Project 731 (21 page)

33

By the time the X-35 ramp lowers, the base is coming to life. Soldiers run about, armed and ready for war, most of them lugging heavy weapons instead of standard rifles. Several large auto turrets, like those used by the BlackGuard in Oregon, but much larger, rise out of the concrete. They’re joined by several missile systems rising from the ground. They look like surface-to-air missiles, but I suspect they’ll work just fine against something that’s two-hundred-feet tall. It’s clear that all the action has nothing to do with us, and everything to do with the Tsuchi cresting the 6000-foot-tall Papoose Mountain, just south of the base. From above, the Tsuchi didn’t look too dissimilar from the first, but I can now see that its four rear legs are stocky and powerful, with wide, split claws at the base, rather than the scimitar blades.

I wave the others down the ramp, saying, “Let’s move. Go, go, go.”

When everyone, except the bound Silhouette, is out, Endo steps up next to me. “Try to slow down. Stay calm.” He motions to Silhouette. “You’re supposed to be him now.” I look at our captive, tied up and gagged in the back of a vehicle that might get tromped by a Kaiju Tsuchi. Despite what I would call a worst case scenario, he’s calm as can be, like he’s got the situation under control.

“Right,” I say. “Lead the way.”

Endo strikes out at a relaxed pace, not even glancing up when two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters loaded for bear fly overhead. Our small group, all dressed in BlackGuard uniforms, faces covered by masks, head across the tarmac. Lilly is similarly dressed, her face hidden, but she lies on a field stretcher carried by Hawkins and Maigo.

The buildings ahead aren’t very impressive, and I think that’s the point. The base remained a secret for a long time, thanks to its uninspiring facade. Long hangars, single-story buildings, bland structures all the way around. Looks more like a low budget construction company than a top secret base developing and testing the most advanced tech in the world. According to Endo, and conspiracy theorists, it’s all a sham. The real action is underground, and even if the entire world knows it, who cares? They still can’t see what’s going on here. But we’re about to.

It takes all of my restraint to not look back when I hear missiles take to the sky, multiple explosions and the Tsuchi’s high pitched roar. But I manage to stride on like it’s no big deal.

Endo leads us to a small building that looks like a double-wide mobile home. The steps look like old wood, but they’re solid metal. At the top, the door, also faux worn and solid steel, slides open smoothly. The short hallway on the other side of the door ends at an elevator, one of many hidden in the buildings around the base—or rather, bas
es
, plural—with each elevator leading to a different black operation, all protected by the U.S. Air Force, who likely has no idea what really goes on below ground. Two guards, dressed in black, flinch at the sight of us. They’re either spooked by the knowledge that a Kaiju is approaching, or by the sudden appearance of the BlackGuard.

We head straight toward them and stop. I wait in silence, glaring at the men, letting them think it’s Silhouette behind the mask. Finally, I say, “Dark Matter for the infirmary.”

One of the men, let’s call him Chuck, looks past me, at Lilly. “Looks like one of ours.”

He’s right, so I lift off her mask, revealing her feline face. She twitches, but doesn’t wake, still out for the count, which is definitely concerning. Endo better be right about getting her some fast help here.

Perhaps bolstered by Chuck’s questioning, the second man, we’ll call him Bob, inspects the rest. “I heard you lost men.”

“New recruits,” I say, slowly turning my reflective face on Bob so he can be reminded about how worried he looks.

Bob forces a laugh and hitches his thumb toward Collins. “Since when does the BlackGuard recruit wom—”

Collins cold cocks Bob in the side of the head, dropping him in a crumpled heap.

Chuck reaches for his gun, but Endo, Collins and I are all faster on the draw. Before he gets the weapon from its holster, he’s got three muzzles leveled at his face.

“Are you aware of what we lost today?” I ask, making sure my voice is low and threatening.

“Ye-yes, sir.”

“Then you must also realize that I am in a really,
really
bad mood.” I push my weapon into his forehead. “You know they won’t care if I shoot you, right? You are dispensable. I am not.”

Chuck is shaking a little bit right now. I’ve never instilled this kind of fear in someone before. Silhouette must have a seriously nasty reputation.

“Now call the God. Damned. Elevator.”

The man places his hand on the palm print scanner. Blue light flashes back and forth, and the elevator doors slide open. Once we’re inside, the doors closed, Collins says, “Too much?”

“Just right,” Endo replies. “And not the first time one of them has been punched.” He pushes one of three elevator buttons.

“Only three levels?” I ask.

“Three main levels, each with more elevators going down. But we are primarily interested with what is on levels one and three. Any lower could be...dangerous. Even for the BlackGuard.”

“What’s below level three?” Hawkins asks.

Endo looks back at Obsidian’s doppelganger. “Answers.”

“To what?” Collin says.

“To everything.”

“Okay, thank you Captain Cryptic,” I say. “But why level three? I thought the infirmary was on the first level.”

“It is, and you’ll see. It’s not something I can easily explain, but...you need to know what you’re really up against.”

“Make sure you add mysterious and foreboding to your eHarmony account.” I straighten my relaxed posture as the doors open, but the act is for nothing. The hallway on the other side is empty...and gloomy. The hall is round, like a large sewer pipe. A grated metal walkway is mounted to the curved floor. The lights along the ceiling are yellow and caged. This place is built like a Cold-War bomb shelter.

A vibration moves through the tunnel. The Tsuchi is waging a war on the surface, but can it reach us, GOD and the Brice clones down here? Feeling a sense of Endo’s foreboding, I head down the hallway, each footfall echoing loudly on the metal floor.

“Second door on the right,” Endo says.

As we pass the first door, I glance through the window into a sophisticated control room with large, interactive displays, tech I don’t recognize, Zach Cole and more than one Alicio Brice. My plan is to continue past without stopping, but I fail to stop myself from doing a double take. Not because of who I saw, but because of what was on the large screen—Nemesis. On land. Not in LA or pre-recorded anywhere on the East Coast during the last two years. The barren desert she’s stomping over is definitely West Coast, meaning this picture is live.

It takes all my will to move forward, but I need to get Woodstock and get out of here before the Tsuchi puts the smack down on this place. As we approach the second door on the right, I note that it is guarded. Not wanting to dick around with the guy, I walk up to him, look him in the eyes—and he steps aside, unlocking the door with his handprint. I was going to knock him out and use his hand, but this worked out well enough. Our group files inside. It looks like a small hospital, with rooms on either side of three hallways, left, right and straight ahead.

Endo points to the right and looks at Hawkins and Lilly. “You’ll find a large, clear, pill-shaped device at the end of the hall. Put her inside, seal the hatch and step back. Do not interfere until it is finished.” He points to Collins and me. “You two with me.”

“You sure about this?” Hawkins asks me.

“If you’re not comfortable, we can wait, but we don’t know how she’s doing.”

“I have no reason to lie,” Endo says, “And I harbor the girl no ill will.”

Hawkins stands motionless for just a moment and then makes up his mind, leading Maigo and the unconscious Lilly down the right hallway.

A nurse steps out of a nearby office and looks surprised to see us. “Oh. You guys again.” She’s also not very intimidated.

“Looking for the old man and the young woman brought in with him.”

“You mean Old Timer Magnum P.I. and Lucy Liu?”

On the inside, I’m shouting “Yes!” and hugging the woman for seeing the world through the same sarcastic lens as me, but I maintain my cold exterior and say, “Sounds like them.”

She points straight ahead. “End of the hall.”

Without a thank you or nod of appreciation, I head down the hall with Collins and Endo. The door at the end is locked, a hand print reader beside it. The nurse clearly believes that Silhouette or the BlackGuard could unlock the door. We’ve been lucky to have quasi-willing guards at the other doors.

“Maybe you’re still in the system?” I say to Endo. “It’s still a government facility.”

He’s already removing his glove. “They could have flagged me, too.”

“Just do it,” Collins says, and Endo obeys, placing his hand on the scanner. A moment later, the door unlocks. Inside are a surprised Woodstock and Alessi, sitting in comfortable chairs, drinking soda and playing what looks like poker.

Woodstock, whose head is bandaged and right arm is in a futuristic-looking blue cast, and who is dressed in what looks like a bright blue flight suit, throws down his cards and says, “Really? I’m about to drop a royal flush down, and you bunch of yahoos are gonna—”

“Don’t,” Endo says to Alessi. “It’s me.”

Alessi’s eyes widen. “Endo?”

“Don’t what?” I ask.

“Hudson?” Woodstock says, his surprise matching Alessi’s.

Endo, Collins and I lift our reflective goggles so they can see it’s us.

“Well, damn,” Woodstock says. “Alessi here was about to shank you!”

Alessi holds up her right hand. She’s holding a long, sharpened piece of metal. “Took it off my bed,” she says.

“They would have killed you,” Endo chides.

“They were going to anyway,” she argues.

“We decided we’d rather die fighting than wait it out.” Woodstock grunts and stands. “And to be honest, we weren’t sure we’d see you all again. Now, let’s get this pony show on the road.”

The nurse looks alarmed when we exit with Woodstock and Alessi in tow. “I wasn’t told about any transfers.”

“Hey,” Maigo says, suddenly appearing beside the nurse. She slugs her and the woman sprawls over a desk, spilling dramatically to the floor. Before I can get upset, Maigo points to Collins. “If she can do it, I can do it.”

Why is everyone in my life always right?

“Where is Hawkins?” I ask.

“Still with Lilly. And a doctor. He’s helping, but not happily.”

“We have time,” Endo says to me. “You need to see.”

“I need to come with you,” Maigo says. She’s not being demanding or young, so I believe her. Whatever is down there has something to do with Nemesis, and that means it has something to do with Maigo.

Surprisingly, Endo looks to me, waiting for my answer.

I nod. “Collins, you’re coming with us, too.” I hand Woodstock my sidearm. The KRISS rifle over my back, taken from the X-35’s small but well stocked armory closet, would be too much for him to handle with one arm.

Endo gives Alessi his KRISS, and says, “Ten minutes. Then we’ll all leave together.”

“Stay here by the door,” I tell them. “If anyone not us comes in—”