Mutant Hunter

by Tobias Roote

  “I think that this is just the start, don’t you ?” Grady fired back.

  “Yes, hence our new mission. You will be getting your orders from the Quorum shortly, you’re no longer undercover thanks to all of this. I hope you can make it off the station without any help. We’re going to be long gone so you’re on your own,” Dalt advised him.

  Grady absorbed the news of the Quorum. It was to be expected, he realised. His cover as mutant hunter was blown, as was his cover as an AW agent. Shrilla and probably a few others must have realised he had more than a few connections with the DIA. He wasn’t going to be able to shrug off, or work quietly any more.

  “I understand, thanks for your help, Dalt, and I’m sorry about your people. We’ll meet up soon, OK ?” Grady replied.

  “Yes, probably sooner than you think, my friend. Sooner than you think,” the voice sounded resigned.

  The click of the ended call brought a moment of concern to Grady as he pondered the last words of his friend and protector. What was that about, he thought.

  He turned to find Range was off talking to his men and Shrilla was standing with her arms folded looking at him suspiciously. Her foot tapped ominously.

  “Just the start ?” she asked.

  Grady smiled nervously, he still didn’t know where he stood with Shrilla over the revelation of his involvement with the DIA. He wasn’t as concerned here as he had been on a ‘one to one’ back on Archon-5. She looked inclined to shoot him in the back then. Here and now, she would have to follow protocol and that meant taking it to Kildark.

  “Nothing, just referring to the Core’s aggressive tactics in trying to neutralise the AWA. They’re obviously planning something big, and this ‘was’ supposed to be just the start,” he explained.

  He could see she was only half listening to his response. The look on her face and her manner indicated to Grady that she’d come to a decision.

  “Listen Grady, I’m not comfortable with who you are. I’m not going to say anything to Kildark, but we’re not working together you and me, OK ?” Her disapproval showed clearly now, and Grady could see there was no compromise in her. He remembered Fuego, this wasn’t as bad, but just as clear.

  He sighed. Whether she said anything or not made no difference to Grady now, but he didn’t say that. Instead, he looked at Shrilla and pretended to consider what she had said. It was probably for the best, he decided as he remembered Dalt’s point about him no longer being undercover. He guessed that his orders would take him away from the AWA shortly, so it would be moot point as long as the AWA or Core didn’t get to arrest, or kill him in the meantime.

  “Shrilla, ...I understand, but you won’t have to worry about that, I don’t think I’m going to be around here for much longer,” he answered cryptically, then turned and walked through the half rebuilt entrance.

  He heard her storming after him, but forced his pace to stay ahead of her so she wouldn’t see the disappointment on his face. He’d enjoyed working with her, and the AWA had been home to him. It was his own fault his ‘sleeper’ status with the DIA had lulled him into a false sense of security, one that he had learned to enjoy. Fuego, and now Shrilla’s knowledge of his DIA history meant that he’d had to crawl out from under the cover he had built around himself and now he was exposed with nowhere to go.

  He decided that Kildark would probably not do anything, Grady had been positioned here precisely to cover Kildark’s back. As a ‘Dissie’ supporter he had been invaluable in keeping the Core’s anti-mutant activities in the spotlight. Now things were going to have to change. He wondered how it was all going to unfold.

  As if sensing the change in mood, Range caught up with them, kept close to Shrilla, but said nothing until they arrived at the elevator. His look told Grady that he’d noted the chill temperature between them and was probably looking for an answer.

  “Have we got more trouble coming, or is it just you two guys squaring off here ?”he asked looking at them both with a concerned eye.

  Shrilla didn’t say anything, so Grady looked him in the eye. “It’s nothing Pete, just different views on what just happened out there, that's all.”

  Range looked unconvinced and remained pensive while the elevator rode up to the director level. Grady could see he had other things on his mind. As they got out he pulled them both to one side and looked at them seriously.

  “When you go in there, you’d both better be on the same page. We’ve got enough troubles coming at us without you two falling out, get me ?”

  Shrilla pulled her arm away. Grady just watched her as she glared at Range defiantly. In the end she dropped her glare and nodded.

  Range looked at Grady, but didn’t press for an acknowledgement. Grady was still technically his superior even though Range himself was now in charge of security and therefore superior to them both. Kildark was still not in the clear on the charges of murder and treason, although the evidence now pointed directly at a Core-led conspiracy. Grady anticipated his demotion in the investigation was imminent.

  Range’s comm must have activated because he answered the call and turned away from them briefly. “On my way.” He turned back to them and explained hurriedly.

  “I have to go, there’s been a new development. Kildark is expecting you both. I’ll see you afterwards. Just – play along in there, okay ?” He nodded directly at Grady and moved swiftly off down the corridor in the direction of the dead director’s offices.

  “Let’s go,” he said to Shrilla and turned towards Kildark’s office not bothering to look back to see if she was following.

  He heard her almost silent footfall behind him and smiled inwardly with relief.

  The door opened as they reached it and Kildark’s secretary waved them directly into his office.

  “The prodigals returneth,” Kelly joked, looking at Shrilla who was right behind him now. “He’s expecting you like yesterday ?”

  “Hi to you too, Kelly,” smiled Grady in a friendly manner, trying to judge the man’s mood and therefore any bad news pending.

  Before Kelly could answer the gruff voice of Kildark called out to them to get into his office and they sped up and filed in, seating themselves with Kelly behind them. Kildark glared at them daring them to say a word. His expression told them to shut up and listen.

  “Do you realise what’s been going on here you two ? We’ve been under threat of a missile attack for the last two days and the Core have been rallying support all over the Empire. All over this Fuego woman. They’re saying the charges are trumped up and it’s all to do with a personal vendetta that you have with Fuego.”

  “NOW ! – “ he stalled Grady’s response by cutting his large flat hand in the air in a downward stroke to emphasise his next words.

  “Now ! I’m in the know as far as the altercation outside is concerned and I consider Fuego’s position and that of the Core to be unacceptable in the extreme. Nonetheless, I’m at a loss to explain everything else. Why we have dead directors along the corridor, why the Core attacked us in the first place, why your ship has been under attack, why the Core’s new ship Dramatus is suddenly in pirate hands with you both party to the theft and why the AWA has been besieged by the government representatives for your selective heads. I’m particularly keen to know why there is an Empirical order going out to annexe the Archon system until we get an explanation on why it should bring about a near war in this sector. The Core are breaking every rule in the treaty and why the Empire hasn’t yet declared war, I really don’t know.” He paused to take a breath, but stopped Grady again from intervening, a strange look on his face, then went on.

  “I’m not about to throw you to the wolves just yet, though. I’m more...“ he stopped glaring at them and instead looked up at Kelly who was smiling and clapping his hands quietly.

  “Excellent performance, Mr Kildark, sir. Excellent !” Kelly said as he listened to something coming from his comms unit.

  Kildark smiled at the intervent
ion of his aide and then looked at both Grady and Shrilla. Grady was totally perplexed at the rant of their boss. He already knew the answers to all these questions so what was the reason for the ‘raving angry boss’ act. He knew there was something going on and caught Kelly’s actions and the slow smile on Kildark’s face.

  “Ah ! OK ! Back to normal then, kids. I understand that the security director has had a successful conclusion to his quest in finding the mystery insider that has been leaking data to the Core and everyone else, it seems.”

  “Oh !” Shrilla said, “You mean all of this was an act for some purpose ?”

  Grady suddenly caught on. “They were listening, or broadcasting your rant,” he said realising that it was an act to draw in the spy.

  Kelly smiled and moved fully into their vision. “Yes ! We had tracked down the individual to a computer terminal which despite our extensive records wasn’t showing any designated location. We needed to get the traitor to activate their link internally or externally, or in this instance, both of them at the same time for long enough to pinpoint the area.”

  Kelly pressed his comm unit to his ear to receive an incoming message.

  “It appears they have pinned down the location, in Preston's office, but cannot gain access. You’re needed there immediately,” he looked at Grady who was out of his chair and on the run before Kelly had finished.

  All he heard was, “He’s on his way” before he was out through the door and on the run to Preston's office. Shrilla didn’t follow him. He wasn’t sure she would, she’d made her feelings clear at the entrance to AW Command.

  However, Kildark had put his hand up to stop Shrilla from following Grady and Kelly closed the door behind them as Grady and he left.

  Preston's Office - AW Command

  It was total chaos when Grady reached the open door. Somewhere in there he heard Range calling out orders to someone.

  “Kick the fucking thing in, or we’ll blow it. Either way the bastard is going to fry,” he hollered.

  Grady pushed his way through the group of armed guards who were preparing to leap into action. They saw who it was and immediately stepped back to let him through. One of the guards pushed inadvertently by the others fell violently back into the door frame, but his helmet took the brunt and he staggered back upright and nodded that he was okay. Grady moved into the room and took in the wrecked panelling.

  “What do we have ?” he asked Range.

  “What we have is a secret doorway that leads to somewhere we don’t know precisely where, except it’s the source of the signal.”

  Grady quickly understood the gist of what was going on. In another second he had made a connection that the others hadn’t.

  “Range, get the HQ locked down tight. Nobody in and nobody out, all passes regardless of how high they are are to be rescinded until further notice. We’re looking for someone who shouldn’t be here, but has been able to negotiate their way throughout the AW Command complex since this all began,” he finished.

  Range didn’t delay, he passed on Grady’s instructions across AW Command and was pleased to hear all points go into lock down mode.

  “What are you thinking ?” he asked.

  “We have a secret entrance, that is here despite the security of this place. If there’s one ... “

  “ ..there’s another.” Range finished the sentence for him.

  “Sir, you need to look at this,” the call came from back at the entrance.

  Grady recognised the face of the guard that had fallen. He was pointing excitedly at a break in the panelling behind the door where he’d hit his helmet.

  “What’s this ?” Grady wondered out loud as he made his way back to the door.

  “It looks like some kind of lever, sir,” the guard suggested.

  “Yes, it does, doesn’t it.” Grady smiled as he grabbed it and turned it. He looked back at the secret door as he did so and hooted as the lock clicked and the door sprung open on a hidden catch.

  “Well, I’ll be – “ Range said.

  Grady wanted to go first, but this was Range’s field of expertise and it was his operation. He nodded to him and the man immediately understood.

  “You two, with me, we go in, you follow,” he indicated the next two and Grady.

  As Range entered the two guards right behind him, Grady took up the next position with two guards behind him. He spoke to the other guards.

  “Get back out there. Keep in two’s, fan out and cover elevators and stairs. Do the same on all levels. You two - secure Kildark’s office make sure no-one and I mean ‘NO-ONE’ gets to Kildark.” He waited until he saw the confirmation nods from everyone and as the room emptied out he moved into the doorway and followed the sounds of the others.

  Grady was amazed. As they went through the corridor, there were rooms and access areas that led to all parts of the AW Command structure. It was as if the place was an alternative set-up to the one outside. It was eerily empty with little evidence of any habitation of any kind. It must have been here from the beginning, he thought.

  He heard Range order them all forward. There was something up ahead.

  Grady entered a large room, lit with standard lighting and with a bank of computers, some of which were active. This was where the traitor had been operating from.

  Range looked across at him. “No wonder we couldn’t pin them down, It’s like a whole alternative AW Command in here.”

  A noise further down the corridor caught their attention.

  Grady got there first, his blaster up front. He flipped the laser targeting and quartered the room looking for the source of the sound. There was someone there. A shot pulsed and the wall next to him spat molten metal and rock. He looked back to ensure he had cover then moved further in using a metal cabinet as a shield until he could get a better look. As he tried to get a glimpse of who was there another bolt singed his cheek as it melted the corner of the cabinet protecting him.

  When he finally managed to look around he immediately recognised someone he really didn't expect to see, which caused him to instinctively drop his guard and his gun hand in surprise. Another blast caught the edge of his shoulder making the tunic burn. He patted it out while taking cover again.

  “Director ?” he called out. “It’s time to call it a day and come out. The Core aren’t coming for you and the Alliance have control of the skies.” He heard a scurrying and realising their quarry was escaping Grady rolled out and behind a unit ready to take another shot, but he had no time to bring his blaster back up, as Range followed him in and shot Preston in the arm with a needle beam forcing him to drop his weapon. It clattered to the floor as the director cried out in pain.

  The man looked dishevelled as though he’d been sleeping rough and Grady wondered how long he’d been hiding in here. Since before the whole thing started ? If so this plan had been a long time in the making.

  His initial surprise was subsiding as he walked forward to pick up the small weapon Preston had held. It was a very thin laser, hardly big enough to lead a gunfight with, he thought. Without thinking he grabbed hold of Preston to question him.

  “How did you know of this place and who are you working for ?” he demanded.

  “I think we know the how and the who,” Range bellowed. “All we need to know now is the why ?” He pulled Preston from Range’s grasp and threw him towards one of his men, effectively taking back control of the situation. He looked at Grady calmly and spoke for the benefit of the two guards holding the director.

  “Take this man to the Brig, we’ll let him stew a bit while we investigate this place a little more thoroughly,” Range ordered.

  “Grady, you’d better get over to the old man and give him the good news. I’ll take it from here and see you in Kildark’s office in thirty minutes,” Range instructed.

  Just like that, Grady had been downgraded to a junior position. The new security director had the bit between his teeth and had solved the conspiracy and foun
d the traitor. Grady smiled as he walked back the way they had come and by the time he got to the outside of Preston’s office he was chuckling. Range had found his feet and would do really well, he decided.

  ***

  Instead of heading to Kildark’s office, Grady changed direction towards the elevator. He knew there was something else he needed to do. He had to square things if he could.

  He made his way down to the cell area and entered just as they were putting Preston into the soundproof, transparent cage next to the Core officer, Fuego. She was trying to see who had been brought in, but the wall between the two cells was opaqued.

  He ignored them and sat on a stool in the alcove in front of his ex-colleague and smiled at her as he activated the communication window. She was angry at him he could see, and for good reason, he thought to himself.

  He looked at her a moment before speaking. She had aged and her face had sharpened in the years since they were an item. The Core will do that to you, squeeze the humanity out of you, turn you into a hostile unstoppable force that will rail road its way through your life. Before you know it you’ve lost your identity and with it your empathy, compassion and your link to the real world. He’d seen it so many times. He almost felt sorry for her, but knew she would skewer him in a second given half the chance.

  “What do you want, Grady ? Come to let me out ? When you do I’ll kick your ass into the next universe if you cross my path, you know I will,” Fuego railed futily. She was angry and it was eating into her, but Grady wasn’t here to threaten or argue. He just wanted her to know.

  “You should have left well alone, Anibel.” It was the first time in years that Grady had used her first name and it sounded strange to him. It obviously did to her as well as it made her snap out of her anger. She looked at him more closely. When had he used that same tone before, used her first name...... he could see her mind clicking into gear as memories surfaced.