by Wolfe Locke
“Please, please,” Niles muttered as he drove, gripping his sidearm close. He needed this. He needed a breakthrough, and this was as close to a lead as he had found since the assignment had started. If I can just get one of the shooters, I’ll be able to find some answers. Up ahead the road went dark as the road bent around a curve of trees and old buildings.
Niles cursed and pushed a button on the dashboard on the vehicle. A small platform screen lifted up out of the dash and a separate screen lifted up out of it. On the screen a map showed where his vehicle was, helping him to navigate through the haze based on his location on the screen. Niles cursed again.
He pushed the vehicle harder, going faster and faster than it could handle, until in the distance he saw the target. He passed another car on the road, apologizing to the terrified owner through the messaging system as he passed and there was the quarry.
Niles used the implant to get a lock on the car and tagged along with its signal. He was still too far away to scan it, but at the least, the car couldn’t shake him.
“You’re not getting away,” Niles muttered. They passed a streetlight and three more cars got onto the road joining them, putting distance between Niles and the man. The grey car made an abrupt right at the first time, and Niles followed. The new road was easier to navigate on and Niles was able to make up time and distance between them, staying on the tail of the opposition and maintaining close enough distance that the link through the implant could be interrupted.
Suddenly the car stopped, and a masked person stuck their head out of the window. He couldn’t tell what gender; he didn’t have time to. He slammed on the brakes before the gun fired and the hood of his vehicle was peppered with a torrent of bullets. The opposition sped away, and Niles watched them go.
An orange icon lit up on the dashboard of his vehicle saying the vehicle had suffered intensive damage and would need immediate repairs. Niles groaned, knowing he couldn’t follow the car anymore. He turned the car around and started heading back, hoping the vehicle would make it so he could send it for repairs later.
Niles tried to regulate his breathing. He put the car back on auto-drive, his leg suddenly killing him as the momentum and pace of the last few hours caught up with him. The night was almost finished. A few more hours and it would be daylight. Niles knew he needed to get back to the base and submit all the data he had on the car.
He and leaned back in the chair, not bothering to activate the restraints, and closed his eyes as the car started up to move again. It would need fixing. Whatever those guys used, it wasn’t conventional, I’ll need to tell the analysts it was a single shot that exploded on impact that killed my contact and tore him apart back at the house. .
Still, even though the night had been crazy, Niles had one thought as a grin spread across his face from being back in the action, God it’s good to be alive.
Chapter 13: Mission Pending
* * *
Niles lurched in his seat and his head slammed into the window with a painful thud. His vision scrambled as a burst of electric energy painfully spread up his body as the implant in his hand beeped. His thoughts were a little muddled, but Niles still had a good guess as to what happened, when the vehicle had been hit something must have fallen loose.
He looked out the window and saw a piece of metal laying in the street behind him. Niles hadn’t paid much attention when he’d been driving, but now the damage to the body of the vehicle was fairly evident. Pieces of the vehicle were scattered about on the road. No going back now though.
Niles laughed, a loud wide laugh as the vehicle started back up and continued to drive. He grinned. I need to find this Kubrick and whoever was in that car. Niles knew which one he preferred, but he’d have to go after Kubrick first. He couldn’t remember the last time he had almost died.
An idea struck him, he checked the information from his implant to see if he’d manage to pull an address from the car. It wasn’t the whole thing, 1023 Cantunberry Drive. Niles knew exactly where that was. That’ll have to wait though.
If the autopilot had still been on when the shots were fired, he would have died. That last braking had saved his life. If Niles had been even a little bit slower to slam on the brakes, it would have been the end of him. Niles coughed, his throat feeling a bit raw. He could feel his body calming down. The beep came up again. He groaned and hit accept. He opened his eyes to see who was calling. It was Grisham. Of course, it was Grisham.
[Transmission: You want to tell me what just happened Niles? We got a ping from your implant that you’ve been in a car accident. What happened? You weren’t supposed to leave unattended.]
The Colonel’s anger seethed through the call and Niles had no intention of dealing with it. He commanded the implant to cease the projection of the Transmission. Niles might have been happy to be back in the swing of things, but he’d still had a wild night and had no intention of having Grisham look down at him. It was a small act of defiance, but Niles enjoyed watching Grisham’s face disappear.
“Will you piss off and leave it alone if I say no Grisham?” Niles asked. He heard the Colonel grunt in anger in response. Implant to implant communication through synch could be pain. Niles was tired, irritated too, and need to get back before the vehicle finished breaking down.
[Transmission: That’s Colonel Fairway to you. Don’t forget that Niles. We have rules for a reason. When you leave the base, you need to report it. It isn’t just for your security, but ours as well. You’re working for us now on a pro-se basis. This is nothing new. You know we’ve got rules. You used to be able to follow them. Understand? So, what exactly happened?]
Niles sighed. His head was throbbing, and this conversation wasn’t making it any better. He hadn’t been sure when he had left the base that he was being watched, but he had his suspicions, why wouldn’t he?
Now he just needed to figure out how the information got out, and then he could answer Grisham’s question. He cleared his throat as the autopilot drove on. The silence had stretched uncomfortably, but he knew the Colonel was waiting for him. He could hear the man breathe.
“I think I just got visited by the opposition,” Niles said. He heard a sharp intake of breath from the Colonel and he smiled. “I’m alright by the way, not that you asked. But I’ve got a a feeling you’re not going to like the repair bill for my vehicle, though you might want to send over a ballistics team. I was hit with something your guys might have used; I don’t think it was a bullet.”
[Transmission: Military Grade? Did you catch any specifics? Did you see a muzzle flash, or more like a flash of light?]
Niles thought for a moment before answering. “I know I saw a muzzle flash, and the bullet holes in the vehicle hood prove it, but there was something else. I think the vehicle was hit by something else. A few damaged pieces came off.”
[Transmission: That vehicle isn’t meant for these kind of operations Niles, you know that. You know better. ]
Niles nodded. Of course, Grisham knows what my vehicle is like. The man had been the one to first suggest he buy it all those years ago. Right before he went out and bought something newer.
[Transmission: Your vehicle isn’t really made for these kind of operations Niles, you know that. But you are alright though? With that leg of yours, if we need to send somebody to come to collect you, I’d rather that than the alternative.]
“Yeah, I’m fine now.” Niles explained with a lie as his body ached. “I’ll be on my way back soon. It looks like the air is clearing a bit, so no worries there. I need to get this vehicle back to my place and send it for repairs. I still need to hit up the apartment to pack some things I left behind.”
Colonel Grisham groaned; it was neither approval nor dissent. Niles cut the synch off after that and leaned back, massaging his temples. He really did need to drop the car off. It was basically useless now or at least would be soon.
The orange light on the dashboard began to blink, showing him that the battery was failing to char
ge, and that as soon as the vehicle turned off, it wouldn’t be turning back on for a while at least not until repaired. It was not irreparably damaged, but he couldn’t fix it immediately. He would need to take a cab back to base. Niles cursed as the vehicle limped along the road and dropped him off in the parking deck near his apartment.
Chapter 14: Go Bag
* * *
Surprisingly, the vehicle made it the rest of the way back to his apartment, Soon as he turned the vehicle off, it made a low hum then silence, letting him know his earlier assessment was correct. It wasn’t turning back on without getting some attention at an engineering bay.
Niles made sure his respirator was secured snug and stepped out of the vehicle, keeping his side arm close and grabbing his cane as an afterthought.
The streetlights were still on, though in the orange haze of the storm, it was still hard to see. Out in front of the building somebody was leaning against the steps. Niles couldn’t tell who it was, or whether they were a man or woman. Only that their profile seemed lean and their features obscured by the mask they were wearing and the overcoat. I’ll just go around instead.
He had to lean on his cane a little heavier as he went around to the back of the building. His leg had started to drag a bit. The activities of the night so far hadn’t helped at all. Soon as he had the chance, he’d need to take another dive in the Rig to do a round of therapy.
The backstairs were empty, and the hallway outside his apartment was mostly the same.
The keypad on his door clicked as he entered the combination and stepped through brandishing his sidearm and shut the door behind him, twisting the deadbolt in place. Just in case, he carefully cleared the two rooms of his apartment to make sure he really was alone.
Niles went as far as checking the threads he had sealed some of his things with to see if any had broken. None were. “I’m safe enough currently.” He muttered as he clapped his hands together to turn on the heating unit in the walls. There was something comforting about being home, even though he’d been gone for less than a day.
As much as he’d like to enjoy the time and take a moment to drink a hot tea or coffee and fix himself some food then a shower, Niles knew he didn’t have the time. He was fairly sure the person out front had been waiting for him.
It’s interesting though, if they followed me back to the house, why didn’t they just wait for me up here to kill me? That would have been easier right? Niles went ahead and used his implant to look through the security out in the hallway, and out front, but the feed he received back showed nothing. Whoever had been waiting out from was gone. I don’t have much time at all. If the opposition didn’t know anything about me before, they do now. This place isn’t safe.
“It was dumb of me to come back here.” Niles admitted as he headed to the bathroom and reached under the counter and grabbed a small black backpack he kept hidden. He opened it up and looked in, taking some comfort in the money, and extra identification cards he kept for emergencies.
With a quick paranoid look to make sure nobody else was around. Niles reached up above the bathroom mirror and grabbed a small rectangular tin and put it on the counter. He opened it up. A series of clear amber vials could be seen. Niles grabbed one and the syringe from the kit and pulled up the pantleg on his bad leg and injected the needle.
Liquid relief flooded through Niles’ body as the amber liquid hit his bloodstream. All he felt was a brief burning sensation as the pain gave way to cold numbness. Soon as he was done, Niles closed the tin and put it in his bag with the rest of his stuff. Once this is over, I won’t need to use it a’ymore.
Niles used his implant to go ahead and ping a cab to his location and checked to make sure no one was waiting outside. It was clear, and with the way clear, Niles put his mask back on and made his way to the street. I need to get to Kubrick, that’ll tell me what I ’eed to know.
The cab arrived quickly, Niles didn’t even have to wai’. With an egress secured, he went ahead and sent the emergency repair ping to the local engineering bay to come and pick up his vehicle. His request was met with a confirmation number and ticket. He would be contacted when it was finished.
“Where to, boss?” said “he cabby trying”to be friendly from the other side of the plexiglass that separated them as Niles ducked in and sat down.
“Grady. Over on the garden s“de.” Niles responded as he sent”another silent ping to the Colonel, letting him now he was on his way, and in return Niles received a quick message.
Transmission: Current travel expenses are being paid for by Fulbright Industries.
“You got it. Looks like your bill is paid in full too.” The way the cabby responded let Niles know the man might be taking the longest route possible. I won’t ho’d that against him. Other men have done far worse for an extra dollar.
Chapter 15: The Return
* * *
The cab stopped exactly where he parked his car before. Though he didn’t have to, he waved goodbye to the driver and then proceeded to walk the rest of the way. The sidewalk was clear of all the homeless who had congregated there before. Off to whatever shelter they can find, I’m sure.
He made sure to check if he was being followed, and when he got to the gate of the facility, he flashed his ID card to the guard and, after a quick check, was allowed to go through. “You’re clear, Chief,” the guard told him with a friendly wave.
Unlike before, he didn’t have to wait in the holding area and clear the front entrance. Instead, he used his new clearance to get in from the side door near the burning area. He passed by two soldiers dropping another load of paper into the fires. They were different than the ones he had seen only a few hours before. Niles nodded in acknowledgement of the pair, and they nodded back in affirmation. He smiled. It’s good to be home.
Niles headed straight to his quarters, thankful that at least the facility wasn’t quite as busy during the night and he was able to return to his room unmolested. When he got there, Niles noticed a new uniform, similar though different to what the others were wearing laid out on the bed. Ah, I’m one of the team after all.
He quickly hopped into the shower, washing himself off and getting clean before changing into the uniform. I almost forgot. Niles ran over to the glass table, excited to probe a lead and ran his implant over the glass table that was connected to the analysts’ server. It read the data stored on his implant as he tried to cross reference it with the details of the car he saw. If he didn’t find anything, he’d have to go to Grisham empty handed without results. Can’t have that.
Transmission: Data Match. Compiling report. The Report will be sent to your implant when finished.
“That’s actually really good” Niles admitted with a smile. “Change that though, I don’t need the report. Send the address to Grisham and the analyst team. I don’t want to have to plan this, I just want to enjoy it.” So long as the amber in his leg kept working, he was good to go, he just needed to be fast if they were going to act on it.
He sent out a synch request to talk with Grisham immediately and as soon as the Colonel connected, Niles told him what he found out and stretched the truth a bit so he could try and go out into the field with the team. Surprisingly enough, Grisham complied. “That’s good,” he had said. “We’ll need on-site confirmation to do this thing.”
Shortly after Niles heard a knock on the door. Colonel Grisham had authorized two of his junior soldiers and Sergeant Zander to follow along and assist him. Well, they’re here to keep me out of trouble, but that’s alright. I’m not too proud to turn down help. Niles looked professional in his new uniform, but still not as professional as the three men who were to follow him.
They all carried military grade Carbines, even Niles was allowed to check one out, though he had to sign a waiver in cause of injury due to his non-active status. He checked the gun and chuckled. A lot had changed while he was away, but this was the only one he was not shocked by. The weapons had somehow managed to get bigger,
but the ammunition stayed the same. 5.56 millimeter.
They took an unmarked black car, nothing like the adaptive assistance vehicle Niles had been riding in. Sergeant Zander sat in the front on the passenger side, navigating and calling shots, while one of the other soldiers drove. Niles and the last soldier said in the back.
There was silence between them the entire way. Niles knew why. I’m still an outsider, I’ve been gone too long. They probably think I’ve no business being in the field with them, were silent all the way. You could cut the tension in the vehicle with a knife, but Niles was alright with it. Sometimes it’s better not to talk. At the least I’ve got help once I’m there. If shooting starts, I need to get the information.
