"Get to it, then. Everyone assume defensive positions." Wu gestured around. "The moment they find that guard, they'll know something's wrong."
"Murphy strikes again," Felix groused.
While Wu's team did so, Felix got on the link. He tapped out a message to Henry and waited for a reply.
The reply that came was verbal. "She's somewhere in the labs," Henry said. "We're not sure where."
"Why the labs?"
"They're experimenting on her. The League is experimenting on her."
The fury in his old friend's voice matched his words appropriately. Felix frowned and shook his head. "They're here? Now?"
"Yeah. We need a location on Tia. This fellow isn't being cooperative."
Felix glanced toward Sanchez. The big woman shook her head. "I can't do a database search; it'd let them know I'm here," she said.
"I can't do anything about that, Jim," Felix said into the link. "I'm sorry."
A sigh came from the other end. "We'll manage."
* * *
Henry got off the link and turned toward Brigitte and their captive. "You have allies here," Breivik noted. "Infiltrators, since you wear Rigault's uniforms. What are you really here for?"
"A few things. Tia Nguyen is one of them." Henry glared at him. "Where is she?"
"I have no intention of cooperating with you, individualist," Breivik remarked. "My duty to Society is clear."
"Stuff all that." Brigitte reached to her back and pulled out her plasma pistol. She aimed it at Breivik's right knee and pulled the trigger. Henry barely got his hand over Breivik's mouth in time before the man tried to scream from the plasma scorching its way through the joint.
Brigitte moved her pistol to the left knee. "Talk," she demanded.
Henry removed his hand from Breivik's mouth while he placed his Rigault stunner to the back of the Leaguer's head. "Don't even think about it."
A pained, vicious look came to the man. "I read your file," he hissed at Brigitte. "You're the kind of animal my work is designed to treat, an anti-Social individualist."
Brigitte sneered. "Thanks for the compliment." Her finger stroked the trigger again. This time, Henry didn't quite get his hand over Breivik's mouth before his cry, but he did dampen it before it reached its crescendo.
Breivik was clearly in tremendous pain with his knees turned into roasted and incinerated flesh. Henry put the stunner away and put his CP-2520's barrel up to the League doctor's temple. "You get one more chance, Leaguer. Or I shoot you and we find her another way."
Fear flashed through the Leaguer's eyes. Henry thought it more than the fear of dying here. It was the fear of the consequences of cooperation, undoubtedly. The League was rarely kind to people who failed "Society."
Brigitte settled her pistol on his forehead, placing the barrel right on his flesh. "Talk."
He swallowed and lowered his eyes. "Motor control testing," he said softly. "Nguyen is there."
"Thanks," Brigitte replied, sarcasm thick in her voice.
Henry noticed her finger tense on the trigger. Breivik closed his eyes.
That was the moment the alarms started screaming.
* * *
The shriek of the alarm cried down the lines of cells, catching Miri and Piper by surprise just as they approached the guard station. On the other side, the male guard waved them back. "We're in security lockdown!" he shrieked through the door. "Keep an eye on the prisoners! We've got backup en route!"
Miri's first impulse was to refuse, but that wouldn't help. Unless he opened the door, they were trapped. She needed to get to him directly. Without better options, she nodded and turned to Piper. "Let's go."
Piper's expression betrayed her fear. They were trapped, and there was no telling what was happening. Seeing how it was affecting her, Miri stepped up and whispered, "We need to play the part. We'll think of something. Keep going!"
The order was enough. Piper turned and they went back into the middle of the cell block.
When they were far enough away, Miri activated the link. "What's going on?!" she asked urgently.
* * *
Felix was wondering the same at Miri's inquiry. Overhead, the sirens screamed. "Talk to me, Sanchez!" Wu shouted. "Is that us?"
"Not me," she said. "I'm still getting data."
"Not for long, if their security's quick." Felix frowned. "What the hell is going on here?"
"Colonel, Major, there's movement back at the lift. I think someone's coming down."
"Hold fire until we're made," Wu said. "Sanchez?"
"Doing this as fast as I can, sir," she answered.
* * *
We're out of time. The thought seized Henry as much as it distracted Brigitte. A look of relief came over Breivik. "We've got to go," Henry said.
"Sure. After I kill this wanker." She focused her eyes, and her gun, on Breivik again.
Before she could fire, Henry gripped the gun, using his other hand to put a finger on his lips with the side effect of obscuring part of his face with his gun. Brigitte's initial fury at being stopped went away as she heard it too: approaching footsteps between the shrieks of the alarm.
The moment Henry lowered his hand, he put his CP-2520 back in his hidden back holster and redrew the stunner. He shot Breivik with it, quieting the doctor just before he could hear possible aid coming. "We've got to go," he urged.
Brigitte was clearly unhappy, but she let Henry pull her from the room.
There was no time to get back around the corner. The security team was coming from the opposite direction, four Rigault-uniformed men in all. The leader, with a skin tone matching Henry's, walked up to them. "What's your post on security alerts?" he demanded in a Franco-African accent. "This is our patrol. Director Rigault is not going to be happy if you're out of position."
Henry was quick to think of a reply. "Sorry, we were helping Doctor Breivik. We're on our way now to the motor control labs." He gave the man a sheepish look that covered the fear he felt that they were about to be discovered "We're still a little new here. Any pointers on the quickest way there? In case the Director shows up?"
The team leader grinned. "Back the way we came, second left, first right. Cut through the morgue."
"Thanks." He gestured at Brigitte. "Let's go, Officer Tshombe."
They split from the security team at that point. As they moved on down the corridor, past the way they'd brought Breivik before, Henry felt secure enough to use the link. "Miri, we're going to get Tia now. What's your status?"
"We're stuck on patrol in the cell block," she answered. "The guard won't let us out."
"Crap. See what you can do. We'll rendezvous near the entrance." Henry switched to Felix. "Felix, what's your situation?"
"In a word? FUBAR."
Somehow Henry wasn't surprised at that.
* * *
The crack of gunfire, sounding more distant than it was due to the walls, told Felix the team was made. "Hostiles coming from the lifts," one of Wu's Marines said. "They made us."
"You couldn't fake them?" Felix asked. "We're dressed as Rigault!"
"They demanded a check phrase."
"Right." Felix rubbed at his forehead. "Whatever caused the alarm, we're in it now."
"The alarm may have been a drill," Sanchez suggested. "I've still got access."
"You won't for long. We need to exfil, now."
Wu used his link to bring up a portable holo of the building blueprints. "If we hurry, we might make the stairs before they get in position to block them."
"Sounds good. Sanchez, what's our status?"
"Still copying data with the search parameters," she replied. "Not sure how much more there is; search is at seventy percent."
"That'll have to be enough." Felix gestured to her. "Unhook that thing and let's go."
"Yes, sir." Sanchez pulled the data recorder off the tap and stowed it in her pack.
Wu spoke into the link. "Sadiq, Osterman, we're moving out. Drop smoke and fall back throug
h the data center."
"Yes, sir," came the response.
Felix hefted his rifle. "Let's move, people, double time!"
* * *
In the cell block, Piper and Miri moved out of earshot of the guard station. "We've got to do something to get out of here," Piper insisted.
"Panicking won't solve anything," Miri pointed out to her. "We've got to think this through. The guard station's the only way out, so we have to get the guard to open the door."
"You heard him. He wants us to stay in here."
"Until backup arrives, anyway. That will be our opening. But the moment we move, even if we take the station, we'll be targets."
"Right." Piper glanced around at their surroundings. A small grin came to her face. "What if we gave them something else to worry about?"
Miri noticed the glint in Piper's eye. "You want to free the prisoners?"
"Yeah. They'll be a hell of a distraction, won't they? And many of them might even get away!"
Miri noticed their discussion was starting to get some attention from those same prisoners. "It's a good idea," she said in a soft, low voice, to keep their planning between the two of them. "So we really need to get to the guard station."
"Let's make our round back."
With care, they made their way back toward the station, as if they were on rounds. Miri glanced toward the door and was disappointed to see the guard was alone. No reinforcements were showing up. They continued on, precious minutes ticking away.
At rounding the corner, Miri heard the tone of the guard station opening. Pulling Piper with her, she doubled back toward the entrance in time to see the first one coming through. "Thank goodness!" she called out, making sure to give a certain familiar urgency to her step. "All of that coffee's gotten to me!"
Behind her, Piper stifled a giggle.
The guard coming through the door smirked at her before stepping through. His compatriot came through as well and held the door open for her. "Should've watched how much you had," he admonished her.
"Tell me about it." Miri stepped through the door and went past the guard station. She heard the door close behind her with a click.
The guard there was already turning back to their monitors when she struck. She pressed her stunner up against his back and triggered it, bringing him down at his chair. Her eyes went to the control board and noted just the key she wanted. Upon pressing it, her eyes went to the monitor.
The cells opened simultaneously, freeing the prisoners within. The newly-arrived guards looked about, bewildered, and started going for their weapons.
Piper was ready. She pulled her charged particle pistol out from her back holster and fired it in rapid succession, getting both guards before they could realize where the fire was coming from.
Miri set the guard station door to open and went to the door. "You're all free, come on!"
"You can leave!" Piper added.
Most of the prisoners were still stunned at their cell doors opening. Only a few stirred in their cells in confusion, most not daring to even try exiting.
"We can all get out if you hurry, please!" Piper urged. "We're freeing you!"
A voice cried out in Hestian. It echoed, and no one was stirring from their cells.
Miri was about to tell Piper to join her, that they needed to go, when a young man emerged from one cell. "They think this is a trick," he said to Piper. "That you're leading them into a trap and they'll be punished even more severely."
"Would Rigault have his own people shot to do something like that?" Miri asked pointedly.
"Yes, he would." The young man frowned. "Who are you and why should we trust you?"
Miri clenched a fist in frustration. This is wasting time. "I'm Miri Gaon," she said before gesturing toward Piper. "This is Piper Lopez. We're with the Shadow Wolf crew, trying to rescue our shipmate Tia Nguyen."
Recognition flickered in the man's eyes. "You know Tia? What about Linh Khánh?"
"Her too." Miri decided not to mention her proximity yet. "While we're here for Tia, we're willing to take others with us too. Whatever they're doing here is terrible."
"I'm Quan Khánh." He gestured to them and called out in Hestian. More of the cells emptied, though not all, and a few of those went into other cells to bring out the most afflicted prisoners. Quan and one of the other men stripped the weapons from the fallen Rigault guards. "Linh is my cousin and Tia is my comrade. We'll join you."
"Then let's get going before we're out of time," Miri urged.
Quan called out in Hestian again. The prisoners surged for the door.
* * *
For all the tension and excitement of their situation, Henry felt the worst part of it was the shortcut through the morgue. No one was present as they went through, but they found a group of bodies being prepared for autopsy, one of which was already cut into. Henry kept his eyes averted as much as possible to avoid getting sick from the sight. "There's way more bodies here than is reasonable for this place," he murmured.
"Got to be Breivik," Brigitte answered.
Just what did Oskar have to do with that man? he wondered. Was this what drove him to rebel? This project? Why didn't he mention it before? Even as that thought came to Henry, an answer went through his mind. Probably for the same reason you never want to talk about that night on the Clemenceau.
They cleared the morgue and followed the rest of the directions. It wasn't hard to find the motor testing lab, as it was called.
Henry's curiosity for the name remained after he opened the door. He stepped in to find two scientists at a table along the far side of the room. They had Rigault guards flanking them.
Tia was nearer to the center, standing by a series of stacks of plastic crates. She had one in her hands. With stiff, almost robotic movements, she set the crate down on another stack. She didn't seem to notice their arrival.
The scientists and guards turned toward them. "What's going on?" one of them asked, lowering a digital tablet as he did. "We didn't call for more guards."
Henry noted the way Brigitte tensed. She was getting ready to fight. We try a bluff first. Aloud, he answered, "Dr. Breivik sent us. He wants the subject returned to her cell until the alert's passed."
The scientists exchanged surprised glances. "That doesn't make sense," the second one said. "He told us to continue motor testing even through security alerts, unless he personally ordered us to stop."
"I just know what I'm told," Henry said.
"I'll call him," the other scientist said. She went for a link.
That was it. The bluff wouldn't work. Henry unslung the rifle from his shoulder and fired, catching the scientist on the arm. As she fell over, screaming in pain, he tracked the rifle over to the guard beside her and pulled the trigger as that guard brought his weapon up. His shot caught the guard in the chest. The man collapsed.
The other guard's rifle fired, but Henry was already falling to his side, pushed over by Brigitte. The shot that would have struck him hit the door instead. Despite the shove, he kept enough presence of mind to hold the rifle steady and fired. His shot was not precisely aimed and missed the guard, who turned his weapon toward Henry.
This turned out to be his mistake, as Brigitte fired her plasma pistol at his head. At the relatively close range, she couldn't miss. The plasma burned a hole into the man's head and killed him instantly.
By the time Brigitte's opponent hit the ground, Henry was scrambling back to his feet. He swung the rifle on the male scientists before he could get to a link. "Hands on your head, on your knees now!" He kept the rifle on target while the scientist, pale and petrified, obeyed. Brigitte went over to him while Henry dealt with the crying woman, kicking the link from her while she cradled her wounded arm. "Tia, it's okay, we're here," he called out.
There was no reaction. She didn't even turn toward them, or speak.
"Tia? What's wrong?" Brigitte asked.
After collecting the two links from the scientists, Henry went over to her. T
ia looked like she was staring ahead at nothing. Her body remained still, her hands in mid-movement as if to pick up another of the boxes. "Tia?" Henry waved a hand over her eyes. They didn't react.
Or, at least, they didn't seem to. But there was something about them Henry found disconcerting. They weren't empty, but it was as if they weren't reacting to his presence either. She was just… looking ahead at nothing.
"Motor control." Brigitte looked down at the table and the tablet that the scientists were holding when they entered. "What the hell?!"
Henry went over to her and accepted the tablet. It showed the basic sexless figure of a human body, a bipedal form, that matched Tia's posture precisely, with the neck lit up with red. The screen showed things like "muscle loop" and "speech restrictions" as items to be toggled, as well as an option to "program movement." Another option showed "stimulate brain activity."
At the top of the screen read the words "Neuro Control Interface."
Something cold went down Henry's spine at reading those words. "Motor control testing," he murmured as realization filled him. "Oh God."
"They… they're controlling her," Brigitte stammered. "Like she was a machine."
Henry's stomach twisted as the ramifications hit home. This device turned people into literal puppets. Something like this would make their "socialization camps" look ineffectual. They could enslave entire communities with ease.
His finger went to vocal restriction and unchecked it. The light at the neck of the figure turned off.
"Jim! Brigitte!"
Henry's fingers moved over the controls, turning them all off. Tia slumped to the floor on hands and knees. He rushed to her side. "Tia? Are you all right?"
"I will be when I get this damned thing out of my neck!" she shrieked, her voice full of pain and rage. Now her gray eyes were wet with tears. Her expression was full of gratitude. "Thanks for coming, Jim."
Breach of Trust: Breach of Faith Book Four Page 17