“No combat craft?”
“No. Some drones are armed, though not officially.”
As much as he tried to be apolitical, that’s what he should have expected from this administration. They were the most violent, militaristic pacifists possible.
He wondered if their aerial antagonists planned to avoid the drones, erase records afterward, or just plan on bullshit to evade the issue. Anything was possible.
“How far do we need to get for support?”
“The plan was for them to send a drone chopper. There are problems. So they’re supposed to be sending a live pilot.”
“To meet where?”
Roye said, “That’s a great fucking question, since your troublemaking has made our base untenable. They can’t land with the fire levels coming in, we don’t have enough lethal weapons to secure the area, and now everyone knows where it’s all going down. I’ve suggested a rooftop.”
“Good, which one?”
“The one right above us, but now the UN Aviation Agency is insisting it’s not an approved flight corridor.”
That was ridiculous, petty, bureaucratic and no doubt true. “What, then?”
“We go back and buckle down until they get us.”
Alex had to make a tactical decision fast. They’d be surrounded by troops, which would boost their defensive numbers, but, they’d also be a fixed target. There’d be more incoming fire, and it would be too cute and convenient for someone to lob in a charge, kill Highland and blame any number of local factions and Ripple Creek.
“Go ahead. We’ll relocate and try again.”
“Dammit, contractor, first you call me out, expose my position and divide my forces, now you think you’re going to waltz away?”
Alex shook his head. “Our job is to protect the minister. That is all.”
The captain shrugged. “Well, now we have to manage. How much ammo do you have?”
“We’re pretty much full. We haven’t actually engaged much.”
“Good. I’ll need to redistribute that among the rest of us who do have lethal weapons.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “I don’t fucking think so.”
“Excuse me? I believe I’m the ranking officer here.”
“We’re not military.”
“I have the authority to commandeer what I need for the mission.”
“So do I. I also have an unlimited license to kill people.”
The captain furrowed his brow. “Is that a threat?”
“Yes.”
Elke was moving around behind him. If this got ugly, it would be loud and violent.
Highland snapped, “Oh, don’t be ridiculous. You’re not taking my guards’ ammo, like some Social Democratic activist.”
Apparently it was true the different arms of the statists didn’t get along. She was fine taking assets from others. If she needed those assets, though, or thought of a better place for them . . .
What an elitist bitch.
Luckily, she was their elitist bitch for now.
Rowe looked around, making his own summation.
“They told me to stick with Highland. They say they don’t trust you.”
“Hah. Don’t trust us to let her conveniently die. I think they’re actually willing to take us out to get to her.”
Cady said, “They can still use her as a martyr. Massive uprising. If I can figure out how to exploit that, so can they.”
Alex said, “Of course. That lets them play the rebellion against the UN card and move in in force.”
Rowe asked, “But what’s here?”
“Settling room, distraction, factions to play off against each other endlessly. When was the last time the government tried to solve a problem?”
“That’s not true, you know,” Highland said.
He looked at her. “Oh, really?”
“The problem is no one wants to pay the cost of solving the problems. I wanted to make a difference when I started. Then I realized that the only way to get elected was to lie my face off, then juggle things until the next election, betting on short memories to save me. Now that I’m appointed it’s much more dangerous. I have to do what Chief Fuckup wants, regardless of what it might do to my career. In between, occasionally someone gets something done for one of their power blocs, and the whole mess restabilizes like collapsing rubble.”
“You really think that’s what people want?”
“They keep voting for it, so yes.”
He would really have to consider that.
Jason said, “Why do you think anyone with the assets moves to the far colonies? Hell, that’s the whole reason my adopted colony was created.”
“That was one of the huge readjustments,” she said. “Your founding corporations have a lot of assets. They’re now increasingly off Earth and harder to manipulate.”
Jason almost smiled. “Pardon me for liking that, ma’am.”
“Eventually the General Assembly is going to make you share all that wealth.”
He didn’t want to argue politics, though she did need distracted.
“Yeah, well we need to move and fast. We have the military vehicles. I’m taking them.” He looked at Rowe, who shrugged.
“They’ll argue it out afterward. My safest response is to agree to an allied civilian force with the Minister here.”
“And I’ll need whatever ammo you have, and your troops’ guns.”
Rowe gaped.
“I don’t fucking think so.”
Alex snickered. “Interesting turnabout. So, are we going to work together here, or do we leave you sitting? I can move faster than you. Unless you plan to fight us—the locals will love that.”
“We’re going.”
“Your troops must drop their lethal weapons. Now.”
Rowe seethed openly, but he seemed to understand the rule. Frankly, Alex didn’t need them except as bullet stoppers. He turned and pointed. His troops very clearly did not like it at all, but complied. They clutched their nonlethal weapons and looked ready to use them.
“Aramis, where do we go?”
“There’s a substantial bazaar three kilometers west.”
Rowe said, “Yes, we patrol there.”
Alex looked around. “Good place for a handoff?”
Aramis said, “It’s public. Start with that.”
Cady said, “There’ll be lots of witnesses, if we can avoid scaring them. Keep Ms. Highland masked until we’re ready? Then we have instant video attention.”
“I like it. Let’s move. Captain, I would like troops in the rear.” He started walking, and signed for the others to fall in to formation.
“In the rear?” Rowe seemed surprised but gratified.
“This is executive protection. We want not to get in a fight if we can avoid it, and to be discreet.”
“I do not believe that you are lecturing me on discretion.”
Alex didn’t either.
“There are different levels of discretion. But we may need backup.”
“With nonlethal weapons,” Rowe clarified. Or was he complaining?
He shrugged. “Yeah, it’s fucked up.”
“I never thought I’d say this, but you guys don’t get paid enough.”
“Remember that in three thousand meters.”
Ahead, Bart and Aramis broke trail, Lionel and Marlin flanked, Jason did overwatch, Alex and Cady brought up the rear. Alex could see all that, and Elke helping the two women scarve their faces as they moved. Shaman was nearby and ready. Behind, twenty angry young men were ready to shoot anything that annoyed them, including Alex.
The sporadic fire dropped behind, encouraged to do so by Jason and Cady. Cady was one hell of a marksman, possibly almost as good as Jason.
However, the horrifically bright uniforms marked the unit clearly, and even without that, a platoon-sized group of armed adults was clearly a platoon-sized group of armed adults. It dissuaded random potshots, but it meant they were certainly being tracked. That was fine for now.
>
It was hazy and hot. Slightly lower gravity didn’t help much. There was an increasing amount of dust and other pollutants clogging the air, then the nostrils. Alex’s straps cut into him, and his feet were sweating lumps. He pushed on.
The streets resumed habitation in this area. There were little shops and some larger businesses in random assortment, with two large apartment blocks ahead. Small dwellings were above the shops, some with laundry out to dry, dosses and cooking grills on small balconies. The vehicles varied from average to scrap, with some obviously mobile lodging.
Still, no one wanted a fight, or perhaps the following uniforms actually helped. They strode briskly along, crossing an intersection in bunches at a jog, then waiting, weapons low ready, for the rest.
That was when they were attacked. Bunching couldn’t be helped, and in fact, offered offensive advantage. But they started taking fire from one of the blocks, and from across the street.
There was little cover, so four mercs clutched around Highland and ducked behind a car. The rest swarmed around and returned fire.
Jason said, “LMG in the building, fourth floor, second window west. Got him distracted.”
“Pin them down, Elke, make them scared.”
She already had a grenadelike thing in hand and arced it up and out. It flashed into howling, screaming, spinning pyrotechnics that tumbled down nice and pretty, then cracked out neural tingles and, apparently, light frag. The group of young males departed in several directions.
“Mudslimes are Satan’s whores!” one of them shouted.
Alex muttered, “Well, good thing none of us are Muslim.”
Another burst from the building made him duck and flinch. Whoever was up there was a respectable operator.
Next to him, one of the soldiers, looking inordinately mean for someone wearing neon colors, shouted, “If I had my grenade launcher, that asshole would not be a problem!”
“Noted,” was all Alex could say. “Jason, paint it, all troops, fire on his mark.”
Jason stood, snap shot and continued. Puffs indicated bullets cracking on the extruded concrete. Four others joined in, along with Highland, and two of the troops had apparently completely disregarded the order and brought carbines from their gear. Jason shrugged, capped off ten quick shots, raised a hand and shouted, “Cease fire!” He tapped Cady, then Shaman, and the code propagated out. In two seconds, the mercenaries moved with Highland secure in the middle, and the troops tapered off fire and fell in behind.
Rowe said, “I have two light casualties, detailing two to drop out with them and follow, or shelter in a building.”
Alex said, “Noted. Aramis, tag it.”
“Marked.”
“We’ll have someone sent, too.”
He wasn’t sure if anyone had hit the gunner, but the volume of fire seemed to have chilled his ardor. Nothing further came from there.
They crossed another street. The thoroughfare they followed tangled up after the gunfight. Cross traffic came in.
Bart swore in German.
“Talk to me.”
“Hurrensöhne springbladers. Two. Forward left forward high.”
He looked forward and slightly left, on roofs. Yes, there they were.
Highland said, “They’re supposed to be called off! He lied again!”
“Keep going,” Alex ordered at once. “Move now, talk later. Ma’am, I think it’s a last gasp attempt. If they kill you, they deny it and blame anyone they wish. If they don’t, they meet as planned. With churps reporting you’re about to meet with rescue, they can’t openly drop you.”
A flash and a dot turned into a woosh, into an incoming mini missile.
“Scatter!” he shouted and dove to cover Highland, along with Lionel and Aramis.
He realized his ears were ringing and that blast had been all concussion, not far away. His vision was blurry, his ears numb and his body tingled.
“Track them,” he mumbled. “What do we have?”
“Casualties,” someone replied, sounding tinny.
“Elke, Jason, Bart, someone . . .”
“On your feet, Alex,” Shaman said. He felt a sting that turned into coolness trickling through his neck. His brain thrummed, his skin burned, but he resumed functionality.
“Let’s move fast,” he said.
Rowe said, “Chief Marlow, we have several casualties.”
He looked around and saw Rowe referred to the troops specifically. Several had taken frag or been slammed by percussion.
“Elke, cut them a door.”
She snagged a charge, slapped it on a doorplate, rolled aside and thumbed her detonator.
It was a small charge, but after the previous one had shaken him up, it still hurt. However, they had an open building of some kind in which to shelter.
“Good luck,” he said. “We’re moving. Help Witch.”
A moment later he said, “Oh, and Jessie.”
Yeah, the young woman was holding up well. And at least the publicity paid off in the end. So far.
“Where’d the son of a bitch go?” he asked.
Aramis said, “Unknown. They headed south and kept going.”
“They’ll be back. What do we have for long range?”
Jason said, “I can possibly make three hundred meters.”
“Do it if you can. Hostile to be shot on sight.”
“Will do, and I’ll call for volley fire.”
“Right, can’t hurt.”
He thumbed his phone and said, “Last contact.”
The connection beeped and at once he heard, “This is Machac.” The man still sounded cultured and unhurried.
“We’re going to meet at the Garden Bazaar, three klicks north of our recent location.”
“I know where that is.”
“Well, there are still two guys on the springblades. You don’t know who’s behind that yet, do you?”
“Not at all. Do you want us to meet you sooner?”
“The bazaar will be fine. We’re five minutes out.”
He disconnected without waiting for a response.
He wasn’t the only one staggering, but Highland seemed reasonably stable, so they’d done their job properly. Could they finish up now?
“Elke, how are you set on smoke?”
She counted by touch. “A couple of minutes’ worth.”
“Can you hold one as we travel?”
“Make us an area target instead of points? Hold on.”
She fumbled with something, pulled out a bandage and started wrapping it around a smoke grenade.
“It’s going to catch on fire, but I can hold it for the duration.”
“Pop it. Contact movement. Ms. Highland, grab onto Bart’s harness. Let’s move.”
Elke pointed Aramis to the front, with Lionel, then took the number three position. Alex followed her, then Bart and Highland. The others gripped off the sides and back.
Following a concussion with lungfuls of ammoniac smoke was not the best thing for either health or concentration, but with the group clutching into a chain, they could move well enough. But were they concealed from outside, or just blocking their own vision?
“Time to waste the flashbangs!” he called. “As interruptions.” He let his carbine hang while he reached into a pouch and pulled his free. He strained his thumb forcing the cap loose, then caught the lanyard in his teeth, yanked and tossed it to the right. “Every ten or fifteen seconds, and fire in the—” BANG!
His ear got punched again and the smoke eddied in ripples around him.
Off to the side, Jason said, “Contact airborne! Right forward forward high!”
Elke shouted, “Take this!” and shoved her shotgun over. Jason fired his, dropped his, took hers and raised it.
Alex had his own up, saw the figure, shouted, “All fire!” and started shooting. Maybe enough bullets in the air would get lucky.
The figure leapt across a building roof, about fifteen meters up. He did have to acknowledge that was one hell
of a brave way to travel, and not something that would catch on generally.
Whoever the guy was, he seemed to be raising some other weapon, and relying on speed, angle and altitude for protection, along with distortion effects and armor. He was probably pretty safe, unless . . .
Whatever Elke had loaded, Jason fired. Shotgun. It must be one of her tungsten bore-riders, that would breach almost anything. The recoil staggered Jason back, but the shot hit. Their antagonist tumbled and twisted, the impact disturbing his trajectory enough, and tossing his leg off line. Instead of landing, he cartwheeled across the roof, over the edge and landed with a cracking thud a few meters ahead.
Cady and Lionel dropped out of formation, sprinted hard, caught up and stomped on him. They pinned and twisted his arms, Cady reached down with a pistol, and put a round in the crease between his body armor and helmet, right through the cervical spine. He convulsed twice and stopped.
From the front, Aramis said, “Through that alley will put us right in the bazaar.”
“Keep moving. Lionel, Bart, I need you two to flank front. As we pass, take our weapons. We want to look nonthreatening to the public, blend in, then meet these people. Cady, Jason, you’ll have overwatch, and be prepared to do something violent. Jessie, peel out and start recording as soon as you’re through the alley. In the meantime, everyone watch top.”
Elke’s smoke was still pouring out.
“About thirty seconds left,” she said. “Take it aside?”
Alex said, “Yes. Walk that way down the street. Everyone else into the alley. Move.”
Elke moved the flare gingerly and winced. Yeah, the stink of scorching fabric indicated how hot it was. Alex went left at a walk with Aramis. The rest moved into the alley, shifting from tactical movement to a nonthreatening walk.
It was long and dark. There seemed to be a couple of small lanes crossing ahead, and it looked to be about two hundred meters to the bazaar itself. They kept weapons up, trained instincts leading them to create overlapping fields of fire.
Alex pulled his phone up. “Mr. Machac, are you there?”
“Here,” the man replied. “Are you arriving?”
“It’ll still be about five minutes. We’ve been delayed,” he lied. “We’ll be coming in north of you. Stand by.”
He closed the connection and disconnected power again. The phone dropped back into its shield.