Kaufman looked down at Laine who was propped up next to one of the wheels of a conveyer belt truck. He was pale and didn’t have much control of his body. Wilson was checking his wound. Kaufman looked to the former soldier who with a glance gave a grim outlook on his condition. Morel stood ready with his rifle in his left arm and cradled his useless wounded right arm.
They could just about hear the sound of boots as their attackers were rushing through the building. The docking area was remarkably quiet again, but the peace was quickly broken by a number of vehicles drawing near. Kaufman turned to look back at the road where they had come from. He saw three trucks racing into view. Before the occupants could leap out, he could already see the black silhouettes of their covered faces and rifles.
“Incoming! Take up positions!” he shouted.
He hit his intercom.
“Kaufman to Intrepid! We are under attack, one man down, call for immediate backup from local authorities!”
“What do you need, Sir?” asked Singh.
“We are under fire from multiple well armed and trained attackers, we need assistance immediately!”
Morrison’s rifle opened fire before Kaufman had finished and he looked around to see the rest of the team joining in. He could tell that this was an organised pincer movement by a combat team.
“Weapons hot, no ROE, give them everything!” shouted Kaufman.
He leapt up from behind the truck he was using as cover and gave the new arrivals a burst from his rifle. Two of the rounds hit the driver as he tried to lift a rifle after opening his door. Bullets landed all around Kaufman’s position. He had counted at least ten gunmen. He crept along to a natural opening and watched in horror as gun turrets lifted from the backs of the vehicles and machine guns opened fire.
He turned to warn his officers but it was already too late. The first few high calibre rounds ripped through a weak point in the bodywork of a truck. They shredded and killed White instantly. Kaufman went pale at the realisation that they may die there. He watched as Morrison pulled a grenade from his belt and tossed it down the corridor. An explosion erupted in the offices sending a blast of dust out into the parking lot.
“Singh! Where’s that support!” Kaufman screamed.
“Locals are on route, Sir. ETA ten minutes.”
Kaufman shook his head. It would be too late. He pulled out a grenade and twisted the cap. He stood up and threw it as far over towards the vehicles as he could. Barski and Davis laid down fire to cover him. The attackers ducked for cover as the explosion rang out beside the front quarter of one of the trucks. It rocked the vehicle and blew out the wheel, but the gunman in the turret quickly recovered. The slow loud drone of the heavy machine guns rang out as their position was torn apart.
As the gun burst came to a natural pause, five of the officers stood up and fired rapid bursts towards the vehicles and attackers, which were rapidly advancing on them. Two of the men were caught in the open and riddled with fire. A heavy round from one of the mounted guns smashed into Campbell’s helmet and killed him instantly. His body fell to the ground.
The rest of them ducked back into cover. Kaufman looked around as their position was torn apart. Morrison threw another grenade into the corridor and the structure collapsed. A dust cloud burst out across their position. As it cleared, he saw a grenade land just a metre away from them. He quickly turned and hunched in against the vehicle.
The explosion was deafening. Kaufman turned to see that the rookie Wells was screaming in pain, though he couldn’t hear it. Shrapnel had pierced his leg and flank. Kaufman looked to Barski who had an equally grim face. Their end was setting in. The machine gunfire continued to rip apart the vehicles they huddled behind.
Kaufman hoisted himself up and fired again, killing one of the attackers, but it barely seemed to make a difference. In his peripheral vision, he could see silhouettes of further attackers closing in around them. He ducked back down again as a bullet skimmed the side of his helmet. His hearing began to come back but was met with a loud drone. He thought at first it was his eardrums still shaking, but the noise was getting louder.
The big guns stopped firing for a moment as their crews stopped in as much surprise as Kaufman. The odd rifle fire persisted but was drowned out by the roaring sound of engines overhead. A vast shadow cast over their position and dust kicked up all around them. Kaufman looked up to see the hulking mass of the Victory. The loading doors were open and officers in MILAL suits were already leaping into action.
Mounted guns on the side of the docking bay opened up and peppered the unarmoured tops of the trucks, riddling their gunners with bullets. Kaufman felt an ecstasy come over him as the IBI officers dropped into position with guns blazing. He hauled himself to his feet and found the first enemy he could. He opened up on full auto. Blood sprayed from the victim’s neck as his windpipe burst.
Out of the corner of his eye he could see someone rushing towards him. He turned quickly with his rifle held ready to fire but stopped abruptly at the sight of Lieutenant Sosa. His hearing was almost recovered and he could hear the frequency of the gunfire reducing already.
“Sir, do you have anyone unaccounted for?” she shouted.
Kaufman did not respond for a moment, he only smiled. He had thought they were about to meet their end. He shook his head but remembered the casualties.
“All here, Lieutenant, but we’re in a bad way.”
She hit her intercom and looked up to the vessel still hovering overhead.
“We’re good here, head for the Intrepid and await our return, good work!”
The vessel’s engines roared, shaking the ground as it lifted. Kaufman turned to look at the carnage all around. He had lost good officers that day. The vehicles around them were barely recognisable from the beating they’d taken. He turned back to Sosa and gave her a grateful nod. They had been saved from certain death.
Chapter 6
Kaufman sat on the hood of what was left of a tug vehicle; its body had been ripped apart by heavy weapon fire. His damaged helmet lay with his rifle beside him. The local police force was closing off the district, but the small force had little comprehension of how to handle the situation. Eight officers worked the town and they had rarely dealt with anything more than a petty dispute or brawl.
He had watched as the ambulances had rushed the wounded from the site. There was nothing more he could do for them except prepare himself for the letters of condolence, which was an ugly duty he would likely soon have to fulfil. Barski walked up to the Captain with an equally grim expression. Their lives had been saved, but it was little relief when looking at the carnage around them.
“Eric?”
Kaufman slowly turned to look at his old friend, knowing that he would not like the news he had come to deliver.
“Campbell and White were pronounced dead at the scene, Laine was dead on arrival. The three wounded are being treated and I am reliably informed that all will make a full recovery.”
He looked back at the warehouse, which they had been sent to. Kaufman began to step past despair. He replaced the useless emotion with anger and raw determination that would see him move forward. Sosa stepped up to the two officers. She had proven herself more than capable but was still in shock at seeing the potential danger that they all faced.
“What happened here, Sir?”
“We were sent here to die,” said Barski.
Kaufman nodded.
“That bastard Munoz is trying to eradicate our investigation.”
A puzzled expression came over Kaufman’s face. He pushed himself off the hood of the truck and rushed over to one of the bodies of their attackers. He knelt down beside the corpse and rolled it over to get a better look. The man wore all black tactical gear and carried military grade equipment. He wore torso armour that would protect against lower calibre weapons.
“What is it?” asked Sosa.
“These men were military trained and equipped. They did not expect us to be wearin
g the MILAL suits.”
“Sir?”
Max shook his head in astonishment, realising what Eric was saying. Their attackers knew the IBI protocols; the situation bore an uncanny resemblance to the assassination of Tremblay.
“No way, can’t be. He’d never dare getting this much blood on his hands,” said Barski.
“What the hell are we talking about here?” Sosa asked.
Kaufman stood up and signalled for them to follow him to a quieter spot. He looked around cautiously before speaking to the two Lieutenants.
“Our trip to Earth was not in regard to the Munoz case, as was made official. We were to meet Commander Denton on a mission of both great importance and danger. Denton was investigating a number of credible leads that connected Senator Malory to a whole host of criminal activity from money laundering, blackmail, connection to organised crime and even murder.”
“What? That’s insane! Even if it were true, we do not have the authority to pursue it,” replied Sosa.
“If not us, then who? Nobody has the stomach for it. Corruption and untouchable villains are the very reason our jobs exist.”
The Lieutenant shook her head.
“I didn’t sign up for this shit.”
“The job isn’t always black and white, Lieutenant. Denton’s main lead was assassinated before our eyes. We were warned to stay away when our second lead, a former secretary to the Senator, died in a road accident the very next day.”
“My God, and now he’s tried to finish the job!”
“What do you mean?” asked Barski.
“With Denton firmly under watch in the city, your crew are the only ones with the knowledge and ability to pursue the case. This was a hit squad.”
Kaufman nodded.
“They would never have expected us to be geared up for a routine pickup, nor could they have anticipated your assistance. Were it not for those two facts, the Senator’s case would soon be long forgotten.”
“What do we do now? The Senator has marked you for death and will now know of our involvement.”
He turned around and looked to Sosa’s crew. They were still investigating the scene and chatting with the Intrepid’s crew. He knew that he now had no choice but to bring them in on the Senator’s case. He had just put this whole other crew at risk, as well as their families.
“Lieutenant, I am convening a meeting of both crews aboard the Intrepid. Meet in one hour in the briefing room. Speak nothing of this to anyone. All will be revealed in time.”
Sosa nodded and returned to her crew. In just minutes, her cool professionalism and pride had been replaced by an overbearing fear. Kaufman hated that he had to put more good people at risk, but he could not lie to them.
“You sure this is a wise idea?” asked Max.
“No, but we’re a long way from normal here. Forces are at work to destroy us all before the week is out. Let’s be sure we’re ready for them.”
Sergeant Lin appeared and stared at the carnage. Her rifle was still in hand after having pursued two stragglers.
“Any survivors, Sergeant?”
“No, Sir, they weren’t going down without a fight.”
She always amused Kaufman. Her short stature and tiny frame did a fine job of hiding what a tough officer she really was. He nodded in gratitude, fully appreciating that she would have had more than just a hand in the operation that saved their lives.
“Damn fine work, Sergeant, I clearly chose the right officer for the job.”
* * *
The briefing room was quickly filling up as Kaufman sat back and watched the officers from both ships pour in. The Captain’s own crew were solemn and bitter with the deaths of their comrades. The others’ emotions were mixed between the excitement of victory and the realisation of the dangers they faced. Aside from the shuffling of people arriving at the room, all was quiet.
“First of all, welcome to the crew of the Victory, and thank you. However, let me get straight to the point. In saving our lives, you have put your own in more danger than you could ever imagine. The battle we just faced was not some desperate attempt to survive or fight against the authorities. The attackers were assassins, and their only intention was to kill us all.”
“Why? That’s suicide, crooks all know that more officers will simply replace us, and it’s suicide to become such a notorious cop killer,” said Gomez.
As he looked around the table, Kaufman knew that it was a lot to ask the new recruits to take his word on such a dangerous accusation.
“I am well aware that this is a lot to take in. As officers of the IBI, I must be able to trust in you all. Some of you may believe this is more than you signed on for. I will lay the facts before you, so that nobody is in doubt of what shit we are in. If at that point you decide that you cannot continue in your work, you may leave with full references and without judgement.”
Kaufman continued for the next hour to show them all the facts, every piece of information that Denton had supplied him regarding the Senator. It was not long before the new officers began to believe his assessment of Malory, but many were less keen on pursuing an investigation on the matter.
“If the Senator is all powerful and willing to go as far as murdering you and your crew, what is to stop him trying it again?” asked Jamal.
“Absolutely nothing. The Senator warned us away from the city and to stay out of his business, but he obviously was not content to leave the situation there. We know the Senator’s dirty secrets, and that cannot be undone. This matter will not be over until the Senator is behind bars or the key players in our organisation are buried.”
Gasps rang out around the room. They were all beginning to come to terms with the fact that they were forever tied to the unfortunate turn of events, whether they liked it or not.
“You all volunteered for for the right reasons. We stand together against crime and corruption wherever it may take us. Now you must all make your decisions, and there is no turning back.”
“What if we don’t believe the Bureau should be pursing this case?” asked Gomez.
There was a rebellious and confrontational tone in his voice.
“That’s not a choice you get to make, Sergeant. When you joined you signed an oath to its chain of command and to an oath of silence to the rest of the world.”
Gomez sprung up from where he was sitting and pranced across the room with an arrogant stride.
“It’s not your choice to break the laws of the Solar System, Sir!”
Kaufman straightened. He could see the threat the man was becoming.
“Sit down, Gomez!” he shouted.
“I don’t think so, Sir. We have dead and wounded! You’re illegally pursuing a Senator and it is getting officers killed. I can’t let you continue!”
Kaufman erupted with a fast push kick into the man’s stomach. Gomez reeled forward in shock and pain. With Gomez’s head tilted forward, Kaufman struck with a fast uppercut. He snapped his head backwards, and he landed on his back across the briefing table. The other officers watched in utter shock at the violent lashing out of their leader.
Kaufman leapt towards the man, not allowing him a second to recover. He hauled him off the table and spun him around. He took his neck in a chokehold and forced him to his knees.
“Is this what you would have? At our time of greatest need you would mutiny? Where is your conscience?”
The man spluttered as he desperately tried to breathe. Everyone watched motionless. No one wanted to see Gomez come to harm, but neither would any of them dare interfere with the Captain. None of them had ever crossed their leader. He kept strict discipline, but they never expected him to be such a brutal fighter.
Gomez tapped Kaufman’s arm, asking to be let free and accepting defeat. Kaufman looked around the room at the faces of the two crews. He was hoping to see a renewed respect for their mission. He released the Sergeant and threw him to the ground. Gomez flipped onto his back and was breathing hoarsely.
“In joi
ning this organisation, you agreed to serve under my orders, and I under Commander Denton’s. Anyone who is unwilling to accept those parameters should leave now! But know that you are turning your back on one of the few honest and incorruptible forces in existence.”
He scanned around the room and could see that it was a hard lesson. His crew trusted him with their life, but the dangerous path before them was no small task.
“I know this is a hard thing to accept. It is more than I have ever asked of you, but will you stand with me? Will you fight to make a better life for all the colonies?”
Sosa stepped forward. The rest were still contemplating the events of the day and what had been asked of them.
“Sir, I don’t care who this Senator is, but nobody kills cops and gets away with it. Let’s get this bastard!”
Kaufman grinned. He liked her attitude and was equally satisfied with his own judge of character that put in her in the position of power, which she held. She had already proven to be a valuable ally.
“Seems to me the Senator has been getting away with a great many crimes for a long time, and now he’s tried to take us out. That can’t go unchecked,” said Barski.
Many of the officers were now agreeing with these comments and coming to realise they were all on the same page.
“Sir, I’ve never cared for Earth matters, but this guy is really starting to piss me off,” said Kaminski.
“Then let’s nail the bastard to the wall!” shouted Kaufman.
A roar rang out around the room. Kaufman knew that in order to pursue the Senator he would have to break many laws, and that would present more obstacles among the morale of his people in the near future. It was something he could only deal with in time.
“Settle down!” he shouted.
All eyes turned to the Captain.
“We cannot legally pursue the Senator. At present, he is using whatever off the book private agencies he has available to him to target us. The second he can prove that we are on to him then he can throw the book at us, and he will do so with every kind of authority you can think of. Therefore, this remains off the grid until we have substantial evidence to take to higher authorities.”
Starforce Ganymede II Page 11