by Doug Solter
Emma pressed the transmit button. She could hear the other radios of the unconscious men echo from the feedback. “Asset six-nine, come in,” she said.
“Asset six-nine…who is this?”
“Hi, Jacqueline! It’s Emma and the girls. Sorry but…um…four wasn’t enough. You’ll need to send more guys.”
Miyuki covered her mouth and giggled.
“Oh, Emma.” Nadia shut her eyes and said a prayer in Arabic.
A loud woman’s voice echoed down the passageway as it barked out orders. Jacqueline ran out of the control room with a gun in her hand and several armed men behind her. She fired off a whole clip of ammo down the hallway towards the T-junction.
Nadia and Emma dropped to the ground.
Hiding behind the T-junction, Miyuki fired her machine gun and sprayed the hallway with bullets.
Jacqueline and her men stopped running and took cover along the walls and floors of the passageway. They returned gunfire.
Nadia rolled her body like a hot dog towards Miyuki and took position behind the T-junction, crouching just under Miyuki. She added her machine gun to the firefight.
Both sides were pinned down as bullets pinged off the rock walls and whizzed all over the place.
Emma soon realized that being exposed on the ground like this was no place to be. She rolled her body toward the junction like Nadia did. Once Emma was behind both of her friends and the shielding offered by the junction, Emma stood up and pressed her right shoulder against the rocky wall of their passageway. The constant rattle from the gunfight hurt Emma’s ears and made her heart race way too fast.
She gripped her rifle, but didn’t have any training on how to use it or even a safe place to shoot from. Unless Emma jumped to the other side of the passageway and hoped she wouldn’t get turned into Swiss cheese. Emma thought better of it. It was safer here, behind her friends.
Something then pressed in between Emma’s shoulder blades, making her tense up. What was that?
“I don’t wanna hurt you, Emma. So please put down your weapon.”
The calm, young male’s voice made Emma crane her neck.
Dressed in black military fatigues, Ryan stood behind her with a gun pressing at her back. Ten armed men stood behind him with their guns drawn.
The boy smiled. “We have more guys now.”
Chapter 32
The four giant seed vaults towered over the three girls. Jacqueline had her men tie each girl to one of the main iron support beams that kept the 10,000-foot mountain from crushing the facility into a pancake. Emma noticed the explosive charges inside the control room and assumed the vaults were wired too. There was more activity around the computers and the roll-away equipment rack anchored with the network of cables leading out to the vaults.
Emma still wondered about the single laptop on top of the rack. Venomous must have brought it with them, since it didn’t match anything else in the control center and had to be plugged in by a long extension cord. She wondered what the laptop controlled. Emma saw Nadia studying the same thing. If anyone knew how to use that laptop to shut all this down, she did. Emma then caught sight of Ryan. The traitor.
The boy watched her from across the room, like he did when they sat together on that rock by the lake. Blinking those cute eyes of his and trying to woo her with that dimpled chin. Emma would give anything for a shot at that chin with the heel of her boot.
Emma wondered why Ryan was helping Venomous. Did he lie to her about everything? Was Ryan secretly helping his dad while lying to her about it all? Too many questions and Emma didn’t know if she would live long enough to get the answers.
Jacqueline paced the floor before she was back on the radio. “Asset sixty-nine to Asset eighty-eight. Have you found the soldiers yet? What is your situation?” The radio crackled, but no one answered. “Merde,” Jacqueline yelled. She ran up to Nadia. “Where did the soldiers go after you released them?”
Nadia was silent.
Jacqueline struck her across the face. “Answer me you Muslim rat.”
Nadia’s face hardened. She was a rock.
Jacqueline hit her face with another slap.
Nadia didn’t look up again. But a tear formed in the corner of her eye.
Jacqueline moved over to Miyuki who met the woman’s eyes with an unnerving stare like the black eyes of a cobra, all coiled up and ready to strike.
Jacqueline skipped her and stood in front of Emma. “Where did the soldiers go after you released them? You’ll save those men’s lives if you tell us. I don’t want to kill prisoners. I only want them out of the way. If they surrender, then we won’t have to hunt them down and risk hurting them.”
Emma didn’t believe her.
The radio crackled. “Asset eighty-three to Asset sixty-nine.” Gunfire could be heard in the background. “The soldiers have taken over the armory. Five of my men are dead. Retreating back to the break room area. We’ll make our stand there.”
“Of course, the damn armory,” Jacqueline said to herself before answering the radio. “Understood. I’ll send you what I can.” She pointed to one man. “Send your unit to the break room area.”
The man nodded and ordered his men to follow him, taking away most of the armed men in master control. But Emma noted that some of the techs still had pistols in their holsters and most likely knew how to use them. Plus Emma was shackled up to a metal support beam by people who knew how to secure someone. Emma wiggled around and found her handcuffs gave no slack whatsoever. Emma assumed Nadia and Miyuki were finding out the same thing. Emma just hoped that Olivia would find a way to save them in time.
Ryan eased his way over to Emma. She looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.
“Sorry about all this.”
“Spare me your pity. I don’t want it,” Emma said.
“I’d never pity you. But I do want to explain.”
“Like father. Like son. What is there to explain?”
Ryan bristled at the comment. “I’m not like my father. He only cares about making money and showing off. He can’t rise above that. I can.”
“Alright, I think I’m putting it together now. You’re doing all this to spite your dad. Taking some crazy plan he dreamed up and using it against him.”
Ryan paused. “To be honest, Venomous wanted to expand my father’s plan. They were more ambitious than he was and I like that about them. Venomous is an organization with vision. They understand the true meaning of power.”
“If Venomous is so above money, why do they want fifty billion dollars?”
“A criminal organization runs on money. Same as a major corporation. You need money in order to exercise one’s power.”
“I actually felt sorry for you,” Emma said. “I thought we could talk to each other.”
“You can always talk to me.”
“I would tell you to talk to my middle finger, but it’s tied up at the moment.”
“I know you’re upset and I understand why you would be.”
“Causing millions of people to starve to death would upset most people, Ryan.”
“The United Nations will never let it go that far. They’ll pay us soon.”
“And what if they don’t? Can you live with the consequences?” Emma asked.
“I’m not the one throwing the switch.”
“Maybe not. But you’re supplying electricity to the chair.”
Ryan balked at that last comment and went silent for a moment.
Jacqueline’s assistant Pierre jogged into the room.
“Why are you here eight-three?” Jacqueline asked.
“Asset One sent me a message. He’ll be transmitting soon,” Pierre said.
“Excellent. Perhaps they’ve heard from the UN. What’s your situation?”
“My men have held off the soldiers in the break area. Our evacuation route is still open.”
“Excellent work.”
“A transmission is coming in, Miss Boyay.” A tech called out to the room.
>
“On screen.”
Everyone turned their attention to the master control area where a large monitor above flickered to life. A man wearing dark sunglasses with thick white frames appeared. He had extra-long blond hair which hung straight down each side. The man’s square face contained no emotion.
Resting on the back of the man’s chair was….
Was Emma hallucinating? No. Resting on the back of the man’s chair was a beautiful black falcon. It stood proudly behind its owner.
Jacqueline straightened as Pierre stood by her side.
“Status of your operation, Six-Nine?” the man’s voice was deep, rough, and filled one’s bones with fear.
Jacqueline stepped forward. “The global seed vaults are rigged for incineration.”
“Do we still have remote control…over the AirTech climate control systems?”
“Yes. The network is still strong. We can wipe out over four hundred facilities around the world from our location. It’s enough to carry out our threat.”
“Quite acceptable,” white sunglasses man said.
“Have the United Nations given into our demands?”
“They create excuses. Delays. Our patience…wears thin,” white sunglasses man said. “Behind you…”
Jacqueline hesitated, and then turned. “The seed vaults?”
“The girls. Who are they?”
“Oh…them,” Jacqueline said. “The Authority is recruiting children against us. I’ll have them killed at once.”
“The Authority…they’re aware of your plans?”
Emma noticed that this white sunglasses man had a strange way of speaking. He paused in the middle of his sentences, taking his time to speak as if each syllable had as much meaning as an entire book.
“A minor inconvenience, sir. They have been dealt with as you can see.”
“The soldiers…attacking your position…when they surrendered…why were they not killed?”
Jacqueline eyed Pierre who betrayed nothing. “We have the Norwegians pinned down. They will not cause any disruption to our plans. You have nothing to worry about, sir.”
The black falcon stretched, extending its large wings.
“On the contrary…since this operation began there have been…complications. We worry about complications.”
“I’ve dealt with each complication and eradicated it,” Jacqueline said.
“Your methods of dealing with complications…lead to more complications. This is unsatisfactory to us. First error…killing an ex-Authority member in a jet crash…ignoring that such an action…would attract their attention. Second error…the failure on numerous occasions…to kill these Authority “children” as you say. Now these children have released your prisoners…who are now armed and threaten to disrupt your operation. And finally…the third error…trusting this operation to a man like—”
“May I speak?” Jacqueline interrupted.
The man with the white sunglasses leaned forward. “Do you feel…that is wise?”
Jacqueline lowered her head. “Forgive me.”
White sunglasses man eased back into his chair. “And finally…trusting a man like Ron Raymond as a partner…in such an important operation. His capture…further jeopardized it.” The man stopped and crossed his legs. The falcon walked down the man’s arm and hopped on top of his leg, using it as a perch. “This organization prides itself…on efficiency. We despise sloppiness. We regret…your talents…will no longer be required, Six-Nine.”
Terror gripped Jacqueline’s face. Her confidence gone. “But we’re so close to the end. I promise you that this operation will succeed I—”
Jacqueline clutched her chest as pain overwhelmed her face. Pain so intense, Jacqueline fell to her knees.
“This operation will succeed…if you are not leading it.”
The woman cried out as she rolled to the floor, still clutching her chest.
“Asset of the eighty-third order?” White sunglasses man asked without emotion.
“Yes, Asset of the first order?” Pierre answered.
“Commence the incineration…evacuate the facility. You are now…in command. Asset of the ninety-fifth order?”
Ryan stepped forward. “Yes, sir?”
“Your contribution to this operation…has been noted. You will be second-in-command. Carry out the orders.”
“Yes, sir.”
The screen went black.
Chapter 33
On the cold floor of the control center, Jacqueline’s body didn’t move. Her eyes were still open and staring at nothing. Emma was sure she was dead. What did they do to her? Who was that weirdo with the Falcon? What would happen to them? There’s one person Emma could ask. The same person she never wanted to speak to again.
Emma forced her mouth to say it. “Ryan?”
The boy stood near Pierre, who made last minute orders to his men still left inside the control center. Ryan held up his hand, as if telling her to wait. He then came over. “Yes?”
“May I have a sip of water? My mouth is dry.”
Ryan smiled. “Sure.” He left for about five minutes and came back with a bottle of water. Ryan opened the plastic top and held it up for her, gently tilting it so she could have a good swig.
“More?”
Emma nodded.
Ryan tilted the bottle again and Emma took in more of the cool liquid.
“Thanks,” she said.
“My pleasure.”
“What happened to Jacqueline?”
Ryan glanced over at the woman’s body. “Asset One had her chip activated. It triggered a heart attack.”
“What do you mean chip? Like a computer chip, inside her body?”
“We all have one surgically inserted.” Ryan turned his left arm over, pulling back the armband of his watch to expose his wrist. There was a small incision, barely a scar. “Most of the time the chip only sends pain messages to the nervous system. However, a message can be sent for the heart to stop beating.”
“Why? What’s the purpose of that?”
“Discipline. Order. Venomous operates on the principles of reward and punishment. You either succeed or you fail. Failure means pain. Success means reward. Honest and simple. Normally Jacqueline would have received a heavy shock, not strong enough to kill her.” Ryan looked back at Jacqueline. “But she made too many mistakes. Pierre and I were hoping Asset One would realize that. And he did.”
“It all sounds brutal to me. Who is Asset One?”
“The man on top of the pyramid.”
“He referred to you as Nine-Five,” Emma said. “So that means, Asset Nine-Five?”
“I’m on my way up in the organization. After this operation, I might get promoted into the eighties.”
Emma sneaked a peek at Nadia and Miyuki. Both girls had the same look. Emma knew what they were thinking because she realized it too. They were helpless. Unless Pierre and Ryan took the girls with them, they would die in the inferno when this place went up.
Ryan touched her face. “Done with your water?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Ryan was still friendly to her. He still wanted Emma to think he was a good guy. Wanted her to believe in what he was doing. Maybe Emma could use that to her advantage. Maybe she could get Ryan to change his mind and go against Pierre and his operatives. It was worth a try at least.
Emma calmed herself and reached down deep inside her acting bag of tricks. Emotions began to float up to the surface. She felt a tear streaking down her face.
“What will happen to us?” Her voice quivered slightly. So slightly it sounded genuine.
Ryan knelt down and stroked her blond hair. “You’ll be left here. Most likely.”
“To burn to death?” Emma’s voice shook just a tiny bit more.
Damn she was good.
Ryan’s mouth softened. “What else can we do? If we let you go, your friends will disrupt the operation, maybe capture all of us. I wish you hadn’t come. This would be easier. I never
wanted to hurt you.” Ryan’s mouth went stiff. “But I gave an oath to Venomous so I can’t back out now.” Ryan played with the ends of her hair, not wanting to let go. “Why did you have to come? You should never have gotten involved with any of this. You should be home in California where I could’ve met you at some coffee shop and asked you out. I bet we would’ve fallen in love.”
Emma went in for the kill. “It could still be like that. We could have a future.”
“How? How could we do that?”
“I’ll have to whisper it. I don’t want the other girls to hear.”
Ryan looked confused, but leaned over close. Very close.
“What if I joined?” Emma whispered.
Ryan searched her eyes. “Joined? You mean, join Venomous?”
“I know a lot of things about The Authority. I could be valuable.” She stared into his blue eyes. “And we would be together.” Emma drifted her lips to his and kissed him. Ryan loosened up and kissed her back. This unleashed a series of light and tender kisses.
Ryan withdrew his lips; his breathing was fast and out of control. He opened the bottle of water and finished the rest of it.
Emma knew she had him. “Is there somewhere we could talk? Privately? Emma referenced Miyuki and Nadia. Another hint she wanted to defect.
Ryan watched her a moment, no doubt trying to decide if he could trust her. “One moment.”
The boy stood up and discussed something with two of the Venomous technicians. They came back with Ryan and unlocked the chains from Emma’s hands and legs.
She stretched her limbs, trying to avoid them cramping up. “Thank you.” Emma drew cold stares from Miyuki and Nadia, as if they felt something wasn’t right. As if they expected Emma to selfishly save herself by any means necessary.
Ryan rested his hand on her back and guided Emma inside a small supply closet, switching the light on, and closing the door. Emma sat on a box of printer paper while Ryan leaned against an empty shelf.
“How about some information first?” Ryan asked. “Tell me something we don’t know.”
“NATO is sending a special forces team here. They could be on the ground already. The Norwegians should be here with army units too; I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve reinforced the soldiers you’re battling in the break room. Your situation is hopeless. You could destroy the seed, but you can’t get out of here alive,” Emma said.