Avalanche: Book Five in the Secret World Chronicle

by Lackey, Mercedes

  “At the very least, she’ll need protection,” Bull mused. “Got someone in mind, or are you going to serve as guardian too?”

  The elevator door opened. “That protection would be me,” Mel said, “Looks like I got here right on time.” She walked deliberately to where Penny was sitting and put both hands on Penny’s shoulders—one flesh, one gleaming metal. “I’m an army of one. And it’s not just my illusions either, cher.” She raised her metal hand and flexed the fingers. “Silent Knight’s packed me with frickin’ lasers. Don’t forget, Bulwark, I was a combat specialist afore I ever was in ECHO.”

  Vickie nodded. “I can’t think of anyone who could take better care of Penny than Mel. She’ll have the options of both passive and active protections, and nobody else I can think of can bring that to the party.” She sighed. “Look, people, this is it. We’ve got one throw of the dice here. And if we don’t win here, Penny’s going to be no safer here in Atlanta than she will be with us. Maybe less. Remember, my late uncle and Doppelgaenger had plans for her, and for all I know, DG has a way of finding her even now.”

  Bull looked at all of them, his lips pressed thinly together. “I really don’t like this. Tactically, you are all speaking sense, but I cannot approve of a plan that places a child in such danger.” His eyes continued to scan them, a mute appeal for anyone to take his side. Finally, they fell on Bella, who returned his pleading gaze with one of stern conviction.

  “I hate this,” she said flatly. “But Vix is right. Everything is riding on this, and we can’t ignore any resource, no matter how young they are. We’re talking about our survival, Bull. I’m afraid any one of us is expendable.” Her mouth twisted. “And even I can’t believe I just said that. But that doesn’t make it less true.”

  “So this is it, then,” Bulwark muttered. “This is what we’ve come to.”

  Natalya shrugged, still smoking. “Children always die in war, same as anyone else. If we fail in our goals, she will die anyways. Better that she die fighting, rather than hiding, afraid. If I were thinking it would be helping, I would draft every man, woman, and child in the world for this fight. This girl has fire, and we can use that.”

  Mel smiled grimly. “And before they can get to her, they’ll have to go through me.”

  Penny smiled tremulously, and put one hand on Mel’s metal one. “I’m scared, sure, Mistuh Bulwark. But I got to go. It ain’t just Mistuh John an’ Missus Sera I got to help. What if somethin’ else comes up? Mistuh Stone’s friends, they’re th’ only ones that kin help us, an’ I’m the only one that kin talk to ’em. An’—I don’t wanta be sittin’ here if y’all lose, waitin’ fer the Devil t’come git me. This is the big fight, right? So I’m gonna fight, with all of you. Don’t worry. I think we’re goin’ ta win.”

  Bull stared at her, speechless. Finally, he hung his head, and a short, barking laugh escaped his lips. He glanced at Penny, and surrendered to her with a grin.

  “I wish I had your confidence, young miss,” he said. “But you do inspire hope, don’t you?”

  Natalya looked at Bella, confused. “He smiles and laughs now?”

  “Don’t look at me,” Bella shrugged. “News to me, too.”

  Vickie sighed. “Okay, the last part of this is you and Bella, Bull. You need to be on the infil team, because in my experience, and in Nat’s, some damn shit always comes up after you’ve deployed your primaries, and someone’s got to handle it, and whoever it is has to be on Overwatch Two. We also should have some sort of medic and telepath with us. Listen, Bull, I loathe the idea of putting Bella on the infil, it’s like stupid Star Trek Away Team crap with having the captain go down to get shot at, but…it’s what I’ve got. I’m hoping between the two of you, you’ll have what it takes to deal with a secondary target. It was really a choice between Bella and Yankee Pride, but Yank is totally unsuited to be on the infil team anyway, he’s about as subtle as an avalanche. Yank will be handling the secondary command to Nat. Now, if you can find me someone who’s on Overwatch Two that is better for the infil team than you and Bells, I’ll amend the bad choice.”

  “I was originally slated in a secondary command role as well,” Bulwark said. “I was to command the main spearhead and provide defensive bubble support. If Bella is going in, I will of course provide backup for her, but who will fill in for me on the battlefield?”

  “Untermensch,” Vickie and Natalya said at the same time. Vickie nodded to Red Saviour to continue.

  “Georgi is having field command experience back to Great Patriotic War,” Nat supplied. “Is also being my second-in-command. His English is being excellent, he is known to all ECHO, he is wired to Overwatch Two and Gamayun both, he is even having smattering of French and passable German.”

  Bulwark nodded and scratched his chin in thought. “I had him slotted to head the main cavalry unit for hit-and-run attacks on the enemy flanks, but you’re both right—he’s ideal. I think it’s time to promote Blaze and give her that role instead. I think she’s ready for this.”

  Bella nodded and pointed at the holographic tactical map Victrix had brought up on display. “Good call. She can take Cavalry Unit Alpha here where we’re expecting more troop resistance, and we can set up the fast movers in Bravo on the left in anticipation of the Wolves and flyers, and head them up with Leader.”

  “You’re getting much better with the tactical,” Bull said.

  “Got a good teacher,” Bella said, and elbowed him playfully in the ribs.

  “Okay. Is everyone good with this? Or as good as can be?” Vickie asked, then ran both her hands through her hair, making it look, for a moment, as if she had stuck her finger in a light socket. “The plan is pretty simple. We all go in. Penny contacts the Lost Squadron. They run trouble-watch for us while one of them gets lit up by yours truly and guides Sera and JM to the shield generator. Ideally, which we know will not happen, they get there, blow the gennie, and everybody exfils to join the main forces. Meanwhile Nat and the main forces knock on the outside, doing their best to make a lot of noise without expending too much, to give us cover. If crap comes up inside, I light up another of the Lost Squadron and they guide you and Bella to it, Bull. Our likely obstacles are Valkyria, Ubermensch, Boryets, and maybe Doppelgaenger. If possible, we are to avoid a direct confrontation with any of them. The priority is taking down the World Ship defenses and then dealing with them. It’ll be a lot easier with a literal army at our backs. I’m anticipating our wild card will be one or more of these Masters critters. We know of at least two, one called Barron, who seems to like to fight things personally, and the head guy, Gero. I’ve given you all briefings on them already, such as I have. Any thoughts?”

  Nat started another cigarette, as Herb toddled up to her and patiently offered her an ashtray. “Would not suggest meeting Barron head to head, if is same creature that nearly destroyed CCCP HQ. We were like pesky flies to it.”

  Sera exchanged a look with John. “We might have a chance,” John pointed out. “She cut an’ ran before we had a shot at ’er. Still, probably best not to risk it, if’n there’s a choice. Like y’all said, we’ve got other priorities: take down the power source; let the good guys in the door.”

  “That’s the problem with these Masters,” Vickie said grimly. “We just don’t know much about them. With the enemy metas, we at least have possible vulnerabilities we can exploit, but we have nothing on Barron to suggest anything effective against her. If you see her, retreat. You likely will not survive a direct fight with her. But, really, it’s Gero that’s a mystery to us, and that makes him the most dangerous of all.”

  “There’s a few things we know,” Bella said quietly. “He’s the head of all this. We might not know the extent of his abilities, but from what Jack says, he’s vindictive, overconfident, doesn’t listen to advice, and tends to concentrate on petty revenge rather than looking at the big picture. He doesn’t seem like the sort to play nice with others, or share power. When we take him down, we take them down. Cut off
the head, the snake dies.”

  “One thing at a time,” Vickie reminded them all. “Shield generator. Stay flexible. Stay in contact with each other. The good thing about having you with the infil team, Bells, is that we have a pair of commanders—and one of them is a superb tactician—right with us to react and hopefully correct instantly if the infil team runs into trouble or if Nat and our guys outside need to be alerted to anything.”

  “And one more thing,” Bella said finally. “We have the most important thing of all, the thing that the Masters and the Thulians apparently don’t have now, and never have had.”

  “What would that be?” Red Saviour asked, stubbing out her cigarette.

  “We trust each other,” Bella replied.

  Nat gave a surprised little huff, then smiled. “By Lenin’s beard,” she said with a wolfish smile, “we do.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  * * *

  All Along the Watchtower

  Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee and Veronica Giguere

  Predictably, there was more argument that I will spare you, but if you are interested, I have unredacted files of all of it. None of it was among our principals. We all already knew that this was a plan only someone insane would follow, but perhaps that was our advantage, that no one sane would even think we would try such a thing.

  There were giants in the ocean. Two of them. In deference to mere human sensibilities, both Amphitrite and Atlas wore short saronglike drapes of fabric around their hips. Amphitrite, however, had not continued that sensitivity by wearing any sort of top. Bella wondered how many of the male metas loading up onto the sea-colored platforms were going to be permanently traumatized by the sight. Boobs are great…unless they’re boobs the size of a house on a gorgeous female who regards you with about the same deference as you give a fruit fly.

  This was going to be her last chance to talk with Red Saviour, before the infil team climbed into the submarine Atlas was going to be carrying like a football. Looking around anxiously, Bella spotted Natalya supervising the loading, and talking with Murdock. Sera was already in the sub; she’d gone ahead because maneuvering her wings down the hatch had been something of a challenge, and had required the assistance of one person below her and one above. “Let’s go have a word,” she muttered to Vickie, who was dressed, oddly enough, in chainmail, with a sword and long dagger. What she expected to accomplish with that, Bella hadn’t a clue, but if the getup made the little magician feel better…

  Vickie shrugged and followed her as she eeled her way through the crowd of waiting metas. “Saviour!” Bella called. “Can I borrow you a second?” She pointed over to a beach cabana that would give them some semblance of privacy.

  Natalya and Murdock were both already suited up for combat; Nat in the CCCP uniform, John in his stealth nanoweave getup. Bella wondered why he bothered to carry the rifle, pistol, and various explosives, with what he could do just with his powers. The pair looked up at Bella, and Nat motioned for Murdock to follow her. That took Bella aback a bit. Then again…she had Vickie with her. Maybe Saviour wanted JM to even the odds in what was probably going to be a very awkward conversation. “Da? Just going over final preparations and equipment checks.” The Commissar took a cigarette—she’d started on a fresh pack, probably not her first of the day—and held it out. JM rolled his eyes and lit the tobacco with a flame from his thumb. Ah. Okay, she enjoys using a human cigarette lighter…that could flatten this entire beach if he wanted to. Then again…maybe using JM as her personal torch was her way of keeping a lid on her very rational fear of the “firebomb.” Or maybe it was her way of doing a continual “system check.” As long as he reacted to being ordered to light a cigarette with an eyeroll—and not a “LIGHT IT YOURSELF, PUNY MORTAL!”—things were still under control.

  “Let’s get out of the sun,” Bella said, leading the way to the cabana. The sand was loose, and walking through it was a pain. Somehow, Vickie was walking on the stuff as if it was hard-packed. Earth magic? Probably. Bella wasn’t sensitive to magic, of course, but Vickie was so powered up even Bella could feel something from her, like a subsonic hum. It stood to reason there could be bleedover that would make shifting sand solid under the mage’s feet without her even thinking about it. I’m not sure who I’m more scared of right now—JM or Vix.

  When they got into the shelter of the cabana and out of the sun, Saviour gave a little grunt of approval at the relative cool. Even after years of living in Georgia, Red Saviour still was not used to the heat, and here on a Florida beach, it was even worse than in the middle of Atlanta.

  Natalya took a drag on the cigarette, waving her hand. “What do you need? Is there being new intel, or has one of big tough generals’ lost his aide, and must have nap?”

  “Something we need to be clear on,” Bella said firmly. “You are the one who’s going to be in charge of the real assault force once that shield goes down. And if—when—we start winning, we can’t have a wholesale slaughter. A lot of these people have payback on their minds.” Including you, Red Saviour.

  The Commissar stood there, letting the cigarette burn without drawing from it, and stared at Bella, taking measure of her. Definitely not “Natalya” or “sestra” right now; she’s in “Commissar” mode. “You surprise me, blue girl.”

  Bella weighed her words carefully. “A wholesale slaughter, violating the rules of war…that’s going to do irreparable damage—”

  “You surprise me, as I said. I thought you finally had the stomach to do what needed to be done.” She finally took a drag on the cigarette. “This is your first war, so maybe I should not being so surprised. But, still, you are a leader now, and you cannot be having naive delusions. This is not conflict that ends with treaties, resolutions, and overstuffed suits talking in front of cameras. These…are invaders. Conquerors, who want to genocide entire planet, after they enslave it. You do not deal with enemies like these. Appeasement is a step towards surrender.” She took another drag, then stabbed the cigarette in the air at Bella. “The fools who run the world will surrender, turn bellies and throats to sky and ask to be eaten last. If we are not winning here, and totally, with no chance for being reprisals. Slaughter? Red Square was slaughter. Civilians gunned down without mercy was slaughter. This is destroying an enemy before they can destroy us. Is simple, nyet?” Murdock stood not quite at her side, arms crossed over his chest. She couldn’t read him, but she could see that he was scanning everyone with his telempathy.

  “And it will do as much or more damage to us as it will them,” she replied flatly. “Genocide begets genocide, and what’s there to stop it if we start it here? No. Rules of war. If they don’t surrender, fine, then bring the thunder. But if they do, they’re to be treated like any other captives of war.”

  She expected to hear her words echoed, or reinforced, by Vickie. But instead…silence. Vickie looked as if her mind was anywhere but here, but not in a passive way. No, she was tightly focused on something else, though what that was, Bella could not guess. But whatever it was, she didn’t agree enough with Bella to break that concentration.

  “You Amerikanski have learned nothing from past wars. Half measures are leading to more death, more suffering…and more war. These Thulians will not forget their defeats. Are you to integrate aliens, with clear fascista ideology and culture, into society?” She spat on the sand, shaking her head. “If you were being more like your forebears, we would not be having conversation. In the Great Patriotic War, after your country allowed Russia to bleed the Nazis at great cost, only then you entered war. But entered it you did, totally. Dresden, Hiroshima, Nagasaki…was quarter given to any there? Would it have been given if they were still threats? Total war is total. ‘Genocide begets genocide,’ feh! Hard for enemy to retaliate if there is no enemy.”

  Bella shook her head. “That wasn’t what I meant. I meant, once we allow ourselves to commit genocide, it won’t stop with aliens. Because humans can always turn ‘the enemy’ into an ‘alien worth
y of genocide.’” In desperation, since Vickie wasn’t saying anything, Bella looked at JM. He’d sided with her once before…when Saviour was about to plunge neck deep into torture. Would he side with her again?

  Nat caught her look, then turned to John. “Murdock. You are soldier…at heart. You are knowing hard truths of fighting war. What do you have to say?”

  John shrugged, and Bella’s heart sank. “This is right down to the wire. No shit, Murdock, right? We’ve all been there before, but I’ve seen it more’n my fair share over the years. You learn a helluva lot ’bout someone when you see what they do when everything is on the line.” He paused, looking off into the distance for a moment before meeting Bella’s eyes. “A lotta folks choke. Pressure is too much, they didn’t train hard enough, or they take on a fight that they can’t finish.” Now he turned to look at Nat. “Others ditch their principles when the goin’ gets tough. They cut corners, look the other way, value expediency over what they know they ought ta do.”

  He’s killed more people than anyone I know…but I don’t think there’s anyone I’d trust more, except Bull. “So what’s your call on this? Expediency or ethics?” she asked directly.

  John waited longer than Bella would have liked before answering. “I figure if y’all wanted everyone in the ship dead, you’d just send in me an’ Sera, maybe the giants, an’ call it a day. Or smuggle in some nukes. Since we’re not doin’ that, we ain’t killin’ everyone an’ everythin’ in there. Which is probably a good idea, considerin’ we might have POWs to rescue. The dragon definitely scooped up some folks, plus whoever the hell else might be kidnapped. This war has been goin’ on for years, and we’ve got a lotta missin’ in action that might just be locked up in this tub.” He shrugged again. “So, my answer? Hit ’em hard; that’s what we do. But I’d rather bring people back alive than kill everythin’ in there.”