My unfortunate demise? I was murdered by him and he doesn’t have the balls to acknowledge that. I get the mental equivalent of a “calm down” from Beau.
<
* * *
>>It’s cute how you keep yapping at me like a little puppy dog. I’m not going to do anything of the sort, Officer Dorey.
* * *
<
* * *
>>Good luck with trying to reach DES. Even if you had your little worm, you’d still be stuck. Don’t worry about getting bored. You’ll soon have more important things to worry about.
* * *
<
* * *
>>No, I’m warning you, you dolt. Not that it will matter in the end. Good-bye, Officer Dorey.
Jarren retreats and, without thought, I follow, trailing him along the complex path he takes to avoid getting caught in his own traps. I’m moving on pure instinct, hoping he doesn’t spot me. Jarren navigates a series of clusters and then threads his way through an intricate, and fascinating, maze of alarms and programs. I hate to say this, but it’s a thing of beauty.
And then, he’s gone. He slips out so fast, I can’t pinpoint the exact location. But I scan the programming and spot his fingerprints. After a careful inspection, I track him, moving so slow that a glacier melts quicker. I discover a tiny breach in the blockade.
Yes! You’d still be stuck, eh? This little worm just showed you, Jarren. But I don’t hang around and gloat. I’m smart enough to retreat as fast as possible. He could be waiting to see if anyone follows him through the hole. Plus I don’t know what’s on the other side.
As I backtrack, I pay attention to the route, memorizing it. Careful not to cause ripples, I take my time, which gives Beau plenty of time to go from annoyed, to worried, to just about to bring in the cavalry.
Where the hell have you been, Lawrence? he demands.
I tell him, thinking he’ll be happy.
That was stupid. He could have found out you’re still alive.
He didn’t. And now we have a way to escape.
At least you resisted the temptation to follow him.
Gee, don’t go getting all mushy on me, Dorey.
He grunts. We disentangle. Fatigue beats behind my eyes in the form of a dull ache. A minor nuisance compared to the nightmare migraine. I sweep my hair behind my ears to pull out my tangs and freeze. No tangs. Did they fall out? Nothing’s on the floor. I think back. Did I put them in when we started? I can’t remember—usually it’s automatic. Checking my pockets, I find them.
Does that mean… The room spins around me. I cross my arms on the desk and rest my head before I faint.
Beau touches my shoulder. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I lie ’cause how can I explain I just entangled with the Q-net without entanglers. Besides, it’s not going to happen again. Not at all. “Just need a minute.”
“Here.” Something hard bumps my arm.
I raise my head. Beau hands me a painkiller and a glass of water. That was suspiciously fast. I raise an eyebrow in question.
“Thought you might need it.”
“Thanks.”
He shrugs, but there’s a hint of a smirk. “That’s what partners do.”
My stomach twists, sending bile up my throat. Partners don’t lie to each other. I’m a terrible person.
“When you feel better, we need to update Radcliff.”
“Uh…I think I need to lie down for…ever.”
“Nice try, Lawrence. Don’t worry, I’ll do all the talking.”
I can only delay so much. Soon we’re standing before Radcliff’s desk. I check his eyes—no solar systems swirling inside. Whew.
Beau says, “We hit the barricade and set off the alarm.”
“I hit it,” I say when Radcliff tenses.
“We did.” Beau frowns at me. “Jarren showed up so I engaged, playing the role of a sanctimonious security officer.” He shows Radcliff the exchange of messages.
“What do you think he means by ‘more important things to worry about?’” Radcliff asks.
“It could be he’s planning another attack,” Beau says.
“Or he’s referring to the shadow…er...HoLFs.” I can’t decide which one is worse.
“We’ll just have to be extra vigilant. Are you sure he didn’t spot you, Lawrence?”
“Yes,” I say with confidence.
“Good.” Radcliff drums his fingers on his desk. “This isn’t that bad.”
Beau and I exchange a look.
“Jarren expected us to figure it out. And now we can test his blockade with more force. We only need to get one message out.”
Remembering the nightmare, I swallow. Hard. “What about that hole I found?”
Radcliff smiles, but it’s cold and calculating. “For the next few days, I want you to probe his defenses and set off his alarms. He’ll get used to it and it’ll be a great distraction for when we send in a second team to slip through that breach.”
Very devious. I approve.
Standing outside the conference room, I wait for the signal to enter. Beau and I have been setting off all kinds of alarms as we’ve tested Jarren’s blockade these last four days. It’s fun and I hope it’s driving Jarren crazy. But this afternoon we have a meeting to discuss the final logistics of the expedition to Pit 21. My parents, Radcliff, Morgan, the security officers who are accompanying the mission, the dozen archeology techs, and one medic on loan from Dr. Edwards are all already seated around the table along with my father’s assistant, Gavin. All but Gavin, the medic, and the techs know about me. The reason I’m waiting is so my parents can explain to them that I’m not dead versus me just showing up like a ghost or a zombie.
I liked the idea of surprising them—even offered to wear makeup and stumble in like the walking dead—the look on their faces would be priceless!— but I was outvoted.
A disjointed burst of gasps and a few cheers erupt on the other side of the door. Aww, they care. Then all grows silent as my mom explains about the very real danger of not letting anyone else in the base know about me and how they should refer to me as Ara Lawrence in all communications and reports.
“Junior Officer Lawrence, please join us,” Radcliff says loud enough for me to hear through the doors.
That’s my signal. When I enter, everyone stares at me. Everyone. Amusement shines in Beau and Elese’s eyes. Niall gives me a warm smile. My parents beam—no idea why. Radcliff frowns while Morgan is Morgan—neutral. And the techs…some are wide eyed with shock, others give me huge happy grins, and a few don’t seem to care.
Gavin jumps up and pulls me into a rough hug. “So glad you’re alive,” he whispers in my ear. Gavin releases me just as fast and returns to his seat.
Wow. So much for my suspicions that I annoy him. I sit down in the empty chair between Beau and Elese.
“Now that everyone is here, we can review the plan,” Mom says. A map showing the research base and the surrounding desert appears on the large screen behind Radcliff. “Pit 21 is twenty kilometers from the base.”
An X materializes in the sand. There be treasure here, maties. I suppress a giggle. My mom explains how the team will drive out, open the pit, and do a survey of the Warriors inside. Radcliff describes the general role of security during the mission. I’m once again the center of attention. This time the expressions are tighter as they learn there’s a chance of encountering invisible and dangerous shadow-blobs. The tension in the room increases as many of them are probably remembering the attack in the pits. One man rubs a long thin scar on his forearm.
“How do we know that looter won’t worm into the satellite and see what we’re doing?” one of the female techs asks.
“We have alarms in place and I’ll be monitoring the feeds,” Radcliff says.
“We need four of you to stay behind and fill in for the officers who are accompanying us,” Dad says. “Who wants to volunteer?”
Eight raise their hands, including the lady who asked about the satellite. Beau and Elese exchange an amused look. No doubt over the fact that these same techs complained about training and having to help with security.
Dad inclines his head to Radcliff. “I’ll let the Chief pick.”
“Malia, Tao, Rez, and Sander,” Radcliff says, choosing the two women and two men without seeming to consider his options.
Radcliff also selected the woman who questioned the security of the satellite. Malia sinks back in her chair with obvious relief. I wonder if that’s why he picked her.
“We’ll leave the base at oh-seven-hundred tomorrow,” Dad says. “Be in the port and ready at that time. Bring your field kits, including tents and sunscreen.” Dad goes on to check the status on the various prep tasks the techs were assigned, gathering equipment, supplies, floodlights, a generator, a portable washroom, water, and food for the expedition.
Wow, who knew you needed so much stuff to go camping in the desert.
Before the meeting is over, Radcliff obtains everyone’s attention. He waits until quiet descends and we’re all focused on him. “Officer Dorey is in charge of security while you’re in the field. This means your safety is his number one priority and not the dig site.” Radcliff scans faces. His don’t-mess-with-me scowl is firmly in place. “If he believes you are in danger, then you will abandon the site and return to base without hesitation.” This last bit is said to my parents. “Understand?” he asks. Everyone does, but Radcliff fails to look happy.
My mom dismisses the techs, but remains seated with my dad as they file out. Once they’re gone, she asks Radcliff, “How exactly is the security going to work?”
“Officer Dorey will explain,” Radcliff says.
From Beau’s irritated glare, I guess this is the first time he’s been asked his opinion about it. After a long moment, he says, “We will ensure the site is secure before you’re allowed to set up camp. When you open the pit, three of us will go down to check for hostiles, including Junior Officer Lawrence. If the pit is safe, you will be allowed to enter. During work hours, Lawrence will stay in the pits with you and three officers will remain on the surface—one stationed near the hatch, one to keep an eye on the surrounding area, and one will sleep—the three will rotate shifts. At night, two officers will patrol the camp while two sleep—all four will rotate shifts.”
Which means not a lot of sleep for me. Ugh.
Radcliff, though, nods in approval. “What’s the protocol for an evac?”
Another pause. “During the day, if Lawrence spots HoLFs, she will sound the alarm…we’ll take a couple blow-horns. In that case, the pit will be evacuated immediately and the hatch sealed before everyone returns to the base. At night, everyone will leave the pits and the hatch will be secured. If an unfriendly is spotted near the camp, the officers on duty will sound the alarm. I’ll issue orders regarding a response if needed, or if evasive actions are required. The goal will be to get everyone safely back to the base as quick as possible.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Mom says. “Spencer and I will also be armed and a few of the techs as well.”
“And we’ll all have flashlights,” Dad adds. “With extra bulbs and batteries.”
It sounds as if they’re planning for any contingency. Yet Radcliff’s grumpy demeanor remains. Guess he’s not going to let my parents forget he disapproved of this mission. My parents leave to finish the last of their packing.
Radcliff waits until the door is closed before saying, “This is a dangerous mission.” He meets each of our gazes. “It’s not too late to un-volunteer.”
Silence.
He sighs. “All right. Dorey, you don’t let anyone’s opinions influence you. If you don’t think it’s safe, get the hell out of there. I don’t care if there’s no sign of HoLFs or looters. If it doesn’t feel right then you skedaddle.”
“Yes, sir!” Beau just barely keeps a straight face.
Heck, we all struggle to keep from grinning over Radcliff’s use of skedaddle.
“If the HoLFs attack in the pit, Lawrence is in charge until you exit and seal the hatch. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!” Beau and I say together.
It’s daunting to think that I’ll be making the decisions, but understandable. And if I recall the two times I’ve encountered the shadow-blobs, I did…okay. No one died, and we all escaped with just a few cuts. I glance at Niall’s forehead. The wound is healed. Only a thin dark purple line remains.
“Good. Radcliff and Keir, you’re dismissed.”
Niall and Elese stand and head out.
“Guess we’re just the grunts for this mission,” Elese jokes as she holds the door open for Niall.
Now it’s just me, Beau, Radcliff, and Morgan. The woman hasn’t said a word the entire meeting.
“While you two are out gallivanting, Morgan is going to be testing the blockade and annoying Jarren.” Radcliff indicates the screen behind him. “Show her the areas you’ve investigated so she doesn’t repeat your efforts and cause suspicion. We’ll implement the distraction protocol when you return.”
The distraction protocol—that’s a cool name.
He stands to leave.
“Now?” I ask.
“Yes, now.”
Morgan swivels. There’s a terminal in the conference room. Beau and I insert our tangs and scooch our chairs closer. We spend the next couple of hours working with Morgan.
“We decided to test his blockade in a grid pattern,” Beau says. “It’s boring, but it’s a standard security move, and it’ll give him the confidence that he can predict where we’ll be each day.”
Also so he won’t be worried about his escape route. He’ll believe it’s safe until the testing grid gets closer. Hopefully, well before then, we’ll have accessed his exit with Jarren none the wiser.
Beau demonstrates what we’ve been doing to set off the alarms and test the measures Jarren has woven to prevent us from reaching DES. I’m struck again by Jarren’s skills and the complexity of the barrier. A niggle of worry digs into my guts as I study his intricate programming.
It would be bad if Jarren learned about our mission to Pit 21. The excavation might bring him back from wherever he’s hiding. Those satellite feeds are vital. Radcliff will be monitoring them, but is the security chief up to the task? I think so, but my instincts are nagging me.
Morgan copies Beau’s actions and triggers another alarm. I can’t help smiling. Those things are annoying when you’re in the Q-net. Maybe Jarren would be confident enough to turn them off. A girl can hope.
We finish up and Beau and I return to our units to pack. Except when I’m back in my room, I realize I don’t have much to pack. My security jumpsuit has been torn into rags. All I have are my security uniforms, pulse gun and kit, flashlight, and pajamas. I don’t even have a bag since I haven’t replaced the one Jarren took. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Too distracted by the Q-net. Guess I’ll have to ask my parents for supplies.
Except my parents are too busy to join us for dinner. However, when Niall arrives, he’s carrying a large black backpack.
Radcliff takes it from him and sets it on the table. He unzips it. “This is your field ruck, Lawrence.” Taking out various objects he shows them to me. “Your tent, sunscreen, cap, sunglasses, communicator, binoculars, uniforms, and a jumpsuit.” He hands that last one to me.
The stretchy material slides through my fingers with a familiar smoothness. Yet the color is a dark gray and there’s a bit of a silver shine to it.
“It’s a special material,” Niall says when he notices me squinting at the fabric. “The threads are more resistant to sharp edges.”
“Wear it under your uniform at all times,” Radcliff orders.
Which means going to the washroom will require some gymnastics. I scrunch my nose.
Niall laughs. “It’ll keep you warm at night.”
“And during the day?”
“Hot as hell, but you’ll be in the pit. Much cooler down there.” And then his good humor drops and he peers at me in concern.
No doubt thinking about how I’ll be down there without backup. His opinion of the usefulness of the techs during a crisis is rather low. I’m a bit more optimistic. They’ve been in training—not as intense as mine—but like Elese said, it gives you a boost of confidence.
The uniforms are the same as the ones I already have, except the shirt is a light tan color and the tactical pants are a few shades darker—almost brown.
“It’s to blend in with the sand,” Radcliff says. “You’ll need to wear your khaki boots as well.”
Oh, so that’s what they’re for. Radcliff gave me a bunch of stuff that I’d just shoved under my bed. Should have known he has a reason for everything.
“And the communicators are for emergencies only,” Radcliff adds. “Even though they don’t connect to the Q-net, I don’t want Jarren discovering the frequency and listening in, but if HoLFs or the looters attack, use them.”
Niall takes off after dinner to get his ruck ready. And Radcliff appears to take a particular pleasure in informing me that in order not to be seen in the base, I’ll have to leave for the port much earlier than everyone else.
“When?” I ask.
“Oh-five-thirty.”
I don’t groan, which I think is a sign I’m maturing. Carrying the backpack to my room, I stuff all my extra uniforms into the ruck along with my pulse kit. No need for pajamas, but I do add in soap, shampoo, and a few personal items. I wonder if Niall’s bringing his shampoo, but realize if one of us isn’t sleeping, we’ll be on duty. Boo.
With nothing left to do, I go to bed early. My dreams start with Niall and his shampoo in a hot steamy shower. The fog obscures his lower half, but I’ve a nice view of his bare chest. Then the ceiling retracts—like the one in the port—and there’s Jarren staring down at us. He fills the sky.
Chasing the Shadows Page 14