by J C Ryan
“We’ll find a way, Daniel. The Rosslerites always do.”
CHAPTER 44
Eighth Cycle Site, Grand Canyon, USA
LATER THAT EVENING, as they gathered for an evening meal, Raj and Roy arrived last looking tired, downcast, and frustrated. Their occasional comments to one another made it clear that they were far from defeated.
“What’s got you two so perplexed?” JR asked.
Roy managed a tight smile. “We’re still trying to find a way to deal with the army of soldiers Viktor has dispersed to the cities. But the solution evades us.”
“Maybe it will help if you explain to us what you’ve tried so far and what you’re thinking,” Dennis suggested. “Not that many of us understand geek-speak, but maybe if you simplify it for us, it will help you ignore the forest and see the trees. Who knows, maybe one of us could have a lightbulb moment and be able to trigger a few of your brain cells.”
Roy started, “Well, it’s not all bad. One of the issues kind of resolved itself. That’s the one we have about removing or destroying the chips after killing these soldiers.”
Everyone was looking at Roy in anticipation when he paused for a breath.
“Early on in Viktor’s Re’an program, the scientists developed a chip that disintegrates upon the death of the host. That was to keep their technology from being discovered should one of their soldiers fall into the hands of their enemy. Their chips are made of some kind of organic material that disintegrates and disperses into the brain upon death. So, that’s one less thing to worry about.”
“That’s good news; it solves part of our problem. All we have to do now is find a way to kill these super soldiers,” Doug said.
“Yes, but it still leaves us with a fire-fight on our hands. And our weapons are so inferior to theirs, we might as well attack them with pitchforks,” interjected Eric.
“Not necessarily,” Robert said. “We have an arsenal of Eighth Cycle weapons. It won’t match their particle-beam weapons, but they are certainly a lot more advanced than the weapons you have now.”
“Let’s get back to that in a moment,” Dennis said and turned to Raj. “I got the impression you wanted to say something before we digressed?”
Raj nodded. “According to Deszik, his mother told him that the Tunguska site is going to be destroyed in the next day or two. He also told us that the Tunguska facility has an elaborate system that they use to control these chips remotely, upload enhancements, and issue orders.”
JR asked, “So, what happens if that computer is turned off? Do they just drop dead—problem solved?”
Raj shook his head. “That would’ve been great, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, that’s not what happens. Dekka informed us that although there is a constant low-frequency tether between that computer and every chip, they’ve built a failsafe in that, if the connection is lost, the soldiers will continue to carry out their mission as per their last instructions.”
“Damn! So, we’re back to square one,” Dennis said.
Raj nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid that’s it… for now.”
“What about Siasha and the others?” Korda asked. “Are they tethered as well, or is it just the soldiers?”
No one knew the answer.
Dennis looked at JR and Robert. “I guess we need to have a look at those Eighth Cycle weapons and start planning an old-fashioned assault.”
“Yep, let’s get on with it. We should give Daniel an update,” JR said.
* * *
AS ROY AND Raj got to their feet to return to the lab, Siasha arrived with Deszik, steadying him as she led him up to the dining room table.
She said, “I brought Deszik over so that we could ask him about the Re’an weapons.”
Roy and Raj sat down again.
Roy turned to Deszik and said, “Sorry, man, seems to me that ultra-high frequency sound had a much harsher effect on you than I anticipated.”
“It’s okay, I’ll live,” Deszik whispered, still labored with pain. “What can I help you with?”
“It’s about the Re’an weapons and body armor. We have collected all from the dead soldiers. We thought we could use them against the seven-hundred and fifty who are about to attack our cities. We hope that you will be able to train some of our soldiers to use them.”
Deszik nodded slightly and his face immediately contorted from the pain shooting through his head. He took a slow breath and said, “The body armor is not a problem, it can be used by anyone. It’s stretchable, as you’ve probably already noticed; it fits tightly over the body like a second skin. However, it has been designed and developed specifically to protect against your Eleventh Cycle weapons. It offers no protection against the Re’an weapons.”
Dennis was shaking his head. “Damn, there goes that idea. What about the weapons, will we be able to use them?”
Deszik started to shake his head but grimaced and stopped. “The weapons have been personalized; each soldier can only use his own. It’s connected with the individual’s chip which activates it and keeps it operational for as long as the connection is intact.”
“A bit shortsighted, wouldn’t you say?” JR interjected. “When a soldier is killed, his weapon becomes useless—to everyone.”
“However,” Deszik said, unfazed by JR’s interruption, “another Re’an soldier can reactivate it with a retina scan which, if recognized by the weapon as an authorized one, will establish a connection between the new soldier’s chip and the weapon and reactivate it.”
“That means we need the combination of an active chip and a retina of a living Re’an?” Raj asked.
“Yes.”
“Like yourself?” Roy said.
“Yes. But keep in mind that all those events; activation, deactivation, and reactivation are registered on the control computers back at Tunguska.”
Raj and Roy stared at each other in silence for a while as they processed the information.
“So,” Raj said, “the control computers at Tunguska don’t control the activation, deactivation, et cetera, it only registers when it happens?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Those events happen only between the soldiers’ chips and their weapons.”
“And one soldier could have many activated weapons?” Raj said.
“Yes. There’s no limit.”
“So, all we need to do is wait until your mother and her team blow up the Tunguska site, and when we’re certain the control computers are gone, we can activate the weapons we took off the twenty-four soldiers,” Roy said.
“It’s not quite that simple,” Deszik replied.
“All we have established is that Deszik can activate all the weapons, but he’s the only one that’ll be able to use them. They’ll still be useless to us,” Roy stated flatly.
“Unless you and Raj and the other scientists can find a way to circumvent their authentication system,” JR said.
A stunned silence followed as the group realized that they were presented with yet another challenge.
“Thanks, Deszik, that was very helpful,” Roy said. “By the looks of you, it seems as if you could do with a bit more rest and medical attention.”
“Absolutely,” Siasha said on Deszik’s behalf and stood to help him get to his feet. “I’m taking him back to Rebecca and Max, right now.”
Deszik didn’t protest as he was led away.
There was a protracted silence around the table before Roy looked up and said in a firm voice, “We’re not finished yet; there has to be a way!” He paused, stood up, and added, “And I swear to you, Raj and I will find it!” With that he left the table headed for his lab, his firm footsteps assuring everyone that he meant business.
CHAPTER 45
Washington, DC
DANIEL MANAGED TO suppress a frown of concern as Dennis completed his report.
It was not so much the contents of the report, but the look of dejection on the faces of the people at the canyon site. And although he felt the same melancholy, he knew his best cont
ribution now was to boost their morale.
He fixed a slight smile on his face and said, “We’ve not run out of time or ideas yet. In the past, in times like these, the Rosslerites have always managed to turn things around. I have always believed, and still do, that good always triumphs over evil in the end. You’ll figure it out; keep working on it!”
“That you can bet on, Daniel,” Dennis replied.
“One last thing,” JR said.
“Shoot.”
“As you know, Deszik’s mother and six other L’gundo scientists at the Tunguska site are about to trigger a series of events that will destroy the place while they make their escape.
“They’re planning to pull that off within the next twenty-four hours.”
Daniel nodded.
"We need you to order the Itinerant to pick up the seven L’gundo scientists on the East Coast of Russia and rendezvous with the Mystic Sea to take them on to Kitsap Naval Base.”
“What’s the specific location?”
JR looked at Deszik.
“One moment,” he responded and lowered his head as he contacted his mother.
Mother?
Yes?
The Americans are making arrangements to send a submarine to pick you up on the East Coast. Where shall I tell them to meet you?
The others waited quietly, it was still an eerie experience for them to watch while Deszik, in an almost trance-like state, conversed with his mother without uttering a single word.
At last Deszik scribbled some numbers on a notepad and replied, “They will be at these coordinates on the beach at Puyshariya Bay at 02:00 a.m. their time, the day after tomorrow, if it all works out as planned.”
JR read the coordinates to Daniel.
Daniel replied hesitantly, “But how will we know that your mother and company were successful in their escape?”
Deszik smiled. “My mother and Dekka will stay in touch with me to provide updates.”
“Yes, of course. I’m still trying to come to grips with this method of communications. You can tell her the sub will be there.”
“Thank you, sir,” Deszik replied.
“Anything else?” Daniel asked.
“Nope, that’s it for now,” Dennis said.
“Keep me posted. Until next time!” Daniel said closing the call.
CHAPTER 46
Eighth Cycle Site, Grand Canyon, USA
“HOW SOON CAN I have the location of the soldiers?” Dennis asked Robert.
“The information Raj downloaded included the general locations each team was assigned to within the cities; I’ll have that for you in a few minutes.”
“My teams can work with that,” Dennis confirmed. “Since the threat here is neutralized, I’ll take the Tectus members with me and join the Phoenix forces.”
“How soon can you be ready to leave?” Owen inquired. “I’ll need to arrange for the helicopter to retrieve you.”
“How fast can it get here?”
“I can have it here in two hours.”
“Make it three, so we have time to hike to the rendezvous point.”
“You got it!” Owen replied.
Dennis looked at Eric who had remained silent throughout the call. “Let’s split the list of cities and start contacting our cell leaders to assemble the teams.”
“I’ll set up a conference call with the team leaders of the twenty-five cities,” Eric agreed looking at the list. “That will give you a little extra time to organize the team here.”
“Thanks!” Dennis replied. “Make it in two hours.”
* * *
Video conference
“WE’RE READY TO go,” Eric greeted as Dennis stepped into the control room two hours later. “The Leaders and Seconds from all twenty-five cities have joined this conference call and are ready to hear what you have to say.”
Dennis nodded, noting that the entire canyon team, as requested, was in attendance as well.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Dennis started. “I know you’ve already agreed to have two-man teams provide surveillance on the Re’an soldiers, and we appreciate that.
“There’ve been some new developments requiring us to change our operation from passive observation to active engagement. I want to reiterate that Tectus has always been a voluntary organization. No one has been forced to join or do anything they didn’t want to do. Our only proviso has been that once you commit to a mission, you follow the orders you’re given, or get out. I’m going to explain what needs doing, if anyone wants to opt out of this mission, you’ll have the opportunity do so.”
The audience listened in silence.
“We’ll have to take these Re’an soldiers out ourselves.
“I would’ve preferred if it never came to this, but there’s no alternative, unless we want to capitulate.”
“And give up without a fight? Not likely,” said the team leader from Atlanta, Georgia, a former Recon Marine lieutenant.
These were all former military men and women, many of them former Special Forces operators. Dennis knew they would not run from a fight. But he had an obligation to not mislead them.
“The scenario is all but rosy, and I’ll understand if anyone prefers to opt out from this once you’ve heard what I’ve got to say.”
“I ain’t planning to run from no fight. But I’d certainly like to know what I’m getting into. So, I can’t make that decision unless I’ve heard it all,” one of them said, which from the nodding heads indicated he’d just summed up how everyone else felt.
Dennis proceeded. “It will have to be done quietly, without attracting any attention from civilians or authorities; we’ll need to recover and secure every bit of the technology they have. We cannot, I repeat, cannot, allow it to fall in the hands of anyone else.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re up against a superior force.”
“Seven-hundred and fifty Re’an foot soldiers is a superior force? Why?” a former Delta Force operator from Washington DC interjected.
Before Dennis could answer, Steve Wilson – former Navy SEAL and the team leader of the Portland, Oregon cell, a tall dark-tanned man with raven-black hair said, “I agree, it would be good to know what we’re going up against.”
Dennis subdued a grin.
That’s Special Forces operators for you. No question about whether to do it or not—but rather how to do it most efficiently.
He replied, “Physically, these soldiers are superior to us. They have greatly enhanced strength, endurance, vision, and hearing. They are protected by lightweight, liquid body armor that fits like a second skin over their bodies and provides free range of motion. It will protect them against any projectile fired by a twenty-first century handgun or rifle.”
He paused to let them digest the information for a moment before continuing. “As far as weaponry goes, they have particle-beam weapons that destroy targets by disrupting their atomic and molecular structure using high-energy beams of subatomic particles. These weapons can vaporize targets in the blink of an eye.
“The short-range version of these particle beam weapons is effective up to a mile, possibly more. The long-range version is capable of taking out armored targets, both airborne and surface, up to five miles away.” He paused and added carefully, “Every soldier is equipped with both versions of the weapon.”
He heard several whistles and various expletives in exclamation. He let them continue for a moment.
A former Army Ranger and leader of the Columbus, Ohio cell, a man of about five foot ten, broad shoulders and blond hair, spoke first. “Dennis, I know you well enough to tell you aren’t kidding, no matter how far-fetched this sounds; but are you crazy? Not only does it sound like a suicide mission, but how the hell do you expect us to neutralize these supermen, let alone do it quietly and without drawing attention? By the sounds of it, we need nukes to kill these soldiers.”
Everyone turned their eyes back to Dennis.
“The Re’an have had decades to perfect their weapons,
but we’re not going up against them with our conventional weapons. What we have aren’t quite as advanced as theirs, but we believe in the right circumstances they’ll be effective.”
“What kind of weapons? What are the right circumstances?” Another leader asked.
“Hand-held laser weapons,” Dennis replied.
Another round of unease among his listeners followed, and Dennis decided to nip it in the bud. “As I’ve said, not as advanced and capable as theirs, but a direct shot to the head will kill them.
“These weapons come in both close-quarter and long-range versions as well. Their range isn’t the same as the enemy’s and will require a direct hit to any unprotected part of the head.”
“So, exactly which parts of their heads are unprotected?” One asked.
“The eyes.”
More exclamations followed this statement.
“In other words, it requires a direct hit to the eye to take them down?”
Dennis nodded. “I wish I could’ve given you more than that. But I won’t lie to you.”
“Talk about having the deck stacked against you,” Steve, the SEAL from Oregon, mumbled with enough clarity for everyone to hear.
“So,” the Army Ranger said, “we have to sneak up on these guys, get close enough to shoot them in the eyes, and hope they don’t get a chance to pull their Star Wars weapons and vaporize us? Not to mention not alerting the rest of their team.”
“Beats trying to shoot them in the ass, I reckon,” another former SEAL, the team leader of Dallas, Texas a giant of a man with a bushy black beard and shock of salt and pepper hair, remarked matter-of-factly.
Dennis smiled as everyone exploded in laughter. He welcomed the lighter moment and let it go for a minute before continuing.
“So, ladies and gents, there you have it. Now you know as much about the challenge we face as I do. The floor is open for discussion.”
The team leader from Boston, Massachusetts, a blond-haired, athletically-built, woman with stunning green eyes, a former CIA field agent, said, “Dennis, you’ve told us about their physical attributes and weapons, and that sounds daunting enough, but what about their intelligence? Are they any smarter than us?”