“Well, you won’t find any down here. Take the elevator back up to the eighth floor and get off there.”
“Thank you,” said Kabar. He turned to leave.
“Just a second,” said the technician. “Can I have your name and the name of your Chosen soldiers?”
“Why would you need our names?”
“I’ll give the ammunition depot a call and let them know you’re on your way up there.”
Sheridan could sense the technician was lying. He glanced around, trying to see if there was anyone else nearby.
Kabar took a step toward the engineer. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but you’re wasting my time. In case you can’t see my insignia on my dirty collar, I’m a captain and expect to be spoken to as one. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, sir, I do, but I must insist that you give me your names.”
“If you insist.” In the blink of an eye, Kabar brought up his right arm and grabbed the technician by the throat. With a flick of his wrist, he threw him against the wall and strode after him. The technician never stood a chance. Kabar was an accomplished killer. He drew his blade and rammed it home on top of the hapless Kurgan’s skull. The technician’s arms and legs twitched for a couple of seconds before he died.
“Damn it all to hell,” said Sheridan. “You could have warned us you were about to do that.”
“There was no time,” replied Kabar, pulling the knife from his victim’s head.
Cole walked over to a row of lockers and opened them until he found an empty one. In a hushed tone, he said, “Over here.”
Sheridan and Kabar dragged the body to the locker and helped Cole stuff him into it.
“Let’s hope he’s not going to be missed for a couple of hours,” said Sheridan.
They walked back to the elevator and got in. Kabar pressed the button for the eighth floor. Everyone looked at the numbers above the door as they changed. As soon as the elevator stopped, they walked out, trying to pretend that they belonged there. The continued on until they came to the nearest unoccupied computer console. Kabar typed in Komada’s name and waited for it to show him where the traitor was in the stronghold.
“According to this, he’s on the third floor,” said Kabar.
“Where exactly?” asked Sheridan.
“In the officers’ mess.”
“What about Mister Williams?’ said Cole.
“I doubt he’s still using his Kurgan name,” said Sheridan. “He’s probably traveling around the empire using a string of aliases.”
“What is it?” asked Kabar.
“Kahan, I think,” replied Sheridan.
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” said Cole.
“There are twelve Kahans in the database, but none of them match your description of a dark-skinned Chosen soldier,” said Kabar.
“Let’s not worry about him right now,” said Sheridan. “I have no doubt that wherever Komada is, Harry can’t be too far away.”
A squad of Kurgan rebels walked past the imposters. An automated six-wheeled ATV followed behind them. On the back of the vehicle was an oblong box with a crimson triangle on it, a large black cross painted in the middle of it. The soldiers walked to a large service elevator and moved aside so the ATV could drive inside. Once it was parked, the squad stepped inside and closed the doors.
“That didn’t look good. What was the symbol on the box?” Sheridan asked Kabar.
Kabar stood there wide-eyed.
Sheridan tapped Kabar on the arm. “I take it by the expression on your face that what just drove by wasn’t good news?”
“No, it’s not,” replied Kabar. “Inside that case is an antimatter bomb.”
“What the frigg is an antimatter bomb doing here?” asked Cole.
“I don’t know,” said Kabar.
“You don’t know, or you won’t say why?”
“I told you I don’t know why they have an antimatter device. They’re supposed to be held in strategic reserve and can only be released on the authority of the emperor himself.”
“Great,” said Sheridan under his breath. “Looks like we and the Kurgan Empire have a massive security problem when it comes to WMDs.”
“What the hell are they planning to do with it?” asked Cole.
“I don’t know, but the elevator went down, not up,” said Kabar. “Perhaps they don’t want it to fall into the hands of the Old Guard, so they’re taking it to the subway to be moved elsewhere on the planet.”
“Or when the time is right, they’re going to set it off,” proposed Cole.
“One thing is for sure, we can’t let it get away. We’ll have to deal with it after we get our hands on the virus,” said Sheridan.
“This assignment keeps getting better by the minute,” mumbled Cole.
As they waited for an elevator to arrive, Cole tapped Kabar on the arm. “Oy, why didn’t you think to look up Harry on a computer?”
“Because I didn’t see one, and did you want to stay another second up there on that bloody floor?” replied Kabar.
The elevator arrived. Kabar pressed the button for the third floor.
“Okay, Komada is going to spot Alan and me the instant he sees us,” said Sheridan to Kabar. “I need you to go into the mess hall and get him to come outside with you. We’ll be waiting a discreet distance away. Bring him to us, and we’ll get him to tell us where Harry and the virus are.”
“I doubt he’ll come willingly,” said Kabar.
“Oh, he will. He has a monstrously large ego,” pointed out Cole. “Tell him you have some recent converts who really want to meet him. Trust me, he’ll want to press the flesh with some fellow true believers.”
Kabar tried to wipe as much of the dirt as he could off his armor before stepping off the elevator. “I suggest you two keep well away from the prying eyes of any Kurgan officers. They may mistake you for shirkers.”
The elevator stopped on the third floor. Kabar walked out with his head held high, giving the appearance of confidence. Sheridan and Cole made a beeline for the nearest stack of supplies and tried to make it look like they were cleaning their weapons.
Kabar stopped outside the entrance to the officers’ mess and composed himself. He had worked undercover on numerous occasions in the past, but the stakes had never been so high. The survival of his species rested on his shoulders. His stomach churned so badly he thought he was going to throw up. A door swung open, and a rebel colonel walked out. Kabar nodded deferentially to the senior officer and reached for the open door. The colonel ignored him and kept on walking. Kabar’s pulse was racing. He let out a held breath and stepped into the room. A quick look around the room showed that the mess was practically empty. In one corner sat two Kurgan officers who could barely stay awake. Their table was covered with empty bottles of alcohol. At another table sat a Chosen citizen. Kabar walked toward the man. As he got closer, he recognized Komada from the pictures he had studied before coming on the mission.
“Excuse me,” said Kabar politely. “Are you Komada, the holy man?”
Komada looked up and smiled. “Yes, I am. How can I help you, Captain?”
“I was on my way back to my company when I ran into a couple of your followers. As they’re not officers, they can’t come in here. They asked me to tell you how you have changed their lives for the better.”
“Are they Chosen soldiers?”
Kabar nodded. “I know it would mean the world to them if they could meet you before they went back to fighting the heretics.”
Komada stood up. “Sure, why not.”
“They’re just outside the door. I can take you to them.”
“After you, Captain.”
Kabar turned to leave when the two drunken Kurgans dropped the charade and stood up with pistols aimed at Kabar’s head. “Move a muscle and you’re dead, you bloody traitor,” warned one of the two gunmen.
Kabar clenched his jaw and hissed.
“The fortress’ computers are progr
ammed to warn key personnel when their names are accessed,” explained Komada. “The moment you typed in my name, you were marked as a possible assassin, and now here you are under arrest.”
“The bugger’s been gone too long,” whispered Cole.
“He’s barely been gone two minutes,” replied Sheridan. “Give him time.”
“My gut tells me something’s gone wrong.”
“Your stomach is probably just telling you it’s time to feed it.”
“You should have trusted your gut,” said a familiar voice.
Sheridan and Cole looked over their shoulders at a speaker on the wall. Above it was a surveillance camera. A second later, the sound of two dozen pairs of boots running down the hallway filled the air. Before the two Marines could move, a platoon of Chosen rebels surrounded them.
“How the hell did you find us, Harry?” said Sheridan to the camera.
“It was quite simple,” responded Williams. “I’ve been watching you ever since you looked up Komada’s name.”
“Say, why don’t you come down here and let’s finish this like men,” snarled Cole.
“All in good time, Master Sergeant.”
“It’s First Sergeant.”
“Fine. I’ll have that added to your tombstone, First Sergeant Cole. Now both of you drop your weapons and strip down to your underwear, or I’ll have you shot where you stand.”
To augment Williams’ threat, the Chosen rebels brought up their rifles to their shoulders and took aim.
Sheridan brought up his hands in surrender. “Okay, Harry, you win.”
Both men removed their dirt-encrusted uniforms and dropped them on the floor.
“Leave all of your weapons and clothes in a pile in front of you and then take a step back,” said Williams.
The instant they took a step back, a couple of Chosen insurgents stepped forward and fired their stun guns at the Marines. When they didn’t drop, the soldiers looked over at their platoon commander for guidance.
“Damn it. They must be wearing some kind of ultra-lightweight body armor,” said Williams over the speaker. “Shoot them again.”
The two rebels brought their weapons to their shoulders and aimed them at Sheridan and Cole’s heads.
“Wait!” cried out Sheridan. He held out his hands. “If you’re going to stun us, shoot us in our hands or you could kill us.”
“I want them alive,” warned Williams.
“Do it,” ordered the Kurgan platoon leader.
A second later, they were hit in the hands with a powerful surge of electricity; the two Marines blacked out and fell to the floor in a heap.
“Take them and the Kurgan traitor to the hospital on the fifth floor and lock them in an isolation chamber,” ordered Williams. “Have their weapons and all of their clothes brought to me for my inspection, immediately.”
“Yes, sir,” said a Chosen Sergeant.
Harry Williams sat back and placed his hands on his smooth-shaven head. He smiled as he watched the guards strip Sheridan and Cole naked and drag them to the elevator along with the Kurgan captain. Williams couldn’t believe how well his plan was falling into place. All he needed was one more hour and he would have his revenge.
Williams turned in his seat and looked at the tactical display on the wall. As he had expected, the Old Guard had all but destroyed their opponent in battle. They were now scaling the fortress walls trying to find a way inside. Thousands of insurgent soldiers who had yet to be engaged waited patiently inside for them. When the guardsmen finally broke in it would be an unfair fight, but Williams didn’t care. He needed time, and if tens of thousands of rebels died buying him that time, then so be it. Their lives meant nothing to him. The only thing that mattered was fulfilling his destiny.
Chapter 30
The voice in Sheridan’s head wouldn’t go away. No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, the man telling him to wake up wouldn’t stop. Finally, he gave in, opened his eyes, and saw a pair of mud-splattered boots.
“Hey, you with me now, sir?” asked Cole.
Sheridan slowly lifted his head. He blinked his eyes a few times and took in a couple of deep breaths through his nostrils to remove the haze in his mind.
“How do you feel?” asked Cole.
“Like I was hit by a bolt of lightning,” said Sheridan, slurring his words.
“It’ll take a couple of minutes for the disorientation to pass.”
Sheridan tried to stand but couldn’t. He looked over at Cole and saw his friend was tied to a chair.
“That’s right, we’re all tied to chairs,” said Cole.
“How long was I out?”
“I’d say about fifteen minutes. The buggers hit us with a powerful blast of electricity. My hand still hurts from where they shot me.”
Sheridan looked around. “Where are we?”
“I think we’re in a hospital,” said Kabar.
“They were decent enough to put our clothes and boots back on,” said Cole. “I’d hate to get lined up against the wall and shot in just my underclothes. Speaking of those, they took them off us while we were out.”
“Has anyone come to see us?” asked Sheridan.
“No. not yet. But you know they will.”
“Someone’s coming,” said Kabar, looking over at a large glass window.
The door to the chamber slid open, and Harry Williams, escorted by a squad of armed Chosen soldiers, walked inside. To blend in, Williams was wearing the uniform of a Chosen private. He took a chair, flipped it around, and sat down. “It’s so good to see you again, Mike. How long has it been since we last had a chance to chat?”
“Not long enough for my liking, Harry,” responded Sheridan.
“Mike, I’m hurt. I never took you for a sore loser. A spoiled rich kid whose family had more money than they knew what to do with, but not a sore loser.”
“What are you talking about? My family’s not rich.”
“Please. Your father was an admiral as was his father before him, and your mother came from a very well-to-do family. You were never without money the four years we were at the academy. Whereas my family had next to nothing. Do you know how hard it was for me to let you excel at the academy when all along I could have easily bested you in everything we did together? But that would have given me away.”
Sheridan tried to sit up as best as he could in his chair. “So, this is all about proving you’re a better man than me?”
Williams snickered. “Please, Mike, I am better than you. And no, this has nothing to do with you. Well, that’s not one hundred percent true. Letting you watch your friend die before you do is an added bonus to my plan.”
“Thanks for that,” said Cole. His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
A soldier walked in and placed a box down on a steel table.
Williams walked over and held up Sheridan’s helmet. “I have to congratulate the people who modified your equipment. This is really top-notch work. You’re lucky you didn’t lose your head, Mike. You know, I was especially impressed with the wafer-thin pieces of liquid armor sewn into your clothes. Naturally, I had them all removed from your uniforms before you were dressed.”
“You always were interested in the latest and greatest item of equipment being issued to the forces,” said Sheridan.
Williams bowed. “I cannot lie; I do have a bit of a kit fetish.”
“So what is your plan, Harry?” asked Sheridan. “Don’t you think after all I’ve been through that I’ve earned the right to know what you intend to do before you kill all of us?”
Williams got out of his chair and walked over to Sheridan. He placed his hands on Sheridan’s shoulders and looked down into his old friend’s eyes. “Mike, I thought it would be clear by now. I intend to seek my revenge on the people who have made my family’s life a living hell.”
Sheridan saw a hint of pain in Williams’ eyes. “Harry, I don’t understand what you’re saying. But it’s not too late to stop whatever you’re planning to do.
”
“You’re wrong, Mike. Oh, so wrong.” Williams glanced over at a clock on the wall. “In about forty-five minutes, the Alpha Virus will be unleashed. But that’s not all that will happen. I take it you saw my antimatter bomb when you were snooping around on the ammunition storage floor?”
“Yes, we did. What are you going to do with it, Harry?”
“Well, First Sergeant Cole will get a real close look at the bomb when he is chained to it and they are both dropped down an old geothermal shaft dug deep into the planet’s crust. When the air-tight containment field fails, the antimatter stored inside the device will instantly come into contact with the surrounding matter and explode. By my estimation, and you know I’m not wrong, this side of the planet will be blasted apart and sent hurtling into outer space, where it will annihilate the Kurgan fleet. With the Old Guard gone and one of their best admirals dead along with a sizable portion of their fleet, the Kurgan emperor’s hold on his throne will be tenuous at best.”
Sheridan shook his head. “Harry, what you’re saying doesn’t make any sense. If you release the virus and then blow up the planet, you’re kind of negating the effect of one with the other.”
“Au contraire, my friend. The virus won’t be here when the bomb goes off. Although he doesn’t know it yet, I injected the virus into Komada earlier today while he was napping. As it lays dormant in the body of its victims for a week to ten days, I’m going to help him escape and send him to an insurgent planet where he will unwittingly infect thousands of his followers. Before long, the virus will spread throughout the Kurgan Empire. The best part about a virus is that it doesn’t discriminate between sides. It just kills.”
“Oy, mate, I thought you wanted to get revenge on the people who wronged you,” said Cole. “Wouldn’t that be us and not the Kurgs?”
“I’m not done, First Sergeant,” replied Williams. “While the Alpha Virus kills billions, I have a high-ranking Kurgan general in my back pocket who is beyond furious that the empire has opened negotiations for peace with Earth. It is he who will make it clear to the Kurgan government that it was Earth’s armed forces who orchestrated everything. What’s left of the Kurgan military will naturally want revenge. All of the WMDs that both sides have resisted using this time around will be brought out of storage and used to blast both species back to the Stone Age.”
Insurrection (The Kurgan War Book 6) Page 17