“No. I want you to find me a team of scientists.”
“You lost me.”
“This program I’m developing, Core and Coalition soldiers are not who we want running around. I need scientists who will study the monsters we will face, learn their habits, and can kill them. I need scientists who can hold their own in a bar fight.
“That’s a tall order. You’re aware that there’s maybe a dozen men in the galaxy like that?”
“I am aware. That’s why I’m asking you to find them.”
“Why do you want me on your team? I am an egotistical information dealer and failed mech runner from the war.”
“Hacker, I’m giving you a chance to fight for something that you actually believe in. Instead of using your incredible skills to try and bring down ‘the system’ why not use them to help mankind? Granted it may not fix the current system, but more worlds in the Core means more voices, which will force the Core to see reason. We both know that the Core cannot decree their will forever. Let us help mankind outside of the system…because the system has failed both of us.”
Hacker looked down at his arm where the IV was. He pondered for a moment, remembering all of the pain he’d caused. A part of him believed that this was a second chance, a chance to make things right.
“Running the Grid has become a bit monotonous. Hunting monsters would be an interesting reboot,” Hacker said with a grin.
“Done.” John said as he extended his hand. Hacker reached out and the two men shook, a new partnership born that night. John went to leave, but stopped at the door.
“Oh and Hacker,” John said. “I’m proud of your decision.”
Hacker looked up in surprise and struggled to hold back tears.
“This is your ship?” Hacker asked when he laid eyes on John’s bulky behemoth. It was a freighter left over from the Core Invasion. A narrow nosed hulk with a massive engine system and had a large number of modifications which included a vast array of weapon systems. The two men climbed aboard the boat. Her hardware was in pristine condition, but the operating system was slow, buggy and had a habit of glitching.
“What’s her name?” Hacker asked.
“The Enigma.”
“Really?”
“You’re criticizing me on names?” John replied with a smirk.
“Fair enough. However your OS is going to need an overhaul.”
“Whatever you need to do to the operating system, do it. I want this ship ready for duty ASAP,” John said. “On second thought, build my team first. That’s far more critical to our mission.”
“Will do.”
Hacker flipped through the individual dossiers of the recommended Horsemen. He prepared their profiles for John so that when he approached these men, he knew everything he needed to know and could sell the idea that Ionics should buy their freedom. John was given a black budget to build his team, but Hacker couldn’t quite pinpoint Ionics’ gain from acquiring a team of scientists blacklisted from the scientific community.
First was the newly minted “Xenocidalist” Dr. Adam Sulture and his lieutenant Dr. Murph McGinnis, the heroes of the Angkor colony who kept them alive after the colony went dark and drove an alien species to extinction. As Hacker read the dossier to prepare his report, things became much clearer about the situation.
“Abandoned by the military, and seventy percent of the colony was wiped out. These guys weren’t butchers, they were defending their homes and their neighbors. They didn’t take it lying down either, that’s why the Core is so pissy,” Hacker mumbled to himself as he flipped to the next dossier.
“He included the ‘your mom’ pilot and the shrieking co-pilot,” Hacker said to himself. “Still, Curly-haired led the Alcyone air resistance and brought down a battleship using nothing more than an enemy star fighter. Maybe there is hope.”
Hacker smiled to himself when he saw the Anarchist Xing Ming Lee, who’d just been placed under arrest by the Core for executing the dictator Yiu Mei. He swiped along, adding him to the list.
Hacker gazed at the next profile. “It’s the mechanic!” He said as he watched the news feed. “Looks like he put the Coeus design to good use. Managed to bring peace between the three armies and he...let the weapon… Why...Wait! NO! What is he doing with the weapon?” Hacker cursed as he added Jackson Warrens to the roster.
Finally, Hacker compared the profiles of two chemists. “Hmm, one who’s valiantly fighting and mixing chemical bombs against alien aggressors on the fringes of Core space. Or a has-been chemistry professor at Titan University. Why did Rick even inclu-” Hacker paused as he reviewed the Professor’s profile one more time.
He set the tablet down on the table. The name ‘Silas Godfrey’ flickered at the top of the screen. A small note left by Rick explained his decision: “Client saved Hacker’s life.”
Hacker looked at his hand and felt the fiery serum course through his veins. He clenched his fist and felt his blood burn. He stared at the screen and wondered who would be the better choice.
“The Professor gave me a second chance. Seems like he could use one too.”
---The End---
7
“You let them get away,” Hawkes said. “Just like that mob boss over a decade ago.”
“I did,” the man in the shadows replied.
“Why? What good will these miscreants do in tearing up the galaxy?”
“They won’t tear anything up Hawkes. You worry too much. Henry will keep them in line.”
“You don’t worry enough! Henry has a mind of his own!”
“True, but Henry is an idealist with good intentions. And we both know where the road paved with good intentions leads to…”
“Well said sir.”
“Besides, now that I own the Grid, consider all of its resources at your disposal. The only ones you can’t hunt are Henry and his ‘Horsemen’. I want them to have free reign.”
“Dominic I must-”
The man held up his hand. “The Horsemen serve me. That is all you need to worry about.”
Horsemen United: Horsemen Origins Books 1-5 Page 32