by Neil Hunter
“Kate, in the bag. Grenades. The round ones,” Cade yelled.
She passed him a few. Cade pulled the pin on one and tossed it. The grenade hit the car’s hood and bounced off. It struck the highway and exploded, and the second tail car swerved. The cyborg driving the lead car eased off when he realized Cade’s intention, but the cop had already primed another grenade. This one went in through the car’s shattered windshield and detonated inside the vehicle. The lead car blew wide open, scattering debris across the highway. The combat droid lost control as the blast buffeted it. Before it could regain that control, the car lurched to the right, hit the grass shoulder and flipped. A man’s bloodied body was thrown out of the rear, and it smashed face down on the highway. Before the driver in the other tail car could react, he drove over the body.
“T. J.!” Janek yelled.
Glancing over his shoulder, Cade peered through the truck’s windshield. A roadblock was being set up ahead of them.
“You want me to ram them?” Janek asked.
Cade glanced at Kate. She was staring through the windshield at the line of vehicles ahead and the armed figures waiting behind them. It didn’t show on her face, but he could guess what she was thinking, and he couldn’t lay her life on the line with such a reckless move.
“Ease off, Janek,” he said. “We’ll let them think they’ve got us cold. Let them get us in to see the top honchos in this deal, then we can make our move.”
Janek slowed the truck and rolled to a stop at the roadblock.
Cade felt Kate’s eyes on him.
“Sometimes, T. J. Cade, you talk the worst load of crap I ever heard,” she said.
“Please,” Janek said stiffly. “I wasn’t programmed to listen to such language. And I only enjoy it when female cyborgs talk dirty to me.”
Thirty minutes later, Cade, Janek and Kate, under armed escort, were taken from the car that had brought them into the Amosin complex and walked across a wide courtyard decorated with beds of lush flowers and ornate fountains. At one side of the courtyard was a wide, curving lawn, complete with shrubs and trees. Birds sang in the branches, and there appeared to be an abundance of wildlife moving in and out of the shrubbery. There was a look of perfection to the setup that made Cade look twice. He realized that the wildlife scene was a highly sophisticated holographic image.
The courtyard gave way to a spacious patio with a huge swimming pool. At a stone barbecue a gleaming service droid cooked sizzling steaks.
“Is that real steak?” Kate whispered as they were ushered past.
“Just be our luck if it’s another holograph,” Cade said.
“It’s real, Marshal Cade. Go ahead, take one. See for yourself.”
Cade located the owner of the voice.
The man stood just outside the curving expanse of a picture window that opened onto the patio. Inside the wide, low-ceilinged room pale carpet covered the floor. The furnishings were expensive and looked extremely comfortable. Even from where he was standing, Cade could see real leather armchairs and loungers.
Cade recognized the speaker as Amos Sinclair. He remembered seeing the man on TV news programs. Sinclair had to be at least fifty. He was in good condition, slim, fit and tanned, his dark hair just showing signs of graying. The man’s face, lean and taut, had a predatory look. His pale blue-gray eyes were fixed on Cade. They told a great deal about the man. He was hard. Uncompromising. He might have been a recluse, although he certainly didn’t look like one.
Sinclair stepped forward, checking out Janek and Kate as he approached.
“It appears our late, unlamented friend Culver made a foolish mistaken when he took you on, Cade. The man obviously didn’t realize how strongly you would retaliate. It’s done now, so there’s no point in worrying about it. At least we have you contained now.” Sinclair smiled. “You had us worried for a while. Your mistake was deciding to come here. Did you really believe you could have achieved anything?”
“I’ve got you out in the open,” Cade said. “All I need now are the others “
Sinclair smiled. “What others?”
“Try Colonel Clayton Munro and Colonel Edwin Poole,” Janek said. “That jog your memory?”
Cade noticed movement in the room behind Sinclair, and a low murmur of voices reached his ear.
“Let’s put faces to the names,” Cade said. “Or don’t you have the nerve to show yourselves?”
Amos Sinclair chuckled. “I think he’s challenging you boys. Let the man have his moment.”
Cade watched the men step out of the room into the sunlight. They were in civilian clothing, but there was no hiding the military bearing.
“You have to admit the man’s good,” Sinclair said. “You could do with someone like him in your outfit, Clay.”
Clayton Munro, tall and dark haired, glared at Sinclair.
“Him? A goddamn cop?”
“A Justice marshal, Clay. More than a street cop.”
“Are you the T. J. Cade who was in the Marine Corps?” asked Edwin Poole. He took Cade’s angry look for a yes. “This is no dogface, Clay. He was in the strike against the Islamic Federation nuclear facility during the war. Did some time on the asteroids, as well.”
“For Christ’s sake,” Munro exploded. “This fucker has spent the last couple of days causing us all kinds of problems, and you want to give him a testimonial? Amos is offering him steak. What next? Why don’t you ask him if he wants to be President?”
“That’s not up for grabs,” Sinclair said softly. The gleam in his eyes told Munro he was not amused by the man’s final remark.
“Ah!” Munro muttered, and went back inside the house.
“What are we going to do with them?” Poole asked, looking at Sinclair.
“Get rid of them, of course,” Sinclair snapped. “I thought that was plain enough. That is, after we have extracted all the information they possess. From Cade’s remarks, it’s plain they’ve picked up a disturbing amount of knowledge about our affairs. We still go ahead. It’s too late to stop things, anyway. I don’t intend waiting another month. All we need from these three is whether they’ve passed any of their information to others. If they have, we could find ourselves with difficult situations on our hands at the wrong time. Once we have control, it won’t matter. But until we do, I can’t have any of our key people put at risk.”
“By key people you mean the cops on your payroll?” Cade said. “And who else?”
“Apart from your cut-price colonels,” Kate said, unable to contain her anger, “just what is it this time, Sinclair? You tried to push some puppet candidate for the White House once before and failed. Is this another of your games?”
“Games!” Sinclair thundered, his calm exterior exploding into righteous anger. “Do you think this is just a casual affair, young woman? Don’t you realize what’s at stake here? The enormity of what we’re doing?”
“Why don’t you tell us?” Cade said evenly, attracting Sinclair’s attention. “Make us understand, Sinclair.”
“Look around you,” Sinclair said. “You’ll understand soon enough. Look and see how this nation is falling apart, crumbling by the day. Crime in the streets. A faltering economy. A nation in decay. America’s standing in the world at an all-time low. Our influence waning. There was a time when the United States stood for strength and democracy. The world jumped when this country spoke. We had power. We guided the weak and held back the oppressors. Not anymore—and that has to change. We have to redress the balance of power in our favor.”
“And you’re the man to do it?” Cade said. .
“Sneer all you want, Cade. But yes, I am. This country needs a strong leader. Not a weakling like Grainger.”
“You’re forgetting one thing. President Grainger was the people’s choice. They voted him in. You won’t give the country that option?”
“There are times when the needs of the many have to be decided without the ballot box.”
Cade shook his head in disbelief. �
��Now we get to it. You want to put the country back on track by installing an administration based on dictatorship. That it? Overturn the government and put yourself in power. To hell with the people, Amos Sinclair for President.”
“You’ll never do it,” Kate said. “The power structure is too strong to allow a coup to be successful.”
“No, Kate, I think they could do it,” Janek said. He was facing Sinclair as he spoke. “If their plan works, they could pull it off.”
“What plan?” Cade asked.
“Skylance. If they get control of the Skylance weapons satellite, they can hold the country to ransom—and threaten the rest of the world.”
Sinclair smiled. “Congratulations,” he said to Janek. “Your cyborg partner is very astute, Cade. I may decide to keep him alive. Let my own specialist check him over. I’ve always admired Cybo Tech’s success. Amosin Robotics have never quite kept pace with the sophisticated advances Cybo Tech seems to have made.”
“I’d say you’ve cornered the market in combat droids with antisocial tendencies,” Cade commented.
“Very good, Marshal Cade. I do like a man with a sense of humor. Especially when he’s in a tricky situation.”
Edwin Poole cleared his throat.
“All this sounds fine,” he said, “but I think we should get back to the matter at hand. We’re losing time, Amos. The advance team has to be in position by this evening, and we need to move our inside people into the right places before morning.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Sinclair said. His manner changed abruptly. “What about Tane and his people?”
“The reserve chopper is already on the way back with them. The base doesn’t figure in our plans any longer. We would have abandoned it, anyway. Cade and his friends just forced our hand a little.”
Sinclair nodded. He glared at Cade. “You cost us some valuable men.”
“The way they went down, Sinclair, you’re better off without them.”
“I doubt Tane will view it that way. He’s a man with an extremely nasty temperament. Maybe I’d be doing you a favor if I had you killed here and now. At least it would be quick.”
Amos Sinclair picked up a telephone and punched in a number. He spoke quickly to whoever answered, then replaced the receiver.
“Edwin, you and Clayton carry on. I’ll remain here and coordinate as planned. Cade and his friends will be dealt with in due time.”
“What about Tane?” Poole asked.
“Don’t you worry about our mercenary friend,” Sinclair said. “He’s in this for the money. As long as I keep feeding him, he’ll do what I say.”
Poole gestured to one of the armed men. “Get over to the helicopter pad. Tell the crew I want a chopper ready for immediate takeoff. Landon to pilot. He knows exactly where we’re going.”
Poole faced Cade. “I’m genuinely sorry you can’t be persuaded to join us, Cade. A man with your military record would go far. No second thoughts?”
“Second thoughts? Sure. But you wouldn’t like to hear them, Colonel.”
Poole’s face paled for a moment, and his lips set in a tight line. He pulled himself upright, his shoulders squared. His eyes searched Cade’s face and he nodded to himself slowly. Then he turned and strode away, inside the house and out of sight.
Sinclair snapped his fingers at the service droid, still faithfully preparing the steaks at the barbecue.
“You can leave those now and fetch me a drink.”
The droid nodded and hurried away.
“Is that how you expect the country to respond?” Kate asked. “Amos Sinclair clicks his fingers, and we all jump? I don’t think so.”
“Consider the alternative, my dear,” Sinclair said. “There won’t be any choice.”
“This guy’s crazy, T. J.,” Kate said. “He really believes he’s going to do it. Force the government to hand power over to him and his colonels.”
“Surprising what the hot weather brings out of the woodwork,” Janek said.
A moment later, realizing the deliberate insult, the armed man behind Janek rammed the muzzle of his weapon into the cyborg’s side, and Janek turned to glare at him.
The service droid reappeared, carrying a silver tray with a tall glass balanced on it. The droid was followed by a man dressed in a white suit, and he in turn was flanked by a pair of combat droids wearing black jumpsuits. Both droids wore shoulder rigs holding auto pistols.
The newcomer joined Sinclair. His angular face, topped by dark hair slicked back across his head, was marked by a pattern of puckered scars down the left side.
“He’s all yours,” Sinclair said, indicating Janek. “One of Cybo Tech’s finest. He’s called Janek.”
The scarred man circled Janek, studying him closely.
“I’m not too impressed by his choice in clothing,” he commented, flicking a finger at Janek’s filthy, tattered combat suit.
“Who is this joker?” Janek asked, indignation heavy in his voice. He didn’t like being inspected like a downgraded service droid.
“Jubal Casull,” Sinclair said. “Head of Amosin’s robotics division. I believe you’ve had contact with some of his creations.”
“If you mean those half-assed combat droids, I’m not impressed,” Janek said.
“Does it always react like this?” Casull asked.
“If you want answers, ask Janek,” Cade said. “He doesn’t need my permission to speak.”
“A liberated machine,” Casull said. “That’s something new.”
Janek glanced across at Cade, raising his eyes in exasperation.
“Jubal, get Janek into the secure lab. Keep him there until we have the operation under way, then get back here. I need you to assist me. Take the girl with you. That will ensure Janek behaves. He won’t put her life at risk.”
“Cee Sixer, Cee Ten,” Casull said, “escort these two to the lab complex.”
The combat droids responded immediately. Easing the auto pistols from their holsters, they covered Kate, pushing her ahead of them.
“They may be half-assed,” Casull said to Janek, “but don’t be fooled into believing they won’t kill her if I give the word.”
Janek understood only too well. He fell in beside Kate as Jubal Casull led them across the patio, leaving Cade alone with Sinclair and his armed gunmen.
Overhead a civilian helicopter rose above the estate and set course for New York.
“You’ll find my lab interesting,” Casull said conversationally as he led the way through the Amosin complex. “I have some of the finest equipment in existence. Our combat droids are considered the most efficient the military has ever purchased.”
“You create them to kill,” Kate said, “and not just enemy soldiers. They even came to my apartment and tried to kill me.”
“Exceptional circumstances call for drastic measures,” Casull said without a trace of regret.
Janek had been studying the man as they walked and now spoke up. “How long have you had the bionic arms?” he asked.
“I wondered how long it would take for you to notice. Almost four years now. My natural limbs were severed in an accident. So I made use of my own expertise and created my own replacement arms.”
He held up his arms, flexing his fingers.
“With the skills you have, why waste it all on a damn-fool scheme like Sinclair’s?” Janek asked.
“Because I believe the man is right. The country needs a new kind of government, one willing to drag us out of the mess we’re in.”
“Or push us into a deeper one,” Kate said.
Casull cast her an annoyed look but didn’t bother answering. They continued on through the sprawling complex until they reached a three-story building constructed from dark glass and steel. The entrance was a gleaming airlock. Casull punched in an access code, then stepped back as the airlock went into its opening sequence.
“The facility has to be kept sterile,” Casull explained. “Cybernetics requires pure atmospheres during implantation
of highly sensitive electronic function modes. Everything must be kept clean. So the interior is kept isolated from the outside world.”
The airlock swung open, and they stepped inside. The door closed and they were left inside the lock itself. Gleaming steel and ceramic surrounded them. The soft click of electronics filled the air. A soft hiss preceded an enveloping mist that jetted over them, followed by the bathing glow of ultraviolet light. Fresh air was pumped into the lock, and automatic checks finally lit up a display panel that gave them the all clear.
The inner airlock door slid open. Ahead of them stretched a long corridor. The left wall was composed of clear, toughened Plexiglas, through which could be seen the Amosin complex they had just come through. The opposite wall held recessed cabinets in which were holographic images of different Amosin Robotic creations. There was also a bank of elevator doors. Partway along Janek saw a flight of stairs leading to the upper floors.
“Later I may take you on a tour of the facility.”
“I can’t wait,” Kate muttered dryly.
“But first,” Casull said with undisguised pride in his voice, “I want you to see where it all takes place. My laboratory. The birthplace of my robots.”
Chapter Nine
Cade had seen the first chopper take off from somewhere in the complex. Thirty minutes later he watched a larger machine fly in and land, and something told him Lukas Tane and his mercenaries had returned to Amosin from the hidden base out near Placid Lake.
The arrival of the helicopter made him realize it was time to make his move. Amos Sinclair claimed he could control Tane, but Cade didn’t share his confidence. Tane had already been made to look a damn fool because of Cade and Janek. The mere was going to be in a vengeful frame of mind, liable to shoot Cade on sight and argue the point later.
