“And speaking of that procedure,” Paige said, “you guys never did get around to making good on your promise of fixing him up.”
“That’s all right,” Cole said. “Forget it.”
“Which is exactly what he told our medics when they approached him to undergo the next proposed operation,” Adderson pointed out while holding his cigarette between two fingers and watching the tip smolder.
She looked back and forth between them and finally flapped her hands against her sides. “All right. Fine. You’re the one that called us out here, Major. What’s on your mind?”
“I asked about the Class Ones because we seem to have lost track of them,” Adderson said.
After somehow walking away from being encased in stone, the Full Blood named Esteban had kept himself busy by returning to Colorado and tearing apart two small towns and three correctional facilities in his quest to find more storehouses left behind by Jonah Lancroft. All he’d managed to do back then was create several dozen Half Breeds to keep the humans busy and level the town of Canon City.
“We need a better way to get to those bastards,” Adderson said. “Do you have any ideas?”
Although Paige only paused for a few seconds, Adderson bristled as if she’d turned her back to him and walked away. Finally, she said, “There was a weapon called the Blood Blade. It could cut through a Full Blood well enough. We’ve been working on a way to coat a bullet with melted fragments of it.”
“Similar to what’s inside those Snapper rounds?”
“That’s right. We’ve had some success, but haven’t had a chance to test them in the field.”
“With all the wolves running around, you haven’t had a chance to test them?” Adderson asked.
“Things have been messy lately,” she replied.
That was an understatement. Even with the werewolves running loose, the Skinners had been thrown into disarray with the emergence of the splinter group called the Vigilant. Professing to subscribe to the beliefs of Jonah Lancroft—known for capturing specimens, chopping them apart over the course of months or years, and mixing up toxins that killed almost as many civilians as monsters all in the name of survival—the Vigilant redefined the term “hardcore.” Since Adderson wasn’t privy to insider Skinner business, “messy” would have to cover it.
Adderson grinned around his cigarette. “You seem to be losing sight of the whole reason I wanted you people on board. You have the know-how, and we have the manpower and equipment to put that knowledge to work. In exchange for that—”
“No,” Paige said sharply, but politely. “We’re not signing on to become official military.”
“What’s your problem with the military?” Adderson asked. “Your daddy in the service and he moved you around too much?”
“We’re working with you to get through a tough time. We’re not going to hand over everything we are to the government. Any government.”
“Fine. Believe it or not, that wasn’t even what I was going to ask. We’ve already put together something that should bring the shifters to us. Class Ones and Twos.”
“Uh-huh,” Paige sighed.
Surely, Cole thought, she was thinking along the same lines as he was: that somebody in the IRD had gotten their hands on one piece of the Amriany device that was used as Full Blood bait in Atoka.
“What do you mean ‘should’ be able to bring them to us?” Paige asked.
“It’s a sonic emitter,” the major explained. “Experimental. Works on a frequency that’s had some success with the Class Twos. It didn’t take a whole lot of tweaking for us to find the frequency for Class Threes.”
Getting sick of the cold, Cole summed it up: “So you guys made a dog whistle for Half Breeds and Mongrels?”
“More or less. When cranked up to a certain degree on test subjects, it seemed to produce some pain.” Adderson gripped his cigarette between two fingers, exhaled some smoke and watched it drift up to the frozen stars. “After collecting enough data, we may be able to have a weapon capable of neutralizing these things before more drastic measures become necessary.”
“All right,” Paige said. “Two questions. First of all, what test subjects?”
“Just some Class Twos we trapped here and there. Despite some differences between the ones that have tusks and the ones that don’t, they all seem to have the same ears.”
“Second,” she growled, “what do you consider to be drastic measures?”
Flicking his cigarette to the ground and stomping it out, Adderson said, “Tactical nukes have been proposed for portions of the country that are overrun, but will only be approved in the event that such areas become complete losses.”
“You mean no humans left?” Cole asked. He chuckled more out of discomfort than any sense of humor when he pointed out, “We’re still a long ways from that.”
“Zero human population is well beyond what we’d consider to be a total loss,” Adderson said. “We’re looking more at the logistical certainty that we couldn’t retake those areas without having to level everything from buildings to shrubbery. We all know that Class Twos move too quickly for air strikes to be effective unless we hit an area at least five times larger than normal. So far, no strikes have had any success against Class Ones. According to spotters, they hear or smell the planes coming and are gone long before the pilots see their target.”
“So you want us to do something with those sonic things of yours?” she asked.
“Field testing. We need someone who can track those things down or at least get close enough to test its effectiveness as a viable option in a combat scenario. Seeing as how you know these things so well, you’re the ideal choice.”
“Plus,” Cole said, “we don’t have to roll in using helicopters and RVs.”
Adderson glanced back at the modified campers and nodded. “You got it.”
“Will you be sending anyone along with us?” Paige asked.
“Not unless you’d like it that way.”
“Will you be following us?”
“I doubt we could do so without your knowledge,” Adderson replied.
“What about satellite tracking?” Cole asked. “Electronic surveillance. Planting any GPS devices on us. That sort of thing.”
The major wasn’t the sort to twitch when someone struck a nerve, but the pause that followed that question, compared to the snap response he’d given them before, told Cole more than enough. “I’ll see to it that no such devices are planted on you. As far as satellite tracking goes, the military’s expense account is taking a big enough hit just mobilizing to respond to those new reports across the border.”
“You’re talking about those attacks in Brazil?” Paige asked, referring to a story that had found its way into the headlines over the last few days. Apparently, creatures resembling Half Breeds had been creeping in from the Amazon jungle led by a Full Blood that didn’t match any others photographed over the past few months.
“Correct. With everything escalating the way it has, you can’t even imagine the requests we’re getting from other countries for assistance.”
“How many other countries?” Cole asked.
“I’m not at liberty to divulge those details to civilian contractors,” Adderson said, without even trying to be subtle in his constant effort to recruit them. “Let’s just say that the U.S. is on the map for the majority of instances that have been made public, but there are plenty more leaking into public awareness from across the globe. Whatever these things are, wherever they came from, they’re obviously not contained within American borders. That’s what makes it even more pressing to create a more effective way of dealing with them that falls short of melting down or blasting apart large sections of civilian structures and population.”
With that, Cole was given a glimpse at why Paige must have agreed to sign on with the IRD in any capacity.
“Fine,” she said. “Count us in. Where do we pick up this sonic thing?”
“A mobile version is being
put together now,” the major said. “I’ll have it prepped and ready to go by 0600.”
“That’s six in the morning, right?” Cole grumbled.
“Affirmative,” Adderson said with a sadistic grin.
“We could use some more clothes, some guns, supplies, and a vehicle,” Paige said. “Plus some money would be nice since we’re probably going to be on our own for a while. It’ll take a few days just to get the smell of all this equipment off us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“These things track by scent,” she told him. “Anything from gun oil, gasoline, to boot polish stands out from the norm. And we’ve also got to assume that they’ll probably see us long before we see them. Look, I can’t tell you any of that is certain, but if you want us to do you any good, we need to work our own way. And if you don’t trust us to do that, then we’re no good to you whether we get to wear the cool patch or not.”
Adderson thought that over and nodded. “All right. We’ve got weapons and ammunition, as well as a few changes of clothes for you. As to the rest, we should be able to scrape something up by morning. Is that good enough or should we air drop it in a field somewhere so you’re not seen with us?”
“Where could you drop it?”
The major’s tired grin wavered and dropped off. Apparently, he’d already been around Paige long enough to know when she wasn’t kidding. “We’re not air dropping anything, but if you have to play it that way, we can leave it at a secure location of your choice.”
“Perfect,” she said with a nod. “I’ll write up a list. You can leave it a few miles from here and we can pick it up after you guys roll out. You were planning on leaving soon, right?”
“You know damn well we were scheduled to move our mobile command into Kansas to check on those pack animals you told us about. The Shunkaws?”
“Yep, and you guys shouldn’t have any trouble clearing them out. Remember, they like sugar. They’re tough, but bullets should bring them down just fine.”
Seeing he wasn’t going to get any further with her than that, Adderson nodded and turned on his heels to step back into the main camper. When Paige started walking toward the open area, away from everyone else, Cole followed her.
“Whatever vehicle they give us, we’ll need to check it from top to bottom just to make sure it wasn’t bugged with a tracking device,” he said.
“Bugged? Too many movies.”
“No, there’s about a dozen ways to get the job done using crap you can buy online or at Best Buy. I don’t even want to think about what the military could come up with. Actually, since the IRD may be some sort of shadow organization, we should probably insist on renting a car using their cash.”
She bent her right arm across her body and rubbed it with her left hand. The injury she’d sustained in Kansas City had been improving ever since she was able to reform her weapons properly. “You really get off on the whole shadow organization thing, don’t you?”
“I guess. I’ve written games about them for years and now I’m in one.”
“You’re a civvie. Don’t forget that. And as far as the whole car thing goes, we only need to drive it around long enough to make sure we’re not being followed. After that, we’re outta here.”
“Outta where?”
“Here,” she said, as if the ground itself had become inhospitable. “Away from these people.”
“But you’re the one that signed up with them.”
“That was out of necessity. The way things were headed, military involvement was going to happen whether we liked it or not. At least Adderson seems to be going about it the right way, but this isn’t the way Skinners are supposed to operate. I was hoping they might be able to get some surgeons who could help you with your problem.”
“I’ve got vampire tendrils wrapped around my guts,” Cole reminded her with a tired chuckle. “That’s not exactly the sort of thing you go to the emergency room for.”
“I know. It was worth a shot.”
“That’s not the only reason you started all of this, is it?”
Paige stuffed her hands into her pockets and whispered, “All of this was happening already. Adderson approached me with this whole IRD thing already in place. With everything getting too big to hide anymore, it made sense to help those who looked like they had the best chance of succeeding.”
“In the words of the great and wise Daffy Duck, if you can’t beat ’em . . . join ’em.”
She shook her head. “I thought they could help you, Cole. At the very least, I knew they could get you away from all of those cops who just wanted to string you up after we were framed for all of those cops who were killed by the Nymar.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself anymore, Paige. I get it.” Dropping his voice, he asked, “Where do you want to go once we ditch these guys?”
“We’ll field test their sonic thingie somewhere along the line, but I don’t think that’s going to turn the tide. I think we need to get back to basics and tackle this problem the best way we can. No helicopters. No fire teams. Leave all that for the mopping up.”
“What happened to that thing that was in Cecile’s arm?” Cole asked. “The Jekhibar. It was important enough for two Full Bloods to hide and another to tear up an entire state looking for it. Do we even know what it’s supposed to do?”
“Never got a chance to find out, but there’s at least one guy who does know. Didn’t Jessup tell you he had it?”
“Yeah. When I talked to him after the Breaking Moon set, he said Cecile was more than happy to get it out of her and that he and the rest of that Lancroft cult had it. The Vigilant.”
“That’s them. We need to check them out, and we sure as hell can’t afford to get close right now. They’ll be looking for it after Jessup announced his involvement with them in New Mexico.”
“You think Rico’s really turned on us?” Cole asked.
“You heard it yourself, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but maybe he’s just looking for another way to do things. Just because he’s decided to tackle this apocalypse thing a different way than us doesn’t mean he’s an enemy.”
“Apocalypse, huh?” she scoffed. “You’ve been listening to the news again.”
“You’ve been with Rico longer than I have. Are you telling me you don’t trust him just because he decided to tackle the Full Bloods from a more aggressive angle? That’s not exactly out of his normal play book.”
Paige drew a long breath and chewed on it for a few seconds. It emerged from between her lips in a thin mist as she said, “There’s another avenue we’ve got that I think even the Vigilant won’t have, that is unless Lancroft had more foreign contacts than anyone ever thought.”
“The Amriany,” Cole said, being careful not to mention the name loud enough for it to catch any attention.
“They made the Blood Blades and I’m pretty sure they made the Jekhibar. If they don’t have answers about how we can deal with Full Bloods that can create Half Breeds with nothing more than a howl, then maybe we can at least get some more weaponry.”
“And if we’re going to approach them, I should see what I can learn from the guys around here in regards to what’s going on in Europe. Perhaps those satellites picked up Full Bloods, Half Breeds, or some other bit of craziness that the Amriany don’t know about yet. Information like that could be one hell of a bargaining chip.”
She nodded and rubbed his shoulder. “I have taught you well, young one.”
Cole put his hands on her hips and pulled her in close. Before she had a chance to react, he planted a kiss on her that made them both forget about the winter’s chill.
“What was that for?” she asked after finally pulling away.
“Seems like we’re gonna be busy,” he replied. “Just thought I should enjoy the quiet while it lasts.”
“You know me. Quiet never lasts very long.”
Chapter Three
Sauget, Illinois
The car they’d
been given was a two-door, brown Chevy that was so nondescript it might as well have had “Unmarked Vehicle” stenciled on the bumper near the government plates. Paige laughed to herself when she saw it, but didn’t waste much more breath on it than that. They didn’t intend on driving very far, so it didn’t really matter if anyone tracked them. Both of them wore comfortable cargo pants that had been worn into a second skin during all of the time they spent with the IRD. Other than that, Paige wore a dark blue jersey that was so old that its Bears logo was almost invisible. Her hair had been recently trimmed and pulled into a neat tail that brushed against the nape of her neck. Cole looked about the same as always. As far as clothing went, all that had changed was the design on his T-shirt. Today, he wore one depicting the first screen of Donkey Kong.
“When did they reopen this place?” he asked while leaning forward to get a better look into the glare of early morning sun.
Paige pulled to a stop in front of a small club marked by a tall diamond-shaped sign that read, THE EMERALD. “This place wasn’t closed during the Mud Flu,” she reminded him. “That was Bunn’s Lounge. Get that straight before you go in to talk to the management.”
“It’s not Christov, is it?”
“Sure is.”
“Oh,” Cole grumbled. “Thanks for the reminder.”
They exited the car carrying the bags of gear they’d collected and walked across a nearly deserted parking lot. Even McDonald’s didn’t have a breakfast rush anymore, which made Cole wonder if the world truly had come to an end. Before they got close enough to knock on the tinted glass of the front door, the shade of a smaller window was pulled aside so a bald man with skin the color of a fish’s belly and forward-folded ears could look outside and jab a finger toward the side of the building.
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