by Alex Siegel
She got out of the van. Her back was stiff from yet another tedious drive down the San Francisco Peninsula. She desperately hoped she could stay home for a while after this adventure was over. She had spent more time in the car in the last few days than she wanted to think about. Life in the Bay Area seemed to involve a lot of time spent on highways.
Ipo and Hanley joined Marina on the sidewalk. All three of them were wearing the blue suits of FBI agents augmented by basic combat gear. They had all the appropriate identification which could stand up to the closest scrutiny. They were ready to deal with Special Agent Christopher.
Marina peeked through the bushes into the parking lot. Even at this obscene hour, a few cars remained and some lights in the building were on. She felt sorry for the employees who were obligated to work through the night.
"I don't see the FBI," she muttered.
"Maybe they decided not to show up," Hanley said. "Our story was sketchy."
"You delivered it well at least."
"Thank you, ma'am. I felt funny lying to an FBI agent. A week ago, I would've never done such a thing, but now, it's like I'm a totally different person. My old life is fading into memory."
"Yes," Marina said. "Pretty soon, you won't be able to imagine a normal life."
"Nobody has ever left the Society and gone back to normal?"
"No. People have tried, but they never succeeded. I think it's impossible."
She took out her phone and called Min Ho.
"Ma'am?" the hacker responded in a sleepy voice.
"Is the communications blackout in effect?"
"Yes, ma'am. Only Society phones will work around there."
"Good job," Marina said. "Don't fall asleep on me. Bye." She hung up.
Two black delivery vans were driving up the street.
"That's them!" Hanley said.
He ran into the street and waved his arms, forcing the vans to stop.
Special Agent Christopher climbed out of the cab of the leading van. He was wearing blue body armor, and he carried a submachine gun. The earpiece of a radio was stuck in his ear.
He and Hanley joined Marina and Ipo.
"You look more like real FBI agents," Christopher said, "but let me see your ID."
Everybody gave him their wallets. He took out his phone and made a call. It obviously didn't go through, and he frowned at the display.
"Oh, sorry," Marina said. "We blocked the cell phones as a precaution. Use mine."
He stared at her. "You did what?"
"Special, top secret technology. I'll explain later. Let's just focus on the task at hand."
She took out her own phone and helped him dial the number of the FBI office. He stepped away and had a conversation. He was clearly verifying the identification, but Marina wasn't worried at all. Min Ho had created the false identities, and like a good Society hacker, he had put the right records in the right computers.
After a few minutes, Christopher returned the wallets and phone. "You actually are real FBI agents." He sounded surprised.
"Of course," Marina said. "Here is what I need you to do..."
"Wait. I'm taking orders from you now?"
"Yes. Please, don't give me any grief. I've had a very long day. I need you to get everybody out of the building and hold them in the parking lot. Make sure nobody runs off. Also, establish a secure perimeter so we don't have unexpected visitors. When the building is clear, I'll go in with my people."
Ipo gave her a look.
She corrected herself. "Rather, I'll wait here and watch for trouble. These two gentlemen will go in."
Ipo and Hanley smiled.
"I suppose we can do that," Christopher said. "It doesn't sound grossly illegal, at least. But it's a big building. Two men won't be enough to search for evidence."
"Don't worry about that," Marina said. "They'll be fine."
"You're sure you don't want me to send some help in with them?"
"Absolutely sure. Please, proceed."
"OK." He shrugged.
He climbed back into his black van. Both vans drove into the parking lot and parked directly in front of the Soulfriends front door. The back doors of the vans rolled up, and FBI agents spilled out. Marina counted fifteen in total. They gathered around Christopher who delivered his orders in a loud voice. Then most of the agents entered the building directly, and the rest circled around to cover the rear.
"This is easy," Hanley said.
"Don't get cocky," Marina said. "Using outsiders is always risky. Maybe it was a mistake."
* * *
Peter Hastings was almost in a panic. The FBI was tromping through his building and treating employees like they were criminals. Everybody was being herded into the parking lot. At this rate, the building would be evacuated in ten or fifteen minutes.
Even worse, all outside communication had been cut off, and the Soulfriends Network was effectively blocked. The redundant connectivity wasn't redundant enough. He felt completely lost without his internet access. The black curtain had fallen swiftly and without warning.
Peter forced himself to settle down. He was safe and sound in his secret chamber where the FBI would never find him. He would just have to wait for opportunities to arise as the situation evolved. Whatever else happened, he was still the smartest guy around. He could always count on his big brain to keep him out of trouble.
* * *
"It looks like they're done," Marina said. "You can go in."
She peered between some bushes into the Soulfriends parking lot. Ten FBI agents were guarding a group of about thirty employees, some wearing the black uniforms of security guards. The remaining FBI agents were spaced around the building.
"Where are you going to be, ma'am?" Hanley said.
"I'll wait right here," Marina said. "Call if you need backup."
"We will, but don't worry. We'll be OK."
She frowned.
Hanley and Ipo pushed through the bushes and into the parking lot. They walked towards the front door of the building in full view of everybody. Ipo was carrying a suitcase full of tools.
Marina sighed. She had never realized being a commander was so emotionally exhausting. She could do nothing but fret and hope for the best while her legionnaires faced the dangers. If she got pulled in, it meant something bad had happened. She felt new appreciation for Ethel who had always made the job look easy.
* * *
"She's really bright," Hanley said.
"Why do you say that?" Ipo said.
"She's learning how to be a leader faster than anybody I've ever seen. I had my doubts at first, but now I'm not worried at all. It's obvious why Aaron loves her."
They were walking towards the Soulfriends building. Cool night air felt good on Hanley's warm face. His body armor was like a heavy coat, and he was wearing thick clothes underneath. Just walking was making him sweat a little, but he was glad for the protection. He had had too many unpleasant surprises in the last few days.
"I like her instincts," Ipo said. "She's a true Spear down to the bone. I can almost feel the heat from the Lord's rage pulsing in her. The legate picked a good commander for us."
"As good as your old one?" Hanley said.
"I don't know. I'll just say Marina is as good but in a different way. Working with her will be a lot of fun."
"It will certainly be exciting."
They entered the building. The guards in the lobby were gone, so the legionnaires proceeded onwards. The place was so quiet, it was spooky. They quickly made their way to the server room, and the outer door was still broken, so they just went inside. The fan noise from all the computers was irritating.
Ipo put down his suitcase full of tools and opened it. He took out an electric circular saw with a cut-off blade. They weren't trying to be the least bit subtle this time.
He plugged in the saw and attacked the wall next to the red door. Dust and chips flew as the spinning blade sliced through the wall. The electric motor added a lot of noise to a
room that was already too noisy. Hanley covered his ears.
It only took about a minute for Ipo to make an opening large enough to crawl through. He turned off the saw and kicked out the cut panel.
Hanley was the first to look through the hole.
"Oh, shit," he said.
Chapter Twenty-three
Marina's phone rang. She checked the caller ID and saw Hanley's code number.
She answered immediately, "What's going on? Is there a problem?"
"I guess you could say that. The room is completely empty."
"What room?"
"The one behind the red door," Hanley said. "Nothing is there, and as far as I can tell, there never was anything. It's obvious in retrospect. The red door was a decoy. I mean, only an idiot would put their crown jewels behind a big, red door with a 'KEEP OUT' sign. That's just begging a thief to break in. I should've guessed."
"Then where is the damn matching computer with the secret code?"
"I have no idea, but I bet it's not obvious. This is a big building, too. We may never find it."
She ground her teeth together. Why is nothing ever easy? "Just stay put. I need to think. I'll call you back." She hung up her phone.
Marina studied the group of thirty employees standing in the parking lot. A few were looking around anxiously, but the rest were just bored. Some were messing with their phones even though they had no cell coverage or internet access. Apparently, normal human interaction was the last thing they wanted to do.
Marina wondered if any of them were Ice Crusher. She needed to find out, and she had an idea for how to do it.
She called Hanley back.
"That was quick, ma'am," he said.
"I want you and Ipo to come out here. Stand in front of the employees and talk about all the nasty things you intend to do to Ice Crusher. I'll be watching for a reaction."
"That's a good idea. We'll be out in a minute."
Marina pushed through the bushes and walked across the parking lot towards the employees. The ten FBI agents guarding them included Special Agent Christopher. He looked tougher and more virile in body armor instead of a suit. He carried his submachine gun with an expert grip.
He noticed her approaching. "What's your status?"
"The investigation is proceeding," she said.
"How much longer until you're done? All of us would like to go home at some point."
"I appreciate your help, and it won't be forgotten. I'll find a way to pay you back."
"Sure," he said in a dubious tone.
"You'll see. I take care of my friends."
Marina looked at the faces of the employees. She was searching for signs of anxiety or guilt, but she didn't see anything suspicious.
Ipo and Hanley came out of the building, and they walked straight over. They stopped within earshot of the employees.
"I can't wait to get my hands on him," Ipo said loudly. "I'm going to show Ice Crusher what real crushing is." He smacked his big, meaty fist into his palm.
"You can't kill him," Hanley said.
"No, but I can make him wish he was dead."
Marina watched closely for a reaction, but only a few employees seemed to even notice the conversation, and they didn't appear concerned.
"I definitely want a piece of that action," Hanley said. "I hate Ice Crusher as much as you."
"No problem," Ipo said. "When my arms get tired from beating the shit out of him, you can take over."
"Sounds good."
The legionnaires needed to work on their acting skills, but the performance was good enough. Marina still didn't see any employees behaving suspiciously. She was a master at reading body language, and all of them were projecting disinterest.
Ice Crusher isn't here, she concluded.
She looked at the Soulfriends building. "Are you sure you cleared everybody out?" She asked Agent Christopher.
"Why?" he said. "You want us to sweep the building again?"
"No. It wouldn't do any good. He's probably well hidden."
"Who are you talking about?"
"Never mind," she said.
Marina noticed a surveillance camera mounted on one of the light poles. They were all over the parking lot, and she had seen plenty in the building earlier. She was a big fan of security, but even she thought the coverage was a bit excessive. She realized Ice Crusher was using the surveillance system to spy on his own company. He could see everything without ever leaving his hiding spot.
An evil smile spread across her face. This stupid game of hide and seek was about to end.
Marina ran back to her van. She threw open the back doors and dug into a pile of gray duffle bags. The team had brought all the standard gear for a mission.
She found a big block of C-4, enough to make a mess of the building. She attached a simple timed detonator and used duct tape to make sure it wouldn't fall off. She emptied a duffle bag and stuffed the bomb inside. She ran back to Hanley and Ipo. They moved away from the crowd to get some privacy.
Marina gave the bag to Ipo. "Put this in the middle of the building. Set the timer for twenty minutes."
He looked inside the bag, and his eyes widened. "A bomb?"
"Yes. Make sure it's in direct view of a surveillance camera. Ice Crusher will see it, and he'll have to turn off the detonator or get blown up."
"You think he's in the building?" Ipo said.
Marina nodded. "Yes. He's not out here, and an obsessive control freak like him wouldn't be anywhere else. He's hiding inside. At least, that's what my instincts are telling me."
"What if you're wrong, ma'am?"
"Then the building gets destroyed, but no lives will be lost. I'll risk some property damage to move this investigation along. As a nice bonus, the Soulfriends Network will be wrecked. Hanley, place your phone in a corner and point the camera lens at the bomb. We can use our phones like portable surveillance cameras in a pinch. When Ice Crusher comes out to defuse the bomb, we'll see him."
"Yes, ma'am," Hanley said.
"And I'll call Min Ho," Marina said. "He needs to pull live video from your phone. Go!"
Ipo and Hanley hurried off with the duffle bag.
She smiled with pride. This was a good idea, she thought.
* * *
Peter Hastings was watching his enemy carefully. Using his computer, he could call up video from any of five hundred cameras placed in and around the Soulfriends building. He felt like God looking down from above.
The woman with red hair was waiting in the parking lot while her two male colleagues reentered the building. The big Hawaiian man was carrying a gray duffle bag, and Peter was intensely curious about its contents.
Peter had to admit he was afraid. He couldn't call for help or bring in reinforcements. The FBI had surrounded the building, making escape impossible. All he could do was hide until they decided to go home. Fortunately, he had enough food and water to last a week in his secret chamber.
The two male adversaries entered the hallway just outside the server room. The smaller one remained out of view of the surveillance cameras, while his big friend placed the duffle bag on the floor and unzipped it.
Peter gasped. There was a bomb inside.
The timer was set for twenty minutes, and both men ran off as soon as it was counting down. They clearly intended to destroy the building with Peter inside it.
The detonator had a red on/off switch, and it looked like he merely had to press it to defuse the bomb. His only alternative was running out of the building and getting caught by the FBI. Either way, he would have to leave his secret chamber.
They're not playing fair, he thought.
He pushed himself out of his chair.
* * *
Marina had a good view of the bomb. Min Ho was pulling the video off of Hanley's phone and feeding it to the little screen on her phone. The view was from a low, awkward angle, but she could clearly see the detonator counting down. Hanley and Ipo were watching over her shoulders.
&nb
sp; The team was standing in the parking lot just outside the Soulfriends building. Marina was perspiring despite the cool night air. Her heart was pounding with excitement.
"There he is!" she said. "I was right."
A short man with a bulbous belly walked into the camera frame. He was wearing a black T-shirt with the words "Proud Geek" printed in white letters, but the shirt was too short, and it exposed a sliver of his white midsection. He was wearing blue track pants and neon red tennis shoes. His shaggy, black hair looked like it hadn't been washed in a month.
He walked over to the bomb and frowned at it.
"He came out of the server room," Hanley said in a tone of confusion. "But nobody was in there."
"Obviously, we needed to look harder. Come on." Marina ran towards the front door of the building. "Let's get him!"
Ipo and Hanley sprinted after her.
"You're going in, ma'am?" Ipo yelled.
"I wouldn't miss this for anything," she replied over her shoulder.
* * *
Peter stared at the bomb for another moment. He didn't know much about explosives, but even he could tell it was big. The controls on the detonator seemed childishly simple, but he hesitated a little longer. Finally, he overcame his fear, reached down, and pressed the on/off button. The timer stopped counting down.
That was easy, he thought.
He noticed a device lying on the floor nearby. It looked like an oversized, gray phone, and a tiny camera lens was pointed directly at him. He realized with horror that the enemy had forced him to reveal himself. The purpose of the bomb was now painfully clear.
"Fuck," he muttered.
A bright, red light suddenly filled the hallway. Peter looked up with astonishment at a ball of glowing gas floating in the air. It looked like an angry little thunderstorm, and lightning flashed inside it. The misty surface boiled violently.
An alien voice spoke inside his mind, "Run! The enemy has discovered you!"
Peter froze. He couldn't believe what was happening. "But..."
"Flee!" the telepathic voice bellowed. "Or die!"
Peter had no choice but to obey despite his bewilderment. He ran back to his secret chamber to grab his emergency backpack. It contained everything he would need to survive in the scary real world. On the way out, he slapped a red button which triggered an electronic self-destruct. Every Soulfriends computer would be wiped clean in under a minute.