The Shift: Book II of the Wildfire Saga

by Marcus Richardson

  Charlie shifted in his seat, the rustle of fabric loud in the quiet room. "You know," he said after clearing his throat, "Brenda's a hero."

  Cooper stared at the name on the whiteboard until the letters were seared into his mind. “So I've heard," he said in a hoarse voice.

  Charlie cracked his knuckles and rested his hands on the polished metal surface of the desk. “If she hadn't fought back the way she did—against three of them…"

  "Wait. Three?" asked Cooper. He turned and looked at Charlie. “Admiral Bennet…they said…I thought there were only two agents—"

  Charlie frowned. “Some woman called 13. What the hell kind of name is that? Anyway, Jax heard she was in there with the Source and Brenda when it all went down," Charlie added hastily. “Rykker confirmed it.”

  The details from Admiral Bennet’s debriefing flittered into focus. Cooper remembered—13, the woman a squad of Rangers had brought back from South Carolina when they recaptured the Source.

  “—told me how Brenda fought and disabled one of the agents before she was shot. Then 13 shot the bastard who shot Brenda.”

  Cooper frowned. "So she had a gun the entire time?"

  Charlie shrugged. "Looks like it—I heard it from one of the lab geeks down in the Cave that Brenda didn't like this 13 chick.”

  Brenda didn’t like her. The words echoed through Cooper's mind like thunder over the open plains. Circumstantial evidence began to coalesce into something akin to a target in Cooper's mind. Brenda didn't like this woman—she’d been close to the Source, part of a secret experiment during The Pandemic. She had a weapon in the lab, unknown to Brenda or anyone else.

  The entire time. She didn't take down the two terrorists who’d attacked the lab until Brenda had been shot. She’d waited until…

  Cooper’s mind imagined Brenda on the floor—gut shot—knowing she was dying. Only then did this 13 woman step in and take action.

  Cooper's eyes narrowed, and his vision constricted into a tunnel. The conclusion that appeared, soft as a whisper, pointed to 13 being at least involved in Brenda's death, if not wholly responsible.

  "Oh shit—I know that look…" Charlie said. Cooper felt a hand on his shoulder. “Look, man, Bennet said—"

  Cooper turned and stared at Charlie. His XO fell silent. "I know what the Admiral said—he gave me most of the same details you just did. But he was hiding something from me—why?"

  Charlie looked away and shrugged again. "I don't know, man. Admirals are weird.” He laughed. “Who the fuck knows what they think?"

  Cooper didn’t laugh. “I’ll tell you why he didn't tell me everything,” he said, clenching his fists again, “because he knew she was involved. He knew this 13 bitch had something to do with Brenda's death."

  Charlie nodded his head slowly. “Okay, if that's the case, then he also probably knew what your reaction would be…"

  Cooper stood. The knee brace squeaked loudly in the empty briefing room.

  "Hey, look, bro—this 13 chick… I did some checking around, and she's a serious, Class-A VIP, you know?" Charlie stood and tried to put a hand on Cooper's shoulder. “I think she’s almost as important as the Source.”

  Cooper brushed the gesture aside and shouldered past his XO. He stalked out of the room, ignoring Charlie’s pleas and met Jax in the hallway.

  "Hey Coop, I just heard—whoa, where you think you’re going?” Jax asked, stepping in front of him. He quickly stepped back. "All good," he said raising his hands, “just trying to make sure you don’t do something to earn a court martial, Hoss.”

  As Cooper walked past him, he heard Charlie explain, “He thinks the woman those Rangers brought in had something to do with Brenda's death."

  Without hesitation, Jax replied, “I guess we need to go have a sit-down with her then, huh?”

  Jax was nothing if not loyal. The two men fell into step behind Cooper as he marched down the hallway toward the security wing of the underground complex.

  They reached the brig and found three Marines standing guard outside the door in full battle rattle. Cooper walked up between them and looked through a two inch-thick window set into the door. He saw a tall, attractive blonde leaning against the side of the cell. Her left shoulder was bandaged and her arm rested in a bloodied sling. Her right hand covered her face as she sobbed.

  "I need you to step back, sir,” said one of the Marines, a Gunnery Sergeant. His eyes darted between Cooper, Jax and Charlie. “Now.”

  Cooper watched the man’s eyes. He was not going to back down. The other two closed ranks.

  Jax shouldered his way forward and looked down at the first Marine. "You know who we are, Gunny?”

  The wary eyes of the Marine went from Jax to Cooper to Charlie. He stared back at Cooper. “Sir, I have my orders direct from Admiral Bennet.” His hand dropped to the sidearm holstered on his right hip. Determination replaced anxiety in the Marine’s eyes. “We will defend this post.”

  "All right, you've made your point—we need to take this down a notch," Charlie suggested in the background.

  One of the younger Marines blinked and looked at Charlie, then back at Cooper. "Sir, I'm sorry, but we can't let you in there—they're talking to her—"

  Cooper leaned around the Gunnery Sergeant, so he could see the other side of the small cell. Admiral Bennet, his face flushed in anger, shouted at the girl. Another officer stood in the background taking notes on a clipboard.

  Bennet turned and saw Cooper. He gestured for the SEALs to enter. The Marines quickly unlocked the cell and stepped out of the way as the thick steel door swung open.

  Cooper walked in and stopped before the Admiral. He stood ramrod straight at attention.

  Admiral Bennet looked at him with a kind face, and the color began to fade from his cheeks as he regained his composure. "I guess I know why you're here," he said. His eyes moved from Cooper to the young woman sitting on the bench. "So you figured it out, huh?”

  Cooper’s eyes moved until they rested on the mystery woman. She looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, her face streaked with tears. Her pale skin contrasted with the bright red splotches on the bandage wrapped around her shoulder. She’d been shot, that much was clear.

  If Cooper had a gun, he felt he’d finish the job someone started.

  “We’re getting nowhere, sir,” said the other officer. He closed his briefcase. “This is a waste of time.”

  The Admiral nodded. “You might be right.” He looked at Cooper. “Gentlemen, I think we need to leave these two alone for a few moments.”

  "I was never here," said the other officer. He turned and marched out of the cell.

  "Wait—what? You can't leave—" began the woman.

  The Admiral walked up to Cooper. "Try not to kill her, okay?" He stared at Cooper until he nodded. "We think she has information regarding the location of this Reginald character. I haven't been able to get anything out of her using…" Bennet looked at her. "Traditional methods. See what you can do.”

  Bennet left the room, and the door shut behind him with a dull thud. The hatch locked—it sounded like a gunshot in the small chamber.

  The white-hot rage searing through Cooper's body made his skin buzz with energy. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. He turned to face the woman who’d let Brenda die.

  “I—I tried to save her!” the girl said in a soft Scandinavian accent as she began to scramble up the bench.

  Cooper watched her, his face set in stone. “Sure you did. You tried so hard.”

  She tried to claw her way up the wall. "You can't hurt me—I heard the Admiral—"

  Brenda’s dead.

  “He said not to kill you…” Cooper took another threatening step forward and paused. What am I going to do? Beat her up?

  Despite his aggressive stance, she must have seen through him. 13 narrowed her eyes and stepped down off the bench. She squared her shoulders and faced him as an equal. It was like seeing two different people. Cooper knew he saw the real 13 now—the tears had b
een an act for Bennet. She was good.

  “You know, I've killed bigger men than you with my bare hands."

  Cooper stared at her impassively.

  “They went down screaming, those men I killed. They looked at me the same way you are now,” she sneered. “You men are all alike. You see only—”

  "You work for Reginald?" Cooper asked in a quiet voice.

  She reacted as if someone had hit her in the stomach. The name held power. That was interesting—power was a double-edged sword.

  "Not anymore," she said. Her eyes lost the hard edge and looked away. She sat down on the bench and sighed. "Although, saying that out loud seals my fate.” Her eyes looked tired.

  Cooper could see, by the way she now slumped back against the wall, 13 was running on fumes. The act was just her last-ditch attempt at…what? Mercy?

  “It doesn't matter where you put me or what you do to me—someone else who still works for him will find me. They’ll kill me." She looked up. “If you help me escape, I’ll bring Reginald down.”

  "Why?" whispered Cooper. He felt his will begin to crumble. The pain began to fight the anger inside his chest.

  She snorted. “Because 14 isn’t safe here. Reginald has people everywhere.” She stood and looked around in frustration. “I’ve got to get out of here! I can protect him—I know I can—but they haven’t let me see him since—”

  “Why did you do it?” Cooper asked, his voice tight. His fists clenched. “What did Brenda do to you? She's a doctor…she…"

  13 reached her right hand to Cooper's shoulder then let it drop. "You may not believe me, but I mean this when I say that I'm sorry—I truly am. She showed nothing but kindness to me and 14. She was a good person.”

  Cooper blinked and swallowed hard. He stared at her, willing his voice to remain even. “14? Who the fuck is that?"

  "You know him as the Source," she said softly. Those blue eyes were hypnotic. The girl moved back to the bench and sat, her elbows on her knees. She sighed deeply, touching her wounded shoulder with her right arm. She looked up at Cooper. “She tried to save him, you know? It was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen. Those men were armed—trained killers. Royal assassins.” She shook her head. “One had a rifle—she had nothing. She moved across the room like…it was…amazing.”

  Cooper tensed. “What the fuck are you talking about? Royal assassins?” Brenda’s dead. His rage bubbled back to the surface.

  13 continued in a calm voice, the voice of an operator: “Whatever you're contemplating, don’t—you don't know who I am. Better men than you have tried and failed,” she whispered. “Even like this,” she said indicating her wounded arm, “I can take you.”

  The girl got to her feet again, and they locked eyes, the expression on her face a cross between sympathy and the confidence born of experience. "I am sorry. Truly. I have done many things for which I need to pay. That's why I'm here—to atone for my sins. Nevertheless, I swear to you, as one warrior to another—”

  I knew it.

  “—I did not kill Dr. Alston. I didn’t kill Brenda.”

  Cooper took a step forward and opened his mouth to speak. Like a snake, she struck—she flung out her right fist faster than Cooper could have thought possible. His peripheral vision detected her foot rising from the floor at the same time.

  Close quarters battle training kicked in and Cooper recognized in that brief millisecond of time the punch thrown into his face was a diversion.

  He was in no mood for games. He used his right arm to block her knee and let her fist connect with his jaw. She was surprisingly strong—his vision blurred for a split second after the impact, but it wasn't enough.

  As fast as she’d been, it didn’t matter—rage drove him forward, mindless of pain and consequences. His left hand shot out and gripped her by the throat. His chokehold strangled the gasp of surprise on her pretty lips. With a strength that surprised even himself, he lifted her entire body off the floor and slammed her against the wall. Her eyes rolled back when her head made contact.

  Brenda’s dead. Because of you.

  Satisfaction welled up inside him, mixed with a sweet rage. The dangerous concoction of raw emotions and adrenaline poured strength into his body. He glanced down and saw her good arm poised for a counterstrike as her feet dangled above the floor.

  "One move and I will snap your neck like a chicken,” he growled. He increased the pressure and her eyes bulged slightly. She slowly lowered her arm.

  He kept his arm tensed, pinning her body to the wall, immobilized at the neck. Her face began to turn red. He knew he was cutting off the blood supply to her brain, but he didn't care. Every ounce of his being screamed to squeeze until he felt a delicious crack in his hands. He wanted to watch her die, to feel the life squeezed out of her, to see her eyes go wide in the last few seconds of life…

  Then he saw Brenda's face before him. Bennet’s words from the briefing echoed through his mind: “She saved the Source and tried to save Brenda…try not to kill her…”

  A hand gripped his shoulder and he jerked in surprise. It wasn’t just a memory—Admiral Bennet stood behind him and spoke softly, “Did you hear me? I said, stand down, sailor.”

  The hand on Cooper’s shoulder squeezed. “Let her go and I’ll forget this ever happened."

  A growl rumbled deep in Cooper's throat, and he squeezed just a bit harder. 13's eyes looked bloodshot now. Cooper decided to ignore the Admiral’s order and was slightly surprised he wasn’t immediately stopped.

  "Are you going to tell me what I want to know?" She looked from Cooper to Bennet with those pleading blue eyes. More red streaks appeared in the white orbs. She looked ready to panic.

  “If I let you go, you're going to tell me exactly where I can find this Reginald. You’re going to tell me who works for this son of a whore—you're going to tell me everything. You get me?”

  13 nodded, her eyes closed tight. Her mouth stretched wide and she tried to say something. Cooper ignored her.

  “You’re going to tell me what I need to know so I can walk in there and destroy him and every fucking thing he stands for. Do you understand me?" asked Cooper. When he got no reaction from her but an eye blink, he continued: “Because if you don’t, I’ll tear you to pieces with my bare hands.”

  The girl’s face began to turn purple, and he felt the slightest twinge of the muscles in her neck as she tried to draw her chin down in a nod. He saw a faint scar, bright white against her neck. Someone had cut her—deep—along the length of her jaw.

  Cooper shifted his focus to her blue eyes. The panic reflected there faded to a calm understanding—a resignation. Cooper wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew. She understood.

  More than that, she knew exactly what he felt. For a split second, there was a connection between the two of them. They were alike—operators, cut loose from society and deprived of the ones they loved. Armed with a skill set that allowed them to do nothing but destroy things around them.

  A wave of revulsion shuddered through him as he realized what he was so close to doing. I almost killed this…this girl. Jesus, God help me—that's not who I am…

  Cooper abruptly released her and stepped back as she crumpled onto the floor, gasping for breath. He looked at his hand as if it belonged to a stranger, and he’d never seen it before—as if it had attached itself to his body, unbidden. What am I doing?

  The interrogation officer returned to the cell and sat down on the bench opposite 13. He calmly opened his briefcase and pulled out papers and a digital recorder as he cleared his throat. A medic threw a dark look at Cooper then rushed across the room without a word and knelt beside 13. He was the same one who’d attended the SEALs when they made it back with Boatner.

  Cooper took a deep breath and released it with a shuddering sigh. He looked down at the girl. She choked on her own breath and coughed, struggling to push the medic away. She stared at Cooper, her eyes blazing defiance and…respect.

  “You ready?” Bennet asked
.

  Those blue eyes flashed anger for a heartbeat. She looked away. “Yes," she whispered, her voice sounding like sandpaper on a chalkboard. Her eyes shifted to Cooper with no hint of malice, only resignation. "I'll tell you everything you want to know," she whispered hoarsely. "You may not believe me,” she said, massaging her throat.

  “I’m through with Reginald—I want to see him dead as much as you."

  “Well," said the Admiral as he clapped his hands together, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend, eh?” He took a seat next to the interrogation officer. The younger man held a pencil above his clipboard, poised to write.

  "Shall we?" the Admiral asked 13.

  She nodded, still massaging her throat.

  “Very good,” said the officer. “Now, for the record, I want you to state your name…”

  Cooper watched the medic rummage through his kit. The soldier produced a syringe and checked the needle. 13 answered the officer's questions and didn’t pay any attention to the medic. The needle rose and moved toward 13’s good arm.

  Bright red on the man’s sleeve drew Cooper’s attention—fresh blood. Cooper’s eyes flashed to 13—other than her bandaged shoulder, she wasn’t bleeding.

  What the hell?

  "Coop…unh…” Charlie's voice drifted in through the open door.

  Cooper lunged and grabbed the medic’s wrist just before the tip of the needle pierced 13’s skin. She jerked her arm out of the way as Cooper struck the man and forced him to drop the syringe.

  “Hey!” squawked the medic.

  “She’s not hurt that—” Cooper began.

  The medic swung his head and hit Cooper on his cheekbone, causing him to release his grip on the man’s arm. 13 kicked at the medic and sprang to her feet. Cooper hit the floor and blinked away the spots in his vision as he rolled to his knees and stood.

  “Knife!” 13 shouted as a wicked-looking blade appeared in the medic’s hand and flashed in the light.

  “Traitor!” the medic snarled as he stabbed at 13’s chest.

  Cooper rushed forward as the tip of the knife cut through the fabric over her right breast. She cursed as the blade moved across her body and sparked off the cinder block wall behind her.