VIPER One: Countervalue

Vasco knocked Yashego out himself. Refraction shielded and audio-damped, he snuck into the Governor’s office, syrette of Melodoxin in his gauntlet, and in one swift movement had Yashego cradled in his arms, slipping into a deep coma.

  ‘Mike One is secure,’ he said quietly over the comlink. ‘I’m taking him to the first floor now. Meet me in the ground floor common room in a few minutes.’

 

  ‘All right, everyone listen to me,’ Vasco said over his helmet speaker to the assembled Governorate staff. He ordered the wall holo playing the news broadcast to terminate, to a collective groan. ‘I am Captain Adrian Vasco. I’m from EFFECT. I am here to take Governor Yashego and a few others offworld. I’m sure you can all appreciate the importance of this.’

  ‘Hey! Fuck you and the UN!’ a middle-aged man shouted from the crowd.

  Kgosi pulled his railgun up. ‘Shut up and sit down!’ he boomed. There was a collective scream, and everyone collapsed to the floor.

  ‘That’s some nice public relations, K. Real nice,’ Sev said over the comlink.

  ‘Please! Calm down. We’re not here to hurt you,’ Vasco said in his most placatory voice. ‘K, lower your weapon for Christ’s sake,’ he added.

  ‘Just let us go! Please!’ a woman in the front row begged.

  ‘Listen to me,’ Vasco said when he eventually achieved silence. It took a good long minute. ‘Whether you like it or not, you are all representatives of the UN. That is how the mob outside sees you. It doesn’t matter how you feel, publicly or privately; anyone leaving this building will be killed.’

  This elicited a wail from the staff, followed by various noises of distress. A few people were coughing heavy, expectorate coughs.

  ‘Please! Listen. We don’t have much time. This building has an underground bombardment shelter. In a minute, Harrison here—’ He indicated one of the security guards. ‘—is going to lead you down there and stay with you for your own protection. You will stay down there until the coast is clear. There are supplies for a hundred people for three months, which is more than enough for everyone in this room.’

  ‘And what are we supposed to do then?’ someone yelled.

  ‘You’re going to leave us here to die!’

  ‘The UN abandoned us!’

  ‘Chief, we don’t have time for this,’ Sev muttered.

  ‘Harrison?’ Vasco said, turning to the guard.

  The man nodded. ‘All right everyone; follow me please, nice and calmly.’