Jagged Edge

by Dennis Young

  * * *

  They made their way on foot, but the going was smooth. Sunlight peeked over the trees east as they approached Bělinka and Aya from the south. Talice had called ahead, just to be sure she and Nikolay didn’t get shot appearing around a boulder or tree.

  “Talice, we’ve got activity in the compound.” Mac, on the private channel.

  “Talk to me.” Talice scooted up close to Bělinka, and they touched gloves. Niky gave her a quick hug as they crowded together under an overhang. Talice laid a hand on Aya’s shoulder and clicked to All-Channel. “We’ll get this done. And I promise, you’ll have your chance.”

  Aya said nothing, just nodded.

  “Drones are showing two turbocopters taking off, both headed south. Find cover.”

  “Where is the team?” Talice motioned Niky and the others back into the shadows.

  “They’re all at the entrance of the tunnel, out of sight.”

  “Hua, we’re hidden and in camo.” Talice paused. “Yeah, here they come. Going silent.”

  A minute later, the aircraft passed overhead, staying low. The wash from the rotors kicked up dust around Talice’s visor, scattering small limbs and pebbles.

  “Talice, I’ve got Jance back on the line.” Abie, in Bird One. “She sounds scared out of her wits.”

  “Put her on. Same as before, cut the line if you detect a tracer. And patch in Mac and Evans to listen.”

  “Hua, coming on now.”

  A pause on the line. “Talice! I’ve lost my inside contact!”

  Talice nearly laughed. “He wouldn’t have just taken off in a turbocopter, would he? Running like the coward he is?”

  “I don’t know! He didn’t meet me with the others.”

  “The other what? The hostages? Or someone else? What’s your game, Jance?”

  “I told you before. I have people who want out. Away from Nemesis.”

  “And now they’re gone? And they didn’t take you along?” Talice hit the mute button and chuckled.

  “Fuck you! If you want these people alive, and your little friend too, you’d better get me some help. Now!”

  “Where are you? I need details. I’m not sending a team in blind.”

  “The hostages are kept in a holding area, third building west, two beyond the last one.”

  “So beyond the bunker building? Are the two other buildings defended? Guards around the hostages?”

  “Past the bunker building, right. Neither of the other two are defended, but there may be Nemesis people holed-up. And the hostages probably have guards, maybe as many as a dozen. They have orders to kill the hostages if the Marines attack.”

  Fuck. Not surprising, though. Talice sighed and continued. “I need a full count of hostages.”

  “And how the hell can I give you that? Last count was thirty-four women and a dozen men.”

  “Alright, that’s close enough.” Talice thought to ask about Babs but knew this wasn’t the time… yet. “Where are you?” Maybe, just maybe…

  “I’ll be damned if I tell you that. You get the hostages out, then we’ll deal for the prize.”

  Well, it was worth a try. “So you stay safe while my team gets shot at? You sure have guts, lady.”

  “Your choice.” Jance clicked off.

  Fuck! Talice took a breath, then another. All was quiet for a moment or two.

  “She plays hardball, that’s for sure.” Mac.

  “If this isn’t a trap, I owe you a drink.” Evans, sounding a bit awed.

  “I have her, Captain.”

  Niky! “What? Have who?”

  “Jance. She is in another building, two hundred meters north of the bunker building and likely on the top floor.”

  “How the hell did you do that?” Mac again, also awed.

  “The signal was in clear. I simply put a tracer on it.”

  “Clear? That means everyone else knows, too!”

  “Only if they were listening on her wavelength. Likely, Nemesis is not concerned about broad-beam at this time,” replied Nikolay.

  “Talice…” Mac’s voice carried a warning.

  “Hua, Mac, we’ve got a job to do, I know. Send the coordinates and the message recording to the team, have Briggs get them ready. I’ve got to change my medication.”

  “Will do. I’ll give you five minutes, then I’m going to have Bělinka take pics if you don’t have your pants back on. And send them to the team.”

  Talice huffed. “Talk about playing hardball.”

  Both Mac and Evans laughed over the intercom.

  * * *

  They waited, but not for long. Nikolay set his board up just outside the overhang, with a collapsible screen in the shadows, for Bělinka to study and pass on information to the team inside the tunnel. Talice listened to the running conversation as traps were spotted and neutralized, or simply avoided.

  She crouched beside Aya who was silent. Talice raised her visor and motioned Aya to do the same. She breathed in the dank, dark air, waiting a beat before she spoke. “Look… I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong. You asked for a chance, and I’ll give it to you as soon as we get inside. But in a tactical situation like this, we need reserves. That’s us. You and me, Bělinka, and Nikolay. So let’s get in first.” She paused. “This isn’t like when we pulled you out. These people don’t know you. They may actually think we’re bad guys, too.”

  Aya nodded at the last. “I understand. Still… I have to try.”

  “That’s all any of us can do. So one step at a time. The team is clearing the way now. Once they reach the entrance doors, we move up.” Talice glanced back to Nikolay, bent over his board again. And Bělinka, watching her screen, visor up, speaking softly into her microphone. “They’re staying here. Niky can’t get a signal inside the tunnel anyway, and we need his intel as we go in deeper. Traps and things are Bělinka’s job. She’s got to advise the team.”

  “Wouldn’t it be better if she was there?”

  Talice knew Aya had a point but refused to send Bělinka in for the reasons Nikolay had revealed. She answered in measured tones. “Usually, yes, but here, she can get info from everyone in the team. She has more eyes on the situation. They can move quicker. With the Marines pounding the complex, every second counts.”

  Aya was quiet again, then looked deep into the cavern. “Shouldn’t we be moving, then?”

  Talice nodded. “I’m waiting for a report from the team. They’re still clearing traps.”

  “But the way is clear to where they are, yes?”

  Talice shrugged. “Yes, but—”

  Aya lowered her visor and rose to a crouch. “Then I’m going.” She kicked up pebbles, running into the cavern.

  “Fuck!” Talice snapped her visor down and clicked to Bělinka’s channel. “Aya’s gone rogue! Stay put, I’ll get her. We’re headed for the team. I’ll send back cover as soon as I can.”

  “Hua, Captain. We are fine. There should be no resistance from inside the cavern for now, and I can cover our backs.”

  Talice rose, running into the darkness, and clicked to All-Channel. “Briggs, I need Martin to fall back and cover the entrance. Aya is on her way to you and I’m right behind her.”

  A pause. “I’d rather send Ollie. He got dinged up earlier by a trap we accidently sprung. Nothing serious, but he’s limping pretty badly.”

  “Do it. Aya will be there in about ten minutes if I don’t catch her and knock her silly.”

  “Captain?”

  “Never mind. You have the maps and coordinates, right? Ready to hit the bunker?”

  “Just waiting on Mac to bring in the minigun drone to bust their balls first.”

  “Don’t let Aya get by you. She’s sneaky as hell and quick. Stop her. That’s an order.”

  “Hua. I’ll put Junior on her.”

  “Talice, drones are two minutes out.” Mac.

  “Hold until we get Aya. Set the relay first, then send in the minigun. I’m so damn mad right now…”
<
br />   “Easy, Princess. Do the job.”

  “Talice, Evans. Let her go. Let her do what she needs to do.”

  “Not if she’s gonna get my team killed! Once she’s in the bunker, they’ll know others are coming.”

  “Let me talk to her. Please.”

  Talice hesitated only an instant. “Fine, but Mac and I are going to listen.”

  “No objections. Mac, put me through.”

  Talice listened to the clicks and hums as Mac made the connection.

  “Aya! This is Gorg.” Evans then began to speak calmly and softly.

  Fuck! He’s speaking Japanese to her! Talice clicked to Mac’s private channel. “Put it through the translator! He’s —”

  “Already on it, Princess. I thought he might do something like this. I’m patching in Junior.”

  Talice crouched behind a small boulder. Aya was nowhere to be seen.

  The intercom clicked again. “Captain, he’s basically telling her she’s throwing away her life if she doesn’t stop.” Junior, like a champ.

  “If I don’t catch her and kill her first!” Talice rose and ran.

  Bělinka cut in. “Captain, watch out for—”

  An explosion roared to Talice’s left. She went down in a heap, rolled with the shockwave, and came to rest against the side of the cavern. She lay stunned, covered in dirt and debris.

  “Trooper down!” Mac’s voice echoed beneath the ringing in Talice’s ears. She couldn’t move. She was numb all over. She tried to wiggle her fingers and failed.

  Scrabbling footsteps approached, but she couldn’t see who it was. Someone rolled her over. She barely felt it.

  “Vitals are strong, but half her med-sensors are dead! Check her suit!” Mac again. “Holding the drones at the entrance. Let me know when it’s safe.”

  Talice’s eyes began to clear, and she saw Junior and Martin kneeling beside her. Blood trickled down her throat. She swallowed it. “… the fuck?”

  “Aya pulled out the warning pennon we left.” Junior’s voice was low, filled with apology and underlying angst. “You could have been killed.”

  “Suit’s intact, but debris imbedded, some armor panels cracked. Weapons undamaged.” Martin helped Talice to a sitting position.

  Mac’s voice came over the private circuit into Talice’s ear. “You need to rest for a bit.”

  Talice shook her head, clicked to All-Channel, and cleared her throat. “Briggs, do you see her?”

  “Negative. Up until the explosion, we were moving in. Orders?”

  Talice drew from the S-H tube again. A long pull. Glad I filled that thing before we left. She sat for a moment with Martin and Junior beside her.

  “Captain, please don’t hurt her. She has a mission.”

  Talice clicked to Evans’s private channel. “Well, her mission and ours apparently don’t fit together.” She paused, just trying to breathe past a growing ache in her left side.

  “Captain?” Briggs again.

  Talice clicked once more to All-Channel. “Don’t engage. If she comes your way, let her go. If nothing else, she can be a target.”

  “If she goes into that bunker alone, they’ll know more will follow.”

  “She’s not our responsibility anymore. She’s on her own. If she survives, we’ll deal with her then. We have a job to do.”

  Evans’s voice came through his channel once more. “I understand your position, but don’t agree.”

  Talice clicked again. “I need your expertise on this. Can you talk her down?”

  “She’s cut off her comm, Talice.” Mac again.

  “You heard that, Mr. Evans? She doesn’t want our help apparently.”

  “Alright. We’re out of options with her, then.”

  Talice rose to her knees and winced. Martin and Junior helped her stand. She hit All-Channel once more. “Briggs, I’m moving up with you. Ollie is headed back this way, right?”

  “He’s already with Bělinka and Nikolay,” said Junior.

  “Then we’re clear to proceed. We’ll be there in five minutes. Prepare to enter the bunker building once we’re at the door.”

  “I’ll keep trying to contact Aya.” Evans again, worry in his voice.

  “Do that. But don’t you dare tell her what we’re doing or where we are. We’ve got to do this by the Book. No questions.”

  “Understood, Captain. I certainly wasn’t expecting this… but at the same time, in a way, I’m not surprised. And I’m sorry.”

  Not as sorry as she’s going to be when I find her, thought Talice. Martin handed her the pulse rifle. “Let’s move. We’re behind schedule.”

  * * *

  Talice was limping by the time they reached the team. Rory and Dosu were checking walls and floors for traps as Briggs watched the doorway fifty meters distant. “Status?”

  “Looks clear, but we’re being careful,” replied Rory. He continued with his helmet light along one side, found a trip-wire laser beam, and tossed a handful of dust into it. Then followed the beam to opposite side, where a shaped charge was imbedded in the wall. “Oh, that’s nasty.”

  “Flag and avoid, both sides,” came Bělinka’s voice.

  Talice went to one knee slowly. Junior stood beside her as Martin joined the others in their duty. “Any sign of Aya?” She nearly gasped out the words.

  “None, Captain. Where the hell could she go?”

  “Hell, Briggs, maybe she can walk through the fucking walls! Damn her!” Talice took a painful breath. Maybe broke some ribs. Bruised bad, for sure. And a bad hip.

  She clicked to Mac’s channel. “Any idea what happens to me if I take pain meds with my bug patch?”

  “Well, your bugs might like it.”

  Talice nearly grinned. “Yeah, thanks. Look, my side is busted up, but I’m going in with the team. I’ve got to take an injection.”

  “Hold on, Princess.” Talice heard a tone, then another. “Okay, pain med released. Hit the red button on your left vambrace.”

  Talice pushed the button and felt a sting in her neck. A moment later, her left side numbed, and she could breathe. “Okay, much better. Thanks, Mac.”

  “Don’t get yourself killed, woman.”

  “Not an option.” She clicked to All-Channel again. “Briggs, are we about ready to blow this place?”

  “Ready, Captain. Send in the noisemakers.”

  “Mac, you heard the man. We’re taking cover. Light this place up like it’s Founding Day!”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Like a Band of Heathen Angels (Part One)

  Call Down the Thunder

  “The wise warrior avoids the battle.”

  Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”

  In the Tunnel…

  They hid; what else could they do, with a minigun drone coming in to pound open the doors and allow them into the heart of Nemesis?

  “Everyone covered?” Talice waited for replies, standing in a crevice away from the tunnel proper. Her side still ached, but she ignored it as best she could. Gotta stay on my feet. Hurts to crouch or sit. Dammit, Aya, what the hell were you thinking?

  The calls came in. The team was covered, hidden, or had dropped back beyond the expected area of debris. Talice waited, watching.

  The drone drifted in, nearly silent. “Confirm everyone is safe.” Mac, checking for the umpteenth time.

  “Confirmed, let’s get this done.”

  The drone hovered. “Doors open inward. Hinges and latches are all on the inside. This may be wasted effort.” Briggs, from wherever he was.

  “Switching to AP rounds, at least for the first go.”

  Talice listened as Mac made her changes. “Final confirm. Talk to me, Briggs.”

  “All accounted for and covered.”

  “Mac, do the deed. We need to get inside.”

  “Copy. All team members, Fire in the Hole.”

  The minigun fired, a horrific racket in the cavern confines.

  “Shut down your helmet receivers!” Talice hit the
mute button. Her ears rang with the minigun discharge, the ricochets, the pings and shattering sounds of rock and metal disintegrating under the hail of armor piercing rounds. It lasted only five seconds, but seemed forever.

  Mac sent the all-clear in text across their visors. Slowly, the dust settled.

  Talice peeked around the corner. “Check in, everyone.”

  “Briggs and Rory, clear.”

  “Martin, clear.”

  “Jian, clear.”

  “Dosu, clear.”

  “Check the doors, don’t touch anything.”

  “Hua.” Briggs, as he and Rory emerged from a cavern wall depression and approached the doors, weapons at the ready.

  “Anyone on guard duty on the other side is dead.” Martin watching, covering Briggs and Rory.

  “We had no indication of guards.” Nikolay, listening. “The doors are likely well-hidden from the other side. If guards were present, it would only mean something was there to guard.”

  “Duh!” Rory, with Briggs chortling in the background.

  Talice made her way gingerly toward the doors. They were damaged for sure, but still mostly intact. The AP rounds had penetrated only where groupings were tight. Whatever the door material was, it held. And the doors were still not open.

  “Approach from the sides,” cautioned Talice. “No one sticks their head in there until we’re certain it’s clear.”

  “Scoping now.” Briggs pulled a mini-scope from his chest pack and moved it around the edges of the largest penetration. Then through. Then withdrew it. “Debris, no bodies, but buildings in the near distance. Say fifty meters. And gunfire.”

  “Mac, what’s it going to take to get through this?” Talice waited, as Mac reviewed her options.

  “I can go to HE, but I’ve only got a couple hundred rounds.”

  “Captain, I think I can squeeze through the largest opening if I take off my HCS. The latch mechanism looks manual and pretty simple.” Junior, now standing beside Talice.

  “Talice…” Mac, again with a warning voice.

  She clicked over to Mac’s private channel. “We need to get moving. Junior is the only one I’d let go through alone.”