by H. M. Clarke
'56, is that you?'
'Yes.'
'I can hear you in my head, like an Ontolic can. How?'
'Don't care how. They have me again. They have me in a stasis chamber . I can't move, I can't speak, can't even twitch. I've been calling out for days. And then I heard you 72.'
'I'll have to stop thinking so loudly.'
'You're the first person I've heard. I recognized you as soon as I heard you just now, you must be close by. I can't hear anyone here.'
'I'm coming to get you 56.'
'72, It's not just me this time. They have others caged like animals and ready to transport. They want to start another Yunga. They are going to continue their testing.'
A snarl crossed Katherine's face. Not again. Never again.
'I am coming to get you 56 and then we can both wipe these murdering bastards from the face of the universe.'
'Be careful 72. They are expecting you. And they want you alive.'
'More fool them.'
'72, this is not Yunga. This time they are prepared and waiting.'
'Yes. And this time I want to get in and I've bought along some friends to help. Can you tell me where you and the others are held?'
'Yes. We're at the Braidon Hills Enclave in an underground complex near the head of the valley. I can’t tell you anymore than that.'
"KATHERINE!"
The connection to 56 broke and she snarled at the interruption.
"Katherine? Are you okay?" Tom's voice penetrated the miasma that had arrived with 56's voice.
"Tom?"
She blinked and felt her face snap back from the animalistic snarl that had gripped it.
"I'm fine. I know where they are," she said.
"How?" Joshua asked.
"56 told me."
"56 was the guy you rescued on Yunga wasn't it?" Tom kept his protective grip firmly on her shoulder as if afraid she would do something stupid.
"He is my brother," Joshua supplied.
Tom looked sharply at the Val Myran. "So our search and rescue is a Yunga survivor."
Joshua nodded.
"How could he have told you anything Katherine? He would need a comm unit and secure access to our comm channel-"
"I didn't hear him over the helmet comm unit Tom." Katherine shrugged her shoulder and Tom's hand slipped reluctantly away. "He spoke to me mind to mind, like some Ontolics can."
"But Ontolics can only speak mind to mind with other Ontolics, and you are not an Ontolic Katherine."
"I know that Tom, but somehow he was able to do it. He heard me and spoke to me. Daniel did say that he could not hear anything else."
"If he is an Ontolic then I should have heard him when he spoke to you Katherine. I am an Ontolic and only a Master can screen their thoughts from another with the Talent."
"Maybe that's why the Alliance was experimenting with him. A way to make people Ontolic?" Joshua said in an appalled whisper and Katherine did not miss the flash of fear in the Val Myran's eyes at Tom’s admission that he was Ontolic. The Alliance, for some unknown reason, had a misguided fear of them.
"Whatever they did to him, they did to me and I can't willingly speak mind to mind with anyone. Tom can attest to that."
"Have you tried?" Joshua asked.
"Tom would have noticed if I had changed in that department. He would have heard every single thought I had about how he's been pissing me off with asking too many questions when I'm not ready to give him the damn answers."
"Katherine-"
"No Tom, we don't have time for this discussion at the moment. Daniel told me that there are others being held. He said that they are going to start their experiments all over again."
"How do you know that it was Daniel who spoke to you?" Joshua sat back on his haunches showing that he was as comfortable in his armor as the RAN personnel. "It could have been anyone."
"This is not some plot Joshua. It was your brother, I'd know his voice anywhere and I trust what he told me." Katherine's annoyance at the constant questioning grew with every rebuff she made. Didn't they understand that people were in danger? That if these monsters manage to set up their operations again then ninety nine percent of these people would die. Katherine could not let that happen; had vowed when she left Yunga that she would never let it happen again. "Are you both trying to tell me that you will not follow my lead?" She could not bring herself to directly ask Tom if he would refuse to follow her orders.
"Of course not. I would follow you anywhere." Tom could not hide the worry from his face, Katherine knew him to well. "I just want you to be aware of all your contingencies and to make an informed decision."
"You're the boss," was all Joshua said.
"Steve and his people are close to the place Daniel described to me," Katherine said to the two men as she keyed on her helmet comm unit. "Steve."
"Yes Skipper?"
"I've got a small job for you."
Chapter
Sixteen
Steve Tran found the sinkhole in the ground just as his corporal commed that she had found a concealed entrance under a stone outcropping near the end of the valley. Just where the Skipper said it would be.
"Acknowledged Varden, you and Sam lay low and wait until we join you."
"Yes Sir."
The comm link terminated and Steve focused his full attention on the sinkhole. It was pure luck that they had approached it from downhill otherwise they would not have seen it. It was narrow but long and was open enough to allow a grown man to slip into it. The reason that it now kept Steve's attention was the numerous footprints that had worn a fresh path to the hole's lip. Many feet had tramped down the undergrowth and even with the wind blowing crossways, it smelt that it was being used as a refuse pit. Steve looked at the man crouched beside him.
"Reed, go and take a look at what is in that hole. I'm going to see where that trail comes from."
"I'm on it." Reed Taylor disappeared downhill into the scrub towards the dark scar in the landscape.
Steve headed towards where the trail disappeared into the undergrowth. Undoubtedly it would lead in the direction of the entrance that Varden had found, but it always pays to be sure. It was dangerous to make assumptions.
Once Steve reached the path he saw dead leaves sitting loosely on the surface. They had not been trodden in. The path had not been used for a few days at least
"Steve, I think you need to see this." Reed Taylor's voice spoke softly over the comm link and it was completely devoid of emotion.
"What is it Reed?"
"I think I've found some of the residents."
The tone of Reed's voice made Steve's gut clench in dread.
"Some? How many are there? Are they okay?"
"Sir." Reed paused over the comm link. "Christ." Another pause before he repeated. "You need to see this."
"I'm on my way."
Steve quickly turned back along the trail, forcing himself to hurry but the dread burning in his gut kept trying to anchor him down, to stop him from joining Reed.
Reed was standing at the far side of the clearing from the sinkhole when Steve entered the forest opening. The Sergeant stood with his back to the opening and Steve had the impression that the man was trying to insulate himself from the rest of the area.
"Where are they Reed?"
Reed, without turning to look at his commander jerked his head in the direction of the sinkhole.
"Down there sir."
"You left them down the hole?"
Reed turned his armor clad body slightly to look at his commander. Steve's consternation vanished at the sergeant's shattered look, and the dread in his gut tried desperately to anchor his feet to stop them from moving. The silence of the clearing hinted to Steve what Reed Taylor could not say. That there was no one calling out for help from the sinkhole enforced his fears.
Forcing one foot forward and then the other, Steve made his way slowly towards the opening in the ground. As he moved closer, the smell of putrefaction and decay grew stronger an
d his hand itched to activate the face shield on his helmet to cut the smell. But he did not activate it.
Steve stepped up to the lip of the sinkhole and looked down. The chemical flare that Reed had used was still active and it illuminated everything in a clear blue light. And Steve's gut tried to heave when his brain registered exactly what he was seeing.
"Sweet Merciful Jesus..." he whispered.
"Skipper, we've found a concealed entrance near the end of the valley." Steve's voice sounded flat and strained. "And we've found something else."
"What is it Steve?"
"You need to see it to understand."
"We'll be right there. Send us your co-ords."
Katherine's comm unit chimed as it received Alpha Teams location and she turned to look at the two men with her.
"Steve's found the entrance," she said. "And he's found something else. He wants me to take a look." Katherine glanced at the coordinates on her comm display. "We're not that far away from them now. We should reach them in about ten minutes."
"Did he say what he's found?" Tom asked as the three continued to make their way through the woody shrubs and vines that acted as the understory for the large conifers and acacias that line the hills of the valley.
"No. He didn't." Katherine did not say aloud what she thought she had heard in the Lieutenant's voice as he spoke to her, but she knew that whatever Steve wanted her to see was not going to be good news. Katherine just hoped that she was not going to see signs of Hyde's escape.
They emerged from the scrub into an open area and Katherine came to an abrupt halt as a power armored Steven Tran loomed suddenly before her.
The Lieutenant’s eyes were hard, his nostrils flared, and he radiated a raw, murderous fury. It seemed that the shock Katherine had heard earlier in his voice had matured quickly into an emotion she recognized. It was what she felt burning within her every time she remembered Yunga.
"Skipper."
"Steve," she gave him a nod of understanding and he gave Katherine a grim nod in return. The Sergeant with Steve moved passed them to met Tom and Joshua and the man made sure that his power armored bulk stopped them from following Katherine and Steve. Katherine saw them try and step around the sergeant but he moved to bar them.
Steve silently turned and began walking to the far side of the clearing and Katherine followed close behind.
"I don't think Joshua should see this."
Katherine said nothing in reply to Steve but whispered to Tom over their private comm channel. "Tom, help the sergeant keep Joshua away. Steve doesn't want him to see what is here. Not yet at least."
"Yes, of course."
She then turned her attention back to Steve. "What am I about to see Steve?"
"Reed found some of the locals," the Lieutenant said through clenched teeth."
"Where are they? Have they said anything about Hyde? About the Alliance?"
Steven's lip curled in distaste and shook his head and it was then that the smell hit her. Katherine recognized that smell, knew it intimately and it frightened her. She reached out and grasped the Lieutenants arm and Steven stopped and looked down at her. As his eyes looked down at hers, she knew that he recognized the same fury in her own eyes.
"Where are they Steven?"
Steven Tran made a savage gesture towards the other end of the clearing where a dark scar marred the earth. There were no man made pits here, but the forest surrounds were eerily familiar to Katherine.
"Wait here. I need to see this alone."
Steven made a small nod and Katherine released the grip on his arm. She then made her way slowly to the rim of the hole; the smell grew stronger, triggering her brain to make every part in her body want to run as far away from this place as she could. Instead Katherine pulled a chemical flare from her utility belt, cracked it and dropped it down the hole. It took a moment for the chemicals to react, making a clear blue light spread outward over the floor of the cavern. The cavern below was wider than the opening portrayed, but shallow. The mid morning sun was not at the right angle to illuminate the floor.
The rocky floor disappeared out of Katherine's sight from the crack. This whole area must be riddled with hollow areas like this. But thinking of the cave was only a distraction for her mind and Katherine forced it to acknowledge what else lay among the stones and rubble of the floor.
There were bodies amongst the stones. Pitiful, naked, broken bodies. Katherine forced herself to look at them, it was hard to tell male from female. All the bodies had their heads shaved and all had the sewn incisions of an autopsy. Scattered among the bodies were plastic bags that had split on impact and now showed their gruesome contents of bundled internal organs to any who cared to see. But it was the three smaller bodies that gave Katherine a kick in the guts. There were children down there. This was the first time she had seen children, the pits on Yunga had only contained adults. The subjects used at Yunga were either prisoners of war or their own defense personnel.
How could anyone do this to children?
The little bodies reminded her so much of her son. Katherine felt tears pushing at her eyes but the anger she had buried deep within now began to fountain out and flood her with a determination to root out this den of hatchet men and give them the same treatment.
Katherine did not know how long she stood looking at the dead. At the total lack of dignity given to what were once living people, in their disposal; just tossed down a hole like refuse, to rot away or be picked clean by insect and vermin.
Eventually she turned and walked determinedly back to where Steven Tran was waiting. She reached out and placed a hand on his armored shoulder.
"We will get these bastards," Katherine said quietly. "And then we will give these people a decent burial."
"Yes Ma'am." Fury still burned in his voice and Katherine knew from personal experience that no matter what happened here, its embers would never, ever, leave him.
"I don't think Josh should see this. They are his people. It would break him." She felt the tears prickling at her eyes as she spoke, and she fought to stop them trickling down her face.
"Yes Ma'am."
She removed her hand from the Lieutenant's shoulder and continued walking back to the three waiting men.
"We will make our way directly to the entrance that the rest of your team has found."
"Yes Skipper."
"They are still there?"
"I told them to keep an eye on it. We don't want any surprises when we go in."
"No, we don't." Katherine was silent a moment. "I plan to kill every last one of these murderous monsters Steven."
Steven did not miss a step as he replied. "I'll be right there behind you in case you miss any."
Chapter
Seventeen
Everything was quiet.
Katherine looked again through the binoculars, adjusting them to infra red view. The entrance to the bunker was cleverly hidden amongst the loose rocks from a stone overhang that was surrounded by thick stands of trees and shrubs. The small metal entrance door would not be noticeable to any but the most observant individual. And Sergeant Varden was; but Katherine had also told her where to look. The place had been heavily shielded to ensure that its emissions signatures stayed hidden from any overhead craft. But there was nothing moving down there, not even a bird or mouse.
Katherine clipped the binoculars onto her armor and crept back into the undergrowth where Tom and Joshua waited. Steven Tran and his squad were positioning themselves at advantageous points on either side of the entrance.
'Skipper, both teams are in position and are ready to go. Sergeant Varden is ready to disable the cameras on your order.'
"Acknowledged Lieutenant."
Katherine cut the comm link and looked back in the direction of the bunker. "Steve is setup and ready to go," she said.
Joshua crouched behind her silently brooding. Once they were away from the clearing Katherine had told both him and Tom about the pit's gruesome secret. She did
not tell all but enough to ensure Joshua knew exactly what the Alliance was capable of.
"We're ready to go when you are Commander," Tom said as he unlocked his assault rifle from its carry harness and powered it on. Joshua mutely followed suit by pulling his pulse pistol from its holster. Katherine raised an eyebrow in surprise when she saw that the weapon was already powered on.
"Josh, I promise to get every last one of your people out."
Joshua Val Myra's usually happily mobile face stayed like stone as he nodded to her. The man had not spoken since she had told him about the contents of the pit and Katherine knew she should be worried about him. But she wasn't.
Tom was a different matter.
Katherine could not remember seeing him like this. She had seen him angry, upset and in fine fighting form, but she had never seen him this still; this horrified.
He's just had a glimpse into a little of what I experienced at Yunga. Maybe now he can understand why I don't like to talk about it.
Even as Katherine thought this she leaned forward and touched Tom's cheek with gentle fingers, trying to impart what little comfort she could through that touch.
Tom's mouth twitched into a smile that did not reach his usually expressive brown eyes. And that lack of Tom's usual sprit strangely cut Katherine to the core. Where Joshua's pain was just a detail, Tom's was more personal to her because his hurt was on her behalf.
'72, what's wrong?'
Katherine felt Daniel's voice slip easily into her mind. This time there was no feeling of stuffiness or cotton wool. Daniel knew his way to her now.
‘Nothing is wrong 56.'
'I felt sorrow and pain-' Daniel suddenly stopped speaking but Katherine could still feel his presence. 'An alarm has just gone off on my stasis chamber and the whitecoats are excited.'
'What's happened?"
'Nothing that I can see. I have a limited view from the chamber.'
'We are about to enter the facility to get you and the others, do you have any idea where you are located?'
'No. I was unconscious when I was brought in here, but if this place is built in the same vein as Yunga, then the Numbers will be kept in the lower levels.'
