Drop Zone

by Amanda Carlson

  Mina shook her head as she boarded. “Everyone is here,” she told the sim as she placed her finger in the helix slot.

  “Your destination is Avery air base. Do you wish to make any changes?”

  “No,” Mina confirmed. The drone propellers began to shift, and Mina was forced to pick a seat.

  Harmony and Lee were chatting in the first seat on the right about the mission, their compucases tucked on their laps. They fit side by side in the seat meant for one, no problem. Mina was optimistic she could do the same.

  Kaylee caught her gaze from her seat across the aisle from Lee and Harmony, her body sprawled, purposefully taking up the whole space. She threw an arm behind her. “Go find out what happened at Kramer’s residence. We’re going to be in this thing for less than two minutes. Don’t be a baby.”

  “I’m not a baby,” Mina grumbled as she walked past. “I’m an adult woman who doesn’t like to be told what to do.”

  Vince, being the gentleman he was, had scooched all the way to the side and patted the space next to him. “There’s no need to sit on my lap. Even though I wouldn’t object.”

  Mina glanced at Norm, who sat in the seat beside him, but the ex-marshal had reclined back, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes closed.

  This must be a conspiracy. Agent matchmakers were not a thing. Or were they?

  She took the space next to Vince right as the drone accelerated into the air.

  “Travel time to Avery air base is forty-three seconds,” the sim said.

  “Tell me what happened at your residence,” Mina said.

  “Not much to tell,” he replied, respectfully keeping his hands to himself. “A man was caught on vid trying to pry his way in. He got through the front door by claiming to be from a delivery agency, arriving in the appropriate drone, wearing the right uni. His DNA was a match to the delivery agency as well. I’m assuming it’s a Syndicate-owned business in France, of which they have many. Basically, they sent a child in to do their dirty work. The young man is in custody. He had a sear laser in his pocket.” Vince snorted to indicate that wouldn’t have done much. “I have a few of my trusted captains looking into it right now. I informed them to tell the delivery tech I was inside my residence, and had he gotten inside, he would’ve found me there. Then to let him go. The tech will take that back to his boss, keeping the story that I’m still in France. I’m not expecting anything else to happen. The next time they strike, it will be when they physically identify my presence somewhere. And since they’re looking in France, that won’t be an issue for a while.”

  “Once Melissa Socorro goes public and announces that Norm is alive, the pressure should disappear entirely,” Mina said. “That is, if they’re thinking rationally. I would say you’re going to have to lie low for at least a week until we see how this all plays out.”

  “I figured as much,” Vince said. He reached out and took her hand.

  The sim intoned, “Landing in thirty seconds.”

  Mina gave him a squeeze in response. “Don’t worry”—the drone touched down—“we’ll work something out.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Chapter 17

  “These gyro seats are the bomb.” Kaylee spun around in hers. Not only did it turn, it swiveled in every direction, like an egg on a spring. “It’s been a while since I’ve flown in a rocket shuttle. I forgot how fun they are. This seat is my own little pod. Now you see me, now you don’t.” She enacted the face screen that slid over the top of the seat like a shield. Then she opened it. “Now you do.”

  Mina giggled. “You’re such a clown.”

  “Everybody likes a clown. Wait, no, they don’t. Clowns are spooky. Everyone loves a jester. That’s a thing, right? I’m a jester. In a fun gyro chair. Doing fun gyro stuff.”

  “Everyone, please take your seats,” the captain, an air breather, announced over the intercom. Even though the rocket shuttle was fully automated, it was mandatory to have a human pilot on board in case anything went wrong. “The seats will align momentarily and lock in the takeoff position. Make sure your feet and arms are clear and that nothing impedes its motion. Our sim will cover the rest. Arrival time will be a little less than ten minutes, as air currents are in our favor today. Thanks for flying with Speedy Shuttle. Have a nice day.”

  Mina glanced around to make sure everyone was secure. They were sitting two to a row, five rows total. The last two rows were empty. It was costing the government a fortune to pay for the entire flight, but it was necessary.

  Mina and Kaylee sat in row one, Harmony and Lee in row two, Vince and Norm in row three. There was no need to sit together, and in fact, it would be impossible. Pulling g’s was tough on the body. Everyone needed to be comfortably harnessed in.

  A low rumble began. All the seats rotated a hundred and eighty degrees, even the ones with no passengers. When they were locked in position, a loud click sounded, indicating everyone was stabilized. The cushion behind Mina’s head began to inflate, bracing the sides of her head. The armrests did the same, as well as the cushion under her.

  “Please stay seated,” a female sim intoned. “Your safety harness will remain secure throughout the duration of the flight. Please do not try to remove it. If your time on board is longer than thirty minutes, your seat will unlock, but you must remain in your seat at all times. Once descent is enacted, your seats will automatically shift to the correct position and relock. If you experience any displeasure or feel in need of medical assistance, please touch the button on the inside of your seat, or simply speak clearly. Your vitals will be taken, and if necessary, there is a medi-pod on board. Please enjoy your flight.”

  There was another loud rumble as the ignition engaged.

  “This is so cool,” Harmony said excitedly. “This is my first ride in a rocket shuttle. And it’s not going to disappoint!”

  “Mine, too,” Lee added, with a lot less enthusiasm. “The statistics on rocket shuttle travel are relatively good. There’ve only been a handful of minor—”

  “No need to cite bad statistics,” Mina told him. “Everything’s going to be fine. Relax and enjoy the ride.”

  In a single, powerful thrust, they shot up into the air.

  The effect was instantaneous. They were all pushed back in their seats, but thanks to all the cushion, they remained comfortable.

  There was no way to hold a conversation, so they just waited.

  Five minutes in, the rocket began its descent, the gyro seats spinning a hundred and eighty degrees and locking into place once again.

  Five minutes later, they were on the ground.

  “Woof,” Kaylee said, rubbing her jaw as the rocket settled and powered off, their harnesses popping open. “That was fun, but intense. I feel like elastomer snuck into all my joints, clogging them up.” She plugged her nose and blew, puffing out her cheeks. “Ah, there’s the pop I was looking for.”

  “That was incredible,” Harmony gushed, her feet drumming the floor. “I feel great! Can’t wait to do it again.”

  Mina glanced at Lee, who sat diagonally from her.

  Her partner looked a little green. “Don’t worry,” she consoled. “Once you get up and walk, it’ll all shake out.”

  “I’m fine,” he said. “Just a little…queasy.” He closed his eyes, tipping his head back.

  The captain came over the aural system. “Hope you enjoyed your flight. Remember to recommend us on all your boards. If you do, your next flight is half price.”

  Kaylee rolled her eyes as she stood. “Always an upsell. Can’t say I blame them, though. Must be hard scraping up business. No one with common borrows to their name could afford to travel like this. That’s what mag-levs are for. Clientele must be sparse.”

  The cabin door opened, and they disembarked.

  A clean-cut man, who looked to be around forty, with zero facial hair and a s
hort, efficient haircut, stood at attention outside the shuttle, hands clasped behind his back. He wore a green regulated uni, a hat with a short brim, and strike boots in gleaming black.

  “You must be Sergeant Collins,” Mina said, walking up to him. She didn’t salute because she wasn’t mili. She extended her hand instead, and they shook.

  “Welcome to the base,” he told her.

  “Thank you. I’m Agent Kane, and this is my crew.” She gestured to indicate who was who. “Agent Poston, Agent Adams, ex-marshal Webb, civilian Biggins, and—”

  Sergeant Collins made a subtle half cough into his fist as recognition crossed his features. Then the man brought his arm up in a perfect salute. “It’s a pleasure to serve you, Colonel Kramer.” He stressed the word colonel, even though Vince wasn’t in the US military. Clearly, respect for the job crossed oceans. “I wasn’t aware that you would be in attendance.”

  Vince saluted back. “This mission is highly classified. It will require full silence on your part. I was never here.”

  “Copy that. My men know how to do their jobs. Word won’t break.”

  “Can you show us to the op room?” Mina asked. “We’re on a tight schedule.”

  “Follow me,” Sergeant Collins said as he led them to a short concrete building situated only a few meters from where they’d landed. Mina was relieved no one else was around. Even though Sergeant Collins’ team would be sensitive to what was happening, and to Colonel Kramer’s presence, she wasn’t sure about everyone else who resided here. “Everything is secure inside. The whole base is cloaked. It’s understood that you need to send a signal out. You do it here and nowhere else. A special line has been set up. No airmelds. Everything is done via cable.”

  “We’ve been briefed on all the rules, and we will follow them,” Lee said. “We have all our necessary equipment with us. We won’t require anything additional.”

  Harmony entered the room and whistled. “It’s all screen in here. Whoa. Is that a Holo Max7000 cam?” She gestured at the ceiling where a gigantic multifaceted camera was mounted.

  Sergeant Collins nodded.

  “People projected through those are supposed to look lifelike,” Harmony said. “Too bad we won’t be needing it. I’d love to see that.”

  Lee had already connected his compucase, along with a couple of other things, to the cable connections provided. He checked his cuff. “Eight minutes till start.”

  Harmony pulled up a chair as Lee connected her case. Her fingers were typing the instant she sat down. “Plenty of time. There she is. Let’s pop it on-screen. Oh, wait.” She turned in her seat. “Is he staying or going?”

  Sergeant Collins looked on, his face impassive.

  It was Mina’s call whether to include him or have him wait outside. She looked to Vince. She would let him decide. Vince was good at reading people, and with their shared military background and training, he could choose.

  She indicated the decision was his with a subtle bob of her head.

  “Sergeant Collins stays,” Vince said. “It’s my experience that having the officer in command understand the full operation makes that operation run smoother.” He directed his comments to Sergeant Collins. “You will receive full intel, but your team is on a need-to-know basis. The less information spread around the better.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Okay, let’s do this,” Harmony said. A second later, live satellite feed popped up, surrounding them. This was more than an op room, it was a war room.

  A bunker with extraordinary technology.

  It was awe-inducing.

  Like they were floating around up in space themselves.

  “Just give me one second to home in on Currency Reigns,” she said. “This live feed is so helpful. Without it, we wouldn’t know exactly what was happening. I mean, we could still do it, we would just be doing it blind. I’ve done plenty of stuff that way, but this is much better for what we need to accomplish.”

  “Five minutes,” Lee said. Harmony and Lee each had their own jobs to complete. Mina didn’t know exactly what they entailed. She just knew it would take both of them to make this happen. And her partner was serious about it.

  There was nothing left to do but watch.

  Mina walked over to one of the numerous tables situated in a U shape around the room and pulled out a chair.

  Everyone else did the same.

  “Cut the ultras,” Lee ordered. “I don’t want to miss anything on-screen. If this satellite runs into another satellite or space junk while it’s reversing, we will have an issue.”

  “Ultras off,” Collins commanded.

  Since there were no windows, the room went black except for the space show happening around them.

  “Yowza,” Kaylee muttered. “Can you imagine being up there? How many space stations do we have? Fifteen? And a dozen or so science stations? People stay up there for years. They can grow whole ecosystems up there.” She breathed out. “It’s so pretty. Earth looks like it’s a blue beacon floating so peacefully. It’s quiet. Kind of spooky.”

  “It’s amazing to actually see how many satellites are up there,” Vince said. “Logically, I understand the numbers, but seeing so many in all the different orbits really brings it home. It’s incredible they don’t crash into each other more often.”

  “Three minutes,” Lee announced. “Trajectory is holding steady. Nothing’s changed. We have a clear path backward with a rotation of two degrees. The thrusters have to engage as the right fin comes out. No margin for error.”

  “I know,” Harmony murmured. “There won’t be. I’m ready to hack inside the moment you say go.”

  No one said a word.

  Mina glanced over at Sergeant Collins. He was completely absorbed in the scene unfolding in front of him, his face serene. Once he understood the full depth of this op, she didn’t think he would have any issues with it. But it was hard to know. It’s not every day the government crashed a satellite out of the sky. But for all Mina knew, the military did it often enough, and it wasn’t covered by the media or anyone else.

  “Ninety seconds,” Lee said. “I’ll count you down from ten. Once you’re in, I’m a nanosecond behind you. You take the thrusters. I’ll take the fin.”

  Harmony nodded. She wasn’t going to waste any breath at this point. Mina knew they’d been over and over this plan.

  After what seemed like an eternity, with a slow-moving river of satellites flowing around them, Lee began to count.

  “Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…go.”

  “In,” Harmony said.

  “In,” Lee said less than a second later.

  “Thrusters engaged,” Harmony confirmed.

  “Fin out and rotated,” Lee said.

  “Full throttle initiated,” Harmony said. She glanced up for the first time.

  Everyone in the room watched as Currency Reigns, situated in a nest of other satellites, began to move backward. Slowly at first, then more quickly.

  “They picked up on the problem. They’re trying to fix it,” Lee said. “Blockers in place.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t,” Harmony muttered. “You’re not going to get your hands on that.” More muttering. Lots of finger tapping. “Karmaseeker, do you see this?”

  “I’m on it,” Lee confirmed. “They’re patching it quicker than I can erase their code.”

  Mina heard slight panic in Lee’s voice. She cheered him on quietly in her brain. She didn’t want to interrupt.

  “Do a full block erase,” Harmony ordered.

  “They’ll be able to see—”

  “No, they won’t. I’m coming in after you, copying the code, adding in a teensy error. Do it. Now!”

  Everyone held their breath.

  The satellite continued to pick up speed, thrusting backward out of the frame.


  “We just have to hold for two minutes and twenty-three seconds more,” Harmony said. “After that, it’s too late. The fuel’s gone. They’re absolutely producing excrement sandwiches at this point. They know this thing is coming down, and there’s nothing they can do about it.” Harmony craned her neck around to find Mina. “As soon as we confirm the trajectory, meaning once it starts falling, we need to be in the air, or they’re going to beat us to it.”

  “Sergeant Collins, get your team ready. We’re leaving in two. You’ve already been given the destination,” Mina ordered.

  The sergeant was up immediately, heading for the door. “The shuttle will be here in one minute. My crew will be ready and waiting.”

  “I have to hand it to them, they’re coming in strong,” Harmony said, eyes flicking from her compucase to the screen. “They’ve probably done drills. We should’ve factored that in. But their sim training isn’t going to help them here, because the satellite didn’t have a malfunction. It’s being tampered with. As far as I can tell, they have no evidence we’re inside.”

  “Do you see that?” Lee said. “They’re trying to reroute the fuel into an extra tank.”

  “I see it,” Harmony confirmed. “I just shut it down. I’m also messing with a bunch of different valves, opening and closing them. This has to look like a rupture.”

  “The satellite has reached peak speed,” Lee said, glancing up.

  Everyone in the room watched as new feed came on-screen. The satellite was zooming backward, narrowly missing things in its path. Mina shook her head. “It’s amazing you found a clear path through all that.”

  “Point A to point B makes a straight line,” Lee said. “We did it! It’s deorbiting. The fuel is almost gone. It will fall immediately. This is going to work.” Excitement replaced stress.

  “One minute, three,” Harmony said. “Come on! You can do it. Hey, stop that.” Her fingers flew across the keyboard. “They’re trying to enact a power blip. They think that will reset the system. Little do they know the system is about to fail in eighty-seven seconds.”