by Jake Bible
“Suggestions?” Bryan asks. “Frontal assault or split and flank?”
“They have positioned themselves so that they can take either,” Ton says. “See the troop spacing? They’ll adjust to whatever tactic we use.”
“Frontal,” Wallace says. “Let’s take it to them.”
“Agreed,” Bryan says. “We hit them hard with the transports. Try to punch through if we can. If not then we make enough of a distraction for Coffin Squad to get to the dome.”
“Where the transports may be waiting,” Wallace says. “Have fun with that.”
“We will,” Ton says.
The Clean Guard troops continue to march forward. Bryan ticks off the timing of their movement then smacks his hand on the console in front of him.
“No time like the present, people!” he yells. “Frontal assault! Unload everything you have on them and do not stop until you are empty!”
There are cheers from the rest of the transports as Bryan claps his driver on the shoulder and points at the Clean Guard troops.
“Take it to them!”
42
The GenSOF transports race towards the Clean Guard ranks, dust billowing up from behind the vehicles as their wheels grind into the Sicklands dirt.
As the machines near the men and women in white armor, time slows down. The last few feet take an eternity to traverse. Then there is impact as the transports collide with the first rows of guards and men and women are tossed this way and that. Time returns to normal.
But it is too late for the first few transports, as the ranks of guards move out of the way to reveal hidden cannons that had been surrounded by troops to conceal their positions from scans. Massive static bolts fly from the cannon barrels, ripping into the transports, cutting them open like simple cans.
Three transports explode, sending fiery shrapnel ripping into the guards and into the other transports, causing almost equal damage to both. Two transports are disabled instantly and set upon by the Clean Guard, their hatches jimmied open. Operators fight with everything they have, firing their rifles, pistols, using static batons, static blades, their fists, but they are overwhelmed in seconds and pulled screaming from their useless vehicles.
The transports that have yet to reach the rows of troops veer to the sides, changing their tactics to avoid getting blasted head on by the cannons. As soon as they adjust course, several ranks of guards drop to their knees and take aim with their static rifles. The blasts are concentrated not on the armor plating the vehicles, but on the wheels that propel the transports around the troops. Six more transports are disabled before the rest whip back around and retreat to a safer distance.
The battlefield is littered with casualties in less than five minutes. The GenSOF forces have been reduced by half while only doing minimal damage to the Clean Guard army.
The transports flee, driving as fast as they can, as far as they can, so they can regroup and figure out a new strategy.
43
Red and Ton stare at the scene on the view screens in front of them. The rest of Coffin Squad does the same. No one says a word as their transport continues across the bumpy and broken ground a couple kilometers to the east of the Control dome.
“I guess we know why there aren’t any Clean Guard transports,” Ton says.
“They set that trap perfectly,” Red sighs.
“Captains Bryan and Wallace are conferring with each other,” Worm announces. “Would you care to be patched in so you can hear their strategies?”
“No,” Ton says. “We need to focus on our objective which is to get inside the dome. They are both capable operators and can handle this setback.”
“They need to get out of the transports and make it a ground war,” Red says. “The transports are easy targets for those cannons. But single operators aren’t. Only way they’ll survive.”
“I am sure they are thinking of that,” Ton says.
“They better be,” Red says. “We kind of need a war to be raging so the Other stays occupied.”
“If the Other is anything like the Ai protocol I encountered while inside the Control system then it is capable of waging war on several fronts simultaneously,” Worm says. “I do not believe it can be distracted.”
“That is where you come in,” Tanya says, a sly smile on her face. “Once we reach the wall of the dome, we will need to manually connect the transport’s system to the Control system. I am going to give you all of the master access codes, Worm. You will have free reign inside Control once you are uploaded.”
“You’re going to need my help to do that,” Jersey says.
“Yes, Ms. Cale, I will,” Tanya replies.
“I am not comfortable with this part of the plan,” Worm says. “The last time I encountered this Ai, it tried to strip me of my personality. It was not enjoyable.”
“I can imagine it wasn’t,” Tanya says. “But we do not have a choice. Like Mr. Blakely said, we need the distraction. You are that distraction. You will keep the Other occupied as we make our way into and through Control until we reach the subterranean levels. Once we are there then you can flee back to the transport and firewall yourself. The subterranean levels of Control cannot be accessed by any AiSP protocols. While not safe, we will not have the Control systems coming down on us.”
“That’s a pretty big weakness,” Jersey says. “Who was in charge of that crappy design?”
“I was, of course,” Tanya says. “As much as we put our faith in the AiSPs, we’d be fools to leave ourselves exposed to intelligences such as theirs without some protections. Must I remind you that I am Control?”
“Changing course now,” Nick says.
“Follow the coordinates exactly as I gave them to you, operator,” Tanya says. “There is no buffer for deviation. Six inches in either direction will bring up Control’s defenses and we’ll be vaporized in less than a second.”
“Anymore backdoors or trap doors we need to know about?” Jersey asks. “May come in handy if you bite it inside and we still need to get the hell out.”
“Nothing else I can reveal right now,” Tanya says. “If you are captured, and your minds are harvested, I don’t want you to compromise the mission.”
“Did you say our minds will be harvested?” Paulo asks. “She said that, right?”
“Only if you are captured,” Tanya says. “So do not get captured.”
“That’s always the plan,” Ton says.
“Approaching the dome,” Nick announces. “Thirty meters to go.”
Several ports open on the wall of the dome and static cannons extend.
“Do not hesitate,” Tanya hisses. “Do not slow down. Keep a steady speed and stay on course.”
Nick doesn’t respond as he drives them closer to the dome wall. Once he is within ten meters, he looks over his shoulder and Tanya nods. He slows the transport gradually until the nose of the vehicle is almost touching the dome itself.
None of the static cannons change position, their barrels still pointed out at the Sicklands.
“We exit one at a time,” Tanya says. “Count to thirty from when the person in front of you touches the ground to when you do so as well. Any sooner and the cannons will turn and lock on. I am relying on your training as operators to be precise in your movements. Slow, steady steps. No jerky movements.”
“Who’s first?” Blaze asks.
“I am,” Tanya says. “Then Ms. Cale. We will be working on the uplink from the transport to the Control system while the rest of you get into position. Once we are all ready then I will activate the entrance and simultaneously activate Worm’s upload. We will have eighteen seconds to get from outside to inside.”
“What happens at nineteen seconds?” Red asks. “I’m sure it’s deadly, but I’d like the specifics.”
“Yes, you are certainly all about the specifics,” Tanya says.
Red waits. “Well?”
“I am all about the secrets,” Tanya smiles. “Haven’t you figured that out? Tellin
g you how you will die will only serve to distract you. All you need to know is eighteen seconds.”
She stands and moves to the back hatch. “Operator?”
“Right,” Nick says and activates the back hatch.
It slowly opens and descends to the ground. Once it is locked into place, Tanya walks slowly down the ramp. She looks back over her shoulder at Jersey.
“Thirty seconds, Ms. Cale,” she says. “Can you handle that?”
“I can count, if that’s what you’re asking,” Jersey frowns. “Just get on with it.”
“I shall,” Tanya says.
She steps from the ramp and places her foot on the ground. Step by careful step, she turns to the left and walks her way towards the dome wall. Once she reaches it, she immediately begins to unlock a small panel hatch. Thirty seconds later Jersey is at her side.
“What now?” Jersey asks.
“Take your leads and connect them to the fourteenth node and the fifteenth node,” Tanya says. “In that order. Then make sure you are getting a signal. Once a signal is confirmed then connect three more leads to the eighth, fourth, and seventh. Again, in that order. Tell me as soon as you are finished with those steps.”
“What are you going to do?” Jersey asks.
“Don’t worry about what I’m doing, worry about what you need to be doing,” Tanya says. “But, if you have to know, I’ll be unlocking the door.”
One by one the rest of the operators arrive next to Jersey, spaced thirty seconds apart.
“Hey,” Blaze says.
“Shush,” Jersey replies. “Concentrating.”
“Just seeing if you need my help,” Blaze says.
“Just telling you to hush again,” Jersey responds.
After getting the first two leads connected, she watches an oscillating line on a small tablet she holds. Once the line begins to spike up and down she smiles and gets the rest of the leads ready.
“Hold this,” Jersey says, handing the tablet to Blaze.
“So you do need my help,” Blaze says.
“No, I need your hands,” Jersey replies. “A rock or stool could do the job just as well.”
“Gee, thanks,” Blaze says.
“Anytime,” Jersey says then gives him a smile. “Love you.”
“That was out of nowhere,” Blaze says then smiles back. “Love you too.”
“We live through this and we’re going to make babies the old fashioned way, got it? No grow pods and shit,” Jersey says as she connects the last three leads.
“I may not be able to make babies,” Blaze says. “Have you looked at me lately? I’m kind of a mess. Things may not work right.”
“You’ve always been a mess,” Jersey says. “And I only need one thing to work right.”
“Do we have to listen to this?” Paulo asks from right behind them.
“You don’t have to listen to anything,” Jersey says. “Feel free to go take a walk.”
Paulo looks up at the inert cannons and shakes his head.
“Nope, I’m good,” he says.
“Ms. Cale? How is it coming along?” Tanya asks as a two meter by two meter hole opens in the side of the dome wall. “Ready to connect the transport?”
“Ready,” Jersey says.
“Good,” Tanya smiles. She looks at Ton and Red. “Get your people in position. As soon as I start the upload, you will need to start running inside. Ms. Cale and I will be right behind you. The cannons will activate, but we should have a second head start before they fire. This will give us enough time to get inside as well. Remember, eighteen seconds from this point to the first corridor. There is no margin for error.”
“We got it,” Ton says. “Right?”
“It’s what we’re made for,” Red nods. “Coffin Squad?”
“Yep,” Nick says.
“Set,” Paulo says.
Blaze cracks his knuckles and nods. “Ready.”
Tanya takes Jersey by the elbow and slowly walks her to a panel in the transport’s side. One by one, she connects the leads to the transport then looks at the tablet in Jersey’s hands.
“Initiate the upload on my mark,” Tanya says. “Three, two, one, mark.”
As soon as Jersey initiates the upload, Tanya turns to the operators and points. They take off running through the hole in the dome wall and are lost from sight instantly.
“Go! Now!” Tanya yells, pushing Jersey ahead of her.
Jersey doesn’t resist and runs as fast as she can across the couple meters of ground between the transport and the wall. She hurries inside and finds herself in a dark access corridor. Fiber optic cables run the length of the corridor, bundled by the dozen and strapped to the walls, their blue lights giving off barely enough illumination for Jersey to see by.
Far ahead the operators of Coffin Squad reach the end of the corridor then stop. There’s no way out.
Jersey catches up to them as they begin to bang on the wall, searching for a hatch, a panel, a door, something that will open and let them escape the death that is only seconds away.
“Not good,” Tanya says, reaching the group. “It should have automatically opened.”
“It didn’t!” Red snaps.
“Can we manually open it?” Paulo asks. “Like now?”
“No,” Tanya says. “The only access panels are outside the wall and inside the corridor beyond.”
“Five seconds,” Ton growls. “We better head back.”
“We won’t make it,” Red says.
“Fuck this,” Blaze snarls then shoves everyone out of the way, cocks an arm back, and lets it fly.
His fist goes right through the wall, shredding the panel that should have opened. He tucks his shoulder and rams the panel, warping it and tearing it from its moorings. Blaze falls inside the bright white corridor beyond and starts waving everyone to him. Coffin Squad doesn’t think, just acts and they dive through the opening, piling onto the floor as the last second ticks off.
There’s a bright flash of blue light and the smell of ozone is heavy in the air.
“Static? That’s what would have hit us?” Red asks. “Not exactly terrifying.”
“Yet deadly,” Tanya says. “If I told you it was a static cleanse protocol then you may not have taken it as seriously as you should have. Believe me, Mr. Blakely, that static charge would have roasted you to your bones, leaving them scorched and black on that corridor floor.”
Blaze picks himself up, as do the rest of Coffin Squad, and snaps his static baton into a rifle. He puts it to his pus-crusted shoulder and begins to sweep the area. Everyone else does the same except for Tanya and Jersey.
“Which way?” Blaze asks his mother.
“Hold on,” Tanya says, her head cocked, listening.
“What is it?” Red asks.
“Hold on,” Tanya hisses.
They all wait, weapons ready, standing in circle so all directions are covered.
“Two generators are offline,” Tanya says.
“How the hell—?” Red starts to ask.
“Doesn’t matter,” Tanya says. “I can tell.” She narrows her eyes and studies the ceiling. “Why does he have two generators offline?”
“He needs a power surge,” Jersey says. “If he has them connected to something directly and powers them up at the same time then he’ll either fry or jumpstart something.”
“Very good,” Tanya says, smiling at Jersey. “Good to see what a nice match you make for my son.”
“I have no idea what she’s talking about,” Blaze says then shakes his head. “Except that I do. Whoa. Where did that information come from?”
“It’s part of your conditioning,” Tanya says. “The bacteria have activated all stored knowledge inside of you. Bacteria are not like humans. They don’t selectively remember and forget. They are either on or off. You are now on.”
“Gonna take some getting used to,” Blaze says then smiles at Jersey. “Guess I’m more useful than a rock or stool, huh?”
Jer
sey pats him on his cheek. She doesn’t flinch as her hand comes in contact with his hardened skin. “You keep telling yourself that, cutie.”
Tanya taps at her ear. “Worm? Are you inside?”
“I am,” Worm replies, audible in everyone’s ears. “I have begun to dismantle the internal defenses. No resistance detected yet, but I am sure I will encounter some soon. You may proceed as needed. I’ll alert you to any danger or take care of the danger myself.”
“Until you become occupied with the Other,” Tanya says.
“Yes…until then,” Worm responds.
“You sound scared, Worm,” Blaze says. “You okay, buddy?”
“I do not know fear,” Worm says then pauses. “And no, I am not okay.”
The operators smile then Ton steps forward.
“Which way?” he asks Tanya.
“This way,” she says and points to the left. “We have six side corridors to navigate then we’ll reach a main throughway. Once there, we are bound to encounter those under the Other’s influence so please be ready.”
“Lady, for as smart as you seem, you sure don’t know shit,” Red says. “We’re always ready. Do I need to write it on my forehead as a reminder?”
“That will not be necessary, Mr. Blakely,” Tanya replies, pointing to the left. “After you, operators.”
44
Huddled outside their transports, Wallace and Bryan crouch close to the ground, both watching as the mass of Clean Guard troops methodically plod towards them.
“Scanners didn’t pick up those cannons,” Bryan says. “What the hell else do you think they have up their sleeves?”
“I don’t know,” Wallace says. “But the lack of transports is really bugging me. I want to know where the hell those things are.”
“Still no sign on the sat images?” Bryan asks, looking back at an operator standing directly behind him.
The operator studies readings in his IRIS display and shakes his head.
“Direct vicinity is clear,” the man says. “We have nothing for at least fifty clicks around us.”
“Nothing?” Wallace asks. “Not even a cootie or bug hound?”