by Tripp Ellis
The Raptor descended amid the towering marvels of steel and iron. Sleek and exotic shapes that seemingly defied the laws of physics. Masterworks of architecture. Many of the buildings were rimmed with vibrant lights. Reflective glass windows cascaded the array of colors throughout the steel canyons. It was a beautiful city at night. It was the kind of place that could be the stuff of dreams, or nightmares.
The Raptor landed at the MacArthur Spaceport, located in the heart of the city. Zack unlatched his safety harness and grabbed his gear.
The other passengers were bristling with energy. They couldn't wait to hit the town. A weekend in Sak Vela could provide you with an adventure that you’d retell for the rest of your life.
17
Zack
"This place is a total dump," Zack said, standing on the sidewalk gazing up at the hotel.
"It's cheap and it's clean," Cole said.
"It doesn't look clean." The exterior of the building was covered in a coat of grime.
"You need to save your money. There are going to be a lot of expenses on this adventure, and they’re all coming out of your pocket." Cole smiled and pushed through the lobby doors.
Zack exchanged an uneasy glance with Diesel.
"Sergeant Cole, so nice to see you again," the man behind the reception desk said. He had a genuine smile on his face, and his eyes lit up with excitement. He had a thick accent that was hard to place. It was a cross between Fuzartian and Narvo, with a little bit of Eshkla and Vilsanese. He wasn't entirely human. "Always a pleasure to have a distinguished guest in our hotel."
"Good to see you, Ravnark.”
The place may have been technically clean, but it didn't matter how well you scrubbed the place, it still looked dingy. The tile floor was yellowed with age and dozens of coats of floor wax. The carpet was matted and so faded that it was difficult to tell its original color. Maybe it was brown, maybe it was red, maybe it was orange—now it just looked like mud. The air was filled with a damp musty smell. It was enough to tickle the back of your throat.
"Is this business, or pleasure?" Ravnark asked.
"A little bit of both,” Cole said.
Ravnark surveyed the three of them. "I have one suite available on the 67th floor. Two bedrooms, and a sleeper sofa in the living room. It has a magnificent view. The finest in all of Sak Vela.” He was exaggerating considerably.
“We’ll take it."
"That will be 675 credits a night plus tax. That brings your total to 823 per night. I'll need a deposit."
"Pay the man," Cole said to Zack.
He grimaced. 823 credits per night for this place was intergalactic robbery. But Zack didn't have much of a choice. He placed his thumb on the pay pad.
”I’ll also need a $500 deposit for incidentals. That will be refunded at the end of your stay, provided the minibar remains fully stocked."
"I don't anticipate using the minibar," Zack said.
“If your suite mates would like keyless access, I'll need their thumb prints as well. Your biometrics will provide access to the suite for as long as you are a guest."
Diesel and Cole scanned their thumbs on the pad.
"Excellent," Ravnark said. “If there is anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable. Please don't hesitate to ask."
Cole thanked Ravnark, and the trio ambled toward the elevators. A horrendous squeal echoed from the shaft as the lift descended to the ground floor. The bell dinged, and the door slid open.
The elevator creaked and groaned as the trio stepped inside. It didn't instill confidence. The door slid shut and Zack felt like he was being sealed in a tomb. He pressed the button for the 67th floor and took a deep breath.
Several times during the ascension, the elevator shuddered and quaked ominously. Zack had learned to manage his claustrophobia, but this elevator could challenge the nerves of just about anyone.
The bell chimed, and the door slid open at the 67th floor. Zack leapt off as soon as there was enough clearance to squeeze through the sliding doors. The lift felt like it could give way at any moment.
18
Zack
"No way," Zack said.
"Beggars can't be choosers, kid," Cole replied.
Zack looked across the hazy bar and surveyed the ragtag group of mercenaries. They sat in a large circular booth in the corner.
Reactor was a seedy bar on Vega Lotrix. The red accent lighting made it feel like one of the circles of hell. There was a thick crowd of all types of people from across the galaxy. There were the regulars that sat at the bar, drinking themselves into a stupor. There were tourists blowing off steam. And then there was the underbelly of Vega Lotrix. They slithered through the crowd, selling drugs, selling themselves, or selling their services.
"No offense, Gunny, but they look like convicts,” Zack said, sizing up the scrappy bunch of mercenaries.
“Most of them are," Cole muttered. "What were you expecting for a non-sanctioned mission? You'd have to be crazy to sign on to something like this. It's a suicide mission.”
Zack shrugged.
“Look, kid. If you want to change your mind, that's fine. Enjoy your time on Vega Lotrix. Lord knows, there's a lot of fun to be had in this place,” Cole said as he glanced around the bar, taking in some of the curvaceous exotic sights.
"I'm not going to leave the people I care about to die in some alien gulag.”
“Then, let's go meet your new crew." Cole slugged the rest of his drink down and slammed the cup on the bar. He pushed away and strolled toward the booth in the corner.
Zack and Diesel followed after him.
Cole flashed a smile when he arrived at the table. "Gentlemen, let me introduce to you, Medal of Honor recipients, Ice Pick and Diesel.“
The crew of mercenaries looked less than impressed. They ignored Zack and went back about their business.
“Did you see the look on his face when you turned him down?” Fester said, chuckling. "I thought he was going to throw all of us in the sausage grinder."
The crew burst into laughter.
Cole introduced them. “This is Rex, Fester, Ash, and Cyclops."
Rex didn't say anything for a moment. He just looked Zack up and down. "Gunny says you’re looking to put together a team."
“That’s right."
“You got the money?"
“Excuse me?”
“The money. We’re not a charity organization. There's a 50% deposit upfront, with the rest due upon completion."
“That’s not a problem.”
“Cash."
“I'm not going to carry that kind of cash around on me. I don't even know what your qualifications are."
Rex scoffed. "Qualifications? Let me tell you something about qualifications, you little punk. I've had more combat deployments—"
“I think we’re all getting off on the wrong foot here," Cole said, interjecting. "Rex and the boys here are former special operators. They are highly trained and have extensive combat experience. I have no doubt in my mind they can handle any situation.”
Zack exhaled. He wasn't sure about these guys, but what choice did he have? "Okay. Let's talk."
“I'm not going to talk until I see the money,” Rex said.
Zack dug into his pocket and pulled out a smart-glass card. He swiped the face of it and pressed his thumb against the touch ID screen, unlocking it. Then he tossed it on the table in front of Rex.
“What’s this?”
"My enlistment bonus. That's an untraceable, preloaded debit card. Don't spend it all in one place." Zack’s bonus was only enough to cover the down payment. He'd figure out how to pay the rest of it later. Besides, the odds of making it back from the mission weren't too good anyway. He might not have to pay the other half.
Rex picked up the card and looked at the display, which indicated the number of credits it contained. He looked skeptical.
"Go have it verified for yourself. It's all there."
“Trust me. I will.” Rex glared
at him. “Stiff me on the backend, I will personally see to it that you suffer.”
Zack swallowed hard. Rex wasn't a guy you wanted mad at you.
"And another thing. We take our orders from Sergeant Cole. Not you."
Zack's face tensed. "I'm paying for it. It's my mission."
"We are only here because of Gunny. I don't know you, and I don't give two shits about you, or these people you want rescued. You got that?” Rex sneered at him. “I don't care what kind of medal they pinned on your chest."
"I think everybody needs to relax," Cole said, trying to defuse the situation. "We're all on the same team here."
Zack could see that Rex wasn’t on anybody's team but his own.
19
Zack
"What are we looking at?" Zack asked.
“Sergeant Cole pointed to a grainy surveillance image on his PDU. "My contact at the UIA came through with this intel. My source tells me that is the compound where they’re holding the prisoners."
Rex poured himself a drink from the minibar. They were in Zack's hotel room which overlooked the sprawling metropolis. City lights of all colors flickered in through the windows. Rex and his buddies were going through everything in the minibar at a blistering pace.
"Hey, I gotta pay for that. Zack said, perturbed.
"Think of it as extra hazard pay,” Fester said.
Zack shook his head.
Cole cleared his throat. "If you guys wouldn't mind paying attention."
"No problem, Gunny,” Rex said. He took a sip of his newly mixed cocktail and a wide smile curled on his face. "How did you acquire these images?"
"A buddy of mine at the UIA. They were able to track the ion wash and quantum distortion of the transport ships. It led them here. I had to pull a lot of strings to get these recon photos,” Cole said.
Rex leaned in and scrutinized the image. "That's totally screwed. The area is surrounded on three sides by this mountain range. That means we have to come in through here.” He pointed to a narrow canyon. “We'll be sitting ducks in the canyon."
“We're not going in on foot," Zack said. "We drop in under cover of darkness, rescue prisoners, and get out.
"And what if something goes wrong?" Rex asked. “What if your bird goes down, and we’re forced to march on foot? This terrain is brutal. It's surrounded by desert.” He pointed to the screen. "There are guard towers here, here, and here. It looks like they've got defensive positions in the foothills near this entrance,” Rex sighed and muttered to himself. “I’m beginning to think I underbid this job."
"Sorry,” Zack said. “Time for negotiation is over."
Rex glared at him. He glanced back to the screen and continued surveying the area. "Even if we do get in and out, how are you going to find who you're looking for? There are going to be thousands of prisoners."
Zack shrugged.
Fester had made his way uncomfortably close to Diesel. She gave him a sideways glance as he encroached upon her personal space.
"So, what’s your story?" Fester asked with a lascivious glint in his eyes.
"Not interested," Diesel said with authority.
Fester smiled. "Give it time, sweet thing. Give it time. I have hidden talents."
She sized him up. Her eyes lingered on his crotch. “Very hidden.”
Fester’s grin turned into a scowl.
"Personal ID chip," Cole said. Every citizen is implanted with one. Contains dental and health records, and other identifying information. If we get in range, we should be able to pick up specific chips on the tracker."
Zack looked perplexed. "How is that possible? I thought those chips were just for medical identification purposes only, not for tracking?"
"Son, don't believe everything the government tells you. The tracking chips were all part of a secret government program, Project Omniscient.”
"How do you know about this?" Zack asked.
"It pays to have friends in the UIA.”
"I don't trust the government," Rex said. "That's why I cut mine out."
"If they’re alive, and in that compound, we'll find them," Cole said. A confident grin flashed across his face.
Cyclops reclined on the bed, watching TV. It seemed as if he wasn't paying any attention at all, much to the dismay of Zack.
"Hey, aren't you going to take a look at the images?"
"No need,” Cyclops said. “I can see them from here."
Zack shook his head incredulous. There was no way he could see from the bed.
“No offense, but if he's not even gonna take a look at this, maybe you aren’t the right guys for the job," Zack said.
Rex's face hardened. "If Cyclops said he saw it, then he saw it."
"He didn't even look."
“Trust me. He can see it."
Zack glanced around the room to see Fester on the balcony hanging over the railing. "What's he doing?"
Rex craned his neck to see. "Looks like he's spitting at pedestrians on the street."
Zack shook his head, incredulous.
"Hey, if you don't think we’re the right guys for the job. We can go our separate ways now. No harm no foul."
"You know, that sounds just fine by me."
“By the way, the deposit’s non-refundable." Rex smiled.
20
Zack
"What exactly are we doing here?" Zack asked.
"You can't successfully carry out a raid on an enemy stronghold without weapons," Rex said.
They huddled in Rex's van outside a seedy warehouse on the east side of town.
"So what are we doing here?"
"Stocking up. We need weapons and ammunition.“
Rex hopped out of the van and surveyed the area. He pulled his pistol from a shoulder holster underneath his jacket. He checked the weapon—the plasma pistol had a full charge.
Fester looked a little nervous. "Are you sure this is such a good idea?" He muttered to Rex
“Relax."
Zack picked up on Fester’s discomfort. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Rex said. "Cyclops, what do you see?"
He surveyed the building, scanning all four stories, including the rooftop. Then his eyes flicked around the surrounding area. His low voice rumbled. "It's all clear." He paused a moment. "But I'm with Fester. I don't think this is a good idea."
Zack was growing concerned. "What's not a good idea?"
Rex ignored him and tapped his earbud to activate the comm channel. "Ash, are you in position?"
A moment later, Ash’s voice crackled back in his ear. "Roger that. Everything looks good from up here."
"When I give the signal, pull the van into the alleyway,” Rex said.
Zack looked thoroughly confused.
Rex marched across the street and slipped into an alleyway behind the warehouse. Fester and Cyclops followed after him.
"Does anybody want to tell me what's going on here?"
"I don't think you want to know," Cole said.
Zack watched as Rex climbed up a pipe on the exterior of the warehouse to a second-story window that was slightly ajar. Rex reached over and swung the window open. His hands were blackened from the dirt and grime on the pipe. He gripped onto the window ledge and swung his massive frame over, dangling above the ground. Then he pulled himself up and over the window ledge. He was extremely nimble for a big guy and made the whole process look easy.
"So we are stealing weapons?" Zack said.
Cole shrugged. "It's not like you can walk into the store and buy this stuff."
Zack shook his head. He couldn't believe they were doing this. "Who does this belong to?"
Cole shrugged again.
Moments later, the warehouse door in the alleyway swung open. Rex had a devious glint in his eyes. Fester and Cyclops slipped in.
Zack fidgeted nervously in the alleyway. His eyes kept scanning the street in all directions. His concern was interrupted by the sound of a small explosion that came from within the warehouse. Several minute
s later, Rex's head poked out of the doorway. He motioned to bring the van around.
Zack and the others hopped into the vehicle and cranked the engine up. He put the van into drive and mashed the accelerator. The vehicle lurched across the street, into the alleyway. Zack screeched to a halt at the warehouse door.
Diesel slung open the side door. Fester and Cyclops rushed out of the warehouse with armfuls of plasma rifles. Rex followed behind them with several crates of ammo. They loaded the weapons into the van, and went back for another run.
"Don't just sit on your ass, give me a hand with this," Rex said to Diesel. He pointed to Zack “You, stay in the van, and keep it running."
Cole and Diesel dashed into the warehouse and returned moments later with more weapons. There were rocket launchers, thermal grenades, guided surface-to-air missiles, long-range sniper rifles with smart bullets, tactical gear and body armor.
It didn't take long to fill the van to the brim with gear.
"Let's move out," Rex barked as he jumped into the van with the others. Zack threw the vehicle into gear and stomped the accelerator. The van raced forward, and Zack turned onto 32nd Street.
"Circle back around, and we’ll pick up Ash,” Rex commanded.
Cole tried to hold back a grin, but it broke through anyway. "I haven't had that much fun since Sumatara. Reminds me of that time we stole three cases of the colonel's Antarian vodka. Ah, the good old days."
Zack made a left on Leeland Street, then another left on Crawford. Ash was waiting for them on the sidewalk in front of the S&P manufacturing building.
Diesel slung open the side door, but before Ash could hop in the van, plasma bolts exploded all around him. The rear window of the van shattered, spraying shards of glass throughout the interior. Glowing beams of plasma sizzled through the van, and exited through the front windshield. The bolt threaded the needle perfectly. It was a miracle no one was hit.