“Okay,” she said smiling.
I am on a winning streak! Go, Moretti go!
Chapter 67
HC Tempest
Mars, Sol System
6/3349
“The mercenaries have finished loading,” one of the aides said. Hawking was having his afternoon tea.
The Harmony crew didn’t approve of using the mercenaries. Though it seemed that Quinn had made them see sense, and showed that the security contractors wanted to pull down the old regime.
I was wondering what he was going to do to remove what was left of Harmony.
The ease with which Quinn had called up the security contractors and started negotiations put Hawking’s mind at ease.
When he took his position in the leadership change, with Quinn becoming the Head of the Ministry of Intelligence, someone needed to deal with the Harmony forces.
Hawking sure didn’t want to deal with them.
“Very well, invite their leaders to meet with me if they might. I am interested in seeing how their loyalties lie,” Hawking said.
“Yes, sir.” The aide seemed to approve.
Little shit doesn’t know I mean to support our needs, not Harmony’s. Idiot.
Hawking sighed, trying to clear his mind as he sipped his tea.
***
Hawking was in his room when the security contractors arrived. They were all wearing armor and had impressive security details.
Hawking didn’t bat an eye. He understood that Harmony wouldn’t like them much and they would be killing off the Harmony serfs sooner rather than later.
“It’s so good to see you,” Hawking said. The security officers stepped into the room, studying one another as much as the man in front of them as the door closed behind them.
“You too, Admiral,” said a woman with her hair cut short and a scar down her face.
“It is good to get away from the rabble that’s out in Housapel. I was hoping that we could have a civilized conversation about how we will be dealing with the clean up after we take Earth,” Hawking said, waving them into his living area where he had couches arranged in a circle.
The officers followed him, pulling their helmets off and looking at one another with varying emotions.
Hawking led the way, suddenly feeling pain through his neck and into his body.
“The fuck did you do that for?” one of the officers asked as Hawking dropped to the ground, coughing up blood.
Why does it hurt so much? I should get a painkiller, and this cough! I must be getting a cold.
“You took Nivad’s contract too, didn’t you?” one of the others hissed.
“Of course, only an idiot goes up against that man. Though we could have given this idiot to him,” the woman said.
Hawking looked at the floor, his body was getting colder. He coughed again, seeing blood in front of him.
I’m hurt.
“Shit, well we’ve got a few hours. Let’s get a plan sorted out, and then we take this fleet. People are going to start wondering where this fucker is,” the second speaker said.
“We’ll split the bounty four ways, though whoever takes Quinn keeps that bastard alive. The bounty on his head is worth the entire job,” the woman said.
Hawking died listening to the security contractors bicker about how they would break up their bounties.
***
Quinn looked up from Miss Choi when he thought he heard something.
“Harder baby,” Choi said, pulling him back in.
“I thought I heard something,” Quinn said, looking around as he tried to pin down the noise.
Choi pulled him downwards, taking his mind off noises and turning his attention back to her.
She sighed with pleasure as he continued what he’d been doing.
She moaned and then Quinn heard another noise. It sounded tinny, but loud.
He shook it aside. He would make sure that whoever was making that noise was dealt with afterwards.
The door to his living quarters opened.
“Get out!” Peter yelled.
“Sir, the contractors turn...” the head of Quinn’s security began. He was interrupted by loud noises in the hallway outside Quinn’s living quarters. Weapons fire.
“We need to leave, sir,” the head of security said.
“Get dressed,” Quinn said to Choi, rushing to his closet and pulling out a one-piece of armored clothing.
He stumbled into it, almost falling a few times as he tried to get dressed.
The sounds were getting closer and closer.
“Let’s get going,” Quinn said, taking Choi’s hand and indicating for the security head to lead.
There was gunfire outside the room now.
“We need to go out the back way,” the security head said, changing directions. He’d started walking for the hidden hatch when his head exploded.
Quinn let go of Choi’s hand, covering his ears at the noise and cowering on the floor.
He looked at what was left of his Head of Security. He had seen violence on screens, but it had been distant. Other people dying. Idiots dying for causes that they didn’t understand. This man had been Quinn’s Head of Security for the last hundred years of service.
There were few people he’d trusted more, and they were dead.
He threw up at the sight of what was left of the man’s head.
“Seems that it’s easier for you to see it on the screens than in reality,” Choi remarked.
Quinn looked up at her, and she was holding a pistol, pointing it at him.
“The fuck, Choi? He was going to help us get out of here,” Quinn yelled.
“Stay there and don’t stand up,” Choi said.
“The fuck are you talking about?” he asked, getting to his feet.
Blinding pain struck him and he fell to the floor. Choi had shot him in the knee, and it was a wreck. The bones that were left were grating against one another, and against open nerves, tendons, and muscles. Quinn screamed in pain.
“Sorry, baby, but you taught me not to place it all on one bet,” Choi said.
Security contractors rushed into the room, their guns on Quinn and Choi.
“Don’t shoot, you idiots. Secure him; he’s Peter Quinn. I’m one of Nivad’s agents. Get me a line to Dalia, she will be expecting me,” Choi said.
“You bitch,” Quinn groaned.
“That may be, but at least I’m not scared to get my hands dirty. Don’t worry, baby. Nivad will probably be interested in getting his hands very dirty, making sure that he wrings every last inch of life out of you,” Choi smiled sadly. “A shame to ruin such a good looking face.”
“Kill her, I’ll make you all rich! You could buy a station all for yourselves!” Quinn yelled.
“And piss off Nivad? We’re not suicidal. Livie, tie him up and throw him into cryo. Miss, please drop the pistol; we will have you talk to Dalia, but until anything is confirmed we can’t be sure of your identity,” the leader of the security contractors said.
“Very well.” Choi tossed her pistol away and moved towards the security contractors.
Quinn cried on the floor as his world and plans came apart at the seams.
Chapter 68
EMFC Fearless
Mars,
Sol System
6/3349
“We have a signal coming from the Harmony Carriers,” Guy said as the EMF fleet continued to move towards Mars and the Harmony fleet orbiting it.
“Is it from the security contractors?” Hall asked, leaning forward in his seat.
“Yes, sir, connecting you now.”
There were four different security contractors, all wearing different emblems, and a beautiful woman.
“Report,” Hall said.
“We have secured the vessels. Admiral Hawking is dead, Peter Quinn is alive and in cryo,” one of the contractors said.
“Very well, we will come aboard shortly to take over command of the vessels. Once that is complete, your fee for taking
the ships will be paid,” Hall smiled.
“Looking forward to it,” the contractor said. All of them were smiling, they were all probably millionaires now.
Not bad for a few weeks of work.
Then, the security contractors seemed to shift uncomfortably.
“Out with it,” Hall said.
“Sir, we need to contact Nivad, we possibly have one of his agents aboard the ship. Miss Choi here. We don’t have any direct way of contacting the Ministry of Intelligence. We were wondering if you would like to take custody and confirm her identity.”
“Very well, we will,” Hall agreed.
“We also have Harmony personnel fighting back across the ship. We have the major locations but not the force to secure it all.” They didn’t like having to admit that.
“Seal all of the sections that hold your personnel, and vent the atmosphere in the other areas,” Hall said.
“Sir, that would eject them into space!” One of the contractors looked appalled.
“This is war. Harmony won’t stop fighting until all of them are dead. By the end of Fernix, they were blowing themselves up to try and kill more of the Troopers and destroy Carriers. If left alive, then they will figure out a way to kill your people, at the very least. On Earth they tortured Troopers for a week before stringing them up for everyone to see, and setting them on fire. They know no mercy, and we will show them none,” Hall’s voice was cold.
“Yes, sir. We don’t know the controls of these things very well, so if your people could deal with that?” the leader asked.
Don’t want the blood on your hands.
“I am continuing at my least-time intercept, I will have personnel to take over operations of the carriers in,” Hall checked his screens as Yeltsin did a flight path, “just under two days.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Once we have control of the Carriers, we will transfer your people over to Fearless and Justice to transport back to Earth. At best speed it will take us three months to reach Earth. I would like to get started sooner rather than later,” Hall said.
“As soon as the Harmony threat is dealt with here then we will be ready to board your ships,” the leader said.
“Very well, we shall see one another shortly,” Hall said, closing the channel.
Chapter 69
Mega City
Earth, Sol System
7/3349
Mark opened his helmet, his vision blurry. He could hear the fighting happening just meters away. He unlocked his Powered Armor, and with numb fingers he connected power leads to charge the machine.
He looked around the office. It was the heart of the corporations, the heart of the corporatocracy he lived in. Just another cog in the machine.
Something in him snapped; the tension, the anger, the pain, all turned to rage and he grabbed a desk and started using it like a club to break the cubicles around him. He punched, kicked and smashed the cubicles till his fists were bloody and the office had been thrown into chaos.
He slumped against a desk, his body shaking as he cried.
Why, why, did they have to die so that I could survive and throw more people to their deaths?
Mark cried, streaks running down his cheeks.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched, hiding his face, his weakness, and pain.
“It’s okay,” Dominguez said, squatting next to Mark.
Mark looked up at her. The sadness in her eyes was overwhelming. The dam broke and tears fell down her face.
Mark didn’t say anything; he didn’t need to. He pulled her into a hug as the two of them silently cried. Two more broken people that had lost so much that they never thought they could get it back.
After some time, Dominguez and Mark untangled themselves, sitting against the broken cubicles, staring at nothing.
“I knew Ko from back on my old carrier, we went through boot camp training together. He was always a good friend. Saved my life too many times to count. Remember when he tried to breathe fire and nearly set that room in Osdal alight?” Dominguez said, laughing through the tears.
“Yeah, Dooks was so drunk he poured his liquor on it,” Mark said.
“Then Dashtund declared himself as Osdal’s fire department and tried to use his shirt,” Dominguez took a sharp breath.
“Set it on fire and then tossed it out of the room. I remember you came along and dumped a bucket of ice in his pants and then on the floor,” Mark laughed.
“Well, the first was funny and the carpet fire was starting to spread. I don’t remember you doing much to help,” Dominguez said.
“Oh, I was waaay too drunk to move. Nearly threw up from laughing too hard,” Mark chuckled.
“Damn, they were the best of the best,” Dominguez sighed.
“To the Triple Twos, to our people that live on through us,” Mark said, holding up an arm.
“Never forget,” Dominguez replied, tapping his arm in the Powered Armor way of agreement.
“Fuck, I need a drink.”
“Me too, we all do.”
In the distance, Mark heard heavy machine guns firing and Repulsors returning fire. Combat Shuttles’ engines tore through the air.
An explosion rocked the building, and some of the nearer sounds of heavy machine guns stopped.
“Get some sleep, and try not to break too many more cubicles,” Dominguez said, standing and flicking something at Mark. “There are some showers just down the hall. You look like you need it, and you damn well smell like it.”
“Thank you, Division Sergeant Major,” Mark said, stroking the beard that had grown as he had focused on fighting more than shaving.
“Any time, Major,” she said, rubbing his face clear of any signs of tears.
They had both just needed some time to figure themselves out. They still hadn’t fully, but it was enough to deal with what had to be done.
Mark stood, pushing a cubicle over.
“Oh, come on!” Dominguez said.
“It was like that when I got here.”
“You’re a terrible liar. Go get cleaned up and get some sleep. The Chosen have pushed through the first line. We’ve got a few hours until they get to the third.”
“Alright,” Mark said, pausing. “Thanks, Dominguez.”
“No worries, Mark, any time you want to talk memories or have a beer, I’m here.”
“Thanks, same for you,” Mark said.
“Well, if you’re buying, Mister Corporation Officer,” she smiled.
Mark shook his head and walked off in the direction of the waypoint she’d given him.
Chapter 70
Tower
Earth, Sol System
7/3349
Nivad lit up a new cigarette. Its stimulants eased his mind, and made him feel more alert as a channel request opened on his desk.
He checked the person, taking another drag.
“M,” Nivad said simply, again sucking on his cigarette.
“Sir, as you know we have recovered the person in Quinn’s employ. I have been going through the information. First, it looks like Quinn had support from many of the corporation officers on Housapel. They have been secluded away in cryo-pods,” M reported, as an attachment appeared in Nivad’s inbox.
Nivad went through the names, frowning.
“One of the people I have identified is the leader of the Osdal Chapter, known as Luke,” M said.
Nivad found the highlighted name. “Good work, M. I will have the carriers in Housapel brought out of limbo to deal with these threats.”
“Yes, sir. We also found out about all of Quinn’s purchases. I have brought over his accounts into the Ministry of Intelligence’s purview. Also, in the contract we signed with the security contractors, we now own the Harmony Carriers. Selling them might make for a nice retirement gift for the Troopers,” M suggested.
Nivad looked over the accounts. Quinn’s own resources were not inconsiderable. They would, in fact, pay for the training and building of half of
the Trooper force that Nivad had created.
The retirement funds might be an idea, it would also give them the option to go to another planet and live comfortably. Reward for loyalty.
“Interesting ideas. Well done with the Carriers and the accounts. How is our agent?” Nivad asked.
“She is happy to give us any information that we want. She seems to be playing the corporation game with more than one person on Earth.”
“That is normal. Once she is on Earth she will not want to leave, and we have given her enough backing to make her comfortable and a possible asset in the future,” Nivad said.
“Yes, sir. Admiral Hall will arrive in two months with the security contractors and Quinn. It might be best to offload Quinn onto Resolute Station, so that we do not lose him in the action going on in the war raging in Mega City.”
“Very well, yes, we do not want him to escape our clutches,” Nivad agreed.
“Yes, sir.”
“Let me know if anything new arises,” Nivad said, taking a drag.
“Yes, sir.”
Nivad cut the call, looking at the information M had sent him. He exhaled the cigarette smoke, and sent a message to the Carriers holding position in Housapel.
Chapter 71
Citadel
Earth, Sol System
7/3349
Ortiz looked at the map. Troopers and Chosen were fighting from building to building. Sometimes the Chosen got a car and rammed it into a Trooper-controlled building, trying to gain entry.
It wasn’t the most effective tactic. So then they started strapping bombs to them.
The Chosen were advancing quickly, whittling the Troopers down to three hundred thousand strong.
“McPherson, give the order to prepare to pull back to the citadel,” Ortiz said, his jaw working.
The citadel was the last position that the Troopers could pull back to. They would make their stand there, no matter what the Chosen brought against them.
Either they held the citadel, or the Troopers and Earth and Her Colonies were doomed.
“The order has gone out,” McPherson said.
“Good, it’s time we ended this thing.” Ortiz felt much older than his forty something years.
There wasn’t anything that they could use to push the Chosen back to give the Troopers room to retreat. The towers were too close together to get artillery in. The Combat Shuttles couldn’t do anything but transport people and supplies this far inside the city.
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