Having hit another dead-end, Sam contacted Bravo team and requested that they conduct a stem-to-stern search of Endeavor. Bravo team had acknowledged and Sam decided to search docking rings A and B while he waited to hear back. Not that he expected to find anything but, given Endeavor’s size, it would take at least two hours for Bravo team to complete their search—and Sam hated waiting.
Besides monitoring her team’s progress via TacNet (although she had turned off the sensory inputs to limit unnecessary distractions), Luanne used the downtime to review every piece of information she had on this mission, hoping to find something they had missed.
Recovering her missing team members was her most pressing concern and she would not leave Luna without them.
They have to be here somewhere! Where did they go and who is helping the fugitives?
Gbadamosi was the most likely answer to the second part of her question but there was no evidence that he or any of his crew had arrived at Klaproth Station. Endeavor was currently orbiting Luna at a distance of 1200 kilometers at a speed of more than 25,000 kilometers per hour.
There were two GFN space fighters in orbit, with one holding station 100 kilometers above Klaproth and the other shadowing Endeavor. Neither fighter had reported seeing any shuttle craft leave or approach Endeavor since arrival, which meant that whoever was helping Chen and Evan had been here for a while. It also meant that they hadn’t left yet and were likely still at Klaproth Station or somewhere nearby.
“Emma, give me a list of all Lunar facilities. Highlight those owned or affiliated with Adekunle Gbadamosi, GFN ID Gamma Six Delta Five Niner Zero Six One One Four Alpha.”
“Processing,” Emma replied.
A few seconds later, a map of Luna appeared in Luanne’s right eye and a list of sites in the left. There were seventeen sites total, with ten on the light side of Luna and seven on the dark side.
That will take a while if have to search all of those! she thought.
“Any sites showing any shuttle traffic within the last twenty-four hours?”
“Yes, Lunar traffic control logs indicate flights in or out of six of the sites,” Emma replied.
The list of sites on Luanne's retinal display shrank to six with corresponding indicators on the lunar map.
“Is there any record of a shuttle from Endeavor landing at any of those sites?”
“No, all shuttle traffic has been between points on Luna.”
“Any traffic from those sites to Klaproth station?”
“Yes, there was a supply of helium-3 from Mare Orientale delivered yesterday at twenty-one seventeen hours Global Standard Time.
“Where?”
“The shuttle landed on pad three, docking ring C.”
“That has to be it, where did it go?”
“There is no record of departure.”
“Any record of it landing somewhere else?”
“No. Lunar traffic control says the transport is scheduled for departure at oh-seven thirty hours.”
“Check arrival records from Mars or Earth for the last ten days. Did any craft land at Mare Orientale before the Endeavor entered orbit?”
“Yes, a private transport landed at the Mare Orientale station two days before Endeavor entered Lunar orbit.”
“Passengers?”
“One passenger...”
“Let me guess,” Luanne interrupted Emma, “Adekunle Gbadamosi?”
“That is correct.”
“Current location?”
“His location is unknown. I do not have access to the Mare Orientale security network.”
“And there is no record of him here at Klaproth, I assume.”
“Correct.”
“Condense and relay this information to Alpha and Bravo teams. I want Bravo to confirm that Gbadamosi is not on board Endeavor.”
“Done,” Emma replied.
“Sam?” Luanne asked after initiating a direct comm link to her number two man.
Sam quickly acknowledged. “I read you. What's up, boss?”
“Did you see the last package?” Luanne asked.
“Yeah, just scanned it. What's Gbadamosi's stake is in all this?”
“I don't know but get your ass back here. I don't think Tad and Marcia are here and I want to be ready to roll as soon as we have Hao and Feldman in custody.”
“Copy. Want me to send Ryan and Jaime to recon the Mare Orientale station?”
“Negative, I believe that Gbadamosi will be back. Leave a couple of drones patrolling ring C. I want to know the second that shuttle comes back.”
“Roger. What about rings A and B?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, better safe than sorry. Deploy drones on your way back. Give me full coverage.”
“Full coverage, aye.” Sam acknowledged.
Luanne scanned Admiral Gbadamosi’s file while she waited for Alpha team to return. There wasn’t much in it she didn’t already know—the Admiral’s exploits and accomplishments were regular features on the global news networks but a recent story caught her attention.
It was a press conference from early last year. A Martian astrophysicist named Elena Ramirez announced that her team had confirmed the presence of liquid water and a thin atmosphere on Proxima Centauri B. Even more exciting, she said, was the discovery of an Earth-like planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A.
While Proxima B orbited a red dwarf star and was more like Mars than Earth in its composition and habitability, Gaia (the name her team had given to the newly discovered Alpha Centauri planet) appeared to have oceans and an atmosphere that looked much like Earth’s. What interested Luanne most, however, was the part where Doctor Ramirez introduced the project sponsor—it was none other than Adekunle Gbadamosi.
Luanne listened as Gbadamosi thanked Elena and her team and extolled the virtues of interstellar travel and the opportunity for mankind to spread beyond the bounds of our own solar system. What really got her attention though was the journalist Q&A at the end. She played it back several times to make sure she had heard correctly.
Journalist A: “This question is for the Admiral. Admiral, how long will it take to reach Gaia and when do you plan to leave?”
Gbadamosi: “With our latest advances in gravity pulse propulsion, we believe we can attain orbit around Gaia in less than thirty years. As to when we plan to leave…there are a number of other technical hurdles we must first overcome but we believe we will launch the first colony ship sometime within the next few years.”
Journalist A: “And can you share some of these hurdles?”
Gbadamosi: “Well, first and foremost is keeping a large group of people alive and sane during the long journey. But beyond that, it’s food and supplies for when they get there. Just because the planet is Earth-like does not mean we can assume a ready supply of edible food and building supplies.”
Journalist B: “So, Admiral, when you say ‘a large group’ of people, how many people do you mean? And how big of a ship would you need to house them for that long?”
Gbadamosi: “We believe we need at least 300 people to establish a self-sustaining colony. As far as ship size, let’s just say that the ship would have to be at least ten times larger than the biggest ship ever built in order to provide adequate space for fuel, habitat and supplies.”
Journalist B: “What are you saying, Admiral? Are you planning to keep everyone in cryogenic suspension? Is that even possible?”
Gbadamosi: “We will share more details soon but for now I will say that storing the contents of people’s brains for long durations has proven far easier and more reliable than storing bodies. Thank you, everyone.”
Luanne paused for a minute to consider the Admiral’s words.
He must be talking about cloning. He plans on storing the colonists’ engrams and implanting them in new bodies once they reach Gaia.
She asked Emma to search for any other announcements from the Admiral or Doctor Ramirez’s team but there were none.
“So much for sharing more informat
ion soon!” she said out loud.
Administrator Nayak quietly entered the room through the doors behind Luanne.
“Who’s not sharing information?” he asked.
Luanne stood. “Oh, it’s nothing. I was just watching a news conference from last year.”
“I see. Well, in the vein of sharing information I am here to tell you that President Duchon has agreed to release Doctors Hao and Feldman to your custody.”
“Finally. Where are they now?”
“They are in holding cells on sub-level three. Would you like them brought to your vessel?”
“No. We will escort them ourselves.”
“Very well. Your team is on its way back here, I assume?”
“Yes. They should be here momentarily.”
A quick check of TacNet confirmed that Alpha team was crossing the concourse from docking ring A and would reach her position within three minutes.
“Okay, can I get you anything while we wait?”
“No. I am fine, thank you.”
The two sat in silence while they waited for the rest of Alpha team to arrive. It wasn't long before Luanne stood up and moved toward the door as her team approached.
“They’re here,” she said.
She opened the door and stepped into the hallway to join her team.
“Welcome back, team,” she said. “We’ve got surveillance in the docking rings but I want everyone on high alert. If Gbadamosi is going to try to snatch our prisoners, it’s going to have to happen between here and our ship.”
“Roger that,” Sam replied. “Randolph, you’re on advance once we’ve made the pickup. Make sure nobody sets up on us. Gonzales, you take the rear.”
“Aye, aye chief,” both men replied in unison.
Luanne gestured to the elevators at the end of the hall. “Administrator, if you please.”
Administrator Nayak nodded and led the team to the middle elevator. A minute later they were on sub-level three and jogging toward the holding cells.
“Goddamnit!” Sam exclaimed as they entered the side passage leading to the cells.
The bodies of four Luna security officers were sprawled across the hallway. Petty Officers Randolph and Gonzales checked each one for a pulse. They were unconscious but still breathing.
The administrator took a few steps back before calling station security.
“Code red, lock down the station. Nobody in or out. Hold all traffic until further notice,” the administrator said to whoever had answered.
A second later, strips of lights running the length of the hallway flashed red and a klaxon sound blared from unseen speakers.
That done, the administrator signaled Luanne to follow him. “This way, let’s check the cells.”
As expected, the cells were empty.
“Where could they have gone from here?” Luanne asked.
Administrator Nayak thought for a moment before replying. “They had two options. The elevator bank, which has access to the seventeen levels below and the seven above us, or the stairs located on either end of this level.”
“What else is on this level?” Sam asked.
“Administrative offices and storage areas.”
“Security monitors?”
“Station security personnel are checking the surveillance logs now but have reported nothing so far.”
“Why didn’t they see the guards lying in the hallway?”
The administrator tilted his head as if listening to someone else whispering in his ear.
“Video surveillance of this hallway shows the guards standing post outside of the cells,” he said, relaying what he was just told. “Obviously, someone has bypassed the system and my people are working to trace the source now. This whole level appears to be compromised.”
Sam slapped his palm hard against the wall.
“Fucking great!”—he turned to face Administrator Nayak—“You people need to work on your goddamned security around here. This is twice today and these fugitives are making complete fools out of us all!”
The administrator didn't respond, instead focusing his attention on the sounds of several people rushing toward them.
Alpha team drew their sidearms but as the first person came around the corner it was obvious that there was no threat—it was a six-man security team escorting four medical personnel to attend to the unconscious guards.
Administrator Nayak greeted one of the security officers. “Commander. Situation update, please.”
“We’ve swept this level and found nothing. My teams are moving outwards from here but it’s going to take a while for us to clear every level. It looks like the bastards have disrupted the entire security grid and we are flying blind.”
The administrator gestured toward Luanne. “This is GFN Lieutenant Commander Luanne Wilkes, and this,” he gestured toward the newly arrived security officer, “is Watch Commander Chumak.”
“Nice to meet you. Any word from your missing team members?” Chumak asked.
“Unfortunately no,” Luanne replied. “We’ve been spread too thin to conduct a full search. We think they’re off station but still on Luna.”
“I am sure they are unharmed and will turn up. If Admiral Gbadamosi is leading this, he will ensure that no one gets hurt.”
“Well, in any case he is going to pay for kidnapping my people!”
“I understand, and I offer my sincerest apologies for your inconvenience. It is highly unusual to have these kinds of disruptions on Luna.”
Luanne had little patience for people who talked more than they acted and as far as she could tell, Chumak was one of them.
She turned her attention to the administrator.
“We need to coordinate our efforts Administrator. I’ve got a team sweeping Endeavor and you have yours sweeping the station but so far neither of us has turned up anything. Where else could they be? And how are they moving undetected?”
“Our opponents have clearly caught us unprepared and I agree that we need to better coordinate our efforts. As to the first question: I can only assume they are trying to leave the station or have already done so. As to the second: It appears that the admiral is using his extensive knowledge of this station, and his vast network of contacts and operatives, to ensure that Doctors Hao, Feldman and Li leave Luna in his custody rather than yours. In truth, I am not sure there is anything we can do to stop him.”
Sam exploded. “Are you fucking serious? You’re telling me that this one guy has completely compromised this station and all you can say is you don’t think you can stop him? Fuck you and fuck this backwards-ass place!”
Luanne held her hand out in the universal “stop” position. “At ease, Sam, that isn’t helping.”
“Might I suggest, Administrator,” she continued, “that we move this to your operations center where we can better monitor the situation.”
“Agreed. Commander Chumak—take the injured men to the infirmary and see that a forensic team gets down here immediately. I want every sensor inspected, every log examined and every bit of hair, skin or dirt collected. I want to know exactly what happened, how it happened and who did it within the hour. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. Right away, sir.”
The administrator turned to Luanne and gestured toward the elevators. “Shall we?”
“One sec,” Luanne said. “Jaime, stay here and do a full scan. Work with the tech team and try to stay out of their way but I want confirmation of whatever they find.”
Jaime nodded. “Roger, I’m on it.”
Luanne turned back to the administrator. “Any concerns, Administrator?”
“Not at all.”
“Heads-up Lu, we’ve got activity in docking ring C. That transport just landed on pad three and a shuttle is inbound for pad seven but was ordered to hold position,” Petty Officer Randolph said.
Since it was his job to monitor the drones, Ryan saw the activity alert a few seconds before the rest of Alpha team.
“Got it. J
aime stays here. Sam and Ryan with me. Now’s the time to coordinate and cooperate, Administrator. I need real-time feeds from your op center and anybody you’ve got in the area to docking ring C now.”
“Understood.”
Luanne, Ryan and Sam started down the hallway toward the elevators with the administrator close behind.
“One request, Commander.”
“What is it?” Luanne asked.
“Please keep your weapons on stun and whatever you do, do not shoot innocent civilians.”
“No promises. We’ll do our best but I am not letting them get off of Luna.”
The elevator door slid open and Alpha team jumped on.
Administrator Nayak stood back. “I will take the next one.”
Luanne selected the concourse level, and the doors slid shut.
“This is a cluster-fuck and a half, Lu,” Sam said as the elevator began its ascent.
“Yes, it is but we need to stay focused, Sam. I know that you hate this entire mission but I need you fully engaged. This isn’t the typical snatch and grab and we are clearly up against a superior opponent. It’s time for us to quit playing catch up with this guy and get out front.” She glanced over at Ryan, “Are you with me?”
“Hooyah,” both men said in unison.
“Good. Sam get the op center feeds integrated with our TacNet. I want to see what they see. Ryan, stay on those drones. I want to know the second any of our targets show up.”
“On it,” again in unison.
“Great. Now, I’ve got to make a call I should've made an hour ago. Emma, get me Secretary Merkel.”
* * *
“Where the hell are you taking us, Adee?” Yin called out, her voice echoing inside her sealed space helmet.
Evan and Chen were just in front of her, with Adekunle Gbadamosi and two of his men in front of them. After escaping from the detention cells with Adee's help, they had crawled through maintenance tunnels until finally exiting into what looked like an old mine tunnel. They had been walking for nearly an hour through the cold, dark tunnel and Adee showed no signs of stopping.
“Patience, Yin, we are nearly there,” Adee replied.
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