His nano-enhanced body easily handled the weight and matched the speed of the escaping mob. The moving pocket grew smaller, but it kept fighting and never paused.
The flow of the herd shifted Frost to the perimeter. He haphazardly raised his rifle and sprayed wildly at the thinning enemy until his magazine ran dry. Dropping the spent weapon, it bounced violently against his body as he took hold of Wyatt’s rifle and emptied it while it was lassoed around her neck.
They gained speed and he could see open land through their culled ranks.
“We made it!”
He glanced back to see a ragged line of Super Heavies form up. They held their ground, hammering the enemy with intense laser barrages. All expendable ordnance in the entire force was gone. The metal beasts’ energy weapons were all that was left, and their drivers had pledged their lives to allow the main body to get separation.
Die well, my brothers, and thank you.
No one was in command of the mob. It ran away from the danger on the most direct route. They chewed up dozens of kilometers of earth beneath their rampaging feet.
Even nano legs need a rest. As if everyone had reached a silent agreement, the mass of soldiers eased. Frost laid Wyatt on the ground. He collapsed next to her, sucking in air as fast as he could.
“You’re on your own when I get up.”
“I think I’ll be able to walk soon. It’s healing fast.”
“Good.”
She lifted herself onto her elbows. “So...what now?”
He didn’t move a muscle. “I have no idea?”
The thud of a heavy infantryman approaching grabbed his attention. “Sir.” His armor was covered in dried pink guts.
Frost’s CAL identified the man. “Yes, Sergeant … Xavier?”
“Ummm, sir, I’ve checked the command roster and it seems you’re the highest ranking officer here. You’re in command, sir. What are your orders?”
Fuck.
***
“They made it.” Wills pumped a fist. “The drones were more interested in massacring our phony bunker than chasing a faster prey.”
“How many made it out?”
“Just over eleven hundred troops.”
She sighed. “At least that’s something.”
“This was a solid op, admiral. It bought us a lot of time. It’s a template we can repeat again. Though I’m not sure how many times they’ll fall for the faked life signs.”
She hung her head. “Then we’ll have to start baiting the hook with live bait. God, I hate this job. I just hope it’s all worth it. That there’s something still here when help arrives.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Road to Hell
“Here’s the objective.” Trent was standing over a holo table with Jones and Simms. A large cathedral-looking building hung in the air between them. “We uncovered additional details in the station’s files on the colony.”
Simms rubbed his chin. “What is it?”
“It’s some kind of local college. Their science department has the Pills in a research lab. They know the Pills are an advanced alien artifact.”
“And that’s why they won’t part with them.” Jones gripped the edge.
Trent cocked his head. “Yes, especially after our interest hints at the Pills’ connection to the Keepers. The ‘cats know they’re important, and if we just knock on their door and ask for them, they’ll put two and two together.”
Jones crossed her arms. “What kind of security are we looking at? Are you hoping for some type of burglary operation?”
“It’s regular security. Appears light, which does leave the door open for a small incursion team, but the problem is getting them planetside unnoticed. They know we’re coming, and the fake com traffic is telling them we’re here for resupply of food and diplomatic talks.”
Jones and Simms made shifting eye contact.
“I know, it’s thin, but they’re buying it. For now.”
Jones shook her head. “Once they see a flock of shuttles heading for the university, the jig is up.”
“That’s what makes it tricky.”
Simms reached out to zoom the display in on the surrounding area. “Gondo said he transferred troops to the colony. It’s likely a large number of grunts were settled in the area around the target or deployed close enough to provide rapid response once the alarm is sounded. If things go south, the team could quickly find themselves surrounded. But starting small is our only chance to keep collateral damage light.”
Jones let out a deep breath. “Well, sir, as I see it, we have only one choice.”
“What’s that?”
She smirked. “We have to be sneaky bastards.”
***
The shuttle ride to the surface was calm, but Trent sweated enough to put a glaze on his skin. His mouth felt as dry as cotton.
Amanda eyed him. “You okay?” she thought-spoke.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“It’s just this whole thing. I don’t like it.”
“I know, and the fact that it bothers you so much makes me love you even more. You’re a good man, Trent Maxwell, and your intentions are pure.”
“I seem to remember an old saying about a road paved with good intentions.”
“Whoever said that didn’t have the weight of two species on their shoulders. You do what you have to. Sometimes duty demands we do things we hate ourselves for. But I will always love you, enough for both of us.”
He nodded and leaned back in his seat, eyes closed. A wave of confidence washed over him, returning his heart beat to normal, drying his skin, and wetting his mouth. Amanda’s unwavering support put the steel back in him.
Touching down, the shuttle door whined open, landing with a thud on the hard ground. He marched off the ramp standing tall, entering the town square like he owned it. Simms, Gabriel, and a squad of unarmed legionnaires stayed on the ramp at perfect attention. A group of locals approached.
A gray-furred Bearcat in tan robes led the pack. “Greetings, General Maxwell of Clan Kazi. I am Colonial Councilman Batlif. Welcome to Opal.”
Trent scanned his surroundings. A fountain in the center of the square sent the soft sound of running water into the air. Buildings uniformly six stories tall ringed the perimeter.
He crossed his arms over his chest in salute. “We appreciate your hospitality, councilman. From orbit and on the surface, this is truly a lovely colony.”
“Your words honor me. How may we assist you in our glorious war against the Keepers?” He glanced back at his entourage. “I must admit, the goals of your mission are a mystery. Why you would venture this far from the gate is also perplexing. High Commander Gondo hasn’t provided us with many details.”
Trent shook his head. “The journey was only a week in real time, a minor thing given that this war is likely to be waged for several decades. We need to, as we humans say, play the long game. We must begin to plan how we will win the fight several years from today, saving our limited resources for the critical moment.”
“How can we aid you, general?”
“Development of new weapons will be the key. Unfortunately, both our races lost most of their scientific infrastructure with the fall of our home worlds. We must coordinate what we have left to maximize results. We are here to start that process.”
“Ah.” Batlif’s eyes sparkled with understanding. “I see why Gondo sent you here and felt the need for secrecy. We happen to have one of the premier learning centers in all of the colonies here on Opal.”
“Yes, Gondo mentioned something about that.” His eyes narrowed. “Please, tell me more about it.”
***
“Don’t make a damn sound.” Simms led the small incursion team composed of himself, Gabriel, and two others. They stalked closer to the target. “We do this right and they won’t know what we’ve done until we’re hauling ass for the gate.”
When night had fallen on Opal, the band of thieves
slipped out into the neatly-kept agricultural fields circling the city. Rows of tall plants, looking remarkably like tobacco leaves, concealed their approach to the campus on the outskirts of town.
Hours crawled by as they methodically crept closer and closer. Gabriel, on point, paused on the edge of the field facing their target.
Simms hurried forward. “What do you have?”
“I don’t see a thing, and Hottie isn’t picking up any Bearcat life signs in the immediate area. Looks like security systems are our primary concern.”
Simms consulted Trenton, his CAL named after a childhood pet. “Doesn’t appear to be anything set up out on the grounds.”
“That makes sense. If they did, students and professors would be setting it off all the time. Didn’t you college kids party a lot at night?”
“I had my share of good times, sergeant.” Simms patted Gabriel on the back, a smile cracked across his face. It felt good to smile again. I wish Jane was here. He highlighted a waypoint for the group. “One at a time and be careful. Gabe, lead the way.”
The research lab lay near the center of the compound, forcing them to leapfrog from building to building. At night, the active camouflage of their battlesuits made them virtually invisible to the naked eye, but they took nothing for granted.
Simms studied the final stretch. Twenty-five meters separated them from the large gothic structure. It appeared to be made of stone, but it was metal reformed to give it the faux look.
Gabriel came next to him. “This is where it gets interesting.”
“Yep, I’m picking up motion, thermal, and EMF detectors. Not to mention a smattering of security guards.”
“What’s the plan?”
“I’m picking up a possible system access port in that room.” Simms pointed at a second floor window. “But there’s no active sensors in it.”
“That’s odd.”
He shrugged. “Maybe they’re down for repair or it was an installation oversight no one’s thought to fix. This isn’t a military base, after all. Doesn’t matter anyway. I’m gonna shimmy up there, break in and see what I can do to clear a path for us.”
“We gotcha covered.”
Crouching low, he hurried forward. He didn’t want to sprint, as quick movements reduced the effectiveness of the camo. A half circle pillar protruded out of the exterior wall, and gripping the sides, the texture of his gloves changed, allowing him to climb up.
Level with the window, he lunged for the ledge, grabbing hold by the tips of his enhanced fingers. A gush of wind escaped his lungs. Fuck. Securing himself with one hand, he pulled out his field knife. Its modern edge sank into the hard glass. He sawed a rough oval hole in the barrier. Sheathing his blade, he crawled into the dark room.
The access port was by the door, which was a big circle cut into the wall. He tapped into the circuitry with a connector salvaged from the Bearcat station. “Trenton, try gaining access to the system with the security codes given to us at the start of our alliance.”
“Those protocols are surely out of date, major.”
“I’ll bet they are for a military installation, which this isn’t. Cycle through every one you have and maybe we’ll get lucky. It’s worth a shot before I mess with a tricky hack.”
“Beginning now. This may take a while, major.”
“Underst...”
“Access granted.”
“What?” He gasped. “We’re in?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, oh, okaaay. Bring up the interface, let’s plot a path to the lab and deactivate all sensors along that route.”
Three seconds passed.
“Task complete. I’ve highlighted the course on your HUD.”
“Great work, Trenton. After this, let’s see about getting you an e-girlfriend.”
“I do not understand.”
“Forget it.” He opened a channel with Gabriel. “It’s clear. Get your asses up here.”
They walked down the hallway on high alert. It felt like wasted effort, though. The deserted building was pitch black save for a few pinpricks of light.
A set of doors parted as they approached the lab. Computer terminals and scientific instruments littered the room. In the center, inside a clear cylinder running floor to ceiling, the Pills sat atop a thin plate.
The gray softball-sized artifact entranced Simms. It seduced his scientist’s mind, drawing him closer as Gabriel led the team in securing the room.
“Clear and secured,” Gabriel declared, but Simms barely heard him. He was too busy examining the faint markings on the orb’s surface. Swirling lines formed a series of distinct symbols.
“Trenton, full scan of the object.”
“No readings.”
“Explain.”
“While my optics can see the artifact, I’m unable to verify its existence by other means.”
He wrung his hands together. “Thermal? Electromagnetic signature?”
“Negative. The artifact doesn’t appear on my thermal scanner and is emitting no electronic signal of any known type.”
“Fascinating.”
“Sir.” Simms turned his upper body to face Gabriel. “Sorry to interrupt you, but we should be getting on our way. It’s only a matter of time before someone notices something’s not right.”
“Right you are, sergeant.”
Simms turned back to the clear barrier.
Gabriel came along his side. “How do we get it out?”
“I think this glass is the same as the window I came in.” He tapped his knuckles against it, sending a dull thud through the room. “Its readings are the same.”
Gabriel pulled his knife out and handed it to Simms. “You do the honors.”
Taking the handle, he placed the edge on the surface.
Yellow lights flashed as the room filled with a sickening loud waaa, waaa, waaa!
Everyone froze.
Gabriel throw his hands in the air. “What the hell did you do?”
“I don’t know. The security should’ve been down.”
“Shit, shit, shit!” Gabriel whipped his head around, flicking his arm toward the door. “Get out there and secure both ends of the halls leading here.” He jerked back at Simms. “Hurry!”
In seconds, a jagged hole, just big enough for the Pills to pass through, was carved out. He reached in and pulled it out. “Let’s move!” He jammed it into a pouch.
“We have a problem,” Corporal Grupton announced on the unit channel. That’s a gross understatement. “Security doors have come down. We’re boxed in!”
“Demo tape!” Gabriel commanded without delay. “No need to be cute, now. Blow it!”
Explosions reverberated throughout the metal structure as they blasted door after door.
Simms paced in front of the latest barrier. “This is taking too damn long.”
“If you got a better idea, I’m all ears.”
Mercifully, they reached their point of entry. The sound of yelling officers, stomping boots, and roaming heavy machines let them know they’d been beaten there.
Gabriel crawled to the window and slid the muzzle of his rifle to the edge to take a look. “Fuck me, Sally.”
“Details, sergeant.”
“I’d guess we have half a pride out there, two, maybe three hundred warriors with armor support. Bastards must’ve been on night maneuvers nearby when the alarm went off.” He lowered his rifle and stared back at the door. “We’d better find another way out of here.”
Grupton tapped his helmet. “Shouldn’t we call for evac?”
Simms straightened inside the hallway. “I’m not ready to admit failure yet. Once we call the cavalry, all hell will break loose. We’re gonna see if we can’t get outta here on our own. Let’s move.”
Rushing down an unexplored hall, they made good time in the low-security area of the building that lacked heavy doors. Good time to where exactly, no one knew for sure. They were running away from what they hoped was the main Bearcat response team, and with
luck, they would find an exit with a clear path to the fields.
On the opposite side of the building, they leapt down stairs made for three-meter-tall students and bolted for the first set of doors that presented themselves.
Simms smiled. We’re gonna make it!
He was five meters from the exit when the doors flew open and in poured four black-armor-clad Bearcat warriors, their terrible fifty-caliber automatic rifles raised.
Grupton was the first to fire. Simms wished he hadn’t, but he couldn’t blame the man for it, either.
Supersonic BBs zipped through the air. Grupton had pulled the trigger before he’d leveled his weapon. A stream of fire walked violently toward the surprised opponents, kicking up fragments off the wall as it went.
Simms screamed noooo inside his head as the projectiles found their marks, sawing through their targets. Blue blood and gore burst into the air, plastering the ceiling, floor, and walls in a sick coating of death.
Return fire came at them from the door. Round after round impacted Grupton, ripping his body apart like a paper target.
Simms and the others fell back, running for cover. He opened a link to the command channel. “Code FUBAR! I repeat, Code FUBAR!”
Things were messy, and he knew they’d get messier.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
What a Mess
“Code FUBAR!” rang throughout the battle group.
Trent and Ananda were standing in the middle of a room overlooking the city square that served as a makeshift command center. They looked at each other, worried expressions on their faces.
Trent’s heart pounded. “Simms, report!”
“Facility alarm sounded. Surrounded by overwhelming force, including armor.” A long silence filled the channel for painful seconds. “You’re gonna need to come and get us, sir. There’s no way out of here.”
Damn it! He slammed his hand down onto the table, a loud bang echoed in the small room. “Hold tight, major. Help is on the way.”
Amanda sprang into action. “Emergency evac! Extraction on the roof in two minutes.”
The few staff members present scrambled to gather gear. Trent remained motionless, his palms planted on the table and head hung low. She placed a hand on a shoulder. “It’s time to go. We need to get airborne before they come for us.”
The Last Charge of the 1st Legion (The Last Hero Trilogy Book 3) Page 21
