Fugitives (The Silent Wars Book 2), page 19
Getting gingerly to his feet, Eli saluted. “Let’s do this for Jess. For everyone who died today.”
“For Jess and everyone,” Colter said.
Jade nodded and helped Ley to her feet, holding her steady while she dressed.
Clipping his weapons belt around his waist, Eli was beginning to feel the strength flood back into his muscles. He took a step. His equilibrium swayed and he stumbled forwards.
Nox stayed by his side, keeping his body against Eli’s legs from one side while Colter helped from the other. Eli wrapped his left arm around his friend and his right around Ley.
“That sucked,” Ley commented.
“Just a bit. Zapata, the sadistic asshole, was taunting me the whole time over the comms. Could you hear anything?”
“Inky blackness. No sound. I think I screamed up my lungs and nearly shit in the suit when Jade pulled me to the ground.”
A rumbling boom sounded out, shutting off any more conversation. The group, with Nox leading, shuffled into the next vast room.
This one housed a second series of huge crushing machines. Five conveyor belts fed three stamping machines. They made a whooshing sound as they reached the apex of their cycle and dropped the ore using the force of gravity. Normally, large pieces of rock were on the belt. Because of the battle, they were empty.
Colter shut off the main belt, and waited until the huge stamper was at the top, then gestured for everyone to crawl through. It was tough going on his knees, but Eli managed by focusing on Ley and Nox in front of him. Once they were all through, Colter turned on the machine and destroyed the shutoff switch with his taser pistol.
After the stampers were five massive steel rollers with teeth. There was no safe way through those, so Colter led them to the workers’ cabins to one side and pointed down the steps leading to the next level. Dozens of shots rang out and bullets smacked into the metal cladding of the cabin, causing Colter to flinch. Eli grabbed his hand and gestured down the stairs.
Looking over his shoulder, Eli checked that Zapata was following. He stood beside two mercs in the cabin they had just left. Eli flipped him the middle finger and climbed onto the last conveyor belt. This one fed the ore carts that took the crushed rock and minerals to the refinery. For his next surprise, he needed the former commander to follow.
He was banking on the Zapata’s arrogance and pride getting in the way. Instead of ordering all his tanks to bring down the ore-crushing plant like a normal person, Zapata had to kill the trio personally.
Ley was waiting for Eli next to the giant water tanks that were used to wash the ore. “Ready?”
“I am.” Eli crouched next to Nox, fitted his pony bottle onto his muzzle, and checked it twice before ruffling the dog’s ears. Jade and Colter climbed into the tank with their own breathing apparatus on. Then Colter cradled Nox.
“Everything set?” Eli asked.
“Ready,” Jade said.
Ley paused before hopping into the tank.
“Hurry,” Colter said.
“Don’t try to beat him, okay?” Ley said, quickly embracing Eli.
“I won’t.”
“Don’t.” Ley blew him a kiss and dived under the surface.
Earlier, they had reversed the flow of the pipes. They now exited on the Donker River. After that, it was a straight shot to gates 3, 4 and 5.
Pivoting, Eli picked up his backpack and dropped it in the tank as mercs burst from the stairs. He raised his hands and slowly walked up the gangway over the tank. As he walked, he reached into his pocket and pressed his thumb to his commpad. It vibrated under his touch, alerting him that the countdown had started. More mercs and The Nine soldiers streamed into the room, fifteen in all.
Once they had Eli surrounded, rifles trained on him, Zapata strode onto the gangway. Stopping two metres away, he drew his sidearm and shot Eli in the left thigh. Pain exploded up his spine and Eli swayed, dropping to his good knee. He winced from the pain. It seemed to balloon out from the entry wound. Blood pumped from the hole in his leg and dripped to the floor.
“No more games, Miller. I’m going to enjoy this.” The former commander whipped the pistol across Eli’s face, splitting his lip. It took all his self-control to obey Ley’s words. He wanted to release every single drop of rage and anger he had towards the Echo. His commpad vibrated again in his pocket.
Eli pushed off his good knee and shoulder-charged Zapata. The Echo staggered back and tumbled down the stairs. Eli didn’t wait around to see if he got back on his feet. He fell into the water as all fifteen rifles barked to life, and kicked for the bottom. Already, the current tugged at him. Eli flipped onto his back. Bullets whizzed into the water where he had been, then a bright white light engulfed the space. He was yanked through the pipe and closed his eyes.
Lincoln was gone. It was nothing but a memory now. It had been his home for thirty-five years and existed for over one hundred and fifty. Destroyed in less than a day by a madman wanting to find the body of a woman who’d been dead for over three hundred years. Insanity.
CHAPTER 17
Port of San Francisco.
United Countries of America.
Lines of people filed into a massive sorting area, funnelled by fences to be loaded onto the various ships. Large haloscreens hovered above each line, announcing the destinations.
Moray
Anderson
Anvil
Clyde
Guam
Marshall
Grant
King
Lewis
Uniformed guards watched everything with cold, hard eyes. The workers all wore the same red coveralls as Kora, and when she looked closer, she saw they wore the wrist device too.
“Observe what they do,” Rose said. “Do the same, and don’t look the guards in the eye.”
“Got it.” A flutter of panic passed through her. Even saying the words turned her anxiety up to twenty.
Agnes led them down a wide flight of stairs and into the line for Lewis. She filed in behind the last worker, and Kora followed her every move. She desperately wanted to look around and get a real sense of the operation. It seemed to her that most of the workers were Gnats. Their skin was different, somehow. Like it was natural. It had blemishes. Freckles and scars. Lived in.
Shuffling forwards, Kora concentrated on keeping her breath calm and eyes focused on Agnes’ back. No one talked. Everyone kept their eyes down.
Despite the number of people, the line moved quickly. Kora watched as the worker in front of Agnes had his turn. He waited until a green light flashed, then strode forwards to stand on two yellow feet shapes painted on the ground. He lifted his head and looked directly into a bright light. Once it flashed green, he held the watch up to a small screen. It beeped, and the gates blocking his path folded back.
A commotion broke out in the next line just as Agnes moved forwards. Voices rose as a woman started screaming. “I’m fit to work! Let me through!”
“Get out of the line and assume the position,” the line’s guard ordered.
“I’m fit!”
“Assume the position. I’m not going to warn you again.”
Drones whizzed out from the ceiling and circled over the woman’s head.
“I’m fit, you daft wee kint!”
One drone nipped in and zapped the woman. She instantly went rigid and collapsed. A group of white coverall-wearing workers raced over and dragged the unconscious woman away. The line moved up and carried on as if nothing had happened.
When Kora turned around, she realised the guard was talking to her. “You. Hurry up!” Moving forwards, Kora got flustered and held up her watch first.
“Face recognition first. Stupid fucking Gnat. Goddamn, I swear you get dumber every generation.”
Kora stepped onto the yellow feet shapes and lifted her head. Nothing happened. No green flash or beep. She risked glancing at the guard. He was frowning at something only he could see. Before Kora could comprehend what was going on, another guard joined the first. Together, they stood in front of her.
“Follow me,” the new guard said.
Kora wanted to fire a hundred questions at the guard, but after what she had seen happen to the woman in the other line, she decided to comply. Agnes and Rose both ignored her and carried on.
The new guard led her to a long corridor with several doors leading off it. He opened the first door and pointed at one of two chairs in the room. “Sit. Someone will be with you shortly.”
Taking a look around the room before she did, she noticed the table between the chairs was chipped and dinged with scratches. The grey coating had rubbed off where people had rested their elbows and hands. The walls were painted a stark white colour that seemed to reflect the light shining from above. Probably for the cameras, of which there was one in each corner of the room.
Minutes passed. No one came. Kora sat where she was ordered to and rested her hands in her lap. She shut her eyes and brought the image of Memorial Lake into her mind’s eye. In her teenage years, she had always loved to sit at one of the viewpoints and watch funerals. The thousands of lanterns floating over the lake, twirling in the currents, made a beautiful sight. Death for the citizens of Lincoln, though tragic, was a time for thanks, because that person still contributed to the community. She visualised the lanterns ebbing and flowing, relaxing her racing mind.
“Doug?”
“I’m here, Kora.”
“What’s going to happen?”
“I do not know. I have nothing in my files about this place.”
“Can you at least guess?”
“Guessing isn’t in my programming.”
“Um.” Kora struggled to think of a way to rephrase her question. “Um, Your conclusion or whatever?”
“I conclude that you will be questioned by company security. Wey Mining Corp, to be precise.”
The door opened so suddenly, Kora flinched. A woman with straight platinum blonde hair stared at her with obsidian eyes. She kept looking, as if deciding what to do, while she scraped the chair out. The sound echoed off the walls.
“Inspector Penhor. Please state your name, residence and assignment.”
“K… Okay, but I don’t understand why I’m here.” Kora had nearly stuffed up.
Penhor stared, staying silent.
“Rita Barret. Boise, Idaho. Driver.”
“Parents?”
“Deceased.”
“Sector?”
“Lewis.”
Penhor leant forwards. “Now, that is interesting. No drivers needed on Lewis. Do you know why?”
Keeping her face free of expression, Kora shrugged. “I don’t ask. I just go where they tell me.”
Working in The Crow’s Nest the last few years, Kora had overheard plenty of rock hoppers, blasters and drillers talking. They had a way of speaking. More an attitude than anything. Like they had accepted their lot in life long ago and made peace with it.
“That is also interesting. There is no record of your work order in the company system. Commpad.”
Kora handed it over, praying Agnes had been thorough enough. Surely, she had been? Or was this all a game to them? Her gut told her they were genuine, but she had thought the same about Simon. Manipulative asshole.
Penhor used her large commpad to transfer the data off Kora’s, then placed it on the table. “Well, you have the work order. Everything is where it should be.”
“So, I can go? I don’t want to miss the boat. I got credits to earn, and every minute I’m in here because of some company glitch is costing me.” Kora pushed back the chair.
“Stay. I didn’t say you could go.”
Throwing her hands in the air in annoyance, Kora picked at the table.
“Now. Correct me if I’m wrong. You received the work order yesterday at 1800 hours?”
“Something like that.”
“But Transit has no record of you travelling from Boise.”
“I was staying here in the city with a friend.”
“I see,” Penhor said, and exited the room.
Kora wanted to talk to Doug again and hear his monotone voice, but feared everything was being recorded now. It probably was before too. Penhor hadn’t indicated anything.
The door swung open again. Glancing up, Kora flinched. Framed by the brilliant white light was Helstrop, his porcelain-like skin shining nearly as brightly as the walls.
“Hello, Kora.” Helstrop gestured to someone out of sight and sat down. “Miss me?”
She was so stunned by his sudden appearance, she didn’t know what to say. She had witnessed what this Echo was capable of. He regarded Gnats like her as nothing more than a tool to be used in his studies. All she was useful for was her DNA.
“Nothing to say? Well, let me continue, then. One moment.” Helstrop came around the table and removed the small device from her ear, dropped it, and crushed it under his boot. “Doug is my AI, you see? At first, I was extremely upset when you escaped. I took it out on poor Muriel.” Helstrop waved his hand. An image from his commpad appeared on the wall. Kora thought it was a life-like statue until the camera zoomed in closer. Muriel. Flayed. Her muscles, bones, and nervous system exposed. It was too much for Kora to bear. She had begged Muriel to help her escape. The servant had turned her down time and time again. Kora was nothing if not stubborn. She had worn Muriel down until she had agreed. Now she was dead, her remains desecrated by a lunatic.
“Like it? It’s a process called Plastination. The water is taken out of the cells. Acetone and epoxy resin replace it, leaving the specimen perfectly preserved.” Helstrop waved his hand again. The camera panned backwards, showing where the body was displayed: the servant quarters.
“Why?” Kora said. She had two beings to mourn now. Muriel and Doug. She felt a pang of guilt for the AI, and hoped he was still alive on a hard drive somewhere.
“Gnats, it has become apparent, don’t seem to be able to grasp even the simplest rules, so we have to make sure you remember who is in charge. Whom you serve. We allow you to breed naturally, as disgusting as that is. We give you jobs. Feed you. Health care. And we are repaid by betrayal and disobedience.”
“Maybe, dumbass, because we would prefer freedom than live under the boot of another.”
“Ha,” Helstrop snorted.
A new image appeared on the wall.
Kora recognised her parents and brother instantly. It was five years since her mother had been reassigned. Longer for her father and brother. Five years since she had spoken to her mother, held her and enjoyed her company. Her family were strapped to gurneys around a central cylinder, unconscious.
“Getting hold of your family was expensive, but I hope it will be worth the outlay. If you do as I ask, to the letter, your father, mother and brother will not end up like poor Muriel.”
Dropping her head, Kora muttered, “Fine. Whatever. What do you want?”
“Ah. That is the spirit, my dear girl. I can see you think that I am a monster. I would rather not do things this way, but you and others who conspire against me have forced my hand. Remember your friend Simon?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Feeling betrayed, huh?”
“A little, yeah.”
“Good. Focus on that and atone for your naivete.”
A new image popped up on the wall. Two photos side by side. Kora knew the subjects of both: Simon, wearing the Kabuki mask, and Commander Zapata. The two images slowly overlaid each other. They fitted perfectly. Everything was the same except the mask. They were the same man. Simon was Zapata.
“Is this for real?” Kora asked.
“Yes. I am embarrassed to say this, but we were tricked by the same man. You knew him as Simon, the enigmatic leader of The Nine. To most, he was Commander Zapata. And thanks to some new intel I received, I now know he is after the same holy grail I am.”
Kora zoned out. Helstrop was talking about a lot of stuff she had trouble keeping up with. And, more to the point, didn’t care about. “Can I see my family again?”
The wall changed back to the image of her father, mother, and brother, lying unconscious around the strange cylinder contraption. Tubes extended out from it and lay next to her family. In the background were dozens of shiny instruments — saws, scalpels, forceps. It was clear that Kora had no other options available.
“I have spent the last few days arranging a critical operation. All you have to do, Kora, is to send me regular updates of your progress.”
“Progress?”
“I know it is confusing. It will become clear. My intel is good. If you comply, you and your family will be together again.” Helstrop took her commpad off the table and typed something before handing it to Kora. “My contact is stored under Family to remind you. Now. Details. Ah yes. Zapata and others are looking for someone. The hunt is on, as they say. Join your friends on the hunt, Kora, and report. Understood?”
“Not really.”
“Your friend Miller.”
Shrugging, Kora said, “What hunt? Who are Zapata and Eli looking for?”
“It doesn’t matter. Keep your mouth shut and report in.”
Glancing at the image of her unconscious family again, Kora nodded.
Helstrop turned his commpad so that it faced her. He pressed his thumbprint on the screen under a short paragraph. Kora quickly read it. It was a simple contract stating that he, Helstrop, would release her family on the completion of her task.
She added her thumbprint and stood. “So, I’m a spy?”
“If putting a label on it helps, sure.”
Helstrop knocked on the door, and left as soon as it was opened, without another word. Penhor returned and gestured for Kora to follow her. She walked briskly down a long, tiled corridor adorned with paintings. Some were beautiful landscapes. Forests and oceans. Others showed scenes of long ago. Farmers using strange machines being pulled by horses.
After going through dozens of locked doors, Penhor shoved Kora outside and gestured to a ship with the name Vera Lynne. “Hurry, Gnat. Ship’s been waiting.”
Rose found her in the passenger lounge. “You okay?”
“Thought we had lost you, kid,” Agnes said.
