Armageddon, page 4
part #9 of Col Sec Series
“I’ve heard about you Wayne, I was warned this might happen,” Boerkamp started with a glare that was unreadable. “I tell you what, how about a few days R and R, how does that sound?” he finished.
Guardian glanced across at his friend and teammate giving him the glare that guaranteed to shut him up then said, “That sounds generous, sir, we accept.”
“Hey, my Dad always said if you don’t ask you don’t get,” Cowboy said before the Colonel could add anything.
“Okay then, I suggest you ‘get’ out of my office then before I change my mind,” Boerkamp said sitting back down behind his desk looking down to hide his smile.
Guardian turned around and led his team out through the door.
“That went better than I expected,” Hellcat admitted as she breathed a little easier.
“Yes it did. That doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet though,” Guardian warned, his brows coming down.
“I know that look,” Hacker said, “I’ve seen it before. You don’t think we’ve finished with this, do you?” he asked.
Guardian looked at him shaking his head.
“Like Hellcat suggested, we got off easy on Potera, too easy. Whoever set that up I think is just getting started. This isn’t over yet, there’s more to come.”
“In that case I suggest we get started on our R and R before the shit hits the fan big time,” Cowboy said dismissing the warning.
Guardian looked at them, they all seemed none too disturbed by his warning and he knew why. They had seen it all before. He also knew that as Cowboy had warned that when the shit did hit the fan he didn’t want anyone other than his team with him. They would face the challenge together, as they always had, as a team, and they would prevail.
Armageddon
PROLOGUE
New San Francisco, Cordoba
As he looked out of the window over the city below, Jonas Haskin knew his life would end soon. He didn’t know how or when, or even where, he just knew because of his recent actions it would be soon.
He always loved this view so he thought it fitting he take as much of it in as he could in the time he had left.
The city was a sprawling metropolis that covered almost half the planet. It was the hub of commerce in this sector of the galaxy and he had made his home here. Going back generations, his family had been heavily invested in the business world; it was after all what ran the galaxy. Without business there would be no expansion, no growth or wealth, and wealth and power had always been his family’s purpose in life.
Because of his privileged upbringing he had been given the finest education, the finest homes in the galaxy were his and he also had a plethora of servants who tended to his every need and yet he had always yearned for more.
His father, Haskins senior, had blamed himself for his son’s wanton lifestyle, for not being tough enough with him when it had mattered. His nights out around the hotspots with a bevy of hangers-on hoping for some notoriety by just being with him, were legendary and only his father’s influence kept them from public scrutiny. He had always wanted more and the induction into the real business his family was involved in was a means to bring him into the fold and give him his much-needed purpose.
Being the son he was though, he was not about to be told what to do and one ill thought out plan had led him to this day.
He turned his head slightly as the soft whoosh alerted him to the opening of a door.
Fear bloomed inside him as he turned slowly, desperately trying to remain calm. Standing just inside the doorway was a mountain of a man. Standing at least six feet four tall he had massive shoulders, thick arms and legs and a head the size of a boulder.
“Marek, what can I do for you?” he asked, his voice catching in his throat. There was only one reason this person was here; he was well known as a fixer by the families. When a situation developed that might cause concern for them, Marek handled it and the situation invariably went away.
“I think you know why I’m here,” Marek said, his deep bass voice booming like the toll of the death knell.
“I have an idea.”
“Then you know that they cannot allow your indiscretion to pass unpunished.”
Jonas turned fully to glare at him, fear being replaced by anger.
“Let’s not be hypocritical about this, let’s call it what it is. You’re here to kill me; why else would you be here. If I were to be merely punished they would have sent one of their minions. The fact you were sent shows I fucked up badly enough for them to warrant me dead. Even my father?” he shouted.
“This order came from your father, no one else.”
Realisation dawned on him then. With a nod Jonas said, “He had to cement his position in the council by killing me, his own son.” The words tasted bitter even as they passed through his lips.
“If you hadn’t acted so rashly, I would not have had to take the call,” Marek said taking a step towards him.
“You don’t have to act on it though, you are your own man Marek,” Jonas said, almost pleading.
“If I don’t then I will share the same fate as you,” he replied succinctly.
“Who would they send to end you?”
“It wouldn’t matter; the end result would be the same, and they would simply send another to do what I did not.”
Before Jonas could form another argument a pistol appeared in Marek’s huge hand. Jonas thrust his hands out to stop but it was useless, Marek quickly aimed and fired.
All Jonas heard was a soft pop and then he felt something prick his neck. He reached up to feel what had bitten him and felt a sore spot on his throat.
Jonas said, “What just happened?”
“I’ve carried out my contract,” Marek said turning around and walking away, the pistol had disappeared as remarkably as it had appeared.
Jonas was confused; he thought Marek had been sent to kill him yet he was leaving. Confusion clouded his mind, he couldn’t think straight. He tried to take a deep breath of relief but found his chest was on fire.
“Marek, what have you done to me?” he shouted after the enforcer, his voice now harsh from the drugs coursing through his body.
“I shot you with a micro capsule that will dissolve in your bloodstream in less than a few minutes. It will administer a drug composition that will stop your heart. It will appear as if you died from heart failure due to a drug overdose. When your death is reported your secret drug habit will be exposed. Your family’s years of hiding it will be lauded and they will get all the sympathy required for them to continue as they always have.”
Jonas believed him, this was how things worked with the families who sat on the council. He had seen it many times and now he was seeing it from the other side, facing their wrath.
His head spun making him lose his balance. Unable to get his breath he fell in a heap on the thickly carpeted floor.
There was time enough to register the odd angle from which he saw Marek’s feet walking away before the light dimmed from his eyes and his heart stopped.
1
Col Sec HQ Area 15
“Well, I never thought we’d be returning here so soon,” Kurt Stryder said as he looked at the entrance to the underground base.
Area 15 was one of the military’s special bases out in the Nevada desert a few miles from Las Vegas. It had been the Headquarters for Col Sec for a short period of time between the two attacks on Col Sec from OMEGA. Each attack had devastated the Headquarters; the first had been on the sight of the United Nations building in New York. OMEGA had attacked that base from orbit until Matt Hawk and a number of Recon Delta marines had mounted a counter attack ending the battle. The second attack had seen a thermobaric bomb detonated inside the underground base of Area 15. It had sealed the base for a while until determined work crews had cleared it ready for the refurbishment teams to move in and make it ready for use once more.
The former head of Col Sec, General Sinclair, had made it his priority to return the base to its former glory and thus enabling Col Sec to return there and free up Nellis Base for what it had been intended.
“Me neither,” Zara Hardy replied. “The last time I was here I was in a running battle with those horrors from Tartaran and those damn clones,” she added.
The two of them were the most powerful assets Col Sec had. Kurt was the recipient of a serum that had changed him forever. His immune system had been boosted beyond human understanding making him virtually indestructible. He could regenerate from simple cuts and lacerations instantly whilst major trauma took a little longer. Zara had identical abilities due to an accidental mingling of their blood. Not only were the two of them indestructible but their physical abilities had also been increased. Strength, stamina, hearing and sight had increased to super human levels as well as certain mental abilities too.
“Well, we’re here so let’s get this over with and go meet our new boss,” Kurt said as he indicated the building that housed the elevator that would take them down into the base.
Up above the base there were several buildings that housed security monitors that had a three hundred and sixty degree view of the surrounding area. If anyone tried to approach they would be spotted long before they were in a position to cause any harm. Hangars housed several aircraft and shuttles used by Col Sec personally only. Finally there were barracks that were the home to the platoon of marines who acted as security for the base.
On the surface it appeared to be a normal small military compound of which there were hundreds around the colonies, but it was what went on underground that set this base apart. Once more this was the heart of Col Sec.
The elevator dropped down the one and half miles it took to reach the lowest level where they were expected by the new head of Col Sec, the newly promoted General Gemmell.
“I’ve heard he’s changed somewhat since taking over as head honcho,” Zara whispered as they exited the elevator.
“I guess we’ll soon find out,” Kurt replied dourly.
Sensors had scanned them on the journey to the basement level so when they arrived the guards greeted them with smiles.
“Welcome to Area 15 sir and ma’am,” said the Private standing at attention as they walked off the elevator.
“Don’t call me ma’am, Private, I’m a soldier just like you,” Zara chided him.
Kurt glanced at the marine, smiled and rolled his eyes which said, ‘women, eh!’ to which the marine had to supress a smile of his own.
“The General is expecting you in his office,” the marine said.
“Thanks, we’ll make our own way there,” Kurt told him.
The two of them set off down the corridor and Kurt hung back allowing Zara to lead the way. He watched her scrutinise everything as they continued through the base as she remarked on how things had changed since the clean up had finished. There was still plenty of work on the base to be finished off which was clearly evident by the panels left open and sections cordoned off, but enough had been done to ensure it was operational. The new security features had been one of the first things installed before even one member of the personnel had been allowed inside.
The base was circular with ten levels. It ran around a central shaft which not only housed the elevator shafts that gave access to all ten levels but also housed the power conduits that ran through the base from the central fusion reactor in a sub-basement below level ten. These power conduits supplied power throughout the base.
“You’re very quiet, something bothering you?” Zara asked Kurt as they reached the General’s office.
“No, should there be? I mean we just recently witnessed the destruction of Washington DC resulting in the deaths of millions of innocents. You know, that incident that robbed us of the only man in power, who knew our secret and was willing to keep it. So nah, there’s nothing bothering me,” he snapped back at her.
“Good, I’m glad it’s nothing trivial then. Don’t want you acting like a pussy now do we?” she answered harshly, which managed to get a reluctant smile from him.
“Come on, let’s do this, what’s the worst that can happen?” he said.
They opened the door and walked in.
A man sitting behind a huge oak desk looked up as they entered; he was tall, six feet five, which was evident even though he was seated. A lean physique honed from hours of training with the troops to keep himself fresh was evident in the tailored uniform he wore.
Kurt could tell by the way his steel grey eyes met his that he knew. Taking over the mantle of head of Col Sec meant he would be privy to all the secrets his predecessor had kept from him on a ‘need to know’ basis.
Now it seemed all bets were off.
“Welcome to the Wildfire Initiative,” Gemmell said.
2
New San Francisco, Cordoba
Matt Hawk arrived at Jonas Haskin’s home. The building was a huge testament to the power of the Haskins’ legacy stretching over three hundred storeys high into the sky. A huge edifice of Plasteel and Plexiglas, it towered over the skyline of New San Francisco lording over it as the Haskin family did over the business community.
The foyer was brightly lit even in the daytime and was an open plan design with a central console where a beautiful receptionist sat to field queries from guests and/or visitors.
As he walked through the entrance his ice blue eyes took in every detail, the receptionist, the hidden security cameras and the security guards positioned near the elevators but within range of the receptionist should the need arise for them to act.
He could see two of them but he guessed more were instantly available if needed, probably in an office hidden away somewhere watching on a monitor and linked by a comm. network to both the receptionist and the other guards.
Approaching the console he gave the young woman his best smile.
“Excuse me, sir,” she said as he strolled past her. He glanced her way, waved and carried on walking towards the elevators at the back of the large foyer.
“Sir, who is it you’re here to see?” she insisted.
“It’s fine, I’ll find my own way,” he replied with a dismissive wave and another smile as he continued on his way.
Before he reached any further the guards had intercepted him blocking his way.
He looked at the two of them, both large specimens of steroid abuse with bulging muscles that stretched the fabric of their designer suits to the limits.
“Can I help you guys?” he asked, the smile never leaving his face. He was never intimidated by anyone, standing six feet six inches tall with broad shoulders and an expert in close quarter combat he had the confidence to handle any situation he met. These guards were used to their size alone being enough to warn off any intruder who may threaten the sanctity of the Haskin abode. What he saw in their eyes was not confidence but confusion.
One of them glanced around him to look at the receptionist for guidance which told him who was in charge here.
“Oh, I’m sorry, do you have to ask Mommy for permission?” he joked. He wanted to see how far he could go before they snapped.
“I’m sorry, sir, but if you refuse to inform me who you’re here to visit then I will have to ask these gentlemen to escort you off the premises. If that happens then I must inform the local Constabulary of your conduct and my employers will press charges. Do I make myself perfectly clear here, sir?” the receptionist said discreetly as she left her post to come over to him.
Matt glanced at the guards then back at her, “Gentlemen?”
She stifled a smile but then was all business once more. “Please sir, don’t make a scene here, I wouldn’t like to see you get hurt.”
“Is your employer the Haskin family by any chance?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not at liberty to divulge that information, sir,” she said, but the look in her eye and the slight delay was enough of a clue to tell him he was right.
“Okay, so tell your boss that there is someone here to see him about the death of his son.”
“That matter has been dealt with by the local Constabulary.”
“I’m not with the Constabulary.”
“Who are you with then?”
“I’m sorry, Miss, but I’m not at liberty to divulge that information to you,” he said with a smile.
She smiled at first at the use of her own blocking tactic then as the thought of who he could work for sank in the smile faded.
He saw her demeanour alter as she moved to the side muttering something, obviously contacting someone who could make the decision for her via her Neural Interface.
He couldn’t hear what she said but it wasn’t good news for him as when she turned back to them her face was set in stone. “I must ask you to leave, sir, now.”
“And what if I refuse?” he posed the question.
His answer was a simple nod to the guards who moved in.
Moving with the grace of a large cat Matt struck first. He took out the guard to his right with a jab to the throat, which stopped him in his tracks, hands immediately going to his windpipe as he gasped for breath.
The other guard stalled then came at him with a swinging right cross aimed at his head. Matt ducked beneath the large swinging arm then slammed his right fist into the exposed ribcage of his attacker before sweeping his feet from under him.
As the guard landed on his back Matt looked up at three more guards suddenly appearing as if from nowhere.
“Really? I can do this all day if I have to. Sooner or later you’re going to run out of goons, then what’re you going to do?” he said over his shoulder at the receptionist who had backed off as the fight erupted.
“That won’t be necessary,” a voice said from behind him. Matt didn’t take his eyes off the guards and he wasn’t surprised to see them stop, holding their positions before the elevators.
Clearly the newcomer was in charge here so he slowly turned to see who it was.
