Sanctuary

by Ken Lozito

  “Stop!” a voice shouted from the drone as it followed him.

  Dash came to a halt and turned around.

  “We won’t hurt you if you just stop,” the voice said.

  Not going to happen, Dash thought. “I’ll take my chances,” he called out over his shoulder and started running again.

  He heard the voice shout something else but he couldn’t hear it. We won’t hurt you . . . yeah, right. Dash turned down the first corner he found and heard the drone following him. Whatever was in his backpack continued to chime. He tried fumbling with the straps as he ran, managing to pull the flap open and peer inside. The glowing mesh screen of an NEIIS PDA stared back at him. He remembered that Brad had been able to use some of the small NEIIS power cells and it must have turned on when he’d leaned against the wall at just the right angle. The PDA was receiving a broadcast signal from the NEIIS complex, but he couldn’t take the time to study it right then so he just silenced the alert. The drone flew overhead, following him but remaining stubbornly out of reach. He came to another street and it stretched far away from him. There was no way he could outrun the drone.

  A short distance in the opposite direction he saw what looked like the main thoroughfare and he ran toward it. The drone stayed well behind him and seemed to slow down. He reached the end of the small street he was on and cautiously peered around the corner. Three CDF soldiers were heading right for him and they noticed each other at the same time.

  “Don’t run,” the soldier in the middle said. The two soldiers on either side of him raised their weapons slightly but didn’t quite point them at Dash.

  He looked behind him at the drone hovering in the air. There was nowhere for him to go. The three CDF soldiers walked toward him.

  “You’ve got nowhere to go,” one of them said, echoing his own thoughts.

  Dash raised his hands into the air, but he knew he couldn’t allow himself to be caught. His friends were depending on him. “I can’t go with you,” he said and stepped back into the small street he’d been on.

  “Dash, I’m Sergeant Flint, and I promise we will not hurt you.”

  Dash could still see them as he backed farther down the street. “Tell that to Jim. You shot him in the leg, so you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t trust you.”

  “That wasn’t us, but if you run, I will order my men to stop you,” Sergeant Flint replied.

  Dash took another step back, getting ready to turn and run. “What happened to not hurting me?”

  Sergeant Flint smiled. “I think you’ll survive a stunner dart, but I’d rather not have to carry you.”

  Dash gritted his teeth and watched as the three soldiers continued to close in on him. There was a loud pop and the drone crashed to the ground behind him. Dash spun toward it in shock.

  “Drop your weapons. We have you surrounded,” said a familiar voice.

  Dash raised his hands and turned back to the soldiers, who looked just as surprised as he was.

  “I know you can hear me. Don’t try anything stupid. Do anything other than drop your weapons and I’ll drop all of you,” Connor said.

  Dash heard another pop and he flinched. He wasn’t the only one.

  “Do as he says,” Sergeant Flint said and then spoke over his shoulder. “I’m dropping my weapon.”

  Sergeant Flint let his weapon fall to the ground and the other two soldiers did the same.

  “Put your hands on your heads and step back out onto the street,” Connor said.

  Dash could hear Connor’s voice, but he hadn’t actually seen him yet. Until Connor arrived, he'd thought his luck had finally run out. Dash waited for the other soldiers to comply with Connor’s orders and then followed them out onto the street.

  With his mouth set in a thin, grim line, Connor barely glanced at Dash. He was focusing all his attention on Sergeant Flint and the others.

  “The only reason you’re still alive is because you didn’t kill him,” Connor said and gestured with his rifle toward Dash.

  Standing next to Connor, Dr. Malone looked haggard, but he smiled at Dash tiredly. Connor also looked at Dash. “We heard some prisoners escaped. Is there anyone else with you?”

  Dash’s throat became thick and he shook his head. He hadn’t realized how scared he’d been until the danger had passed.

  “Are you alright?” Dr. Malone asked.

  “I’m fine, but the others are still at the complex,” Dash said and explained where the others were being kept.

  He watched as Connor listened but kept his attention on the CDF soldiers.

  Sergeant Flint still had his hands up. “What are you going to do with us, General?”

  Connor regarded the soldier for a moment. “As the rest your squad likes to point out, I’m no longer with the CDF. Are you trying to say you’re different?”

  “We are different. This is Dax and Shea. We served on Titan Station under Colonel Douglass,” Sergeant Flint said and paused for a moment. Dash didn’t know who Colonel Douglass was, but Connor seemed to. Every colonist knew of Titan Station. It had been their first line of defense against the Vemus. Titan Station had been destroyed and there’d been very few survivors. Sergeant Flint continued. “We didn’t know Maddox was going to take prisoners or do any of this. Captain Fletcher wanted to investigate the NEIIS signal and then he died . . .” Sergeant Flint’s voice trailed off.

  “Maddox is crazy. Why didn’t you stop him?” Dash asked.

  “We couldn’t. The rest of the men—most—are loyal to him,” Sergeant Flint said.

  “And you’re not?” Connor said, looking unconvinced.

  Sergeant Flint’s gaze hardened. “Captain Fletcher was a good man who deserved better than what happened to him. He died because we’re using equipment long overdue to be serviced, and we’re not the only ones. It feels like after the threat of the Vemus passed, the colony didn’t need us anymore. At first, Maddox wanted to continue to investigate the NEIIS signal, but then he started taking prisoners.” Flint paused and looked at Dash. “He shouldn’t have done that to any of you.”

  “I’m curious, Sergeant,” Connor began. “What would you have done with Dash if we hadn’t come along?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Sergeant Flint answered.

  Connor didn’t reply but merely waited for the soldier to answer his question.

  “He knows the NEIIS system,” Sergeant Flint said, jutting his chin toward Dash. “Maddox discovered that the NEIIS have a way to control the ryklars. Something in their systems is causing the ryklars to head for the colony. We all have family there and would do anything to protect the colony. When the other squad came back with the prisoners, I knew the best chance to stop Maddox was to capture him,” he said and gestured toward Dash. “I figured you knew how to stop what he was trying to do.”

  Connor arched an eyebrow and glanced at Dash. “You need to fill me in, but make it quick because everyone who came with us has been captured. Ian and I barely escaped.”

  Dash nodded and explained to Connor about the purge protocol. He brought out the NEIIS PDA and reconnected the power cell.

  “Can you control the NEIIS systems with that?” Connor asked.

  Dash didn’t know. He tried to navigate the interface and then shook his head. “It’s just receiving the signal.”

  Connor frowned in thought. “What do you need to stop it?”

  “I would need to access the NEIIS system to override the purge protocol. That would stop the broadcast signals from going out, but we’d also need time for the cancellation to make its way to all the NEIIS cities across the continent,” Dash said.

  “We noticed the signals seemed to appear at random,” Connor said.

  Dash’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “It could be because the automated signals are being activated on old systems and they’re simply burning out . . .”

  “Which means we might not be able to cancel the last commands sent to the ryklars,” Connor said.

&n
bsp; “We have to try. You didn’t see the data cache here. There are cities spread throughout the continent. The NEIIS were more widespread than we ever thought possible,” Dash said.

  “We still have a problem,” Dr. Malone said.

  Connor nodded and looked at Sergeant Flint and the others.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Connor didn’t have a choice but to trust Sergeant Flint. Their plan wouldn’t work otherwise.

  “But what about the others at the NEIIS Command Center?” Dash asked.

  Connor knew Dash was worried about his friends. “We need to alert the CDF and stop the NEIIS broadcast signal. We have an emergency beacon deployed with our last drone, but I don’t think it’s gonna be enough.”

  “I have a suggestion about how we can accomplish both, General. But you’re not gonna like it,” Sergeant Flint said. He glanced purposefully at Dash.

  Connor followed his gaze and could guess what the sergeant was suggesting. Dash’s eyebrows dropped with concern. “I don’t understand,” he said.

  “We need to split up. It’s the only way,” Connor said.

  Ian started to protest and Dash looked at Connor as if he’d lost his mind.

  Connor looked at Ian. “Give them back their weapons,” he said and nodded toward the CDF soldiers.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ian said.

  Sergeant Flint and the others took their weapons back and looked to Connor.

  “This is crazy. How do you know we can trust them?” Dash said.

  Much to Sergeant Flint’s credit, he didn’t try to voice any reasons for them to be trusted, and Connor knew that a lesser man would have. He turned toward Dash.

  “I need you to go back and stop the NEIIS broadcast and contact the CDF. Sergeant Flint will help you with that,” Connor said.

  Dash frowned in confusion. “Wait, what are you going to do? And why would Sergeant Flint need me to contact the CDF?”

  “Don’t worry about me. Can you do this? Can you do what I need you to do?” Connor asked.

  They hadn’t always seen eye to eye, but Connor could tell that this experience had changed Dash. There was genuine concern in the young man’s eyes and he nodded.

  “I’m going after Maddox,” Connor said.

  “Sir, he has ten men with him, at least,” Sergeant Flint said.

  “Understood, Sergeant,” Connor replied.

  “You’re going to take them all on by yourself?” Dash asked.

  Connor shook his head. “No, course not. Ian is coming with me.” He glanced at Sergeant Flint. “That should be enough to convince the others of the plan.”

  “What plan?” Dash asked.

  “The plan for you to contact the CDF and stop the NEIIS broadcast,” Connor said.

  “But why can’t we . . .” Dash began.

  Connor shook his head. “We can’t stop Maddox in a standup fight. It would waste valuable time and leave the others at risk. Sergeant Flint will get you where you need to go.”

  Connor watched as Dash bit his lower lip in thought. “I’m so sorry I caused all this.”

  “This isn’t your fault,” Connor said and waited for Dash to look at him. “You need to focus on what needs to get done. Then we’ll take it from there.”

  Sergeant Flint cleared his throat. “Sir, I really wish you’d consider taking Rex or Shea with you. They could help you.”

  Connor shook his head. “I could use their help, but you know as well as I that Maddox will want to see your squad in its entirety if our ruse is going to work.”

  Sergeant Flint nodded and leaned in so only Connor could hear. “I’ll make sure he stays safe,” he said with a nod toward Dash.

  Connor nodded and then gestured for Dash to come closer. “Have you got your PDA?”

  Dash handed his PDA to Connor, who accessed the PDA's interface and uploaded his secure credentials to it. “Make sure you use this when you communicate with the CDF.”

  Dash took his PDA back and stuffed it in his backpack. “I won’t let you down.”

  “I know you won’t. Good luck,” Connor said.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Maddox and his CDF team made their way through the NEIIS city. They were thirty minutes away from the command center and the team moved through the streets with practiced efficiency, leaving no corner unsecured as they went. Maddox had them heading northwest of their base. This was where Connor would be; he knew it in his gut.

  “Sir,” Lieutenant Mitchell said. “Nunez and Lambert are overdue.”

  Maddox had sent the two soldiers to scout an area half a kilometer away. He heard Dr. Bishop snort and mutter under her breath, but he suspected he knew the gist of it. He looked over at her and she returned his gaze with a challenge.

  “What’s the matter, Lieutenant? More of your men go missing?” Dr. Bishop asked.

  Her cheek was still red from where he’d slapped her before and Maddox knew hitting her again wouldn’t do any good, but how he yearned to. He was about to put her in her place when a comlink broadcast appeared on his internal heads-up display. It was an image of two CDF soldiers, their bodies lying in the middle of the street and their uniforms stained with blood, but he saw their names printed clearly on their chests. Nunez and Lambert.

  “When are all of you going to realize you’re hopelessly outclassed? If you surrender now, you at least get to keep your lives,” Dr. Bishop said.

  Maddox stomped over to her and grabbed her by the throat. Dr. Bishop kicked him in the shins, but he just squeezed his hand and she went down to her knees. “I think we’ve heard enough from you,” he sneered. Dr. Bishop’s face became red as she tried to break free from his grasp. “It’s hopeless. When are you going to realize that?” He pulled her closer to him and turned her head so her ear was in front of his mouth. “I’d kill you right now, snap your neck, but I want to see the look on his face when you die right in front of him.” He held her for a few moments longer, then shoved her to the ground.

  The other soldiers grinned as they watched her struggle to her feet, coughing as she gasped for breath. She eventually regained her footing and lifted her gaze toward Maddox, baring her teeth. Her throat was red from where his hands had been but he recognized the cold fury in her eyes. He’d seen it many times when he’d look in the mirror. He watched as her eyes slipped toward the knife on his belt. Maddox made a show of looking down at it and grinned when she looked away from him.

  “Sir, I have a comlink from Sergeant Flint,” Lieutenant Mitchell said. “He’s caught the escaped prisoner and is bringing him back to the command center.”

  “Excellent. Tell Flint and his team that drinks are on me,” Maddox said and looked toward Dr. Bishop. For once her smug look had been replaced with one of concern. “We’ve caught your student. Dash is now on his way back to the command center.”

  Dr. Bishop didn’t reply.

  “Still think Connor is going to stop us?” Maddox asked.

  Again, she remained silent, but he’d expected as much. Maddox marched over to her and she flinched. He smirked, loving the fact that he was finally breaking her resolve. “I asked you a question.”

  Dr. Bishop looked away from him and he leaned in. She kicked her foot out, striking his knee, and Maddox toppled to the ground, feeling a sharp stab to his side as the woman kicked him in the ribs. As Maddox rolled away and sprang back up, Dr. Bishop turned to run. Growling, he brought up his rifle, intending to shoot her in the back, but two of his soldiers grabbed her to prevent her from getting away. Maddox stormed over toward her.

  “Sir, you need to look at this,” Lieutenant Mitchell said and Maddox swung his gaze toward him. “It’s the Hellcat, sir.”

  Maddox used his implants to access the Hellcat’s systems and found that he was locked out. His eyes widened and he looked at Lieutenant Mitchell in alarm.

  “Someone has set off a distress beacon, sir,” Lieutenant Mitchell said.

  “I’m locked out. Can you stop it?” Maddox aske
d.

  A distress beacon from the Hellcat would be detected by COMCENT.

  Lieutenant Mitchell frowned and then shook his head. “I can’t.”

  Maddox gritted his teeth and swore. He scanned the comlink channels of all his men, but there were none near the encampment.

  “Shouldn’t we send someone back to camp, sir?” Lieutenant Mitchell asked.

  Maddox looked at Dr. Bishop for a moment and the pieces finally started to click into place. “That’s what he’d like us to do,” he said with a wide smile and glanced at his squad. “Split us up and keep grinding our numbers down. No, I don’t think we’ll oblige Gates this time.”

  Maddox saw the men give an approving nod. They were ready for this. “We head back to camp. All of us. It’s time to end this.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Dash followed Sergeant Flint away from the encampment. When they’d left Connor, he wondered if Flint would betray them and he imagined Flint holding him hostage, but none of that happened. They’d gone right for the Hellcat and Flint had him use Connor’s credentials to activate the emergency beacon. Connor’s credentials would ensure that the beacon would reach the people who could facilitate a quick response. Now that the first part of their plan was taken care of, it was time to rescue the others and stop the purge protocol.

  Sergeant Flint stopped and waited for Dash to catch up to him. “Do you remember who was guarding you at the command center?”

  Dash frowned, trying to recall all the details. “I didn’t get a good look at the others. I was mostly working with Specialist Stackhouse.”