Codename: Bear II: Secret Agent (Codename Universe Book 2)

by Geoffrey C Porter

I hit a button on the radio to summon Nancy. "We need a satellite lock on the car in front of us."

  Nancy said, "I'm putting Joe on it."

  "Good."

  Joe's beautiful fat face appeared on the video screen. "I've got a lock."

  Way up ahead in the oncoming lane, a car flashed its brights, and I knew it was Archangel. He cut across the median and aimed straight for Jackal. That may not be the smartest idea. The silver car jerked to the right at the last instant, but Archangel moved in that same direction.

  Jackal's car scrunched down low, and Archangel's jumped straight up into the heavens. It landed with a huge crash. The silver car sped off into the distance, and I pulled to a stop to see if there were any injured.

  Sphinx, Thomas, and Archangel were bounced around, and their car was wrecked. They weren't bleeding or anything, and no broken bones, but they'd be feeling it in the morning.

  I radioed for a tow truck, and the five of us wouldn't fit in our vehicle. Another Agency vehicle pulled up. JenSix poked her head out the window. "Are the satellites tracking him?"

  "We have a lock," I said.

  "Let's go! Let's go!"

  DogEight was in the passenger side of her car. Thomas and Sphinx climbed in that vehicle. Archangel got into the back of mine. Joe was still on my video screen, but he seemed locked in concentration.

  "Talk to me, Joe," I said.

  "Fifteen kilometers or so, take the north offramp. He disappears into more alien trees."

  "Plug it into my GPS."

  "Done."

  I pushed the throttle down on the car. JenSix followed. I drove fast, but not like the clock was ticking. I punched the local radio button to talk to JenSix. "Did anybody bring any explosive bullets?"

  "Why?" JenSix asked. "We need him alive."

  "Have you seen those things with the tentacles and the pointy, sharp teeth?"

  "I have some in the trunk of the car that was just towed away," Archangel said.

  Useful.

  "The heavy-duty stunners should work on those organisms," JenSix said. "Stun them, then finish them with a blade."

  That's a big if, lady. Orders are orders. This is one of those times I think we should drop some kind of heavy weapon from space or at least do an aerial bombardment. I told myself I wasn't afraid. Routine criminal pickup.

  I followed the GPS and parked at the edge of the trees. The seven of us exited the cars. There was a structure set back in the woods. The silver car was parked in front.

  "We need to run," I said.

  We ran. The structure was a large house, with a porch on the front. A figure ducked inside. I pointed to the rear of the structure. "Thomas, DogEight, and JenSix, go around back. Nobody escapes."

  I stepped onto the porch. Archangel was to my left. Sphinx and Enigma were on my right. I kicked in the front door and pointed my stunner inside. An electrostatic blast from a Razdoran stunner flashed past me and took out Enigma. I returned fire into the darkness. A glimpse of Jackal's face flashed as my web of electricity went past him. I fired again. He launched at the same time, hitting Sphinx dead on. Archangel shot a web of electricity.

  Both my projectile and Archangel's hit Jackal, but he just growled. It seemed to take out his stunner, though since he tossed it aside. He rushed at us. I put another bolt on him, but he caught it with his hand and threw it to the ground. Hell, I threw my weapon at him, and it bounced off his forehead. He didn't even slow. Archangel dropped his stunner. We raised our hands intent on boxing, and Jackal leaped into the air aiming a front kick at Archangel's skull.

  He leaned out of the way of the kick, and it barely missed him. As soon as Jackal landed, he spun into motion again, throwing another kick at Archangel. Ignoring me was a mistake, but he was actually on the other side of Archangel and away from me. There wasn't anything I could do.

  The wheel kick connected on Archangel's jaw, and he dropped. I stepped forward.

  "You again?" Jackal asked as he raised up his hands in fists.

  I didn't say a damn thing. Every bit of will and focus I had was on planting a right hook on that fucker's skull. I launched the attack. I gave it my all. He ducked under it. My left was already in motion to jab him in the nose. His hands formed into spears and jabbed me in the chest hard enough to knock the wind out of me. Much harder and there would have been broken ribs involved.

  My right was back where it should be to do my dance a second time, and I bulleted my fist into his skull. Flesh tore on both of us. The carbon fiber armor under his skin showed through, and my knuckles were bare steel.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Blood streamed down the side of his face. He pointed his fingers at my throat and tried to spear me. I covered my throat with my left forearm and did my best kill the bot to his skull with my right.

  He grabbed my left arm and tossed me into the air over his shoulder. What the Hell? That's not right. I landed hard on my chest, and it knocked all the air out of me.

  What had to be Archangel growling danced in my ears like the precious sound from my favorite band.

  I flipped up off the ground turning to face Jackal. Archangel was wrapped around Jackal holding his arms down and squeezing. I launched at Jackal's skull, right arm first. I connected, but in that same amount of time, Jackal peeled off Archangel's hands and threw that big mass into me. I jumped the Hell out of the way.

  Instead of punching to his skull again, I extended my fingers and tried to jab him in the throat. He did not block or dodge, instead he fell backward and choked. Yay. Archangel made it to his feet by then, and we advanced on our opponent.

  Jackal was crouched low, but he was not turning blue or anything. In fact, he was smiling wide. He stayed low, with his midsection bent and his knees flexed. I wanted an oak club or an iron bar, or maybe even something harder than carbon fiber to hit with. I tried to communicate with Archangel telepathically. What are we supposed to do now?

  Archangel rushed forward. Jackal vaulted into the sky, snaked hands onto his eyes and temples, and pushed forward with his thumbs. Archangel screamed like never before and fell.

  Images flashed in my mind of each of the friends I watched die. I was to Jackal in the time it took him to turn and face me. My right hand planted into his cheekbone hard enough for his head to bounce backward, and he threw his hands up to gain his balance as he dropped.

  The black carbon fiber armor showed through a 3cm cut on his cheek. The blood that had been flowing from his left temple had already dried up, but this new blood from his cheek warmed my heart.

  A great whistle sounded. I looked. On the porch stood reinforcements. Thomas, JenSix, and DogEight leaped over the guardrail. Jackal was not exactly quitting, though, and he was back on his feet with his guard up, and his ankles and knees bent just a little bit.

  Now I'm not saying that DogEight was little, but he was the smallest of the males present. He was also closest to Jackal. Until that time, I could have never imagined somebody that strong. Jackal leaned into DogEight, jumped, grabbed his head, and twisted, breaking his neck.

  JenSix pulled a 9mm from behind her back and started plugging Jackal. Each time the bullet hit, it would take a chunk of his flesh off, but the armor just showed through. Bullets to his abdomen just kind of stuck in place. He did cry out in pain with each bullet, and they pushed him back.

  JenSix stopped after the seventh shot. I shouted, "Finish that magazine, this fucker needs to bleed!"

  He charged at me, trying to grab my face or throat. I snaked my hands on his right forearm and twisted as far as it would go. I had him restrained for a moment, and I kept the pressure on as hard as I could.

  Thomas joined in and grabbed his left forearm. Jackal twisted and turned and jerked, but Thomas and I had his arms.

  JenSix grabbed him by the throat and squeezed with everything. This really did nothing.

  Thomas shouted, "Alive!"

  JenSix pulled out a zip tie and worked around to the rear. Thomas and I put Jackal on the ground, and we
piled our weight on top of him. JenSix worked her magic with the zip tie. I made sure that Jackal didn't have a knife concealed in the small of his back. Thomas and I stayed on top of our subject. JenSix zip tied his ankles together.

  "Add more zip ties, tight," I said.

  "Good idea," Thomas said.

  Sphinx and Enigma recovered from the stunner blasts. We called for ambulances from the local emergency dispatch. Archangel lay still. I touched his hand. He smiled. "Bear, I can tell from your smell."

  "Nancy will have them regrow eyes for you," I said.

  "They told me when I added the steel, my eyes, throat, and groin would be my weakest spots. I always worked hardest to protect my groin."

  Then he laughed and laughed.

  The ambulances took both him and DogEight. Enigma went with them. JenSix kissed me. In truth, I kissed her back, too. Then I pushed her away. "Sam was quite clear on this topic."

  "Fine. We need to get going. I'll take one car. You guys take Jackal in the other."

  "He goes in the trunk," I said.

  "Fucknuts," Jackal said.

  Thomas and I carried him to the car and put him away. I drove back to the airport. Thomas rode shotgun. Sphinx napped.

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  JenSix drove her car into a different plane. Thomas, Sphinx, and I pulled into our plane. There was a cooler full of fruit and protein smoothies waiting for us. I drank greedily. Thomas popped the trunk lid on the car. He tried to feed Jackal some of the calorie-laden beverages.

  Jackal wouldn't drink. Thomas spoke very quietly, "They'll jam a tube down your throat and feed you that way, when we get to base. You might as well enjoy a treat while you can."

  Jackal sighed. Thomas poured, and Jackal drank.

  "I need to pee, too," Jackal said.

  "Hell no," Sphinx said. "Let him piss himself."

  Jackal growled. Thomas slammed the trunk closed. Thomas pulled some brownies out of some secret stash. Sphinx put on headphones. I napped. Back in Phoenix, the three of us transported Jackal to a holding cell personally. Nancy joined us. Guards stripped him naked, probed his anus, and x-rayed him. They found two knives embedded under his skin. One in his left forearm and one on his right shin.

  "Run an ultrasound, too," Nancy said.

  That scanner picked up a stiletto buried in his left thigh.

  Nancy radioed for doctors. They gave him a dose of anesthesia, and he just laughed. The surgeon said, "Dosing him again could kill him."

  "Do it," Nancy said.

  The doctor doled a second dose. Jackal said, "That feels good."

  "Do you have something stronger?"

  The doctor sighed. "I can give him a third dose, but then we might as well start cutting."

  He did it. Jackal seemed to pass out. The doctors cut the blades out and bandaged the wounds. We put him in the cell, chained him to one wall with two-meter steel cables, and undid the zip ties. We made sure to get the Hell out of his reach.

  "Fucking pigs," he said.

  "You're going to die in this cell," Nancy said.

  He spit on her.

  Nancy wiped the spit off her face. "You'll never be unchained. With your DNA, you could live to a hundred. The whole time chained to that wall."

  "Inhumane," Jackal said, "I have rights."

  "You trade in human flesh. You killed one of our agents today. You have the right to live a long life chained to a wall."

  Sphinx said, "Let's go."

  "Do we leave the lights on or off?" Thomas asked.

  "Leave the lights on for years to come," Nancy said.

  Jackal snarled. We sealed the door behind us.

  We were walking up to the cafeteria. "He'll crack," Nancy said. "Everybody cracks."

  "What are you prepared to wager?" Thomas asked.

  "If he doesn't crack within a few days, I'll let you set up a miniature hydroponic farm in your quarters, or even a space on one of the roofs to grow a garden."

  "And what happens if he does crack?"

  Nancy laughed. "No marijuana for you for a week."

  "He's going to crack, "Thomas said.

  I bet Thomas already had a hydro farm going in his quarters anyhow. I've walked past there, and it stinks to high heaven. Sam saw me step through the food line, and she smiled.

  I sat with her, Jack, and GreenMel. We played euchre for a while. "Danger room tonight?" I asked.

  Sam shook her head. "I do have to study."

  I leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Surely you have time for nookie."

  She kissed me. "Study first. Nookie later. Go run or something."

  I plugged into a multiplayer strategy game online. Spent a couple of hours designing, building, and battling with armored suits, all while constructing a massive economic system of trade and manufacturing.

  Sam rang my buzzer. I let her in. Took my time. We fell asleep clutching each other. It was nice to drift off in her arms.

  I woke up to a nice blow job. Made my morning. Breakfast and lunch were uneventful. Dinner rolled around, and Archangel approached through the food line. He had a cane in his right hand, and his wife had his left hand and his tray of food. She led him to my table, and he sat down. His eyes were bandaged.

  He touched each type of food on his tray then proceeded to eat as if nothing was wrong.

  I smiled at him. "I'm surprised you can eat so soon."

  "This is the third time I've had to learn it," Archangel said. "It isn't bad."

  I nodded. Nancy spoke across the intercom. "Bear team report to conference room A right now."

  Thomas, Enigma, Sphinx, and I ran full speed for the conference room. Nancy pushed buttons to start the recorders. A mansion surrounded by trees materialized in 3D over the table.

  It was a large, three-story structure, with a four car garage on each wing, and a helicopter sitting around back. "Jackal says this is where Ralan is hiding. It's in Northern California, and JenSix is already en route."

  "Just the five of us?" Thomas asked.

  "There aren't very many people there. We're going to hit it with rockets to take out the helicopter and two garages. Bear, you're in charge of those rockets."

  Goodie!

  "We capture him?" Sphinx asked.

  "We need him alive for sure. He may be able to give us Centurian," Nancy said.

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  I played around with the 3D hologram a bit. One side of the property was a national park. The other sides were wooded residential properties, with just one main road servicing everything.

  "Once we take out the helipad and the garages, he'll make a run for the park," I said.

  "The rangers will be on alert," Nancy said. "The clock is ticking."

  We ran for the garage. I hollered, "Shotgun!"

  Riding shotgun gave me control of the radio. Sphinx and Enigma climbed in back. I pulled some nice Bach up on the radio, and Enigma groaned. Thomas zipped in and out of emergency lanes on the way to the airport.

  We secured the vehicle in the plane with chains. Thomas pulled out a deck of cards. "Hearts."

  We played for two hours, and I decided, enough. "I would rather nap."

  The others nodded, and we all settled into our corners. The plane starting to descend woke me, and I nudged the others one by one. I pulled a backpack full of rockets out of our onboard armory. We equipped with pistols and stunners. The magazines we loaded with explosive rounds in the bottom, then filled them up with regular bullets.

  I wanted grenades in the worst way. Enigma grabbed a medical kit. Sphinx picked out a bottle of bourbon and put it in a shoulder sack. No, she grabbed a half kilo of Chor'Tan explosives, plus a detonator stick and a remote. We put on leather jackets and helmets with breathers. A bomb disarm kit ended up strapped across my back.

  Thomas drove again. We stopped at a local cable company and acquired a cherry picker. It was basically a platform that raised into the air for checking cables up high. Thomas drove that beast, and I drove our car. I led the
way since my car had the GPS loaded.

  I stopped the car next to a telephone pole. Thomas pulled up so the picker would be right next to the wires. I climbed in the thing with the backpack on. Thomas pulled a lever and up I went.

  The top of the helicopter reached just above the residence. I pulled a rocket out of the protective sheath and took aim. Swoosh. Boom. One dead helicopter. A siren started going off from inside the property. I pulled another rocket and took aim for the first garage. Worked my magic, and boom. Did the second garage, too. Thomas lowered me down.

  We ran towards the structure. I had one rocket left. Somebody was in a window of the house, pointing some kind of energy weapon at us. I fired first. The rocket detonated right next to the window, and fire and shrapnel flew in a great white ball. All that remained was smoking debris.

  I ditched the worthless rocket launcher, and my stunner ended up in my right.

  "Sphinx, Enigma, go around back," Thomas shouted.

  I reached the residence by then. Kicked in the front door. It was a giant room. A remote controlled robot stood over two meters tall. I dropped my stunner and drew my 9mm firing at the sensor on the right. Thomas got the sensor on the left. The machine started blazing through ammo, and a random round tagged Thomas in the right shoulder. He dropped his pistol and fell to the ground. I ducked and picked my stunner back up in my left.

  Thomas applied a bandage to the front and back of his shoulder. He radioed for an ambulance. I radioed Enigma, "Thomas is hurt. He needs you."

  "I'm fine! I've got three brownies," Thomas said.

  I didn't even laugh. Moved deeper into the house. Stunner in my left, pistol in my right. Stepped into the next room. A baseball bat from out of nowhere hit me square in the chest. Dropped both weapons.

  I got a look at my opponent. Unshaven, greasy hair, pale gray eyes. My right hand blasted into the side of his skull. My left was feeling rather neglected, so I threw it next. Soon enough, I was staring at brains. It crossed my mind, Jackal was a clone, with programmed memories, there could easily be two of him or five of him. I retrieved my weapons.

  I was in a kitchen, but it hadn't been cleaned in ages. Dishes were piled up on countertops and in sinks. Twin dishwashers sat on either side of the main sink like it would have been so challenging to load those babies, add soap, and hit run.