There had to be something that he could do. Nick tried to open a comms link to Admiral Gail Thompson. There was no response, but his collar vibrated with an incoming call on a different channel.
'This is Commander Harris. I need to talk to you.'
'Harris? Are you here too? I've been trying to get through to Admiral Thompson but she's not picking up.'
'I'm in the Old Quarter. Thompson's not in the best of moods right now.'
'So I heard. She recalled Henson in the middle of a combat operation. I don't know what the hell she thinks we are doing out here, but her actions are not helping at all.'
Harris grunted into the comms link, 'Thompson thinks that Henson has something to do with the Mekinet news droids.'
'That's crazy.'
'I know it is. I've vouched for Rachel on more than one occasion, but when Thompson is in a shitty mood she won't listen to me or anyone else.'
'Why do you think she's behaving like this?'
'I gave up trying to understand my superiors years ago. I just carry out the orders I'm given. It works out better for everyone that way.'
'I wish I shared your sense of optimism.'
Harris laughed. 'Listen, I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, Nick, but there's something I need to tell you.'
Nick felt like unseen forces were working their magic again. Whatever Harris was about to tell him was part of it - he knew it.
'There's something odd going on at Havers Compound,' Harris said.
'That's not news to me.'
'Well, this is different. I've been following the situation from here, and Thompson has been on my case about it too. Our own satellite platforms opened fire on your RS6 units.'
'I noticed. The mission was fucked from the very start. The Kamari opened fire on us while our decrepit crab scanners were still scanning the compound. Edwards is dead. All the Crocs are out of action after repeated satellite strikes. Didn't anybody notice that the Kamari had taken over a fucking satellite platform? What happened to our security systems? This kind of thing should never happen.'
'It's bad, Nick. We don't know how it happened. We're still trying to work that out. No alerts were triggered and the security constraints were still active. Our systems should have warned us but they didn't. It might be a while before we figure this one out.'
'It's worse than bad, Jake. Too many things make no sense. There's something else going on here.'
'I know you've got it rough out there. I've been trying to help in the background. It was me that sent the backup units to Havers Compound. I suggested it three times to Thompson before she conceded. She said we didn't have any spare units. I don't see how that can be true. I know what it's like being left out in the cold. I've been there too many times myself. When I finally got her agreement, she seemed pissed off with me. We'll get to the bottom of this, Nick. We'll figure it out. It's just going to take some time.'
'Thanks, Jake. I appreciate it. It's good to know the commanders have got each other's backs.'
'No problem. I sent Rodnig. He's a man you can depend on.'
'So what's the bad news you wanted to tell me?'
'The Kamari no longer have control of the satellite platform.'
'That's good news, isn't it?'
'You would think so, wouldn't you, but no. Now some news hack called Riser Trent has taken control of it. He's the clown controlling all those net-feed droids that are whizzing around your head.'
'I thought that was Ario Neech? Why does Thompson accuse Rachel of being involved, if she already knows this other guy is controlling the net-feed droids?'
'I don't know. Thompson told me Trent is involved, but she also said that Neech is responsible for all this, and she blames Rachel too. She's pissed off about a lot of things.'
'How did Trent bypass our security? Can anyone just take control of a satellite platform these days?'
'That, I can't answer. There's something seriously wrong somewhere down the line.'
'What does Trent want with the satellite-grid controller anyway? You said he's just some kind of reporter? Why would he want to mess around with something as dangerous as a satellite platform? He must know we'll put him away forever for this.'
'I don't know what he's thinking, but we need to take him seriously until we know what he has on his mind. He's threatened to use the satellite platform against Central Command and Cinnamon City.'
'He must be bluffing. Why the hell would he do that?'
'I have to admit, his threats seem random and unfocussed to me. He could be playing a game with us all, but we have to believe that he might do it. If we ignore his threat and he carries it out, the consequences would be unthinkable. I don't think he's all there in the head.'
'This is all we need.'
'We think the satellite-grid controller is somewhere in Havers Compound. It can be controlled remotely. That's what Trent is doing. It may be the weak point in our security. If you can find the physical device and shut it down, nobody will be able to take control of the satellite platforms anymore.'
'That's no small task.'
'Thompson wants the satellite-grid controller kept in one piece, but it's easy for her to say that, it's not so easy for you to do it. I'd say destroy it if you need to. Don't put your life at risk to capture something that the techs can rebuild in a month or so if necessary. If the controller gets damaged, just tell her it was an accident. Whatever happens, we can't allow this nut to use a satellite platform against Cinnamon City. The repercussions would be horrendous for all of us. He doesn't even know how to use the targeting systems. If he tries to use it without proper training, there's not telling what he might hit.'
'The Kamari seemed to manage the targeting system just fine, a little too well in my opinion.'
'You've got to shut it down, Nick.'
'Okay, I got it. I'll make it my first priority. I'll find the damned thing if it's the last thing I do.'
'Thanks. I'll let Thompson know you're on it.'
'Jake, can you do something for me in return?'
'Sure. What is it?'
'When Rachel comes back, keep an eye on Thompson for me. I don't know what she has against Rachel, but I just want to make sure she gets a fair deal. I think you know what I mean.'
'I know what you mean. I'll do what I can, but Thompson is sending me to the Mekinet News building for a while. The Guilds are protesting again. They always seem to pop up in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is the worst place for a protest right now.'
'Thanks, Jake.'
'Good luck.'
'You too. I think I'll need it.'
Clear the Streets
Commander Jake Harris stood on a corner of a street in the Business District, just outside the Mekinet News building. His jacket was wet from the relentless rain, but his grey eyes shone with an intensity that had been there since his youth.
'I want everybody out of here in twenty minutes,' he said.
Major Eric Ruffle was standing in the building's lobby, sheltering from the rain as he looked down at the crushed glass on the floor. His skin had a weathered appearance and his thick black eyebrows were noticeable under the spotlights of the Cage Carriers outside.
'That's not possible,' Ruffle said. 'It took the men over an hour to descend half way down the lower levels. It'll take even longer for them to climb back out again. Several of the men are lost. they don't have an obvious exit route. They'll need to guide each other out, level by level.'
'All the same. I want them out in twenty minutes. We don't have any more time than that.'
Ruffle shook his head but he still opened a broadcast comms link and started calling out orders to the men below.
Harris gazed across the street. He could see a crowd forming, men and women with bright red holocubes floating above their heads. Slogans scrolled in circles around the cubes, visible on all sides.
NO TAX BEFORE FREE ELECTIONS.
WHERE ARE THE COUNCIL OF LORDS?
NO RULE WITHO
UT ACCOUNTABILITY.
Major Mark Redmond was standing near the side of the road, preparing a line of Security Forces between the protesters and the Mekinet News building.
'What is all that?' Harris said.
Redmond looked up at him with pale blue eyes. 'No idea, Commander. Looks like there are some guildsmen amongst them. Guess they are complaining about taxes again.'
'Why are they here rather than somewhere like the towers?'
'I don't know. I don't think this is anything to do with our operation here.'
'Just the wrong place at the wrong time, huh?' Harris said.
Redmond shrugged, 'I've been in the wrong place at the wrong time for the last three years.'
Harris laughed, 'I know what you mean.'
A blue light flashed on the lapel of Harris' jacket. He lifted his ear piece and tucked it into his ear, 'Yes Admiral, they're pulling out now.'
Gail Thompson's voice was just audible through the crackly comms link. The rain drumming on his jacket didn't help. Harris stepped into the shelter of the lobby where it was a little more quiet.
'I want everyone out of there now,' she said. 'Clear a perimeter around the building, at least twenty metres on each side.'
'Twenty metres? What is the nature of the threat?'
'I'll ask the questions, Harris.'
'It would be a lot easier to carry out your orders if I knew what you were trying to achieve.'
'What I'm trying to achieve is to get everybody out of the Mekinet news building right now, and to clear a perimeter like I said. That's all you need to know. Is that understood, Commander?'
'Understood,' Harris said.
Thompson could be a real bitch at times. Harris was relived when she terminated the comms link from her end. Stepping out into the rain again, he welcomed the wind and rain that battered his face.
'Major Redmond,' he said.
Redmond stopped talking to the line of Security Forces and stepped closer, 'Yes, Commander?'
'We need to push everyone back twenty metres from the building on all sides.'
'I don't have enough men for a perimeter that wide.'
'Well, do what you can. I'll get another unit down here to help out.'
'Any particular reason? We have a line already. The building is secure.'
'Orders from the Admiral.'
'Okay,' Redmond's face sagged.
The crowd was getting closer now. The staring faces didn't look like they were in the mood for cooperation.
Redmond stepped over to the line of Security Forces and started shouting at them through the driving rain. The soldiers must have heard him because they started walking towards the crowd, maintaining their straight line formation.
Redmond jogged over to a Cage Carrier that was parked at the side of the street. He opened the back doors and rummaged around in some black metal equipment cases before pulling out a voice-amp the size of a lollipop. Holding it up in front of his mouth, he spoke into the rain but no sound came out of it. He shook the voice-amp from side to side and slapped it against his leg before trying again. This time his voice bellowed across the street like a pronouncement from God.
'This is a restricted area. Admiral Gail Thompson has ordered a clear perimeter of twenty metres around the Mekinet News building. Move back now!'
'Thompson serves only the Council Of Lords!' a voice cried out from the crowd.
'What about the people?' another voice shouted back.
Redmond glanced back towards Harris and shook his head. He raised the voice-amp again, 'This is a restricted area. Move back and disperse immediately. This is your final warning.'
Harris felt a change in the air. He had that feeling that he got once in a while, just before everything went to shit. He ran towards the line of Security Forces. The crowd charged just as he caught up with the soldiers, pouring forwards like an angry mob. The Security Forces stood firm, locking their elbows as they faced the oncoming rabble. In the middle of the rain-soaked street, they clashed like waves across the rocks.
Shouts rang out into the night. Fat businessmen struggled with red cheeks as the soldiers shoved them back. Young women in gloves and boots shouted expletives that made Harris blush on behalf of his men. Young men with glints in their eyes swung punches at the smallest opponents they could find. All at once, the wave broke into chaotic surges and torrents. Fists struck faces. Batons struck heads and shoulders. Men and women grappled each other, tumbling to the ground.
Harris locked eyes with a young man who had just flattened a soldier with a long piece of wood. The man charged towards him in a frenzy, eyes wide and excited. He raised his fist high above his shoulder just as Harris swung a high kick, catching him full on the chin. The frenzy in his eyes blinked out as he tumbled forwards, unconscious before he hit the ground.
Harris straightened his jacket and tapped his jacket collar to open a comms link. 'This is Commander Jake Harris, securing the Mekinet News building. We need another unit down here. We seem to have strayed into some angry protest.'
A woman's voice replied from the Operations Room in Tower Four. 'We're short on units just now. What is the severity of your situation?'
'We need a unit now.'
The woman mumbled something away from the comms link and then came back loud and clear. Okay. We're sending a unit now. They should be with you in... six minutes.
'Thanks, control.' Harris shut down the link. Now he just had to work out what to do for the next six minutes.
Redmond stumbled back with blood leaking from a split lip. He made a grunting noise and then ran back into the fracas. Harris pulled out his stun baton and followed him.
The Lookout Balcony
Gail tapped her jacket collar, closing the comms link. She didn't feel the need to tell Harris the nature of the threat. If he found out that there was a possibility of a satellite strike at his current location, he might change his mind about doing his duty. She needed the building cleared. The less Harris knew about why, the quicker it would be done.
A sharp wind chilled her face as she held onto the white stone balustrade that wrapped around the front of the Lookout Balcony. This high up, a strong gust of wind could easily send her plummeting eight hundred metres to the Grand Plaza below, but her grip was firm. She had no fear of this place.
The White Spear's Lookout Balcony gave her unparalleled views across Cinnamon City to the South. Gail enjoyed the breeze in her hair as she gazed out over the roof of Tower Four a hundred metres to the South-East. The black tower's roof was level with the White Spear's Lookout balcony, but the White Spear continued for another two hundred metres above her head. There were six black towers in total. They formed a protective ring around the White Spear, offering an additional line of defence against any potential attackers. Together they formed Central Command, the home of the Security Forces.
Tower Five was Tower Four's twin, standing to the South-West. Its blacked-out windows reflected the orange glow of the fading sun. Gun emplacements were embedded in the tower walls, and a series of small landing pads occupied most of its flat roof. She couldn't see the other towers from her position.
Henry Willow's quarters were in Tower Four. She hadn't heard from him since his incompetent mishandling of the Guilds. She should never have listened to him and his foolish plans. He was only looking for a way to raise his own profile. She knew that, but she thought he would have been able to handle a simple meeting with the Guilds without causing any disasters. Instead, he had caused a political incident and left her with the consequences. She had already heard reports of protests on the streets and public order offences. She would track down Willow eventually. Wherever he was hiding, his time was running out.
When the wind caught her short black hair, she turned her back to it and shook her head, forcing the wayward strands back into place. She pulled her jacket tight to guard against the cold air that gusted around her.
Beyond the roof of Tower Five, she could see mech factories scattered across th
e Grand Plaza. Small white buildings sat with rounded roofs, each connected to several others through a network of thin transparent tubes. After the mech factories, the Old Quarter began, and beyond that she could see the Business District. There in the distance, the Mekinet News building stood taller than the buildings around it. It looked so small from where she was standing, but she knew it was almost half the height of one of the black towers. The distinctive red Mekinet News logo blinked above it. A shining M emblazoned across the sky.
Somewhere down in the basement levels, deep beneath the city, Riser Trent would be sitting in the dark. She wondered whether he had any idea what he was getting himself involved in. Some people were always in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had been stunned by the reports of his coded threats. Did he really think he could threaten Central Command like that? He had threatened to launch a satellite strike on the Mekinet News building. She knew it was a bluff just to make her withdraw the Security Forces, but could she really take the risk of ignoring him? If he did somehow manage to strike at the heart of Cinnamon City, the Lords would be outraged. She didn't want to be on the wrong end of their wrath if everything went wrong.
Gail shook her head. For now, she would play along with Trent's little game. He was trapped. He had no way out. Even if the rumours were true that he had restored his own power, it was only a matter of time before she would get the chance to storm the building again. As soon as she confirmed that the satellite-grid controller was not in his hands, she would have Commander Harris flood the building with gas.
Information Cloud: Science fiction and fantasy series (Tales of Cinnamon City Book 1) Page 18
