Making the Grade (Omnia Online Series Book 2)

by Christopher Booth

  “Remember, if the air-car starts making any sudden changes in direction, there is an emergency shut off there under the panel to the right of the display. Just flip the panel up, and you’ll see a large orange button. We don’t want the A.I. to send us off on a long ride away from the hospital after all.” said Samantha.

  Drake found the edge to the panel to the right of the car’s main holo-display, and he flipped it open. There he found the emergency shut off that Samantha remarked on.

  “Ok, good to know, now can you produce a top down map of the hospital grounds?” asked Drake. And he was immediately provided a map of the outside of the hospital, with the main and emergency entrances clearly marked.

  “When they were loading the van, did you see anyone carrying weapons?” asked Drake. He couldn’t remember seeing any guns, but the group was backlit by the fire at the time, and he couldn’t recall seeing any weapons.

  “Yes, I was able to detect four figures carrying weapons, including the Droid.” replied Samantha.

  “What droid?” he asked.

  “You didn’t get a clear view, but there was some kind of maintenance droid that was helping carry the A.I., and it had a weapon attached to one of its limbs.” replied Samantha.

  “Shit,” said Drake. “How hard will it be to take out the droid do you think?”

  “It was an old style ship maintenance droid, I don’t imagine that it was armored. It should be just as easy to disable as a human. I believe the A.I. would prefer it over people. It will be able to have direct control of the droid and another set of eyes.” said Samantha.

  “Hmm, ok,” Drake continued to look at the map, “This looks like the closest place we can get to without being spotted by someone near the emergency room entrance. The question is, do I move in slowly and safely, or crash in and try to achieve a speedy end?” said Drake as he considered his attack approach.

  Drake looked into the night sky. The Vastal City nightscape was unusually calm, while he watched he could see few air-cars, and some of those ahead were making a landing as he watched. He didn’t know if they were going to ground on their own accord or if they’d been hacked.

  While he was still a few minutes away from the hospital, the whole city went dark. Drake immediately ordered the air-car to the street level.

  “Samantha, do you think you can override the air-cars lights, and turn them off?” asked Drake.

  “I don’t think that’s the right choice at this time, Drake. Running dark would do more to attract attention than keeping the lights on. We should just see how close we can get to the hospital,” said Samantha.

  He was only about two kilometers from the hospital when the A.I. finally took notice of his air-car. The first thing Drake noticed was the car lifting and starting to turn around. So he followed Samantha's directions and hit the emergency shut off switch. The air-car dropped down right in the middle of the road, came to a landing, the doors all opened, and the craft powered down.

  Drake again slung the green backpack and carbine, then took off running toward the hospital.

  The map of the area around the hospital that Samantha had displayed, was bordered on one-third of its circumference by a wooded area, that was marked with walking trails. Drake headed down a side street where one of those trails emerged from the woods. The other end of the trail came out on the back side of the emergency entrance, about 100 to 120 meters from the building.

  As Drake neared the hospital, he started to pass people running in the opposite direction on the trail, away from the hospital.

  It became apparent to Drake as he reached the end of the path, where the people were coming from. Someone had started evacuating the hospital through a side door. Based on the big air vents and nearby disposal bins, Drake thought that this might be an entrance into the maintenance services section of the building.

  Drake was reminded of his recent training mission at this sight.

  This time, the building door was being held open by a man in a guard's uniform and people were exiting in a steady stream. Some of the more able people were being directed to the trail Drake had just left, while others were being directed down a service road that ran along the back side of the hospital.

  Drake approached the guard to introduce himself and try to get more information on what was going on.

  As Drake approached the guard, he opened his visor and announced himself, since the guard seemed very nervous.

  While still about forty yards away, Drake held up his empty hands and said, “I’m Marshal Horatio Drake, and I’m here to help.”

  Drake continued to walk forward, but the guard seemed to relax when he heard that Drake was there to help, and not cause him more problems.

  As Drake approached the door, he called out, “I’m trying to hunt down some fugitives that may have entered this hospital, can you tell me what’s going on here?”

  “That’s no uniform you’re wearing.” The guard said. The guard was a dark haired human man that looked about 35 to Drake, on his shirt he wore a company tag with the name Josep Rufus on it.

  “Yep, I was just hired as a temporary marshal by the governor to deal with this problem. I doubt I’ll have the post long enough to get a uniform made. So, what’s going on here, Josep.”

  The man seemed to accept the fact that the Governor had hired Drake and that he was there to help.

  “Don’t know exactly, we have this evacuation plan laid out in the case of a fire or other threat to the building. I heard on my comm that someone was attacking the emergency room, and then there was an evacuation alarm that sounded like a fire drill. I came to this post like I’ve been trained to do, but the comms died shortly after the alarm started, then after a few minutes the alarm was cut off too.” said Josep.

  “Good, I think you did the right thing. Well, I have bad news for you. I was tracking a rogue A.I. to this building, and I believe that it’s trying to take over the hospital, starting with the emergency room. So I’m going to enter here and try to see what I can do to bring a stop to it.” said Drake.

  When Drake mentioned the presence of the rogue A.I., the man’s eyes went wide and his face a little pale. For a second Drake was worried that the guard might faint, but then he appeared to recover on sensing Drake’s confidence that he could do something about it.

  “Ok,” said the guard, who still seemed nervous, “so what should I do?” asked the guard.

  Drake looked at the man for a second, he didn’t have any confidence that this guard would be very helpful to him on the inside.

  “I think you're doing the right thing by following your orders and helping these people to evacuate. Once the people stop showing up, I would ask that you try to find whoever is in charge of the buildings security and let them know that I’m in the building. I’ll be heading in the direction of the emergency entrance to try to deal with this problem.” said Drake.

  Based on how much the guard relaxed when Drake suggested that he should find his superior, he decided he was right in not asking this man to accompany him. Drake would have to be careful, though, not to get shot by building security while trying to kill the A.I.

  After Drake had entered the building, he asked Samantha, “Sam, what do you think about cutting power to this building. Doesn’t the power enter in through this section?”

  “Yes it does,” replied Samantha, “but there are probably people in this hospital who would die if the power was shut off here. Since I imagine you're talking about turning off the power at the power distribution panels?” asked Samantha.

  “That was my thought, yes. Maybe even blow up the board to keep it off, but it sounds like you think that would be a mistake?” asked Drake. “How about just the third floor where the emergency room entrance is?”

  “That would be a better choice if we had to turn off any power at all. The third floor is just for emergency, imaging, and labs. A lot fewer patients would be involved,” replied Samantha, she still didn’t sound thrilled with the idea, though.
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  While Drake was considering his options, he looked over the floor plan as Samantha projected it on his helmet's display.

  The hospital was built on the slope of a hill, so it was laid out in such a way that the first three floors all had an external entrance. The maintenance and building services area where he entered was a floor below the emergency room. This level provided its own services, including the Family Birthing Center, Cardiovascular, and Short Term Surgical services.

  Drake could only imagine that the A.I. would have it’s minions spread out through the rest of the hospital after it had control of the emergency room area. He wanted to cut the power to slow the A.I. down and make it change its plans.

  “Ok, maybe the risks outweighed the benefits of cutting the power for now. So, let’s head up the stairs to the third floor and see what we can do,” said Drake.

  Two stairwells accessed both the second and third floor. Drake headed to the one furthest away. This stairwell was further from the emergency room but opened on the third floor to a kind of alcove. The nearer stairs opened right onto the hallway leading into the emergency waiting and registration area, which Drake thought would be a weak tactical position to be in.

  Drake thought that one of the problems he would have was trying to tell the A.I.’s minions from the hospital staff and patients. Then he remembered that they had been living rough in the woods, so they were dirty and probably armed.

  Drake considered first going down to the first floor, where hospital security was located but decided against it.

  As Drake moved through the building, he noticed a few frightened people. He ordered anyone he saw to exit the building by the door he had just come through.

  The alcove that led to the stairwell on the second floor was empty of any people, so Drake opened and entered the stairwell.

  He heard voices from the next floor up. With his stunner in his right hand, Drake carefully started up the stairs.

  Drake had spotted the guards before they noticed him. He backed off a pace around the turn in the stairs and called out, “Hello, I’m Marshal Horatio Drake, and I’m here to help.”

  Drake paused to wait for a response.

  It took a few seconds before the guards responded, and Drake wondered if they were as nervous as the guard he found at the building’s exit.

  “Never heard of a marshal, and I don’t know you.” replied one of the guards. Drake didn’t know how many there were, but he’d only heard two voices.

  “I’ll come around this corner with my hands up and empty, as long as your not pointing a gun my way. I was recruited and sent in by the Governor to help deal with this problem.” Drake wished he had some way to see around this corner, just to get an idea of how likely he would be to get shot.

  “Still, don’t know you, and I’m not going to put away my gun and let you shoot me. Already lost a friend today, I’m not taking chances.” said the voice.

  ‘Damn,’ thought Drake, ‘I don’t want to have to fight the hospital guards to get to the A.I.’.

  Drake thought he would try another tactic.

  “Do you remember a few weeks back hearing about some girls rescued from pirates? I was part of that, it’s part of the reason the Governor trusts me to take care of this rogue A.I. problem,” said Drake.

  “The what?” Now the voice sounded even more stressed, but Drake thought the new tension was for a different reason. He hoped that getting the guards to focus on the problem in front of them by mentioning the A.I. would help them concentrate on the real threat, and not on trying to kill him.

  “You mean no one told you about the rogue A.I., sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I was hunting it down when it went to ground here. So now I need you to let me through so I can deal with it before things get really screwed up,” said Drake.

  He was giving them information, hoping to sound both knowledgeable and confident in his ability to perform his job.

  “I’m coming up, don’t shoot, or you’ll have to deal with the A.I. alone. Or wait until it takes over the city, and brainwashes you and your families. I’m sure the Navy will show up, but if the city is lost will they fight for it or just drop a bomb?” asked Drake, trying to lay the problem out in a way that would make him more a savior than a threat.

  Drake then rounded the corner slowly.

  One of the guards shot him. Drake took a shot to the chest that spun him backward, out of site and onto the floor of the landing he occupied.

  ‘So much for diplomacy,’ he thought.

  Chapter 16 – Going Psychiatric

  Drake was knocked down but not out.

  His hands were up and empty when he went around the corner, but he now pulled out his heavy blaster.

  There was shouting between the guards on the next landing, but Drake decided to add his own warning.

  “You bastards better not be planning on coming down, because if I see either of you, I’ll fire first this time. What kind of asshole shoots a man coming to help them with his hands up and empty anyway?” demanded an irate Drake.

  Drake backed down a couple steps of the stairs so that he could cover the landing he was on before. Then he pulled his carbine and backpack off his shoulder.

  He took out his medical kit and injected himself with a military grade nanite booster, then he examined the wound to his chest.

  He was hit, but it appeared that the guard who shot him wasn’t packing a very heavy blaster. His armor was designed to absorb about 30 damage so the damage to his chest, this time, was actually less than what the man in the woods did with a club.

  Drake thought, ‘Good armor… Damn, and I just got it fixed too.’

  Drake continued to listen and watch while he examined his armor.

  Crezidine Industries Light Scout Armor

  Type: Body Armor (Torso)

  Energy Protection: 25 (30)

  Physical Protection: 18

  Durability: 25 (35)

  Drake sighed at the damage to his armor it bothered him more than the injury to his chest.

  Drake estimated that only 10 to 15 points damage were take off his 300 health points, by the part of the blaster bolt that got through his armor. The nanites would have him back in shape in no time, but his armor… that pissed him off.

  The yelling had died down. So Drake decided to try one more chance. Then he would have to figure out another way of dealing with his problems.

  Drake holstered his blaster pistol, replaced his backpack and readied his carbine.

  “Ok, assholes that shoot people with no weapons in their hands, it’s your move. Do I come up there or do you come down here? I’ve just got over playing nice, just wanted you to know…” Drake called out.

  “Sorry, Urson said it was an accident.” said a voice.

  “Well, Urson can explain it to the police then once this is over. I’m sure the penalty for shooting a Marshal in the line of duty is light, maybe five or ten years of service?” replied Drake.

  Now Drake heard the other voice, “Oh shit no, I can’t do service time Ash, what will my family do?”

  Drake continued as if he hadn’t heard, “Or we could move past this as an accident and deal with our real fucking problem, do you understand me?” In the end, Drake was using his loudest voice, just under a full out yell.

  “I’m going to try this again, but this time, if I see a gun pointing at me, I’m shooting first.” said Drake.

  This time, when Drake rounded the corner, neither guard was pointing a gun or trying to kill him.

  The man previously called Ash had a name tag bearing the name Aled Ashburn.

  Ash said, “Sorry, I’m sure it was a mistake, were a bit jumpy, and what you said about an A.I., it scared Urson here.”

  Drake had to decide what to do next. It would have been nice to have some support, and he didn’t want to run into any more guards without someone who could vouch for him. The problem was, he just couldn’t trust a man so nervous that he already shot an ally once.

  �
�Listen, right now I’m pissed. It might have been a mistake, but I can’t trust a man with a nervous trigger finger at my back. Urson, I’ll forget anything happened, but in return, I need you to head down to your security office and report in, tell them I’m here and with Ash. Let them know that I plan on moving in to deal with the A.I. and it’s minions.” said Drake.

  Before the man could speak or move Drake continued, “Oh and leave any restraints you have with Ash here, I think there are six to eight of these guys, and I only have three sets.”

  Urson looked at Ash who gave him a nod. Drake guessed that Ash was the senior of the two, he was definitely the more stable.

  Drake watched while Urson went down the stairs after handing Ash a set of cuffs. They weren’t the disposable kind that Drake used but some type of black composite wrist cuffs with a key.

  While the guards were getting themselves sorted out, Drake was thinking about the problem of communications. As he thought about the guards comm failure, it also dawned on him that this was the real reason he got shot, poor communications.

  He also wondered if the hacked comm system the guards used was being used against them. If the A.I. controlled the buildings electronics; the comms, cameras, and anything else the guards relied on, could be turned against them now.

  “Ash, can you tell me what’s been going on? I’m about forty minutes behind on events here in the hospital.” Drake asked the remaining guard.

  “I don’t know much myself. I was at my duty station on the main floor of the building when it started. There was a call put out by one of the guards at the emergency entrance, with what sounded like blaster’s being fired.” replied Ash.

  “The Assistant Director of Security ordered most of the guards to form up at our rally points. That’s the place where we’re supposed to go in case of certain types of emergencies. This is my rally point, and only three people showed up here. Then the comms went dead, and we couldn’t get any directions.”