Yet that shrieking voice was small and had no control over him. Instincts and reactions honed over years as a Silverguard kept him from hasty action. There was always a time to leap into the fight, but this wasn’t it. Obeying the fear swelling within him would achieve nothing and benefit no one. On the contrary, it could actually get him killed.
He glanced at his HUD’s energy readout. 32% power, it read. He’d get less than five klicks before his ion engines sucked his suit’s power cells dry. He’d be grounded long before he passed beyond the edges of the Bolt Hole.
So, though it took every shred of willpower, he forced himself to remain still. He silenced that primal voice, the one that told him to run, fly, or skim-skate all the way to the Celestial Cascades, to leap off the building just so he could do something. At the moment, doing nothing outward was the best course of action.
Nolan glanced at Bex. She stood frozen, her posture completely rigid, hands curled into fists. The fear she’d be feeling—not for herself, but for her daughter—had to far eclipse Nolan’s worry for Jadis and Jared.
He reached out a hand to her. “Bex, we—“
“No!” Her voice cracked like a whip. “Don’t say a goddamn thing!” She was suddenly moving, whirling on him, her armored frame tense with the fury echoing in her voice. “We’re getting there on time! There’s no ifs, ands, or fucking buts about it. I don’t need you to try to comfort or calm me down. I know exactly why my daughter’s in danger—because I left her to be here—and talking about that isn’t going to do a pissing thing to make it better. The only thing that will is getting on that ship and getting the bloody hell back to that cabin as fast as we can. I don’t care if you have to burn out those engines, Taia! We’re getting there in time!”
“Our chances are excellent,” Taia said. “The Black Crows’ transport ship departed four hours and forty-two minutes ago, but it is a far slower vessel than the Phantasm. I calculate six hours and twenty-three minutes for them to reach the Celestial Cascades—or one hour and thirty-nine minutes from this very moment.”
Nolan swallowed hard. He didn’t know how fast the Phantasm could fly, but if it meant shaving an additional thirty minutes off the trip, he’d have Taia push the engines to maximum power for as long as possible.
“Even if the strike team arrives before us,” Taia said, “they still aren’t quite certain of their target. As per your instructions, I’ve purchased four more properties around the Celestial Cascades over the years, all as untraceable as Tanis’ cabin. The Protection Bureau might have found them—I’m trying to analyze exactly how they did—but they can’t know which is currently occupied. Which means they’ll have to divide their forces between all five properties.”
Nolan tried to cling to that faint glimmer of hope. It wasn’t much, but at this point he’d take anything that gave them a fighting chance against that many Black Crows. The contractors might not have Warbeast Team’s training, but numbers were on their side. Even the best-trained operator’s odds of survival plummeted exponentially against a force that large.
“Call them back!” The words seemed to burst from Bex’s lips. “The Black Crows! Send them a message as Agent Styver—like the trick you pulled to confuse them back at the apartment building—and call off the assault.”
“I’ve tried,” Taia said. “In fact, that was the first thing I attempted. But they requested the proper authorization codes, and I could find no codes on Agent Styver’s terminal.”
“Shit!” Nolan cursed. With a mental command, he activated team-wide comms. “Cerberus to all ears, come in!”
“Go for Wyvern, Cerberus,” Master Sergeant Kane’s gravelly voice answered.
Nolan quickly detailed what Taia had found about the attack on the Celestial Cascades, eliciting snarled curses from both Zahra and the master sergeant. “We’re on our way back in the Phantasm, but there’s a chance we can stop the assault from happening if you can get the authorization codes from Agent Styver.”
A moment of silence elapsed, the tension almost audible over the comms. Then Master Sergeant Kane spoke. “That’s not going to be possible, Cerberus.”
“What?” Nolan almost shouted. “The fuck does that mean?”
“Agent Styver’s KIA,” Master Sergeant Kane rasped. “Little cunt somehow slipped out of the quick-ties on his ankles and took off running. Led us straight into a party of Black Crows. He caught friendly fire in the exchange and bled out before we could get to him.”
Again, Nolan felt the air sucked from his lungs. This time, however, it struck him like a physical blow to the gut. He didn’t give a damn that Agent Styver was dead, though a part of him wished that he’d been the one to put that bullet into the man. No, Agent Styver had been one of only two bargaining chips. If Taia’s virus didn’t work—and they had no way to know for certain if it did—he’d have no leverage to convince the Protection Bureau to let him walk away.
No, that wasn’t quite true. He forced himself to think rationally, to analyze the new twist in his situation. He still had all the data he’d copied from Agent Styver’s terminal. There had to be something in there he could use against the clandestine organization.
“You copy, Cerberus?” Master Sergeant Kane asked.
“Copy, Wyvern.” Nolan’s voice came out strangled. He swallowed, tried again. “You three clear of hostiles?”
“A-firm,” Darren rumbled. “Took down the first party, then ghosted before any others caught up with us. We’re en route to the safe house now.”
“Redirect to the hangar,” Nolan said. “The Scimitar will be all warmed up and ready to roll out. You get your asses down to the Celestial Cascades as fast as you can and back us up.”
“Solid copy,” Master Sergeant Kane growled. “We’ll be hot on your trail.”
“We’re counting on it,” Nolan said. “Cerberus out.”
“Cerberus,” Bex said over comms, “I’ve had Taia trying to reach the cabin, but she’s not getting through.”
“There is a twenty-two-point-seven percent chance they are either sleeping or unavailable to answer their comms,” Taia said. “However, given the time of day, I calculate higher odds that there is something interfering with our ability to communicate.”
Nolan’s jaw muscles clenched. “Signal jam field?”
“Possibly,” Taia said. “The Black Crows would likely have the technology, but they’d have to be present to activate a jam field. Unless they have operatives already present in the Celestial Cascades—which I will begin scanning for when my next satellite comes into position in sixteen minutes and nine seconds—it’s possible they are using their own satellites to create interference to block the comms call from going through.”
“Keep trying,” Nolan and Bex said at the same time.
“And figure out what’s going on,” Nolan continued. “We need to get through to Jadis and warn her of what’s coming.”
“On that count, I believe you have no cause for concern,” Taia said. “My local systems operating within the cabin are programmed to activate the cabin’s built-in defenses the moment they sense anything amiss. Being cut off from outside comms signals definitely qualifies as ‘amiss.’”
Nolan frowned. “Tell us about the cabin’s defenses.” This was the first he was hearing about it. When he’d bought the place, it had been nothing more than a dying woman’s retreat, a simple, unassuming property amidst towering mansions and vast estates overlooking the Celestial Cascades. “What are we working with?”
Images began to pop up on his HUD, showing a three-dimensional blueprint of the cabin. “I’ve installed remote-controlled turret mounts on every side of the house,” Taia said. Four M964 Minis—six-barrel rotary machine blaster guns capable of firing up to six thousand low-caliber rounds per minute—popped up on her projection and unleashed a hailstorm of gunfire in all directions. “The cabin’s walls have also been reinforced with commercial-grade titanium alloy plating, and the window glass is strengthened with carbon nanofiber
threading capable of stopping anything short of a high-velocity round. The entire structure is also lined with anti-thermal shielding.”
Nolan’s eyes widened. This had all been done without his knowledge—just one of the many secrets she’d kept from him. The question was: had her programming been the reason the Protection Bureau learned about the cabin, or had she somehow managed to keep it as much a secret as the altered back-up copy of herself she’d coded?
“I’ve also installed anti-vehicle defenses,” Taia continued. Her three-dimensional rendering showed steel wedge barriers hidden beneath the one paved road leading up to the cabin’s front entrance. “A half-dozen anti-personnel mines will guard the southern approach through the forest.” Six red dots blinked on the map, thirty to fifty meters south of the cabin. “We’ll have plenty of advance warning if anyone tries to come at the cabin that way.”
Nolan was about to ask why they couldn’t just use the spy satellites’ thermal imaging to monitor the Black Crows’ approach, but stopped as he remembered that they’d be cut off from the satellite network the moment they entered the interference field. Unless, of course, Taia could find a way to knock it out. But if she couldn’t, they’d have to fight cut off from everything outside the Celestial Cascades.
“What about weapons?” Bex asked, glancing at Nolan. “Anything Jadis could use to fight back?”
“There is a weapons storage locker in both the basement and the master bedroom,” Taia said. “I have no doubt that my local systems are already arming Jadis and helping her prepare for combat.”
That statement tore at Nolan. On the one hand, he felt relieved that she wouldn’t be unarmed and defenseless. Between Taia’s built-in defenses, the weapons, and his older-model combat suit she’d been wearing, she had a damned good chance of surviving at least the Black Crows’ first incursion attempt. The moment the contractors hit Taia’s hard perimeter and took casualties, they’d likely pull back and adapt their attack strategy. That would hopefully be enough for Nolan and Bex to reach the Celestial Cascades and rain down holy hellfire on the fuckers.
Yet the thought of Jadis fighting also worried him. Her armor wasn’t infallible or fully bulletproof. Nothing ever was. There was a chance, however slim, that a stray bullet or unlucky blaster bolt would take her down.
And what about Jared and Roz? Last time Nolan had seen his brother, Jared hadn’t been able to sit up in bed, much less hold a weapon. And Roz was far too young to be exposed to such violence, much less have her life put at risk. When the cabin’s defenses kicked in and opened fire, the Black Crows wouldn’t give a damn about who was inside the house. They’d gone into this battle expecting to run into hardened Silverguards, which meant they’d pack ordinance and weaponry capable of putting down Warbeast Team once and for all. The presence of civilians wouldn’t cross their mind—and even if it did, would they care when the bullets and bolts started flying?
No, this had the potential to turn ugly in a damned hurry.
He had to get to the Celestial Cascades before the Black Crows attacked. If he didn’t, Bex might lose Roz, and he might never see his brother or Jadis again.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Nolan’s heart leaped as Taia said, “Your ride has arrived.”
Without his thermal imaging activated, he couldn’t see through the Phantasm‘s digital cloaking, but he felt the hot wind rolling off its engines and watched dust kicking up as it came to hover overhead.
An opening seemed to appear in empty air as the rear ramp lowered. Without hesitation, Nolan and Bex both sprinted toward the ship, racing up the ramp and into the Phantasm’s cockpit. Even as they strapped in, Taia set the ship swiveling around to head south in a direct line toward the Celestial Cascades.
The sudden acceleration momentarily slammed Nolan back into his seat, but he endured it until the ship’s local gravity field kicked in and the pressure eased. He’d put up with far worse g-forces if it meant they’d reach the cabin faster.
“Pour on the speed!” he shouted. “I don’t care if you have to use the torchdrives—just get us there!”
“The torchdrives cannot be operated within the planet’s gravity field,” Taia said. “Not unless you want to trigger terrible seismic and atmospheric damage. However, I can increase the conventional engine output to one hundred and ten percent for as long as it is safe to do so.”
“Do it!” Bex’s voice was hard, as tense as her posture. “Shave off every goddamned second you can.”
“Copy that.” At Taia’s words, the Phantasm accelerated even more, until the buildings of the Cyberwarrens and Bolt Hole appeared as little more than a blur beneath them. It took them less than three minutes to reach the southern edge of New Avalon—a speed far faster than Nolan had ever thought possible for ground vehicles or aircraft.
Yet it wasn’t fast enough. The Black Crows had a four-hour lead on them. Even with their slower transport ship, they’d still reach the Celestial Cascades well ahead of the Phantasm. If they happened to search Tanis’ cabin first—
No, I can’t think like that. He forced the grim thought from his mind. Between Taia and Jadis, they’ll hold off the Black Crows long enough for us to arrive. He refused to entertain the gruesome images of what they’d find if they arrived too late.
Fear, worry, and dread threatened to overwhelm him, clawing at his mind like some ferocious predator fighting to break loose from a cage. He reached for his Silverguard training, for the habits, mindsets, and instincts formed over nearly two decades as an elite operator and killer-for-hire.
Master Sergeant Kane’s voice echoed in his mind. Work the problem, goddammit! Not the one that might be, but the one right in front of you.
The ornery bastard had spent as many years in combat as Nolan had been alive. Old, bold soldiers like him had a way of looking at both the big picture and the immediate threat, and finding a way to solve both at the same time.
So Nolan forced himself to do as Master Sergeant Kane had taught him.
He started with the small problems, the things he could do right now. His Balefire needed a fresh energy clip, which he drew from his belt and locked into place. He gave the rifle a once-over, just to be sure it was still fully operational. While Taia ran a diagnostic on his combat suit, he connected the charging cable to replenish his energy cells from the ship’s power supply.
He watched Bex out of the corner of one eye. She appeared to be doing the same thing, going over her weapons and armor by rote. It was an old habit ingrained into operators—always checking your armaments to make sure they were ready the moment you had to go into battle. Only after everything was squared away was there time for bigger concerns.
Nolan couldn’t help worrying for and about her. She’d be struggling not to let her fear for her daughter overwhelm her mind. Roz was in danger—or soon would be—and knowing Bex, she’d be grappling with the knowledge that she was the reason for it. That was enough to drive even the best operator to distraction, possibly make her overly aggressive when the time came.
“Taia,” he said mentally, “when we get close to the cabin and things heat up, I need you to keep an eye on Bex for me.”
“You’re concerned for her wellbeing, too?” Taia asked.
The question surprised Nolan. “How did you—“
“I may not be monitoring her neurochemistry like I do with you,” Taia replied, “but after what happened in Manor Estates and the Zalkrovi, there exists a sixty-eight-point-five percent chance that she will abandon caution for the sake of reaching her daughter’s side and protecting her.”
Nolan couldn’t help marveling. Taia had come so far in her understanding of human emotions and behavior. She was a far cry from the robotic voice that had been his companion during his stay in the Vault—the Taia he’d first met years earlier.
“Just make sure she’s okay,” Nolan said. He didn’t think Bex would do anything reckless or foolish, but he wouldn’t take chances. He wanted her safe as badly as Bex wanted to protec
t her daughter. “Help her reach Roz alive and kicking.”
“Of course, Nolan.” Taia’s voice held genuine sincerity and a profound depth of emotion. “I will do everything in my power.”
“Thank you.” Nolan wished he felt more relieved. His concern for Bex was overshadowed by worry for Jadis, Jared, and Roz. Jadis was gearing up to fight, and even if he and Bex arrived in time, they’d be vastly outnumbered.
“How’s Jared?” he asked over team-wide comms. “What’d the tests show?”
“I am still compiling the test data,” Taia said, “but preliminary results are concerning. His cells are proliferating at a dangerously high rate, which is leading to accelerated degeneration of his entire body.”
Nolan’s gut twisted. “How bad is it?”
“I cannot give you a precise answer until I complete my analysis.” The worry in her voice was unmistakable. “However, he has awoken twice since you departed. He wasn’t particularly lucid on either occasion, but he did say a few words. Always asking about Lina.”
“He doesn’t remember what I told him?” The words came hard to Nolan. “He doesn’t remember that she’s gone?”
“He lapses into unconsciousness too quickly for me to assess his cognitive function and recall,” Taia said. “The cellular deterioration appears to be affecting his brain along with the rest of his body.”
Nolan felt those words like a gut punch. Whatever the Protection Bureau and Project Icarus had done to Jared in the Vault, his brother wasn’t recovering. Taia hadn’t said it aloud, but her words made it clear that Jared was dying.
He felt something close around his fingers. Looking down, he saw Bex had reached across the aisle and gripped his hand in hers. Her helmeted face locked onto him and she gave him a little nod.
A lump rose in Nolan’s throat. She was terrified for her daughter’s safety, yet somehow she found the strength to try and comfort him. But that was the thing about Bex—she always had more strength to call on. Nolan had met few people with deep reserves of willpower and fortitude to match Bex’s. Darren, Zahra, Master Sergeant Kane, and Rip numbered among that select few. Jadis, too. A spirit of iron and a will that could not be shattered.
Rampant Destruction (CERBERUS Book 10) Page 20
