by R. D. Brady
Martin stopped and crossed to the cage. He was in a hurry, but he’d make time for this. He looked into the Gray’s black eyes. He stood, unblinking, staring back. “Then they’ll die,” Martin said, “just like they should have months ago.”
You underestimate them.
“No, you underestimate me.” He pushed the bottom of the control on his wristband. The Gray shook and fell back. He seized for a few seconds before stilling.
“Just in case you get any ideas.” With a smile, Martin turned his back on him and headed to the door at the back-right corner of the room. He keyed in his code and pulled it open when the light above it turned green. He walked down the flight of metal stairs and keyed into another door at the bottom.
Stepping through the door placed him in a long, dark hallway. A control desk was positioned to his left. The technician at it jumped to his feet. “Director Drummond, I didn’t realize you were coming.”
“Have there been any problems?”
“No, sir, all the subjects have been quiet. Although they started to get a little restless just before the alarm went off.”
They know they’re here. “We’ve had a breach. They’ve gotten into the complex. Are the creatures ready?”
The man paused for a moment before nodding, and Martin could tell he was holding back a smile. “Yes, sir. I personally charged their collars this morning and they passed their last obedience test with flying colors. They are ready.”
“Good.” Martin held out his hand. “Let me have your controller.”
The man did not hesitate. He reached down, plucked it off the desk, and placed it in Martin’s outstretched hand. Martin slipped it into his pocket before pulling out his own controller and putting the headset on, taking a moment to adjust the mic. Martin moved toward the side of the hall as he turned the controller on. Then he walked up to the first cage. The Kecksburg-AG2, nicknamed Hank by Greg Schorn, was perched on a ledge six feet off the ground. The Kecksburg leapt down from his perch and ran for the glass wall.
“Stop.” The creature went still.
“Raise your right hand.” It raised its right hand.
“Good.” Martin walked down the hall and performed the same ritual with each of the other four.
After the fifth creature followed his commands, he nodded. Excellent. He hit the release button on the bottom of the controller. Each of the creatures sprang for the hallway as the doors slid open with a swoosh of air.
They looked at Martin and then turned for the technician. The first sprang toward him and the technician let out a scream, diving under his desk.
“Stop.” Martin ordered.
All the creatures went still. “It’s all right,” Martin said. “I’ve got them.”
The technician stood up slowly, still shaking. He licked his lips nervously, looking between the creatures and Martin. “Thank you. Um, what … what are you going to do with them?”
Martin ignored him, shifting to the telepathic command mode. Line up.
Four creatures moved forward to join the first one, standing shoulder to shoulder. Martin smiled. This program had been a special pet project. These creatures were the first in a long line of weapons that could be used against any threat, human or otherwise. Strength, speed, viciousness, and no moral qualms getting in the way—perfect soldiers.
They had been tested over and over again and had responded beautifully. Martin believed that to be due to the creatures’ love of the hunt and the kill.
And Martin had provided plenty of opportunities for them to indulge that passion. But if they failed to follow even a single order, they were denied the next hunt.
And that’s all it took to keep them in line. They wanted to kill. As long as you gave them targets, they were perfectly obedient. Martin pictured the technician in his mind.
Step forward. The creatures did, and the technician took a step back. “Director Drummond?”
Martin sent the image of the technician to the creatures again. Kill.
The creatures pounced, slicing the man across the chest. The technician screamed, falling back. As one, they landed on him, each grabbing a leg or arm. They pulled and ripped, their actions frantic. Martin took a step back to avoid the spray of blood.
One minute was all it took to reduce the technician to unrecognizable pieces. Truth was, the man was dead five seconds after they attacked. But Martin thought they deserved a little fun.
Stop.
The creatures stepped away from their new toy. Martin smiled as they turned and looked at him.
One stepped forward, baring his teeth. No. Martin hit a button on the controller. With a scream, the creature fell to the floor, convulsing. A toxin was working its way through the creature’s system. It would paralyze him for eight hours, bringing him to the brink of death while pain cascaded through him. The other four immediately backed away, lowering their heads.
Martin stepped forward, sending images to the creatures’ minds. Leander, Garrigan, Schorn, Matilda. He sent the images over and over to make sure the creatures had them locked in.
He reached for the control panel on the wall next to him and opened the door leading to the stairwell.
Find. Kill.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
Adam was in the first truck that entered the tunnel to the facility. Maeve could hear the gunfire even over the roar of the engine and the blood in her ears as they sped through the gates of the base’s entry. At first, the tunnel had the craggy look of a large natural cave. But then, about two hundred yards in, the rock walls became smooth. And Maeve knew if she ran a hand against those walls, they’d be as smooth as glass. With a shudder, Maeve realized they looked just like the tunnels under 51.
Norah leaned over. “What kind of machine could make this type of tunnel?”
“Giant U.S.-government-patented tunneling machine,” Greg said.
Norah raised her eyebrows. “Seriously?”
Maeve nodded. “Seriously.”
Chris’s voice came over the earpiece. “Alpha group has cleared the initial lines of security. The entrance level is secure.”
Maeve tried not to think about the people who’d been killed to make that happen. They rounded a bend in the gravel road and entered a large cavern, double the width of the tunnel and just as deep. A loading dock dominated one side, and a security station stood along the right-hand side of the small building there.
As soon as the truck stopped, Chris had the door open. “Let’s move.”
Everyone quickly exited the truck. Once they’d stepped from the trucks, Maeve saw Norah transform. She was just as serious and focused as Tilda’s commandos. And being she’d be looking out for Greg, Maeve felt reassured.
Adam strode over from the security station and nodded at Maeve. She swallowed hard, seeing the bodies lined up in front of the building behind him.
Maeve could hear gunfire being exchanged somewhere inside. Jasper strode up, a nasty-looking semi-automatic cradled confidently in his arms.
Agent Bileris was with him as well and gave Maeve a nod. “Bravo team has already headed down. They’ll have Level Six secured by the time we get there. And Guardian verified that our two subjects are in the lab there.”
Butterflies fluttered through Maeve’s stomach. We’re almost there, Alvie.
“We’ve shut down the elevators. The west stairwell is clear for at least three levels. That’s where we’re headed.” Jasper strode for the open double metal doors built into the rock face. They all fell in line with him. Three commandos plus Chris hustled forward, taking the lead.
Greg fell in step next to Maeve. “Seriously, Tilda has her own private, highly efficient army. She’s pretty badass. I want to be as cool as her when I’m seventy-four.” He paused. “Actually, I’d like to be as cool as her now.”
Despite the nerves, Greg’s words made her smile. “Any chance we could table this conversation for a time when we’re not infiltrating a terrifying subterranean base run by a madman?”
&nbs
p; “Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry.”
Ahead, Chris entered the stairwell and Maeve’s breath caught. But no gunfire answered him. Before she knew it, she was stepping into the stairwell as well. Emergency lights flashed, bathing the area in red light.
At the second level, Norah grabbed Greg’s sleeve and pulled him into the hallway. Two commandos disappeared with them. Maeve ignored the worry that spread through her and continued down the stairs. Ahead, Chris called a halt. They were outside the fourth level. He tilted his head, listening to his earpiece. “Say again, Bravo leader?”
Whatever the reply was, it was not good. Chris tapped the mic at his throat. “I’ve lost contact with Bravo leader. Everyone be on guard.”
They continued down the stairwell, this time moving more slowly. Maeve watched the fifth-floor landing appear. Only one more to go.
Chris held up a hand halfway down the stairs to the sixth level. One of Tilda’s men broke the silence. “What is that?”
Maeve strained to hear. It sounded like muffled gunfire and a scream. Mike pulled Maeve against the wall, stepping in front of her while Jasper stepped behind her, his focus on the stairs they’d just climbed down.
The door to the sixth-level landing burst open and a creature stood staring up at them. Its skin looked like an alligator’s and its lips moved as if it were chewing on something.
With a start, Maeve recognized they were human fingers just before they disappeared into the creature’s mouth.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
Guardian sat in the van, her gaze shifting between the six screens displayed in front of her. Three of the screens were split screens, providing her with nine views of the facility. The first floor had been cleared easily. Guardian shifted her gaze to the evacuated employees of the facility. Their communication with the facility was still cut off. They had no idea what was happening. Good.
The triplets leaned forward as Penny tapped a command to reinforce the communication firewall she had created. Normally Penny did not like when anyone watched her. But she didn’t mind the triplets. They weren’t looking at her in awe or disbelief. No, she knew what they were doing.
They were learning.
Pop squeaked, and a vision appeared in Guardian’s mind. A Kecksburg-AG2. Guardian’s gaze whipped to the screen in the bottom-right corner. “Oh no.”
In the driver’s seat, the man started the engine.
“What’s going on?” her mother asked.
“Something’s gone wrong. I’m moving us farther out.”
“Hold on. The triplets are out of their seat belts.” Nadine hustled back and tried to usher the triplets to their seats, but they resisted, their focus on the screens.
The driver went back to help. He reached for Pop, who scrambled out of his way. And then the man stopped, looking around. “Hey, where’s that little green guy?”
Nadine looked around. “Oh my God. He was here. Where’d he go?”
Penny scrolled through the screens, her eyes constantly shifting between the images before she stopped. She pointed at the screen. “There he is.”
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
Norah hustled down the hallway, her senses on high alert. Aggie, a tall, red-headed guy with an abundance of freckles and their team leader, called through her earpiece. “Communications room is two doors down.”
There were only four of them on Charlie team. Her, Greg, Aggie, and a tall muscular female who every one for some reason called Kitten. Personally, Norah thought Tiger or Lioness might have been more appropriate for the tough-looking woman.
They’d seen no one so far besides the security in the entrance. Aggie put up a hand and everyone stopped. Norah kept an eye on the hallway behind them, but it remained silent. This level was probably one of the first emptied when the alarm went off, being it was so close to the surface.
The light on the security box next to the communications door bloomed green and Aggie opened the door. Kitten stepped in, her weapon at her shoulder, Aggie right behind her. Seconds later, they gave the all clear.
Greg glanced in the door and Norah had to refrain from pushing him into the room. The doctor was a little skittish. Assuring himself that the room was in fact clear, he headed for the console on the other side. Penny had given him a USB drive that should allow him to access the other hard drives within the facility. The facility did not allow any outside access. But once Greg was in the system, the USB should allow them to copy all the drives.
Greg quickly sat down and got to work. Norah stayed by the door while Aggie and Kitten each took up point at either end of the hall. There was no noise except for the sound of Greg typing away at the computer, mumbling to himself. “Almost there. Sixty-five percent copied.”
Norah felt tense, even though the area remained quiet. She rolled her shoulders, trying to reduce the tension, but it didn’t help. The hairs on her arms stood up. She narrowed her eyes, tapping the mic at her collar. “Aggie, everything good?”
“All quiet.”
“Kitten?”
“Quiet here, too. Wait—”
Norah straightened.
“Kitten?” Aggie called.
Gunfire blasted from down the hall, followed by a scream. “Kitten!” Aggie screamed.
“Greg, we need to move.”
“Almost there. Eighty-nine percent.”
Aggie came tearing down the hall. “Norah?”
“I can’t see anything.”
“Stay with Schorn.” He bolted past her, disappearing down the hall. Seconds later, more gunfire sounded. “Norah, it’s coming. You—” Aggie’s voice cut out.
“Done!” Greg yelled, pulling out the USB and standing.
Norah didn’t even look at him. She trained her rifle down the hall. She could hear the heavy footsteps and the sound of something clicking as it walked. She let out a breath, trying to calm her breathing.
“Norah?” Greg asked quietly, but she didn’t answer. She didn’t take her eyes off the hallway. Which was why she had a perfect view of the creature as it stepped into view. It opened its mouth in what Norah thought might be a smile. But not one of friendliness.
No, this was a smile of victory, given right before it raced down the hall toward her.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX
The Kecksburg paused for a split second on the landing, and Maeve had the horrifying feeling it was trying to decide who to kill first. “Fire!” Chris yelled, pulling the trigger.
The sounds in the stairwell were deafening. The flash of muzzle fire mixed with the flashing of the emergency lights made the scene look like something out of a nightmare. The creature leapt forward, its large talons clamping around the head of one of Tilda’s men. With a vicious yank, it ripped the man’s head right from his shoulders. Maeve stumbled back up the stairs in horror, her whole body shaking. Bullets slammed into the creature and it jolted back. But it kept its gaze focused on its target.
It kept its gaze on Maeve.
A second creature shoved through the door behind the first.
“Back up! Back up!” Chris yelled. Mike grabbed Maeve, shoving her up the stairs and keeping himself in front of her.
“Get to the other door!” Jasper yelled, not taking his gaze from the creatures or letting up on the trigger.
Maeve stumbled up the stairs and grasped the handle of the fifth-level door, yanking it open. Mike shoved her inside, staying in the doorway. “Come to me!” he yelled.
The rest of their group backed up, but during her short dash up the stairs, she saw two more were down. Only Jasper and Chris were left standing, and both creatures, while injured, weren’t slowing.
Jasper dropped to one knee, lining up a shot.
“Damn it, Jasper. Move!” Mike yelled.
But Jasper stayed where he was and got off one shot—right through the creature’s eye. It toppled over.
Jasper jumped to his feet. “Oh yeah! Come on, Chris, let’s get out of here.” Jasper ducked through the doorway.
Chris was the last at t
he door. The remaining creature leaped at him and Chris flung himself backward through the door as Mike slammed the door shut.
The group stood breathing heavily as the creature slammed itself against the door. “That’s not going to hold for long,” Jasper said.
“No, it’s not.” Chris tapped his mic. “Control, we need another access route. The west stairwell is blocked.”
“Hold.”
They all stood around in silence, the only sound their ragged breathing and the creature slamming into the door. Jasper leaned against the wall. “So, anyone know any good jokes?”
Mike shook his head. “Jasper, you have horrible timing.”
Chris held up a hand and everyone quieted. “Roger, Control. Be there in two.” Chris started heading down the hall at a jog and everyone fell in behind him. “Penny’s opening the elevator doors. We’re going to climb down one level and when we reach Level Six, she’ll open the doors for us.”
Jasper rubbed his hands together. “Nothing like a good climb in an elevator shaft.”
But Maeve just swallowed hard. She’d seen enough movies to know that climbing an elevator shaft never led to anything good.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
Norah tossed the grenade from her belt down the hall. Kicking the door shut, she dove for the floor. “Get down!”
Debris crashed into the door and Greg peered out from behind the desk. “What the hell was that?”
Norah stood up, wincing as her knee twinged. She’d knocked it into the edge of a table leg. “Hopefully pieces of a walking alligator.”
Greg paled noticeably. “You mean a six-foot-tall, highly muscular, bipedal creature with an alligator-like skin?”
Norah eyed the strange little scientist. “I take it you’ve seen one before?”
Greg swallowed. “Yeah. And I can honestly say that grenade probably didn’t kill him. Hank is really hard to kill.”