“It figures, with the ego that prick has this would suit him fine,” Mercy replied.
Mercy’s come a calling Mitchell… you bastard—
Chapter 8
Crack
“Come on, we’ve gotta recon this building, it’s huge,” Mercy said, withdrawing through the trees.
“Yeah, well, the front is obviously a no go,” Rose said.
Barnes was crouching in the rear, looking through his night scope. “Hold it, I’ve got something… round the side of the building. Can’t make it out properly. Movement—”
Mercy waited beside Barnes. She squinted over his shoulder. She bit her lip, her body tense.
It’s all come to this. We need to get in there. What if we’re running out of time?
Finally, Barnes lifted his head from the scope, “It’s a Clydesdale horse, it’s partially obscured by a wall… looks like an old coach park. We need to check it out—”
“Agreed, let’s go,” Mercy said. She led the way through the trees and long grass lining 7th Street Southwest.
They moved fifty yards. Mercy stopped when they had drawn level with the horse.
Barnes used his scope to check the area, “Yeah, it’s a horse and cart. The horse is facing us. The cart’s parked on a downward slope, looks like a ramp. It’s an entrance to a basement level. There’s pallets of food lying around, this must be where they bring in the crops from the Mall—”
Mercy checked her watch, “Yeah, but it’s late. Can you see any people?”
Barnes looked through his scope again, “Negative. Could be just a skeleton crew as it’s night. We won’t know unless we get closer.”
We’re inside the walls. They feel safe. This is probably as good as it’s gonna get—
“It’s worth checking. Everyone good to go?” Mercy asked.
Rose nodded, “Right behind you.”
Barnes grunted and stood up. Mercy went forwards through the weeds and long grass. She stopped ten yards from the Clydesdale horse and scanned the area for people.
Nothing, no cameras that I can see. Keep going—
Mercy crouched and edged forwards, being careful not to startle the horse. Pallets stacked with crates of vegetables lay in a neat line on the downward sloping ramp.
Nobody around. Keep going—
Mercy gave the horse a wide berth and descended the ramp. She pulled out her knife and the HK45.
Wish I had a silencer about now. Go with the knife first—
The ramp led down to a large set of double doors.
Christ, they’re huge. Steel plate, they probably used to bring the exhibits in this way—
Dim light filtered out through a narrow crack in the doors.
They’re unlocked. Keep moving, no point being caught out here in the open—
Mercy pressed her face close to the crack and peered inside. The area behind the doors was dimly lit by three storm lanterns resting on the floor. A vast space opened up before her. Stacked crates lay in neat rows.
There’s enough food here to feed an army—
Rose peered over Mercy’s shoulder, she gasped, “I ain’t seen so much food in one place since before the Fall. It’s like Thanksgiving and Christmas all rolled up into one—”
You got that right Rose. This is it—
“We’re going in,” Mercy said, her pulse quickening. She squeezed through the gap in the heavy doors.
“Wait… I thought this was just a recon,” Rose whispered.
Mercy moved ahead, not answering. Rose shrugged and followed Mercy inside. The storage room was quiet, a forklift truck was visible down one of the aisles. The smell of vegetables hung heavy in the air. An area off to one side was occupied by tables laden with hundreds of jars and lids.
They’re preserving food for the winter. An organised operation—
Mercy glanced around. A schematic map on the wall caught her eye. She went over for a closer look.
It’s a map of this level—
Mercy peered at the schematic and found a red dot. The words: YOU ARE HERE were beside the mark.
This is from before the Fall. Probably for delivery people, visitors—
A series of corridors and rooms were detailed on the map. Mercy’s eyes widened.
This place is huge—
Her eyes moved to another part of the schematic. A room was outlined in red on the map, the spot grimy with fingerprints.
Rose pressed in and indicated the smudged area on the map, “So, what do you think? That room looks… important? Admin area? Mitchell’s quarters?”
Barnes spoke up, “Makes sense for Mitchell to be underground, this whole area of the museum has been repurposed. There’s likely to be labs, barracks, briefing rooms, a kitchen and a mess hall. That area could be the kitchens, it would make sense seeing as we’re in the food warehouse—”
Mercy nodded. “Well, it’s all we’ve got to go on and it could be important seeing as it’s the only room highlighted in red, so let’s check it out. Barnes, this place is big… can you figure out a compass bearing to make sure we’re heading in the right direction?”
“Will do,” Barnes answered. He took out his compass and used the schematic to estimate a general direction of travel.
Mercy lowered her voice, “Remember, we’re wearing NSA uniforms, so we look the part. If we meet anyone, brazen it out. If it fails… we take them out—”
“Seems fair,” Rose said. She glanced around, “Damn, why isn’t there anyone around? This place gives me the creeps.”
“There must be someone, that horse and cart looked fresh in from the fields,” Mercy answered. “It’s after midnight, maybe they’re between shifts. Who cares? We’re in. Let’s go, safeties off.”
Mercy led the way down the nearest aisle to the back of the warehouse. They came to a clear PVC strip curtain. Dim floor lighting was visible beyond the strip curtains. Mercy glanced at the others then pushed her way through the vinyl strips. The corridor was noticeably warmer than the food storage area. Mercy transferred her pistol to her right hand and racked the slide, chambering a round.
At least we look like NSA—
They walked down the dimly lit corridor, passing unmarked doors on either side. The floor lights flickered in places, creating a sense of foreboding. Mercy came to a window, fronting a large room full of laboratory equipment and computer screens. Workbenches ran along one wall, large wall screens flickered at the rear of the room. Her eyes were drawn to three rows of large glass tanks filled with a green liquid. Streams of bubbles filled the tanks, rising from below.
What the hell—?
Mercy stopped and pressed her face to the window. She stared at the glass tanks. Rose mumbled something beside her.
“What did you say?” Mercy said.
“There’s people in there, in those glass tubes,” Rose said.
Jesus. We need to check this out. Wait, no… this isn’t the objective. Mitchell is our objective. Move on—
Voices came from further up the corridor.
Shit—
Mercy went to the door and tried the handle. The door was unlocked, she entered the laboratory.
This feels… familiar—
She looked at the machines lining the wall and the instruments on the workbenches. She shivered.
It’s like the labs in Cheyenne Mountain and on the North Victory gas platform. Goddammit, this is Cobalt Biotech stuff—
Goosebumps puckered Mercy’s skin.
Heavy footsteps passed in the corridor outside. Mercy turned and saw two men pushing a large trolley down the corridor towards the food warehouse. They were wearing overalls and carried side arms.
Close shave—
A voice came out of the darkness at the rear of the laboratory, “Can I help you, officer?”
Mercy froze.
Chapter 9
Past Life
Mercy spun around. A man in a white lab coat stood a few feet away.
Where the hell did he come from?
<
br /> She stared at him, the moment drawing out.
Think—
Mercy stepped forwards, “Negative. We’re running random spot checks, increased internal security. There’s been suspicious activity outside the wall—”
The man nodded slowly, “I see—”
Mercy’s eyes went to his name badge: DR DAVID REYES, BIOPATHOLOGY.
OK—
Mercy noticed the surgical mask around his neck and the bloody rubber gloves on his hands. Her eyes flicked to the rear of the laboratory. A cadaver lay on a metal table, a wide incision in its abdominal cavity.
Christ, he’s doing an autopsy—
The man muttered something.
“What was that?” Mercy said, playing for time.
“I’ve not been outside the wall in… over two years. Is it that long? It must be—” the man said.
Mercy’s eyes narrowed.
He looks pale, wasted. Unhealthy—
Movement caught Mercy’s eye. She looked at the nearest glass tank. A naked body floated in the murky green liquid. She stepped up to the tank and stared at the glass. A corrupted face appeared out of the opaque liquid. Long wispy hair floated around the female alpha’s skull. Tubes seemed to run from every orifice, a series of leads covered the alpha’s chest and head. A small red LED flashed near the alpha’s sternum. Mercy swore.
It’s her—
The alpha’s eyes snapped open.
Jesus—
Mercy stepped back.
Annapolis. It’s the alpha queen from the Naval Academy. They’ve captured her—
Mercy glanced at Reyes.
“Pretty, isn’t she? Quite… eloquent this one; the others in her pack follow her unquestioningly. She’s definitely the queen bee among them. She’s been GPS tagged, we’ll know where she is at all times. We’ve submitted her to the new process, we’ll have to see if she responds to the implants. It’s not easy controlling their urges… but it can be done. Look, she’s watching you—”
Mercy turned back to the alpha and shuddered. The alpha queen’s eyes were black, it reached up and pawed at the glass.
“What’s happened to her eyes?” Mercy said, stepping back.
Reyes let out a low whistle, “Mmmm… she definitely likes you. Yes, that’s a new phenomenon, we’ve not encountered the eye thing before. I have a theory… but it’s just a theory at this point—”
“Yes?” Mercy asked.
“Well, when her eyes go black, her pack’s eyes do the same. I think they’re communicating with each other—”
Mercy glanced at the other murky tanks occupying the room.
They must’ve captured her whole pack, brought them in, experimented on them—
“You mean like telepathy?” Mercy said.
The man raised his hand to make a point, “Yes, and no. Telepathy is certainly a possibility but I think they also can read each other’s eyes like we can read emotions. Most communication is non-verbal after all.”
“Where’s she going after you’re done with her?” Mercy asked.
Rose closed in behind Reyes, a hard glint in her eye.
Reyes raised his eyebrows and frowned, “You people were briefed on this a few days ago—”
Mercy flashed a warning look at Rose.
“We’re new, assigned this morning from outside. No doubt we’ll be brought up to speed—” Mercy replied.
Reyes relaxed, “Yes, I heard they had some reinforcements up from Charlottesville. Command are expecting that Constantine woman to make an appearance soon, with her Resistance.” He walked over to a large screen on the wall and flicked a switch. The screen lit up. Mercy blinked, not understanding what she was seeing.
Reyes smiled, “They are beautiful aren’t they? The most efficient killing machines ever produced. Each and every one of them is like a heat seeking missile for human flesh. Constantine’s forces won’t stand a chance—”
Understanding gripped Mercy. The screen was a collection of ten video feeds.
Ten camera links. That’s ten warehouse-sized pens somewhere near here. Christ, it’s like battery farming, there must be thousands of alphas in there—
“Yes,” Reyes continued. “She’s number thirty. Our thirtieth queen. We command the queens and they command the others. It’s a beautiful thing to see. We will destroy Constantine and her forces, it’ll be a righteous harvest that will put the past behind us and at last open up the future. Like the President says: New America can rise once the old America is fully laid to rest. It’s been a long time coming—”
A blur flashed behind Reyes. Rose brought the butt of her pistol down hard on his skull. He crumpled to the floor, unmoving.
“Didn’t think you’d last that long Rose, well done,” Mercy said, her voice flat.
“Bastard was getting on my nerves, I thought he’d made us but you saved it,” Rose bent down and dragged the doctor’s body to the back of the room.
An army of alphas, tens of thousands of them. Jesus—
The alpha queen snapped its head up and stared after Rose. It moved, becoming agitated.
What’s up with her?
Mercy gripped her HK45.
“So basically we’re fucked,” Barnes growled from behind Mercy.
“It’s not over until it’s over. You know that Barnes—” Mercy pointed her pistol at the alpha queen.
“You don’t want to do that. At least not yet. It’s not mission priority. Mission priority is President Mitchell,” Barnes drawled.
His words penetrated Mercy’s thoughts.
Barnes is right. If I shoot this bitch, that’ll bring down the whole place down on us. I’ll come back afterwards and finish her and the rest of her pack off—
Mercy lowered her gun and stepped away from the tank. Rose reappeared.
“Dr Bastard-face is all trussed up, he’s going nowhere. Ready to rock?” Rose avoided looking at the alpha queen. “I need out of here—”
“Good to go,” Mercy turned and made for the door.
They left the laboratory and proceeded along the corridor. They passed a darkened lecture theatre and a number of locked doors. Another window appeared on their right. Mercy slowed and looked through the glass. The room had a high vaulted ceiling and was lit by overhead spotlights. She moved closer to the glass and peered through.
What’s that at the back? There’s a couple of guys in there. It looks like… scaffolding?
An intense light burned for a few seconds and a cascade of sparks fell to the floor from the structure.
They’re welding something—
The welding flashed again, longer this time. The extra light reflected off a large metal shape beneath the scaffolding. Mercy’s eyes widened.
My god, that’s one of those DARPA robots, but this one… it’s huge—
Rose pressed close to the window, her breath fogging the glass. “I figured they’d have some shit like this after I saw the bots in Annapolis. That thing’s fresh out of a Hollywood movie. Some kind of militarised robot, it’ll be tooled up and armoured—”
Hunter killers—
The second man started welding on the other side of the colossus, shedding more sparks. The room extended far back into the distance. Rows of hulking robots stood, unmoving, their arms bristling with weaponry. Small blue LED lights pulsed on the raised sensor arrays on top of the hulking machines.
Barnes swore, “This is what trillions of dollars of government research into new weapon systems can do. This is the legacy of the arms race from before the Fall. That there is the future of warfare, mechanised autonomous soldiers; mechs. No doubt their heads are filled with AI. No… scratch that. The AI will be in the cloud, it’ll control those things from on high… like—”
“God,” Mercy whispered.
“What about power? Those things are only as good as their batteries, and batteries always run out, like bullets,” Rose said.
Barnes looked away and kept silent.
Rose frowned, “How come I’m feelin
g like I’m clutching at straws? You know something Barnes, level with us—”
Barnes glanced back at the window, “There were rumours back in the day. Rumours that DARPA had discovered a new power system. The holy grail of power generation. It was always laughed at because it was impossible—”
Mercy stared at Barnes, “What are you saying Barnes? Spit it out—”
“Fusion… nuclear fusion cells. Those things in there would need vast amounts of power. Where’s the power coming from? Hey, I’m just joining the dots here, I could be wrong.” Barnes paused, then continued, “For years people said it was impossible, but once the government cracked artificial intelligence a lot of the old problems melted away and advances were made, crazy advances.” Barnes pointed at the window, “Those mechs in there and those weaponized alphas in that lab are the result of AI.”
Knowledge is power—
Mercy placed her hand on the glass, “Forget god, once you’ve got AI on your side you’re the winner.”
In AI we trust—
Mercy frowned.
Don’t say it Rose, don’t say it—
Rose raised her face to the ceiling, “An army of weaponized alphas, drones… giant robots. Constantine’s fucked, we’re fucked, everything’s—” Rose shook her head and fell silent.
Fucked—
Chapter 10
The Approach
Mercy moved on, up the corridor. They passed a section of flickering strip lights which made her blink.
Shit, stupid headache starting again—
They passed a series of electronically locked doors. Mercy frowned.
He’s not here, he’s not here. Mitchell would have a security detail outside his quarters. Goddammit, what if he’s not here?
They rounded a corner, an air vent hummed softly overhead. The smell of cooking filled the corridor.
We must be nearing the kitchens, my sense of direction’s not failed me yet—
Mercy turned to check with Barnes. He was holding his compass, he nodded at her.
OK, so we’ve left the lab area, we’re in the kitchen area. The next stop should be the sleeping quarters, barracks and hopefully the President’s quarters will be in the mix somewhere—
The Survival Chronicles (Book 7): Hard Mercy Page 4