Hawkeye smiled. “Nice sword.”
“I never get to use it,” she said.
Hawkeye retrieved a touchscreen control pad from a pocket in his vest. “Close combat scenario?”
“Absolutely.”
“Overwhelming odds or impossible to win?” he asked.
“I’m feeling cheeky today. Impossible to win.”
“Coming right up.”
Hawkeye keyed in the new simulation. Almost instantly, a group of five holographic enemies rushed around the corner into the alley.
Shooter jumped to one side of the alleyway, raised her katana, and swung it through the abdomen of the lead soldier. He cried out in virtual pain and the blade passed through his midsection.
Hawkeye pulled a pair of knives, one from each boot, and threw them toward the oncoming enemy soldiers. The first knife spun end-over-end before disappearing into one soldier’s flickering face. With a look of utter surprise, the hologram dissolved into oblivion.
Shooter sprang forward before Hawkeye’s second knife found its target. She arced her blade over her head, bringing it across in a graceful sweeping strike, cleanly decapitating the nearest holographic combatant.
Hawkeye’s second knife shattered a windowpane in the alleyway, momentarily drawing the attention of the nearest enemy solider. Hawkeye pounced, rushing forward and firing his shotgun. The hologram screamed, shimmered, then vanished.
Shooter dropped into a gunfighter’s stance, facing down the the last hologram standing. Her hands twitched as the two opponents stared into each other’s eyes. Then the hologram moved, trying to raise his weapon before Shooter could react. Shooter drew her pistols, one in each hand, and fired four quick rounds. The soldier failed to get off a single shot before Shooter’s virtual bullets passed through his virtual head.
“Nice,” said Hawkeye.
At the entrance to the alley, ten heavily armed soldiers appeared.
“Round two!” yelled Shooter, grinning like a kid on a roller coaster.
Chapter 8
PRESENT TIME
SAVAGE BAY, ES VEDRA ISLAND
Five hours later, Titan Six executed the HALO jump onto the rocky beach at Savage Bay. Hawkeye had lapsed again into unconsciousness and lay on his back at the water’s edge. Pyro and Tank were crouched on the rocks around him. A heavy rain had begun to fall, and gray fog hung in the air.
“Repeat, six hostiles approaching the beach on your west,” said Shooter over the Titan Six COM system.
“Get that antennae and communications array deployed ASAP,” said Tank.
“Already on it,” Shooter replied.
Hidden in the brush, Shooter unfolded the last antennae spar on a small communications array. She powered up the unit and typed a series of commands into a small keypad.
“Now jamming all frequencies,” said Shooter. “And satellite communications are now live.”
OPS CENTER, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA
Caine watched the dark, wall-mounted screens in the Ops Center. The displays designated for each Titan Six team member were empty.
Come on, come on.
Suddenly the entire wall came to life and the displays were filled with images and data. Camera feeds from the unit’s helmet cams showed real-time video. Data feeds from the sensors in their tactical suits tracked heart rates, vital signs, ambient temperature, and myriad other data points.
The holographic display in the center of the room was suddenly populated with avatars representing each of the Titan Six operatives.
“Wow,” said Cruz. “Just like a video-game.”
“No,” said Caine in a quiet yet menacing tone. “Not like a video game. Those are real people -- my people -- down there.”
Speakers in the ceiling filled the room with Titan Six’s audio feed. Tank’s voice was as clear as if he were standing in the Ops Center with them.
“ -- info on the hostiles?”
“Six-man team,” said Shooter. “Dark gray battle dress uniforms. No night-vision goggles.”
A green indicator light on Tank’s augmented reality display in his tactical helmet signaled that Titan Six was now connected to the Ops Center aboard the Alamiranta.
“Acknowledge Ops Center,” said Tank. “Alpha One.”
The Alpha One code indicated that Titan Six was engaged in a hostile situation and needed immediate assistance.
“Acknowledged,” said Touchdown.
“Hawkeye is in trouble,” said Tank. “Blurred vision, impaired speech, followed by loss of consciousness. We suspect hypoxia.”
“Give us a second,” said Touchdown.
Caine and Touchdown reviewed the data on Hawkeye’s personal display. The BioMEMS system and sensors in his tactical suit transmitted a wealth of information about his physical condition.
“He’s got nitrogen in his bloodstream,” said Touchdown. “We’re working on it now.”
He typed some commands on his terminal and instructed Hawkeye’s BioMEMS system to begin eliminating the nitrogen molecules in his bloodstream and supplementing his cells with higher levels of oxygen.
“We’re running out of time down here,” said Tank.
The holographic display showed the Titan Six team split into two areas: Shooter in the tree line at one end of the beach, and the rest of the team clustered in a small knot at the shoreline.
Six hostiles targets, depicted by glowing red avatars, were moving down a path toward the beach at Savage Bay.
TITAN SIX, SAVAGE BAY
Hawkeye’s BioMEMS system finished it’s clean-up and repair of his bloodstream. After a few seconds, Hawkeye opened his eyes and took several deep breaths. He took a quick mental survey of his body. Nothing seemed to be broken or badly injured.
“I’m going to be sore tomorrow,” he said.
“Welcome to Savage Bay,” said Tank. “Now get your ass up. We’ve got company.”
Hawkeye pulled himself into a low crouch, a headache throbbing behind his temples as Tank briefed him on their current situation.
“Let’s try to do this quietly, people,” said Hawkeye over the COM system. “Shooter, you’re on deck. Let them get as far onto the beach as you can. Everyone else, back in the water. Ops Center, stand by.”
“Acknowledged, Titan Six,” said Touchdown. “Hawkeye has the ball.”
“Shooter, can you identify weapons?” asked Hawkeye.
“Negative,” said Shooter. “Not from this distance.”
“Ops -- a little help?” asked Hawkeye.
OPS CENTER, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA
“Hold on,” said Touchdown. He typed a string of commands on his keyboard and the satellite view began to zoom in on the beach at Savage Bay.
“The hostiles are not advancing in formation,” said Touchdown.
If the approaching men had been aware that Titan Six was on the beach, they would have implemented a tactical approach, moving from behind cover and leapfrogging toward the beach to engage the enemy. Instead, they were walking in pairs down a path toward Savage Bay.
The image zoomed in tighter. Touchdown couldn’t see any faces; their heads were covered by helmets. But the image was magnified enough to identify the weapons they carried.
“HK416 assault rifles,” said Touchdown.
Everyone was silent.
“What?” asked Cruz. “What is it?”
Touchdown cleared his throat. “HK416’s are used primarily by special forces units. About sixteen different countries use HK416’s. Mostly European. Also Japan. And they’re popular on the arms market. That doesn’t tell us who they are, but it does tell us they’re well-armed.”
“That answers one question,” said Caine. “This was no accident. It was an attack.”
TITAN SIX, SAVAGE BAY
Shooter squinted at the approaching hostiles through the night scope on her AWS sniper rifle. As they approached the beach, the group slowed and carefully surveyed the area for anything unusual.
Submerged in the waves, Hawkeye and the others remained hidden
from view.
“Here they come,” said Shooter.
Twenty seconds later, three pairs of well-armed commandos in full battle gear walked onto the west end of the beach.
“They’re in the open,” said Gator.
“Hold your fire,” said Hawkeye.
“Waiting for your signal,” replied Shooter.
“Let them advance another ten meters,” said Hawkeye.
OPS CENTER, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA
“Why aren’t they shooting?” asked Dr. Ambergris. “They’re right on top of them!”
On the holographic display, the six hostiles moved across the rocky beach about five meters from the waterline. Soon they would be within a stone’s throw of Hawkeye and the others hiding in the surf.
“Ops, is anyone else lurking around out there?” asked Hawkeye in a whisper.
Touchdown’s fingers were a blur on his keyboard, and the satellite image receded to show the area around Savage Bay. He toggled the view to an infrared display. Other than the Titan Six team and the six hostiles on the beach, no other human-sized infrared signatures appeared on the screen.
“Negative,” said Touchdown. “No other heat signatures.”
“Shooter?”
“Ready.”
Chapter 9
TITAN SIX, SAVAGE BAY
The six commandos were now within meters of Hawkeye, Tank, and the others. They scanned the beach continuously, but paid much less attention to the choppy waters of the bay where most of the Titan Six team was hiding in the waves.
“Shooter, on three ... ”
Suddenly the lead commando stopped. He made a hand gesture and all six of his squad members dropped to a crouch. But their attention was focused down the beach to the east.
Hawkeye squinted to see what had alarmed them.
“Parachute,” said Tank.
The dark fabric of a parachute canopy bobbed on the waves at the water’s edge.
“Now,” said Hawkeye.
Four hundred meters away, Shooter squeezed the trigger of her sniper rifle.
OPS CENTER, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA
On the holographic display in the Ops Center, a small muzzle flash erupted from Shooter’s position in the trees. The round slammed into the first commando. It nearly tore the man’s right arm off at the shoulder. He cried out in surprise as the force of the impact spun him around and threw him to the ground.
The remaining five soldiers, now aware of their precarious position, all turned their weapons toward the tree line. The shot had made almost no sound. The integrated suppressor on Shooter’s AWS sniper rifle almost entirely eliminated the noise.
But the commandos had seen a brief flash from somewhere in the trees. They were focused entirely on the east end of the beach, searching for some indication of the sniper’s position to return fire.
It was a costly mistake.
TITAN SIX, SAVAGE BAY
“Now,” whispered Hawkeye.
Tank, Hawkeye, and Pyro crept out of the water behind the commandos. Titan Six’s coordinated attack took place in rapid succession.
A second shot from Shooter’s sniper rifle exploded the head of another commando. His tactical helmet provided no protection from the armor-penetrating round.
Next, Tank leapt onto the nearest soldier, yanking the man’s head back and drawing his knife across his exposed neck.
Pyro slammed into the back of the next commando in line, pitching him forward onto his face. Sitting astride the man’s back, Pyro jammed his knife upward at his waistline, penetrating his lower back beneath his body armor.
A third round from Shooter’s sniper rifle slammed into the rocks just centimeters from one of the remaining enemy soldiers.
Hawkeye sprinted up behind the leader, who continued to focus his attention on the tree line. The commando raised his assault rifle to fire at Shooter’s position. Hawkeye snaked an arm around the man’s neck from behind, then knocked him off his feet backwards. The soldier fell on his back in the water. Hawkeye dropped one knee down hard on them man’s right arm, pinning his weapon beneath the waves. With one hand, he held the man’s head underneath the surface of the water. With the other, he stabbed his knife upward into the underside of the commando’s jaw. The blade thrust up into his skull, and the commando instantly went limp.
One commando remained standing. Shooter looked through her night scope and centered the crosshairs on the man’s head. Before she could fire, Gator sprang from the waves and swung the butt of his assault rifle into the side of the man’s head with tremendous force. There was a loud crack as the his head jerked to one side. He dropped to the ground in a heap.
“K.O.,” said Gator.
“Finish it,” said Hawkeye.
Gator knelt and fired a round from his Glock point-blank into the soldier’s head.
OPS CENTER, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA
“ -- clear,” said Hawkeye.
“Clear,” said Shooter and Gator, one after the other. The avatars on the display that had belonged to the six commandos were now fading from red to pale yellow.
The color drained from Cruz’s face. Her stomach churned at the brutality of the violence that had unfolded.
“Are you okay?” asked Dr. Ambergris.
Cruz nodded her head. Her face took on a light green hue.
On the holographic display, the Titan Six team moved from the beach into the woods north of Savage Bay.
“SitRep,” asked Touchdown, requesting a Situation Report from the Titan Six team.
“All six hostiles down,” said Hawkeye. “No casualties on our side.”
“Now that we know this was an incursion -- a planned attack -- what are your thoughts?” Caine asked.
“Well,” said Hawkeye, “we have to assume a worst case scenario: that a large hostile force is occupying the Savage Bay facility. We have no idea what their numbers are or what they intend to do. It’s been several hours. If this was just a hit-and-run raid, a kidnapping, or some type of industrial espionage, they should have been long gone by now.”
“I agree,” said Caine. “It doesn’t make any sense that they would still be there after so much time has passed. There must be some variable we aren’t considering.”
“If we’re going to retake the Savage Bay facility from an occupying force, we’re going to need reinforcements,” said Hawkeye. “A frontal assault against a larger force occupying a defensive position is unworkable.”
“We can pull five tactical teams from the Sudan and Pakistan, but there’s no way we can have them on site for at least five hours,” said Touchdown.
“Make it happen,” said Caine. “Let’s set that in motion and figure out what other options we have until we can get reinforcements to Savage Bay.”
“We may still be able to enter the facility and do recon if we’re careful,” said Hawkeye. “And if there’s an opportunity for a search-and extraction of some of the staff, maybe we can pull them out before the tactical teams arrive.”
“You’re going to need a covert entrance,” said Quiz.
“And there’s got to be a way to minimize or neutralize some of the threat from the commandos inside the complex,” said Hawkeye. “Let’s talk it through.”
“Quiz, could you bring up the Savage Bay floor plan?” asked Cruz.
Within seconds, a slowly rotating 3-D diagram of the facility rotated on the holographic display.
“Okay, the Savage Bay complex was hollowed out inside the granite mountain that forms the central ridge of the island,” said Cruz.
“Talk to me about the layout,” said Hawkeye.
“The main entrance actually lies alongside a kilometer long tunnel bored straight through the heart of the mountain,” said Cruz. “The tunnel is wide enough to accommodate large trucks and runs along a north-south axis. At the South Portal is a gravel road to the beach.”
“And the north entrance?” said Hawkeye.
“At the North Portal is a floating dock in a deepwater cove. Ships un
load cargo for transport down the main tunnel to the cargo bay.”
“Okay,” said Hawkeye. “So two entrances, and they’re both situated off a tunnel that runs right through the middle of the mountain. Lovely. Tell me about the blast doors.”
“The main entrance and the cargo bay entrance are both secured by two twenty-five ton steel blast doors,” said Cruz. “They were designed during the Cold War to protect the old submarine base from a nuclear strike.”
“And the general floor plan?”
“Behind the blast doors is the building complex constructed in a grid of excavated chambers. There are three levels, below which is the submarine facility.”
“Let’s assume the blast doors are closed and secured,” said Hawkeye. “Is there any way to open the doors from the outside?”
“No. When those doors are shut, Savage Bay is a fortress. It’s virtually impregnable.”
“The facility is currently in lockdown,” said Caine. “Is that correct, Touchdown?”
“Affirmative. Satellite data confirms that the outer doors are down. Plus our inability to access Savage Bay’s computer network indicates that complete lockdown protocols have been initiated. It’s an electronic lockdown as well.”
“What about ventilation?” asked Tank.
“No love there either,” Cruz replied. “The fresh air intakes are located at the South Portal access, but the vents are less than a quarter meter in diameter. Far too small for a person to fit through. Incoming air is run through a system of chemical, biological, and radiological filters.”
“And are there ... ” Hawkeye began.
“Wait, wait,” said Quiz. “The ventilation system. That’s the answer.”
“But you heard Cruz. Too small.”
“It’s plenty big enough,” said Quiz. “You just need a little help. And an air drop.”
TITAN SIX, SAVAGE BAY
Thirty minutes later, a stealth helicopter deployed a small cargo container attached to a static line parachute above Savage Bay. The black parachute canopy opened almost immediately, and the package hanging beneath it floated slowly toward the ground.
Savage Bay Page 6
