The Peacemakers
Page 42
Somewhere over the Indian Ocean
Am I dead?
The answer to the single-most important question in Danny Callbeck's mind was a resounding no. If he were, he wouldn't be in such horrible agony.
Pain was something Danny Callbeck knew well. He'd lived with it for the past eight months: in his eyes and in the constant fighting he endured.
But right now, he knew pain like no one on earth did.
He had suddenly awoken, shackled tightly to the fuselage of what he guessed was a Hyperion. The aircraft was flying low, its side doors open to the air beyond. For as far as he could see, the blue waves of an unknown Ocean spread towards the horizon. They were literally in the middle of nowhere.
Why am I alive?
The HUD of the Whisper suit was barely functioning. His sight came and went. The Whisper helmet was broken across his face, exposing his horribly burned skin. He managed to pull his head down to look at his arm, where a strange pain was emanating from.
But that was impossible. His arm was gone. The stump was blackened; cauterized by the explosion. The rest of his body was charred and burned from the explosion. Parts of the Whisper suit had been blasted almost inside out.
By all reasoning, he should be dead.
"Sir, he's awake."
The voice came from beside him. Danny moved his head to look. It was the man with the eye patch he had defeated during the battle at the Barbarian crash site. The warrior's good eye was blackened and his face bore many of the bruises his fight with the stealth warrior had left him.
"Excellent, Falco."
The new voice came from in front of Whisper. He managed to move his head to greet the new unknown. A well-groomed man wearing a heavy black cape over what looked like rynohyde body armor came forward from the cockpit. His thin brown hair had receded from his forehead, giving him a rather severe look. His eyes were lifeless and colder than a January day.
"It's about time you woke up, Mister Callbeck."
"Where..." Danny croaked, his voice breaking in his throat.
"You're in a Hyperion. We are on our way to our base of operations. You should feel honored−you are one of the first non-Olympia soldiers to see it."
The man bent down to look the battered soldier in the eye.
"My name is Legate Tiberius. I am the high commander of the Olympus Military and second only to the Imperator. You have my deepest admiration...and condolences for your wounds."
Danny sputtered, spitting a mouthful of blood. Tiberius ignored the act.
"I must admit I am very pleased to meet you. I only wish it were under better circumstances. I must confess, if I had been commanding the army of Zimbala, the outcome would not have been so...messy. Is that not right, Tribune?"
Danny moved his head to the left and saw a man laying against the starboard hull of the aircraft, being tended to by Olympus medics. The man was horrifically burned, much of his face melted away to reveal slabs of melted bone and muscle underneath. His chest was a scarlet mass of boiled flesh. The medics were applying anti-infection plastics to his mangled body. The man writhed as the medics worked, but seemed unable to speak. Tiberius gazed at the man, shaking his head in mock sadness.
"Our good Tribune−Titus here−was given power over something he hardly comprehended. Now, we have suffered our first major defeat in years."
Titus gurgled something unintelligible. Tiberius smiled.
"Not so pretty now, are you Tribune? Ambition should be made of sterner stuff," Tiberius's dead eyes seemed to spark for a moment, as if for some private joke, "A little Shakespeare to brighten your day, Mister Callbeck."
The dead-eyed Legatus stood up. "But no matter. Prometheus was merely a test. And on the whole, it proved what we needed to know. The Code has limitations. But one day we will discover them and my military will be unbeatable."
"Why...am I−"
"−still alive?" Tiberius tapped a finger absently against the hardened armor of his thigh. "To tell you the truth, I'm surprised you still are. Your battle with Prometheus should by all rights have killed you. In the explosion, that suit you wear somehow grafted itself into your body. My people couldn't remove it. Isn't that right, Doctor?"
A final man emerged into Danny's sight. The Canadian's blood turned to ice as Doctor Yune walked into the passenger area of the Hyperion.
Tiberius placed a hand on Yune's shoulder. "Well Doctor? Say something to your good friend here."
Yune stared at the ground, not meeting anyone's gaze.
"Toshiro..." Danny tried to speak, but the pain forced him into silence.
"I...they have my family Danny...I didn't know how to tell you..."
"That's enough Doctor," Tiberius said, placing a hand on Yune's shoulder, "There is no sense in making a spectacle of yourself."
Danny hacked, trying to stay awake.
The Legate smiled at Danny; a passionless look of superiority. "Yes I am sorry to say you and your team have been betrayed by the man who made everything possible to begin with−the suit you wear, your escape from Kazinistan−all thanks to Yune here."
Tiberius patted the Doctor on the shoulder. Yune averted Danny's gaze, deeply ashamed. The Doctor turned towards the Legatus, his voice shaking with anger. "Enough of this! Tell me where my family is."
Tiberius patted the Doctor on the shoulder. "Never fear Doctor, they are...taken care of."
Yune clenched his teeth. "You promised..."
"I promised to release them once you proved your usefulness. They shall be. I am a man of my word."
The Legate gripped Yune's shoulder tighter. Danny noted how close the two men were to the side door of the Hyperion. He tried to speak, but his voice broke from the pain.
Tiberius smiled. "You did what I asked and I thank you Doctor. Your services are no longer required."
With stunning speed, Tiberius grasped Yune and, with a violent thrust, tossed the traitor out the side of the aircraft. Danny heard the man he once called friend, scream as he plummeted down the untold hundreds of feet to the ocean below.
Danny closed his eyes, unwilling to face the world he was in now.
Tiberius broke the silence. "Look to your left, Corporal. Bear witness to what Olympus truly is."
Not comprehending, Danny looked out of the open door of the VTOL. He saw nothing but the dark blue ocean a thousand feet below.
But then−
As the VTOL yawed to the left, something began to rise from the water. What little breath Danny was able to breathe caught in his throat as he saw a massive ship rise from the waters. It was bigger than any he had ever seen−a colossal supercarrier. It rose up, water cascading off its brilliant Obsidian surface. The upper platform broke away, moving in four directions to reveal a massive interior hanger bay the size of a football stadium.
Danny Callbeck's mind could barely contemplate what he was seeing.
"This is our Ark, Mister Callbeck. Our Titan. Twenty years of construction has created the world's greatest weapon. Look upon it well, for it is a harbinger of change to the world itself. Our time will come soon. We will reclaim the other half of the Code, and with it we will control war itself..."
The faintest hint of a smile appeared on Tiberius's emotionless face.
"...and you, you will help us, Mister Callbeck."
Epilogue
United Nations MASH, Limpopo Province, South Africa, November 26th
The sun was beginning to set by the time Joe Braddock was thinking about getting some rest. The day had been one of the longest in his life and he was greatly looking forward to passing out in a bed somewhere. He was moving through the MASH encampment to find a place to bunk down when he heard a voice behind him.
"Nice to see you again, sweetie."
Joe twirled around, coming face to face with the Olympus assassin. Agrippina was swathed in a dark brown cloak that, to any unsuspecting eyes would resemble a typical African refugee. Joe reached for the pistol at his side he suddenly remembered wasn't there.
Joe's mind raced. He could call for help, but he was fairly certain the assassin could cut him to ribbons before anyone managed to come to his aid.
"What the hell do you want? Where is Yune?"
"Back with Olympus. When he knocked your Asian friend out, he freed me. The pilot didn't even notice. I must admit, the Doctor can be quite stealthy when he needs to be."
"Why are you here? Aren't you with them too?"
Agrippina shook her head. "No hun, the Doctor just owed me a favor. As for me, my use to Olympus has dried up. I'm now what you would call a 'free agent.'" Her eyes danced with mischief, obviously enjoying having the Ranger at her mercy.
"Like I said, what do you want? If you're here to kill me, let's get on with it."
"It's nothing like that, I promise. I wanted to tell you that Danny Callbeck is still alive."
Joe's heart leapt.
"You're lying. I saw him die."
Agrippina rolled her eyes. "It takes more than that to bring down a man like Danny Callbeck, Joe Braddock. You of all people should know that."
"If you're telling the truth, where is he?"
"With Olympus."
"Where with Olympus?"
"With him, the man who made me who I am."
Joe didn't understand. Agrippina removed the cowl. Her perfect alabaster skin glinted in the setting sun.
"I want to help you find him. I owe him...a lot."
"Why on Earth would I ever trust you?" Joe said, his hatred for this woman burning hot.
"Because he is the only man I have ever known worthy of my respect. The only man I−" She stopped herself before she said anything she would regret. "You need me and what I know about Olympus. I need you to help me find him."
The assassin held out her hand to the soldier across from her. "Do we have a deal?"
Joe stared at the outstretched hand for a moment.
Danny...alive...
He knew he couldn't trust this woman...but what choice did he have?
Joe nodded, tersely shaking Agrippina's hand.
"Deal. Where is he?"
"Another time, hun. Get your people back in order and I will find you."
That wasn't good with Joe. "What kind of deal is this?"
"It's my deal. Danny is somewhere dark now...I can't feel him, but I know he is alive."
"How?"
"Never mind. Just be ready, Joe Braddock. The storm is almost here...you'll need your whole strength to face what is to come."
She turned on her heel and bolted.
Joe rushed after her, through the rows of tents. He came to a cross section and looked both ways.
The killer lady had disappeared.
The ex-Army Ranger was left alone in the setting African sun, pondering what he'd just learned. His revulsion at trusting a woman like Agrippina was tempered by the hope that his brother was still alive.
If he was, Joe Braddock would comb heaven and hell to find him.
THE END...FOR NOW
About the Author
Jim Roberts was born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Currently, he lives in Red Deer, Alberta. Jim is a lifelong action/adventure fan. The Peacemakers is Jim's second book. He is currently in the planning stages of the third Code of War book, tentatively titled The Vagabonds. He loves his fans and heartily thanks them for taking a chance on his books.
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Epilogue
About the Author