Even in this place, surrounded and protected, she was afraid.
CHAPTER TEN
The sound of a klaxon warning startled him from his sleep, and for a moment Kei thought he was still dreaming. This wasn't the Imperator, or the Starlight, or the front lines. He was in his bed on Goethe Prime, currently off duty.
But the klaxon continued to blare, and a voice came on over the intercom.
“Attention, attention all personnel. Intruders in the building. Intruders in the building. All non-security personnel remain in lockdown until further notice. All non-security personnel remain in lockdown until further notice.”
Kei rolled out of bed, pulled on a shirt and slipped on a pair of shoes. He opened up his nightstand drawer and pulled out his earpiece and radio set, along with his gun belt and pistol holster.
“OK, that's everyone,” he heard Soko say as he stepped out into the common room. “We're going with Plan Zulu. Divide up as normal and let's go. Miss Maxwell, stay here and keep lockdown as ordered”
Kei moved over to his unit, made up of Rappa, Elsner and Griz. Soko, Gilroy, Bradley and Salim made up the Alpha Team.
“First task is to secure Hex. We'll worry about armament when we get there. Now let's go.”
Kei had only practiced this plan a few times. In the event of an intruder in the building protection would fall under the purview of the HQ security teams, but the bodyguard cadres formed the second line of defense. Their task was to get to Nina and provide extra bodies in the event that the intruders managed to break through regular security.
The elevators would be locked down at this point, so their only choice was to ascend the tower by foot. That meant climbing over fifty floors. He felt sorry for Lauren, but the situation necessitated she stay here. She might not be able to keep up, and they needed to get to the top floors quickly.
He just wished that they had better weaponry. Everyone carried their pistols while off duty, but their heavier weaponry was either aboard the Starlight or locked away in the armory. They didn't have time to gather it, so they'd have to be content with what they had at this point. Bullets would be enough against a typical intruder, but if they were prepared and wearing protective gear…
“Let's go,” Griz said, and opened one of the stairwell doors. Rappa went in first, followed by Elsner and then Kei, weapons at the ready. Alpha Team would go up one of the other stairwells. If one team ran into the trouble the other could still make its way up to Nina.
Nothing so far, but they had a long way to go. Rappa and Elsner charged up the stairs and onto the first landing.
“Clear!”
Kei and Griz went next, leapfrogging his position and then moving up to the next landing. Nothing
“Clear!”
He held position and waited for the other pair to pass them. They had dozens of flights left to clear.
“WONDERFUL, just wonderful,” Nina grumbled to herself as she pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a protective vest, then put in her earpiece
She reached into the cabinet again and grabbed two weapons, a conventional pistol and a plasma carbine. Nina holstered the handgun and then readied the carbine.
“Preparing to fight a war?” IVIN's robot said from his corner of the room.
“Yeah, maybe I am. So quiet.”
“Someone work up on the wrong side of the bed.”
Nina didn't respond. She wasn't terribly worried about anyone getting to the top floors, not with all the security in the building. They weren't as good as her team, but they weren't slouches either.
Her bigger concern was what this implied. Skare Interstellar hadn't dealt with an incident in quite some time, and it didn't take a genius to guess who was responsible. The question was whether they were targeting the entire campus, or just the research and developments labs. If it was the later then it was just something she expected to happen. If it was the former, however, that meant they were after something more, and that meant she needed to adjust her plans.
“You know,” she commented offhandedly, “if they wanted the information on the data chip they could have waited a lot longer. Waited until the researchers had completely decoded it.”
It had been a little more than a week, and while there was steady progress the team was nowhere near closed to being done with the project.
“Maybe it's not about that. Maybe they already have the information and don't want anyone else to get their hands on it.”
“How the heck would they have managed that? I know that Eon Path has access to a lot of resources, but they don't have that many connections. Where are they going to get the equipment and the databanks to process something like this? And where would they get it?”
“There would be other ways to get their hands on the chip. One that doesn't involve trying to break into one of the most secure facilities in this galaxy.”
“Yes, and they tried them,” Nina said. “They tried to overwhelm us on Caleth, then they tried to intercept us in transit. Both of them failed, so this is probably their last bit of desperation before they lose their opportunity.”
“Or this could be the work of an irrational group of people, following an irrational line of thought and living under a completely irrational creed,” IVIN said. “That's the trouble with you humans. You tend to act so unpredictable.”
“That's our strength against machines.”
“Oh? Afraid that we'll rise up and take over your universe? How quaint,” the AI mocked.
Nina was about to say something else when her communications terminal went off.
“Answer,” she said.
“Miss Skare?”
“What is it?”
“We've had an incident at the dockyard. Two men tried to gain unauthorized access to your ship.”
That caught her attention. “Is there any damage?”
“No, the automated systems kept them at bay long enough for us to subdue them.”
That was probably lucky for the intruders. IVIN's presence aboard the ship was a secret, and Nina imagined he'd have killed them in some awful fashion. At the very least they'd be greeted by dozens of armed drones.
“Thank you for the update. End call,” she said, and looked over at IVIN. “So why didn't you say anything about this?”
“I wasn't aware. They must have been caught on the docking side of things, and I have no awareness or control of that. But this is a rather interesting development.”
It was, and it concerned her. Apparently this wasn't just about the data. The intruders seemed to be attempting a multi-pronged assault with several different objectives. They might have failed one, but their purpose was clear.
Someone didn't want them to get off Goethe Prime and into the Central Expanse.
“I'M SORRY, say that again security?” Mirko asked.
“We're still trying to get a firm number, but they're wearing active camouflage suits,” the controller said over the radio. “We'll try to keep you posted.”
“Copy that.”
“Great,” Gilroy said. “Just what we need right now. A bunch of enemies running around that we can't even see.”
“Just stay alert,” Mirko warned.
“The regular security isn't used to dealing with tech like this,” Bradley warned. “This could be serious trouble for them.”
And for his teams as well. Active camouflage wasn't heavily used outside of certain special forces units since it impaired the user's vision, but it was extremely powerful in the right hands. It didn't provide full invisibility, but it took a lot of concentration and attention to detail to spot the differences between the background and the camouflage. That could be all it took for a soldier to stay hidden or to launch a sneak attack.
They had about twenty-five more flights of stairs to go until they reached the top.
“Griz, how are you coming?”
“We've got about fifteen levels left.”
“Got it,” Mirko said, wondering how they had managed to get so far ahead.
“It's because they don't to have to lug you around, chief,” Salim said.
“I'm hurt,” Mirko replied dryly, then took the next landing with Gilroy. “Clear.”
If they sprinted up the stairs they could make better time, but without knowing where the intruders were lurking that would also be highly dangerous. If they ran headlong into the top levels they could very well set themselves up for an ambush.
But they could afford to pick up the pace a little.
“Let's move.”
“TOOK you all long enough to get here,” Nina said as they filed into her quarters. “Where's Alpha Team at?”
“Still getting up here, as far as I know,” Griz said. “Bringing the old man with them has to be slowing them down.”
“Huh, the only reason you're willing to say that is because he's not here right now. Come on. Get armed.”
She touched a few buttons on her wristband, and a hidden panel opened up along one of the walls. The four members of the Beta Team grabbed their weaponry and ammunition, then took up positions guarding the windows and doorways.
“This is a coordinated attack,” she said. “As far as I know they hit the lab, the headquarters and also went after the Starlight.”
“Wait, they went after the ship?” Rappa asked.
“Yeah. Apparently someone doesn't want us out in the Central Expanse. Luckily port security dealt with the problem, but still. At least the situation is contained.”
“Maybe not,” Griz said. “We heard from security that there's hostiles using active camo in the building. They don't know how many or where they are.”
Nina sighed. “No, they wouldn't. Not if they're using the kind that blinds sensors. Means we're going to have to search the entire tower manually.”
“If that's the case-”
“None of you are going anywhere,” IVIN said. “The more people we put out in the hallways, the greater the chance that there's going to be a friendly fire incident. Stay here for now and let the Alpha Team deal with it.”
Nina glanced over at the android said. “Well, that was a lot out of you. But I'm the one giving the orders-”
“Not under emergency protocols,” the AI insisted. “You will remain here, and I'll lock down this room to make sure it happens.”
“I'm sure that security will be so happy with you hacking into their system during a state of emergency.”
“Sorry, but I agree,” Griz said. “And right now I'm in command of the cadre, so we're going to stay put for now.”
Nina saw his point, but she felt annoyed all the same. There was too much going on right now for her to just sit back and ignore it. She couldn't do anything about the attack on the lab at the moment, but as for the infiltrators in this building…
“Alpha, Alpha, come in,” she said.
“What do you need, Hex?”
“Beta Team is already up here and has the floor on lockdown with the rest of the security personnel. I've heard that there's infiltrators using active camo. Can you help out security with that? Salim especially?”
“You're going to absolve us for any mess we create?”
“Of course, Soko. This is kind of an emergency.”
“Copy that. Alpha out.”
“Letting Salim loose on them?” Rappa said with a grin. “You're not fooling around, are you?”
Nina grinned back. “Afraid not. I almost feel sorry for those poor souls.”
“YOU HAVE OUR LOCATIONS SET?” Mirko asked the controller.
“We have you marked and in the system. Everyone will be able to see your location on the HUD.”
Good, because friendly fire was going to be their biggest danger. He had a feeling that the infiltrators wouldn't open fire unless they absolutely had to. One kill wasn't worth giving away their position, and as long as their unit remained hidden they'd probably keep quiet until they reached their target. What that target might be was anyone's guess at this point, though Mirko had a few ideas.
“Alpha, Alpha, please respond.”
“Come in, Trident.”
“We've run scans on all the anomalies on our security system in the past hour. Judging from the number and the data collected it looks like there's three infiltrators, possibly working separately. I'm sending you locations and likely paths now.”
Mirko glanced at the data on his HUD.
“Looks like we have one on the next floor,” Bradley said. “If we get up there quickly we should be able to intercept.”
“Look for them,” Salim said.
“Alright. You know what to do?” Mirko said.
“Of course,” Salim replied, and a moment later he disappeared from view into the next hallway. He'd take another stairwell to the next floor.
“Come on,” Mirko ordered the other two, moving up onto the next landing. They'd be the distraction, the search party to draw the infiltrator's attention. Meanwhile, Salim would stalk them and go in for the kill.
He had the skills for it. Even soldiers wearing active camouflage learned to fear the Akayan Rangers. Every special forces regiment learned how to infiltrate and escape notice, but the Rangers were in a class of their own. Soldiers near the front lines learned to fear every shadow when they were present. They moved like ghosts, their blades always ready to find the throats of unwary victims.
And Salim was a decorated veteran, having distinguished himself during several campaigns. He stayed quiet about his past, but Mirko had seen his skills during several missions. Underestimating him was a good way to end up with a knife in the back.
The trio moved into the next floor, guns at the ready.
“Alpha, Alpha, security has reported that they've cornered and eliminated one of the infiltrators.”
“Copy, Trident,” Mirko said, trying to act as normally as possible. He didn't want to tip off their prey. The infiltrator would likely slink back into the shadows, waiting for the search party to pass by.
He didn't contact Salim. At this point Mirko felt that would do more harm than good. The enemy might be listening, and the former Ranger could accomplish his task without needing any direction. They were just the bait.
But now it was a matter of finding and containing the infiltrator. One down, two to go, or at least that was what command thought. The reality could be very different. They would need to sweep the entire building from top to bottom, likely several times to ensure there weren't any stragglers left. If-
As Mirko walked forward he suddenly stumbled. He saw motion out of the corner of his eye and tried to get his weapon around, but it was too late. He saw the nose of a pistol moving toward him, camouflaged but still noticeable in motion. Gilroy and Bradley were too far ahead of him at this point.
Another blur flashed in the corner of his his vision, and the pistol clattered away across the tile floor, the active camouflage flashing away. It took a moment for Mirko to register Salim standing in front of him, his blade out and buried in something. With one quick flick of the wrist yanked out the blade and severed the cables across the enemy's back. The enemy infiltrator phased into view. Mirko noted the precise knife mark, between the vertebrae to sever the spine.
“You're getting slow and clumsy, Soko,” Salim commented.
“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for bailing me out,” he said. Mirko knelt down by the weapon the infiltrator had dropped. He didn't recognize the model, but it looked like it chambered a large round. He took it, flicked the safety on and holstered it. No sense in giving anyone else the opportunity to pick it up. They still needed to continue their search.
THE LAST INFILTRATOR made it all the way up to her floor, but the overwhelming number of security guards put a swift end to the intrusion. The would-be assassin managed to get a single shot off before he was cut down in a hail of plasma bolts.
Nina was in a foul mood. The building was still locked down as they swept it for signs of more intruders, which meant she'd be trapped in her quarters for the duration. Normally that wouldn't matter, but at this point she couldn
't sleep, not with her mind turning in circles.
Everything about the situation bothered her. An attack on the labs, the infiltration at the port, and the team that had come looking for her. All of the attempts seemed loosely coordinated but badly executed.
But they spoke to a larger plan. Eon Path either wanted to get their hands on the chip or prevent them from learning the secrets contained within, and they weren't content with just that. If they could eliminate her or her ship that would end any threat to their goals.
Nina wasn't concerned that someone was out to kill her. As one of the heirs to a gigantic corporation and an arms dealer in her own right she was used to making enemies that were out for her blood. That was why she went through all the trouble of gathering an effective bodyguard cadre.
No, it was the fact that Eon Path had kept their activities localized and low-key. But she had been the victim of three brazen attacks, ones that would draw the attention of higher authorities and militaries. This particular assault couldn't be ignored, not after the emergency alert that had shut down Skare Interstellar's gigantic campus. She didn't have to turn on the television to know that news crews would be swarming outside.
What was their aim with all of this? What could be so valuable that they were willing to risk drawing attention to themselves, possibly enough to bring on their destruction? Cultists weren't the most rational people in the universe, but Eon Path had built their power by remaining out of sight and out of mind. Did they think they finally had enough muscle to become more overt? If they actually believed that then they were delusional. They might be a major player where gangs and local authorities were concerned, but even the depleted militaries around the galaxy would crush them like a bug.
“You don't look like you're happy,” IVIN said.
“I wonder why.”
“Does this really make any difference in your mind? Because I believe that it's simply more of the same. The people behind Eon Path want to access the data chip, and they'll go to great lengths to get it. Or they want to prevent us from discovering its secrets. Either way, the outcome remains the same. We'll be going into the Central Expanse, and we'll be facing opposition when we get there.”
Eon Gate (The Eon Pentalogy Book 1) Page 11