“You will go out and find a mission for yourself and your team to complete. You may either locate them yourself—something I’m sure a few of you are accustomed to.” He could swear the chancellor glanced his way. While he had never really interacted with the man, did he know about his off-island work? He was probably only being paranoid.
The crowd began to chatter in surprise. “You can also receive missions from many of the teachers and faculty here. But don’t think it will be a cake-walk. Each faculty member has had to pre-screen their mission to make sure it is worthy for future victors to undertake. For that matter, don’t think you can simply go out and complete some easy retrieval mission or D-rank merc gig and have that count. You have trained to be the best. Strive to find a mission that will prove it.”
Durand took a deep breath as the lights of the theater dimmed further. “This is a gauge of the application of your talents, a way to get the most out of your abilities, to learn and implement teamwork, and to see how you fare against unique and often dangerous adversaries or situations. The kind many of you will face in the years to come once you have graduated.”
“He’s really hammering that home, isn’t he?” Cameron muttered.
“Things have been getting way more real for all of us recently,” Silas agreed and his gaze drifted over the students below them. “I’m not exactly a people person, but even if the rest of the school hasn’t gone through what we have, they’ve had to deal with their own issues, I’m sure.”
“Kid gloves are off now,” Mack added.
Izzy shook her head. “I don’t think they’ve ever been on. Now, it’s brass knuckles.”
Dozens of holograms filled the area above them and battled each other or aided one another, while ships evaded and others were battered by storms and explosions. “Even for those of you who aren’t here for the soldier course, you are Nexus students and I’m sure you’ve grown to understand the dangers in the world—and even the ones off it,” Durand continued. “The Animus has prepared you for that and your teachers have prepared you for that. But you and your teammates must now face it. For there to be a goal, you must know what you are fighting against. You must now use all your personal skills and connections to make it through.”
Personal connections… Something clicked inside Kaiden’s mind. The chancellor continued to speak but it had basically become white noise to him. He was lost in thought now that the word “connections” had jolted his awareness and he realized that he’d been too close to the situation for it to really sink in before. His old gang and his friends were all important and helpful, but he needed an army—tough fighters with grit and who were willing to play dirty. He began to smile. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made and the wider his smile became. So much so, that Chiyo and Genos noticed.
“Kaiden, are you all right?” she asked.
“I’m dandy,” he replied and looked at her with his wide, almost devilish smile. “But I thought of some connections I need to contact.”
“Your smile is something of a concern, friend Kaiden,” the Tsuna remarked and leaned back in his chair.
“Do you know what a ‘eureka moment’ is, Genos?” the ace asked.
Genos turned to Chiyo, who simply shrugged. “It is another term for ‘epiphany,’ correct?”
“Correct.” He nodded. “One I get to rub in Wolfson’s face once this is over.”
“Um, maybe you should go see Dr. Soni once this is done,” Chiyo suggested. “I think you rattled your brain along with everything else.”
“Unfortunately, no, everything is working normally up here,” Chief confirmed, although mostly to himself as Kaiden certainly wasn’t listening. “Which is even more troubling.”
Chapter Five
“You plan to knock on the doors of other gangs to help you?” Wolfson asked incredulously and took another swing at Kaiden, who dodged to the side. “Let me hit you and see if you’re still thinking straight after that.”
“Yeah, because that would make it better,” he retorted and swept a leg out quickly. He caught Wolfson on the ankle but he still didn’t have the strength to topple the giant. When his attempt failed, he pushed away and retreated a few steps before his leg was all but crushed by Wolfson’s foot. “I have connections now. I admit there’s no guarantee that all of them will say yes, but I’m sure the Fire Riders would be interested, at least.”
“And how will you contact them?” his instructor asked before he barreled down on the ace, who vaulted over him and kicked off his back. The man stumbled with a grunt.
“I already contacted my gig dealer. He knows one of the Fire Rider’s…dispatchers, I guess? Either way, I’ll have him set us up. If I’m right, I may be able to get in touch with the Skyway Kings as well.”
“You’ve made many assumptions, boyo.” Wolfson swung an arm but Kaiden ducked beneath it before he caught his adversary in the ribcage, spun, and pounded a fist into the officer’s gut. Pain surged through his hand and he stepped back and shook it, then wiggled his fingers to make sure he hadn’t broken anything.
“You simply don’t want to admit it’s a decent plan,” he accused.
The head officer stood and rubbed his side. “I’ll admit, it’s good, but it all comes down to whether you can make it happen. You’ll certainly get your manpower if it works out, but you’ll need more than muscle and guns to have a chance that this will be a success.”
“I have something lined up for support, but I’m a little unsure how that one will pan out because it requires finesse.”
“You are good at bullshitting,” Chief interjected, although Kaiden was unsure if it was supposed to be sarcastic or oddly encouraging.
“Well, you have my blessing if that’s what you’re looking for.” Wolfson rubbed his shoulder and raised his fists in a boxing stance. “I guess we can’t be too choosy right now. I want to know what those bastards are up to.”
“So you’re as worried as I am that this chance may slip away?” he asked and prepared to engage once more.
“I doubt a fortress like that will suddenly up and disappear,” the man responded and took small steps to the side as the two began to circle one another. “But if they’ve targeted us these last couple of years, that’s sufficient time to make plans and preparations. I’m worried about what comes next.”
As Kaiden sidestepped around the arena and moved closer to one of the tables, he sneaked his hand out and snatched two items he’d seen before the bout started. He flipped the gun in his hand while he pocketed the other, then aimed the weapon at Wolfson. “You probably should be.”
He fired and his instructor charged through the force shots and hauled his arm back to deliver a punishing blow. The ace sprinted to the side and continued to fire while the giant pursued him. A well-placed shot on the edge of another table flipped it and slid the other guns out of his opponent’s reach. He looked at the weapon and activated a switch that allowed for charged shots but knew it would take time to power up.
The ace held the trigger down while he slid his other hand into his pocket. When his adversary leapt forward, he pushed off the floor to slide under him as he grasped the grenade in his pocket and lobbed it back. It burst open, ensnared the goliath of a man in a net, and constricted around him as he lost his balance. Despite the restraints, the officer was able to flip himself in the air to land on his feet before the mesh began to dig into his arms and chest.
Kaiden had no desire to waste the opportunity. He twisted and fired the charged shot. A blast of pressurized air drove into Wolfson’s chest to break the skin but, more importantly, knock him down. He tried to flip up again, but the younger man lunged and hammered furiously with everything he had—both the butt of his pistol and his free hand, ignoring the pain.
His instructor’s face was bloody and bruised and his eyes were closed. Kaiden couldn’t even tell if he was conscious or not, but it would be stupid to assume anything considering it was Wolfson. He held the trigger down once again and
aimed it at his face.
“So, can I get a little humility now?” he asked and tapped the older man’s face with the barrel of the gun. “I need you to be as ready as can be, and a concussion wouldn’t be—”
“We’ve done this for over fifty matches now. Do you really think I’ll give in?” Wolfson asked and spat blood onto Kaiden’s face.
“I still got this,” the ace stated and brandished the pistol as he wiped his face. “At this range, you won’t die but it’ll hurt like hell, even for you.”
“Only if you hit me with it.” The man huffed and glared at his trainee. “Which you should have done by now instead of gloating.” In one swift motion, he headbutted his opponent and dislodged him easily. He snuck a blade from under his bracer and used it to sever the net so he could stand, rolled his shoulders, and hawked another small glob of blood,
Kaiden backed away as the giant stepped forward, taking deep breaths as he balled his fists. “Although I suppose I should say congratulations. You managed some good hits.”
“And you’ve yet to get one solid hit in,” the ace jeered with a smirk. He aimed the pistol and released the trigger. The shot caught him squarely in the left shoulder and the skin popped off with a small burst of blood. Wolfson merely looked at the wound with disinterest and grinned.
“How long do you think it will take you to get all this together?” he asked and folded his arms.
The younger man looked at him and then at the gun, shrugged, and tossed the weapon aside. “The finals start in a week. So, a week. I need to talk it over with my team first. I’ll probably need Genos’ help as a pilot.”
“Genos? He’s one of the Tsuna you hang out with, right?” Wolfson asked and wiped his lips with the back of his arm. “Didn’t Sasha and Laurie say to not involve anyone else?”
“He offered. I didn’t involve anyone.” He looked away for a moment. “Although I’m heading over to Sasha’s after this. I’ll see what he has to say.”
“That’s probably one of your wiser moves.” The officer chuckled. “If there is one thing Sasha hates it’s those who openly balk his orders. He can be rather frightening when enraged.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him anything other than stern, really,” Kaiden commented.
“He doesn’t get all shouty like most others do. In fact, it’s an eerie calm. There’s nothing more frightening than someone who’s angry with you but has their presence of mind intact,” Wolfson stated. He stroked his beard in thought and glanced around the room. “I mentioned that I don’t have any reinforcements to offer other than myself. Obviously, I can’t exactly order the other security officers to help. This is above their paygrade.” His gaze settled on the weapons strewn about the floor. “But we’ll need weapons and armor to outfit those men you hope to recruit. Something better than whatever second-hand guns and black-market tech they have. I’ll see what I can whip up.”
“That sounds good, thanks.” He walked over to his jacket, which hung over a chair across the room. “Hey, Wolfson…”
“Yeah, boyo?”
Kaiden pulled his jacket on and turned back. “I have to say I’m excited to work with you in the field. I only got to see you work for a short time before we were separated in that cave.”
“Hunting the Lycan, I remember,” the man recalled.
“Try to not fall into any pits when we head off, all right?” he joked and turned toward the door. “I’ll contact you later.”
Wolfson watched him go and grinned when he recalled that little side mission. Kaiden, shaken up by his near-death experience with Gin, had to get his fire going again. He thought about how his charge had changed since then and he smiled. Nothing would put that flame out again.
Chapter Six
“Can I help you?” a man in the Nexus offices lobby asked but didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic.
“I’m Master Kaiden Jericho,” Kaiden announced. “I’m here to visit Commander Chevalier. I sent a message ahead.”
The man looked at his tablet and scanned through it for a moment before he returned his attention to the ace. “I don’t see your name here. You’ll need to—”
The monitor on the guard’s screen began to glow blue and both startled when a wire-frame owl appeared. “Good day to the both of you,” it said calmly.
“Hey, Isaac.” Kaiden greeted in return and smiled at the guard, who merely shrugged.
“Does the commander know he’s coming?” the guard asked the EI.
“Indeed. He apologizes for not sending the clearance down. He was busy for the last half hour and just saw the message. Please allow Master Jericho to proceed to his office.”
“Tell the commander he’s on his way.” The guard nodded and waved him along,
“Much appreciated, Matthew,” Isaac replied before he vanished again.
“Take the elevator to the sixth floor. Your EI can guide you to his office. Head directly there and only there.”
“Right.” He walked briskly past the man to the elevators, called one down and entered, then pressed the key for the sixth floor. He tapped his foot while he waited for the ascent.
“So, what do you think you’ll get out of him?” Chief asked.
“You make it sound like I’m shaking him down,” he protested. “Like Wolfson said in Laurie’s office, all three of them have a reason to want to eliminate the AO. I’m only here to tell him my plan and see what he has to say.”
“And you think he’ll be okay with it?” The EI sounded skeptical.
“We don’t have many other options. Whichever way you look at it, we can’t really go in with a small team if we want to live to talk about it.” He stepped out when the elevator reached the sixth floor.
“And what about the whole Genos situation?” Chief asked.
“That might be more complicated,” he admitted. “I think he should be all right with it, though. If nothing else, we can have Genos help during the recruitment process if Sasha puts his foot down. That way, he can still help but won’t be involved in the main fight.”
“Do you really think Genos would be happy with that?”
“Probably not, but I’d rather deal with an angry Genos than an angry commander. Especially after what Wolfson said. Someone who can spook him is not someone I want to fuck with.” Kaiden rounded the corner and strode the last few steps to the commander’s office. He knocked on the door and waited for a response. In a moment, a blue, glowing owl appeared above him.
“Hello again, Isaac.” The EI’s eyes circled in its head
“Hello again to you, Kaiden. The commander is almost finished. Please come in and make yourself at home.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t get drunk quite yet but I’ll do my best,” he joked
“Very good. Allow me to get the door.” Isaac disappeared and the door opened. The room was surprisingly dark despite it being only the afternoon. A couple of lamps were on and the windows were covered.
Kaiden walked in and the door closed behind him. “Sasha, are you here?”
“Over here, Kaiden.” He followed the commander’s voice to a small, round table in the corner. Sasha sat in a chair with his back to him and studied something on a holoscreen. “I’m sorry I didn’t see your message sooner.”
“It’s all right. I only wanted to touch base.” He took the chair opposite, hooked an arm over the back, and inclined his head. “I’ve come up with a plan for the…uh, situation.”
The commander raised an eyebrow. “Really, now? Do tell, and please feel free to speak your mind. No one is listening but me, I can assure you.”
The ace nodded and leaned in. “I intend to rally the troops, as it were, and recruit them from some of my previous temporary alliances.”
“Temporary alliances?”
“Other gangs. The Fire Riders and Skyway Kings, for example,” he explained.
“I see.” Sasha nodded, leaned back in his chair, and crossed one leg over the other. “Do you believe they will be receptive to th
is?”
“I’ll have to give them some facts, obviously. Not too many, I promise, but the Fire Riders would definitely be interested. After all, Gin was hired by the AO, technically. He was a little vague about it, according to Wolfson. But both of them were at Ramses and that assassin worked for them. That should garner some interest in retaliation.”
The other man nodded thoughtfully, picked up a glass of water, and sipped slowly. “What will you do if they ask for payment?”
Kaiden leaned back and scratched his head. “I thought I could tell them to strip the place when we’re done and let them have anything they can carry to sell.”
“That’s a rather risky move. If there are high-grade weapons or tech there, you’ll put it in the hands of gang members.”
“The Fire Riders and Kings are basically merc groups. I won’t try to get someone like the Vice Ghouls on board,” he clarified. “Although, if they sell them, that could lead to some problems. And with the Halos involved—”
“Halos?” Sasha questioned. “As in the Azure Halos? When did you meet them?”
“Middle of last year, although ‘met’ may not exactly be the correct term,” he admitted. “I’m not sure how it will go with them. There is a connection between them and AO.”
“How so?”
“I infiltrated their junk town to track a droid they stole. According to the files on that drive, it was developed by a company that has connections to the AO, potentially setting them up,” he revealed. “All gangs have different rules and honor systems and all that but no one likes to be set up.”
“I see. It’s another risk but having a group of hackers to assist would be useful.” Sasha sighed as he took another sip. “Most of my instincts tell me this is too much of a gamble—”
“But we don’t have a lot of options,” Kaiden interrupted and finished for him. “Most of us seem to agree on that. But until we actually have solid evidence that we can show to the world, we’ll have to fight a shadowy group with shady people.”
Raid (Animus Book 9) Page 3