It took five minutes (and way too many nano-aids) but Pharis reattached her severed arm and healed her broken leg and ribs. All the while she'd kept watch on Bunker Three. It'd been silent after its initial attack. Since the other enemies had been defeated without a peep from this guy, it was likely the asshole was working alone.
Calvin had joined Lillian at Bunker Two. They reported the un-flattened robot dropped an assault rifle for Calvin and a modest score of cash.
"So, how's it going, Priss?" Lillian said. "Want help with your guy?"
"Just some back-up. I haven't figured out who or what the bastard is. Could be like you for all I know."
"Let's hope not, Stumpy. You missed it, I was awesome."
"I have two arms again, bitch. Give me a set of dampeners unless you want to drag my corpse to the next hospital."
The party rejoined. Pharis waited as Lillian bestowed a dozen protection fields on her.
"Wonderful, thanks." She patted the pistol on her hip before drawing her sword. "One Teflon enema, coming right up."
In AE, Venusian days were faster than in reality—night descended on their battlefield. The only light came from the burning wreckage of their buggy. Seeing her security deposit (and marriage plans) up in flames refueled her anger at the figure revealed by its glow. A tall, slender man stood in front of the bunker, bare-chested with two metallic arms. His silver hair tossed in the wind.
"So you're finally ready to fight." Pharis slowly advanced.
"I should say the same to you. I must have messed you up pretty bad, either that or you're a coward." The man's voice was adult, amused.
"A coward! This coming from a guy who attacks from behind?"
"There's nothing sneaky about attacking from a bunker. You're just embarrassed." He was unarmed. Bad news. Cyborgs were always trouble.
"That's fine, your corpse will pay for everything," Pharis said. "And if I don't take you down, my friends will. No matter what, you're not leaving here alive."
"Well, if I'm already dead, I have nothing to lose. I love inevitability." He flashed a dashing smile. He was attractive and cocky—Pharis ached to change both.
She stopped fifteen paces away. He dropped his stance, legs wide. The stare-down was brief. With her free hand, Pharis fired two pistol rounds in a lightning-fast quick draw. Though perfectly accurate, the shots didn't hit their mark—the cyborg blocked with his forearms, sending the bullets into the dirt.
A pale blue glow covered his hands. He spread his fingers. In a whoosh he released a swarm of ice-blades and frigid air. Pharis braced herself, sliding back from the ferocity. When the ice storm subsided, she found herself unharmed. "Thanks again, Lily."
Confident, she holstered her gun and rushed, sword drawn back. He summoned a wall of fire at half her distance. Pharis only felt a hint of heat as she dove through the flames headfirst. Landing in a roll, she fluidly sprang from a crouch, blade pointed in a thrust. Taken back by her speed, the cyborg barely diverted the attack. It pierced low on his abdomen.
Before Pharis could continue, he trapped the blade with a metallic hand and punched at her arm. She spun her backwards, losing grip on her sword. The cyborg pounded again down at her face, knocking her to the ground. He followed with a harsh kick. Pharis tumbled away. While she struggled to stand, flames, electricity, water and ice rolled off her skin-tight shields, though after each assault her protections weakened.
Time to get serious.
Pharis kicked-up and performed a handless cartwheel, simultaneously drawing her pistol and firing in mid-air. A line of bullets struck the man in a two-inch pattern on his chest. She landed on her feet. He didn't fall.
Blood trickled from the wound. He laughed and peeled back his living flesh, revealing steel plates underneath. The cyborg licked his fingers. "I've been waiting for this. Look at you…you're already worn out."
"You ain't seen nothing yet," Pharis said.
He raised his thumb and forefingers in a mimic gun. His hand collected golden light. In a jaw-dropping acrobatic display, Pharis closed the distance with round-offs and leaping somersaults. She was a heartbeat away before amber lightning blasted from the cyborg's hand. Her barriers collapsed with a bright flash, and so did she. Electricity coursed through her body. It left her twitching in the sand.
"I wanted to play with you a while longer, but with your friends watching, I better end this now." He knelt beside Pharis, cracked his knuckles, and gathered flames to his fist. "Girl, I'm going to enjoy seeing your head split."
The cyborg's deathblow descended. Focused on his blazing attack and the hair clutched in his other hand, he didn't notice Pharis slip a dagger from her boot. She twisted close. His punch smashed into the ground, missing by a finger-width. With a reverse grip she slammed her blade under his chin, snapping his neck. Bleeding was an afterthought.
While her opponent's virtual soul drifted towards its resurrection point, his last sight would be Pharis standing over him, shrugging.