Lover

by Valerie J. Long

  “Then I should verify the intel, shouldn’t I?”

  Chapter Ninety-Five

  The two most important accesses to Palmdale were the 138 in east-western direction and the 14 in south-north direction from Los Angeles, but there were numerous side roads and paths that I could take as well. After all, what were thirty to forty kilometers running distance to me?

  So I said goodbye to Gomez in the early evening, after a large meal in San Fernando, and went on my way into the mountains. I partially used the Antelope Valley Freeway, partially ran cross-country.

  Approaching my target under the cover of darkness helped me to hide my special skills from the others, avoided telltale shadows—and it allowed me to do without my power-consuming camouflage until I really needed it.

  I was firmly expecting guards in camouflaged suits. If not here, where else? The only question that remained was how much of the area they would patrol. Only the plant? Or occasionally Palmdale, too? Along the access roads?

  In the end, no elite soldiers were wearing these suits, but criminals with the respective notions of morals. Power, money, sex—and fear. Only fear caused at least a little discipline. There were no higher ethics, no positive esprit de corps. So I soon found a sole guard who was searching the town’s bedroom windows for worthwhile views.

  On my next leg, I had time to contemplate my own motivation. Power didn’t matter to me, but the freedom to do what I wanted—that nobody had power over me. I could have as much sex as I wanted. Money indeed was an issue. I didn’t need higher ethics, and above that, I was a loner. I hardly knew anything about comradeship and team spirit. So, was I any better than them?

  Only in one regard. My goal wasn’t making other people’s life harder. Nevertheless, I lived at the expense of other people’s work, as a parasite. That my environment had cast me that way was just a convenient excuse. I had become thief out of my own ambition, instead of working at a supermarket cashier or as garbage collector. What else could have become of me?

  On the other hand, I was right now risking my life to help others. This wouldn’t gain me money, comfort, or freedom. Instead it only dragged me deeper to a commitment of continuing this path. Reluctant heroine? I was here voluntarily!

  Dragon snot, girl, focus on your mission! Ahead at the gate, the next guard in his suit waited, complete with backpack and arms. Even if he didn’t deem it necessary to become invisible himself, he still had all necessary sensors at hand, first of all infrared vision, and I was warmer than my surroundings. Yet, he turned his back at me, but how long would that remain so?

  What else could I find around these buildings? I heard the fine chirp of ultrasonic, felt millimeter-wave radar, saw invisible laser light barriers, conventional barb wire, tripwires, step-on contacts, cameras—someone had installed an overkill of security instruments here. No mouse would get through.

  Mike had done a thorough job in raising this branch. I recognized many of the Woomera installations, smartly complemented by additional devices. Everything came from Frostdragon one way or another—for the Cartel, the best was just good enough.

  I want to get in without being detected. How about that?

  —The master control will neutralize the sensor logs.—

  Perfect.

  This moment, the guard at the gate turned in my direction. His lower arm and the linear cannon mounted there pointed approximately at me. With tensed muscles and held breath, I froze and waited for his first shot.

  Chapter Ninety-Six

  What kind of mistake had I made? How had he spotted me?

  For long seconds, he stared through me, then I noticed a movement behind him—and he jerked around. Damn! Did these suits really have eyes in their backs?

  Very, very slowly I moved back into the cover of the last house’s corner. This guy might not be an elite soldier, but he could handle his suit. He had a chance to notice me, even if his perception wasn’t as fine as mine.

  Now it would be helpful to know whether he had noticed my temperature or my contour—was my camouflage too poor or my insulation?

  I’d better assume that both options applied. Only—how should I continue then? I still wanted to get in, even if I was almost convinced I’d indeed found the sought-after factory. If the others were to strike here successfully, they’d need better intelligence.

  Well then. In this case, I had to search the area first.

  All over, only four guards were deployed around the compact area, all visible, but as opposed to the two guys in the ZONE, they also carried their backpack with micro fusion reactor, the linear cannons and the complete electronic gear. With it, they were probably strong enough to repel a determined assault, more so if they activated their camouflage.

  In town, I met four of their colleagues in total, patrolling in camouflage. Indeed, only one of them abused his gear to peek through bedroom windows, while the other three principally did their job well. As I knew what to watch out for, I nevertheless managed to remain unseen. After all, I had learned my business without nanos originally.

  In principle, all four followed the same spiral route through town. The pattern probably had been developed in a computer in order to reach the best possible coverage with a minimum of staff—as long as all guards stuck to their orders. By one of them now and then pausing in front of a window, the pattern became patchy.

  If we wanted to utilize such a gap, we needed the duty roster. I couldn’t expect the same guy doing the same tour every night.

  This took me back to my starting point. How could I enter the plant unseen under the guards’ noses—and of course leave unseen again afterward?

  Until I found a way, I’d just have a look at the plant in daylight.

  The main gate of the twice fenced-in plant led straight to a low pavilion of perhaps sixty square meters in size. Behind followed a construction hall the size of a football field, and that was about all.

  From my vista point on the roof of another deserted factory building, I could comfortably watch the complex slowly filling up in the morning. At first, only few cars arrived, then several dozen followed briefly after each other. Their drivers and passengers all entered through the main gate into the pavilion. With very few exceptions, they continued from there to the construction hall.

  Shortly later, the four guards around were changed. Until the evening, it remained peaceful. Immediately after the next change of guards, the workers trickled out again. A little later, the four invisible patrols followed.

  If the guards were indeed doing eight-hour-shifts, I had missed the last nighttime change. And how long did the patrols stay outside? I didn’t know that either, so I simply stayed where I was. A few cereal bars and an energy drink from my belt pockets had to do.

  The guards changed briefly after midnight indeed. Two each went inside, and a short time later, two came out again. Little variations in their movements gave away that the suits were worn by different persons. During the change, there was a short gap.

  In the early morning, the patrols returned. They weren’t replaced, so they probably did only one shift. Fine. I knew enough.

  Chapter Ninety-Seven

  “I’m sorry it’s taken so long,” I apologized to Gomez and snuggled up to him from behind.

  “Four nights,” he grumbled. “Unusual for you.”

  “One night to get in, two nights I’ve watched, the fourth I’ve left. Couldn’t be faster.”

  “Then it’s well guarded?”

  “Eight armor suits with full armament.”

  “Dragon crap. That’s enough against an invasion army.”

  “There are a few weak spots. Let’s discuss that with the others.”

  “You want to leave right away?” He gave the bathroom door a longing glance. “Or can I have a shower first?”

  “First, we’ll have a shower, and then breakfast.” I already reached for his growing erection.

  Gomez sighed savoringly. “Oooh Jo, you’ll finish me off again.”

  �
��I feel reduced to my cock,” he later complained while we were driving north.

  “I thought men like to be reduced to their cocks?”

  “In your hand, I’m nothing more than a hard rod, Jo. Is that all you need from me?”

  There was more to this question, and I noticed that I myself wasn’t entirely clear about it. What was it that I needed from Gomez?

  “Yes and no, Gomez. Yes, after a dangerous mission, I need a distraction. Then, I myself don’t want to be anything other than a wet hole—then, I want to shag and forget. Then, I only want a hard cock, but not just any. If I give myself like this, forgo any control, I need a man I can trust.”

  “Mm. Well yes, thanks.”

  “That’s not all yet, Gomez. I also like you as a reliable partner when we’re on a mission.”

  “So.” He pondered. “I guess I’ll have to be content with that.”

  What did he mean? I pushed the thought aside and mused how the mission briefing would go. How could I gently suggest to the Captain that his team wouldn’t suffice this time?

  Chapter Ninety-Eight

  “Round of introductions?” Alan asked around.

  “Not needed,” the Major decided. “We have the names and the reconnaissance report. We should just start.”

  “I’m still wondering how you can spot the camouflaged suits before they can spot you,” Alan said once again in a poorly veiled attempt to get into my secrets.

  “They simply didn’t learn to remain silent,” I advised him. “You can hear them from far away, and if you then don’t see anything, there must be an invisible man. Then you look for footprints. They rely so much on their suits that they don’t think of it. As easy as that.”

  “And why don’t they see you?”

  “Because I don’t step into the middle of the road and wave? I stay in the shadows, remain silent, and move slowly so that I don’t trigger any reflexes.”

  “That way you then also evade any and all security installations around the complex?” the Captain dug deeper and glanced at his superior. I could have spared myself these worries—the military had expected this mission to be of another dimension right from the start, and the Major’s presence gave credit to that. After all, in and around Palmdale there were still a few Air Force installations.

  “I had a different trick for that.”

  “Which one?”

  “That’s my secret, I’m sorry.”

  “That’s not acceptable,” the Major spoke up now. “We must be able to assess the gathered intelligence’s reliability.”

  He scrutinized me. I withstood his stare and remained silent.

  “Folks, that won’t get us anywhere,” Alan pleaded. “Can we please return to the facts?”

  “If they are facts,” the Major insisted. “This woman could tell us anything.”

  Why didn’t I rise and leave? Because I was an experienced service provider who had learned on her job how to deal with difficult clients? No, more likely it was for the begging glance Alan gave me.

  “This woman’s been providing us with secret information about the Cartel for years. Her intel was always reliable,” he said.

  “That could be regarded as bait.”

  That was enough. “Mr. Major, if you’d like to call me a liar, please do it straight in my face and not by indirect insinuations.”

  “I don’t know you, Miss Meier,” he insisted.

  “Thanks, the same to you. How can I know that you’re not using the knowledge of my location for selling me out to the Cartel? The price on my head is high.”

  The Major’s face turned red. I could see that the Captain would have liked to help me, but wouldn’t stab his superior’s back.

  “Enough!” Alan bellowed. “Major, please keep your seat. Jo, that wasn’t helpful.”

  “Pardon me, my mistake. Let me clarify—Major, I trust you blindly for not selling me out, but I have no way of supporting this trust by facts. Is it clear this way?”

  “That’s not quite the same.”

  “No, not entirely. I had put it as a question—where could I gather intel to support this trust? And I had indicated that I’m running a high risk by showing up.”

  “You? Bah. We’re the ones risking life and limb. That’s what we’re soldiers for.”

  “Major?” the Captain chimed in.

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “Major, this woman’s been along with my command, and she had taken the lead. She deliberately and with extraordinary bravery exposed herself to hostile fire until her task within the scope of this mission had been completed. If one of my men had acted like this, I’d already have recommended him for an award, Sir.”

  “So.”

  “After she had explored hostile grounds unarmed—like here. I have no doubts that she’ll risk life and limb for me and my men, Sir.”

  “So. Well.” He looked at me. “Can you provide any qualifications?”

  “Only civil ones, Mr. Major.”

  “Well?”

  “Since 2054, I’ve held the Ironman world record for men and women. I graduated with distinction as a Master of Dragon Technology from the University of Melbourne, class of ‘51. I’m the inventor of the Meier effect. Does that suffice for now?”

  Alan grinned. The Captain made a stone face. The Major forced himself to smile. “Okay. In any case, this puts some weight on your observations regarding the surveillance technology employed. It would have been good to have had this information from the beginning.”

  “There’s no reason to put this down in writing,” Alan objected. “This information is top secret.”

  “Fine. Let’s have a look at the plans?”

  Chapter Ninety-Nine

  He had put his reservations behind, but the Major by far hadn’t become my friend yet. I kept my mouth shut and listened.

  “Around our target, there are further military installations, which are accordingly guarded and protected by the Air Force. We cannot assume that the guards there are on our side, nor may we treat them as enemies. This is a difficult split that requires prudence and restraint. Lieutenant Willard, please.”

  The young man, who had so far remained in the back, rose and harrumphed. At the same time, a beamer came to life and projected a map of Palmdale on the white conference room wall.

  “To the east, the airport belonging to Plant 42 borders on our target. As you can see, this runway points almost exactly at the target building. The guarded accesses are some distance away, so that we don’t have to expect immediate hostile contact with the guards. Dependent on the mission duration, it will nevertheless be a decisive factor to keep the Air Force out of the game.”

  “What’s their attitude?” Fiona asked. “According to our intel, the Air Force as well as the Army are quiet because the Cartel threatens them with armor suits. If we’re taking up the suits here and prove that we can fight them, it should have a signaling effect.”

  “Possible, but we can’t rely on that,” the Major advised her. “Lieutenant?”

  “We assume that the majority of their people would sympathize with us if we’d disclose our identity and find a chance to explain our mission. However, neither will be given. We expect a minority of bribed informants, so advance information is out of the question. Sympathy alone won’t get us far, and we can’t expect active cooperation because the Cartel is using soldier families to blackmail them. At best, we may hope for passive tolerance if our actions can avoid any notion of threatening the civil populace—and even such tolerance can get the concerned soldiers into serious trouble. So we regard it as a secondary goal providing them a believable excuse for not interfering.”

  He marked several spots on the map with light dots. “These are the probable positions of guards. From there, they could approach the target area via these ways. If we cover these spots with smoke and tear gas and at the same time feign an attack on their own grounds, they have a perfect excuse to keep their posts. Before someone figures out our plan and decides that i
t’s time to act, there should be plenty of time to finish our mission.”

  “We assume that casualties on both sides can be avoided if we act prudently,” the Major explained.

  “That sounds very conclusive,” I chimed in. “It’s not entirely clear to me yet how the Air Force can have a chance regarding us as potential allies, or recognizing the attack as directed at the Cartel, if a feigned attack at the same time suggests them to regard themselves as target and thus us as the enemy.”

  Judging from the Major’s face, I hadn’t collected Brownie points with this critique. How could I dare to pick his nice plan to pieces? Worse—I was right, and he had to admit it. “A valid argument. What alternative options do we have?”

  “The cover has to be accordingly firmer,” I proposed.

  “We don’t want to apply lethal power there.”

  “No. What about glue on the road or these sticky nets?”

  “Note that, Lieutenant.”

  “Got it. How about caltrops then?”

  “Acceptable, note that. We can revisit the details later. Should we address the target now? Captain Stokes?”

  That seemed to indicate that he was responsible for the main strike. Fine.

  “This part of the mission has five sub-goals. First, elimination of the patrolling guards. Second, elimination of the stationary guards at the gates. Third, capture the factory. Fourth, salvage completed armor suits and the production line. Fifth, haul it away.” He nodded at me. “Thanks to the detailed reconnaissance results, we were able to prepare detailed plans for all sub-goals. I will introduce them in order.”

  His Major nodded at him.

  “First, the patrols. As they’re following a given path, we have a good chance to intercept them. To spot their exact location, we’ll prepare a fine dust barrier across their path. Once they have the dust under their feet, their footprints will become visible for bearers of special visors in the ultraviolet range, without the armor suit immediately noticing it.”