Nimrod Squad

by Bard Constantine

  "You're dying, Agent Hessler."

  Hessler's fingers trembled as he focused on the effort of tapping the keyboard. "Not…before I…finish the mission…sir."

  "I'm activating your medical reserve."

  My what?

  His heart nearly exploded, chest flashing from icy cold to blazing hot. He slipped and collapsed on the floor, doubling over in pain. Something was alive inside of him, a hive of insects swarming in his bloodstream. Nanobots, reserved for Special Agents on the verge of death. They unleashed a wound healing cascade; accelerating his cells, rebuilding his collagen framework. It was the first time he'd ever needed an emergency procedure; he'd forgotten about the installation he'd received when reaching Special status. Somehow the healing felt even worse than the injury.

  Gasping, he pulled himself up. His limbs shuddered with the exertion, but he seemed slightly less dead. "Thank you, sir."

  "Later, Agent Hessler. Listen to me carefully. Kilgore somehow absorbed aberrant energy on Mars, giving him his abilities."

  "Aberrant?" Hessler shook his head, fighting off a wave of dizziness. "That's the…energy that caused the Cataclysm."

  "Correct. At one point, thousands of individuals possessed such powers. Every Haven has a defensive system installed in case of a resurgence of such beings. You need to activate it."

  Hessler's eyelids drooped as he stared at the flood of data scrolling across multiple screens. The quick-healing process required lengthy recovery, requiring him to fight his body's efforts to shut down. "How do I do that? I don't even know what I’m looking at right now."

  "Focus, Agent Hessler. This might be our only shot at taking Kilgore down. Use the resources available. Your newfound allies can assist you. Shut down the force shield, activate the aberrant-suppressant system. Those are your orders."

  Lynch's profile disappeared from the screen, but Hessler wasn't fooled. He was still watching. Always watching. Hessler tapped the datcom in his ear. "Come in, Jinx."

  Her voice buzzed over. "I heard the conversation. I still have remote access to the system. Working with Deejay on shutting down the shielding. And helping Cash get into the Maximillian building. And getting access to the anti-aberrant controls. And cloning myself to do all of this at once."

  Hessler slumped forward, nearly blacking out. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself away from the desk. "Whatever you can do, do it fast. I don't think Mateo can old off Kilgore much longer."

  $$

  The city was in chaos. Alarms blared, squads of soldiers clashed with one another. Cash and Happy darted between the brightly lit buildings, trying to avoid being pulled into the conflict. When they arrived at Maximillian Tower, they could only stare in marvel at the liquid-metal surface of the building. Mysterious, gleaming, and completely sealed.

  "This place reminds me of a story I read as a child," Happy said. "A city of glass and diamond-coated dreams. Full of beautiful, graceful beings who entertained children that wandered inside. But underneath, the city was full of hideous monsters who enslaved the children the beautiful beings gave to them."

  "Nice," Cash said. "Guess that makes us the children?"

  Happy checked the setting on her rifle blaster. "Nope. We're the ones that kill the monsters."

  "You still got your mind set on going against Kilgore?"

  "Yes."

  "What did he do to you?"

  "I trusted him. And be betrayed that trust. He gave me to the monsters. And I'll never forgive him for that."

  "Fair enough." Cash tapped on the datcom. "Jinx, whenever you get a chance. Not like we're about to be shot down by some rogue squadron or anything."

  "Tu si eres baboso, Cash. But I got you. Entrance to a private lift. Should take you right to the command center."

  A portion of the liquid surface slid open, revealing the glass elevator.

  "Gracias, Jinx. Never doubted you for a second."

  The elevator began its ascent as soon as they boarded. Jinx buzzed in his ear. "Okay, guys. We're on the clock now. I just dismantled the force shield. United Havens army is on the way."

  "You did what?"

  "Hey—this place is a powder keg. And it's Hessler's mission. He took a few bullets for this."

  "Yeah? Is he still alive?"

  "For now. But we have to get Kilgore out in the open."

  "Why?"

  "It's the only way the suppressants will work. If he's enclosed, it's a no-go. I think I can lure him out. He's been after something this whole time. He orchestrated all of this just to get the information. If he thinks we have it, then he'll pursue. I can crack through to his datcom and get him to chase me."

  Happy tapped her com. "No, Jinx. He'll kill you. Give me the info and patch me through. I'll be the bait."

  "Are you sure? I'm in the Cayenne. Protected."

  "Doesn't matter. He'll just shoot you down. Trust me, Jinx. I can take him out. I need to be the one who takes him out."

  Jinx sighed. "Okay, Happy. Buena suerte."

  A hard smile touched Happy's scarred lips. "He's the one in need of luck."

  $$

  Kilgore was impressed. The boy was better than he expected. Lightning quick strikes put Kilgore on the defensive. With his leg hampered, he was a touch slower than normal. Mateo seemed to recognize that, driving his attacks toward Kilgore's injury. Forcing him to retreat. Kilgore was patient, warding off the attacks and answering with an occasional counterstrike. He knew it was only a matter of time before Mateo's adrenaline was spent. The Rush was perfect for overwhelming attacks, but not for a drawn-out battle.

  A voice buzzed in his ear.

  "Hello, Kilgore."

  He ignored the woman. It was a trick to distract him. One of Mateo's cohorts. Grinning, he redoubled his attack; a flurry of short punches that drove Mateo back.

  "Do you want to talk about Merlin, Kilgore?"

  Heart pounding, he froze so suddenly that Mateo stumbled backward, off balance. Kilgore ignored him, placing two fingers on his datcom.

  "Who is this?"

  "An old friend. We should get reacquainted. Top of the Maximillian Tower. Now."

  The caller clicked off. Mateo rushed toward Kilgore, fists flying.

  Kilgore spun, hand flashing with light. The Five-Seven pistol appeared. His other hand streaked forward, throttling Mateo with a strike to the throat. Mateo gurgled, dropping to one knee. A smile spread across Kilgore's face. "A tad too slow, boy. The Rush only lasts so long before it dies out. Just like you."

  Mateo's body jerked when Kilgore shot him twice in the chest, then aimed for the head. He paused.

  Agony exploded when a bullet tore through his shoulder, spinning him around. Agent Hessler leaned over a computer desk, Agent Chen's pistol in his fist.

  Kilgore dropped to the floor, sliding to avoid Agent Hessler's following shots. Firing back, he ran for the door and kicked it open, stumbling outside. Red-cloaked soldiers ran back and forth, shouting and shooting at one another. They never noticed as he staggered along, clutching his wounded shoulder. Fires roared from nearby buildings, and smoke fanned across the air.

  The wind kicked up from a red-painted aerial vehicle directly above, descending for a landing. Reinforcements. Kilgore dropped to one knee, fist planted against the ground. Envisioning the Maximillian Tower, he focused the charge. Electricity crackled, and blinding light flashed around him.

  $$

  Jinx landed the Cayenne, completely stunned at witnessing Kilgore vanish in a flash of flickering light. Leaping out of the vehicle, she ran inside the Reservatory. For a moment she was shocked once more. She had only heard reports of Maximillian's famous intelligence center. The colossal Core Sphere, glimmering with tantalizing mystery; the source of Maximillian's data and technological prowess. Thousands of data points waiting to be infiltrated, the gates of digital heaven for someone like her.

  Her moment of euphoria shattered when she saw Mateo lying on the floor.

  Agent Hessler staggered over, face haggar
d. "Kilgore. Where is he?"

  She ignored him, running to Mateo and dropping down to examine him. She nearly screamed when he suddenly sat upright.

  "Ey pipo, Mateo! what the hell?"

  He opened his jacket, revealing the cyber-suit underneath. She recognized it from the bar in Tijuana, one of the suits the mercenaries left behind.

  He smiled. "Sorry, Jinx. I think I fell asleep."

  "You fell asleep? After getting shot?"

  His mouth stretched in a wide yawn. "It's the Rush. Drains my energy."

  "Tell me about it later, chulo. Come on." She helped him to his feet, draping his arm over her shoulder. "Hessler, will you be okay? I only have room for two in the Cayenne."

  He waved her onward. "I'll blend in until reinforcements get here. Go on, get out of here and activate that suppression system. Or Kilgore gets away clean."

  "He'll do more than that. He'll kill Happy if we don't stop him," Jinx said, tapping her datcom. "Deejay?"

  "I'm in. Activating the system now."

  Outside, rain poured down as if conjured by magic, a steady downpour that pounded the streets. Supporting Mateo, Jinx yanked her hood over her hair and walked into the downpour, headed for the Cayenne. Mateo stared at the rain in wonder.

  "It's sparkling."

  Jinx paused for a second to look. Mateo was right. The water glimmered as if charged with static electricity, sparkling in the light like liquid diamonds. Nanomachines, interacting through the raindrops. Creating a dampening shield. Cutting off the source of Kilgore's mysterious power.

  She looked up at the Maximillian Tower. "Okay, Happy. It's up to you, now."

  $$

  Happy looked down at General Hamilton's corpse. "Guess that's it, huh?"

  Cash stared, completely crushed. "Dead."

  They stood in Maximillian's command center, helmets removed. The city glimmered around them, the carnage below nearly invisible from the height of their vantage point. Hamilton lay on the floor in front of them, sightless eyes staring into the beyond.

  "Yeah, he's dead all right."

  "But…we did everything right. We beat the odds to make it up here."

  "Can't count on all the chips falling in place in an op like this, Cash. It's a wonder we're still in one piece."

  "Yeah, but…" He gestured helplessly. "Dead."

  "Yeah."

  "We don't get paid if he's dead."

  "I know. Sucks, but what can you do?"

  An outbreak of rain broke outside as if a storm appeared from nowhere. Water streamed down the windows, blurring the majestic view of city lights. There was something off about it. It…glimmered.

  "Come on, Cash. I gotta get to the top of the building."

  He stared at the body, fists clenching and unclenching. "Go on without me."

  She paused, turning around. "What?"

  "You heard me. It's over. Time to clock out. I got places to be. You can come with us if you want. But we're outta here right now."

  "So that's just it? You're going to turn tail and run?"

  His head snapped up, eyes blazing. "As opposed to what? Fighting some super-soldier for the fun of it? You said something to me earlier. About how I kept chasing after you like a cop. Well, you're chasing after this guy like an Agent. You have to complete your mission, don't you? Well, what's in it for me? Nothing, that's what! I had everything going for me until you showed up."

  Her mouth twisted. "Oh, like you needed convincing. I'm the one who voted against coming here, remember? All you could think about is your big payday. Always you all the time. You don't know the meaning of teamwork at all. The definition of camaraderie."

  He stalked toward her, jabbing an accusing finger. "You mean like your team? The one who set you up, gave you to the monsters? I learned the hard way not to trust anyone. No one. Just me! Maybe you should learn the same lesson before you lose more body parts."

  Her jaw trembled. "Yeah, maybe I do. Go on, slink back to your beat-up transport and your electronic girlfriend. I'm better off on my own."

  His mouth worked, eyes wide in outrage. "That's my line, by the way. Eh, forget it—I'm outta here."

  "Then go."

  "I'm leaving. And not because you told me too. Because I want to."

  She shook her head, watching him storm out of the room. Exhaling a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and headed up the stairs to the rooftop.

  When she opened the outside door, Kilgore waited for her.

  He stood in the pouring rain, still as a statue. She moved forward cautiously, rifle raised. Looking him over, assessing strengths and weaknesses. The way he stood, as if one leg bothered him. The bullet wound in his bare shoulder, weeping blood that mixed with rain and dripped from his fingertips. The snarling grin fixed on his face. He looked the same as when she last saw him. Only his hair color had changed—from jet black to white as snow.

  He tilted his head. "Max. I have to admit that I'm surprised. Of all the enemies in my past to expect, a dead woman wasn't at the top of my list."

  She circled to the side, flanking him. He didn't turn, didn't acknowledge her movement. The rain fell like shattered glass from a crystalized ceiling, glinting in rainbow flashes.

  "You look pretty alive yourself. But you weren't dead at all, were you? You were just on Mars."

  "What better way to begin a new life? And what a life it's turned out to be."

  "You don't know a life outside of murder and torture, Ethan."

  "Ethan died two deaths. Once on Earth, another on Mars. It's Beowulf now."

  "A hero's name. You're not worthy."

  "Hero, villain. Two sides of the same coin. All that matters is whose side he's on. If you've seen what I have, your perspective might be different."

  She clenched her prosthetic fist. "This is my perspective. You betrayed me, Ethan. And I'm going to kill you for it."

  His leg blurred, kicking the rifle from her hand. It skidded across the rain-slicked rooftop. Never stopping, he drove a knee into her stomach, followed by an elbow to the back of her head. She slammed into the ground; dots flecking across her vision, the wind knocked from her lungs.

  He knelt, seized a handful of her hair and yanked her head back. "Petty revenge. Is that all that's been driving you since that day? Do you see us when you close your eyes, Max? Natalie, with her blades and smiles? Mike, frozen in fear and self-loathing? Doing nothing while we cut you to little tiny pieces?"

  She glared at him; teeth clamped together. "I see all of you. Every night. Your faces in the crosshairs of my sniper rifle."

  He smashed her face into the ground. Pain exploded, turning her vision into a blurry haze. His voice distorted as her consciousness flickered.

  "Do you know what I see every night, Max? Dead faces, protruding from the red sands of Mars. All the people I've killed in my years. Men, women. Children. Their eyes blackened by death; faces purple, tongues protruding. And in the distance is the gateway. The mouth of the demon, gaping wide and vomiting every sort of terror into the world. And I know. I know that my dark deeds are nothing in the face of the apocalypse to come."

  She raised her face, blood dripping from her busted lip. "So, you're crazy. Welcome to the party."

  Her bionic fist fired from her wrist with a popping sound. It struck him in the chest, sending him flying across the rooftop. He skidded until he hit the railing, where he groaned, arm drifting to his armored vest. He raised his other hand. Blue light sparked…then faded out. A surprised look flashed across his face.

  She smiled, pushing back a lock of sodden hair as her fist glided back and snapped into her wrist. "Surprised? The Havens are prepared for your kind, Ethan. Whatever powers you had are useless now."

  He grimaced, pushing himself to his feet. "I don't need powers to kill you, Max. You can't stop me. I still have a destiny beyond your silly grievances. You've been focused on what happened to you all of this time, but to me it was nothing. Inconsequential. I barely remember it."

  "I'll jog
your memory."

  She ran forward and leaped, punching his injured shoulder with her metallic arm. He grunted, counterattacking with a jab to her clavicle. Something cracked. She ignored it, striking once, twice into the same spot, buckling him to one knee. Roaring, he seized her and hoisted, lifting her off the ground and hurling her through the air. She landed on her back, sliding across the slick surface. Snatching her handgun from the holster, she fired repeatedly.

  Kilgore anticipated each shot, weaving and whirling to avoid the rounds as he advanced. When the magazine was spent, she leaped to her feet, using the gun as a club. He blocked a blow to the head, answered with a jab to her face, fist striking the metal plate underneath her eye with a ringing sound. She answered with a left cross to his jaw, staggering him. She followed with two quick blows to the head with the gun before he seized her wrist and twisted, forcing her to drop the weapon.

  A kick to his injured leg nearly floored him. He grabbed the straps on her vest for support and slammed his head into her face. She stumbled backward, blurry-eyed and gasping from the pain of her broken nose. They both staggered, off balance. She swung her metal fist, half-blind. He caught it and pulled, hooking his other arm under her elbow. A wolfish smile flashed across his face.

  Then he yanked her am down, tearing it off at the elbow joint with a terrible rending sound.

  She cried out, feeling pain that she knew wasn't real. But she felt it anyway, falling to her knees and staring at her ruined arm. Artificial tendons and wires dangled like torn flesh, blue fluid dripped like blood.

  He seized her by the throat, asphyxiating her. "Now tell me, what do you know about Merlin? Who else knows? Tell me, and you live. Time's running out."

  "It's…just a name," she gasped. "Hacked from the search…Sergeant Chen ran. Data was…eliminated when she…wiped the system. Just…needed bait to get…you up here."

  She gasped, coughing and wheezing when he released her. She didn't even see the kick coming until too late when it slammed against the side of her head. The lights flickered, the rain sparkled as she took an eternity to slam against the wet ground.