to drink and thought it looked cool?
Harriet took out her commset and snapped pictures of the leg and the tattoo, and then she took some of the surrounding area, including the pristine sand. She couldn't see any footprints, other than her own leading up from the shoreline, but she figured Bernie might be able to analyse the shots, especially if she took a few from different angles. She suspected the body had washed ashore, perhaps drifting for several kilometres beforehand, but there was always the chance the man had been walking the beach before suffering a fatal heart attack.
That did not explain the seaweed covering the body, though.
Harriet crouched, checking the mound of drying vegetation. It was tangled into an impenetrable mass, and when she moved a metre or two away and tried to brush at the surface, it tore up in dark, wet handfuls. No, there was no way the body had been covered by hand.

 

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About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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An Enigma in Silver (Mysteries in Metal, Book 2) by Simon Haynes

 

Release date: November 30, 2020

Subgenre: Gaslamp Fantasy

 

About An Enigma in Silver:

 

England, 1871. A quiet country village is rocked by murder. Police have no leads and no clues, apart from the grisly state of the victim's body.

Evidence points to a supernatural killer, but Professor Twickham is curiously reluctant to lend his assistance.

Roberta, his daughter, has no such qualms, and she involves me in the case as well... only to turn around and abandon me for a sick friend.

Now I must unmask the vicious killer on my own, but had I only known the truth, I'd never have got involved...

This standalone novel is the second title in the Mysteries in Metal gaslamp fantasy series.

 

Excerpt:

 

 Together we turned and hurried up the hall, prancing on tip-toes to avoid making any noise, and in doing so we must have looked for all the world like a pair of pantomime villains. We reached the dining room, but instead of entering Roberta took my hand and pulled me towards the front door. Outside, in the mid-morning sunshine, we took the short path to the front gate, where she led me into the street.
"I think we've run far enough," I said, quite out of breath.
"We're not running, Septimus. I want to speak to those policemen."
"But why?"
"I'm intrigued. Are you not?"
I confessed that I was. When I first met the professor and Roberta, I had no inkling they were engaged in the hunting and trapping of other-worldly spirits. At first I dismissed their business as a type of confidence trick, designed to milk rich folk, but the moment I encountered my first phantasm all thoughts of trickery were quickly forgotten. Indeed, that memory would haunt me forever. Now, it seemed the police had a case involving something of the supernatural, and I wanted to know more. "I'm surprised your father was not more receptive."
"He may have been, had they offered remuneration," said Roberta, with a shrug. "In any case, you and I will decide whether this case merits further attention, while my father reads the newspaper and enjoys the rest of his breakfast."
"We're going to talk to the police?"
"Not us. Me. And here they come."
The two policemen were tall and forbidding, and were made even more so by their helmets and dark blue uniforms. Worse, they bore expressions like thunder, and I prayed Roberta did not antagonise them further.
"Sirs, might I speak with you?"
"Not now miss," grunted one of the policemen. "We're on urgent business."
"I know. You were just speaking to my father."
"Professor Twickham? You're the daughter?"
Well, I thought, you couldn't fault their powers of deduction. But by now Roberta had their undivided attention, and I moved closer, much as they did, eager to see how things might turn out. The older of the two policemen looked Roberta up and down, then glanced at me. His scrutiny was brief but intense, and I felt as though he were peering into my very soul. Then he returned his attention to Roberta, and I let out a relieved breath.
"We can't talk in the street, miss," growled the policeman. He indicated a waiting cab, the horse flicking away flies with its jet-black tail and with sudden shakes of its mane. "You'd better come down the station."

 

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About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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A Riddle in Bronze (Mysteries in Metal, Book 1) by Simon Haynes

Release date: November 30, 2019

Subgenre: Gaslamp Fantasy

About A Riddle in Bronze:

 

An elderly professor and his daughter advertise for an expert bookkeeper.

Instead, they employ a naive young man with very little experience.

But what if keeping the books is not the real reason they hired him?

What if they have an ulterior motive?

London, England, 1871.
When I applied for a position with Professor Twickham and his daughter, I lied about my qualifications.

As it turns out, they lied about the job for which I was applying.

Had we not been so untruthful with each other, there might have been fewer night terrors stalking the inhabitants of the City.

Fewer unexplained disappearances.

Fewer deaths.

Now, nobody is safe from the creeping horrors we've unleashed.

With no time to spare, we face an impossible task: we must discover the mysteries in metal in order to right this wrong.

But is it already too late?

 

Excerpt:

 

I was about to ask what my duties might be, and whether the professor wanted me to get started immediately, when there was a sound of approaching footsteps from the hall outside. It was a heavy tread, which discounted Mrs Fairacre, and I wondered whether one of the other applicants had come to plead their case.
Instead, the door opened and a young woman strode in without having paused to knock. "Father, have you... oh!"
The newcomer was around my age, with long dark hair tied up in a rough bun, in the way of a washerwoman or a market stall-holder, and she was wearing a set of bib overalls covered in soot or a similar fine black powder. Heavy work boots completed her outfit, and I would have taken her for a chimney sweep had it not been for the way she addressed the professor. Then I studied her face, and in that instant it was as though the mirror atop the great lighthouse of Alexandria was reflecting sunlight directly into my unshielded eyes.
I do not speak of radiant beauty or other such romantic frippery, but rather the sheer life force and strength of character apparent within the person standing before me. This was a woman who stood for no nonsense, and her clear, intelligent eyes would miss no detail, however small.
Then she gave me a warm smile and held out a slender hand. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Hartlow. I'm Roberta Twickham."
So taken was I by the radiant smile that I had already extended my own hand before I became aware of her error. "Ah, er, it's Mr Jones, actually. Mr Septimus Jones, at your service."
Roberta withdrew her hand. "Father," she said, with an edge to her voice. "Tell me you did not hire the wrong bookkeeper."

 

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About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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Raiders: The Secret War by Simon Haynes

Release date: May 20, 2019

Subgenre: Space opera, Military science fiction

About Raiders: The Secret War: 

 

Everyone has been scarred by the war, and Sam Willet is no exception.Sam is convinced she has what it takes to become a fighter pilot... to hunt down and destroy the enemy in deep space.

Instead she's assigned to Tactical Operations training. It's vital work, but it's still a desk job, far from the front line.

Then, terrible news: Sam's older brother is killed in combat.

Sam is given leave to attend his memorial service, but she's barely boarded the transport when the enemy launches a surprise attack, striking far behind friendly lines to take the entire sector.

Desperately short of pilots, the transport's captain asks Sam to step up.

Now, at last, she has the chance to prove herself.

But will that chance end in death... or glory?

 

The Secret War: Raiders is a complete, standalone novel. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

 

Excerpt:

 

Sam was in a state of shock as the lift carried her down to the lower levels. Her brother Lim had been her guiding light for as long as she could remember. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be!
The lift opened on a lower deck, where the sleeping quarters were. Sam took the familiar passage in a daze, barely able to process the sudden turn of events. The war claimed fresh victims daily, she knew that well enough. But not her brother! When she joined the navy she intended to follow in his footsteps, hoping to become an elite fighter pilot and perhaps one day command a squadron of her own. Instead, her psych profile led her to TacOps. At first she'd been bitterly disappointed, especially since fighter pilots saw TacOps as a cushy posting. Lim and his friends joked about the 'back room boffins' all the time... when they weren't cursing them.
Eventually Sam had come to accept her role in the war, but she'd always held out hope that one day she'd be able to transfer to fighter ops. All recruits got to fly trainers, and during flight lessons she'd tried to shine so brightly that the instructors would be forced to recommend their star pupil transfer to fighters. Unfortunately, she was far better at tactics than piloting. In that, the psych profile had been spot on.
These thoughts and more raced through Sam's mind as she made her way to the dorm. Above all was the realisation that she'd never fly in a combat wing with her brother.
Sam didn't meet anyone else on her way to shared quarters, and she was grateful for that. She didn't feel like explaining, she didn't want to be treated with pity, and she knew the first kindly word or expression of sympathy would have her bursting into tears.
Sam stumbled into the sleeping quarters, barely noticing where she was going. Luckily her bunk wasn't far from the door, and she propped the mattress up to get at her things. She packed her kit automatically, stuffing in everything she thought she'd need over the next couple of days. When she was done she lowered the mattress, and then she laid down and buried her face in the pillow.
Only then did the tears finally come.

 

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About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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A Portion of Dragon and Chips (Robot vs. Dragon, Book 1) by Simon Haynes

Release date: August 20, 2018

Subgenre: Humor, Funny Fantasy

About A Portion of Dragon and Chips:

 

When a battered old robot washes up on the shores of the Old Kingdom, it signals the end of a fragile alliance amongst the four ancient Houses. It turns out dragons are really tasty, and having filleted, boned and baked their scaly allies to the very brink of extinction, no single House can hope to win out against the other three.
Into this shaky impasse steps the mechanical man, impervious to crude weapons, magic, suspicious wedding feasts, poisoned wine, and fire of any colour, be it wild, angry or just slightly annoyed.
Each House stakes their claim to the mechanical marvel, convinced the mysterious creature will lead them to a crushing victory against the others once they teach it to fly. And breathe fire. And, you know, ignore the Three Laws.
It's just a pity none of them thought to ask the robot what it wants.

Featuring Clunk - the beloved robot from the Hal Spacejock series - as well as the oddball protagonists from The Desolator and Thonn!, this novel promises to bring you the biggest laughs of the year.

 

Excerpt:

 

Hurm gathered the drinks and took them back to the table, where the reception was less than enthusiastic. Runt sniffed his beer, tossed the mint spring away, and took a tiny sip with his tiny mouth. "I've drunk better ale from the bottom of a toilet bowl," he remarked, after pursing his tiny lips.
Meanwhile, Father M fished a brownish slice of banana from his 'brandy' and held the glass to the light. He'd never seen brandy with a full head on it, but every land had their own local variety, and perhaps this fizzy brew would be the most memorable beverage he'd ever tasted.
It was.
Father M spluttered as the banana-flavoured ale hog-tied his tongue and administered two dozen lashes to his taste buds. They weren't the wishy-washy lashes you got from a lover with a whip fetish, these were the kind of lay-open-the-flesh and expose-the-bone lashes you got from a bosun with a bad temper and a thick right arm. To scour the awful taste from his soul, Father M fished around on the sawdust-strewn floor until he located Runt's sprig of mint, then chewed on the herb like fury.
He was so intent on cleansing his palate, he barely looked round as a group of men entered the tavern. Vaguely, he noticed one of the men was of generous proportions, to put it mildly, and was squeezed into a set of bronze armour which made him look like a metal-plated egg. The armour was immaculate, without so much as a scratch or a dent, and Father M knew instantly this man had never seen combat.
The men accompanying him were another matter. They were hard-faced veterans, with an impressive collection of scars, and they wore battered armour which was in complete contrast to that of their master.
"Make way for Sur Cumfrence!" shouted one of the men. He had a stern face, bisected by an ancient scar which ran from temple to chin, and his tone brooked no argument. His armour was of better quality than the others, his sword longer and more pointy, and it was clear he was the leader of the bodyguards. The tavern patrons obliged by clearing a path. A very wide path. "Barkeep, a keg of ale and twelve of your best pies."
"And what are the rest of you having?" called some wag from the shadowy depths of the tavern.
There was a sudden hush.
"Who said that?" demanded Sur Cumfrence. He spoke with a breathless, high-pitched tone, and he sounded like a petulant child. "Step forward this instant!"
Nobody moved.
"Half a crown!" shouted Sur Cumfrence. He delved into his generous purse and came up with a silver coin. "Half a crown to the man who identifies the trouble maker."
Still nobody moved. The bodyguards were growing restless, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their gazes roving the tavern as they sought out the wag ... or a scapegoat. One of them studied Hurm's huge muscled torso and gigantic two-handed sword, quickly moved on to Father M, then ... stopped on Runt. "There, sir. The tousle-headed imp sitting beside the circus performer. He has the look of a troublemaker, and no doubt about it."
Runt lowered his minty beer. "Me?" he said, aggrieved. "How could it be me? The voice came from the back of the tavern!"
Father M would have leapt to his defence, but he was still in shock at being called a circus performer, and the sprig of mint was making his tongue tingle in a most peculiar fashion.

 

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About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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Harriet Walsh Omnibus One by Simon Haynes

Release date: August 5, 2018

Subgenre: Science Fiction Mystery, Space Opera

About Harriet Walsh Omnibus One:

 

For the first time, get all three Harriet Walsh novels in one volume!

All the Harriet Walsh novels are set in the distant future, where the galaxy has been colonised and human-like robots are commonplace. They're good clean fun, written with wry humor.

PEACE FORCE

Would you work for a deranged robot? Harriet Walsh does!
Harriet's weapon won't fire without the right paperwork, the patrol car is driving her up the wall, and her crime-fighting computer doesn't even have solitaire. Welcome to the Peace Force!

ALPHA MINOR

The Peace Force has a new recruit, and she's driving everyone crazy.

From disobeying orders to handling unauthorised cases, nothing is off-limits. Worse, Harriet Walsh is forced to team up with the newbie, because the recruit's shady past has just caught up with her. Meanwhile, a dignitary wants to complain about rogue officers working out of the station. She insists on meeting the station's commanding officer ... and they don't have one.

All up, it's another typical day in the Peace Force!

SIERRA BRAVO

Planet Dismolle is supposed to be a peaceful haven. So what's with all the gunfire?

A criminal gang has moved into Chirless, Dismolle's second major city. Elderly residents are fed up with the loud music, noisy cars and late night parties, not to mention hold-ups, muggings and the occasional gunfight. Chirless has no Peace Force, so Harriet Walsh of the Dismolle City branch has to help out. That puts her up against a gang of hardened criminals with only her training pistol and a few old allies to lend a hand.

And these allies aren't just old, they're positively ancient!

 

Excerpt:

 

They took the lift to the roof, where they emerged into the afternoon sunshine. The deep space fighter was sitting on its landing pad, towering over them like a sleek, grey-painted shark. Alice ran ahead to the ship, where she opened a hatch in the belly and pulled down the access ladder.
"Oh great," puffed Birch. "Just what I needed, more exercise."
"Are you sure you want to come?" asked Harriet. "Alice and I can handle this."
"What, miss out on my first Peace Force case for twenty years?" Birch grinned at her. "Just try and stop me." Even so, he looked apprehensive as they walked into the deep shadows under the ship.
Harriet waited for him to climb the ladder, then followed. They emerged in a small airlock filled with lockers and storage cupboards, and they followed Alice up a set of stairs to the cockpit, where she took the pilot's chair while Harriet and Birch settled in the two passenger seats at the rear.
"Is she all right flying this thing?" murmured Birch, as he did up his harness.
Harriet shrugged. "She's been flying all over the city recently, and Rover's smart enough not to hit anything."
"Oh, so that's the noise that's been keeping me awake at nights. I thought it was thunder."
"If she could afford the fuel she'd be buzzing cities on other planets."
"In that case, I'll organise a whip-around. It'd be worth if for a good night's sleep."
"I can hear you both, you know," Alice called from the pilot's seat. "Now strap in, we're ready to go. And Harriet, if you don't start calling this ship Arnie, you're not coming aboard ever again."
Alice flicked the starters and the engines burst into life with a shattering roar. Harriet eyed Birch's harness. "I'd pull that a bit tighter if I were you."
"Really?"
"Oh yes. Really."
He was still complying when the ship launched itself into the air, leaving the Peace Force building - and their stomachs - far below.
"Take it easy Alice!" called Harriet.
"I'm not flying. It's Arnie."
"I thought my name was Rover?" said the ship's computer, in an even male tone.
"Yeah, not any more," said Alice. "Arnie is way cooler."
"User dictionary updated."
"Can you take us to the Dismolle spaceport? We need fuel."
"So do I," said the ship, and Harriet clung to her seat as they turned sharply and tore across the city. The engines bellowed like a pair of angry dragons, and she cringed as she imagined the noise complaints Bernie would be fielding.
"Can't we fly any higher?" she shouted.
"Negative," said Arnie calmly. "Climbing wastes fuel, and there is none to spare."
"Do we have enough to get there?"
"Checking now."
"What do you mean, checking now? Why didn't you check before?"
"I didn't know our destination prior to lift-off."
Harriet closed her eyes. Some mission this would turn out to be, if they ended up sitting in a field waiting for a fuel truck. Then, before she could say anything, Alice spoke into a mic.
"This is your captain speaking," she said, her voice loud through the cabin speakers. "After our fuel stop at the Dismolle spaceport we'll be heading directly for Chirless. Estimated time of arrival is ..." Alice checked a display. "... about ten minutes."
"That can't be right," said Harriet. "Last time I took a sub-orbital flight to Chirless it was forty minutes, at least."
"Who said anything about sub-orbital?" Alice grinned over her shoulder. "We're going to skim the ground at full power."
Harriet just hoped they avoided any settlements between Dismolle and Chirless, because full power in this particular ship was enough to tear the surface off the landscape and leave giant furrows in its wake. Some company was apparently planning to build an underground transport loop between the two cities. Well, if they waited a bit, they could just follow in Arnie's brand new tracks, adding a roof. They'd have their tunnel finished in no time.

 

Amazon.com | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | Google Play

 

About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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Harriet Walsh: Peace Force (Harriet Walsh, Book 1) by Simon Haynes

Release date: April 2, 2018

Subgenre: Humorous science fiction, Science fiction mystery 

About Harriet Walsh: Peace Force: 

 

Harriet Walsh is desperate for work, but when an intergalactic crime-fighting organisation offers her a job she's convinced it's a mistake. She dislikes puzzles, has never read a detective mystery, and hates wearing uniforms. So why did the Peace Force pick her?

Who cares? Harriet needs the money, and she's happy to go along with the training for as long as they keep paying her. She'd better dig out some of those detective mysteries though, because she's about to embark on her first real mission...

 

Excerpt:

 

The cab drew up at Dismolle's one and only Peace Force station, and Harriet craned her neck to get a better view as she stepped out. Most buildings on the planet were low and airy, with big windows and good lighting. Whoever built this place hadn't got the memo, because it was a multi-story chunk of concrete that blended with the streetscape like an active volcano. With its slitted windows, thick iron bars and concrete blocks protecting the entrance it looked solid and impregnable, like some kind of war ministry bunker.
It also looked old, and she wondered whether it had always been a Force office ... or whether it had once been a weapons silo. Not that the good folk of Dismolle did wars, of course. They barely did heated arguments.
Harriet shrugged and headed for the door. On the way she pulled out the letter, which was crumpled and slightly damp from wiping the kitchen table down. Waste not, want not ...
The door was a double glass affair with dark tint. A huge Peace Force badge was etched into the surface, the gold foil peeling and grimy. As Harriet approached the doors, they swept open ... but only about three inches. Then, with a nasty grinding noise, they jammed. Frowning, she tried pulling them apart, but withdrew her hands when she realised the doors might close on them. What a terrific first impression that would make, if she had to be rescued from the front doors before she even got to the interview.
Since she couldn't get in, she put her mouth to the gap. "Hello? Is anyone there?"
There was a delay, and then she felt the ground shake underfoot. It was like someone had pounded on the paving with a big, heavy mallet, and as she stood there, head on one side, she felt the floor shake again ... and again. The thuds were getting stronger, and Harriet looked up at the building's facade anxiously. If it was maintained as well as the front doors, lumps of concrete might come tumbling down on her head.
Instead, the thudding stopped and a pair of hands appeared between the doors. Harriet noticed they weren't human, and she didn't need her modest deductive skills to work that out. First, they were twice as big as the biggest hands she'd ever seen. And second, they were fashioned from dark blue metal.

 

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About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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Double Trouble (Hal Spacejock, Book 8) by Simon Haynes

Release date: March 15, 2018

Subgenre: Humorous science fiction 

About Double Trouble:

 

Hal Spacejock dons a flash suit, hypershades and a curly earpiece for a stint as a secret agent, while Clunk is invited to a ‘unique business opportunity’ by a pair of rusted friends.
Inevitably, things turn sour, and it’s all hands to the pumps as the good ship Spacejock springs leaks from stem to stern.

Excerpt:

 

There was a split second and then the doors opened. Matt dived out, executing a graceful half-roll and bringing his weapon to bear. Hal tripped over his dressing gown and fell on his face with a thud. His knives slid across the marble floor, the blast rifle knocked him in the back of the head and something rolled past his nose with a beeping sound.
Around the lobby, conversations ceased and guests lowered their newspapers to observe the disturbance.
"Grenade!" shouted Hal. "Incoming! Fire in the hole! Run!"
Pandemonium reigned as guests leapt up and ran to and fro, shrieking wildly. In the confusion Hal kicked the grenade into the lift, reached inside and pressed the UP button. He withdrew his arm just before the doors closed, and then he loosed off several shots at the roof for good measure.
BOOM!
Dust rained down, and the elevator doors bulged. Hal saw Matt gesturing towards the exit, and they left on the tail of the fleeing crowd. They ran past the doorman and straight into the road, where there was a savage whine of airbrakes as a groundcar came to an emergency stop. The window went down and the driver leaned out. "This is a road, you maniac! You ever hear of sidewalks?"
Hal plucked a grenade from his belt and held it up between thumb and forefinger. "How'd you like an ornament for your dashboard?"
The driver ducked back inside and the car roared away. Hal grinned to himself as he went to put the grenade back, then stopped grinning when he realised the pin was hanging from his belt. He held the grenade to his ear and his heart stopped as he heard a frantic beeping over the noise of the crowd. It was live!
"Grenade! Everyone down!" he shouted, then rolled it under a black van parked nearby. The doors opened and three men tumbled out, running headlong down the road, shedding curly earpieces, sunglasses and guns. The vehicle erupted in a giant ball of fire, sailing several meters into the air before landing on its side, a blackened crumpled wreck. Fortunately, the vehicle had absorbed and deadened the blast, but even so it had been a lucky escape, and Hal vowed to treat his remaining grenades more carefully.
He ran to the pavement, where Matt was waiting for him, his back to the wall and his weapon drawn. "Did you get a look at them?"
Hal shook his head. "Came out of nowhere."
"They seem to be targeting you. You'll have to be careful."
Silently, Hal agreed.

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About Simon Haynes:

Simon Haynes is the author of the Hal Spacejock series, the Hal Junior series, and the upcoming Harriet Walsh series, as well as several dozen short stories. He is also the programmer and designer behind Spacejock Software, and is responsible for popular programs like yWriter and yBook.

 

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