Hussy (Anarcho, #2)

By Lawrence Caldwell

Max and Staxx board the ultrafine space cruiser Chylaxium in an effort to kidnap Kelly Hess, the daughter of the rich—but not a douche—Hess, who wants his daughter returned to him after she ran off with Laiwyn Scorr, a known smuggler and murderer whose evidently using her for her magical abilities to get to her father. Unfortunately it remains to be seen whether the little hussy will come easily.

“Max, are you sure about this one?”

“You know it’s a favor to May, after what she had to pull to get us outta that Yates thing.”

“I know, but... just because you like her doesn’t mean we have to say ‘yes.’”

“Come on, Staxx, it’ll be fun.”

“Do we get to shoot stuff?”

“Definitely!”

“What happened to us robbing banks on the six o’clock news?”

“Don’t worry—we’ll get to that after we do this thing real quick.”

“All right, I’m down.”

“Sweet.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lawrence Caldwell
• Release date: Apr 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005990190

Lawrence Caldwell

Lawrence Caldwell is believed by some to be a wandering samurai, or a vagrant, or possibly a ninja—though perhaps in his infinite mystery, he’s none of these things. Whichever the case, he wanders home as Odysseus did after the great Trojan War in some realm unbeknownst to our world. And—by direct theft of a quote from a certain dwarf named Varric Tethras—he "occasionally writes books."

Book preview

ANARCHO

HUSSY

By

Lawrence Caldwell

Book Two in the Anarcho series.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © Lawrence Caldwell, 2021

Look for These Other Titles by Lawrence Caldwell

AEVALIN AND THE AGE OF READVENTURE

Aevalin: Klause Schuar, the Grand Bastard

Aevalin: Trials on the Isle of Morr

Aevalin: Knight of Aevalin

Aevalin: Errant Adventurer

Aevalin: Kingdom of the Blue Dragon

THE JINNI AND THE ISEKAI

The Jinni and the Isekai

The Black Cobra of Mar’a Thul

Coil and Strike

The Sultan of Darshuun

Sultan’s Legacy

ANARCHO

Fracture Rating

Hussy

Landfill Lich

Rescue Operation

Dreams of Forever

THE PRINCESS AND THE MAGICIAN

The Wind Steppe Princess and the Amalfi Magician

OTHER TITLES

Wakiagau

Haven

Teisatsusha

Blackwood Company

Littlehand Hakuria

Attack on the Spire Keep

The Reconnoiters

Skydrift

Acheron

You will own nothing, and you will be happy.—The WEF Overlords

Chapter One—Shake on it

"What are you lookin’ at, John? Is that the Chylaxium?"

John was scrolling through the holographic map data of the space yacht sent over by to them by secure drop. Yeah, he said quietly with a nod. It was late. John wasn’t usually at his peak at night.

That was more Kyle’s realm, so he was surprised to find John sitting silently at the dining room table looking over things.

Kyle glanced out the window. The high polish of the table’s surface reflected the colorful neon aspects of Life City beyond from.

The view from atop their high-rise apartment that they owned through and through was spectacular. Some of the best money can buy.

You worried about something?

John glanced at him. We don’t usually take on requests for other people, he said. It’s just… not our style, don’t you think?

Kyle shrugged.

As long as we get to fuck corpo-weirdos—why not?

Laiwyn Scorr.

What?

Laiwyn Scorr, Kyle repeated. He gestured toward the table. Bring up his file.

John didn’t move for a minute. He was a big guy—huge muscles, tall, nice haircut. He kind of fit the mold for that cool guy that talks slow, moves slow, but when need be, can’t lunge with deadly force.

Finally he sat up a bit and pushed some of the holo-keys on his tablet. They whirred and beeped. The projector in the middle of the table shrunk, making the floor plan of the Chylaxium disappear and the personal file of Laiwyn Scorr collected by May and her people appear.

He’s a pretty generic-looking CEO type, John said.

All like that, John, he said, walking up to the table and interacting with the hologram. Oh man or man!

Are you going to be dramatic or are you going to say something useful?

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, Staxx? Oh wait, you haven’t gone to bed yet, old man.

John sniffed with indifference as he shook his head. Just get on with it.

Let’s see, Kyle said, going down the list compiled for them. Last year this piece of work initiated a hostile takeover of the Wells and Jai’Rae Foundation. Seems he blackmailed several of the members on the board of directors into siding with him. The list of offenses includes kidnapping, threats of death and the release of private medical records.

Are medical records still private these days?

Well, no, Kyle said, but if you’re anybody whose anybody they sure as the hells are.

So he’s a real piece of work, John said.

Hey, the Wells and Jai’Rae Foundation is good people. They do good work helping people—and not as a front for corpo-corruption. Scorr has been growing his own corporate assets like a warlord out for galactic conquest. Wow. Over two-hundred acquisitions in the past year alone. L. Corp’s founder has got to go, John. What’s it matter whether we’re doing it to help some bozo important to May and her people?

I just want to make sure we stay on point. You know that.

Yeah, yeah, Kyle said. Anyway, he’s got the guy’s daughter. He’s going to fuck Hess over and you know it. Who knows what he’s got planned. Maybe he’s going to have her abducted or holo-tape her doing something indecent. The guy’s a real scum bag.

This isn’t because you’re interested in May, is it?

What are you inferring?

I don’t know, he said, shrugging. You seem very interested. That’s all.

Listen, Kyle said waving his hand about as if he could erase this conversation. "I’m not ‘interested’ in May. Hells—she’s probably big