Apache bent over and placed a warm kiss to my cheek. “Excellent, thank you.” With that she pushed my wheelchair to her desk and logged into the computer for me. She showed me how to access the site’s cameras, and comm systems. Just as she finished Katherine came in with a sheepish look painted on her face.
I looked up at her. “Doc come on in and have a seat. I’d give you mine but I kinda need it right now.”
Katherine’s cheeks blushed as she saw me in the wheelchair without my leg on. Apache came around with a rolling desk chair and offered it to Katherine. “Okay I got orders to fulfill. He is all yours.”
Katherine watched Apache leave before slowly sitting down into the chair. She crossed her legs and stared at me through her coke bottle glasses. “Was it my fault you blacked out?” she asked meekly.
“No, it would seem I had pushing myself to the limit without enough food and sleep. My worn-out body decided to order me to bed. I am back to one hundred percent now. Well, more like ninety five percent since the leg is gone.” I joked.
Katherine tried to hide a spreading grin behind her hand and failed miserably. She caught me staring and turned even darker shade of red. “Sorry, that wasn't funny.”
“Yes, it was,” I laughed back.
“Okay so what can I do for you Major?” Katherine asked.
“First, has everyone we called made it safely in?”
Katherine bit her bottom lip and took out a notebook. She opened it and flipped through some pages before landing on one. “We lost an Apache and all on board, as well as one Blackhawk filled with refugees.”
I was pissed. “What the hell happened? How many dead in all?”
Katherine almost wilted under my words. “The pilot and gunner of the Apache are both deceased. The Blackhawk they were supporting was also damaged and went down. We lost only one person on the craft, the pilot. He somehow set that copter down saving all onboard. The pilot was hurt as one of the bolts of energy hit him, but he toughed it out as he fulfilled his duty. Another Apache circled around and jumped the Collectivus aircraft and destroyed it. All your people from the Malleus bunker survived. They were picked up by a Chinook and brought straight here. In addition, I was able to reach two Army Tank units that were running and hiding from Collectivus. They are now in the hangar, with their twelve tanks. Each unit started off with fourteen tanks, but each lost two. A number of smaller groups heard the call and are coming in now.”
“How many people do we have on site now?”
Katherine checked her notebook and dragged her finger down the page stopping when she found what she was looking for. “Two hundred and fifteen, once we get everyone in we have contacted, we should have six hundred.”
“What kind of defenses do we have in place right now?”
“Your man Heaven and someone named Hase have been working on them. The facility used to be bristling with weapons and defenses but with the decommissioning they were the first to be dismantled. Those two with the help of the tank crews are installing the rocket launchers, mini-guns, and mortars.”
I nodded at the information. Those men knew what they were doing and didn’t need me second guessing them. “What about the other facilities?”
Katherine flipped through the pages of her notebook till she found the page she wanted. “The Alaska facility said they would be sending us munitions for the Apaches in two C5s. The problem is they can’t land here, we don’t have a runway. Lowery suggested they land at her base and we would roll out in a heavily armed convoy with Apaches as air cover. The Alaska facility has also been in touch with Russia and working on helping them out with their own Collectivus issue. They did agree to send the Delta Force team commanded by Mike Smalley just as you guessed. He was happy to swing by Indiana; they will collect people as they go and activate the Georgia facility.”
“Excellent, now what about the Collectivus? What have they been doing in our AO?”
“In our Area of Operations, Collectivus has been trying to avoid us. They are hitting the bigger cities now. A lot of people are fighting back, but more and more portals open in the cities and disgorge hundreds of their troops. If they can’t push through an area they send in their aircraft and bomb the shit out of the rebels and then they go in and collect them. They are just steamrolling over smaller forces and avoiding bigger ones. I think they will be circling back around to bomb those groups.”
I put my head in my hand as I thought. “we need to start sending out groups to attack these bastards. If we can throw a wrench into the machinery they may slow down and concentrate on us. Then we can connect with other groups out there and make the Collectivus losses become a deterrent for them to continue fucking with us.”
Katherine’s eyes widened as she processed my ideas. “Sounds like a pretty big loss for us to.”
“With the number of humans they have already snatched, I think what we may lose in a battle, won't be as significant compared to those taken. When presented with the fate of being captured and erased by the Collectivus in order to use your body as a blank for their breeding program, or dying while fighting them, which would you choose?”
Katherine put her notebook down and sat back in her chair, eyes closed, head tilted back as she reflected on an answer to my question. After a moment she opened her eyes and lifted her head focusing on me. She had a different look about her. She seemed harder, no more fear, resigned to her decision.
Katherine parted her full red pouty lips and answered me, “I would fight and die, rather than be taken, erased, and changed into something else.”
I examined her face and saw exactly the same expression that I figured I displayed; hardened features and unyielding resolve. I slapped the desk and gave Katherine a maniacal laugh. She startled at first and then saw the smile I put on.
“You know you have issues, right?” Katherine laughed at me.
“Yeah, I am still amazed that the doctors at the insane asylum let me out of my comforting white hugging coat and let me free.” I wiggled my eyebrows at her.
“Yeah, your team tends to put you on a pedestal, worship the ground you walk on, and in the same breath call you the craziest sonofabitch they had ever met. Yet it would seem each one of them would follow you into Hell and kick the Devil square in his balls.”
“Yeah there is something to say about mental instability, but we’ll get the job done. Okay why don’t you wheel my ass to wherever the battle planning is going on.”
Katherine came around the desk removed the brakes on the chair and pushed me out the door. We wandered down corridors and up an elevator and down more corridors till we came up to a place I recognized. This was where I had first met two of the Doctors and Anthony, the PJ. The doors opened, and she wheeled me in to a place filled with chaos.
Three separate shouting matches were going on across the room as people argued over who was the highest ranked and should be in command. The enlisted men, and all of Malleus sat in the back of the room watching the arguments with both amusement and embarrassment like an audience watching a movie.
Get a bunch of officers in the room and the first thing they were going to do is fight over rank and who should be in command. I tilted my head back, let out a little groan and looked up to Katherine. She gave me a smile and a wink.
“Excuse me!” Katherine raised her voice trying to get everyone’s attention. She failed, as she was ignored.
Butch broke free of his team and strode to me. He turned to face the whining and arguing officers. He put his index fingers in his mouth and let loose a good old New York cab hailing whistle. When that didn’t work, he let loose with his patented full drill instructor voice.
“Alright you whining, puss filled, good for nothing children, shut the fuck up before I come over there and throttle you to an inch of your life!”
That got their attention, as they quickly shut up as were ordered. They all turned to me and gave me their attention. “I am sure some of you know me, the rest probably not. I am a merc, shor
t for mercenary, employed by Will and M.C. Allen of Malleus. Yesterday I was recalled to active duty and promoted to Major, which as I look around the room means I am actually a relatively low-ranking person since we have higher officers, but by law I was named theater commander of this facility. I will be leaning on every one of you to help plan and execute raids and guerilla hits on the Collectivus troops and their facilities. If you prefer not to follow my orders you are free to leave, but your equipment is owned by the U.S. government, and I and the staff represent the government. So, you will be leaving with nothing you came in with. If you decide to fight me on this, you will lose. Those who wish to stay and fight please raise your hand.”
All of Malleus raised their hands as well as the Facility staff. Lieutenant Colonel Lowery raised her hand also. I gave the other officers around the room an extra second to make their decisions. When all was said and done not one person decided to go at it on their own.
“Alright then, let’s get to work.” I took control of my chair and turned to Will and M.C. “Gentlemen, you two will be in command of all intelligence that comes in. Chun, Butch, Hase, and Apache will be in on the planning for the small unit hits. Lowery, pick a couple of the tank commanders and let’s sit down and get some planning of our own done. The Collectivus must have its own bases out there that we can hit. Hashkeh, Hootie, Bri, and Johnson sit down and plan out the logistics for the armored convoy to collect the supplies coming in from Alaska.”
Katherine, Anthony, and Heather came around my chair with their hands in the pockets of their lab coats. “What about us?” Anthony asked.
“You three are going to keep the place from falling apart. Anthony, create a police force to make sure everyone plays nicely and set up internal defenses. Heather, can you and Katherine get together and figure out the science behind these portals? Maybe we can find a way to know where they are going to show up, and when, before they do.”
“Katherine and I already have some ideas we have been kicking around. We will try and work out our strategies and get back to you.”
It seemed we were about to finally fight back against the Collectivus, and not just in one or two battles, but we were going to hit them where it hurt. I put my hands on the chair to push myself forward when a hand landed on my shoulder and stopped me.
“Woh, not so fast dude. I got a present for you.” Dio spoke in his Southern California beachbum voice he grew up with in San Diego. Dio came around the chair and looked down at me. “Dude, I did some really cool banging and sculpting on your leg bro. It is so gnarly man, all the Bettys will wanna hang ten with you.”
I rolled my eyes while internally trying to interpret his words. I took the bag he handed me and pulled out my new modified leg. The first thing I noticed is that he had bulked up the shock and metal core that represented my shin and calf. Dio pushed a rubber button that was on the side of the leg. The calf housing opened and inside I found two things. One was a small block of Semtex explosive, and a simple chemical fuse. The other was a compact snub-nosed revolver that held five rounds of .38 ammo.
“Wow! Cool stuff amigo.”
“That is just the obvious custom work I did on the leg. The cool part is after you put it on.”
I rolled up my pants further till my stubby knee poked out. It was in a nylon bandage to protect the skin from friction. I went to slide the leg on when Dio stopped me. He reached over and unwound the bandage from my knee, exposing the puckered scarred skin. I was going to protest that I needed the sock but then examined the new socket in the prosthesis. It was soft and somewhat sticky. I decided to trust Dio and inserted my knee into the socket. It felt weird at first as my knee was sucked into the gel like material. It felt strange, but I quickly adjusted. There were none of the regular straps I was used to utilizing to secure my knee into the leg. Dio reached down behind the socket and twisted something. The socket seemed to tighten around my knee and become very secure. Dio then offered me his hand. I took it and he pulled me from the chair and onto the new leg. It felt good, better than my old leg, and more like it was a part of me instead of something strapped on. I took a couple of steps to get used to the added weight. I was amazed since it actually seemed lighter than the one, I had used for years. I practiced by jogging in place and jumping up and down. The leg felt great, I didn’t get the customary vibration or slipping that the old one did.
Dio watched me as I got used to the new leg, a smile broadened on his face a mile wide. He was proud of the work he did, as well he should be. This leg was beyond anything I had ever strapped on before. “Okay Boss, I also added a function to let you lock the foot at the ankle in either the up or down position. As you may have noticed I also removed that piston-like shock absorber. I integrated a hydraulic piston into the main shaft of the leg. your stump should not suffer as much abuse as before. I bet you could wear this thing all day and never realize it.”
I stopped jumping up and down and regarded Dio. “And here all along I thought you were nothing but a knuckle dragging killing machine whose only pleasure in life was catching the next big wave.”
Dio stared at me for a moment before clearing his throat. “I was valedictorian in my high school at the ripe young age of fifteen. I graduated M.I.T by the time I was eighteen with a double master’s in mechanical engineering, and bioscience. Problem was sitting in an office or lab all day that scared the shit out of me, so I learned to love and embrace the outdoors.”
” Yeah, yeah, you are all kinds of smarts. Do you need your ego stroked that much Dio? I could always find that little she-he from Thailand, I think its name was Sookiuhar,” Butch growled out.
Dio stood ramrod straight and stared back at Butch. “Dude Chief, Sookiuhar was Hootie’s girlfriend not mine.”
“Hey, how was I supposed to know Sooki, was not a woman?” Hootie piped up from the other side of the desk from Butch.
“How about the fact that she had an erection bigger than yours?” Laughed Pico.
“I turn everyone on brother. At least I wasn’t caught making out with her, like Rascal was.”
“Hey mutt, don’t pull me into your fantasies.” Rascal shouted over.
I leaned against a desk and let the guys from Aces have their fun. These guys had been attached to each other’s hips for almost fifteen years. They squabbled just like brothers now. Chun moved around to my side and pulled down on the neck of his armor and rested his hands there.
“You want me to get the boys under control?”
“Nah, let them have their fun. Just make sure they don’t tear up the place or maim each other too much. I got shit to do, I am going to wander around this place till I can find an office to work in.”
Katherine heard me and came up to my side. “Doctor Sporm had sealed off the facilities commander’s office. I reopened it and prepared it for you. It’s not far from here. Please follow me.”
I bumped knuckles with Chun and followed Katherine out of the room and down two corridors. We stopped at another submarine like hatch. Katherine spun the wheel then swung the door out into the corridor exposing a giant office. It was the nicest room I had seen in the whole facility to this point. The bulkheads were paneled in oak wood. The deck was covered in rich burgundy carpet, the walls were decorated with oil paintings of old sailing warships and some famous U.S. Presidents. At the far side of the compartment sat an expansive wooden desk. Behind it all along the wall, stood bookcases lined with nonfiction books about military history. At the end of the great room stood a massive antique wooden desk. It looked like it could’ve come off some mighty British Ship-of-the-line from the 1690s.
If I thought the desk was from a time long ago, the chair was of a modern design. This chair would’ve made CEOs, dictators, and Presidents envious. It was ergonomic, gleamed with polished aluminum and cushioned with top of the line cloth and filling. I made my way around the desk and pulled the chair out, ogling it. I sat tenderly, at first testing it and its settings. I swear my ass moaned in pleasure of the give, yet fi
rmness of the cushion. I gave in and sat all the way back, every muscle in my body was cradled and sighed in relief.
Katherine stood by with a knowing smile painted on her lips. “Nice, aint it?”
“You have no idea,” I groaned in pleasure.
“Yes, I do. Who do you think requisitioned that desk and chair? When it came in, my ass was the first to sit in it,” she pointed to the desk surface which at first I thought was wood. That was till it glowed and flickered. “The whole desktop is in fact a powerful computer with tactile control. I already took the liberty of uploading your biometrics and fingerprints to the security system.”
“How did you get that info?” I was very cautious and curious.
Katherine blushed and hid a smile behind one of her soft delicate hands. “I pulled up all your files from the Military, IRS, and DHS. Nothing is sacred or private in this world anymore, especially with the systems we have here. I probably could’ve asked for your school files if I wanted to,” Katherine pointed to the laptop she held under her other arm.
“Damn big brother,” I joked. “Okay so I am what you call a technophobe. How do I use this so-called computer desk?”
“Just put your palm on the surface, doesn't matter which one.”
I put my right hand on the desk palm down and waited. The desk began to glow brightly, and an outline appeared around my hand for a moment. Then the damn thing talked to me.
“Major Dan Welko, NaRCoG commander identity and security clearances approved. What may I assist you with?” the voice sounded like a normal woman, not a Sci-Fi synthesized one.
I pulled my hand away and looked to Katherine. “Why is the desk talking to me?”
Katherine giggled and rolled her eyes. “It is your personal assistant, Aimee. The acronym stands for Artificial Intelligence Military Executive, the military is not very good with naming, I know. But Aimee is awesome, she is so intuitive that she can often read your needs and wants before you ask for them. She is one of the fastest and most powerful computers in the world.”
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