#2 Shades of Gray: From Moscow, With Love
Page 15
Chapter Fourteen
Escape From Distribution Station Bravo
8:21 P.M...
The gentle wind blowing through the city changed direction and swept the newspaper back down the chain length fence, and a few sheets of paper grabbed the metal diamond mesh as if holding on with all its might. The breeze kicked up and forced the debris further down the fence, and the wind lodged the newspaper at the gate and inside the protective wall of mesh, a K-99 stared at the debris then scanned the surrounding area. It had been sent on a mission by its Team Leader. The perimeter was secure, so it moved to the guardhouse, and found the S.C.M. lying on the floor moaning. The K-99 activated its sensors, checked on him, and his vitals were within parameters, so it nudged him with its nose but couldn't wake him. The K-99 transmitted the information to the others of its pack, and the dot-light in each of its yellow eyes simultaneously blinked three times. It glanced once more at the S.C.M, ran back to the loading ramp, reentered Etna Toys, and raced down several cobwebbed halls as its metal clawed paws clinked across the concrete corridors. It detected the intruders shoe prints in the dust, and a few fluorescent lights flickered overhead as it followed the trail through several halls. After a few minutes, it came to the long passage with no doors, and water dripped from the ceiling pipes and landed on its fur, and then the K-99 passed the two hand scanners, went through the open door, and continued running. The concrete floor stopped and was replaced by the sandy one, and the long passage ended in the large cave with the curved second level. It paused and looked up, knowing the intruders were above and then the K-99 raced on to join its half of the pack.
On the second floor...
Back in the first room with all the old filing cabinets, Kim opened the front door and looked over the curved walkway. She closed it and turned to Kat who was standing behind her. The eerie green glow of emergency lights lit up the area inside and the walkway outside.
Kat checked the magazine with the eight A.P.Rs., put it in her left thigh pocket, and mumbled, "I hope they're enough."
"You said the robot mutts would track us down." Kim paced back and forth from the door as she asked, "How are those tin mongrels going to get up here? We had to climb the cave's wall to reach the second level, and I don't see any other doors outside."
"Just because we don't see one, doesn't mean there isn't." Kat removed the borrowed PPK as she motioned with her head to the back wall. "Remember the hidden door, we didn't know it was there."
"Hades... I don't know about this. Are you sure your plan will work? My 9 mm rounds are useless unless your stupid idea works."
"Pretty sure. Did you check the flashlights?"
"Yes, they're the ones with the EMP shielding, and their batteries are still good." Kim glanced at her knapsack and turned back to her. "Here's yours." She handed the woman one. "I don't know about this idiotic plan of yours. What if it doesn't work? Do you have a backup?"
"No, but it will work. It has to. It's the only one we have."
Kimberly's view...
What kind of messed up reasoning is that? It's ridiculous, and I better come up with a plan if I want to survive. Hades... I can't think under the stress and usually I'm more level headed. Is it because that woman is here or am I freaking out because of the tin mongrels?
Katharine's view...
I take the flashlight and put it in my back pocket. I don't show my uneasiness, but I also doubt the plan. If I fail, it's not just my life on the line. I glance at Kimberly. Maybe I shouldn't involve her; she could get hurt or killed.
I pause from my thoughts and ask her, "Unless you have a better plan?"
Kimberly's view...
"No," I reply.
I've gotten into more trouble in the little time I've been with that woman than I have my entire career as a Closer. Using Pale Horse now is sounding more and more reasonable.
End Kimberly's view...
"Well... Let's hope this works." Kat picked up a fire extinguisher that was beside her, pulled the pin, and cradled the red canister in her left arm like a baby. "With their metal visors down, the K-99s can only see with their infrared, so the mist these extinguishers spray should confuse their sensors and force the K-99s to raise them and then we get our shot." She glanced at her. "Are you clear on the plan?"
"Sure. I'm clear. I don't think it'll work." Kim holstered her gun and stated, "And if it doesn't, I better at least survive." She picked up the second fire extinguisher and removed its pin. "I have things I still need to do."
"And like I don't," Kat said and wondered if Kim knew the meaning of partner.
lub-DUB... lub-DUB...
"It's time. They're close." Kat stretched out her senses beyond the room. "There are six of them on the far side of the walkway. Make sure you stick with the plan."
Kimberly's view...
"I will," I tell her as I look to the fire extinguisher.
For Ares' sake! I'm a Closer not some fireman; this is so wrong.
I take a deep breath and say to that woman, "I'm ready. Let's do this."
End Kimberly's view...
At the opposite end of the walkway, a stone wall rumbled as it slid up, and behind the mock front stood an elevator. The doors opened, and six K-99s started across the sandy floor. The Team Leader with a red triangular mark on its visor positioned itself in the front and two of the pack fell in behind it, followed by three more K-99s, and then they prowled toward the room. Their orders were clear; they were to terminate the intruders.
Kat went out first and set her fire extinguisher on the ground about three yards from the door. She walked on ahead and readied her gun for action as the K-99s neared.
Kim froze when she saw the pack and her heart and breathing increased as she forced herself to move beside that woman and once she arrived, Kim aimed the nozzle at the tin mongrels and waited for them to get a little closer. She felt stupid doing this, and she felt even more stupid that her hands were shaking. The robots weren't any deadlier than a man with a gun.
Kim asked, "If I spray them with this, how are you going to see them?"
"Hopefully the same way I was able to with the Rogue. I'm going to try and use the Knowing." Kat aimed for the leader. "I pray I can do it. I'm not really sure how it works."
"You're telling me this now!" Kim stared at the metal teeth and claws of the K-99s, feeling more of her phobia as she took a step back. "Maybe we should rethink this."
"No time!" Kat shouted, taking a shooting stance and aimed. "Get ready!"
The K-99s bolted for them, tearing across the sand as they snarled and barked.
When the tin mongrels were about ten feet away, Kim squealed and squeezed the handle, discharging the carbon dioxide.
"Are you all right?" Kat glanced at her when she squealed but quickly turned her gaze back to their enemies.
"I'm fine! Kill them!"
"Don't panic. I'm here," Kat said and whispered, "I'll protect you."
"What? I didn't hear that last part." Kim sprayed back and forth with the nozzle and created a white cloud as she slowly backed up, getting some distance between her and the pack. The mist covered the K-99s, and they halted, blinded by the mist as Kim yelled, "Kill them! Kill them now!"
Before Kim discharged the fire extinguisher, Kat focused on the Team Leader as the pack neared and her heart thumped continuously. Kim sprayed, the mist covered the K-99s, and Kat's eyes blazed, reflecting off the wall of white like a blue inferno and in that moment, Kat prayed, "Please work. Please work. I have to protect Kimberly." She lost sight of the Team Leader and the Knowing kicked in.
lub-DUB–lub-DUB–lub-DUB
Kat saw the yellow-green Electrical Apparitions emanating from the K-99s, and the e-field her body generated, modified itself and collected its output in the center of her heart. The blue sphere the size of a grape doubled with each contraction of the heart till it engulfed the muscle, and the Ult L-E dissipated as her pupi
ls dilated, making them appear black as ink. She felt indestructible, and she felt like she could annihilate anything in her path as Kat snarled with new vigor. The e-field massed till it could no longer contain the energy and pulsed, sending a small shock wave in all directions, and the E.F.P. washed over the K-99s, frying exposed circuitry. The emergency lights above the walkway and those in the filing cabinet room lost power and plunged the area into darkness as the K-99s shut down and stood there like statues.
Kat clicked on the flash light, and the beam lit up the walkway as she ordered, "Stop spraying!"
Kim released the trigger of the fire extinguisher, and both of them stared at the K-99s as the white cloud slowly dissipated.
"Shoot them now while they're disabled!" Kim shouted.
"No. For the plan to work, we have to wait," Kat insisted.
"Hades!" Kim tensed as she yelled, "You have got to be kidding!"
"Wait..." Kat repeated. "Wait! Now!"