Landfill Lich (Anarcho, #3)

By Lawrence Caldwell

With independent, though highly discredited, news sources siting a dangerous creature killing people on the edges of Life City, Max and Staxx—in their boredom, decide to take up the investigation. They quickly discover that they may be in way over their heads, and that the source of this “terrible monster” or whatever, is in fact due to the carelessness of a mega corp—of course—and headed by—you guessed it—the mages.

“Man, I’m so bored! Sure this thing’s even real?”

“The bodies are real.”

“If the overlords are responsible for whatever’s goin’ on, then somebody’s getting tossed out another window.”

“That’s what you always say.”

“’Cause it’s the truth, Staxx”

“Well let’s check it out and see what we find.”

“Takin’ guns.”

“Hells yes, Max.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lawrence Caldwell
• Release date: Jul 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005216900

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

LANDFILL LICH

By

Lawrence Caldwell

Book Three 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

Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world, and in here is the dream.—Jake Sully

Chapter One—Max a Million

Kyle ran down the corridor, his assault rifle butted firmly against his shoulder. All he had to do was get to the other side and break into the bridge and this would be over.

Except right now there were at least five of the Tien Lau Pirates in his way. He leaned out from cover and shot off a burst of energy rounds. They ripped through the lead guy’s head, spraying blood and brains everywhere.

Yeah!

He moved forward, ducking between the crates, barely missing enemy fire as it came at him. That’s when he activated his Primal Stim, jabbing the syringe into his leg. New energy coursed through him, making his vision pulse red, the blood vessels in his eyes visible in his vision as veiny shadows.

With his newfound abilities, Kyle ran at the wall, ran across it and landed on the pirate that had nearly shot him. He beat the pirate down with the butt of his rifle.

Then another pirate shot him.

Kyle took several shots to the side, the pain from the energy rounds making him cry out, but not killing him.

No—with the Primal Stim, he was too powerful to die from a few energy rounds that would otherwise puncture metal walls leaving behind scored holes with melted slag.

Turning his weapon on the shooter, he fired, ripping six holes through his chest and spraying the wall red behind him.

With these guys dead, the corridor looked to be empty, but of course there were more pirates on the bridge—there always were.

The corridors were darkened, the emergency claxons sounding and red lights flashed, making his vision even more red.

Kyle moved forward at great speed, cracking a Life Hack syringe bringing his damaged vitals back to normal as he came upon another pirate that jumped out from behind cover where he had been hiding. The guy got three shots off, but Kyle smacked him with his rigle, then picked him up and brought him back down over his knee. The pirate died, his back crunched.

Kyle laughed.

Not a chance, pal!

He came to the bridge doors. Of course they were locked, so he bashed them with his fist, putting a thick dent in the metal.

Shouts came from the other side.

Kyle stepped aside as shots punched through, long trails of bright light coming after them. They flickered as the men behind the door moved about, blocking and unblocking the holes with their bodies.

Kyle put half an energy clip through the door, returning fire. One man screamed, and he knew he’d taken one down.

From his pack, he brought out a charge, stuck it to the wall and jumped away with a backflip.

Then he pushed the detonator.

The explosion rocked the corridor and a gust of heated air hit him, but otherwise didn’t hurt him.

Kyle grinned.

Hells yeah!

The ship’s control room was visible now that the doors had been destroyed. The two guys guarding the spot came into the corridor single file. Kyle switched weapons, bringing out his G-36 Hand Canon and put a single shot through the corridor. It went through the first guy and into the second.

DOUBLE KILL!

Kyle stepped into the chamber to activate the autopilot lift off function when suddenly a hole was punched through the bridge windows, a powerful energy shot making contact with the bulkhead behind him.

Turning, he looked at the scored hole there, then back through the windows. Another shot came through.

He crouched.

Damn, he thought. It’s a sniper.

Kyle didn’t have sufficient long range weapons to deal with the problem, but it didn’t matter. He was on the bridge and the controls were his.

He activated the systems and the ship’s engines roared to life.

Easy.

He peeked up above the controls and then flew through the air before slamming on his back.

XxXSnipesUdEdXxX domed Max a Million.

He tried to move, but his body wouldn’t obey. Turning his head, he saw the blood covering the decking, pooling out under him as his vision swayed.

All faded to black.

That’s when the MISSION FAILED message showed up in red on the screen.

Dammit! Kyle yelled.

With a heavy sigh, he looked at the game stats. His team had nearly won. He had been the