“They’ve been able to remain hidden for so long because they are good at cleaning up after themselves—or at least making sure that any potential leaks were effectively plugged,” Sasha stated and handed the tablet back. “They have been able to establish themselves by making everyone believe they are nothing more than fiction, but we have the means to force them out of hiding now.” The commander turned to Chiyo. “Correct, Master Kana?”
She nodded and activated a holoscreen. “Kaitō is still sorting through everything we downloaded. Already, though, we have numerous documents detailing their technology developments, contracts, and conversations about business acquisitions, as well as many messages sent from the personnel to their benefactor.”
“Singular?” Sasha asked.
Chiyo nodded. “There seem to be personal messages to other higher-ups and the like, but the senior officers and leaders of this facility all sent messages to one individual simply referred to as the leader. The correspondence is actually rather sparse when you narrow it down to only these particular messages. But there are dozens of references to the fact that they are doing everything for ‘the mission’ or the ‘Arbiter project.’”
“There’s still another possible source,” Wolfson noted and looked at the prisoner. “We may be able to get more info from her but either way, the personal messages may be waved off by officials. The documents, contracts, and blueprints, however, will show that something was being planned—something that couldn’t simply be accomplished by a couple of hundred idiots who acquired an old outpost.”
The commander nodded. “We’ll take this back to Nexus and have Laurie help you examine it. From there, we can take the case directly to the WC using my personal channels.”
The trees around them stirred and a loud hum signaled the arrival of Janis’ Zeppelin. Kit held a hand up and a holoscreen appeared. He smiled at the group. “I’m sorry for taking so long to contact all of you. I ended up drifting farther into the mountains than I realized after the drop.”
“I’m glad to see you back safely, Janis,” Kit responded.
“You missed most of the fun while you were loitering about.” Fritz chuckled. “But I suppose I should be more impressed that you were able to keep that glorified floaty in the air so long.”
“All of you should be impressed,” Sasha stated and immediately drew the group’s attention. “I’m not shrugging our losses off, but this could have gone much worse. Because everyone fought tooth and nail while accomplishing their objectives, we were spared that, even when certain developments arose out of our control.”
“And now, it’s our turn,” Wolfson stated with a nod. “We’ll make sure that this was only the beginning. This world may be full of a lot of idiots who need a good beating but now, we can at least make sure that the one who’s been avoiding it so long finally gets theirs.”
Zena straightened. “I assume the WC will take them on if all goes well, but then again, they are more reactive than proactive. They could drag their feet on this, even if you find something conclusive amongst it all.” She tilted her head downward, her face solemn as if in thought. “I guess my offer still stands. They are a danger to us as much as anyone else. If you need anything, let me know. I can speak for me and my team, at least.”
“Heh, are you trying to make me look bad?” Desmond snickered and thumped his chest. “The Kings and our ships are yours for the same reason, although we’ll need time to get new ones and fix the ones we have.”
“And the same for our droids. I believe all but a handful were left in the blast zone.” Janis sighed. “Although they can be replaced. I recommend we head back and find some inspiration amongst the rubble.”
Desmond smiled and returned to his ship. Zena shook her head and left the group to order her team to head back to the fort to plunder what they could.
Kaiden watched them go for a moment. He turned to Wolfson and Sasha and nodded before he walked away. Chiyo followed him. “Are we heading back as well?”
“We have to pick Cyra up,” he stated as he boarded Julio’s ship.
“It would be a long walk back, wouldn’t it?” She chuckled and sent a message to her friend that they were on their way.
“That, and she has the device we are supposed to get for Laurie,” he reminded her with a smile. “We completed the mission and got what we came for, mostly. It would be a shame to fail the test after all that.”
Merrick buried his face in his hands while his thoughts raced through his mind at a rapid pace. This rapid mental activity was normal for him in most circumstances, certainly, but there was an underlining uncertainty and confusion that was most uncommon.
They would have to speed their plans up, change the order, and tighten their focus. The battle made it very clear that they would no longer be afforded the time and ease they once had. Of course, the WC had been an unwitting ally of sorts and always brushed off anyone who brought up their existence or tried to look into the more underhand dealings of the organization’s various leaders as they laid the groundwork. Bribes and manufactured tragedies were equally important to their cause—and equally damning if their full extent were ever revealed.
It was possible that the raiders hadn’t found enough evidence of their existence as a collective for the council to act in force. Perhaps they had only been able to ascertain that a number of companies had a stake in this outpost that dealt in unsanctioned development and research. Still, that would be enough for at least a few others to look deeper into it. That, in turn, would blossom into more investigations and potentially more attacks, and their advantage would only dwindle more rapidly. There were still pieces that needed to be put in place, but at this point, they might need to play the game with a handicap, at least until they could turn it to their favor.
Solos stated that he would begin his mission but that he had been unable to secure a foothold back in his company as yet. Apparently, the bounty hunter never came through. Although the count was clever—frighteningly so—the AO leader would have preferred he do this in a more traditional way. But he would have his end taken care of. Dario’s little delivery would ensure it and that would buy them time to act and keep the WC at bay until they could take them on and win. To do that, however, they needed the right force.
He looked across his desk at a hologram of an island surrounded by a lake with numerous buildings and a vortex emblem mounted on the central monument. They would need troops and tech to make up for the amount they recently lost—and then to increase the numbers. They might have lost quantity but they could make up for it with quality. He stretched his hand and moved it through the hologram to break it apart.
They were an important piece and one he had relegated to later acquisition. But if certain members of Nexus were so eager to see the Arbiters come to light, they would oblige. He was sure they would fight, deny their mission, and try to push them back. But they would fail. Actually, no, they would succeed. While they might lose the victory they wanted, they would join them in their cause and achieve victory for the human race.
After all, that was their design.
Obsidian Detective
Pre-order now to have the book arrive on your Kindle November 1st.
Two Rebels whose Worlds Collide on a Planetary Level.
On the fringes of human space, a murder will light a fuse and send two different people colliding together.
She lives on Earth, where peace among the population is a given. He is on the fringe of society where authority is how much firepower you wield.
She is from the powerful, the elite. He is with the military.
Both want the truth – but is revealing the truth good for society?
---
Two years ago, a small moon in a far off system was set to be the location of the first intergalactic war between humans and an alien race.
It never happened. However, something was found many are willing to kill to keep a secret.
Now, they have killed the wrong people.
How many will need to die to keep the truth hidden?
As many as is needed.
He will have vengeance no matter the cost. She will dig for the truth. No matter how risky the truth is to reveal.
Coming November 1st from Amazon and other Digital Book Stores
Author Notes - Michael
September 10, 2019
“The Author would say thank you for reading this book… If the Author was around.” John turned around. He was standing on the sidewalk, the trees shading the street down both sides as he tried to find the voice amongst the shrubs in old Ms. Benjamin’s yard.
“Come again?” He spoke aloud.
“I said,” the voice replied. John looked down. At his feet, about as high as his Converse high tops, was a small …
Fairy? A lawn fairy? He got closer then kneeled. He then noticed the razor-sharp teeth. The fairie continued speaking. “That the author would have said thank you for reading the book.”
“What book?”
“Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone.”
John thought about it. “I haven’t read a Brownstone since … Uh… He got married to Shae. Last I read was the latest Animus.” John didn’t like the look on the little guy’s face. “Did I miss one?”
“You missed two, actually.” He put his hands on his hips, looking up. “You call yourself a reader?”
“I’ve been busy. You know,” John jerked a thumb to his blue Nike backpack, “College.”
“Not an acceptable excuse,” the small fairy answered. “In fact, there is no excuse. It’s what we told the Author before we had our final negotiation. He promises he won’t be tardy again.”
“Whatevs,” John stood up. “I’ve got to go, I’ll get to it when I get to…OUCH!” John’s hand swept down, meeting his foot he was lifting as he slapped the little guy off of his ankle, rocketing him into the grass.
There was blood running down, soaking his sock. “Dude, why the hell did you bite me?” he asked as John noticed the little guy, a maniacal grin on the tiny face wiping a bit of skin and meat out of his mouth climbing out of the grass to get on the sidewalk.
“How the hell did you get such a big chunk out of my foot, ya ass?” John kneeled, moving his sock to catch more of the blood.
“Dinner shouldn’t call me names…” the little fairy hissed, his voice going up an octave.
“Dinner?” John looked over to him, “I’m not your dinner you little masochistic mosquito. I’m a hundred times your size and…” John noticed the tall grass starting to move around in Ms. Benjamin’s lawn. Like something – or several somethings - was coming through it. “I’m uh…”
“You…are…dinner.” The fairy smiled once more, showing the red coloring of his teeth. John’s blood. “At least the Author was smart enough to negotiate. You just called me names…”
John jumped up, turned, and sprinted away.
Forty-five minutes later, a dog was sniffing a blue backpack just five houses down, laying on the sidewalk…
John was nowhere to be seen.
WE HAVE TWO MORE ANIMUS BOOKS COMING…
Don’t let the Lawn Fairies catch you missing one.
Once they finish with John, you might be next...
If you haven’t read
The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone,
we suggest you try it.
If you have read all of
The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone,
and all of Animus…
You are safe.
For now.
Books by Michael Anderle
For a complete list of books by Michael Anderle, please visit
www.lmbpn.com/ma-books/
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www.lmbpn.com/audible
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Raid (Animus Book 9) Page 19
