Dead World 3, page 7
“I’d appreciate it if you’d consider giving me a get-out-of-trouble-free IOU for future use if I succeed,” she said.
His heavy brow thickened like fat thunderclouds above his dark eyes. “An IOU seems like an odd request. What have you done that would require such a thing?” he asked, instantly seeing through her ruse.
“Nothing,” she said in haste.
Calm down. He doesn’t know anything. He’s just guessing.
Chaos twisted her fingers. “I am hoping I never have to use the IOU, sir, but I’d like it all the same. Just in case.”
His gaze assessed her. “Why should I trust you?” he asked. “For all I know you’re working with Roark.”
Chaos’ chin shot up and a flash of anger warmed her cheeks. “That will never happen,” she grit out between clenched teeth. Again was left unsaid.
“What’s really going on here, Private?” he asked.
What could she say to him? She’d been drugged and used as a weapon to frame his granddaughter, then forced to break Red out of Roark’s prison? Yeah, that would go over really well.
She could see it now: Commander Santiago, I broke one law to cover up my other crimes. You don’t mind, do you?
Chaos snorted and quickly covered it with a cough. She wouldn’t believe that story if she were in the commander’s position. And if by chance he did believe her, Robert Santiago would arrest her on the spot.
The only way out of this was to prove to the commander that she was innocent. Unfortunately for her, Roark was smart and had left no evidence behind.
Raphael was adamant that influ-gas was undetectable in her bloodstream. There was no reason for him to lie. It would end up being her word against Roark Montgomery’s and she had no doubt who would come out on top if she sought legal action. She sighed, knowing she’d have to stick with lies and half-truths.
“Given Gina Santiago’s record with IPTT and the fact she was the highest-ranked female officer, her behavior seems uncharacteristic. It casts a negative light on the remaining female tactical team members,” she said.
There were still a lot of people in the world who believed the tactical team should consist solely of men. The commander was well aware of that, too. It had to have crossed his mind. And if it hadn’t, it wouldn’t hurt to remind him.
“While I was in Nuria, I could find no evidence that she’d planned to break Morgan Hunter out of prison. If she’s not guilty of that transgression, then perhaps she’s not guilty of any of the other charges. I’d like the chance to find out the truth. If I’m successful, then Gina’s name would be cleared and the future of female IPTT officers would be secured.”
If there was a Hell, she’d be going there for sure with that whopper.
He considered her for several beats. Chaos toed at the floor with her boot. What if he turned her down? What would she do then? Would she still go after Red or would she stay in the barracks and pray that Raphael kept his word and no one found out the truth?
“I can respect your need to protect your job, since I know Lieutenant Santiago would do the same. You know I can’t sanction your actions, if you choose to investigate and try to locate my—Lieutenant Santiago. You’d have to do it on your own time,” he said. “The International Police Tactical Team is under strict orders to apprehend on sight.”
“I understand, sir.” Chaos nodded. “With your permission, I’d like to take a personal leave. I promise to keep a low profile.”
“How low?” he asked.
“Low enough that only you and I would know what I was up to,” she said.
Robert Santiago steepled his fingers under his chin and rocked back in the chair. “If I find out that you’re trying to set me up so Roark Montgomery can come in and take over IPTT, you’ll be sorry. Getting rid of all female officers would be his first order of business. He’d follow it by getting rid of loose ends.”
Chaos’ mood blackened. She could feel the power inside of her rising. She tamped it down. The last thing she needed was for the commander to forget why she was here. Breathe, he’s agreeing to your plan. All she needed to do was stay calm a little longer.
“As I said before, there’s absolutely no chance of that happening, sir.”
The commander must have seen something he liked in her expression because he nodded and a smile hovered over his thin lips. “Where do you plan to start?”
Chaos hadn’t thought that far ahead. Gina and Morgan weren’t in Nuria. They’d talked about hiding out at Kane Hunter’s home and possibly no-man’s-land, but Chaos didn’t know where they’d ended up going. They may have said that just to throw everyone off their scent. She would’ve in their position.
She considered contacting Raphael, strictly for information—not because she wanted to hear his voice. But Chaos doubted he’d willingly share that kind of information with her. He may have fucked her, but he damn sure didn’t trust her. Raphael would’ve never made her agree to help him absolve Red and Morgan otherwise.
Robert Santiago must have correctly read her panicked expression because he tapped his cheek and said, “I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard a rumor that Roark and Gina may have been traveling north in a shuttle when Sheriff Hunter attacked them and helped her escape. Shuttles aren’t small and they’re difficult to hide. I wonder how hard it would be to find that vehicle outside of the Republic of Missouri…”
Chaos cleared her throat. “I’ll let you know,” she said, then pivoted on her heel and strode out the door.
It was going better than I’d expected. I watched as tactical team members brushed by me on their way home or off to patrol. Once again the urge to go with them swept over me.
Gina Santiago was out there somewhere, hiding, mocking IPTT.
Several officers gathered in the entryway near the mammoth fountain. They stood next to the sloped walls that glittered in the sunlight like lethal incisors. The team checked their weapons and verified their patrol routes, then marched in unison out of headquarters.
Their black boots echoed under the pyramidal-shaped roof. Each thump sounded in my chest and I found myself picking up the pace. I had to force my feet to slow before anyone noticed. No need to hurry. The commander still didn’t suspect a thing.
I slowly made my way to my workspace, winding through a maze of steel desks. Some were still occupied, while others now stood empty. The air held a hint of vanilla. The aroma should’ve soothed my nerves, but it didn’t. Nothing would until I got out of here.
“Be patient. Everything is going according to plan,” I whispered under my breath.
I needed to log in to my compunit. Make sure I hadn’t received any new intel. The chances were slim, but still possible. A few heads turned as I neared. The officers seemed surprised to see me. I ignored the curious stares from the worker drones and sat down.
A quick press of the screen showed that the files in my compunit were empty. I tried not to let my disappointment show, but a curse slipped past my lips before I could stop it. A couple of officers at nearby desks glanced at me, then quickly went back to work.
They didn’t understand. How could they? No one had ever tasked them with something as important as saving the reputation of the International Police Tactical Team. I knew what my duty was and was proud to be tapped for such a job. Not everyone was trusted with this kind of sensitive information.
My chest puffed out. I wouldn’t let the team down. I’d find Gina Santiago and silence her once and for all.
9
Raphael stood outside of the Republic of Missouri biodome and attempted to hail Michael via their mental link. Static filled his mind.
He couldn’t tell if the crackles and pops were interference or the sound of Michael’s thoughts. The latter brought a shiver to his spine. No one was powerful enough to control his brother—not even with an A.I. chip implanted in his brain. His powers were god-like.
Morgan and Red had to be wrong. They’d only seen Michael for a few minutes. Not nearly enough time to assess his condition.
Raphael climbed back into his maglev shuttle. The sun was beating down on him, but the military-grade sunscreen kept his sensitive skin protected. He wouldn’t burn, but it didn’t stop the pain. Of course he’d take the pain over the other option any day.
Most vampires exploded when exposed to sunlight. He and Michael were different. Had always been different. He glanced at the sun and winced as its harsh rays did their best to fry him. He couldn’t stay out here any longer.
He’d wanted to avoid entering the biodome city, but with Michael not answering Raphael didn’t have a choice. The soft blue dome glowed as he approached the gates. He wondered not for the first time if Catherine or Roark had bulletins out for his arrest. Raphael took a deep breath and released it slowly, knowing he’d find out soon enough.
The clean-cut guard at the gate perked up as Raphael’s shuttle approached. He pressed a button so the maglev vehicle would hover in place.
“I.D. please,” The guard wore a bored expression, as if he could barely be bothered to do his job.
Raphael wasn’t fooled. Even now the man was taking in details about his appearance just in case his chip and I.D. came back stolen or invalid. He handed over the paperwork and exposed his neck.
It took a minute for his Republic of Arizona chip to register. By the time the light turned green and the guard waved him through the gates, Raphael was sweating.
That was twice he’d been caught perspiring. First with Catherine and now here. He’d have to check himself into the emergency care center if it didn’t stop. Vamps shouldn’t sweat, especially ones as old as him.
Raphael drove past the green manicured parks and rising skyscrapers straight to Michael’s home. He couldn’t afford to stop by his brother’s office. Couldn’t take a chance that Roark Montgomery might see him.
Raphael wasn’t sure if the politician could identify his face as being one of the men who’d come to break Red and Morgan out of his prison, but he had no doubt he’d recognize him as Michael’s brother. Raphael would just have to try to contact Michael via comlink if he wasn’t home.
Michael’s home was a modest two room unit—inside a multistory steel and concrete building—that had a private cleansing room attached for convenience and comfort. The amenities were rare given the communal bathing facilities located throughout the city.
He used the code his brother had given him after their reunion a couple of months ago. Though the term reunion hardly described their encounter. His brother had been about to assassinate Morgan Hunter when Raphael came upon him in the desert.
Until that point, Raphael had thought Michael was dead, along with the rest of their family. It had been a happy moment and one of utter disbelief.
So much pain endured and years lost, but that was over now. They’d found each other once again and Raphael wasn’t about to let anything or anyone tear them apart.
The lights were off when he entered Michael’s living quarters. Normally obsessively neat, his home lay in utter disarray. Had someone ransacked the place?
Clothes and rest pad linens lay strewn across the floor. Empty blood bags had been tossed haphazardly next to toppled furniture.
If anyone had been foolish enough to rob Michael, then the thief was probably buried out in the desert by now. His brother had little patience for thieves or anyone else for that matter.
Raphael looked around, but didn’t immediately see any broken items. He inhaled, but didn’t scent any blood other than what was in the empty bags. The scene didn’t make sense unless…his brother was behind the destruction.
What could’ve occurred to make Michael do this to his home? Why hadn’t he contacted him if he was in trouble?
Raphael had done everything in his power to find Michael after the impromptu prison break, but had been unable to locate him. He realized now he should’ve tried harder.
Morgan had said that he’d heard screams when Roark chained him to the wall. He’d also told Raphael that Michael seemed different. He walked over to the storage bins under Michael’s mini-water dispenser where he kept his “equipment bag” as he called it. The assassination kit contained a laser rifle, a knife, and at least one pistol. He opened the bin. The bag was gone.
There was no need to call Roark’s office now. Michael wasn’t there, but Raphael had a pretty good idea where he’d find him. Why would he go through the trouble of saving Red and Morgan, only to hunt them down later? Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
Raphael pictured Morgan and Red running for their lives. There would be nowhere safe they could hide. Not with his brother on their trail.
Michael was an efficient hunter, and an even deadlier assassin. The old military had trained them well, but Raphael’s skill was nowhere near his brother’s level.
Working for a man like Roark had only honed Michael’s awesome skills. Couple that with his telekinetic abilities and he was unstoppable. But Raphael had to try.
Panic and fear gave his gut a one-two punch, leaving him breathless. After everything they’d been through and all the time they’d lost, only one question remained.
Why?
It took the whole afternoon, but Chaos finally located the maglev shuttle wreckage. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to keep it out of sight. Whether it was Roark, Red, or Morgan she didn’t know. The craft was half buried in the sand and from a distance resembled a boulder. No wonder IPTT hadn’t been able to find it. It was like looking for a penny in the sand.
Chaos approached the shuttle with her weapon drawn. A hole the size of two laser cannon blasts gaped obscenely at the desert sky, its metal teeth frozen in a perpetual roar.
The twisted metal radiated heat, but there was no sign any of the electronics were working. Chaos ducked inside with her pistol raised, but the shuttle was empty. She holstered her weapon and pulled out a solar light, then slowly searched.
At first glance, the only damage appeared to be the hole in the side of the shuttle, but upon closer inspection Chaos found that the navigation system had been carefully removed, not yanked out like she would’ve expected if someone were trying to disable the vehicle.
The instrument panel and tracker cell were also missing, almost like the parts had been harvested to sell. But that didn’t mesh with the facts that had been presented.
Why would someone take the time to do that, when the whole point of the attack was to escape or at least make it look like Red had escaped? Did they need credits? Who would they take the parts to if they did? It wasn’t like Red or Morgan traded in this area. It didn’t make sense.
She pushed charred pieces aside with the toe of her boot. They crumbled under the pressure. After several minutes of futility, Chaos was convinced she was on the wrong track. No one had left any clues behind, only an empty shell filled with more questions.
She was about to leave when an exposed wire caught her attention. Chaos brushed the debris aside and found the remains of a navcom buried beneath. It was an old model and severely damaged, but definitely IPTT issue.
Chaos carefully picked up the pieces and placed them into a preprogrammed courier pouch. She punched her I.D. number into the side of the pouch and addressed it to Commander Robert Santiago.
The courier would fly directly to IPTT. He’d have to put in his I.D. number and thumbprint to get it to open, which would keep it from falling into the wrong hands once it arrived at headquarters.
The pouch also generated its own electromagnetic field to prevent it from being shot down outside of IPTT. Every security measure had a counter security measure to ensure the contents’ safety.
Chaos stepped outside of the shuttle. It was only then that she noticed the sun was setting. She shook the contents of the pouch to make sure it was secure. The bag was silent.
It may not be anything, but it was all she’d been able to recover. Chaos set the courier pouch on the ground and pressed a button on its side.
The pouch took off like a guided missile, which was apt, since that’s where the technology originated. She watched the pouch rocket through the air, leaving a fiery contrail behind. When it was out of sight, she turned back to the shuttle to reexamine the hole.
What had Morgan used to make it, since a laser cannon was far from portable? He’d been on the run, so he’d had to travel light, but there wasn’t anything out there to her knowledge besides the cannon that could do this kind of damage. Was that when Roark had captured him or had he already been imprisoned? She should’ve asked when she helped Raphael break them out.
Chaos ran her finger over the edge of the opening. It wasn’t sharp. It had been fused, which meant heat. Roark should’ve had this hauled in as evidence when he reported the incident. It would’ve backed up his story and been damning to IPTT.
Unless he didn’t want it to be found. It was one thing to show a vid of the damage. It was quite another to produce examinable proof. Nothing would surprise her at this point.
“What are you really up to?” she said aloud.
She used her solar light to disperse the growing shadows, so she could continue to examine the blast pattern. There was no way Morgan could’ve done this on his own and Red wasn’t known for her demolition skills.
Besides, now that she’d reexamined the hole it was clear from the edges that the blast had come from the inside. No wonder Roark hadn’t wanted the vehicle to be found. The portable equipment IPTT held in its vault wasn’t capable of this kind of damage.
The only thing that could’ve made a hole this size was a blast cannon and they weighed two hundred pounds. She doubted very much that Roark had allowed Red to carry one with her.
Chaos looked around, but didn’t immediately spot anything that could hide a weapon of that size, which meant whoever brought it had taken it away. Perhaps what she’d told the commander had been right all along. The facts weren’t adding up. Maybe Red was innocent after all.
She stilled. If Roark was willing to drug her, a total stranger, how far would he go to get someone he knew? Someone like Red or Morgan?
