Matt Archer: Blade's Edge Read Online Free Page A

in my head, like it was disappointed in me.
    “What?” I snapped. “I’m cornered, armed with a knife at an archery range. A little help might be nice.”
    A diversion.
    “How?”
    Three, two, one…
    Out of the shadows, Johnson tore over the icy ledge and sprinted across the field to tackle one of the shooters from behind, sending her bow flying. The others scattered as they rolled together. The Kali punched him square in the nose and blood spurted everywhere. He was knocked unconscious, but his broken nose gave me just enough time to leap on her back and slice it open. With a screech, she crumpled.
    Two of the remaining archers scrambled backwards, sliding in the bloody snow, trying to find a place to get down and shoot. The third kept running, looking for something along the ground. I threw the knife at the closest one before she could ready an arrow and it slammed into her chest as if it were laser-guided. Uncle Mike raced our direction. He rammed into the second Kali just as she loosed an arrow, throwing off her aim. The arrow disappeared into the night sky. Free to rush her, I yanked the knife out of its latest victim and pounced, slipping the knife between the Kali’s ribs.
    Finished, I stood, wondering where the last one had gotten off to.
    Mike stood as well. “We need to bring Johnson in.”
    I nodded, still scanning the battlefield for the missing Kali while he went to drag Johnson to a safe place. Nothing but bodies. Maybe Ramirez had gotten her. Shrugging, I turned to see if I could find the rest of the team.
    There was a whistling noise, then an arrow landed inches from Johnson’s side. Mike and I dropped to the snow, covering the lieutenant’s prone body with our own.
    “If I get up, she’ll come after me,” I said. “Then you can get Johnson out of her line of fire.”
    Mike grunted as another arrow missed us by less than a foot. “Only plan we have. Be careful, or you’re in trouble, got it?”
    “Yes, sir.” I jumped up, trying to get a bearing on the Kali as Mike dragged Johnson behind a drift. A shadow flitted about the bodies, bending, stooping. Another arrow flew my way. I flung myself to the ground, but not fast enough. White-hot pain sliced through my right bicep. My hand weakened and I dropped the knife into the snow. An arrow lay just behind it. They’d finally drawn blood.
    The last Kali laughed and nocked yet another arrow, taunting me in a language I didn’t understand. I got the gist, though; her voice sounded like frozen corn syrup—brittle and way too sweet. I crawled behind a rock just as she shot and the arrow buzzed over my head. Lying panting on the snow, I tried to figure out what to do next, but the next shot didn’t come. I hazarded a look—the Kali was rummaging among the bodies…and the quiver on her back was empty. That’s what she’d been looking for. Spare arrows.
    I picked up the knife and came out to face her. The handle felt clumsy in my left hand, but it’d have to do—I wasn’t letting her get away. The Kali ran, searching, as I stalked her direction. She discarded arrow after broken arrow, unable to find something useable. I tensed up my left arm, hoping I could make it work well enough to get me out of this mess.
    Reflex, the knife whispered in my head.
    “Quit talking in code, would ya? I’m a little busy.”
    It didn’t answer.
    The Kali found an arrow and drew it taut. I heard Uncle Mike and Patterson shouting something incoherent as they ran toward me. They wouldn’t make it in time and there wasn’t anywhere left for me to go. I kept on the move, wondering if I should throw the knife and cut her bowstring. The knife would hit its target; I just didn’t think I’d beat the arrow to the punch.
    A buzz filled my head. Tendrils of foreign thoughts latched onto my brain and my left hand tightened around the knife’s handle.
    The Kali aimed the arrow at my heart. The world disappeared in a dark tunnel as my vision focused down on her. Filled