by Nathan Pedde
Des, Elsie, Cooley, and Cryslis jumped out of the van, moving toward the building, their weapon’s out in their hands. Susan hoped in the driver’s seat, the engine was running.
“Amy,” Des said. “Blow the door.”
The front door of the building blew off its hinges, collapsing to the ground with a crash. The guard behind the door had his gun halfway out of his holster.
Cooley aimed and fired his stun gun twice. Des saw the man fall to the ground.
Two robots turned to face them. Des had his electro-baton out and charged at the robot. He slammed it into the bot’s face. Elsie did the same to the second one.
They made their way through the building’s lobby and to the stairwell. Amy was right, the building was empty of robots. It made progress quickly as they made their way up to the second floor.
Des turned to see Veer standing in the hallway, facing scrunched in anger and fists clenched. Des aimed his stun gun and fired it at Veer. The pins flew by his head and missed. As Des hugged the hallway wall, Elsie stepped forward and fired her stun gun. The pin slammed into Veer’s leg. The man stiffened, collapsing to the ground.
“Go,” Cryslis said. “I’ll cover our rear.”
Des lead them through the hallways. Des was upfront with Cooley close behind them. Elsie was next with Cryslis following.
“Guards are coming down from the top floor,” Amy said. “They’ll be at your position in three minutes.”
“How many?” Cooley asked.
“Seven,” Amy replied.
“I like her,” Cooley said. “How is she getting the live surveillance to us?”
“Nanobots,” Des said.
“Nice,” Cooley said. “Those are very illegal, though.”
“I know,” Des said. “Amy, time to collapse?”
“Thirty-five minutes until destruction,” Amy replied.
“Dang,” Des said. “I was hoping to get back to the garage to watch the spectacle.”
“I’m recording it,” Amy said.
“You’ll have to explain that later,” Cooley replied.
Time moved slowly as they moved through the maze of hallways and doors. Des came upon something recognizable. Tilting his head, he stared at a certain door. He recognized the room holding Sheemo.
“Where are the robots?” Des asked.
“Five minutes away,” Amy replied.
“Blow the door,” Des said.
“He is behind the door,” Amy said.
“Sheemo, you fool. Stand back.”
The hinges blew apart, and the door fell into the room. Sheemo stood against the back wall. He looked dirty but no worse for wear.
“Come with us if you want to live,” Des said.
Sheemo ran to them, and Cooley grabbed his arm. Cooley and Des took the lead, Sheemo in the center, while Cryslis and Elsie held the rear. They headed out of the building the way they came in.
“Where are the robots?” Des asked.
“They have gone to the ground level,” Amy said.
“We need an exit,” Cooley said. “What is plan B?”
Des smiled.
“There is no Plan B,” Des said.
“What?” Cryslis replied.
“Amy, time till collapse?” Des said.
“Thirty seconds,” Amy said. “They have discovered my old consul and are trying to turn it on with the cloned hand.”
“Cloned hand?” Cryslis asked.
“Later,” Des said. “Show those bastards the screen.”
“Done,” Amy said.
They made their way down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a robot with its arm aiming a gun at Des. A real weapon shooting deadly rounds and not stun-pins.
“And now,” Amy said, the robot falling over with smoke rising from his chest. “Nanobots are blown.”
“Give me a complete count,” Des said. “Any Nanobots left over?”
“Three,” Amy said. “One on the van, one on the camera and one on me.”
“The van?” Cryslis asked.
“Time to leave,” Des said. “Questions later.”
They exited the building, climbing into the van. Des noticed a small group of people gathered around to look at them. Cooley shut the door behind them, as Susan sped off.
“Susan, drive to the parking garage,” Des said. “We need to retrieve the camera.”
Sheemo’s face dropped, tears rolled down his face. “Susan, I knew it. They claimed they had captured you?”
“Nope.” Susan said. “I’m here.”
“I can answer that for your brother,” Amy said in Des’s ear.
“Appear and explain it,” Des said.
Sheemo looked at Des as Amy’s hologram appeared in the van. Des quickly explained what Amy was.
“I have the video they showed you,” Amy said. “That’s Martha Greggor. Someone who looks like Susan. They kidnapped her from her house. She was reported missing three days ago. She was dropped off bloody and beaten two days ago. The guards told the press they have no leads.”
Sheemo leaned against the wall of the van. He glanced at Des. “I guess you’re going to have to tell me about what is going on? Or do you have to keep it a secret.”
“If I tell you,” Des said. “I’ll have to kill you.”
“I guess you can tell him,” Cryslis said. “He’s dragged into this now.”
The van reached the top of the parking garage and slowed down to in front of the camera.
“Speaking of which,” Des said. “Amy, send the last remaining bots up into the air. Safe distance, please, and blow them.”
“Of course,” Amy said. “What about the one on me?”
“Yes, that one. There’s no need for me to lose you.”
“Acknowledged.”
A small pop echoed in the air. Two little clouds of dark gray smoke hovered.
Des got out of the van, followed by the other people.
“Why did we stop here?” Sheemo asked.
“Look up,” Des said.
“What am I looking at?” Sheemo said, then he saw it. “Sweet Jupiter. Tell me that you didn’t have a hand in that mess?”
“Maybe,” Des said.
The place where once sat a farmer’s field, a forgotten basement, and the factory now stood a sinkhole. A thick dark gray cloud of smoke mixed with the light brown dust of the area hovered in the air, partially blocking the view. Lights of emergency vehicles raced toward the farmer’s field.
“Any sign of those that went in?” Des asked.
“A single—” Amy said through his earpiece.
“Sorry,” Des interrupted. “Can you say it so Sheemo can hear you?”
“Yes,” Amy said, from the tablet’s speaker. “A single hover-bike is filmed racing away. I think the rider who looked like the man named Dr. Marcus Oraelius. There are a couple frames where he looked up into the station.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The rest of the day went by with a blur. They had managed to contact Captain Kusheeno, then they had made it to his office to sit around all day.
The next day, Des sat in a chair with a big long table in the boardroom. Sheemo, Elsie, Susan, Cryslis, and Cooley all sat around the table. Amy floated behind them with her tablet lying on the table. Kusheeno stood in front of them. They had finished telling the captain the events Des had done. Des left nothing out. Including the information about the robot factory and the potential insane AI.
To Des, the captain looked tired and stressed. The captain turned to Susan.
“You’re excused,” Kusheeno said. “As you aren’t an agent, nor do I wish to recruit you at this time. I’ve been told other Jovian Agencies wish to recruit you upon completion of your college courses.”
Susan nodded.
“So, I get my life back?” Susan asked.
“Yes,” Kusheeno said, “as long as you keep your mouth shut about what happened.”
“Of course. And my cover story?”
“During the last few days,” Kusheeno sai
d. “We have found a ring of slavers. They were those that chased and captured you. Tell the truth about that part, just not how you escaped. And luckily, you won’t have to look into these two boys. Unless you want to.”
“I do,” Susan said.
“Then you’ll be allowed to remain as the two O’Neal boy’s guardian while their uncle is away. As long as I get discretion from you to cooperate with letting them do their duties.”
Susan nodded, standing up from the table. “Good luck, boys.”
She left the room as the door shut with a thud.
“Okay, Des,” Kusheeno said, turning to him. “Let me get this straight. Instead of laying low as ordered and letting uncompromised teams do their jobs. You found an abandoned factory with an AI built by your grandfather, and came up with a plan to stop them and save your brother. You used illegal Nanobots and collapsed a large portion of the station.”
“Yes,” Des said. “I couldn’t just stand by and—”
“I’m okay with that,” Kusheeno interrupted. “I’m pleased you took the initiative and stopped the plot. Discovered a bigger plot and all of that. But the bigger question is, where did Cooley and Cryslis go during this?”
“We hid in a hiding spot and laid low,” Cooley replied. “Then we tried to find Des and Elsie, but after the incident in the Green Sector, we ran into a wall of having no hardware or support. We then followed orders until we saw hundreds of Des’s and Elsie’s running around. Then we quickly tracked them down, and it was kinda lucky they appeared in the same parking garage.”
“Not exactly luck,” Cryslis said. “Cooley put together a small version of Sheemo’s communication tracker, and we were following some weird signals.”
“What happens now?” Des asked.
“We are going to play down the Nanobot angle,” Kusheeno said. “We have methods to make sure there are no nanobots in existence. We will make sure there is no more. The AI is a bigger problem.”
“The law—” Des began.
“Hush,” Kusheeno said. “I know what the law states, and don’t worry. I’m not going to take away your new AI friend. But, under the current rules, any AI’s of certain classes, like the Class K’s are considered their own person and not property.”
“I thought the manufacture of them is illegal,” Des said.
“It is,” Kusheeno replied. “Unless you have the proper licensing. Amy has been given the proper licensing by the station as thanks.”
“I’m my own person?” Amy said. “I don’t understand what that means?”
“Right now, you’re stuck in the tablet but as soon as you can afford it, you can buy a plastic body. One that can move around.” The captain handed Des a small data chip. “Put it in the tablet. In it is a manual of the laws that you must follow.”
Des did as the captain asked.
“That’s interesting,” Amy said. “I can choose where I live?”
“If you want,” Kusheeno said.
“Des, can I live with you at your house?” Amy asked.
“I’m sure my uncle will be fine with it,” Des said.
“But it also says I’m not allowed to do some of the things Des had me do,” Amy said. “Like spying. I’m going to remove the software you installed.”
“Unless you agree to be an agent,” Kusheeno said. “It’s up to you, and you have free will to do what you want.”
“If I agree, then I get a different set of rules,” Amy asked.
“Yes,” Kusheeno said, handing Des the second chip.
Des put in into the tablet.
“Those look okay,” Amy said. “I see there’s even a rule allowing me to quit if I choose to.”
“You’ll have to change your specs down to the first set of rules, though, if you do quit,” Kusheeno said.
“Deal,” Amy said. “Sign me up.”
The captain turned to Cryslis.
“I’m giving Des here his own unit,” Kusheeno said. “You’ll be a unit with just you and Cooley once more, but I want you to help him in any way.”
“Yes, sir.” Cryslis said. “And work?”
“We will figure out a job for you bunch later. You were all fired from your day jobs for going missing. I’ll get you other employment.”
Captain Kusheeno turned to Des. “You still report to Cryslis.”
“Who is in my unit?” Des asked.
“You will have Elsie, Amy, and yourself,” Kusheeno said.
“And me?” Sheemo asked.
Kusheeno turned to Sheemo, sorrow in his eyes. “You’re with Cryslis in her unit. I forgot. My apologies.”
“What is my first mission?” Des asked.
“Rest,” Kusheeno replied. “Enjoy your summer break. After you will get missions. And Cryslis. I expect better.”
The captain left the boardroom, leaving the six of them at the table.
“That went better than I thought,” Cryslis said.
“It could have gone worse,” Cooley replied. “It could have gone better, though.”
“What are we doing?” Sheemo said.
“How this is going to work is we three are on the data analysis side of things,” Cryslis said. “We will analyze the information you three gather.”
“Okay.” Sheemo said. “Now I know why I was placed in this part of the team.”
“You three are dismissed,” Cryslis said, turning to Des. “Go enjoy what’s left of the summer break. Things are only going to get worse before they get better.”
Cryslis, Sheemo, and Cooley left the room, leaving Des, Elsie and Amy.
“What now?” Elsie asked.
“There’s still the game of tag on,” Des said.
Get Book Three
The adventure doesn’t end here for Des O’Neal,
Book Three continues the epic space adventure on the space colony that orbits Jupiter.
Traitor: Book Three of the Agent O’Neal Saga.
Currently Forthcoming.
* * *
See additional stories told in the Beyond Terra Continuum here.
Jovian Marines- Flynn O’Neal fights the Terrans on Mars for the freedom of Jovia and Mars.
Mechakreiger Saga- Sierra Staunton participates in an experiment that goes wrong.
All Currently Forthcoming.
* * *
For more information and behind the scenes about myself and the worlds that I have created, go to nathanpedde.com or sign up to my mailing list for more.
About the Author
Nathan Pedde was born in central British Columbia, Canada. He went to Capilano University after high school and entered the film industry where he worked for two years as a lamp operator. He has worked in many different industries and jobs from working at a gas station to engraving picture frames, to working as a Flood Technician drying flooded homes. He is currently living on Vancouver Island with his wife and two kids.
* * *
He began writing in the seventh grade, he wrote an illustrated fairy-tale. He dabbled in it during High School and started writing in college. Life got in the way and little progress was made, however, the writing still happened. Fifteen years after high school, serious writing has begun.
* * *
Nathan writes in both Science-Fiction and Fantasy and has many novels written, and many novels planned. Expect more books in both of those genres in the near future.
* * *
You can find him at his website at nathanpedde.com where he keeps a weekly blog. He also has a newsletter where he posts when he releases new books.
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