Delta Fringe Series Boxset: Books 1-3

by Heather Lee Dyer

  We watch the AI machine stuck in the ceiling wiggle. There are a few murmurs and exclamations of horror around the room.

  Then the video pulls down to show the metal AI attached to the back of the miner's head. His eyes are open, seemingly looking right at the camera, since I shot this part after I had first touched the AI. Then the vid pans out and shows his whole body, tubes going in and out and the machines surrounding him. Then out again to show the whole room and a semi-circle of men hanging from the rock walls.

  I keep my gaze focused on Jeffs profile. His shoulders are tense, his fists clenched as he watches. I hear sobs and one person all out crying.

  I clear my throat. "This is why we need to stop the EPL. They have taken this illegal research on an AI digging machine, and have 'fixed' their emotion problem by attaching it to a human being."

  Jeffs turns on me and I feel Derek's arm instantly come around me protectively. But Jeffs just stares at me with electric blue eyes.

  Another council member speaks up beside us. "Why would they do that? Is this why they've been blowing up the research in all the other mines?"

  I let out a long breath. "Yes. But before they were just destroying it so we wouldn't know that Ash Corp, galactic security and the EPL were all working together. They also didn't want us to know what they were working on."

  I quickly stop the vid as the AI starts its high-pitched keening. I shiver but don't look away from Jeffs.

  "Their problem with all the other research experiments, we think, is the same problem we always have had with AI intelligence. The AI doesn't know what to do with its emotions once it develops them. The more the AI interacts with humans the more a conflict exists in its computer brain. Similar to what happens on starships, some of the digger AIs seem to go crazy. We've found a few of the machines stuck hundreds of feet up inside the rock. But mostly the pirates made sure to destroy the machines along with whatever or whoever was in the mine at that time."

  "So all the mining attacks across the galaxy are linked to this?" A tall woman walks up next to Jeffs. She's well-dressed and looks out of place in this underground mining bunker.

  I give her a small nod. "Yes. They've been using a complicated system of family couriers and space pirates to not only sell their information, but also to smuggle their research equipment quietly down into unused tunnels in the mines. But in order to destroy their evidence they've had to blow up those sections of the mines. That's why Mars is under attack now. This group has setup several sites for their research. We were only able to get to one of the locations before they blew it up."

  "You guys were down there when they blew those charges?" Red's angry voice comes across the comm speaker.

  I cringe. I forgot he was on the same channel. "Zion and I disabled their charges long enough to take the vid we sent you, Red. We had to get the evidence. They had already blown up the other sites."

  "What do you mean long enough?" Commander Guram asks.

  "We couldn't disable the charges completely — the pirates were just down the corridor and would've noticed. They set them for a ten minute delay."

  "So you let them blow up the evidence and these miner's bodies?" The woman points to the frozen vid.

  Zion steps forward. I place a firm hand on him to keep him back. "Ma'am how on Triton's moons would you have expected the three of us unarmed teenagers to stop hundreds of armed and extremely dangerous men?"

  She blanches and steps back. I get a whiff of flowery perfume. "Well, I don't know. Maybe you shouldn't have been down there by yourselves then."

  Anger zaps through my limbs. Zion tries to pull away from me, but I press my body between his and the woman's. Her back is up against one of the tables and she's looking around for an escape.

  "Ma'am, those men hanging on those cave walls with tubes shoved into them are Zion's friends. He worked and lived with them. You have no idea how your careless words are making a horrible situation worse."

  "I'm sorry," she finally stutters.

  "Madam councilwoman." Red's voice echoes throughout the chambers. "Now that things have calmed down a bit up here, let me introduce myself properly and let us deal with the real problem here, the EPL down there on the surface."

  The woman sidesteps me and takes small steps over to the next table where she flings herself down in a seat between two other women. The other women scoot away from her. She pales as she's left alone.

  "Bren, is she still there?"

  "Yes, Red, she is. Everyone is still here and listening. While you explain to her who you are, Zion and I are going to attend to a few wounded council members."

  "If I knew where you were I'd send more supplies." I hear a smile in Red's voice, even as I watch Jeffs shaking his head violently at me.

  "Thanks, Red. Be nice now, you're freaking out the council members. They think this place is top secret and that you haven't figured out where we are yet." I grin wickedly at Jeffs as I walk past him.

  23

  Truth

  Zion and I grin widely as we walk past the council members’ shocked faces. When we reach the wounded, we decide to work together on each one. Zion impresses me with his medical knowledge. Especially since he hasn't been studying very long. When I left he was still studying engineering and supervisory psychology.

  The injured aren't very severe, except for one person who needs more medical help than we have equipment for. Zion and I make her as comfortable as we can.

  The rest are mostly sprains and bruises, and a few cuts that need stitched up. But nothing that needs my full attention. While I'm helping Zion with the patients I'm listening to Red tell the council our whole story, from the time Delta station was attacked to the present. Derek helps fill in a few details.

  If they had known who Red was at first, would they have sent help to him sooner?

  I let out a frustrated sound and move on to the next patient. I'm grateful for friends like Red who value family and friendships and doing right by humanity. He's nothing like I had imagined for a businessman, and he isn't like all the others who would rather focus on money and politics like Ash Corp or the Galactic security forces, or even the council.

  Because of politics we're hiding in an abandoned cafeteria in a mine hundreds of kilometers from where we should be.

  The council is arguing with Red over who will rebuild the Martian mines when I finally have had enough.

  "All right, stop," I say loudly as I walk back to the computer. "We can discuss what to do with the destruction later. But we still have the EPL to deal with. Just because the ship's attacks have been taken care of doesn't mean we're out of danger. And the EPL still has the research results. We can't let them take it off the planet, and we need to keep them from doing anymore of this research in the future."

  "Those are two very different problems, Miss Teves." Jeffs is still lounging against the computer, just soaking in everything being said around the room.

  I narrow my eyes at him. He's a hard person to read. "I realize that. Now that we have the attack under control, we need to find the leader of the EPL. We can turn the power on over at the main mine so we can use the security feeds to track where he went. Right?" I ask Derek.

  "Yes. Once we have power, I can use the location from our vid and follow his movements for the last hour." Derek's fingers fly over the console as he digs into the programming.

  "And for the future research? If we catch the EPL today, who is going to say that tomorrow another leader won't rise up and finish? I've seen the research from your original investigation, and it has the potential to make a lot of money. Probably why Ash Corp is involved." This from another councilman, I think the one from Jupiter Station. I'm glad another person has decided to speak up and not just be one of the sheep on this council.

  "Yes, there has already been a lot of money made on this AI research as far as we can tell from the couriers we've interviewed, and the data I was able to recover." I acknowledge his question with a smile.

  I walk to the
other side of Derek and nod to Zion, who has just finished helping the last patient.

  "And for future research, we uncovered documents that shows unfortunately, or fortunately, depends on how you look at it, that my mother is the rightful owner of the original research."

  Gasps again all around the room. The nasty woman yells loudest of all. Most of the council members are on their feet protesting the truth of my statement. Jeffs, however, just turns toward me, studying me.

  I shiver.

  I take a deep breath. "I know this implicates my mother in this, but her original research was nothing like what we see today. It was for an AI that rescued trapped miners, not made corporations money. Or used humans to run. She meant all this for the good of the miners and their families. But the EPL stole that research and twisted it." I tighten my pack and widen my stance as I make eye contact with each council member.

  There has to be a leak here. Someone on the council gave the EPL access to my mother's research and to the security systems of Mars.

  "I also realize this sounds like I'm wanting money out of my mother's rights to this research design. I don't. I just know that this is one way that we can stop any future research. The council can make sure the rights are upheld and the research is not ever sold again. This will basically cut off the EPLs financial ties and power that they've been using to finance this project."

  I don't see anyone trying to leave, or looking angry. Confused I look at Zion. He's been watching the crowd as well and gives me a small shake of his head. Nothing.

  Behind me, Jeffs pushes off from the computer and rubs his hands together. "Even if that is all true, we'll have to open up an official investigation to your allegations of course. And you're still hoping this leader hasn't escaped the planet yet? How can you be so sure he's not long gone already? Like the councilwoman said earlier, you are just a teen."

  Phobos' moons. I study Jeffs standing just a meter from me. He's the representative from Mars and the one who brought me all the way out here. I watch him as he looks over Derek's shoulder, and then faces the room knowing the others are watching his every move. His shoulders are tense, but the rest of him seems relaxed. I look down from his shiny blue eyes to his wrinkled dress shirt and new slacks. Then I notice his boots. They're brand new, just like I observed in the train. But in the bright light of this cafeteria I can see that there is a slight red hue to them. Mars dirt. No matter how careful you are down in the mines, the red dust has a way of claiming you.

  I step toward Zion as I talk to Jeffs. "I understand you and the rest of the council all feel that way. That Derek, Zion, and I are just teens who don't know what they're doing down here in the face of danger. But I am one hundred percent positive that the leader of the EPL is still here, though. Don't you think that's a fair bet, Red?"

  "Right on target, Brenna," comes Red's gruff reply.

  "And why are you so certain?" asks Jeffs as he steps backwards.

  "Because you are the leader of the EPL, Jeffs."

  This time the room is silent. Jeffs is stiff and as I look around the room everyone else is frozen, not sure what to do or say.

  Jeffs laughs, breaking the silence. "You do have an imagination, Bren. I've been nothing but nice to you. I was the one who came to get you, remember?" His expression is one of disbelief, but I don't trust him. The leader of the EPL is a master of politics, hiding, and gaining people's trust by any means. Although no one has been able to identify him, I know that I'm right. Jeffs is the leader of the EPL. The one that was down in the mines overseeing the charges being set next to each miner's dead body.

  "You didn't come get me. You've been following us from the mine. You circled around to make it look like you came from here. But my implant records everything around me." I hold up my wrist as it shows a 3D image of us escaping through the tunnels.

  Jeffs frowns.

  "Mars is the only planet or habitat that doesn't use implants. So you wouldn't know that I had that capability. Even with the power and comms off down in the mines, my implant can locally record. And once I was above ground," I spread my arms wide, "my implant acts as a permanent location beacon." I point upward and smile.

  The council members murmur quietly among themselves. I can't tell by their facial expressions if they believe me or not, but it sounds like they're at least considering it.

  "Derek?" I ask.

  "Yes, Bren, Jeffs is the same man we saw down in the mine." He points to the computer image in front of him. His face is contorted with anger.

  Suddenly, guards appear at each of the doors. Armed galactic guards. I look at Derek who turns around quickly.

  "Are you going to arrest us, Jeffs? In front of all these council members?"

  Jeffs’ face is turning red from his neck up. He storms across the room to join the security troops.

  "Brenna, what is going on down there?" Red asks.

  "I was right about Jeffs. He has galactic security here. We're surrounded."

  "Right above you, Brenna."

  Across the room comes a dark laugh. Jeffs is clapping his hands and grinning at us. "Nice try. But none of you will ever get out of here. We don't need any of you leaders, and we definitely don't need anyone who isn't like us." He looks right at me. "We just need a pure society free from flaws or inadequacies. Not a single one of you is worth saving." He looks around the room as the council members look back in shock.

  A shockwave goes through the room. I grab onto the computer console to stay upright. I whip my head toward Jeffs. "What have you done?"

  "Just finishing what I started." He grins and heads out the doors, his guards sealing the doors behind them.

  The nearest councilman runs at the door and tries to open it, but turns back to us and shakes his head. "Locked."

  My stomach drops and I feel sick to my stomach. My mind is racing. "Zion? Derek?" I turn and hurry over to one of the wall supports. "Charges, we need to find them."

  Derek and Zion shout orders to everyone and we all go over the room inch by inch. No charges. Zion and I look at each other from across the room. I point up. He frowns.

  Derek comes to stand next to me. "So if they're no charges here, and we're locked in, what do we do now?"

  "Did you hear all that Red? There aren't any charges inside this room."

  "Yes, Brenna. So far I haven't seen anything up here, but I'm trying to reach Guram since he has better sensors. Jeffs probably has galactic stealth tech."

  My heart rate spikes. "So they could be up there and attack us without you even knowing until the last minute?"

  "Afraid so."

  I look around the room. The council members are terrified, some shaking, some crying, most just sitting at the tables unsure of what to do.

  I look at Derek. "We're not giving up yet. Help me move all these tables." I point to the far corner of the room opposite the entrance. It's solid rock and probably the safest place in the room.

  A few council members help us move the tables and we stack them on end to act as a kind of shield. Of course we have no idea if there are charges out in the corridors surrounding us, or which direction the attack might come from.

  I'm not even sure what good it will do if they have energy weapons, but I'm hoping that Guram and Red will find the ship before we have a chance to try out our defenses.

  "All right, everyone behind the barrier. Place the injured along the walls and cover them up with the extra blankets." It takes all my strength to sound confident. It's hard not to give in to the panic burning inside me.

  Derek, Zion and I are the last to enter the stack of tables. We pull the last table over us and hunch down on the floor. Seconds later we hear a horrible, deep, ripping sound.

  Derek covers me with his body and the three of us are flattened to the floor. I can feel the cool tiling rippling below me as shockwaves flow through the rock this room is carved out of.

  I tap my ear comm. "Red!"

  "We see them! Hang in there kids."

  My hea
rt sinks as I hear the popping of electrical wires and pipes snapping all around us. We're showered with white hot sparks and rocks and ceiling tiles.

  I turn my head toward Derek. His head is right up against mine, so I don't have to raise my voice much against the chaos in the room. "Jeffs has to have known he'd be discovered once he used his energy weapons. He's got to have a secondary plan to get away."

  "We've got cruisers following them," yells Red in my ear.

  "Red?"

  "There's more than just his one ship. It's like bees swarming out of a hive, again."

  "Great, how are you supposed to know which one he's in?" My stomach flips and I swallow against the bile rising in my throat.

  The floor heaves underneath us again and we're tossed around as if we're weightless. The tables are like toys crashing around us. Screams and moans can be heard over the roar.

  Derek and Zion and I hold onto each other tightly. "Red!"

  "That came from down there, Bren. All the ships up here are shooting at us. Jeffs must've set charges you couldn't find."

  "Scarp it all." I had a feeling he would do that. Since the room is in chaos, but not ripped open to the airless atmosphere of Mars, the charges must've been in the corridors as I had feared.

  "Hold on Brenna!" Red's final loud command echoes off the broken walls.

  And then there's only the sound of falling rocks and metal creaking and sobs and human screams.

  My face is painfully planted in the floor with Derek's weight on top of me as I tap my comm to try to get it to work. "Red? Commander? Captain Fukuda?"

  I wait for another hit. Another explosion or quake. My heart beats painfully in my chest and I can hear Zion and Derek both breathing hard as we wait. Unfortunately, dust from the rocks and ceiling are filtering down and we all start coughing. I cover my face with my arm as best as I can.

  Flattened on the floor like I am I can feel small tremors still rumbling underneath. A shiver goes up my spine. How many more explosives did he plant? Was Jeffs really trying to kill us all or just shake us up enough to make sure he got away?