His thoughts turned briefly to his two bodyguards. He was strangely touched by their loyalty, programmed though it was. He hoped that Beefy was able to carry out his final, hidden directive, which he had triggered with the comment about watering his plants.
Chapter 22
“Hey, Mason, you need to see this.” Keeva approached, a serious look on her face. She had recovered from her injury during the battle at the Apex Robotics factory. A ragged scar marred her left forearm, and she had some weakness in her left hand as a result, but she claimed it didn’t affect her ability to shoot. Mason hoped that was the case, as they were about to have plenty of opportunities to test that claim.
Mason looked up from where he was cleaning his weapons. “What’s going on?”
“It’s about Marcus. Junior picked up a message on the VPN—looks like some kind of contingency letter.”
“Shit.” Mason followed Keeva back down the hallway of the abandoned warehouse they were staying in, several miles from the destroyed Apex Robotics factory. Images of Marcus being gunned down or beaten and dragged off to be tortured by CorpSec came unbidden to his mind. Damn it! It should have been me they got, not him. I wonder what the hell happened.
Junior looked grim when Mason and Keeva entered the small room his computer equipment was set up in. “This just showed up on the VPN.” He stepped back so Mason could get a good look at the holoscreen of Junior’s computer.
To James Mason,
Father, if you are reading this, then I have been captured or killed. Don’t let this dissuade you from doing what needs to be done. I know if I am still alive, they will try to extract information about our plans from me by any means necessary. I have no illusions that I will be able to hold out very long, so I hope the plans can be moved up. Please don’t delay—make those bastards pay. There are a lot of good people here at Thorne Industries, but the Executive Council definitely needs to go. I hope the collateral damage is kept to a minimum.
Remember our conversation at the bar? Please see that when Thorne Industries is brought down, Ayane Takahashi is freed so she can live her life. Bethany isn’t all bad—I think there’s still some good in her if my gut feeling is right. I do have one last hand to play, and I hope it makes all the difference. One of my bodyguards has orders to monitor this channel if you reply with instructions for them. It would be wise to not use this VPN any longer than necessary, in case they crack it.
I’m sorry we didn’t have more time together, but I know you are a good man, and I don’t blame you for anything that happened before. Life can be cruel and make people do a lot of things they never wanted. I’m glad I got to know you again. Please tell Ayane I love her.
Your son,
Marcus
Mason gave a long sigh as he read the message. “I knew this might happen, but nothing can really prepare you,” he said quietly.
He felt Keeva’s supportive hand on his back. “We’ll get him back. I’m sure they wouldn’t be dumb enough to kill him—they want to know what he knows,” she said.
“Yeah. We need to get a hold of Royce right now. This changes things.”
***
“Mr. Reznik, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Seijin briefly bowed in respect. “I am in your debt for helping my sister out of her difficult… situation.”
Reznik awkwardly returned the bow. “Pleased to meet you as well, sir. I’m sure any decent man would have done the same in that situation.”
Seijin nodded and gave a faint smile. “Yes, if only there weren’t such a shortage of honorable men in this day and age. Come, let us step out for some fresh air if you don’t mind.”
They stepped out from the neat feng-shui decor of Seijin’s offices onto a vast balcony near the top of the Shiru International skyscraper. It was big enough to hold a basketball court. The sun was setting across the choppy waters of Puget Sound, and lights flickered on as Sea-Tac fell into darkness from the towering shadows of the buildings.
“I enjoy watching the sun set across the city; it’s a reminder that every day must come to an end and darkness take over. My ancestors in Edo-era Japan fought to keep darkness from taking over the land, and they were largely successful. In these dark times, it seems the voices of the samurai echo through the ages as a call to action.”
“Dark times indeed.” Reznik walked quietly beside Rin’s brother. He wasn’t sure what to make of the man: he’d gotten the impression from Rin that he was a stern man who could snap at any perceived slight, yet he also seemed to value honor and justice highly. Reznik had been surprised when he had been summoned to meet the Yakuza chief alone. He had expected Rin to accompany him.
“I must admit my curiosity is piqued. Reiko holds a great amount of trust and respect for you. That is not given lightly. You are a lone ronin wandering the land and fighting injustice. You freed Reiko from the clutches of those brutal mongrels, you took up the fight against monsters and slavers in the wasteland, and you cast down that despicable Overseer. And now you are ready to take the fight to Alistair Thorne and all his military might. What is it you seek in this coming war? What set you on such a path?” The orange rays of sunset seemed to soften Seijin’s hard face as he glanced at Reznik.
He measured his response for a moment before replying. “I was a soldier that, for all practical purposes, died lost and alone. I had no friends or family remaining, my body was broken, and at the time, I saw no reason to continue. That was nearly a hundred years ago. When I woke up in an underground colony beneath the wasteland and was given a second chance at life, I decided I would make something of it this time. I’ve met a lot of decent, hard-working people—many of whom I am fortunate to consider friends—who were dealt a shitty hand and are trying to make the best of it. Not being bound by any laws or masters is quite liberating, and I’ve taken advantage of that in this new world in which I’ve found myself. I decided I would stand up for those unable to stand up for themselves. And now that I’ve got a third chance, I figured I might as well go for broke. What’s the worst they can do—kill me again?” Reznik shrugged.
“Well spoken.” Seijin gazed across the distant water. As if coming to a decision, he turned to Reznik. “I’m sure my sister mentioned my daughter, Ayane, has been imprisoned by Thorne’s minions. I’d be honored if you would accompany Reiko to free her. You have a soldier’s knowledge of strategy and tactics and practical experience that many of my men lack. Reiko isn’t a soldier, at least in the military sense, so you’d really be calling the shots. I would ask that you don’t let her needlessly sacrifice herself—she feels she owes it to me since she was shamed by losing Ayane and my friend Ryu. I had thought my sister lost for the last two years, only to recently get her back. She refuses to let my technicians restore her remote backup, which is her right. What I am trying to say is that I would not like to lose her again.”
“Of course, I’m honored that you’d entrust me to such a sensitive mission. I would hate to lose your sister also,” Reznik said honestly. He was surprised that this proud man, whom he had just met, would show such trust in his abilities.
Rin’s opinion of me really holds some weight.
“Thank you. There has been some bad news from the east, which would seem to necessitate the hastening of our timetable. Come, let us step into my conference room so we can make plans. I will summon my sister as well.”
***
The group was gathered in one of the modern Shiru conference rooms. Rin was wearing her usual business attire, and Reznik was dressed similarly. Seijin, Takeo Yamashita, and Captain Kimura joined them.
Major Kimura now, Rin realized. Kimura had been promoted recently—he had been an outpost captain when she last saw him, half a year before.
Judging from Reznik’s inclusion in the war council, his private meeting with Seijin had gone well. She wondered what had been said.
A holoscreen flickered to life as a tech brought the feed from the rebels online. Red Royce’s face appeared at the opposite end of t
he conference room.
“Reznik! It’s good to see you back, mate,” Royce boomed as soon as he saw Reznik sitting among the group.
“Thanks. It’s good to be back,” he replied with a grin.
“Welcome, Royce and everyone else,” Seijin said. “There has been some bad news from back east that hastens our timeline considerably, it would seem. Royce, would you care to brief us on the situation?”
“Aye, it seems Marcus Mason has been captured,” the burly Scotsman said bluntly. “We lost touch with him this morning, and an apparent contingency letter was dispatched early this afternoon to my men on the ground. I fear we need to act with all haste before the enemy interrogates him and discovers our plans.”
Across from Rin, Reznik cursed quietly. “This is a bad turn of events. He had perfect placement and access on the inside. Do we know what they did with him?”
“We assume he was delivered to the detention center, where Seijin’s daughter is being held, but he could have been executed as well.”
“That makes it even more important that we get in there. Marcus saved our lives back in the wasteland—I owe him for that.”
“We owe him,” Rin corrected.
Reznik favored her with a quick smile. “Yes, of course. Are your men compromised, Royce?”
“They are feeling some heat but think they are clear for now. Are we going to be able to strike with that DefenseNet up? It’s gonna be a hell of a lot of work for nothing if we can’t get through.”
Everyone looked around at each other. Rin finally spoke up. “Ichiro is confident he can disable the grid. Whether it will be down for only a brief time or permanently is still a question.”
“We don’t need a sustained aerial campaign—the goal is to not destroy too much infrastructure, correct?” Kimura asked.
“That’s correct,” Seijin replied. “Once Thorne’s command and control is toppled, we need to seize control so chaos doesn’t erupt throughout New USA.”
“We will need sufficient time for a quick aerial strike and allow the troop transports to make the insertion,” Kimura said.
“In and out. Nice and quick,” Royce added. “I’ll have my team on the inside cause some chaos to draw attention away from the detention center. Once that occurs, we should be free to hit ’em with everything we’ve got.”
“I have decided to place Major Kimura in command of the Shiru military assault on the Thorne base,” Seijin announced. Kimura beamed at the great honor and privilege of taking command. “My sister and Mr. Reznik will lead the infiltration of the prison. With any luck, the frontal assault will allow them to slip inside without too much difficulty.”
“What’s our timeframe?” Reznik asked.
Seijin and Royce looked at each other. “I think we need to be moving tomorrow,” Royce responded. “No telling how much Marcus can tell them, but it’s probably enough to endanger the whole operation. On the plus side, it looks like a hell of a storm is blowing into the region, so that should provide some extra cover.”
Reznik looked over at Rin. “Tight schedule and overwhelming odds. Just like old times, huh?”
She nodded. “Only this time, we have the might of Shiru and the rebels behind us. That has to count for something.”
Chapter 23
“That is truly disappointing.” Thorne stood looking out the window over Chesapeake Bay. The evening was pleasant, but a powerful storm system was moving up the coast and would hit them the next day. “I had high hopes for young Marcus—a bright young man, but it seems a traitor’s bloodline stays tainted.”
He turned and regarded his great-granddaughter. Bethany looked more upset than she should have following the uncovering of yet another traitor in their organization. She had tracked and hunted down dozens over the years, a lot of whom she had personally put a bullet in.
“What’s wrong, my dear? I know you were close to the boy, but surely you can’t be that shocked by this turn of events.”
Bethany shook her head. “No, I’m not surprised that he hates us. He has good reason to—after all, we did kill his family and ruin his father’s life in the process. He has a good heart—more than I can say for the rest of us,” she said bitterly. “It’s no surprise that since his father has resurfaced, he has his doubts.”
Thorne studied her. “Watch your words. You are treading a line you don’t want to cross.”
“Oh come now, Great-grandfather. If you lost me, who would do the dirty work around here? Besides, not like I can go against my programming constraints.” Bethany stood beside him at the window, watching the fading sunset.
“The so-called ‘programming’ that you are referring to is much laxer in your case, lest you forget.”
“Would it really be that bad to relinquish some control and afford people a certain degree of trust by allowing them be themselves? Marcus could’ve made a hell of a good executive in this company. You beat people down long enough, and eventually even the best of them will snap.”
“People have shown time and again that if you give them just enough rope, they manage to hang themselves.” Thorne was silent for a time. “When I was young and foolish and millimeters from death on the end of a bayonet in the trenches of Ypres, I thought that would be the last major war. How could anything ever top the great world war? Surely the staggering costs, both in loss of life and financially would be so high that never again would anyone have the stomach to fight such a war. But then the next great world war came along, which was even more costly. A long career in the defense industry banished such naive thoughts and taught me the exact opposite—there will always be war. It is human nature to destroy ourselves. Those that are shrewd enough realize that and use the situation to their advantage—a simple tenet of capitalism. I built this corporation, the most powerful the world has seen, and sure enough, challengers scurry out of the cracks like cockroaches. Human nature never changes—that is why you must be merciless and keep a tight rein on your control.”
“Well, our challengers might prove to be a pain in our asses. Marcus gave the rebels schematics of the compound. With James Mason fighting alongside these rebels, I wouldn’t put anything past them. We have to go on full lockdown, defense posture delta.”
Thorne stroked his chin. “Was that the extent of what Marcus gave them? Surely with the defense grid up, these gutter rats can’t muster much more than their feeble campaign of sabotage and guerrilla warfare. What else have you found out from Marcus?”
“I haven’t had the heart to interrogate him yet. I figured a night in solitary alone with his thoughts might loosen his tongue.”
“Now’s not the time to go soft, my dear. We need to know what he knows.”
“Oh, you know me. I don’t go soft.” She gave him a sharp look. “I’ll have a chat with him tomorrow morning, and if he won’t tell me anything nicely, we’ll play rough.”
“Make it happen. We’ll all sleep better at night when we get to the bottom of this. Don’t kill him, though. He might prove to be more valuable as a hostage when his father shows himself. And if he doesn’t reveal himself soon, we can use Marcus to force the issue—perhaps a public execution. That kind of spectacle will be sure to draw the elder Mason from hiding.”
Bethany had a sour look on her face as she left Thorne alone with his thoughts. As she departed, he was transported back to that day nearly forty years earlier, when he had stood over his great-granddaughter’s hospital bed.
Machines beeped and whirred quietly as they monitored Bethany’s weak vital signs. Her limp, broken body was nearly unrecognizable to Thorne. Her once-pretty face had been marred beyond recognition: her eyes had been put out and her ears and nose cut off by Chinese torturers. According to her surgeon, the bastards had broken more bones than Thorne had known existed. She remained in a coma and, after three surgeries, the surgeons still had much work to do, having staunched the most grievous internal injuries. Setting bones, cosmetic work, and years of grueling rehab awaited Bethany St. Pierre.
/> “Those fucking filthy animals…” Thorne choked off his words as tears stung his eyes. He angrily wiped them away. The fiery rebelliousness in Bethany’s eyes and crooked smile that Thorne remembered fondly would be no more. Even worse, her fiery spirit may have been broken as well.
“Have her transferred to Section 7 immediately,” he snapped at the lead surgeon. “I want the finest skin available for her and all the psychological counseling she will need to put this behind her. Spare no expense—make it happen.”
“Yes, sir. As you command.” The lead surgeon turned to pass the orders on to the rest of the medical staff to prepare Bethany for transfer.
Thorne gently touched Bethany’s scarred cheek. “We’ll get you fixed up as good as new. Nobody will ever be able to hurt you like this again.”
Bethany had recovered splendidly from her ordeal despite having suffered more than anyone Thorne had ever known and having been subjected to unimaginable physical and psychological scarring. After returning to and later leaving military service, she had become Thorne’s relentless right hand, serving him loyally for more than two decades. No matter how unsavory the task that needed doing, she had never failed him. Although headstrong and impulsive, she always did what needed to be done.
For the first time, Thorne began to doubt Bethany’s reliability. He could tell the current crisis was weighing on her heavily. Has her spirit finally been broken? Am I at fault for this?
Her fondness for the Mason boy was troubling, to say the least. Thorne couldn’t quite get a complete read on her emotional state since Marcus’s betrayal, but had she not had her own imprinted directives, like the other skins, he might have suspected she had been compromised.
It might be wise to have a contingency to deal with Marcus if she doesn’t come through. He planned on leaving nothing to chance. Sorry, Gerry, old chap. You won’t be seeing me for a very long time yet.
Extensis Vitae: Empire of Dust Page 16