Homefront: Portal Wars III

by Jay Allan

  Young just nodded. His orders from Taylor were clear. First, scout out the area and confirm it was safe for the army to follow. And then he was to send out the infiltration teams, small groups of soldiers from various areas of the Earth who would spread out, hide, blend in…find their ways by whatever means they could back to their homes. Once there, they would spread the word, rally the people from the bottom up. The strategy was a gamble—no one really knew how deep UNGov’s control ran, whether or not the people still had the capacity to rise up, to resist and destroy their oppressors. But there was no other option. No 70,000 men every made could conquer an entire world unaided. The AOL would fight to the last, Young was sure of that. But they needed help too.

  Young longed to go with the teams, to see the lands of his childhood after so many years…but covert ops were out of the question for him. Most of the Supersoldier mods weren’t terribly obvious, at least if he wasn’t wearing his exos and the fittings where they attached to his body were covered by clothing. But the metallic eyes were a dead giveaway. The average person wouldn’t know what he was at a distance, but his very gaze would bring attention to him. And on Earth ruled by UNGov, there was almost always someone watching, an internal security operative or a citizen paid to spy on his neighbors. And when word got to the proper authorities, UNGov would understand immediately. They would know there were Erastus veterans back on Earth.

  “All right, Captain. Deploy the scouting parties. As soon as we confirm we are here undetected, we’ll release the infiltration teams…and we’ll send word back to the army and set up a perimeter around the Portal.”

  “Yes, General,” Stokaya snapped back. The officer saluted, and then he turned and trotted into the cluster of troops milling around the Portal.

  Young watched his aide go, trying to think of anything but the cold. He didn’t relish the picket duty, protecting the Portal while the army came through, not the least of which because there would be no portable heaters, no fires…nothing that might be detected. He shivered as his eyes darted upward, toward the clear blue sky. What is this frigid hell like at night, he thought, shivering slightly as he did.

  * * *

  Li Wong pulled the hood of his heavy coat over his head as he stared off across the snowy steppe. The cold was brutal, though he had to admit, the Tegeri-supplied gear was doing a credible job of keeping him something not too far from warm, even in the frozen Russian wasteland around the Portal.

  Li had volunteered for sentry duty on the perimeter around the terminus. Not only guard duty, but night guard duty. He could only imagine how cold it would get when the sun set in another hour. By the end of his shift, it would be a few hours before dawn. But by then, Li Wong would be gone.

  He wore the insignia of a sergeant, the rank he had held in Force Alantris, but his true allegiance was to UNGov. He was an intelligence officer, originally sent to spy on the soldiers fighting the Machines on Alantris. He’d volunteered for the five year term of service, one that offered considerable compensation and a cushy government posting upon return. But instead of finishing his last year and going back to receive his rewards, he’d been swept up, first into the battle against the mysterious human army that had invaded Alantris…and then joining that force, following Jake Taylor and his Erastus veterans on their crusade against UNGov.

  Li had gone along, at first because his whole unit had defected, and he feared what would happen if he didn’t go with them. But then he began plotting, on his own at first, and later with other UNGov operatives he found in the ranks of the AOL. They began to meet, very cautiously at first, and to plot. But there had been little they could do…until now.

  The time for action had come. There weren’t a lot of UNGov agents left in the army. Jake Taylor had a remarkable talent for sniffing out disloyalty, and more than a hundred men with allegiance to Geneva had been rooted out and executed as spies. But Wong had managed to survive, as much because he’d been too afraid to do anything but act like a normal soldier. Beyond a few clandestine meetings, Wong had played the role of a sergeant in the AOL, not daring to vary from that in any meaningful way.

  Until now. Things were coming to a head, and despite his firsthand knowledge of Taylor’s skill and ability, he had to believe UNGov on Earth would prevail…and his survival and prosperity depended on what he did now. He could fight in the ranks, and probably end up dead along with all the fools who’d sworn their allegiance to Taylor…or he could strike a blow, alert UNGov to the presence of the Portal and the coming of the AOL. Then he would be a hero, and the rewards would be unimaginable.

  He looked out at the setting sun, its reddish rays providing the last bits of the day’s light. Soon it would be night…and he would run for it. He was afraid, and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. But there was no choice. If he didn’t make his move now, the chance would be lost. Slowly, with great effort, he pushed back the fear, shoving rationality into the forefront of his mind. It was almost time, and he had to be at his best. Success meant a life of comfort and privilege. Anything else meant frozen death.

  * * *

  “We have a soldier missing, General.” Ivan Stokaya stood at the doorway of Young’s small shelter, the frigid dawn wind whipping around him.

  “Come in, Captain. And close the door.” Without any artificial heat source, the shelter was cold, but it was well-insulated, and however uncomfortable, it was a damned sight warmer than it was outside, from Young’s trapped body heat if nothing else.

  Young was lying on his field cot, covered in a massive pile of blankets, some miscellaneous hunks of fabric, and something that looked a lot like a tarp of some kind. He’d been awake for the last hour, but the great warrior, who had fought through more than ten years in the legendary cauldron of Erastus and then served alongside Taylor as the AOL fought its way across a dozen worlds, had been steeling his courage to face the bitter cold.

  Young took a deep breath and swung his legs over the cot, sitting up to face Stokaya. “Missing?”

  “Yes, sir. Sergeant Li. He was on picket duty last night, sector H. He didn’t answer the 4am check in, so Lieutenant Hammond sent two men to check his position. When they got there, he was gone.”

  Young stood up, wrapping a large blanket around his shoulders as he did. “Gone?” His voice turned somber. “Is it possible the cold got to him? Could he have frozen to death? Wandered off and gotten lost in the darkness?”

  “They searched everywhere, sir. After the initial report, the lieutenant sent a dozen men to search. They found footsteps about a kilometers out, sir. It appears he must have covered his tracks until he was that far away from the camp.”

  “Could he have gone mad? The cold maybe?” But Young knew that wasn’t the case…he knew it as well as his aide did, and the realization made his stomach clench. “Or something else…”

  He dropped the blanket and moved across the tiny interior of the shelter, reaching for his parka. “I want a platoon sent after him, Captain. Immediately. They are to find him at all costs and bring him back.”

  “Yes, sir,” Stokaya snapped back. He turned back toward the door.

  “And, Captain…”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “They are to bring him back at all costs. Dead or alive.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Young sighed and watched his aide slip back out through the door. He shoved his arms into the coat and zipped it up to the top. Then he took a step to follow, pausing for an instant.

  Fuck, he thought. This is just what we need…

  Young hesitated for perhaps half a minute, thinking…and readying himself for the early morning blast of frozen wind. Then he shoved the door open and strode out into the hazy dawn light. At least he didn’t feel the cold as much as he had been…his mind was elsewhere. His force had been sent to lead the way for the army, but now the entire operation was in jeopardy.

  He had a UNGov spy in his ranks, and even now the man was on the loose. If Li got word to the government… />
  Young tapped the small communicator pinned on his jacket. “Captain Carrington,” he said, instructing the small AI to connect him with the specified officer.

  “Yes, sir?” Carrington’s response was almost immediate.

  “Chris, I need you to get your men together right away. I’ve got a special mission for you, and it’s urgent.”

  “Yes, General. Where do you want us?”

  “Meet me at sector H as soon as you can…I’m on my way there now.”

  “We’ll be right there, sir.”

  Young tapped the com unit again, cutting the link. His faced was twisted with frustration, and rage. This was serious. If UNGov got word of the invasion before the army had even transited…

  No, he could not allow that to happen. He’d sworn his devotion to the crusade, and he wouldn’t let himself fail his comrades so badly. If the AOL had to fight its way out of the Portal, even against a small, hastily-gathered UN force, the casualties would be enormous. He fought back against the frustration he felt inside, the boiling anger trying to force its way out. His friends called him Frantic, a handle he’d picked up on Erastus, one that poked fun at his frequent outbursts. But this time he was determined to keep control.

  Jake trusted me with this mission…

  Carrington was an Erastus veteran, a Supersoldier just like Young…and so were all his men. The enhanced warriors were only five percent of the army’s numbers, but Young knew they were a vastly higher portion of its fighting power. One Supersoldier was a match for five regular men, perhaps even more. Even more importantly right now, they would have the advantage over Li Wong…if they managed to pick up his trail, they should be able to catch him. And when they did…

  Young hastened his pace, practically jogging as he moved out toward the position where Li had been posted. He’d been entrusted to lead the first force through the Portal, and the idea of failure was anathema to him. If he failed in his mission, he would have failed Taylor too. And Jake Taylor was his longtime commander…and his friend. He would die for Jake Taylor…and he wasn’t about to let his leader down now. Whatever it took.

  * * *

  Li stopped and dropped to his knees. He’d been running for hours, and his legs just gave out. He gasped hard, still shuddering from the frigid air as it filled his lungs. He had no idea where he was, no clue how to reach a settlement or some other place he could contact UNGov. He was pretty sure his com unit didn’t have the range he’d need, at least not unless he got closer to some kind of government post somewhere. He’d been tempted to try, to see if he got lucky, picked up some rogue station that could connect him with Geneva, but he’d held back. The AOL advance guard was as likely to pick up any transmission he made, likelier in fact, since they were closer and no doubt looking for him by now.

  He felt a pang of regret for taking the risk he had. If he’d just stayed behind, he could have played his role as a sergeant in the army, as he’d done for so long. Then, at least, he’d be in camp, instead of out here in the wilderness running God knows where and panicking that every tree rustling in the wind was his pursuers finally catching up to him.

  Instead, he’d seduced himself with dreams of rewards…high government postings, a villa in Geneva, all the trappings UNGov showered on its truest servants. And the man who had warned them of the AOL’s arrival, gotten the word out in time to resist as the thousands of soldiers on Ghasara begin moving through the Portal one or two abreast? He didn’t have the slightest doubt…he’d be a hero. And he didn’t have political ambition, just a desire to live the rest of his life in comfort and privilege. That made him the perfect tool for the rapacious politicians who ran UNGov.

  Still, he’d taken a wild gamble. Or had he? Staying with the army wasn’t a much better option. Li knew Taylor and his band of zealots didn’t have a chance, not against the combined might of all UNGov. And if he got caught in their ranks he could easily find himself as dead as the rest of them. No, making a run for it was the right choice.

  He told himself he had surprise on his side, and a big head start. The advance guard hadn’t brought any vehicles through the Portal, no transports, no airships. And even if they rushed any through now, they would take time to reassemble. Li had been through half a dozen transits, and he was well aware how much work was required to take apart large pieces of equipment so they would fit through the small Portal openings. No, there would be no vehicles. General Young would almost certainly send people after him, but at least they’d be on foot, like he was.

  But he does have Supersoldiers…

  That was the thought that scared him. The Erastus veterans with their cybernetic enhancements. They weren’t like normal men. They had surgically-implanted artificial fibers in their arm and leg muscles, making them stronger and faster. Their enhanced systems included expanded glycogen storage, giving them endurance far beyond that of normal men. Their lungs were modified, increasing the efficiency of their respiration. They were superior in virtually every physical ability.

  If one of them caught him…he tried to put the thought out of his head. There were only twenty of them with the advance guard, and there was a lot of ground to cover. He’d changed his direction multiple times, and he’d done the best he could to clear his tracks leading away from his post. He told himself he had enough of a lead, that the area was just too vast for his pursuers to cover. But he wasn’t sure he believed it. The Erastus men were Taylor’s oldest and most loyal troops. Li knew they would follow him, without rest, without food…that they would keep coming until they dropped from exhaustion and died.

  And I will drop long before they do…

  He looked all around, his mind racing, trying to decide which way to go. Then he saw it, off in the distance. A hill. More than a hill…a great surging elevation, almost a small mountain. It was so far ahead, he could barely see it as a shadow against the afternoon sky. But it was his best chance.

  Some UNGov facility should pick up my transmission from up there…

  They could send a flyer to get me…before the Supersoldiers get here…

  He took another deep breath, and he forced himself back to his feet. He had ten kilometers to go, he guessed. Maybe twelve. And a lot of that would be uphill. But it was his best chance. He looked behind himself nervously but there was nothing he could see.

  Yes, my best chance. My only chance.

  * * *

  “He must have his com unit off, sir. We’re not getting any signal at all. I don’t care how quick the bastard is, we’d be reading something if he was still on the net.”

  Carrington listened to Lieutenant James’ reporting over the unitwide channel. He’d considered keeping his people on radio silence, but he’d decided that just couldn’t work. They had too much ground to cover, and they had to be able to share anything the found. There were twenty of them, and they’d moved out from camp, each with an eighteen degree slice of the circle to cover. That wasn’t a lot of ground at the beginning, but now they were fifteen kilometers from base, and each one of those swaths of ground was almost five klicks wide, and getting bigger with every meter. They all had the cybernetic eyes of a Supersoldier, but that didn’t mean they could see through hills or clumps of trees.

  Besides, it didn’t matter. Li couldn’t listen unless he switched his com unit on, and if he did, one of Carrington’s people would almost certainly pick up his signal…and get a direct feed on his location.

  “I want you all to keep scanning,” Carrington snapped back, “…for anything. Even the slightest reading. I’m sure he does have his com off, but you can be certain he’ll try to signal someone eventually. He’s not going to walk all the way across Siberia. He’ll be looking for some good ground to get a sig…” He paused, his eyes settling on a shadow in the distance. It was a hill, a big one, rising above the horizon. It was far away…he doubted he would even have seen it yet had it not been for his enhanced vision. But there it was. The highest ground he or any of his people had yet seen.

&nb
sp; “Sir? Are you okay, Captain?”

  “Yes, Lieutenant. I’m fine. I’ve got some high ground coming up in front of me. It’s where I would go if I was trying to get a signal out. I’m going to check it out. The rest of you, keep your eyes open…any big hills, ridges, check them out. Got it?”

  A chorus of ‘yes sirs’ rattled from his earpiece. “And keep everybody informed. Anybody sees anything, even if it’s just a wild hunch…you get on the com and report it.”

  He took a deep breath. The more he looked at the distant gray of the hillside, the more he had a feeling that was where Li Wong was headed. It was the wildest guess, he knew. Wong could have gone in any direction, and no doubt there was high ground all around. But something told him this was the way.

  He pulled his rifle off his back, checking it carefully as he walked, pulling out the cartridge and slamming it back into place. He’d loaded it and checked it when he’d left camp, but fifteen years of war had taught him to be cautious, meticulous. He heard Jake Taylor’s voice in his head, the great commander’s constant harangue to his troops, ‘Carelessness gets soldiers killed.’

  If Li Wong was out there, he’d be on the high ground…hard to see, and maybe lying in wait, ready to bushwhack any pursuers. Carrington hurried his pace. If Li was out there, the sooner he could catch him the better. He didn’t know if anyone would pick up a signal from Li on that peak, but he wasn’t going to take any chances…not if he could do anything about it.

  * * *

  “Attention, any UNGov personnel who receive this message, attention. I have a report of the utmost importance. General Taylor’s army is transiting into a previously unknown Portal situated in northern Siberia. I am transmitting coordinates of the Portal, and also of my current location. Please relay this communique without delay to UNGov Intelligence headquarters in Geneva. I need immediate assistance, I repeat, I need immediate assistance. I am being pursued, and I must get to UNGov headquarters with the intelligence I possess.”