"Good work." Kirk motioned to one of the soldiers behind him. "Sergeant Chen, you're up."
"Sir." She saluted and dashed to one of the servers, where she knelt and attached a wireless drive to jack into the system.
"I'm done here." Kilgore abruptly headed for the door, brushing past the New Legion officers.
There was a collective sense of tension relief when he left the room. Corporal Singleton turned to Kirk, an astonished look on his face.
"It's him, isn't it? Captain Kilgore of the 55th Battalion. Hero of the Battle of Olympus Mons."
Lieutenant Bryant sneered. "Hero? Try mass-murderer. He lost his mind on Mars. As soon as he set foot back on Earth, he killed a thousand Elites."
"Says who, Jarhead? Your intel? We both know how accurate they are."
"Like you can talk, Frogman. At least we got to the right LZ on Noachis Terra. Where were you clowns?"
"Enough." Kirk glanced at the lieutenant. "They were clones."
"Sir?"
"The Elites he killed. Every one of them cloned using his DNA as the foundation. He was an Elite too, you know. Enhanced to be stronger, faster, and tougher than the best athletes and soldiers. United Havens got greedy, wanted to upgrade the common Elite since androids and synoids didn't do well on Mars."
"So Elites were already super soldiers," Bryant said. "But they made Kilgore a super-Elite?"
Kirk nodded. "Through a dangerous bio-enhancement program. Kilgore was one of fifty guinea pigs. The only survivor of the group after the labcoats finished."
Singleton shook his head. "No wonder he snapped."
"He was sent to Mars after that. Made a name for himself fighting the Coalition forces. Olympus Mons was just one of many times he led our forces against impossible odds. All the while, back on Earth they replicated his genetic material to create their own personal army of clones. Needless to say, Kilgore wasn't too pleased when he found out. He killed every single clone, then tracked down and systematically took out every person who signed on to the experiment, from laboratory assistant to the United Havens senator who sponsored the deal."
Bryant whistled softly. "Making him the most wanted man on Earth. And you want us to work with this guy? He'll bring all of that heat on us."
"Don't you think the UH could track him down if they wanted to? No one can completely disappear, not even Kilgore."
"Then why haven't they taken him out?"
"Because they can't. Every attempt has led to failure. I know all about it, was briefed on some of those operations. The man is physically gifted beyond human potential and harder to kill than a virus. He has the uncanny ability to sense an ambush or trap and is a one-man killing machine. You saw what he did here. Didn't even break a sweat. He's the only one of his kind. Beyond human, beyond Elite. The UH would rather capture him than kill him. He's like a unicorn to them. They still want to replicate the process, fools that they are. So they bide their time. Scrubbed all records of his existence and act as if he doesn't exist. And they hope."
"Hope for what?"
"That they catch him off-guard one day."
Chen looked up from her cy-gear "Sir. I have the access codes."
"Nice work, Sergeant. Secure them for the journey. The rest of you follow protocol. Send the distress call, and make sure to blame ravagers desperate for a score. Scrub the servers as if IT succeeded in erasing the data. Then torch the place."
As they saluted and leaped to obey, Kirk walked out the room and down the corridor, stepping over the bodies of the dead along the way. They didn't matter anymore. Nothing did except the objective. And with the access codes in his possession, he had taken the first step in saving his family.
$$
"Deejay, my dear. I come bearing gifts."
Jinx la Fox allowed herself to be guided by Cash, who appeared in great spirits despite having just witnessed his friend's murder only a few minutes ago. Bounty hunters were all animals. She'd been chased by many of the sort, both individuals and crews. They all shared common traits: selfishness, greed, and complete lack of empathy. The only reason she played along with Cash and his new partner Mateo was that they were heading out of Tijuana. The city was too hot, as was proven by the attack at the bar. She knew it was a bad idea to go there, but she was running out of options. Every Nimrod in the world seemed to be tracking her.
She glanced around as they entered the hunk of junk Cash called the Battle-Cat. The modified cargo transport appeared to double as Cash's transportation and place of dwelling. Dust was thick, and rust was everywhere. The place smelled like old socks.
Typically, neither man seemed to notice. Mateo ran his fingers through his mane of dark hair and looked around with a wide grin. "This is your headquarters? Cool, man. I like the classic style."
She had to hold back a snort of laughter. She almost liked Mateo, despite his poor career choice. He was a few years younger than her but was the sort of guy she might have had a crush on back in her adolescent days. His ethnicity was hard to guess. Some Native blood, some Hispanic. Whatever it was, it mixed well. His tanned skin was flawless, his hair luxurious, his movements graceful as a dancer. His persona was a mystery. How someone could possess lethal combat skills yet retain an almost innocent naivety was beyond her. She wondered what his story was. If she had to guess, he probably spent most of his years isolated from the outside world. Why or how was the question.
A feminine voice buzzed from the speakers. "Looks to me like you come bearing both gifts and burdens. Jinx la Fox is a welcome bounty. But who is the young man with you?"
Cash sighed. "Mateo, this is Deejay. She's the brains of this operation. Deejay, this is Mateo. Our new partner."
A monitor on the wall winked on, displaying the profile of an Asian woman in Goth-style makeup. "Didn't you just say you weren't taking on any more partners?"
"Did I? I don't remember."
"Really?" There was a second's pause before a voice recording played over the com.
"I'm through working with partners and crews. From now on it's just you and me, babe."
Cash raised a wry eyebrow. "Ok, maybe I did say something along those lines. But you didn't see what this kid could do."
"I pieced together footage from your holoband and the cameras in the bar. There's no question that his combat skills are formidable."
"He's a gearhead too. Figure he'll come in handy around here."
Mateo glanced around. "Yeah, there's a lot of projects I can work on. This baby has seen some hard times. You must have just bought it."
"No, I've had it for two years."
"Oh."
Cash led Jinx to a cell in the corner where he locked her inside and removed the manacles when she thrust her arms through the bar slot. He gave her an apologetic look.
"Sorry for the accommodations. Hopefully this won't be for long."
She gave him a cool glance in response, but inwardly she practically squealed with glee. A bounty hunter apologizing for doing his job? This is gonna be easier than I thought. She almost felt sorry for the clown. Until he started messing with her property.
"Okay, let's see. We have the hovercar she parked outside the bar." His eyes practically lit up with dollar signs as he examined the cherry-red, sleek speedster. Twin white vertical stripes were painted across the hood, centered by a black star.
Mateo knelt for a closer look. "Wow, this is a modified Cayenne RGA. Tesla fusion motor with FF boosters, auto-shield for weather and threat protection, and modified with twin plasma rods for offensive firepower. Sweet ride."
She nodded. "Thanks. I'll be needing that back when I get out of here, so don't get a scratch on it."
Cash shook his head. "I don't think you'll need it where you're going. What else we got?"
"Her cy-gear. Not gonna do us any good. I'm sure it's locked and loaded it with all sorts of viruses if anyone tries to use it."
"Yeah, might still have some value. I know a guy at in El Paso who can crack anything." Cash carelessly tos
sed it on a worktable. "Let's see. A transparent jacket because fashion." He chortled at his cleverness. "And this…whatever it is."
She smirked when he held up what she called her Kick-Ass blade, or KA-blade for short. Part gun, part cyber-sword, part all-purpose tool. Obviously, the idiot didn't know what he was looking at. Her smile faded when Mateo took the weapon and expertly hefted it.
"Huh. Kinda like my arcsaber, but bulkier. Looks like a prototype military weapon personally modified with cybernetic enhancements. Gun mode with electric discharge, good for stunning people and disrupting electronics. Retractable mech-blade that doubles as a baton, also with an optional stun mode. Impressive."
She was shocked. He figured all that out in a glance? Maybe he wasn't so naïve after all. His boyish innocence might be all just an act.
Then there was Cash's expression. He looked at Mateo with a fixed grin, but there was a gleam in his eyes. He let Mateo ramble on purpose. To see what he knew. To try and figure him out. It seemed like Cash was smarter than he let on, too. Maybe they were all wearing masks.
Cash rubbed his hands together. "That'll fetch a great price when we hawk it." He grinned at her. "You're just a regular gold mine, aren't you? And we haven't even gotten to your bounty yet. What did Beckett say it was? The size of Texas?"
She answered with a smile of her own. "You know what they say about something being too good to be true, don't you?"
"Yeah, better grab it before someone realizes their mistake."
"That's how the saying goes, idiota."
"It's how my saying goes. Deejay, you contact the sponsor yet?"
"I'm waiting on a response."
"The call didn't go right through?"
"No. The line is completely encrypted. Whoever these people are, they're super careful about traceability."
Cash gave Jinx a wary look. "Huh."
She grinned. "Not too late to let me go and walk away clean. Obviously you boys are over your head. This is a lot of trouble to go through for a little misunderstanding."
"I'll take my chances. Hey Deejay, how about getting us out of here? I want to put as much distance between us and TJ as possible."
"Gotcha."
The Battle-Cat lurched as the thrusters activated, propelling the vehicle into hover mode and moving forward. Jinx grabbed hold of the cell bars to keep from being thrown to the floor.
Mateo placed a hand against the wall for support. "I thought this thing was a floater."
Cash looked wounded. "It is."
"Your gyro drives are off balance. Makes the thrusters all wonky."
"You don't say?"
Mateo grinned. "Don't worry—I can fix it."
Deejay's face flashed on the screen again. "Got a reply."
"Not a live response?"
"Nope. A message."
Her image winked out as the recording played. A red-haired woman in all-black leather stared from the monitor with a severe expression; eyes glinting like emerald chips, lips red as blood.
"Bounty hunters. You have the privilege of speaking to Kelly Crimson, emissary of Selene. Congratulations on the capture of the criminal Jinx la Fox. If you are to collect the reward of five million in bullion, you will deliver her to us at the designated point in the Everglades. I will secure your passage to New Haven where you will deliver your bounty and collect your reward. Failure to deliver will result in severe consequences for you and everyone in your Nimrod squad. You have exactly one week. Call back when you're at the locale."
The screen winked off. Jinx studied Cash, whose response was an exaggerated yawn. But his eyes were too sharp for boredom. She knew he was putting the information together. Figuring things out.
Mateo just looked confused. "Did she just threaten to kill us?"
"Only if we don't deliver, kid. Don't worry; most sponsors make those kinds of veiled threats. Comes with the territory. The real issue is Selene."
"Selene who?"
"That's the thing. If this is the Selene I've heard about, she doesn't need a last name. She's a legend. Some say she's a vampire, that she's lived for ages. Before the Cataclysm. Or that she practices sorcery and talks to wolves. Or that she's a high-profile member of a secret society called Gestalt. Or she runs an underground organization of women operatives called the Gutter Girls. Or all of the above."
He glanced at Jinx. "Well, she obviously wants you pretty bad. Guess you're not gonna tell us what she's like or what you did to get on her bad side."
Jinx gave an offhanded shrug. "What did you say this person's name was?"
"Selene."
Jinx put on her best innocent smile. "Never heard of her before in my life. Must be some kind of mistake."
"Yeah, okay. Have it your way. Hope you still have that smug look when we hand you over. Deejay, set a course for the location Ms. Kelly Crimson sent over."
Her face flickered back on the screen. "Already done. Headed for the Everglades now."
Mateo's face lit up. "The Everglades? That's clear on the other side of the country. Road trip!"
Cash hung his duster on a peg that slid out of the wall. "Yeah, about twenty-three hundred miles. The Battle-Cat can get us there in sixteen hours. Twenty hours tops if you include stops. So even if things get real screwed up, we can still make the deadline no problem. The problem is New Haven."
"Never heard of it."
Cash paused. "You never heard of New Haven?"
"Should I have?"
"Jeez, where did you grow up, kid? New Haven is where you go if you want to be a ghost. It's the only Haven that's off the grid. No one knows where it is. Which means it's either deep underground or underwater in the ocean somewhere. Hell, could even be on the moon. There's all kinds of stories about it, but one thing I know for sure: it's a Nimrod's wet dream come true. Because everyone inside is a fugitive from somewhere. The most wanted men and women in the world, all in one location. That also makes it the deadliest place in the world."
"Wow." Mateo glanced at Jinx. "Wait—so does that mean you were there once? Is that how you got a five-mil bounty on your head?"
She gave him a scornful look. "New Haven? That's just a story. You guys are gonna be mighty disappointed when you find out you're going all the way to the Glades for nada."
Cash clapped Mateo on the back. "Forget it, kid. You're not getting anything out of her. Let's head to the front. I got a little nook with a pull-out bed that's all yours. If you fix the toilet, that is."
Their voices faded as the door shut behind them. Jinx exhaled, dropping her forehead against the metal bars of the cell. The sensation of claustrophobia closed in as the main lights clicked off, leaving a single corner light to illuminate the hangar.
New Haven. I can't go back there.
The gambit in New Haven was the worst mistake on a pile of bad mistakes, and she'd been on the run ever since. Selene was relentless, her influence widespread, her agents everywhere. And with the bounty out, Jinx hadn't gotten a moment's rest no matter where she went.
Could be worse. At least you ended up here with these dummies.
She didn’t know what their story was, but Cash and Mateo seemed to be pretty bad at their jobs. Of the crew, only Deejay seemed to have an ounce of intelligence. And if Jinx's hunch was correct, Deejay wasn't even human. She was just a program, and Jinx knew programs like no one else.
She lay back on the hard, uncomfortable cot and ran her fingers through her thick, curly Afro, pausing when she touched the small comb planted near the scalp. Made entirely of non-metallic alloy, it passed the security scanners undetected. But it could be broken down into lockpicks and a microdrive that carried her best jacking programs. She'd free herself, crash the transport's systems, reclaim her property and leave Cash and his crew in the dust. She had to do it in less than twenty hours, but she felt pretty good about her chances.
I'll play along until we get away from TJ. This clown is bound to make a stop somewhere. And when he does, it will be adiós, idiotas.
A scraping sound interrupted her thoughts. She edged backward when a metal panel on the floor moved, slowly raising. A silhouetted head followed, one eye flashing when the light struck it.
Jinx inched as close as the cell bars allowed, squinting at the shadowed figure. "Who the hell are you?"
Chapter 4
"We have a problem, Cash."
The nook kitchen was tiny, barely enough room for Cash to move around. The microstove and fridge took most of the room, with a small round table filling out the remainder. He paused in the act of biting into a roast beef sandwich to glance at the wall monitor, where Deejay's face was displayed.
"Problem? We're finally on a streak of luck for the first time in months. I picked up a partner I might be able to work with and a bounty head worth five mil. Don't jinx that now, Deejay."
"I saw what you did there. Cute, but I'm serious."
He groaned. "What is it now? Someone tailing us? Is it Beckett? The feds? We paid the entry fee in TJ, right? I swear if we gotta bribe one more overzealous uniform I'm gonna—"
"We're overweight."
He slapped a hand against his taut stomach. "No way. I may have a few bad habits, but overeating ain't one of them."
"I'm talking about the Battle-Cat. I just ran a security scan. Compensating for our guests and the additional gear, we're still around one hundred sixty-seven pounds over."
"Run the numbers again."
She gave him a warning look. "I did. Same result."
"Well, how is that possible? You'd know if we had a stowaway. There's no way someone could sneak on undetected unless…"
"Unless what?"
He didn't answer, already moving. Snatching his handgun from the counter, he dashed out the door and down the hall to the cargo bay. The lights clicked on as he entered. Jinx was still in her cell, sitting up when he barged in. She gave him a deviously amused smile.
"Que lo que, Nimrod. You lose something?"
He ignored her, staring at the panel on the floor. It revealed the smuggler's hatch underneath. Empty, but someone had definitely been inside. He rotated in a circle, sweeping the room with his FN57. Nothing but tarp-covered crates and vehicles. No one was visible.
Nimrod Squad Page 4
