The Shanghai Connection

Solid State Universe Prequel to the Solid State Sigma Series The Shanghai Connection Alexei Cyren
Chapter 1
Guang Chin lifted the lit cigar up to his mouth and inhaled deeply. Grey ash fell to the oor like drifting snow. He watched his thirty rascals and thugs joke with each other. They were inside the Red Lantern Restaurant in the Lotus District of Shanghai. The restaurant was busy this morning with patrons and servers buzzing around like madmen driving between tables. Customers gave their orders and servers rapidly scribbled it down. Guangs men were no exception when they yelled for pork and shrimp dumplings. One of the servers, dressed in his smooth silk jacket, paled when the order he brought was the wrong one. Spiky haired Hu stood up and got into the servers face, snarling with rage. Dont you know how to show the Jade Dragon gang proper respect! I ordered fried pork not fried shrimp, idiot!
The Shanghai Connection
The server mumbled his apologies, stepped back in fear and tripped on his dim sum cart, landing on his ass. Hu and the rest of Guangs men laughed. Hu walked over and picked the server off the ground, dusting him with feigned kindness. Now if you know whats good for you make sure you get me the right dish, okay? The server stammered, Yes, yes, right away! man grabbed his cart and jetted off for the kitchen. The
Hu looked at Guang and smacked his head in exasperation. Can you believe the service we get here, boss? We should go to the Pearl Lion Restaurant they know how to treat us right! Guang chuckled as he dusted off some cigar ash from his dark blazer. He kept the cigar in the mouth of his blocky, soccer ball sized head as he replied to Hu. You know I save Pearl Lion Restaurant for lunch Hu. Anyway, I like the tea here at the Red Lantern. Purple haired Sheng spoke up. Hey, boss, the drug shipments coming down from Yancheng sector. Do you want me to triple the guards? I hear the Crimson Suns might be thinking of crashing the party. Guang scrunched his eyebrows together and scratched his own spiky black hair. Damn Crimson Suns and the Shanghai Seven, theyve been messing with us for way too long. Good ears, Sheng. Thats why youre one of my boys. Quadruple the guards. I dont want those pricks getting any of our drugs especially the sylik.
Alexei Cyren
He zoned out for a moment as he thought about the situation. It was January 3, 2146 FE and the Western New Year was over the Chinese New Year was coming up. The last few months however were some of the most trying. Their rivals the Crimson Suns and the Shanghai Seven were ramping up attacks on Jade Dragon shipments. Wen Chang, Guangs boss was worried that the Suns and the Seven were going to nally join forces and attack them. The Jade Dragon was the most inuential in the city sector but didnt have the kind of repower needed to wipe out their rivals if all out war broke out. That got Guang worried lately. Then again his boss, Wen, was working on an answer. Hed be hearing about it tonight. Sheng gave Guang the thumbs up. You got it, boss. Just leave it to me. Guang nodded and puffed out a ring of smoke as he pulled out his cigar with two ngers. These are my boys, tough and able. Thats why I took them in. Shanghai was Guangs home all his life. He practically grew up with the Jade Dragon gang. To him, all other gangs were enemies and worse than garbage. If only we could take over the entire city sector and the rest of the Sericent underworld. I could be rich and live a life of comfort with
lots of beautiful women more than I have already. All I have to do is make Wen Changs dream come true and Ill be rewarded. That brought a smile to Guang Chins lips as he puffed on his cigar. Spiky haired Hu chuckled. Daydreaming again boss? Guangs eyes narrowed at Hu. You got a problem with your boss dreaming about money and sexy, naked women? Sheng pounded his chest. women for us too, boss! Just save some of those
Were all such perverts. Guess thats why they work for me. Guang noticed a red laser dot on Shengs forehead. His eyes widened. Sheng, get down you idiot! He was too late. A searing orange laser drilled through Shengs brain, dropping the purple haired thug instantly. The windows at the front of the restaurant shattered as blistering ruby beams and high impact nano-rounds burst through killing anyone who was unlucky enough to be in the way. A woman in a tight blue dress and her daughter went down in front of Guang as bullets ripped them to tattered shreds. Guang dropped to the oor thankful and sorry that the young mother and her kid got caught in the crossre.
Alexei Cyren
Sorry, lady, life goes to those who win and survive. He pulled out his Acari-6 laser pistol, raised it over his head and red blindly. Hu kicked over one of the oval AR-steel tables in front of Guang, creating some cover for the Dragon thugs nearby. Guang put his back to it and yelled at Hu. Why the hell didnt the boys outside warn us! Hu leaned out and his pistol spat out several shots taking out one of their attackers who wore a red bandana on his left arm. They must have died just before they started shooting at us. Probably got sniped. Guang cursed. God damn, Crimson Suns! This is war! Men! Kill those sons of bitches! KILL THEM ALL! Guangs remaining twenty thugs roared in unison as they kicked over tables, took cover and opened re. He checked his tactical HUD. His sensors showed fteen enemies ring from the front of the restaurant. His men, roused by his vicious spirit, took down half of them with a barrage of re. Then the tables turned on them. Fifteen gun men burst out of the back kitchen of the restaurant, spraying death at anything that moved. One young man in a grey suit made the mistake of getting up and running for the exit in
panic. He was gunned down before he got ten steps. Guang didnt feel sorry for the guy. Four of Guangs men joined the bystander in death as they were hit from behind. Guangs remaining rascals knocked over more tables for cover against the group behind them. My loyal rascals Theyre going to pay! Guangs cigar was still in his mouth as he stood up. You want to die today do you? No one attacks Guang Chin and lives! He squeezed the trigger of his Acari laser pistol and sent burning beams into the Crimson Sun thugs coming from the rear. He ignored the bullets and rays streaking through the air around him. His orange targeting circles linked with his gun. His reaction speed jumped and he red with ruthless precision. In a few seconds, seven Crimson Sun thugs lay dead by Guangs hand. He was a gun-toting demon. His men joined his chorus of revenge and before the quarter hour was done, all the Crimson Sun assassins crossed to the other side. He looked over his handiwork. The rest of the restaurants patrons cowered in fear by the side walls.
Alexei Cyren
Dozens of patrons lay dead among the broken china. Guang took out his brown cigar. Out of the thirty men he brought to morning tea at the Red Lantern only ten remained. Not bad, at least ten made it out including Hu. A damn shame about Sheng. Guangs boss, Wen Chang, wasnt going to be happy about losing men at all. To Ariel, Shanghai sector was like any other part of Sericent: it was a dark and gritty wonderland of supertowers that soared dozens of kilometres into the sky, housing millions of people inside each and every one. No one saw the planets surface anymore that place was nicknamed the Under Dark even though it was ofcially known as Deep Sericent. It was a place that housed terrifying and strange creatures at its deepest depths, some of whom no longer needed eyes after living down there so long. All the levels under ve hundred were considered part of the Under Dark. Thugs, murderers, convicts, rapists and the poor lled the levels between that border and rock bottom. Most saw the place as hell on earth. Sericent was lled with over eight billion people. The entire world was one planet sized city with no mountains, forests, oceans or rivers. There wasnt one inch of the world that wasnt covered in urban concrete jungle, technology, pipes and machinery except for the small area
around the polar ice caps. Thankfully, the rest of the Solis star systems 65 billion were settled on colony ships, platforms and terraformed moons around or on the remaining twelve planets. Ariel imagined what it would be like if 65 billion people lived on Sericent. She thought she would go crazy and lock herself in a closet. Just getting boxed in by the number of people in Shanghai sectors tower streets was bad enough. Ariel and her handsome, Mexican partner Piero patrolled the streets of Lotus District in downtown Shanghai. The volt cars zoomed by like a never-ending torrent. She saw the streets of the tower block opposite them through the lines of trafc and glare of holo-ads. Tower streets jutted out of every level. Every tower had one thousand levels. There were street bridges between the towers that allowed people to walk back and forth but it was slow going. The hordes of humanity were like a relentless swarm of ants. Or so Ariel thought anyway. And Im right, smack dab in the middle. She looked at her partner Piero. He watched the street food vendors hawk their wares in Mandarin. They did so at the top of their lungs so they would be heard above the vendors on either side of them.
Alexei Cyren
It seemed like the merchants were engaged in shouting contests. Pieros raven-coloured hair complemented his high cheekbones, sharp chin and hawkish nose. His broad shoulders owed into his lean, athletic physique. While on duty he wore his scaly bronze Dreydis nano armour with pride. Ariel wore the same burnished nano-armour Piero did. Her hair was tied back in a tight pony tail. Normally she wore her dark red leather jacket, tight tting blue jeans and tank top but that wasnt allowed while she was on patrol. Sometimes she wished she could dress casually on the job. Gods, Im such a rebel. They pushed through the crowd. Pieros voice echoed in her head even though he wasnt looking at her. He watched for trouble along the tower street. Do you think well run into some excitement today, Ariel? So far the last few days were quiet. Almost too quiet. Ariel didnt believe life should stand so still for so long. Maybe she itched for some action like Piero. They worked together for the last few weeks. They were getting to know each other better on a professional level. Ariel and Piero got into plenty of violent scraps together. They were all dangerous and memorable cases
*** Initially there was tension between Ariel and her partner. She slowly opened up to Pieros light hearted attitude. He wasnt arrogant like other Guardians she knew and always looked out for her. It turned out he was single despite all the beauties at Shanghai Precinct clamouring for his attention. Handsome and single you dont see that very often. Piero was a mystery at times. Ive really got to stop thinking about him like this hes my partner, it isnt professional. And after Christian I dont want to be in another relationship. Ariel felt that yearning in her heart, however. No one wants to be alone. In Piero, she sensed a wound that wasnt healed. I wonder what happened to him? In their short time together, they worked dozens of cases and today would be another day to build on that foundation. Yet Ariel felt that something was going to change soon. Something big and she couldnt put her nger on it. Ariel pushed away her thoughts of Piero. She focused on the street and the crowd in front of her. She kept her eyes peeled for the occasional purse snatcher or pick pocket.
10
Alexei Cyren
Shi Hsueh, one of her D-7 team members, messaged her over wireless. Hey, Ariel, just got word from dispatch that theres been a major shootout at the Red Lantern Restaurant on 87892 Street, Level 689. Youre patrolling nearby so it works out. Do you mind heading over there instead? Meng and I are dealing with a four-man violent assault on Level 687. Piero cocked an eyebrow in Ariels direction. Ariel responded, Okay, Shi. Make sure Meng doesnt get too excited. Shi laughed. No problem, Ariel. Ariels nano-brain computer or NBC linked with Shanghai Precincts central server. The case le on the shootout at Red Lantern Restaurant was downloaded into her mind. The le appeared as a ashing red folder icon at the bottom right hand corner of her sight. With a quick command she transferred it to Piero over short range wireless. The global wireless network covered all of Sericent. The High Intensity Virtual Reality or HIVR network piggybacked on it. If she were a typical white-collar worker in an ofce it was possible to never leave home at all and go to work virtually. Thank God Im not. I dont think I could stand doing admin all day.
11
*** As a Guardian, Ariel needed to be out on the streets in the esh. She was what passed for a modern day cop with expanded powers of arrest, detainment and seizure. Everything she saw or did was recorded and sent back to the Shanghai Precinct central server at the end of every shift. It was a highly efcient system thanks to modern technology. With everything recorded there were rarely issues with proving guilt. Ariel and Piero hurried over to the Red Lantern Restaurant despite throngs of people in their way. Most people steered clear of the Guardians when they saw them coming. It was common knowledge that Guardian nano armour made the wearer hard to kill and gave them enhanced strength. Most two-bit thugs didnt dare take on a Guardian without a high-powered weapon. When Ariel and Piero nally arrived at the Red Lantern, they were greeted with a tragic sight. Gods, it looks like a war zone without the bombs. The Red Lantern Restaurants holo-sign oated over the painted red facade. The walls were made of a mix AR-steel and super-concrete like the rest of the tower block though the glass sections were shattered. The glass steel double doors were half melted, twisted chunks on the ground due to energy damage.
12
Alexei Cyren
Ariel and Piero walked by ambulance shuttles and paramedics treating injured patrons. The Shanghai remen in their orange-brown suits were on standby. They walked through the doorway into the devastated restaurant. Two of her D-7 team members were already here Ying Peng and Lixue Meng. Ying was a 54 Asian with extremely short black hair that made her look boyish. Lixue was about the same height as Ying but carried herself with more condence in the face of the leering thugs they questioned. Her nanotech altered red hair reminded Ariel of a lit match and she glared at the rascals around her. Ariel felt her irritation at the thugs tickling the back of her throat. She scanned the markings on their bodies and noticed the green dragon tattoo on several of them. It was the tattoo used by Jade Dragon gang members. Why am I not surprised? Ariel noticed Pieros frown and felt his disgust or loathing for these men as they drew near. Whatever happened before, they both silently agreed that these men deserved what they got. The innocent bystanders however did not. Shi and Meng decided to give the girls the tougher gig today just to tick them off. Ill have to talk to those two later.
13
Ariel recognized Guang Chin, one of the powerful subbosses of the Jade Dragons. He was the right hand of one of the gangs top lieutenants, Wen Chang. Wen Chang was the son of the leader of the entire organization, Manchu Chang. Wens father hid behind the clean and decent image of being the CEO of the import-export company Chang Enterprises Limited. The Guardians were unable to get any dirt to take the gangs leader or his son down. Manchu was too careful. His army of lawyers and political inuence made it hard to move against him. Guang Ch'in possessed a blocky head the size of a soccer ball with spiky black hair and brown eyes. There was a cigar in his mouth and he puffed happily away as his boys kept Lixue and Ying busy. He wore a black blazer with sable slacks and nicely shined dress shoes. His shirt was unbuttoned to the middle of his chest. He was the model image of a gang boss. The Jade Dragons thought they were untouchable but the attacks by other gangs showed that wasnt the case at all. The ten surviving rascals joked and laughed at Lixue and Ying. They made sexual remarks and asked the two for a date. That is no way to treat a Guardian! ***
14
Alexei Cyren
Piero surged ahead of Ariel and marched right up to Guang Chin. His body language radiated a deep hatred for these men, more than she ever saw when he dealt with other crooks. Whats eating Piero? Guang Chin, why am I not surprised lth like you is involved in this mess. Pieros Mandarin was awless. Guang puffed on his cigar and blew a cloud of smoke into Pieros face. Well, well, if it isnt Piero Feliciano. How are you doing, Guardian? Fancy seeing you around here. The mans blocky face split in a wide grin. Piero gave him a cold glare. Im doing ne. Weve got a few questions for you about what happened here. Guang considered Pieros request. I thought my boys answered all those questions the two sweethearts over there were asking. Ariel got between the Jade Dragon thugs, Lixue and Ying. She glared at the Dragons and they backed away from her. Unlike Lixue and Ying, she radiated a fearsomeness that most people found disturbing. It was a product of her joint Naval operations training and combat experience against mercenary corporations. Compared to the professional killers of the Burning Men or Ashion, the Jade Dragons were nothing more than street brats who played with powerful guns. They were dangerous but far from scary.
15
Lixue and Ying let out a sigh of relief. The two were more green than Ariel. It was her duty to take care of them and show them the ropes. Ariels gaze swept across the thugs but none of them dared get any closer. You are all going to answer Guardian Ying and Lixues questions. Am I clear? Crystal clear, Guardian. One of the Jade Dragons said. They grudgingly cooperated with Lixue and Meng after that. Ariel turned her attention to the destruction. Her vision recorded everything in her nano-brain. The nanobrain computer went through it with a ne tooth comb. Her hyper-mind augments let her rapidly understand and analyze it all in milliseconds. The red bandana tied around the arms of the dead gunmen told her they were Crimson Sun gang members. Most of the weapons were high quality laser and mass driver pistols. Some carried assault ries. Ariel rebuilt the entire reght in her head from start to nish using quantum scenario modelling and nearby security footage. The Crimson Sun soldiers sniped the four Jade Dragon guards outside from a distant street four clicks away. The ground soldiers moved in and opened re on Guang Chin and his men. They could have used the snipers to pick off Guang when he left
16
Alexei Cyren
the restaurant. No, they wanted this to be up close and personal. It was a sign that they werent afraid to get their hands dirty. Based on a rough estimation of the Jade Dragon weapons, capabilities and their pre-existing criminal records, Guang was the deciding factor in the ght. The Crimson Sun circled around back with another force of fteen foot soldiers. They came through the kitchen and caught Guang in a crossre. Guang rallied his men and they took out the enemy force. A spiky haired Chinese man in a sleeveless black shirt, blue jeans with a holstered laser pistol stepped forward. Who the hell do you think youre talking to! Were the Jade Dragons and the Crimson Suns attacked us. Youre supposed to be keeping the peace! We were the ones who were wronged why the hell are you questioning us! The tension in the air shot up again by several degrees. Ariel stared into the mans ratty brown eyes. Hu Yi held a rap sheet a mile long. Well, one of them isnt completely spineless. Ariels Mandarin was rougher than Pieros. Your gangs crimes, drugs and money is what drew this mess here in the rst place. You put the other patrons in danger and are just as responsible for their deaths as the Crimson Suns. She put her hands on her hips. Hu backed down. Lixue and Ying kept questioning the
17
other nine Jade Dragons. They ignored Hu. Ariel watched Piero question Guang. She turned up the volume on her nano-microphones. Wow, Ive never seen so Piero so ticked off hes usually never like this. The sub-boss was getting underneath Pieros skin. Guang smoothed back his spiky hair as he smoked his expensive Cuban cigar. Look Guardian Ive told you everything I know. The Crimson Suns came out of nowhere, killed twenty of my loyal men and we defended ourselves. Last I checked, that was in the Charter right? Guang was trying to provoke Piero more than he already did. Ariel drew closer. She saw where this was going and it wasnt anywhere good. Ive got to stop Piero before he does something hes going to regret later. Piero was about to punch Guangs smug face when Ariel grabbed his left arm and pulled him away. She said to him over wireless, Piero, weve worked together for a little over a month and youve never let scum like this get to you. You need to calm down, we cant afford to rile up the Jade Dragons with a public assault by a Guardian. Weve dealt with the gangs and street drugs every so often but it is like Piero and Guang have a bit of history. I should ask Piero about this. I just hope hell open up. Piero gritted his teeth and shook off Ariels arm. His
18
Alexei Cyren
replied in her mind. Fine, Ariel. This wasnt going anywhere anyway. I think the why is pretty obvious. You mean the reports about the gangs attacking each others shipments of guns, money and drugs? Yeah, those reports. This is the rst time theres been an attack in broad daylight in a public setting. So youre thinking its the opening of an all-out gang war in the sector? Piero nodded his head. I guess we have to report this to the Chief and see where we go from there. Piero looked back at the grinning Guang and his frown deepened. It sure beats wasting time with these lowlives.
19
Chapter 2
Ariel wore her usual scarlet leather jacket, tight tting jeans and tank top. Her Dreydis nano armour was hidden by her clothing. She stood in the elevator as it shot up to the penthouse suites on level one thousand roughly thirty kilometres above the surface of the planet. The elevator doors were so polished she saw her reection in them. She looked out the glass steel elevator window. The sky darkened, turning Shanghai sector into an ocean of radiance. The rivers of volt car trafc reminded Ariel of Christmas lights strung through the sky. In the middle left of Ariels vision the oor number ashed and rose steadily upward until it hit: LEVEL 1000. All of todays technology was linked to the nanobrain computers installed within most human brains at an early age. If she was in a supermarket she would see the prices and deals for different items in her vision there was no longer any need for price signs. !
20
Alexei Cyren
Augmented reality has come a long way. It was amusing to take note of the things she took for granted. Ill likely miss it more when I no longer have it handy. Everything was displayed within a persons NBC whenever they came within certain ranges set by programmers. Even ads on the subway did that though you could turn them off if you wanted. Ad companies tailored deals specically to a persons tastes and desires based on their purchase history and what they did on the HIVR network. Ariel wasnt a big shopper so she didnt bother with ads and thus it was never an issue. Her thoughts however returned to the task at hand. She walked near the elevator door and it opened automatically because of the sensors. She stepped into a wonderland of white marble and jade. There were gold statues of dragons, ancient Chinese warriors in armour wielding halberds, phoenix birds and other mythical Asian beasts. All of this was from a time so long ago that no one except the historians might remember. The wonders and technology of yesterday is todays history. Expensive black and red rugs ran down the length of the hallway oor. There were doors to different penthouse suites. Since each level of a tower block was at least one hundred feet high, every penthouse suite was actually a ten story tower. The real estate prices in Shanghais Red Sun District ran in the millions of credits.
21
Only the rich, powerful and wealthy lived up here, looking down on the rest of the world that made up Shanghai City sector. Ariel walked towards the suite marked Yu Wan Hsueh in the AR overlay. She followed the digital map that appeared in the upper right hand quadrant of her vision. Her blue blip drew closer to the yellow destination marker and she stopped in front of the double doors. In front of the aqua green AR-steel egress were two hulking six foot tall Chinese guards dressed in black suits and wearing shades. Their lips were pressed into a grim line. They didnt say a thing as Ariel approached. Im Ariel Blake, Guardian of the SAG Shanghai Precinct. I have an appointment with Ms. Hsueh. The guard on the left muttered in a way that made his lips barely move. Ms. Hsueh told us to give you a test. You have to agree rst. Do you agree to be tested? A test? I need to be tested before I can see an information broker? Ariel was on the trail of the terrorist militia known as the Black Phoenix. She chased their agents all across Sericent out of various Precincts. She was currently stationed in Shanghai.
22
Alexei Cyren
The Black Phoenix were an elusive bunch when they didnt want to be found and she hit more dead ends than she ever cared to. It was like they were always a step ahead of her or the Guardians. Eventually their luck is going to run out. The Phoenix killed her mother and she would walk into hell itself to avenge her. Yue wants me to run a gauntlet of tests, huh? Bring it on. Ariel smiled pleasantly at the two guards. accept. So what do I Okay, I
The two guards lashed out at her before she nished asking. Her boosted reexes helped her ip backward out of reach of Yues guards. Their sts struck empty air. A st ght No problem. The left guard with altered dark blue hair tried to ank her in the gigantic hall while the right guard with black hair charged her. Black Hairs sts struck fast in a style similar to Wing Chun kung fu. Ariel was trained in Jeet Kune Do, Russian Systema and Krav Maga. Jeet Kune Dos roots were in Wing Chung kung fu. Her forearms blocked Black Hairs strikes while she launched counter attacks at the same time. Blue Hair closed in from the rear. Her nano-armour boosted her agility and she leapt over Black Hair. She
23
twisted around in midair and launched a spinning kick that connected with the right side of his face. The guards glasses shattered and he sailed to Ariels left. Blue Hair rushed at Ariel now that his fellow was knocked aside. He launched a urry of jumping front kicks and round kicks. She identied his style as Tae Kwon Do, an ancient Korean martial art focused on kicks. Ariel ducked into low blocks and switched to alternating right-left blocks as the urry of kicks came at her. The guy is nano-tech augmented. His speed and strength are beyond normal ranges. No surprise Mechanical cyborgs were rare since humanity mastered the use of nano-machines thanks to quantum computing and engineering breakthroughs. Nano-tech augments were powerful and improved the human body without being seen or replacing anything. The fact that human limbs could be regenerated made classic cyborgs a thing of the distant past. Black Hair sped towards her from the left as Ariel blocked Blue Hairs fast kicks. She dropped low as Blue Hair kicked high. She shattered his supporting knee with a front kick. Sorry, I need to pass this test.
24
Alexei Cyren
Blue Hair howled and crashed to the oor. Black Hair launched a series of low front kicks and sweeps. He expected her to leap back. He was wrong. Ariel threw herself towards him using only her left hand. Black Hairs face ew right into Ariels double heel kick. It was angled forty-ve degrees towards the ceiling. The blow knocked him right off his feet and he crumpled to the ground unconscious several feet away. Their both down so whats next? The aqua green double doors to Yue Wans massive penthouse suite opened by themselves and Ariel strolled inside. Her nano-armour wicked the sweat from her little exercise session. She found herself in a palatial lobby with spiral stairs of white marble and jade going up to the second oor. There were white tiger statues at the four corners of the lobby room. The furniture was arranged so that the lobby felt bigger than it really was. Its probably done in the ancient Chinese feng shui fashion for boosting good fortune and luck. Ariel was seriously impressed by the wealth and nery that the information broker showed off here. Yue Wan Hsuehs well-known, well connected and makes more credits in one hour than I do in a year. On Sericent, Yue Wan
25
was one of the top information brokers within the Far East Asian Region. Her information and spy network was said to span all of the System Alliance worlds and beyond. Several Chinese bodyguards, dressed like Blue and Black Hair, marched out of doors from the East, west and north. She heard Blue and Black Hair being dragged away to the West behind her. Seventy-ve guards formed lines of twenty-ve. They stood in front of the East, west and north walls and faced her. Their faces were like stone impassive. Every one of them was armed with a holstered pistol. A gorgeous Chinese woman with wavy, emerald hair, brown eyes and a diamond studded nose ring walked casually down the jade-marble stairs from the second oor. Her full, luscious pink lips and blue eyelashes would make any man pant with lust. She wore a deep cut purple silk dress that revealed her ample bosom and lithe beauty. There were slits in her dress that showed off her smooth, golden tanned legs. She wore sapphire studded high heels,which helped highlight her generous bust. If Piero were here Ariel might have felt a pang of envy and jealousy. As luck would have it, I didnt bring Piero along. Her mission of revenge was too dangerous to endanger someone elses life. Sometimes Ariel wondered how far shed really go to make the Phoenix pay.
26
Alexei Cyren
Would I be willing to sacrice people to do it? Or would that make me no better than the Black Phoenix? Ariel veried Yue Wans face from the database in her NBC as she approached. She buried her concerns in the dark corners of her mind. So this is Yue Wan Hsueh the picture in her le doesnt do her justice. Yue Wans smile radiated both intelligence and warmth. Welcome, Ariel Blake. My name is Yue Wan Hsueh. You passed the rst test and I was pleasantly amused. Your ghting ability is indeed the real deal. This ones a dangerous woman How much does Yue know about me? She felt a small pang of annoyance. According to the Guardians and SAG Naval Intelligence (SAGNI), Yue Wan was a former prostitute turned high end escort. She was so good at getting information out of people that she became a powerful information broker. Eventually she formed a spy network that was enough to rival SAGNIs own. Ariel studied the womans brown eyes. Well, I dont really know what anyone says about my ghting abilities. What I do know is that you know a lot of things and I have a question I was hoping you could answer. Yue Wans eyes twinkled. Ah my dear Ariel, before I can answer that question you must pass my second test. Would you like a drink?
27
She shook her head. I make it a policy not to accept drinks from strangers or enemies. A shame Yue Wan snapped her ngers and a Chinese girl in a seductive, long white dress entered from the West doors with a pomegranate margarita in a salt rimmed glass. Yue Wan took it with her left hand, sipped and dismissed the girl. Yue Wan sat down on a single high backed chair made of gold with white cushions and ruby phoenix designs. She crossed her legs and gestured for Ariel to sit across from her in a twin chair made from rare red oak grown on the garden world of Eises. Ariel took the offered seat. She sat ten feet away from one of the most shadowy and powerful women within the SAG worlds. Of course she faced death down numerous times and met powerful people in the military but this woman was different. I have to admire her. She rose from a lowly prostitute and runaway into a woman of secrets, wealth and power through her own determination. Ariel and Yue made small talk about current events within the Systems Alliance worlds. It seemed Yue was subtly probing for useful information. She didnt reveal anything to the information broker that she thought was classied. Eventually the topic turned to the second test.
28
Alexei Cyren
Ariel, youve proven yourself capable in combat. I wish to know how nimble your mind is. Its not often that a Guardian pays me a visit for information. So how about we play a game of Chinese tri-chess? Yue knows that the only reason I would come to her is that Im after something that the Guardians or the SAG government cant know about. She knew she was at a disadvantage in her dealings with Yue Wan. It was Yues way or the highway. Ariel couldnt take the highway. She needed answers. She was going to get them. She spent many afternoons playing against Eve and sometimes Matt, childhood friends who were both strategy game junkies. She learned different strategy games and played well though Eve and Matt were ranked by the Sericent Strategic Gamers Society as two of the top ten players in the entire SAG. She had no idea how they compared to champions in the Datar Colonial Alliance or Sagitarus Rebel Alliance worlds. Ariel never bothered to join the SSGS so she didnt have a clue how well she ranked but it likely wasnt the top ten. If I want to get a lead on the Black Phoenix, I'll have to play. She nodded her head. Lets play then. Yue Wan smiled. Fearless and determined. I respect that. She put down her blood red pomegranate
29
margarita and raised both of her hands. Yue sent a silent command through wireless and a 3D globe with blue crisscrossing grid lines appeared between them. The various pieces of Chinese chess like the king, elephant, soldier and chariot appeared as ancient, armoured human men from bygone ages. There were at least three times the number of pieces of the 2D version. Ariel took red while Yue chose black. The rst move was hers. She began developing the chariots attack lines so she could control the right half of the battleeld. Yue did the same on the left half. They moved and counter-moved. Pieces were deployed and the ow of battle was building. They warred for the central elds. Ariel lost her cannon, soldier and a horseman in the exchange. Yue closed in for the kill. Her advisor, chariot and several soldiers entered Ariels home eld zone hoping to cut off the generals escape. Ariel swooped in to rescue her general with a force of chariots, horsemen and elephants. She swept aside Yues attack with a move that Eve used against her during a thirteenth birthday party match. Yu e Wa n w a s s t u n n e d by t h e t u r n a ro u n d .
30
Alexei Cyren
Impressive Ive never seen such a daring rescue gambit before. Ariel grinned. I had good teachers. ! Yue recovered from her setback and probed Ariels defences. Another wave of soldiers and horsemen hit the lower right side of Ariels defence line in the gorge. It became a knife ght that nearly crushed Ariels force of soldiers, an advisor and an elephant. Ariel wracked her brain and turned the gorge into a diversion which threw off Yue. Her secondary force of chariots, cannons and horsemen smashed through Yues weakened back line. They rampaged through the brokers rear encampment. The game was over ten minutes later with the capture of Yues general. Yue stroked her chin as she glanced up at Ariel. A very close game. If Id gotten through the gorge, your general would have been mine rst. A risky gambit if I committed more forces I may have won. If I had committed less then we may have tied. What a dilemma I should have been bold. Congratulations, Ariel Blake, you have impressed me yet again and passed my second test. What theres a third?!? I thought you said this was the nal test. So do I earn the right to ask you a question?
31
Yue looked amused. Yes, Ariel Blake, you do have the right. So ask away. Ariel took a deep breath. Im looking for leads to the Black Phoenix. Do you have any? Yue Wan leaned back in her gold chair and crossed her legs. She stroked her chin with the tip of her manicured nger as she examined Ariel. I do have a lead. The people you hope to nd however are extremely dangerous and among the most difcult to learn anything about as Im sure youre quite aware. I also understand why you are after the Phoenix. You earned the right to ask your question but I never said I would give you an answer. Just like I thought. So the tests were to earn the right to ask you a question. What do I have to do to get the answer? Yue Wan rested her arm on the gilded arm rest and put her chin in her left palm. Normally I charge over 500,000 credits just for the right to speak with me. When I received your request for an appointment, my people ran a check on you as normal and your past intrigued me. I knew you couldnt afford my fee so I decided to give you those tests, which you passed with ying colours. Yue Wan paused for a moment to let her words sink in. Five hundred thousand credits is denitely more than I could afford in a lifetime. ***
32
Alexei Cyren
Yue Wan continued at a leisurely pace. For the information you seek I would normally charge over 1,000,000 credits. Outrageous? Perhaps Im a businesswoman in a mans world. Every little bit counts. I think we can come to a reasonable agreement, Ariel Blake. I hope its more reasonable than your top end prices, Yue Wan. Then again Im not really her target market so I cant blame her. Ariel fought back a sinking feeling as she answered. Okay, Yue Wan. What do you have in mind? Yue Wan beamed. Theres been a bit of trouble with a former trusted associate named Fai Chiang. He decided to betray me and ran off with a very valuable data key. Information is money. I want to teach him a lesson and make an example of him. Oh I have a really bad feeling about this now. Yue Wan considered Ariels silence. As youve probably guessed, I need you to hunt down Fai Chiang and get back this data key for me. Id also like you to kill him. Ariel sat back in her oak chair to think about Yue Wans offer. This woman was asking a Guardian, a defender of law, order and justice to be her assassin in exchange for a lead to the Black Phoenix the terrorists who killed her mother in cold blood. ***
33
It was shocking though not all that surprising. Ariels mind whirled with the implications if she accepted. First off, Ariel couldnt bring herself to murder someone in cold blood. Then again Ive fought heartless mercenaries and pirates. Ive killed them in their sleep or from behind if they were sentries. That was when I was part of joint military strike teams during the Guardian training program. Isnt that cold blooded murder too? Ariels inner self shook its head. I was saving lives of innocent people who were at the mercy of scum. Its different. If I murder this Fai Chiang, who Ive never even met that would be breaking the law. If I was ever discovered by the Guardians Id be branded a criminal. What the hell would Piero think of me? Even though Ariel was highly experienced, with great commendations at all her previous postings she was still considered green. She graduated in January of 2145 FE and worked the beat for only a full year. In fact she arrived in Shanghai a month ago back in December of last year. To think a rookie Guardian with a promising career could sink so low. At every posting Ariel searched for leads on the Black Phoenix. Her burning desire for vengeance kept her working long into the night. She cracked heads to get
34
Alexei Cyren
answers all across the urban jungle that was Sericent. The Black Phoenix stayed out of reach like a man dangling a carrot too high for a rabbit to reach. Yue studied Ariel carefully as she wrestled with herself. Ariel, I see youre having trouble deciding. Would it be easier if I told you that Fai Chiang is an information broker who has murdered people in cold blood. Unfortunately none of it could ever be proven since he never dirtied his hands directly but still you get the idea. All I have is your word, Yue. It wouldnt be far fetched to imagine you ordering cold blooded hits either. After all, information is money and power to you. The less people who know something, the higher the value. Ariels brain raced as she connected to the SAG Guardian interplanetary database known as SIGNAL. Fai Chiangs le came up in her vision and she accessed the folder. He denitely has a rap sheet with a lot of suspected crimes but everyone who could have testied against him ended up dead. Even Ariels gut told her the guy was guilty. If I kill him however itd be no better than vigilante justice. I dont think Mom or Dad would ever approve. Mom is dead and the world has no justice because her killers roam free
35
*** Ariel ran up against too many dead ends. She needed a lead. She needed to make progress on her quest to avenge her mother. She couldnt give up. Thats why Ariel joined the Guardians and signed up for the joint Navy-Guardian missions at the Academy. She learned to ght and think like a terrorist, pirate or rogue mercenary. She spent night and day learning everything she could about counter-insurgency. She worked the terrorism cases all across Sericent at eleven other Precincts in eleven different city sectors since graduation. She beat Anti-Machine Liberation Front terrorists, nipped bomb plots in the bud and questioned hundreds of captured guerrillas from groups both large and small . Despite that history, Ariel couldnt make any headway against the Black Phoenix. No one could. It was like they were ghosts. Theyd strike without warning and vanish into the night, leaving destroyed families and ruined lives in their wake. All the while they claimed to be ghting against the tyranny of the corporations who inuenced every aspect of modern life. Who was going to hold them accountable they claimed? Yet the Black Phoenix killed without caring about who
36
Alexei Cyren
they hurt. Someone had to hold them accountable. Ariel intended that someone to be her. Ill get the data but killing Fai isnt what I want. If I do that Id be no better than the Black Phoenix. If Im going to take this man down Id rather send him to prison. Ariel realized she was going to have to wing everything else after she got her hands on the data. Yue Wan pushed a lock of her long green hair behind her ear. So have you decided, Ariel Blake? Ariels mind and heart went still. Yes, Ill get the data back for you. Yue Wan smirked. Excellent. The dance music vibrated through Ariels body. She felt like a glass of water with waves spreading outward on the surface at a steady pace. It reminds me of my college days back at Cider Hall Metro City sector. Now Ive got to get Yues data key off Fai and kill him without being caught. Ariel wondered if she would pull off the latter with all her doubts and worries in the way. The Geisha Zero Night Club on Level 720 of the 52622 Street tower block was packed full on a Saturday night. Even in Shanghai, the live dance clubs were still popular places for young couples to live it up half drunk on sex, booze or both. It was a bit more honest than the
37
HIVR dance clubs where anyone could look like whatever they wanted. In the real world, you couldnt hide your true appearance. Not unless you have a lot of credits to spend on nanotech face or body surgery. Plenty of rich people no longer have the face they were born with. Ever since humanity created the HIVR (high intensity virtual reality) network, people explored entire new worlds designed by others. With the invention of dumb AIs in 2134 FE, virtual worlds became more and more common place. A big enough portion of humanity yearned for real life interaction, however. Anyway, no one could live in HIVR forever without their body dying of thirst or hunger. Unless they were hooked up to an IV drip. Thus actual night clubs like Geisha Zero supported those people who relished real life socializing. Virtual reality hadnt completely replaced real life. It existed alongside it. Am I really that old? Im only twenty-six. Young and with a long life still ahead of me. Yet I am obsessed with chasing down my mothers killers. What would Mom think of me now? Wouldnt she say I should live my life instead and move on? Ariel fought back tears. I cant Mom. I cant move on
38
Alexei Cyren
without closure without JUSTICE! Her hands curled up into sts and she felt her scarlet purse in her left hand scrunch up, twinkling gems pressing hard into her palm. She released her sts and strolled in, swaying her hips and looking every bit the ravishing femme fatale. Some nearby women looked at her with undisguised envy while men stared at her with gaping mouths. Earlier in the day Ariel did some forceful negotiations with thugs and snitches, reamed through camera footage with the help of search AIs and called in a few favours from fellow Guardians. She found out that Fai visited The Geisha Zero regularly. She went back to her temporary apartment in Shanghai, changed into her most bewitching dress, put on high heels and grabbed her high end Tseranova purse. By the time she was ready it was nearly midnight. She ew her volt car to downtown Shanghais Lotus District where Geisha Zero was located. Ariel wore a crimson dress as sexy as Yue Wans with a plunging neckline that showed off her generous assets, cleverly hid her twelve pack abs and with side slits that exposed the bare skin of her thighs. The gauzy material of her dress masked her extremely toned arms. Her hair was tied back in a bun hairstyle with several long pins holding it together in the shape of an X. Her high heels clacked on the club oor as she walked.
39
Her stunning appearance made her quite the attention grabber. There were plenty of other attractive Caucasian, Asian and Hispanic women around so she didnt stick out like a sore thumb at least. Ariel needed to be a bit less conspicuous for a little while. She scanned the club with her nano-sensors, looking for Fai Chiang. Okay, Fai, where the hell are you? Orange grid lines appeared on the faces and upper bodies of people in sight, cross-referencing them with the image of Fai Chiang in Ariels database. She strutted over to the bar, drawing both admiring and envious glances. Several guys tried to hit on her but she turned them down with a fabulous smile. Ariel ordered a spicy peppermint martini at the bar. The hunky, square jawed bartender gave her a seductive grin and slid the salt rimmed, conical glass to her. Thanks for the extra ego-boost. She scanned the crowd of dancers, chatters and the milling throng as the techno dance music blared. The speed and power of modern NBCs was superb thanks to the breakthrough in nano-quantum CPU cores it enhanced her brain power and senses by several thousand times. In a few short seconds, every face was checked and Fai found. Fai Chiang was a weasel with nano-altered light blue skin and onyx hair. He wore a golden scorpion earring on his right ear. He was located across from her seat at the
40
Alexei Cyren
bar with the dance oor between them. He lounged in a relaxed manner with two Asian girls in their twenties on either side of him. His arms were draped around the two. They laughed and chatted without a care in the world. It seemed like Fai didnt know Yue Wan was onto him. He doesnt act like hes worried. Yue Wan must have kept very close tabs on him. I almost pity the idiot. I wonder if hes saying anything useful? I should focus my nanomicrophones. Ariel amped the nano-microphones with a thought. She narrowed the targeting down to Fai Chiangs location. Words ashed in her vision: NARROWING SOUND SENSOR RADIUS CUTTING OUT BACKGROUND NOISE Fais chatting, laughing and boasting became crystal clear as if she sat next to him without the blaring music in the background. She didnt notice three well dressed men around her age draw close until it was too late. She smelled their intense cologne and they blocked some of her line of sight to Fai. Oh great, now what? Ariel ashed them a sparkling smile that she didnt actually feel. The blond with purple eyes leered at her
41
while the other two, a raven haired and brown haired duo with untucked shirts and slacks ogled her cleavage. She leaned back onto the bar, subtly thrusting her chest out while listening in on Fais conversation. The purple eyed blond bent over and drew within a few inches of Ariels face. She smelled the mint and alcohol coming off his breath. Her sensors showed that he was three times over the legal limit for blood alcohol. Hey there cutie, why dont me and the boys buy you some beers and get to know you better? Ariels sensors caught Raven Hair dropping some kind of pill into her martini while Purple Eyes tried to distract her. She handled several date rape cases in the past and knew it was a common problem at the live night clubs. She wasnt surprised at all by what these men were trying to do. They were smooth but they picked the wrong woman tonight. The one drawback of real live night clubs are date rape drugs like these. Even nano-tech versions are starting to pop up. Most women dont have sensors that a Guardian would have so its turning into a serious problem Look, boys, I really wish I could accept but I already have this drink you see. I really dont want it to go to waste since I dont mix martinis with beer. Why dont you drink it for me and then you can buy me those beers? What do you say?
42
Alexei Cyren
Purple Eyes blinked for a moment and recovered. You know, its okay why dont you nish that martini rst Mixing martinis with beer isnt really all that bad The wingmen looked at each other, slightly confused. Ariels eyes glittered mischievously as she got up, putting Purple Eyes face right into her bosom. She grabbed her spicy martini. Before he reacted, she yanked his head up making him form an O with his mouth and poured her martini down his throat. She closed his jaw with her left hand, forcing him to swallow. Purple Eyes eyeballs bulged and in a few moments he passed out in Ariels arms. Oh my, you drunk lug, you passed out! So silly! She propped the fellow on the bar stool beside her and faced the shocked wingmen. She knocked them out with two precise, heavy knife hand strikes to the sides of their necks. It was over in less than a minute. Only the bartender saw what happened and he gave Ariel a look of astonishment. Everybody else was too drunk or too much in their own little worlds to notice three would-be-rapists drop like bricks. Ariel leaned over the bar counter and whispered into the bartenders ear. Sorry about that, those three are rapists. Please make sure security keeps an eye on them until the Guardians arrive to take them away. She
43
ashed her digital holographic Guardian ID. The bartender nodded. Ariel grinned at him, contacted nearby Shanghai Guardians to get the rapists and turned back to watch Fai Chiang. He said nothing useful at rst but an hour later he said something that caught her interest. Fai was drunkenly babbling to his lady friends in rushed Mandarin while kissing them and groping their breasts. Today, girls Im going to be even richer than before! You two know about the Jade Dragons? The Japanese girl on his right purred. Arent the Jade Dragons one of the top crime gangs in Shanghai sector? The Korean girl on his left giggled. Everyone knows that, Haruka! Fai hugged them close and whispered in a drunken drawl. Well, Haruka, Song, the Jade Dragon is up to something big and Im going to be part of it! Ariels breath caught in her throat when she heard Fai mention the Jade Dragons. It cant be a coincidence right? The Crimson Suns launch a day time hit against one of Wen Changs inuential sub-bosses and now Fai Chiang is talking about the Jade Dragons? Could it be something more than a gang war? ***
44
Alexei Cyren
Why did Yue Wan want the information on that data key? What could be on it that would be worth so much? Ariel knew if she tried to take the data key for herself, all bets were off regarding Yue Wans deal. She would lose a major lead in her hunt for the Black Phoenix. Yue Wan wouldnt lie to me would she? Even in the SAG Underworld Yue Wan had a reputation for dealing fairly with all parties no matter the amount of credits involved. That meant Ariel had to give her the data key or did it? The key might have information about what the Jade Dragons were up to but No, I cant give up on avenging Mom. I cant I wont! Ariel said shed get Yue Wans stolen information and she couldnt back out now. It was just the way she did things. She couldnt live with herself otherwise. Can I live with myself knowing that I gave up information that might be linked to the Jade Dragons criminal activities? The Dragons have killed thousands maybe tens of thousands of people and ruined lives with their drug dealing operations. She felt a throbbing headache bubbling beneath the surface. If she could yank her pony tail she would. Unfortunately her hair was tied in a bun. Just my luck Ariel grated her teeth for a moment. One thing at a
45
time First Ive got to get that data key off Fai and nd out what the man actually knows. While she wrestled with this new development, three lean Chinese men dressed in navy blue slacks and black, untucked dress shirts with gelled hair walked into Geisha Zero and sidled over to Fai. They hugged each other like old friends and took seats in the red plush semi-circle cubicle. Several fetching young teenage girls were ushered over to be their drinking companions by the oor manager. Seems like Fai has some friends visiting This complicates things. Now Ive got to gure out how to separate Fai from his buddies and then get the key. Ariel still hadnt decided whether shed actually kill the man. Thats really pushing things Ariel came up with a plan. It was almost quarter past one in the morning. Fai and his friends were getting really drunk. It shouldnt be too hard to waltz over and join them. After all, Im certainly dressed for it. She needed to make sure Fai got so drunk he would start to throw up. Then Ill help him to the mens room or the back alley, palm the data key Ill decide what happens afterwards when I get to that point. The point of whether to kill him or not in cold blood.
46
Alexei Cyren
If Fai possessed nano-tech against drunkenness Ariels plan might need to be changed. One thing at a time Ariel needed to stay exible. She walked through the milling throngs of wild, drunk dancers. She gave herself to the beat of the music, her body spinning around like a top with streaming hair. She parted the ocean of party goers like a wedge. Its just like my old clubbing days back at Cider Hall. Ariel mesmerized men as she passed, her arms rising and falling like waves. Her knee length dress, parted at the thighs, highlighted her riveting movements. Soon others frolicked around her like pagan spirits as the club lights ashed blue and red. First Im going to draw your attention, Fai. She drew closer to Fai Chiang and eventually his eyes were drawn to her. She put on her most spellbinding performance. Fai got up and joined her. They danced for another hour before she put her arms around Fais neck and whispered into his ear, I want you. Why dont we take a breather, hmm? Ariel poured on the honey and the blue skinned Fai, drunk as he was, couldnt resist. Fai stammered in a mixture of lust and drunken stupor.
47
Y-Yes, why dont you come with me? His sweaty palm grabbed her hand and pulled her along. Well, this was easier than I imagined. Fais three buddies cheered Fai on, thinking he was about to get laid. The two Asian girls Fai was with pouted and glared at Ariel with undisguised, half-drunk resentment. He grinned stupidly as he waved and passed them by, pulling Ariel along. They passed the restrooms and reached a backdoor to the alleyway behind Geisha Zero. He pushed open the door and she felt the pleasant Sericent air mixed with the smells of nearby street food. At least I didnt have to get him to throw up. She pushed Fai against the wall to the right side of the night clubs single, slate-coloured AR-steel door. The door closed behind them. Her tongue darted into his ear and she breathed, Youre such a handsome blue skinned devil. I want you so badly. Fai licked his lips as he groped Ariels breasts with his bare hands. I like an aggressive woman! Show me the skin, baby! Ariel thought it was funny leading the guy on. Getting Yue Wans data key remained her rm goal, however. She kissed him with feigned passion, sealing his lips and striking his tongue with almost violent force.
48
Alexei Cyren
Lets keep you distracted. Her hands rummaged through Fais pockets for Yue Wans data key while pretending to feel him up. She moaned with false bliss but he was too drunk to notice. After several minutes she found the data key. Ariel veried its tag as belonging to Yue Wan and hid it in her gem studded, scarlet Tseranova purse. Fai noticed and pushed her away with a snarl. You bitch! Give me back that data key! He didnt sound drunk any more. Guess he has the detox nano-machines. Ariels sensors showed Fais blood alcohol levels dropping. Just as I thought. Fai must have linked a nano-machine alarm on the key. Fais eyes glittered dangerously. He sneered. Did Yue Wan send you? Never mind! I dont care because youre going to die! He pulled a sonic knife from a sheath in his boot. How did you know I took it? I have a stealth nanite on the key. It goes active if its too far away from my body. It triggered my detox system. I was right. Ariel knew about the hidden weapon from
49
her initial scans in the club and didnt really care. To a trained Guardian it wasnt much of a threat. Fai lunged at her with his slender, vibrating knife. She sidestepped, grabbed his arm and kicked him thrice in the balls. She disarmed his knife in one smooth motion. It was over in six-seconds. Fai Chiang stumbled backward, clutching his family jewels, his eyeballs bulging. He slipped on a piece of trash and banged his head against the metal wall. He slid to the ground and lay still. His vitals are ne though hell have a nasty bruise. Now the only question left was whether to kill him just like Yue Wan asked. Ariel closed her eyes for a moment. It was a struggle but the noble side of her won out this time. For now Fai, you get to live but I doubt youll be alive too much longer after losing this information. She had a strong hunch that whoever Fai was working for would likely take him out. They arent going to let Fai off for failing. Whatever this data key has must be worth a lot. Ariel turned around and walked towards the lustrous yellow lights of the street ahead.
50
Chapter 3
Ariel walked back into Yue Wans plush lobby the next morning. Yue Wan sat in her usual high backed gilded chair with the phoenix embroidered on the white cushions. Her seventy-ve guards were in the same Uformation around the walls, facing inwards. She took her seat in the red oak chair across from the olive haired information broker. Yue Wan put on a charming smile. Do you have the data key? I have it right here. Ariel took it out of the breast pocket of her leather jacket. She tossed it to Yue Wan. Yue caught it with both hands. Is Fai Chiang dead? Ariel didnt hesitate in answering. No, hes not. Yue Wan put a nger over her mouth under her diamond studded nose ring. May I ask why you didnt
51
kill him even though that was part of the deal? didnt sound angry or annoyed.
She
No, she gured out the same thing I did back in the alleyway. Fai was dead no matter what once he lost the data key. You know why. Yue Wans hair glittered in the bright lights of her mansion. Yes, I do. The key was the important thing so Ill let this slide. She smirked. Ariel gave a thin-lipped smile. Wan? Guang Chin. I knew it. The Jade Dragons and the Black Phoenix are somehow linked. Its not a coincidence. Does he know how to nd the Phoenix or is he working with them? Yue Wans bronze eyes twinkled. Hes your answer and thats all I can tell you unless you have something else you can offer. Im done doing errands for you at the moment, Yue Wan. Maybe another time Thats okay, Yue Wan. Youve given me more than enough to go on. Thank you. Ariel rose, bowed with And the lead, Yue
52
Alexei Cyren
respect and turned to leave. Yue Wans last words to her were: Im sure well meet again sometime in the future. Its time to pay a visit to Guang Chin tonight and get some answers. Ariel checked her messages. Some were from her father Neil thanking her again for getting him sober. Dad fell into the bottle after Mom died. Ariel, this is Neil. I just wanted to thank you again for helping me get sober. I hope youre doing okay, kiddo. Drop me a line when you have the time. She moved onto the next message in her HIVR node. Christian Farris, her childhood friend and ex-boyfriend left her a message about meeting up but she deleted it without listening to the whole thing. Im sorry, Christian but right now isnt a good time either. She sighed because they broke up over her decision to join the Guardians instead of going to law school. Eve Lang, her best friend checked in to see how Ariel was doing. She replied saying that things were going okay here in Shanghai. Okay so far nothing but the usual murders, robberies, small time terrorist plots and drug dealers. That is until the Shanghai gangs decide to go to war.
53
Ariel wore her usual outt: the dark red leather jacket, tight tting blue jeans and dark tank top. She tied her sandy blonde hair back into a pony tail. She wore her Dreydis nano-armour underneath her get up. She ew down to The Huntress Forest night club. She docked her blue volt car at one of the tower street docking clamps. Volt cars were held in a powerful magneticgravity eld in these parking spots. The Huntress Forest or HF Club for short was located in Blossom District in downtown Shanghai, 58271 Street, Level 878. It was 10 PM and night fell over Shanghai City sector. The city sector never slept. Then again neither did the entire world of Sericent. There were street vendors and stalls everywhere, even in front of the HF Club. Chinese and non-Chinese vendors hawked their wares and food items. Ariel saw steaming fried sh balls on skewers and the classic Western hot dogs dripping with mustard and relish. It was a common scene throughout the city planet. In Shanghai however the options were skewed toward the local Chinese fare. It was the Asia Region after all. Ariel walked over to the HF Club which dominated three of ten stories that made up the tower level. It was large for a club and the front was adorned with a holographic steaming jungle. One could cover entire areas with holographic terrain that looked so real you
54
Alexei Cyren
wouldnt realize it was fake until you passed through it. She was nearly fooled. They really pulled out all the stops. I think I see a jaguar in the tree above me.! If it wasnt for the advanced nano-sensors in Ariels body she wouldnt have been able to tell the difference. Two bouncers in dark, skin-tight sleeveless shirts, khakis and combat boots stood on either side of the double doors. They look like off-duty jungle commandoes with biceps as thick as tree trunks. There was a long line of young professionals and students it was a Saturday night after all and the lineup snaked down the street. Guang Chins club is doing pretty brisk business. I wonder if hes selling some of his gangs rave drugs behind closed doors in there. She didnt have a warrant or reasonable cause to go rooting around, however. I doubt Guang would be stupid enough to get caught that easily either. Ariel walked over to the African bouncer who handled the VIP Only line. He looked bored because there werent that many VIPs compared to the regular club goers. The six foot three African brute glared down at her and grumbled in Mandarin. What do you want? He could tell she wasnt a regular night club goer.
55
Since she was good-looking he didnt ignore her at least. Thats what Ariel thought anyway. She ashed her Guardian ID into the bouncers NBC it would appear in his vision with secured verication credentials. Guardian business, Im here to talk to your boss, Guang Chin. The African man nodded his head. No one wants to mess with a Guardian unless they have to. Just ask around inside and theyll take you to him. Ariel thanked him but only got a grunt in response. She passed through the amber holo beam that served as a divider between the outside and inside. She walked along the dark pathway through the jungle facade. She passed through the illusion and found herself inside the HF Club. Ariel tread on a plush red carpet in the rst oor lobby. Bars served drinks on both sides of the room. There were more bar units ahead and then the dance oor. It was jam packed with university students and people in their twenties and thirties. Denitely not an oldies crowd. The club was an open air concept. The second and third oors were more like rings with smaller dance oors jutting out like balconies. There was a large mini-tower in the very centre of the HF Club.
56
Alexei Cyren
Catwalks with railings lead to the tower from the second and third level rings. Ariel was glad she wasnt dressed for clubbing. Getting hit on by would be rapists wasnt on the top of her list tonight. No, tonight Im going to get some answers from Guang Chin. She stopped one of the waitresses as she deftly spun about delivering drinks. The waitress picked up some empty glasses with her large silver tray balanced on one hand. Ariel asked, Where can I nd Guang Chin? The waitress chuckled. That perverted geezer? Yeah hes at the top of the central tower. Just head on over and theyll take you up there. Just as I thought. Ariel wove through the sea of people on the dance oor. She strolled up to the bouncers in front of the central spire. Ariel Blake, Guardian, here to see Guang Chin. She ashed her holographic ID this time. The bouncers radioed up, got a reply and nodded. Right this way, the lift will take you to the top oor. The man opened the door and waved her in. Ariel got in and the lift rose. She watched the blue-red
57
lights of the main oor through the lifts single window slit and eventually hit the third oor. The door behind her opened and she wheeled around. Another bouncer in a black sleeveless shirt and cargo pants appeared and motioned her to follow. The hallways were large enough for three men to walk side by side. The man led her into a small meeting room with a table and four chairs. The bouncer closed the door behind Ariel and Guang Chin waltzed in through the door across from her. He smoked his usual high end Cuban cigar with his left hand. He pulled up a chair with his right. Two Chinese bodyguards dressed in black suits stood silently to either side of him carrying Talon K7 submachine guns. Guang was relaxed though his eyes betrayed a hint of wariness. Okay, Guardian Blake, what is this about? Didnt I tell you and your Guardians everything about the attack by the Crimson Suns? Or did Piero tell you to come harass me for fun? He gave Ariel a sly smile. Ariel grinned as she answered in her less rened Mandarin. None of the above I came to ask you something else. Guang sounded bored. And what would that be? Ariel rested her chin on the top of her clasped hands,
58
Alexei Cyren
laying her elbows atop the table. I want to nd the Black Phoenix. The word on the street is that you might know. Guang Chin shrugged. are. Who told you this? I wouldnt know who they
Ariels sensor scans showed his heart rate was up and there was a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. Hes lying. Youre lying, Guang. Guang narrowed his eyes. You dare to call me a liar to my face? He stood up, snapped his ngers and retreated back through the door he came through. She couldnt lunge after him because metal bonds snapped around her wrists and legs. That cost her several seconds as she broke them with her enhanced strength. She heaved and the chair was ripped apart. Behind Ariel, the two bouncers guarding the door behind her stepped inside. Yeah this doesnt look too good right now. She saw they were armed with wicked pulse axes that could cleave through thin AR-steel. I cant let Guang Chin escape! I need answers! Ariel noted the intense lights above her and unleashed an EMP pulse from her nano-armour. The lights shorted out, plunging the room into total darkness. She switched to dark vision and saw Guang close on the exit.
59
She leapt right as a pulse axe cleaved the table in half. Damn, theres no chance to re a taser dart at him! The hulking half blind Chinese bouncer behind her swung wildly trying to chop her in two. The two guards with SMGs avoided ring so they wouldnt hit their buddies. So these guys dont have sight augments. What a shame Ariel dived into a roll, came up and pulled the triggers of her unfolded Eagle-7 pistols. Blam, blam. The two guards with the submachine guns went down with smoking bullet holes through the centre of their foreheads. One of the giant bouncers roared and slashed in a wild diagonal cut. She cartwheeled and leapt into an aerial spinning kick. Her heel smashed into the mans blocky head, shattering all his teeth in a spray of enamel. He careened into the back wall and slumped to the oor with a loud thud. The remaining bouncer stumbled about and swung blindly. He paused and scanned the dark room. Ariel hid in the shadows, sensor cloaked and circled behind him. She sprung up into a handstand and her legs wrapped around the giants neck. She snapped it with a sickening twist.
60
Alexei Cyren
The bouncer collapsed and his pulse axe clattered to the oor. Ariel looked around and saw that Guang Chin was long gone. Damn it. Ariels throat itched with annoyance. She yanked her pony tail in frustration. Guang Chin is one slippery bastard! He knew something about the Black Phoenix. She faced the possibility of hitting another dead end if she didnt catch him. Guang was a wanted man now attacking an off-duty Guardian was still a crime. Ariel knew the Jade Dragons would keep him out of sight, which would slow her down. It seems like Heaven conspires against me. Ariel didnt believe in gods or the One God. It didnt stop her from thinking that way, however. She mulled over her next moves. She was in the heart of Guangs night club with plenty of his goons ready to plaster her brains across the walls. She needed to get the hell out of here. Ariel ran out of the room and jogged toward the elevator through the dimly lit hallway. There were glass steel windows. She saw the dancers and club staff below her.
61
Several doors opened ahead of her on the right side. Jade Dragon gang bangers in dark green vests and khakis stepped out and trained their weapons at her. She skidded to a halt, dropped prone and tapped her triggers. She rolled towards the left wall with glass steel windows. Her targeting system was linked directly to her guns, boosting her aim and ring speed. Ariels shots took four of the Dragons through the heart, brain, neck artery and femur. The two hit in the neck and femur would die in minutes from blood loss. Their blood showered the walls, causing several of the triggermen to lose their nerve and ee. That gave Ariel a few moments to loose another barrage of nano-rounds. The remaining Dragons drowned in their own blood. She hit the left wall and rolled to her feet. She took a moment to use her long range sensors. More red blips showed up throughout the central spire of the Huntress Forest. Only people with active weapons or weapon shaped signatures were marked. It looks like theres going to be hell tonight. Ariel paused. They think Ill try to use the elevator. If they havent shut it off then theyll have guys waiting for me at the bottom so thats likely not the best escape route.
62
Alexei Cyren
She recalled there were catwalks leading to the second and third levels. She could avoid walking right into a turkey shoot. She sprinted back to the meeting room and through the door that Guang used to escape. Ariel leapt back into the room as a hail of gunre splattered the steel walls in front of her, showering the oor with sparks. Red blips were closing in on her HUD map. The catwalk should be at the end of this hallway. She leaned out and saw more heavily armed Dragon thugs ring in her direction. She squeezed the triggers of her Eagles and took out ve of the nearest thugs. Their bodies hit the oor in a crimson sprawl. Ariel ducked back behind the wall as another shower of bullets blazed by her face. If Id been slower that could have been painful. Even with nano-armour there would be bruises. I wish Piero was here. Or the rest of D-7 team! There were ten gunmen blocking her path. I should have brought grenades. She leaned out again, while enemy nanorounds battered her mass shields causing them to are blue. She pulled her gun triggers. Four thugs went down shrieking from her hail of bullets. Ariel knocked out the remaining hall lights with a
63
tightly focused EMP beam. The invisible pulse blew out the electronics and plunged the hall into darkness. The gunmen were surprised and she switched to dark vision. Darkness is my friend I could use my stealth cloak to get out of here. Then she decided against it. The nano-armour stealth cloak was useful but only if the enemy didnt have seismic sensor systems. Ariel didnt know if the Dragons had any here or not. The Jade Dragon gang was known to have a lot of high tech gadgets hidden up their sleeves. Moving out of cover without knowing was dangerous. It was like thinking you were invincible when you really werent. Guardian tech wasnt a secret even though it was restricted. Criminals like the Jade Dragon with the money and connections could acquire the right counter tech. Everythings an arms race these days. Im going to have to get out of here the old fashioned way. With the brains my mom and dad gave me. Since they were lawyers thats got to count for something right? Ariel smirked. Guang isnt going to shoot his dance club customers so all I have to do is get onto the rst oor, re several times and start a stampede. That should make it easier for me. And it shouldnt result in too many injuries or deaths I hope.
64
Alexei Cyren
*** Ariel wasnt here to get innocent bystanders killed. I have to make sure of that. Anyway, she needed to deal with guys in front of her rst. Ariels targeting crosshairs locked onto two of the six remaining thugs and she pulled her triggers when everything lined up. She watched the nano-rounds sail through the air in slow-motion. The bullets crashed into their skulls at 914.4 metres per second. Those two toppled over in a spray of blood and gore. Dragon nano-rounds ew past her as she spun behind the wall. The bullets traced dotted lines of white-yellow light through the air. To her the mass accelerated shavings crawled like slugs, her NBC calculating speeds and strike vectors at the same time. Four left Ariel ducked back out into the hellish storm of bullets. Her mass shields ashed purple and blue as they deected most of the shots. The remainder slammed into her nano-armour. I cant waste any more time. The clocks ticking She stood in full view as she levelled her pistols. Her orange aiming crosshair split into twelve and locked onto each remaining Dragon. Sorry boys, play times over. Ariel pulled her triggers. Her mass shields crackled and failed as the enemy bullet
65
salvo hammered it. Four nano-rounds emerged from the barrel of her Eagle pistols, spiralling toward each of the Dragon gunmen in slow motion. They sped by other bullets moving in the opposite direction toward her. They slammed into the left eyes of each of the foot soldiers. Their heads exploded in a crimson rain mixed with white matter and eyeball parts. Lifeless bodies fell to the oor. Guns clattered to the ground. Ariel sprinted down the hall and reached the door leading onto the third level catwalk. She reviewed the video footage of what she saw when she came into the club. There were decorations and long banners that dropped down from the catwalks towards the second and rst level. I can use those to bypass the stairways, which are crawling with Guangs men. There were three hundred seven enemy blips. Her sensors show two thousand forty-seven club patrons. Two armed Dragons on the catwalk raced towards Ariels position. She kicked open the door and squeezed the triggers of her Eagles. The muzzle ash was followed by the sickening burst of punctured skulls. The two gunmen toppled over the sides of the catwalks. They hit the dance oor three levels down and the screaming started.
66
Alexei Cyren
It looks like that got the crowds riled up. Dragon gunmen red at her from below but the steel catwalk was solid cover. She heard more shrieking as people stampeded for the doors. Ariel dashed through the barrage of bullets and ruby lasers. She grabbed one of the streaming banners and pitched herself over the side of the railing. She slid down its length while ring white-yellow streams of nano-rounds with her right. Her aiming crosshairs locked onto target after target. Her trigger nger moved as fast as the targeting system. Ariel hit the main oor and thirty Dragons were cooling lumps of esh above her. Her nano-armour absorbed the impact. She stopped ring as eeing patrons got in her way. They hindered Guangs men too. She blended in with the crowds of panicked patrons. They wanted a drunken night out not a shooting fest. Ariel killed her weapon signatures and engaged her stealth cloak just in case. She slipped by the rest of Guangs men who tried to nd her in the stampeding throng. Even if they saw me, ring here would kill way too many customers and would be very bad for business. She passed through the jungle passage hologram and
67
was back on the street. She ran along with the screaming patrons and took a detour. She reached her volt car, powered it up, undocked and hit the accelerator.
68
Chapter 4
Chief You Chin raged with fury. He stood up and pounded his sts into his desk. What the hell were you doing at Guang Chins night club, Blake!?! The Chief was a gruff looking bear with his black uniform, which was decorated with medals. His dark beard was shaved and trimmed meticulously. He wore a black cap to top it all off. Right now he truly looked like a rabid bear frothing at the mouth. Ariel sat in the Chief s white washed, super clean ofce with its glass steel desk. There were oating hand-sized holo-images of his wife and kids. The front walls of his ofce were glass steel though tinted black due to privacy mode. She wondered how she should answer. She decided to tell him an interpretation of the truth. Look Chief, I was going to ask him about the Crimson Sun case but in a leap
69
of insight I realized that maybe he knew where the Black Phoenix terrorists could be found. So I asked him. Well, the truth is that someone told me he knew something and thats why I asked him. Ariel tweaked the automatic recording of everything she saw. Guardians lives werent private unless you found a way to falsify missing or skipped time periods. She silently thanked Thomas Santoro for helping her pull it off otherwise she would never be able to investigate the Black Phoenix. She didnt record her meeting with Yue Wan or the incident with Fai. She did record what happened just before, during and just after she questioned Guang. Whatever was missing was replaced with false memories based on an advanced program built by Thomas for Ariel. It was the same program that Thomas used to keep some of his projects away from the prying eyes of the Guardians. And so Jade Dragon sub-boss Guang Chin decided that he didnt want to answer is that it? And then, you or him decided that shooting up the place with over two thousand civilians was a good idea right? Look, Chief. Review the footage. Youll see I asked him and then he sicked his men on me. It was selfdefence. Ariel raised her hands helplessly. ***
70
Alexei Cyren
The Chief brought up the footage recorded by Ariels NBC and studied it. His eyebrows creased and his lips thinned into a line. His lips were so thin, it disappeared behind his thick black beard. This doesnt look good Ariel had a reputation for being a bit of a loose cannon at her previous eleven postings after graduation. She was still a green rookie in theory but her drive, determination and excessively high close ratio made her the envy of Guardians everywhere. The only thing strange about her record was her constant moving around. She closed high prole cases and moved on. Some of her best work was homegrown domestic terrorism within the SAG, specically Sericent, which was the biggest hotbed for it. Ariel would hunt the Black Phoenix, run into dead ends and check out another city sector for new leads. She never mentioned her true reasons to anyone except perhaps Piero. Now she hoped she would be given the chance to continue her personal quest for revenge. The Chief nished checking the recorded footage and focused on Ariel. Looks like Guang attacked you rst. Ive already put an APB on him. Attacking a Guardian is a violation of the SAG Criminal Code. Ariels inner self sighed with relief.
71
The Chief continued. Ariel, you know Ive reviewed your record. Youve got a reputation for stirring up trouble. Youve pulled stunts like this at previous postings. And the name Black Phoenix often comes up. I know why youre after them and frankly I dont care about your reasons. When this extracurricular activity gets civilians involved it becomes a problem. But Chief This is what Ive decided. Youre going to cease this Black Phoenix witch hunt for now. Youre not going to harass the Jade Dragons unless its about the Crimson Sun shootout at the Red Lantern Restaurant. Is that clear? Ariel nodded reluctantly. You do realize that Ive been getting calls and pressure from the top to have you booted out, suspended or worse. Wen Chang, Guangs boss, is using his political and business inuence to try to spit your head over a re. Ive been doing everything I can to keep you out of trouble but I cant do it if you start stirring the vipers on your off-time. Youre lucky that your high case closing ratio is so good there isnt a more damn ne Guardian if Ive ever seen one. Just realize however that your career is in danger. Ariel remembered that she nearly failed to graduate from the Guardian Academy because her psych eval said that her obsession with avenging her mothers death could put the lives of others at risk. Only a last ditch appeal and panel interview managed to turn the tide in her favour. It
72
Alexei Cyren
had been a close call. She felt ashamed because the Guardians were a means to an end. The end being her desire for revenge against the Phoenix. Ariel met the Chief s eyes. Yes, Chief. I realize what the situation looks like now. And thank you for backing me up. I mean it with all my heart. The Chief s gaze softened. Good! Ill keep the sharks from closing in. Just close some more cases. I want you and D-7 team to work with the narcotics task force. There are plenty of drug busts that need to happen and itll give you a chance to bloody the Jade Dragons nose without getting into a heap of trouble. He gave Ariel a cheerful grin. Piero waited outside of Chief You Chins ofce. He leaned against the normally transparent glass steel beside the Chief s door. He couldnt hear anything inside. He imagined Ariel was getting a stern warning from the black bear. When Piero heard what happened from Shi and Lixue, he felt a pang of worry for Ariel. He wondered if she was hurt. It turned out she was ne. Ariel survived against overwhelming odds at the Huntress Forest night club.
73
For the last month or two, Piero worked with Ariel closely as she led D-7 Team. They laughed, talked, cried and joked together. Though she was technically a rookie, her combat and investigative experience earned her the mantle of team leader. Piero worked Shanghais streets for over eight years as a Guardian in the narcotics task force. He was driven by the loss of many high school friends to drugs. He joined the Guardians for that very reason. He wanted to make sure that no family would lose their loved ones to the addiction and death that the drug trade dealt. When Ariel arrived in Shanghai, she was as driven as he was in her own sort of way. They cracked dozens of homicide and drug cases faster than usual thanks to her leadership. When things went south, she turned near defeat into victory. They were partners. They trusted each other. Thats what Piero thought. Yet there was something behind that brave, rebellious mask that was Ariel Blake. It was something dark. An obsession that was a source of strength for her. It was that darkness that drew Piero to her. He dug through Ariels background. Thats when he saw that they shared more in common than he realized.
74
Alexei Cyren
The door to the Chief s ofce slid open and Ariel stepped out. The door slid shut behind her. Her fawn hair was tied back in the usual pony-tail. Her gure was athletic, agile and extremely sexy in her bronze nano armour. Maybe Im starting to feel a bit obsessed with her. A deep longing for her occupied his waking thoughts. Piero pushed those feelings away for the moment. It wasnt professional. She was a rookie even if she was D-7s team leader. Shes only two years younger than I am. Ariel noticed Piero. Her face looked thoughtful not angry or frustrated. If she was frustrated, she would be pulling her pony tail right about now. Piero wanted to smile at her but instead his anger boiled to the surface. His face darkened as he spoke over wireless so no one else would hear them. Ariel, what the hell were you thinking! Why didnt you tell me what you were doing! Ariels stance stiffened. She walked towards her desk, which was one of hundreds on this level of the Shanghai Guardian Precinct. Without looking at him, her words rung in his head. I didnt want to get you involved in a personal matter. I didnt want to get anyone else hurt. Around them, Guardians engaged in wireless talk.
75
Others sat at their desks like statues as they worked inside the Shanghai Precinct HIVR Node because their avatars could get more reports done faster. Time acceleration in the virtual world could be thousands of times faster than the real one. It depended on the setting used. Paper work was no longer the hassle for law enforcement that it used to be in the past. The only side effect was that the Precinct often seemed eerily silent at times. Piero caught up and walked alongside her. His desk was right across from hers since they were partners. I cant believe this Ariel! Dont you trust me to watch your back! Were partners for Gods sake! She halted and faced him. Their eyes met and for a brief moment he thought he saw something warm behind them before they hardened. When were here we are partners, Piero. What I do on my own time is my own business. I dont meddle in your personal affairs so I hope you dont meddle in mine. Piero was furious but he fought it down. He kept his eyes locked with hers as they spoke in each others minds. I know why you work all those long overtime hours and even your days off, Ariel. It doesnt take a genius to put two and two together. You hunt the Black Phoenix, the number one most wanted terrorist group in the entire SAG. They took your mother but apparently they took more than that didnt they?
76
Alexei Cyren
Ariel looked like she was slapped. Piero saw anger in her hazel eyes. Like I said, it is none of your business. Ariel turned away and moved to her desk. Piero whispered to himself as he took his seat across from Ariel, who was still as a statue as she accessed HIVR. But I do understand, Ariel. I understand what a loss like that does to you. He recalled that day two years ago when his own personal tragedy struck. It was a typical day at work. He was a Guardian with a six year track record at the time. He took billions of dollars worth of drugs off the streets of Shanghai City sector. To say that he made a lot of enemies in the underworld would be a serious understatement. He walked into the apartment he shared with Erina, his dear sister, who lived with him after he graduated from the Guardian Academy on Ares. Their parents stayed in Mexico City sector to tend to the family business of greenhouse farming. One night however he found his sister cold and lifeless on the oor. She looked pale. Her eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling. Her face was a contorted mask of agony. Her nal moments were painful and knowing that only
77
hurt Piero more. Piero knew what a drug overdose of sylik looked like. There were often OD victims linked to drug cases he was involved with. It was never a pretty sight. Sylik was thousands of times more addictive than morphine or opium. The drug cartels peddled it like it was a miracle cure or something. It was the same drug that killed his high school friend Mustaf Paez Zamudio, among others. He was grief-stricken over the death of his one and only sister. Someone murdered her to hurt him. The only clue was an onion that Erina clutched in her rigid ngers. Piero vowed to destroy every last drug dealing kingpin within the SAG that day even though he knew it was an impossible goal. As long as people wanted to escape reality, there would always be drugs. He didnt care. He tried to nd out which drug dealer did it. His leads all turned into dead ends. All the logs and recordings of what happened were erased beyond recovery. Anyone with the money and means could have pulled it off. He closed his eyes. Ariels voice chided him. Are you taking a snooze with all the work we have to do? The Chief wants us to get
78
Alexei Cyren
cracking on the drug cases and busts. Its your specialty so what are you waiting for? Yes, its my specialty. Its my obsession. I guess I cant really blame you for the way you act, Ariel. Id have done the same. Piero silently promised Ariel that he would watch her back no matter what. He wouldnt share his story of grief with her. Lets not meddle in each others personal affairs right, Ariel? Ariels eyes zoomed in on two crabby-looking guards in front of the warehouse door on Level 452 of the tower block on 82983 Street in the Spaceport District. It took over three weeks of shakedowns and nely executed drug raids against the Crimson Suns and the Shanghai Seven to get to this point. D-7 team nally set their sights on the Jade Dragon drug lab that churned out the superaddictive drug sylik within its dirty guts. The night sky over Sericent was a sweeping shawl of gauzy darkness. The moon, Luna, shone brightly even though it was a mere sliver that reminded her of a curved scimitar blade. The stars were barely visible because of the glaring city lights. Piero clenched his teeth tightly beside her. It was like he was all worked up over their latest mission: intercept the sylik shipment being readied and arrest any Jade
79
Dragons or other suspects at the scene. It should be a piece of cake but hes so damned tense. It is like hes expecting the worst. Then again I cant rule out the bad feeling Im having too. The intel said there were only ten guards and the lab workers. Ariel recalled another hellish drug bust in her past: Operation Barabel-8. The Burning Men mercenaries ran drugs in Sector 272 of the Eises Colonies three years ago. They pinned her team down when they arrived to arrest them. Her quick thinking and some hanging shipping crates won the day by a narrow margin. She hoped it wasnt going to turn out like that again. She lost a lot of good people that day. The gaunt faced Shi and athletic Meng were on Ariels right. The boyish Ying, red haired Lixue and Piero were on her left. They talked strategy over their wireless comm network. Ariel messaged everyone with a steely calm voice. Okay D-7 Team, heres the plan. Were going in as the advance guard. The rest of the Guardian attack group is waiting nearby for us to give the signal once weve taken down the remaining guards. Then were going to make sure the sylik drug shipment is secured. Everyone got that? They should, we went over it in the brieng this morning. We got it, Blake. No need to worry. Shi was
80
Alexei Cyren
condent and fearless. Everyone else echoed Shis words. Ariel quickly nodded her head. Engage stealth cloaks and dark vision. Lixue and Ying take out the two guards by the front door. Shi and Meng hack that door open. I and Piero will cover you. Lets go! Her team vanished from sight but they were all marked on her HUD as blue blips with their names. The comm signals of the teams network was mixed with the city-wide wireless eld so it was hard to detect. Unless the Jade Dragon tech adepts knew exactly what frequencies to watch, their signals appeared like background noise. Everyone made it across without being noticed or heard. Lixue and Ying closed in on the two crabbylooking guards as they watched the street and bridge for trouble. The warehouse lights were off, which meant the guards were using dark vision nano-tech. That wouldnt be a problem. Two taser darts embedded themselves into their necks. Their bodies jerked and spasmed as thousands of volts of electricity knocked them out cold. They dropped like stones, their arms and legs twitched like they were in the hands of a mad puppeteer. Shi and Meng hacked the door with data spikes.
81
Ariel and Piero kept their guns up and ready. They watched the perimeter for any signs of reinforcements. There was a click as Shi and Meng nished. Shi said, The doors unlocked. Okay, I and Piero are going to take point. Lixue and Ying are next. Shi and Meng take the rear. Meng pretended to whine. Aw, great, rear guard duty again. Ying chuckled. Ariel laughed lightly. This is team D-7 all right. They proceeded inside cautiously with Piero looking west and her east She took point beside Piero. Clear. Piero echoed her. Clear. The sensors didnt pick up anything. That doesnt mean trouble might not be hiding somewhere Lixues high-res scans were broadcast to the rest of the team in black and white. Ariel saw ten foot high shipping crates stacked into piles that almost reached the roof of the warehouse a hundred feet up. Others were only stacked half as high or less.
82
Alexei Cyren
I denitely dont like this. Sight lines were reduced making ambushes more likely. The rest of the team felt edgy. Ying muttered. Ive got a bad feeling about this. Lixues scans arent able to pierce some of the shipping crates. Could they all have drugs? Seems like some of the containers are protected with anti-sensor materials. Shi answered Ying almost instantly. It is possible but not likely. Their lab here is too small to ll that many shipping containers with sylik based on what we know of their production volume. They only need one or two but theres at least forty here. Ariel prowled through the darkness with the team. Piero remained ill at ease, having hardly spoken a word. Piero, is there something you want to say? Nothing It just feels like were being watched. Ariel froze and her hand shot up for the team to stop. What do you mean? She got the feeling too. Could it be? Did they have seismic or magnetic sensors hidden somewhere that we couldnt nd? Did they cloak them? Red lights the size of baseballs popped up ahead of
83
them near the centre of the warehouse. They were on top of several three to ve story high shipping crate piles. The cloth covering them fell off the rising bodies. Several unfolded like rubric cubes until they were ten foot high behemoths with mini-rocket launchers and assault cannons on each arm. The others were man-sized droids with vaguely jackal-like faces. The remaining ones were dog-like droids with teeth that crackled with voltage. Meng whispered. Sweet Mother of God! Where the hell did the Jade Dragons get Vallstrom anti-infantry droids! Those things are walking tanks! There were one hundred and twenty red blips ashing wildly on Ariels HUD. One Vallstrom behemoth bellowed, Enemies detected. Eliminate all SAG personnel with extreme force. The robots opened re without mercy. The moment Ariel saw the Vallstroms she knew that whatever was going on was big. Even the Jade Dragons didnt have the means to get hardware like that and especially not this many. Only one group could have pulled something like this off. The Black Phoenix The most feared, mysterious terrorist group active among the SAG worlds. Could I be wrong? I still dont have a solid link that the Jade Dragons are working with the Phoenix. All I got is Yue Wans lead
84
Alexei Cyren
that Guang Chin knows how to nd them. Right now Ariel needed to keep her friends and comrades alive. Ariel yelled. Everyone take cover right now! Her NBC plotted a vector for missile intercepting re. She pulled the triggers of her Eagle pistols and raked the Vallstrom missile salvo in midair, setting off a massive blast that engulfed the remaining bombs before they hit her team mates. Ruby laser beams whizzed past her head as she dropped behind a four foot high crate. She heard the ting ting ting of nano-rounds hammering their position. Lixue hollered in confusion. How the hell are they able to nd us? Shi cleared it up for her. The bastards must have high grade seismic sensors. They can nd us by our foot steps as we walk on the ground. Ying popped up and opened re with her sleek black assault rie. The muzzle ashes were followed by the ratta ratta of her bullets as they careened into three of the jackal-headed Anubis robots and tore them to pieces. She dropped down as red-hot lasers scorched her shoulder. Yings face creased with pain. So does that mean we have to y? Shi answered again. Yeah.
85
Meng muttered. Just great. Piero interrupted. Theyre probably feeding the information to the droids. If there are Jade Dragon guards our stealth cloaks wont work on them either unless we take out those seismic sensor systems. Meng, run a simulation for where theyre most likely to place them and go with Shi to take them out. Meng and Shi nodded and crawled east while Lixue and Ying kept the battle droids busy. Ariel turned to Piero. Ive got a hunch, partner. I think this is linked to the Black Phoenix. Once Meng and Shi have the locations for the seismic sensors, Ill take out the ones on this side and close in on their lab at the very back. Piero grabbed Ariel by the shoulders, his voice lled with concern and worry. Im not going to doubt your hunches, Ariel. But this is way too dangerous! We need to wait for backup! She imagined his warmth seeping through her nano armour like a caress. It was comforting and sweet at the same time even in the middle of this hellish reght. Call for them but Im still going in. If I can get even a hint of the Jade Dragons bigger plan it might be the break we need to put them down hard. If I dont go, I have a feeling things will turn out badly.
86
Alexei Cyren
There was no way Ariel could be sure she wasnt risking her life over a far ung hunch. She was responsible for the lives of her team mates and Piero. She wasnt the sort of person to leave her friends high and dry. What if Im right, however? What if this deadly droid attack force is for something bigger? Could the Jade Dragon be serious about starting a gang war? Could it be something worse? Ariel wouldnt put it past them. If they unleashed this kind of hardware a lot of innocent people would die in the crossre. The nagging question remained: how did they get their hands on it without SAG Naval Intelligence or the Sirens getting wind of it? Was the Black Phoenix involved? Am I seeing them everywhere now? Imagining them in every shadow and behind every plot? The only thing I can do is keep digging for proof. Ariel shrugged off Pieros hands. Keep the rest of the team alive. And give me some cover re. She grinned. Piero nodded with a resigned look. Piero, Lixue and Ying ducked out of cover and sent a barrage of gunre at the droid front line. Several of the Coyote droids were downed as they barrelled down the stacks to reach the ground oor. The remaining droids
87
trained their guns at the three and loosed a torrent of bullets and beams. Ariel didnt see what happened next as she burst into a full out run towards the West side of the warehouse. Meng and Shis map of seismic sensor spots showed up on her tactical map they were on the ground oor instead of high up. Of course, the seismic sensors would work best when in contact with the ground! As she worked her way around, she located and blasted apart seismic sensors. Only one thought stayed front and centre: I will nd out whats really going on and whether the Black Phoenix is truly behind this.
88
Chapter 5
By the time Ariel knocked out all the western seismic sensors, Shi and Meng nished too. She used her stealth cloak to bypass a dozen clueless Coyote and Anubis droids in her way. She stalked up to a large squat three story ofce building like a burglar. This must be the drug lab. Two Vallstrom anti-infantry droids were in front of the main doors. Their single cardinal cyclops eye swept the area in search of enemies to blow apart. Ariel didnt want to get near those two killing machines and searched for another way in. Her sensors found an air conditioning shaft on the East side of the building. Her NBC outlined it in glowing orange lines in her vision. She pulled out her force grapple a thin grey rod and pointed it just above the grate. The invisible gravity beam pulled her nine feet off the ground and brought her to it. She smashed it open with her elbow.
89
The grate gave way. I dont want to draw attention with gun shots. She didnt have any nano-gel explosives so that wasnt an option worth thinking about. She heard the ghting between her team and the frontline combat droids in the distance, behind her. She was proud of them. She knew they would make it out even if she wasnt with them. Ariel crawled into the ventilation shaft and snaked her way along it. She reached an intersection after a few minutes and proceeded through the North vent because there wasnt anything else to go on. We couldnt hack their data systems for a map because they werent using wireless here and there werent any hardwire ports in sight. We went in part blind but we didnt have much of a choice. Ariel halted when three red blips appeared on her tactical map HUD. Enemies in here? She unfolded one of her Eagle-7 pistols in her right hand and waited. Three black spheres with a single glowing silver eye oated into view. They were combat drones with shock and stun weapons. They ew in a tight triangle formation, coming down the duct toward her. I wonder if I can avoid touching them if I squeeze myself against the side of the duct. She didnt want to ght in such tight quarters since there was no room to dodge. If I blow them up someone might know Im here.
90
Alexei Cyren
Ariel went with the squeeze by them plan. She pushed her back against the shaft wall as much as she could. She wondered if it was possible to atten herself like a piece of paper using technology. The combat drones drew closer And closer They passed Ariel and she let out the deep breath she was holding. The nearest drone missed the tip of her breasts by exactly three millimetres. It almost made her wish her bust was smaller. Almost. Ariel crawled through the ducts a little while longer, building up her map layout of the rst oor. She dodged several more shock drone patrols, bypassed the second oor and climbed up to the third. She heard voices echoing through the vents nearby and she got curious. She analyzed the voices and compared them to those in her memory. One was a match. It was Jade Dragon subboss Guang Chin. Bingo. Ariel smiled devilishly to herself in the dark ventilation shaft.
91
She heard the voices rise up through a grating ahead of her. The room below was brightly lit, forcing her to turn off her dark vision as she peeked down. She spotted the blocky headed Guang smoking his usual Cuban cigar. Beside him was a tall, lanky African man with long black dreadlocks. The African looks like he could run the Olympic 100-meter dash and win easily. Across from them were the holographic projections of a man and woman. The man was a dark skinned Asian with a long braid in some ancient Chinese style. The woman with shoulder length blue hair was European from her accent and speech patterns. The Chinese man possessed a terrifying presence that made everyone else in the room seem tame by comparison. Guang puffed a ring of oily, black smoke while combing through his spiky black hair. Master Chang, the rest of the weapons were shipped out before the Guardians got here. Just as I thought it is Manchu Changs son and right hand, Wen. Wen stroked his chin. I trust you left the Guardians a welcoming surprise. ***
92
Alexei Cyren
Guang chuckled. Yes, Master, I did. The Guardian recon group is ghting the droids as we speak. It should delay them long enough to get the rest of the drugs and people out. Excellent. The African spoke in a deep baritone voice. Im glad you found the weapons useful, Wen. Just dont forget your end of the bargain. What bargain?!? Damn it! Are you Phoenix? Wen faced the tall African. Of course, Zan. We need your repower if we are to conquer the Shanghai underworld and then Sericent! His upraised st showed plenty of condence in that goal. Zan looked at the seductive woman. How go the preparations for the hit Libuse? Whos the target? The blue haired Libuse smiled at Chang and Zan. All I can say is that it goes well. Just make sure your Jade Dragons are ready when the time comes, Wen. Im sure its going to be a blast. Wen approved. Libuse. Good! My people will be ready,
Libuse batted her eyelashes at Wen. I hope so.
93
*** Ariel cursed under her breath. Who the hell are they trying to kill? She ran the image of the African named Zan and the woman named Libuse. It appeared the Jade Dragons were getting their hands on highly restricted weapons and robots through an unknown arms dealer. She gured it might be Zan who stood right below her. Yet she couldnt be sure without grilling him on a spit. At least Im getting closer to the truth. I can feel it! Ariel was closing in on the Phoenix. There was some kind of connection to them. It was the best lead she had since leaving the Academy. Could Libuse or Zan be one of the Black Phoenix? The idea whirled through Ariels brain as her NBC ran a search through the Guardian database that was stored in her head. The faces ew by like a blur of colour. Come on Give me something to go on here The Black Phoenix was a ghost. Most of its top ranked members including the leaders, the Phoenix Shisan, were unknown. No one knew what they looked like or who they were. SAGNI and the Guardians held only the vaguest of proles of the Phoenix inner circle.
94
Alexei Cyren
The Shisan wore masks and used tech that obscured their identity when they met with their brothers. Sirens and top SAGNI operatives failed to kill or get close to the Shisan. Anyone who tried were often left for the vultures. Now I might be onto them Let this be The search for Zans record turned up nothing. He wasnt in the Guardian database. The message returned was: NO MATCHES. Libu"e was Libu"e Szkanderov. She was a top ranked assassin who was nearly on the level of mercenary hit man Rake Ashcor. Not much was known about her past except that she once lived in Prague sector. Libuse always slipped from the Guardians grasp. She had powerful friends within the government and business worlds. The powerful, wealthy and well connected often have ways to escape justice even when theyre caught red-handed. It angered Ariel. Libuse is a woman who uses her power and connections to get away with murder. There is no justice for the people that she hurts and thats plain wrong. The people who hired her were guilty too. They needed to be caught and punished. That means Id have to capture Libuse and get the cyber division to hack her NBC for the names of her employers. Ariel doubted that would be an easy task. It might be downright impossible. There was no way to pull punches
95
against a killer like her. She swiped Libuses mugshot offscreen and pulled Zans mugshot back into view. The real question is who you represent, Zan. She recalled Yue Wan saying that Guang Chin knew how to nd the Phoenix. Most of the well known arms dealers who shipped illegal weapons and combat droids were well known Zan wasnt on that list. She doubted the dealers would say he was one of their own. Zan is an unknown Capturing Guang would be the best course of action since Yues information is always reliable. Im not sure about pursuing Zan. Ill go after Guang and get the rest of my team after Zan. Ariel crossed her ngers and hoped she made the right choice. Ariel needed to capture Guang Chin and Zan fast because the meeting was coming to an end. She unfolded her Eagle pistols while she waited for the moment to strike. She readied herself to kick open the grating and drop in unannounced. I should blow out the lights with an EMP burst. Theres also a bunch of Jade Dragon thugs in there. The building shook as missiles from the reght struck. Zan and Guang stumbled from the tremors. Wen and Libuses holo-projections shimmered.
96
Alexei Cyren
Pieros voice sung in Ariels head. Ariel, Guardian backup has arrived. D-7 team is heading your way now. Ariel sighed with relief. Everyones still in one piece. Great! Im sending my sensor data to you. I want you to intercept the red blip tagged Zan. Hes one of the guys working with the Jade Dragon and might be Phoenix or some kind of arms dealer. Dont lose him. Ill do my best, Ariel. Remember dont lose him! Piero didnt answer. I shouldnt be so harsh. Please forgive me Piero. Ariel didnt have any more time to think. Wen commanded Guang. Guang, get out of there now! The main Guardian force has arrived. Escort Zan out as well. Guang bowed. Yes, Master Chang! around and barked orders to the ten guards. Nows my chance! A powerful swift double kick shattered the one inch thick metal grating. She dropped like a spinning corkscrew. Now to fry all the lights! Ariels sensors located all of the ceiling lights in an He turned
97
instant. She unleashed an EMP pulse from her nano armour. The ceiling lights ashed once, zzled and went dark. She hit the oor twenty feet below. Her nano armour absorbed the shock and she went into a roll. Time slowed as she came up with her guns levelled at the nearest guards. Ariels dark vision kicked in and she saw Guang stumbling towards the South exit while Zan dashed north. One of Guangs thugs blindly stumbled into her way. Her ying kick connected with his right cheek. His face caved in at the jaw. He sailed through the air and slammed into the far wall with a loud thud. The other guards shot at Ariel with their submachine guns. Tongues of white re lashed the darkness around her. Ariel vaulted through the air, watching everyone move in slow motion. She twisted like an upside down spinning T and her pistol muzzles ashed as she pulled the triggers. The nano-rounds left the barrels and hammered the Dragon thugs in the gloom. One mans face was blown off. Anothers submachine gun hand exploded into a grisly mess. The brains of the third and fourth were blown out the back of their skulls, splattering grey matter against the holo projector.
98
Alexei Cyren
The bullets continued through them and struck the HIVR projection gear. The holograms of Wen and Libuse vanished in a ash of sparks. I dont have time for this! Ariel landed on her feet like a crane coming to rest and shot after Guang like a lightning bolt. She ducked and wove between barrels, crates and shipping containers. Everything blurred as she ran faster and harder. Im closing! Guangs red blip started up one of the seven story high shipping crate piles. Damn it, hes got a force grapple! Ariel pulled out her force grapple and pointed at the top edge of the stack. The gravity beam latched on and drew her towards the ledge like she was red from a slingshot. Ariel used the momentum to shoot over the ledge. She tumbled through the air and landed on her feet. Her mass shields deected a stream of bullets aimed at her head. She cartwheeled left as her orange aiming crosshairs locked onto Guang. Pieros blue blip closed on her position but she barely registered the fact. Guang took cover behind a ten foot high by ten foot
99
wide stack of pale yellow metal boxes. His deep, fearless voice thundered. Well, Guardian Blake, it looks like we meet for the third and nal time. I intend to bury you here! Ariel crouched behind a carbon drum. There werent many options for hard cover where she stood. Guangs modied pistol would shoot through anything except ARsteel. Guang was behind the hardest cover within a hundred feet of them. She couldnt get a clear shot at Guang. Hes more dangerous and cunning than his men I need to be careful. Big words, Guang! The Guardians have this place surrounded and it wont be long before your droids are taken down. Why dont you give up! This isnt worth dying for! Guang snickered. You think Id surrender to you? Never! And Id never betray my boss even if I have to die! Did Wen Chang really deserve this kind of loyalty? Ariel shook her head. Ariel shouted. Then you dont leave me any choice. She popped up and pulled the triggers of her Eagles, showering Guang with bullets. Guang answered with an avalanche of nano-rounds,
100
Alexei Cyren
blasting apart carbon drums behind her as she ran left. One of the drums with ammable chemicals exploded behind her. The shockwave sent her tumbling and she skidded across the top of the huge container. Ariel dug her foot into the ridged metal, reversed direction and shot towards Guangs position. Guang was no fool and popped out from behind the left side of his crate stack. He pulled the trigger of his automatic pistol. The muzzle ashed. A tongue of whiteyellow re struck the armour and mass shields around her left leg. She felt the pain of impact and knew her leg would be badly bruised until the M-gel repaired it. Ariel shut off her sense of pain. She dived out of the line of re and reached the other side of the stack of yellow crates. Guangs blip circled around from the left and she spun to face him. It seems like he wants to nish this up close and personal. His soccer ball sized head and Eagle pistol came into view. His left arm supported his right gun arm like a ledge. His expensive Cuban cigar emitted a stream of smoke from the right corner of his mouth. Ariel dropped under the line of re and used both her guns to form a V. She surged upward pushing Guangs
101
pistol out of position. He hit the trigger but the bullets went over her head instead of into it. Guang hid something in his left hand however, which she didnt see until it was too late. It was an aerosol can. He rotated his hand, pressed the button and a ne mist blew across her face. Ariel started gasping. Its S-Mace! It caused extreme choking and burning in the lungs. Mass shields didnt stop aerosol sprays only high speed projectiles. Even though Ariel turned off her sense of pain, her body was wracked with choking. It was the extreme burning in her throat, nose and lungs. It was an automatic gag reex to something a thousand times worse than wasabi or hot chilli peppers. Ariel collapsed onto the shipping crate oor. The frigid metal added another burning sensation of its own against her cheek. The tears streamed out of her eyes. She dropped her pistols as she clawed at her throat. I cant die like this! There was nothing Ariel could do. The effect lasted at least two to three minutes in the best of cases. Guang was going to blow her brains out at point-blank range well before that.
102
Alexei Cyren
Guang looked down at her with a mix of pity and admiration. You gave me a good run for my money, Guardian. But it looks like I win. Goodbye He lowered his gun and levelled it at Ariels head. Theres no way he can miss at this distance if hes got nano targeting systems Im sorry Mom I failed you Ariel squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the bullets that would take her life. Instead she heard a bang and a thud. She cracked open her teary eye lids and saw Guang with a smoking hole right through the centre of his forehead. The gang sub-boss lay on his back. sightlessly at the darkness above. Damn it, my lead is gone! Ariel breathed a sigh of relief in the back of her mind as she choked and coughed. After a few minutes, she was able to breathe easy again. She rolled onto her back and looked up. Pieros hawkish nose stared down at her with concern. It looks like I got here just in time, Ariel. Are you okay? She felt like throwing up all over top of the crate but she held it in. It wouldnt do for the D-7 leader to be embarrassing herself like that. Yeah, Ill live. Its never fun when you get hit with S-Mace. Too bad we dont have energy shields that work against sprays. His eyes stared
103
I should have been wearing a sealed combat helmet like I was supposed to. Stupid Ariel! Stupid! Ariel stopped berating herself. Guang was the lead she needed to capture. Now he was a stiff on top of a pile of shipping containers. This just wasnt her day. Ariel clenched her sts over and over. Its just so damn annoying! It is like fate dangles a carrot and then pulls it away at the last minute with a cruel laugh! She dragged herself to her feet. So what do I do now? How do I nd the Phoenix? Wait what happened to Zan? Piero sounded concerned. Ariel? Yeah Im ne. Did you get Zan? Piero shook his head. The African gave me the slip. I lost him just before we reached the back of the warehouse. I think he used some sort of stealth cloak. The Guardians outside werent able to nd him either. Ariel rubbed her temples because it felt like a headache was coming on probably from lack of oxygen while she was choking on S-Mace. He probably used a stealth cloak. There could have been an exit from the warehouse into one of the levels above or below. Did you check the
104
Alexei Cyren
blueprints for this area? We ran them but there was nothing out of the ordinary. They must have installed something themselves. Im sure his escape route will turn up. Ariel hammered her st into the stack of yellow crates beside her. Another dead end Piero put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Ariel knocked it away and glared at him. I still cant believe you let Zan get away. And for killing Guang Piero guessed what she thought and frowned. Look Ariel. Let it go. If I hadnt lost Zan youd be dead. Maybe I was better off dead. Piero yelled at her. You cant mean that! Get a grip, Ariel! Is it really so god damned important to nd the Black Phoenix? Is this what your mother would have wanted? To see her daughter throw away her life just to avenge her? Tell me that! She grabbed Piero by the collar of his nano armour. What the hell do you know about my mother? You dont know her at all! What gives you the right to stick your nose into my business, Piero Feliciano! Now Im back to square one!
105
Ariel saw Piero bite back his anger and something else. She was too angry to care. She knew it was wrong to say these things but she said them anyway. Lixue, Ying, Shi and Meng arrived on top of the pile of shipping crates and plodded toward them. Ariel was glad they were all unhurt despite the continued sounds of ghting as the Guardian forces mopped up the remaining droids. Piero scowled at her. If it makes you feel better you can take it out on me. Something in Ariel snapped and her right st hammered Pieros stomach. He took it without ghting back. She socked the left side of his face. Piero stumbled. Ariel held him by the collar with her left hand. She wound up her right for another straight punch when Lixue and Ying grabbed her from behind. Shi and Meng held up Piero as they pulled him away from her. Lixue and Ying screamed over and over again. Ariel, stop this! Ariel fought against Lixue and Ying, trying to vent her anger on Piero but the two Chinese Guardians held on for dear life. Eventually her rage was spent. She dropped to her knees.
106
Alexei Cyren
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Piero was not to blame. It was her luck that was at fault. She couldnt drag them into this. Her partner could report her for this. She would be suspended. Her time with the Guardians could come to an end. Again Piero knew what she was thinking. Ariel, Im sorry. Dont worry I wont breathe a word about this to the Chief and neither will the rest of the team. He looked at the rest of D-7 Team and they nodded. Ariel wanted to hate Piero. She couldnt. How can I forgive myself ? Thanks, Piero. Im sorry. Lixue. Ying. You can let me go now. Her two team mates released her. Shi spoke up. So whats next? Ariel looked back in the direction of the ghting. First we help mop up the rest of the Dragons droids. Ying followed. And then? We go tell the Chief about what I heard, saw and recorded. Ariel forwarded the video recording from her
107
NBC to the rest of the team. After watching, they looked concerned. Piero brooded. Meng muttered. This denitely looks bad. Im worried about who theyre intending to kill that would need this kind of repower. My thoughts exactly Ariel ew towards Central District. The Shanghai Guardian Precinct was located on 89878 Street, Level 820 smack dab in the middle of the city. The sun started its ascent through the Sericent sky. She strummed her mini-harp with both hands as her volt car glided towards the Precinct on auto-pilot. The auto-pilot was run by the limited or dumb AI. This freed her to enjoy her usual past time. Ariel ignored the other volt cars that sped by her. Only the clear blue sky and the looming tower block of HQ held her eyes. She played so skillfully that she would have been mistaken for someone in a professional orchestra. Her ngers danced across the harp strings like a warm summer breeze. She wanted to keep searching for the Black Phoenix. She hoped the Chief would assign another team of Guardians to handle the possible hit that the Jade Dragons planned.
108
Alexei Cyren
It might have nothing to do with the Black Phoenix for all I know. Maybe a part of me really doesnt want to nd the Black Phoenix. Could that be the reason for my string of bad luck? Could I be subconsciously sabotaging my own efforts? It was a disturbing idea and Ariel hit a single sour note. She stopped for a moment, gathered herself and played on. Her volt car reached the tower street on Level 920 and docked. Ariel stepped out as the winds blew through her hair, her pony tail waved behind her like a forlorn piece of string looking for meaning in a savage world. After the incident with her partner Piero, she wondered if her obsession and drive for vengeance was going too far. She recalled what happened yesterday night and felt a pang of shame. The time in her vision ashed 0900 hours or 9:00 AM as she passed through the sliding, reinforced titanium doors of the Precinct. The blond receptionist in her blue staff uniform greeted Ariel. She greeted the woman back. Guardians headed out in a hurry while others worked at their desks silently or stood around chatting with others over wireless. Guardians wore bronze nano armour battle
109
suits while everyone else wore the standard blue and black uniforms similar to those used in the SAG Navy. The bearish, bearded face of Chief You Chin appeared on the right side of her vision, about the size of her thumb. I want you to head straight to my ofce. Piero is already here. Ariels hand harp dissolved into its component nanites and owed into her armour. Roger, Chief. Im on my way. Best not to keep the Black Bear waiting. She walked into the Chief s ofce a few minutes later. The Chief s desktop holo image showed a family vacation on the garden world of Eises. The Chief sure does travel a lot with his family. Piero looked unrufed from yesterdays incident medical droids and M-gel wiped away any injuries to his body. He sat in the chair on the right with his sharp chin resting on one hand. The left chair remained vacant, awaiting her backside. The Chief sat across from them in his chair. His ngers were steepled and he was deep in thought. When Ariel walked in, he looked up and gestured to the left seat. Ariel nodded and sat down. She gave Piero only a sidelong glance. He didnt seem to be looking her way. I cant say whether hes really forgiven me or not. ***
110
Alexei Cyren
The Chief spoke in his usual deep, commanding voice. Ariel, give me an overview of what happened yesterday and walk me through the footage D-7 Team recorded. Yes, sir! Ariel explained what happened during yesterdays unusual drug bust turned high stakes battleeld. The hovering holo-images above the Chief s desk showed different videos recorded by D-7 Team and other Guardians at the scene. They ran at the same time while Ariel or Piero paused at different points to clarify things. Ariels scrap with Piero was missing from all of the footage. Did Piero nd a way to exclude it? I guess Im not the only one who has a few tricks up their sleeves. The Chief nodded and looked grim. This is bad. We have enough evidence to go after Wen Chang right now but his father, Manchu has enough clout and lawyers that it would tie up the case for years without any judgement being rendered. That may or may not solve whats going on. We still dont know who else is involved or what this hit is about. Piero stroked his chin. If Wen Chang is involved and with all the weapons theyre bringing in, its all pointing towards a bloody drug war with the Crimson Suns and the Shanghai Seven. The other two gangs dont have the political smarts or connections the Dragon has but they have the men, repower and weapons. The Dragon is xing their biggest weakness and getting ready to blow the competition out of the water.
111
*** The Chief sat back in his chair. What do you think Ariel? Do I tell him what I really think? That it has something to do with the Black Phoenix even though we still have no denite proof ? Piero looked at her. Hes expecting me to answer with the Black Phoenix. Im sorry Piero but Ive never held back before and I aint holding back now. Ariel crossed her arms and then unfolded them. She rested her hands on the Chief s cool desk. I think we cant conclude anything yet without capturing the man named Zan Kullu. Hes an unknown arms dealer in this game and a ghost. I believe that hes the linchpin in this mystery if we capture him then we can be sure about this gang war and the true assassination target. Pieros eyes glinted. I think theres more to this Chief. There may be a link to the Black Phoenix. The Chief blinked twice. Where did this idea come from, Piero? He looked at Ariel. Thanks for supporting me, Piero. Ariel sighed. A reliable information source tipped me off that Guang Chin knew how to reach the Black Phoenix. I thought it was mere coincidence that a Jade Dragon would know. Then I saw the re power that was
112
Alexei Cyren
at the warehouse and I suspected that the Phoenix was working with the Dragons. Who else could have smuggled that many battle droids and weaponry into the city without being caught? Ive studied the Phoenix for a long time, since my Academy days and it is like a calling card for them. Neither the Guardians or SAG Navy Intelligence knew and the only group thats ever pulled off this kind of expert smuggling are the Phoenix. The Chief sighed this time. Do you have any hard evidence, Blake? Ariel answered atly. No, I dont sir. My gut is telling me that its the connection. If we get Zan Kullu well be sure. The Chief locked his ngers together just below his chin. Will getting him tell us who the true target is? Piero nodded. I believe so, sir. I trust Ariels instincts on this one. Oh, Piero The Chief scratched his thick, black beard as he looked at his top two Guardians. Ariel, Piero I want you to nd and interrogate Zan Kullu. Get the rest of D-7 Team on it. Both of your instincts havent been off in the time youve been here so Im going to trust them. Whatever the Jade Dragon is up to must be big and I have a feeling that our time is short. So do your best. ***
113
Piero and Ariel both shot out of their chairs into standing position and saluted. Yes, sir! Dismissed. As Ariel turned to leave, she swore the Chief was grinning.
114
Chapter 6
The Zing Night Club didnt have the jungle facade or are like The Huntress Forest. Piero parked the volt car at a docking clamp right across from its doors. The night clubs name was one giant holographic billboard above the entrance. Bright yellow lights shone underneath the clubs name and several palm trees were spaced between the clubs thirty foot high windows. Ariel saw dancers inside on several oating platforms with railings that were powered by GIEs. I hope no one gets so drunk they actually fall off those things. Piero and Ariel stepped out of the unmarked Guardian volt car. They walked across the busy street towards the four bouncers handling the line up. As usual, it was busy even on a weekday. There were people of all ages but most of them were under thirty.
115
Ariel found herself briey admiring Pieros back and broad shoulders. She caught herself. This isnt the time to be thinking like that Ariel! Piero wheeled around and studied Ariel for a moment. I hope youre not intending to start something in there. I thought you were the one who had something against the Jade Dragons. Shouldnt I be asking you that? Pieros face clouded over. idea? Was he worried I knew something? Forget it. Lets see if these guys knew more than their other buddies. Ariel and Piero spent the last thirty hours shaking down Jade Dragon rascals for information on Zan Kullu. So far they got nothing for their efforts. Ariel was hungry and running on low levels of adrenaline being supplied by her nano-armour. She was sure Piero was in the same state. Nano armour increased the stamina of the user beyond normal human levels. Piero nodded. The guys just so upright and honest I still havent thanked him for saving my life again Or for supporting me in front of the Chief. *** Where did you get that
116
Alexei Cyren
Ariel took point and walked up to one of the four bouncers who wore a tight tting black outt with a look of dont screw with me. The man was about her height though his arms were thickly knotted cords. He saw her and Piero approach and instantly knew they were Guardians from their bronze nano armour. The Chinese bouncer crossed his muscled arms. What can I do for you tonight, Guardians? Ariel smiled. We want to talk to some people inside. Here are my credentials. She ashed her digital ID badge which was veried by his NBC. The muscled Asian scowled but nodded at the purple double doors leading into The Zing. Go on ahead. The man wasnt going to mess with a Guardian he wasnt paid enough. Ariel and Piero waltzed inside. Rainbow lights ashed in the darkness, blaring dance club music assaulted their ears and people bobbed up and down like a roiling ocean. Hover platforms bounded by railings and lled to the brim with dancers oated above them lazily. Im seriously wondering if I should check the clubs capacity especially with all those packed platforms. Ariel wasnt here for that and she didnt have time to deal with a night club that was breaking capacity bylaws. Ariel used her eyes and sensors to scan for known Jade
117
Dragons or those with uncovered gang tattoos. She hacked the security cameras in the club to help her search. Piero appeared to be doing the same thing. She radioed Piero. Found them yet? Yeah, theres a whole lot of them over at the Southwest corner. Theres at least fty and you saw the others scattered throughout. Another thirty I think. This club is owned by the Dragons so its no surprise theres so many here compared to the others. Pieros visual data was transmitted to Ariel. Great, lets pay them a little courtesy call. Ariel and Piero forced their way through the throng of bodies. She smelled the sweat and booze all around her. The oor thrummed along with the music and she walked on broken glass. She felt the shards crunch beneath her. Ariels enhanced eyes outlined people using illegal rave drugs with a dull yellow glow. It was hardly a surprise since they were in the club of a drug dealing gang but it angered her. It ticked off Piero to no end from the furious look on his face.
118
Alexei Cyren
Unfortunately, there were bigger sh to fry tonight. Ariel felt Pieros anger directed at the large group of Jade Dragons who lounged ahead of them. They wont feel threatened by us because of their numbers. Most people in their rights minds wouldnt want to face a Guardian, however. She knew that most criminals werent in their right minds in the rst place. One of the thugs, a man with three rings in his bottom lip stood up and blocked her way. Hey, Guardian, youre not welcome here! Ariel raised an eyebrow. She spoke to Three Rings over wireless. Guardians can go anywhere they want if its been authorized and we have been authorized. So maybe Ill start with you. She grabbed Three Rings by the collar of his shirt with her left and lifted him three feet off the oor. Three Rings struggled, his legs kicking her in the stomach. She hardly felt it because of her nano armour. Where is Zan Kullu? Ariel transmitted the image of Zan Kullu to the Jade Dragons before her. She saw Piero working another Dragon ten feet away. Three Rings spat. I dont know who that guy is! I swear it!
119
She growled. So who the hell among you does? She swept her gaze among the group of fty and sensed elevated heart rates. Ariel stopped. She turned her head back to the one man whose heart rate hammered nails by the dozens. His le ashed in her vision: Shen Pan. She dropped Three Rings onto his ass and strode toward Shen. She pointed her nger at him when she was no more than ten feet away. You Shen Pan Do you know Zan Kullu? Two more Dragons stood up and blocked her way one with a silver chain around his waist and the other with a ruby studded nose ring. All fty men were on their feet now shouting obscenities at them. Bingo! Im feeling extra vengeful tonight. appreciate the entertainment. I think Piero will
Shen looked at her with a mix of fear and anger. A jagged red scar ran across his face from the top right of his forehead to the bottom left end of his cheek. He stammered and pointed at Ariel. YouYou!!! You killed Guang I saw you! Well, Piero killed Guang but he probably didnt stick around long enough to see that while he was saving his own hide. Ruby Nose Ring roared at her. Did you kill Guang!
120
Alexei Cyren
Our great boss!?! Ariel smirked at them. And what if I did? Silver Chain snarled. Then we would avenge him! What did Guang do to deserve such loyalty from these guys? Piero sounded worried. Ariel, do you have some kind of death wish!?! Ariel laughed at Piero. No, I just gured youd like to give the Dragons another bloody nose. Since you have a grudge against them too. Before Piero replied, her gaze swept the Jade Dragons around her and focused on Silver Chain. Her reply was sent to every Jade Dragon in the night club, however. Yeah, I killed Guang. What are you going to do about it? They howled with righteous fury for their fallen boss and pulled guns, knives and chains. Ariel leapt aside playfully as Silver Chain unfurled the links at his waist, spun it through the air and slammed it down at her. The sonic vibrations from the weapon smashed the table between them into a twisted heap of scrap. Ruby Nose Ring tossed several throwing knives at her. She sidestepped with lightning reexes and the blades
121
whizzed by her embedding themselves in another thugs chest. The man looked down at the three gushing wounds and crashed to the oor. Scaly Boots launched a ying kick at Ariels back but her rear nano-cameras spotted him. She twisted to the right. He passed by and struck Pig-Face in the head, knocking him out instantly. She snapped her round kick in a 180 degree half circle that shattered the jaws of three thugs who charged her. They sailed backwards and crashed through several glass tables. They lay still. Scar-faced Shen Pan crawled away at the edges of her vision. Trying to escape huh? Ariel radioed Piero to make sure he didnt. Piero snapped back at her. He wouldnt have had the chance to run if you hadnt incited the rest of his gang to attack us. Sorry, partner, hindsights always 20/20 you know. Pieros answer was a growl. His knee slammed into one Burly thug sending the man tumbling off the table he was dancing on. He dropped down on his hands and spun his legs in a kind of break-dance move that knocked out ve thugs who closed around him.
122
Alexei Cyren
Ariel grinned. That reminds me of the martial art Capo-era. She realized the thugs werent ring their guns because they might hit their own. They dont have the targeting programs or sensors. Well, that works in our favour. Gaunt Face closed in with two spinning sonic swords that he twirled with ashy skill. He charged her. Ariel ung a powerful jumping side kick. Her foot connected with his face with a sickening crack. The man shot backwards into three of his buddies like a bullet. Ruby Nose Ring brandished six knives between his ngers and hurled them at Ariel. She intercepted Scaly Boots and directed the thugs round kick so he ended up in front of her. Ruby Nose Rings knives drilled into his skull, neck, right arm, rib cage, thigh and calf. Scaly Boots was dead before he hit the oor. Ariel saw Silver Chain spin his sonic weapon around his head and sling it at her like it was a shot put ball. She dived into a roll and it zoomed past her, colliding with Ruby Nose Rings chest. The thugs eyes bulged as his chest caved in and he crashed to the oor. She ipped end over end toward Silver Chain as he tried to reel his weapon back to him. She was faster and landed on top of him like a bottle cap opener. She broke his neck with a twist of her legs and vaulted off his
123
toppling body. Piero jumped off the table and struck with every major beat in the dance music. It looked like he was doing hiphop except his legs were like snapping dragons. Four fast side kicks sent thugs spinning through the air like bowling pins. In no time, all the thugs were downed, dead or ran away. The ones who pulled guns decided it was a bad idea to attack the two of them and retreated. None of the club patrons noticed the deadly brawl with the loud music and shadowy surroundings. Piero breathed hard. them, Ariel. You sure know how to pick
Ariel breathed almost as hard as Piero. It was good for stress relief. Anyway I knew we could take them. There was a sly glint in Pieros eye. I prefer other fun activities for stress relief. Ariel feigned ignorance. What are you talking about? She blushed and hoped the darkened night club would make it hard for Piero to notice. Piero trekked over to Shen who nursed a broken knee cap. He broke it earlier with a front kick before Shen escaped. Come on, Shen. My partner wants a word with you. He picked him up and dragged him over to Ariel.
124
Alexei Cyren
Ariel grabbed Shen roughly and sat him onto one of the remaining, unbroken chairs. She spoke into his ear with her rough-at-the-edges Mandarin. Okay Shen, listen up. Im totally in my rights to put you down right now for attacking a Guardian. So if you dont answer my questions youre a dead man. She pulled a black rectangle that was half as thick as her wrist and it unfolded into a sleek black Eagle pistol. She stuck the gun muzzle under Shens chin. She saw sweat pour down his face and drip onto his lap. So are you ready to start talking? Shens eyes were as wide as a scared rabbit in the sights of a fox. Okay, Ill tell you whatever I know! Just dont hurt me! Ariel smiled. Right answer. First question, do you know where the African, Zan Kullu is? She beamed the photo and name into Shens NBC. Shen gulped. I saw him at the warehouse. He was meeting with Guang and Wen. Thats the only the time Ive ever seen the man, I swear! So you were there yesterday That answer doesn't help me at all. Piero crossed his arms as he looked down at Shen. Thats not helping you out here, Shen. Youre going to need to think of something else.
125
*** Shens eyes opened wider like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming truck. Okay Okay Let me think Guang Zan Guangs friend and fellow subboss, Ning Mai! Thats right! He would know! They both worked with Wen to arrange a meeting with Zan. Ariel rang Ning Mais name through the Guardian database. His le came up and she shared it with Piero. The picture was that of a rotund looking man who looked like he didnt get enough sleep. This guys a gang sub-boss? Ariel didnt quite believe it. The le however was up to date. Ning Mai lived in a oating mansion above Shanghai unlike his down to earth and now very dead comrade, Guang Chin. Its location was available on the Universal Positioning network. Its a big place and likely well guarded. I doubt hes going to let us waltz in and arrest him without a ght. Pieros bronze eyes met Ariels. It looks like hes our next best lead but its going to be hell going in there, Blake. Ariel rolled her eyes. Yeah I was thinking the same thing but its our job. More like youre hoping it gets you one step closer to nding the Phoenix.
126
Alexei Cyren
I cant deny thats true. Shen croaked. So do I get to live? Ariel nodded. Looks like your free to go. Just make sure I dont see you again, Shen. The thug slumped with relief as Ariel and Piero walked out of The Zing Night Club. She folded her pistol with a command from her NBC. Time to pay Ning Mai a visit. Ariel marched past the four bouncers at the front door of the night club and crossed the bustling street towards their volt car. Piero followed closely behind as she pushed her way through the throngs of night shoppers and party goers. Shanghai is always packed and it never sleeps almost like LA. She heard street food vendors hawk their fried shrimp dumplings, calamari shish kebobs and shark n soup. It made her mouth water but she was in a hurry to get Ning Mai inside an interrogation room. She ignored her hunger pangs. Piero laughed. Ariel, you havent eaten yet. Why dont we grab some food before we head back to the car? We can worry about Ning Mai later I doubt were going to have time to hit him up tonight anyway.
127
Ariel faced Piero and laughed. Yeah Im hungry and this would be a good time to hang out with Piero. She felt her cheeks burn so she turned away from him. I still cant stop thinking about him like this. Ariel caught herself before she mentally undressed the handsome Mexican. Okay, Piero, youve made some good points. grab some of the calamari shish kebobs! Lets
Piero looked relieved as one of Ariels rearview nanocameras focused on his face. Sure thing. They walked over to the forty year old Chinese man with a dirty, oil stained white apron as he skewered squid and roasted them with deft hands. He spotted them and chuckled. Its not often that American Guardians come visiting my stall here in Blossom District! Please let me give you two for the price of one! His face was split with a wide grin. Piero answered with uent Mandarin. Thank you for your generosity, uncle. Im most humbled. The squid vendor beamed. I respect the hard work of the Guardians who keep the streets of Shanghai sector safe for us merchants to do business. Here you go! He handed Ariel and Piero two calamari shish kebobs. Piero paid the credits. ***
128
Alexei Cyren
They strolled around buying and eating street food until they were full. Piero was surprised to learn that Ariel was quite the gourmet and food lover. She guided Piero to all of the most popular street foods they could nd on 53742 Street, Level 625. There were minced pork buns whose steaming centres were lled with the subtle yet delicate avour of ginger and plum sauce. The pork was marinated with garlic, chives, onions and tamari. The onion pancake stand was surrounded by a crowd of people shouting out their orders to the mother and daughter team. The two ipped cakes with agile moves that took years to master. The daughter was really amazing. She ipped and fried the onion pancakes while her back was turned. Ariel and Piero paid some credits for the pancake ipping show and bit into the oily, thin, crispy yet chewy pancakes. Her heart seemed to skip a beat with every bite. To round things off, the hot dog vendor was a sixteen year old kid who boiled several quail eggs on a heated metal roller. They paid a few credits and cracked open the shells of the black speckled eggs. They enjoyed the delightful yet simple taste. Ariel, youre such a foodie, you know that! Your taste buds are so rened it is like you can taste every subtle
129
avour. I really cant match it. Are you a good cook too? Ariel raised an eyebrow as if to challenge Piero. I bet I could whip together a dish that would knock your socks off. Thats amazing! We should round up Shi, Meng, Lixue and Ying too! I cant believe Im starting to enjoy his company so much. Just a few days ago I socked Piero in the stomach. Hes such a forgiving guy. I cant say that I deserve a man like him. Ariel frowned. I shouldnt be thinking like this. I still have to avenge mom and bring her killers to justice. Whats wrong Ariel? Ariel turned away as she created hand sanitizer using her nano-fabricators. She rubbed the clear gel around her hands, cleaning them. She felt the gel evaporating. Nothing. Lets get back to the Precinct and nish the reports. Then we can plan our next moves when we head to Ning Mais place. Piero seemed disturbed by Ariels change in mood but answered without delay. Sure Ariel. He cleaned his hands with sanitizer and followed her.
130
Alexei Cyren
A man with square shaped glasses and dressed like an ofce worker approached Ariel while she focused her gaze on their parked Guardian cruiser. She didnt take note of the guy until she realized he must be carrying a concealed weapon underneath the brown overcoat that was slung over his left forearm. He was four feet away. The man didnt look at Ariel until the last possible moment but she was faster. Her left hand shot out pushing the pistol to the right, moving her out of the line of re. Square Glasses pulled the trigger and a searing bolt of plasma ashed by her. It struck an old man in his fties and blew a aming hole right through his chest. People on the tower street screamed and ran. Ariel slammed her knee into the mans groin three times and buried an uppercut into his chin. Square Glasses legs ew into the air and he crashed onto the street and was still. She unfolded her Eagles, shot both of his legs for good measure and kicked away his weapon. Piero tackled another man wearing blue tinted shades as he tried to pull out a shotgun. He pummelled the man until he went slack like a piece of cloth. Ariels senses told her to duck and she did. A whitegreen plasma glob ew over her head and struck a woman in grey ofce clothes. The woman burst into ames and toppled over.
131
Who the hell would attack Guardians in the middle of a busy street?!? Then again these killers didnt care. People ran in blind panic around them. It was clear there were six gunmen with the intent to kill. They were professionals and highly skilled by the way they carried themselves. There was a fty year old man dressed like a beggar, a woman with emerald earrings who wore a crimson dress, a man dressed like a construction worker in blue coveralls, Square Glasses, Blue Shades and a fellow in a black trench coat. Piero took out Blue Shades and Square Glasses was down for the count. Ariel hefted up her two pistols. Her orange aiming circles locked onto the four remaining killers as they forced their way through the stampeding crowd. The people are getting in the way What I need is some high ground. That meant Ariel would be easy to hit too so she scrapped the idea. Ive got to trust my shooting skills. Plus I have to avoid killing any civilians. Ariel trained her gun on the Old Beggar who slammed people to the ground with the butt of his plasma rie. He felt her locking onto him and ducked, vanishing beneath the screaming wave. The old mans no fool.
132
Alexei Cyren
The rest of the hit men didnt have problems murdering bystanders, however. Crimson Dress pulled out two laser pistols and tried to shoot Piero. The red laser beams struck a young couple and they went down with scorched chests. Piero took aim with his pistol and returned re. The shot took Crimson Dress between the eyes and she dropped dead. She vanished beneath the crowd. The shrieks of eeing bystanders intensied as they were mowed down by the Construction Worker whose mini gun sprayed mass driver rounds like tongues of searing white light. Several struck the edges of Ariels mass shields as she rolled behind an abandoned street food stand. The AR-steel cart withstood the powerful impacts of the mini gun, giving off a rapid ting sound. This is turning into a damned killing eld! Weve got to stop them! The path to the Construction Worker was relatively clear since he cut down everyone in his way. He rained suppression re at Piero, who hid behind a volt truck that was selling hot dogs from the back cab. Ariel gnashed her teeth with rage as she leaned out, locked onto the Construction Worker and pulled her gun triggers. Her rounds overcame his mass shields before the approaching Black Trench Coat could stop her. The mini gun dropped out of the Construction Workers dead
133
hands as he fell face rst into the street from her ranged assault. Black Trench Coat charged towards Ariels cart. His pistols blazed and a salvo of bullets forced Ariel to stay down. She saw the Old Beggar through Pieros eyes in the bottom right hand corner of her vision. He was behind a dumpster in the alleyway and laying down automatic re on Pieros position while covering Black Trench Coat. Ariel shot up as Black Trench Coat dived over the street cart. He collided with her, sending her crashing into a stack of garbage. She heard glass break beneath her but her nano armour kept her safe. She felt the adrenaline coursing through her. Her left foot snapped out and knocked Black Trench Coats right pistol out of his hand. Her right hand struck the mans left wrist. Black Trench Coats pistol fell from numbed ngers. He snarled, his tinted black shades ashing under the street lights. His right hand pulled out a foot long, dull AR-steel tube from the loop on his right side, igniting it. The white hot plasma blade sliced her twin Eagle pistols in half like they were sheets of paper. Ariel tossed aside her wrecked guns and rolled left. Black Trench Coats plasma sword cut a three foot deep
134
Alexei Cyren
gash right through the super concrete where she was a second ago. She pointed her right wrist and red ashmade taser darts. The sizzling prongs were blocked by Black Trench Coats ery sword and vaporized. I really hate plasma swords. The killer sprinted towards her, slashing with precise strokes as Ariel vaulted onto her feet. She ducked, swerved and rolled away from the attacks. Even nano armour wont protect me from a weapon like that. Ariel trained under some of the best masters in unarmed and armed combat. She could beat the assassins extra reach from the plasma blade. She calmed her mind and waited for the right moment. Her martial arts teacher Lian Hsieh once told her: Victory goes to the one who waits for the right time to strike Patience is a virtue As is seizing the opportunity when it presents itself Black Trench Coat used the epee fencing style so she predicted where he would target her. What made it difcult was the speed and skill which he launched attacks with. When he made a nal forward thrust hoping to skewer her through the heart, she knew she would win. Ariel sidestepped the attack and grabbed his blade hand with both of her hands. Her crushing grip sent spasms of
135
pain through the killer. She launched a crushing front kick into his kneecap, shattering it. Black Trench Coats legs buckled and she twisted his forearm, breaking his wrist and causing him to drop the plasma sword. He screeched in pain. The plasma swords ery beam winked out. Ariel put him out of his misery with an elbow strike to the head. The killer sagged to the street and lay still. Piero snuck up behind the Old Beggar using stealth cloak and knocked him out. Ariel, Ive called for Guardian back up they should be here shortly to clean up this mess. Who do you think these guys work for? Ariel dragged Black Trench Coat behind her as she walked out onto the street. Piero met her half way while dragging the Old Beggar. I dont know but we might as well nd out now. Im going to dive into one of them through HIVR. Sure, Ill watch over you. Ariel nodded and accessed the NBC of Black Trench Coat through wireless. A few seconds later, Ariel opened her eyes. Nothing Its blank on who sent them. Im betting once the tech guys take a look theyll see that there was a self-erase program. ***
136
Alexei Cyren
To protect the employer? Likely. You thinking what Im thinking? Ariel frowned. If the Jade Dragons wanted to kill us theyd just send their thugs. Thats how theyd usually do it right? Piero bobbed his head. That normally be the case. Unless they really want us dead. Ariel thought about what Piero said. Are we getting too close to something big like we thought? Would the Jade Dragons go to such lengths to kill the Guardians assigned to investigate them and nd Zan Kullu? It took guts to send hired killers to murder Guardians out in the open. Lets check the other killers who are still alive. They dived through the memories of Square Glasses, Blue Shades and Old Beggar. None of them held any clues as to who sent them. It was all erased with military grade software. Trust professional assassins to be thorough. You have to be discrete if you want to stay in business. Could it be Zan Kullu? Was he watching our movements and trying to stop us from nding him? Could Ning Mai really be the
137
key? Was that why he wanted to kill us? Ariels mind worked through the options but there was no denite proof of who these people worked for. Likely, they wouldnt know until it was too late. A veiled woman who wore a simple black dress with sequins walked into view. The veil hung from a wide brimmed black hat she wore. She strolled from the direction of the alley that the Old Beggar used during the street shootout. Where in the world did she come from? None of our sensors picked her up at all! Piero shouted at the woman. Stop right there and dont come any closer! Identify yourself ! He levelled his unfolded Eagle pistol at the veiled woman. The woman stopped twenty feet away from them. Ariel felt a bit edgy, the adrenaline ran wild and her heart rate was up. Could she be with the killers? Might she be working with them? She trained her pistols at the woman just in case. No point taking any chances. Her all-round nano-cams brought up a dozen video feed windows in her vision from every possible attack direction.
138
Alexei Cyren
The veiled woman didnt identify herself with a digital ID. She didnt register when scanned. It was like she was a ghost. She raised her hands into the air to show she was unarmed. Im unarmed Guardians. Im just here to talk. This isnt Libuse. The manner and speech is all wrong. Unless Libuse is a really good actor. The veiled woman spoke in a clear and strong voice. There was something familiar about her but it seemed so eeting that Ariel couldnt put her nger on it. Then it was gone like a wisp of smoke. Ariel said calmly. Were listening, so talk. The veiled woman nodded. The one who sent those people is working with someone youre looking for. Shes a woman and I think you may have seen her before. No, its not me either. Ariel felt her smile behind her veil. A woman? Working with someone Im looking for? looked at Piero and saw a dawning light in his eyes. Ariel
Of course, Libu"e Szkanderov, the assassin. She hired these killers to take us out. So we really are getting too close! Ariel took that to be a good sign.
139
Piero radioed her. You thinking its Libuse? Yeah. So were getting close. That we are. Ariel studied mysterious woman again. How do you know about this woman? Do you know where Zan Kullu is? What is your link to the Jade Dragon? Her well-endowed bosom would have lled any mans heart with lust. The black dress emphasized it all too clearly. Her voice was distant and digitally masked. It didnt match any voices Ariel knew of. Clearly she doesnt want her identity known. Do we try and capture her? The veiled woman laughed. No, I dont know the woman personally. I dont know where Zan Kullu is. I have no link to the Shanghai gang either. Im simply here to talk with you. Ariel narrowed eyes. To what end? Why talk with us at all? Im here to give you a prophecy, Ariel Blake and Piero Feliciano. Piero didnt look like he believed her. A prophecy?
140
Alexei Cyren
What is this? The Dark Ages? Are you some kind of crazy person? In fact, how did you know our names? I know we didnt tell them to you! Ariel felt a faint trace of worry. The veiled woman replied without a hint of frustration. Believe me or dont. It doesnt matter. Theres someone I owe this to. Here it is In a burning pit Of steel and stone The lovers will face A power mad prince Who wields iron sts Nearly defeated They remember the words And pull out the gift The tide of battle is turned But the answers are buried A man will be speaking A killer will wait The prince is still plotting The lovers face A ghost that is not a ghost Time almost out The lovers rise to the stars A dragon is thwarted Lovers draw the gift again
141
Tragedy strikes The veiled womans voice was a haunting sing-song melody that was inhuman. When she nished, Ariel blinked. A chill ran down her spine. Theres something about those words, something that rings true. I dont get it. It seems like a riddle. It makes no sense except maybe the dragon. Could that refer to the Jade Dragon? Were the lovers me and Piero? Who was the prince? Who was the ghost that is not a ghost? There were too many questions raised by the veiled womans words. She wasnt sure she believed. Piero stood there speechless, his weapons still trained on the veiled woman. His eyes told Ariel he was trying to puzzle it out too and having no luck. The veiled woman asked for permission. If you dont mind, Im going to reach into my dress and hand you something. So please dont shoot me. Piero nodded. The veiled woman lowered her hands slowly and pulled out two nano-round clips from her bosom. Knowing Piero, hes secretly getting a kick out of that. He just
142
Alexei Cyren
pretends to be a saint. Ariel felt a sliver of jealousy. The veiled woman tossed one to Piero and the other to Ariel. Piero caught the clip with his free hand. He looked at it. Ariel dropped both her backup pistols to do the same. The womans body heat clung to it. Something familiar and warm. When they looked back, the woman was gone. Ariel rewound the nano-camera video footage. Nothing It is like she was never there. It looks like we were talking to nobody. How is that even possible?!? Piero thought the same thing as they looked at each other. Ariel whispered. I dont believe in magic. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this. Piero looked thoughtful. Well, there doesnt seem to be anything out of the ordinary with these clips as far as the sensors show. Lets just hold onto these. You never know they might come in handy. Ariel looked back where the veiled woman was a
143
moment ago. Yeah I guess youre right. She nodded. Glaring search lights swept the area and there was a rush of wind. The Guardian backup arrived on scene for clean up in a LT-47 shuttle. The surviving assassins were taken into custody. Libuse frowned as she pushed a lock of blue hair behind her shoulder. She watched the entire ght against the two Guardians and foresaw theyd be serious trouble. The woman with the sandy blonde pony tail was really tough. She hoped the hired killers she paid would wipe the oor with them, thus delaying the investigation of her employers identity. Zan Kullu didnt want his plan exposed and Libuse wanted the large sum of credits. She didnt want to screw this contract up. If I pull this off, Ill be set for life. Ill earn millions for this mission and the contracts later on will fall into my lap from the infamy I get. My parents will nally live in comfort the way I always dreamed of. And Ill nally be free of them and what I owe. Unfortunately, the six hired assassins didnt have her drive to succeed. They were good but they decided to do a street shooting instead of a sniper shooting. That was their biggest mistake. Oh well Theyre just the rst group. ***
144
Alexei Cyren
In a way, Libuse felt some excitement and eagerness for the fun time to come. It was a long time since she ran into a decent challenge. Her high end escort work lacked the thrill that killing for money gave her. Men are so easy to sway and seduce. The lead up to a killing however gives me more of a rush! Libuse was so good at assassination that she was nicknamed The Black Crait in underworld circles. Her specially poisoned bullets were her calling card. The Hispanic Guardian and his blond partner were going to be the side dish to the main course. Libuse put her nger on her deep purple lips. Is it time to loose the Burning Men? Or is it too early? The Burning Men mercenaries were feared throughout the Solis star system. Among the four biggest mercenary corporations, they were known for the use of weapons that could burn a man alive. They were ruthless, unruly and vicious. Not normally my style but I really like seeing things burn too. I just dont want to be the one having to do all the hard work. Libuse smiled evilly. Yes, this contract is going to be the most amusing one Ive done to date. She decided after a few minutes that it wasnt time to sick her rabid dogs on the two Guardians. Zan Kullu
145
hoped his Jade Dragon friends would get rid of them. I think Ill save the Burning Men for the nal show. Lets see what Zan Kullu and the Jade Dragon throw at them rst. Either way, Libuse was certain the two Guardians would die.
146
Chapter 7
Ariels vision zoomed in on Ning Mais manor as Pieros volt car drew closer. The night sky over Shanghai sector was cloudless and the wind whistled past the car window as they approached. In the bottom left hand corner of her sight the message Warrant Approved ashed. Ah, the joys of bureaucratic red tape. For Ning Mais arrest warrant, they forwarded their video evidence to one of the local Shanghai judges. It was approved without issue since the judge was a rm enemy of the city sectors gangs. Of course, there were other ways to get judges and prosecutors on your side. Ariel knew kidnapping or blackmail were used to turn some judges and prosecutors crooked. Dealing with those cases was tough. There were days Ariel wished she ran her hunt for the Phoenix on her own terms and by her own rules. Piero spoke to her over wireless while keeping his eyes focused straight ahead. So did the arrest warrant go
147
through? The Chief made sure it was one of the good ones. No ties to organized crime. Were good to go. Piero smiled. The Chief is sure one swell guy. I cant imagine what kind of living hell Ive turned his life into since I came to Shanghai Precinct. Sorry Chief Yeah I know. Ariel returned her attention to the manor and noted the numerous defences. The Manor was a oating rock with the top side levelled off. It looked like an upside down mountain with about thirty gravity induction engines or GIEs keeping it aloft. There was an AR-steel wire fence all around the perimeter. Several landing pads for shuttles and cars were two hundred feet away from the front gate leading into the main grounds. There were armed Jade Dragon thugs, jackal faced Anubis droids and canine Coyotes standing guard everywhere. In short, it was a heavily fortied compound. Going in with guns blazing means a lot of ghting. Bring it on. Their volt car touched down on one of the landing pads closest to the front gate. They stepped out. You
148
Alexei Cyren
know, Ariel, I have a weird feeling that were going to need to ght our way inside after we show them the warrant. Am I wrong? Ariels face split into a grin. No, youre right. I dont think Ning is going to come quietly without a ght. Piero put on a devilish grin that made him look dashing. Thats exactly what I was hoping for. He unslung his Marduk laser rie. Ariels heart skipped a beat. Stay focused, Ariel. I cant let my gorgeous partner distract me. She drew her twin pistols. They strolled over to Ning Mais front gate and stopped when one of the Jade Dragon thugs levelled his assault rie at them. Guardians What the hell do you want? There was a gold-chain around the thugs neck. There were four other thugs, six Anubis droids and two Coyotes. Just my kind of odds six to one Piero did the honours. Guardians Feliciano and Blake We have an arrest warrant for Ning Mai so please stand aside otherwise we are authorized to use lethal force. Gold Chain nodded to his four other fellows and
149
barked. Forget it, Guardian! The boss says to send you to Piero blew off Gold Chains head at point blank range before he nished his sentence. Wrong answer! Then he dropped another thug before the man could raise his pistol. Ariel smirked as she dashed past Piero and crossed her arms. She squeezed the triggers and her shots took out four of the jackal headed droids. Their bodies exploded in a ash of searing ames and burning light, blinding the remaining thugs. Pieros laser rie hurled a torrent of scarlet beams through the remaining Anubis droids and the Coyote on their left ank. One of the thugs levelled a shotgun and pulled the trigger sending three balls of scorching green plasma at Ariel. She pulled up one of the dead robot torsos as a shield and the orbs melted it into slag. She dropped it as she cartwheeled away from a salvo of laser beams red by another thug. The remaining Coyote droid snarled as it leaped for Pieros throat. He ducked and raked the belly with scarlet beams as it glided overhead. The droid exploded into pieces, sending wind and ames whistling past. Piero levelled his laser rie at one of the remaining Dragon thugs. He pulled the trigger and a storm of
150
Alexei Cyren
crimson lasers turned the gang banger into smoking swiss cheese. Ariels aiming crosshairs locked onto the thug with the plasma shotgun and she hammered her pistol triggers. High impact nano-round clusters sent the thug spinning through the air to land on the concrete in a twisted, bloody heap. The last two thugs fell back toward the open gate. Piero weve got to get through before they close the gate! I hear you, partner. Ariel bolted toward the gate as it started to close. Theyd only have a few seconds before they were forced to resort to explosives. She lined up her guns and a squall of bullets took the last two through the heart and forehead. She ran past the closing gate with Piero right behind her. The thirty foot high gate snapped shut. Theres more danger ahead. Ariel saw Jade Dragon thugs and battle droids closing in on them from both sides of the white cobblestone path leading to the manors front door. She heard Piero open re and a laser volley tore into the approaching attackers. She squeezed her gun triggers as she sprinted. Ariels pistols spewed lines of hellish white re, which
151
mowed enemies down like grass. Her mass shields and nano armour turned aside dozens of near-fatal hits. She unhooked an EMP and plasma grenade. Fire in the hole! right ank. She tossed them into the enemy
A mushroom cloud of ame and electromagnetic pulses rocked the earth. All that remained were burning corpses, molten slag and billowing smoke. The smell of charred esh and burned plastic assaulted her senses. Piero, bomb the left ank! Coming right up! Piero tossed thumb sized grenades into the left ank. The ground quailed. The air was lled with dust and falling debris. They burst through the oily black smoke, picking off thugs and droids who red at them in the distance. The enemies went down in short order as bullets and blistering rays ripped through them. The fteen foot high bronze double doors of the mansion were closed. Two chrome Anubis battle droids stood guard. They levelled their guns when they drew within twenty feet. Halt or we will open ***
152
Alexei Cyren
Ariel and Piero both pulled the triggers of their guns. The droid heads were blown clear off. The machines collapsed. Ariel studied the door and brought up a oating holoscreen. Its locked. Im going to hack it open so cover me. Piero chuckled. I wouldnt have it any other way. Why do I get the feeling he gave that a double meaning? Ariel injected a hacking spike to break the encrypted security on the system. The following words ashed across her sight: LOCK SYSTEM IDENTIFIED APPLYING HACK 0% 50% 100% UNLOCKED. Were in. Are any more guards coming our way? Piero shook his head. Sensors are getting zilch. Either they moved out of range or weve taken out everyone in the front yard. The double doors swung open revealing a large two story open-air foyer with red carpets. There were two stair cases on either side of them leading up to the second level. They saw two dozen doors on the upper level from where they stood. There were rare Chinese water paintings and goldthreaded tapestries from Eise hanging on the walls. It was richly decorated, almost t for a king. It was clear that
153
Ning Mai spent a lot of money on interior design. All of that was about to be ruined as second oor doorways swung open. Armed Dragon thugs and battle droids stormed out. They took positions all along the balustrade. Their guns were trained at Ariel and Piero. Oh the fun never seems to end. Both of them took cover on either side of the front entrance. Piero whispered. Think we should call for back up? Probably? Ariel felt Piero roll his eyes. Ariel felt another shiver run down her spine. She looked back and she saw forty unmarked black LT-47 Gallor shuttles touch down outside the front gate. Dragon thugs armed to the teeth with heavy weapons spilled out of the hatches and surrounded the manor. Now were outnumbered at least two hundred to one. Ariel signalled Piero over laser comm. Piero, looks like were boxed in and surrounded. Any luck calling for backup? Piero shook his head. No good, all wireless frequencies are jammed or cut off. It looks like theyve gotten serious about putting us six feet under.
154
Alexei Cyren
*** Ariel felt a certain exhilaration. The harder they try to stop us the more I want to nd out whats really going on. Nothing is going to stand in my way! Her sensors showed fty enemies on the upper level of the foyer around the balustrade. She didnt think they were a match for them. The only advantage they held was numbers. Ariel glanced back at the Jade Dragons who surrounded the manor. The front gate exploded in a hellish reball as the shuttles blew it open with their mass driver cannons. The front gate didnt stand a chance. The remaining Dragons marched through. She heard N-gel munitions go off as the Dragons blew extra holes through the outer fence. They closed in from every direction at a slow and careful pace. They know they have us surrounded. Their way off the rock was a no-go any how. She wasnt sure they would make it back to their volt car unscathed. Ariel recalled a passage from Sun Tzus Art of War. When your army has crossed the border, you should burn your boats and bridges, in order to make it clear to everybody that you cannot yearn for home.1 It looks like the only way to go is forward. Piero looked grim. The Dragons are closing in with heavy weapons from the outside and we still have to get Ning Mai. Theyre making use of their new toys at the
155
worst possible time. I think I know what youre going to say too. Oh really? Ariel asked as she surveyed their situation. Youre going to say that we have to get Ning Mai no matter what and that nothings going to stop you. Am I right? Ariel gave him a radiant smile. You know me too well in the short time that weve been together. Pieros eyes twinkled. Why shouldnt I? After all, youre the most bewitching mystery Ive yet to completely solve. Her cheeks reddened. Piero youre such a irt. Is this really the time to be saying these kinds of things! She turned away to look into the manor foyer. Ariel breathed deeply and calmed her rapidly beating heart. Okay, stay focused. The rst oor doors arent covered so we go that way and then hit the second level. Then we capture one of the thugs and get the location of Ning out of him. Ariel explained her strategy to Piero while the enemy noose slowly tightened. Piero agreed. Our best bet is to grab Ning Mai as quick as possible and play it by ear.
156
Alexei Cyren
Okay, lets do it! A missile collided with one of the pillars behind them, sending debris and rocks ying everywhere. They took it as a sign to get moving. Piero and Ariel charged into the foyer guns blazing. Ariel and Piero swerved towards one of the ground oor side doors. There was no cover so they engaged stealth cloaking as the bullets rained down around them. Their mass shields and armour turned away most of the nearhits. Were going to get a lot of bruises out of this! Ariels pistols went blam blam as she squeezed the triggers. Piero hacked the door. One thug screamed as he toppled over the railing and three jackal headed droids slammed into the back wall before dropping out of sight on the East side. She dived into a roll and came up again, putting bullets through several thugs on the West side. Im through! Follow me! Piero signalled over the laser comm. Got it! Ariel withdrew through the open door as
157
lasers, bullets and plasma globs blasted holes all around her. Piero dashed up a staircase ahead of her, his blue blip ashing on her tactical map HUD. She chased after him and heard screams as he ambushed several thugs and robots from the rear. She bounded onto the second oor. A door to her right swung open, she swivelled by instinct and slammed the triggers of her pistols. The bullets hammered into two Anubis droids at point blank range before they reacted. Their metal heads were blown off in a shower of whiteyellow sparks and spinning bits. Did you manage to get one of the Dragons? Ariel asked. Not yet Piero responded. Ariel veered away from Pieros position. Red blips popped up on her tactical map HUD. Piero has them in his line of sight. She barrelled through one of the second level glass doors as she re-entered the foyer. Piero, Ill take out the guys on this side. Could you handle the guys on the West side of the foyer? No problem! Piero responded.
158
Alexei Cyren
Piero ran and opened re, making it hard for the enemy to pin down his position from the ash of his laser rie. His barrage of scorching beams lanced through the enemies on the West side with surgical precision. They dropped like ies. Ariels pistols pumped out round after round as she charged forward. A thug took a bullet to the head. An Anubis droid got its power core blown apart and it vanished in a burst of white-orange ames. A Coyotes head was shredded as it sailed towards Ariel. Her arms crossed back and forth as she spun like a dust devil. Her pistol muzzles ashed as streaks of yellow-red destruction pierced man and machine. By the time Ariel nished there was a row of corpses and scrap behind her. She pulled her trigger and shot a rie out of a Dragon thugs hands. The man shrieked and she slugged him in the face. She dragged the tattooed rascal through the last door on the East side near another ight of stairs. Piero laid down a hailstorm of suppression re. Piero Im going to hack one of their NBCs so hold them off. Dont worry, Ive got you covered. Piero tossed another grenade and the oor shuddered from the explosion.
159
Thanks, partner. Ariel hacked the tattooed thugs NBC with ease. Weak rewalls and counter measures childs play. She downloaded Ning Mais location and a detailed map of the manor. She forwarded the information to Piero. Mais location. Lets hustle it. Weve got
Nothing like a rushed, dangerous situation to get the blood owing. The bonus is getting to take out these drug dealing pricks. Ariel grinned. Pieros almost as vengeful as I am. Yet I still dont know the whole story. She entered a reminder into her task manager program to ask Piero when she got the chance. Ariel and Piero united and dashed up another ight of stairs to the third oor. They dived into rooms on the left and right at the same time, smashing through wooden doors as a line of scarlet lasers cut a swath of destruction along the oor, setting the blue carpet aame. Combat assault turrets they must have infrared or seismic sensors! Ariel crouched, took cover and stayed out of sight of the turrets ahead of them. Piero did the same in the room opposite from her. And here we thought it would be a cakewalk.
160
Alexei Cyren
Ariel leaned out and pressed her gun triggers. A stream of nano-bullets hammered the shielded turret on the right side of the hallway. Focus re on the right turret until its done for! Piero yelled a battle cry, popped out and unleashed a salvo of lasers that passed through the shimmering blue mass shields of the turret. It blew apart in a shower of white-blue sparks. The left turret fell quickly after that. Ariels sensors picked up an alarm signal. I think were going to have company real soon. Ive marked Nings location on the tactical map. Lets gun it! Piero took point and stormed forward. He looked down the iron sights of his black Marduk laser rie. The iron sights were a throwback to an older period in rearm history and werent required for aiming any more. She followed and watched the rear with her nano-cams. I wish Id brought a tech specialist with me. If only Thomas were here! We would have hacked the manors wireless network and gured out the exact position of every enemy. We might have disabled their seismic sensor systems and sneaked past all the guards. Ariel chided herself over her wishful thinking. Cant do
161
anything about that now. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty. Her sensors picked up more enemies within range. They closed in from every direction except the rear. Up ahead was a hallway intersection. Ning Mai was dead ahead and to the left. Piero, well swing left and avoid being boxed in. Well have to toss a few grenades. Sounds like a plan, Ariel. Going left will take us towards Ning and itll give us some more space to play with. Piero swung left and tossed some pineapples. The oor shook as his grenades went off. Ariel folded her pistols and grabbed a plasma grenade in each hand. She tossed it down the East and north hallway. She hacked the grenades to blow when she sent the signal. Her grenades rolled until they hit the feet of the leading Dragon thugs and their droid allies as they came into view. The thugs saw the grenades and tried to scramble back. The droids failed to sense the danger and didnt move out of the way, slowing their human masters. Please enjoy your stay in the afterlife hotel. ***
162
Alexei Cyren
Ariel signalled the grenades to blow and there was a ash of white-hot re. She tinted her vision to avoid being blinded. When she looked back, there were only half melted steel piles and smoking bodies. She heard Piero ghting. Screams of pain from the enemy echoed nearby. She skidded and made a sharp turn. Piero was ahead of her shooting down man or machine like a wildre. His rie spat a torrent of ruby beams that amputated enemies or blew holes through their bodies. Smoking corpses and blasted parts were strewn behind him as if a tornado blew through. Impressive work. Ariel darted after him and pressed her gun triggers, shooting down anyone he happened to miss, which werent many. After a few minutes, they ran into the small foyer in front of Ning Mais chambers. There was nothing to take cover behind so they hung back in the hallway as they assessed the situation. Piero scanned the area. Theres no one nearby as far as the sensors show. Mais personal chamber is sealed against scans. I dont like it. Its too quiet. Trust me. If those guys outside are closing in, it wont be quiet for long.
163
*** True. Shall we head over? Gentlemen rst. Piero rolled his eyes with feigned exasperation. walked towards the jade green double doors. Ariel walked side by side with him, guns at the ready. The double doors swung open, revealing a large chamber with glittering gold-silver furniture and silk rugs. Two hulking men, however, stood in the way and they marched forward with the practiced gait of professional soldiers. They were seven foot tall Indian giants with dark skin. One had steely blue eyes and the other dark purple. Both were dressed in thick armour made from some sort of crab shell. In fact, they both looked like fearsome crabs. Their muscles were as thick as a mans head and corded like rope. Ariel thought the oor shook a little with their every step. That armour must be extremely heavy almost a tonne from my sensors. In fact, I think I remember something about these kind of soldiers. *** He
164
Alexei Cyren
The steely eyed ghter carried a huge battle axe made out of ten inch thick sharpened crab shell. It reminded Ariel of a slab of metal than an actual weapon. The axe head was the size of a volt car seat. One hit from that would probably smash every bone in my body if it didnt manage to cleave me in two. Ariel thought the axe could actually cut through her nano armour. Purple Eyes looked like Steely Eyes clone. He wielded a double headed mace made of carved crab shell and crab pincers. The shaft was two inches thick and the heads of the mace were on both ends. It is like hes carrying a giant barbell. These two must have inhuman strength from nano-tech augments. A lot of them Ariel ran through her NBC database. The images ew by until she landed on the intelligence le on Tharsang, a planet within the Datar Colonial Alliance or DCA. She opened it. Since the DCA was neutral, the military forces of their planets were often peacekeepers in conicts between the SAG and the SRA. Tharsangs soldiers were known to work as mercenaries to raise money for the clans, ghting schools, Tharsi life shaper factions and monasteries on their world. There were different ghting styles among the Tharsi warriors that werent well known to those offworld.
165
Some infamous Tharsi mercenaries hailed from the Order of Zunn. Not much was known about them either except they were extremely tough and hard to kill even with advanced weapons. Some were known to have survived missile strikes. Ariel passed her ndings along to Piero. We need to be cautious. The Tharsi warriors cloak themselves in mystery. That means we wont know what kind of surprises they have up their sleeves. Agreed. We should test their defences and see if we can nd a weakness. Anyway I want to see just how good these fabled Tharsi warriors really are. Dont get carried away. I wouldnt want to see you get hurt. Ill keep that in mind. Ariel and Piero watched the massive crab-like warriors come to a stop about two dozen feet away. Steely Eyes deep voice reminded her of the ocean depths. I am Youssef Badri Toma. And my blood brother is Sha Salim Sarraf. Our employer, Ning Mai, has commanded that we ght and kill you. We recognize you as fellow warriors and challenge you to a duel to the death. Ariel cocked an eyebrow. And if we refuse?
166
Alexei Cyren
The purple eyed Sha answered in a voice that sounded like gravel. We must kill you if you try to pass us. Piero raised his rie and stared down the iron sights at them. Then I guess we have no choice but to ght you anyway. The axe wielding Youssef nodded. Then prepare yourselves to face some of the nest warriors of Tharsang! He brandished his axe and Sha followed suit with his mace staff. Ariel gulped as something in the back of her mind screamed at her. These guys They feel even more dangerous now! Piero squeezed his trigger rst, sending a deluge of blood-red beams at Sha. The giant moved with speed that shouldnt be possible for someone that bulky. He twirled a mace head in front of him and the lasers scorched it with little effect. A crab shell weapon that can withstand lasers?!? Ariel ipped through the air like a spinning axel and slammed her pistol triggers at the apex. Nano-rounds stabbed Youssef s crab armour and didnt even scratch it. Her sensors analyzed the results. That crab shell is so tough it can resist nano-rounds too! ***
167
Youssef surged forward with a powerful downward slash that nearly cleaved her right arm off. Only Ariels lightning reexes spared her from instant amputation. These guys werent joking when they said they were among the nest Tharsi warriors! She ipped backwards like an acrobat. Shas mace staff swung sideways so fast Piero could only block with his laser rie. The force of the blow sent him sailing through the air. He landed at on his back ten feet away. He barely rolled aside in time. Sha cleared the distance like a speeding train, gouging a chunk of the marble oor with a downward smash. The oor trembled from the blow. Youssef used a slanted chop, followed by an upward slash like a V nearly hewing Ariel down to the pelvis. She somersaulted backwards, as her brain and NBC analyzed the Tharsi attack patterns. They have great speed, inhuman strength and their armour is their best defence. Every part of their body is covered with crab shell Except their face. Only a head shot will work. Ariel back-pedalled and squeezed the triggers of her Eagles. The muzzles ashed but Youssef s axe was like a bulletproof shield. All her shots couldnt break through that slab of chitin.
168
Alexei Cyren
Youssef slowly forced her back towards the West wall and hallway. Piero ipped to his feet with a break-dance move. He pivoted on his left hand and a quick kick snapped out and struck Shas armoured stomach. The giant didnt budge or feel anything at all. He tumbled backwards as Shas mace staff almost shattered every bone in his left side. It would have been easier if there was only one of these monsters. Piero, I think you may have gured this out but head shots are the only thing thatll work on these guys. Piero responded over laser comm. A little busy right now! Hows that for challenging, Mr. Tough Guy! Ariel red at Youssef s face, forcing the epic ghter to use his axe as a shield. He cant cleave me in two if he has to keep his head protected! Her targeting crosshairs acquired a total lock on his face. Youssef charged at her anyway and she leapt left, letting the Tharsi pass by her. He swung his axe with only his right hand and nearly took her head off her shoulders. He kept his face angled away from her line of re. Ariel ducked but the axe sliced off six inches off her
169
pony tail. Oh, now Im pissed! She hopped back some more to give her distance to react. In a ght its ten feet plus the length of the weapon. In this case thats fteen to twenty feet. Piero and Sha circled each other. They tried to stare each other down. Neither looked ready to admit weakness. Ariel noticed Sha watching Pieros body language. The giant waited for Piero to attempt a headshot. Reading your enemy is a vital part of winning a ght like this. What if we could throw their readings off ? Ariel contacted Piero over laser comm while she watched Youssef wheel around to face her. Piero, Ive got an idea. Theyre both watching our body movements for the moment we try to shoot them in the head. Theyre not likely to notice the other guys opponent. Since we can see through each others eyes, we switch at the last moment and shoot the others target. Ariel, I could kiss you! That sounds like a great idea! She felt smug. Ill hold you to that one day. But dont thank me yet. We still need to beat them!
170
Chapter 8
Now it was time to put their plan into action. They were going to beat these deadly warriors Or die in the attempt. Sha twirled his mace staff over his head and prepared to charge. Youssef brought his crab axe into ready position. Theres no hate, malice or fear in their eyes. Its all business and honour to them. Well, I wont have any problems burying them. Ariel looked into Youssef s eyes. Its now or never. Youssef and Sha charged Ariel and Piero at the same time. Ariel and Piero were back to back. The two titanic warriors swung their weapons and time slowed down for Ariel. She heard her heartbeat but even
171
that faded away. An emptiness spread through her body as Youssef s axe inched closer and closer to her head. Ariels pistols pivoted around and over Pieros right shoulder, away from Youssef s face. Her targeting crosshairs locked onto Shas face with a triple lock. She pulled her triggers and bullets tore through Shas brain before he realized what happened. Pieros laser rie twisted to Ariels left side, below her arm and locked onto Youssef s head at an upward angle. He squeezed his rie trigger. A torrent of crimson lasers drilled a dozen holes through the axe mans skull. Both Youssef and Sha crashed face rst into the marble oor. Ariel was glad she didnt have to see what was left of them. You fought well, warriors of Tharsang. She saluted both dead warriors. Piero was astonished by her salute. His eyes ickered with understanding. Rest in peace, Tharsi warriors. Amen. He drew a cross across his chest. They stood in silence for another moment. Ariel nodded to Piero. We make one hell of a team. Dont forget you still owe me a kiss. Piero brushed her cheek with his rough ngers, sending pleasant tremors down her spine. You can call it any
172
Alexei Cyren
time. Ariel grabbed his hand and grinned. Lets get Ning Mai and nish this. Ariel and Piero trekked carefully through Ning Mais opulent chambers. They found the drowsy, beady eyed sub-boss looking around fearfully with a Nexana plasma pistol in his hands. There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead and lines of worry streaked across his face. The man was rotund in his navy blue suit. Ning didnt notice Ariel get behind him since she was stealth cloaked. We could have tried to sneak past the Tharsi warriors. We would have faced them eventually once we grabbed Mai. They couldnt cloak an extra person. Ariel disarmed him with a quick movement, twisting the gun out of his hands and kicking him to the oor. The sub-boss shrieked in fear and cowered. His hands covered his head and he begged for his life. Please dont kill me! Ning screamed. Ariel and Piero faded into view as they turned off their stealth cloaks. Pieros laser rie was pointed at Ning Mais head.
173
She unfolded her Eagle pistol and jabbed the muzzle into Ning Mais nose. Youve run us through a very merry gauntlet for the last few minutes so the least you can do is give us some answers. Wouldnt you agree? Ning Mai swallowed. Look, I dont know what this is about but Ill give you as many credits as you want! Just dont hurt me, please! Ariel rolled her eyes for a second and looked at Piero. Can you believe this guy? Piero joked. No, I dont believe this guy at all. She jabbed Nings extra bulk, causing the man to shrink back. Look, I dont want your credits. Were serving an arrest warrant as you can see. What I want to know is this where is Zan Kullu? Ning looked dumbfounded for a moment. Kullu? Zan
Ariel nodded. Yes, thats his name. So think really hard. Piero gave the Dragon sub-boss an evil grin. Otherwise, we might claim there was an accident during the arrest if you get my drift. Ning Mais drowsy face seemed to pale at Pieros words. Umm Let me think! Let me think! Oh yes! Guang Chin knew someone named Zan Kullu. He was talking
174
Alexei Cyren
with the man on behalf of our boss, Wen Chang. He was some sort of representative for some group but I dont remember the name. Ariel jabbed him again. Youre sure you didnt get the groups name? So close to being sure Could it be the Black Phoenix? Ning Mai shook his head. Im sure. So do you know where Zan Kullu is? Chang gave Zan a place to hide out in the city while he was here. Umm Let me see Yes, Dragon Steel Limited Its on the East side in Gangte District 78272 Street, Level 375. Finally! Now we have you in our sights, Zan Kullu! Piero glared at Ning Mai. Is there anything else we should know about? Ning Mai shook his head again. N..Nothing else! I swear thats all I know. If you want you can dive into my head! Looks like hes telling the truth. But we should dive just in case. Ariel slapped Ning Mais cheek lightly. Then were going to take you up on your offer! She dived into Nings nano-brain computer matrix.
175
She sat still for a few seconds and blinked when she came out. Hes telling the truth, Piero. Ning Mai let out a sigh of relief. So can you let me go now? He gave them a pleading look. This time Piero shook his head. We still have to bring you in because of the arrest warrant. Ning Mai was sweating again. Dont you get it! If the gang nds out theyre going to hang me alive! I need to get out of here! It was Ariels turn to sigh this time. Sorry, Ning but the Jade Dragons surrounding your house will likely do it anyway. The rotund sub-boss collapsed onto his knees. dead! Im
Piero radioed Ariel. Were going to need a plan for getting out of here. Any good ideas yet? Ariel grumbled. Im working on it. If were going to reach Zan we need to get out of here alive. She tossed an idea out. Lets check if theres any weak spots in their line. We might be able to punch through fast and reach our volt car. ***
176
Alexei Cyren
Piero grinned. front.
Its a start.
Lets head back to the
Ariel and Piero dragged Ning Mai to the front door in the main foyer, which remained wide open. She saw a line of Jade Dragon thugs and battle droids halfway between them and the landing pad where their volt car was. The line was thin because they were so spread out. They know well try to make a run towards the drop shuttles or our volt car. Theyre going to keep most of their attack forces in between and send the droids in rst. After all, they guessed we didnt have jetpacks or portable GIE ight systems. Why didnt I think to requisition one of those? Then again did I really expect things to turn out this way? Ariel cursed her lack of foresight once more. They did exactly as Ariel predicted. The jackal-headed Anubis droids with assault ries marched steadily towards the manors front door. In front of the Anubis droids was a wedge of canine Coyote droids running on all fours. Piero took cover behind the left side of the front door and pulled the trigger of his laser rie. Ruby beams of destruction tore through the charging Coyotes. Bodies vanished in crimson-orange ames, sending legs and heads rolling through the air. Ariel took down the remaining Coyotes as they surged up the steps toward the front door. Her shots were fast, precise and efcient. Not a single Coyote robot made it
177
over the threshold. Ning Mai clutched his head and mewled in fear behind Ariel. Were all going to die! Ariel hissed at Ning. Shut up, will you! She spun behind the right side of the front door as lasers and bullets zipped past her. She caught Pieros eyes. How many grenades do you have left? Five EMP grenades and ve plasma grenades. What about you? Four EMP and six plasma grenades I see another wave coming up behind the line of Anubis robots. The Dragons are hanging back to make sure no one reaches the landing zone. Were going to use the remaining EMP grenades on the combat droids and then well charge the Dragons line. Our remaining plasma grenades should get us through. Thats a risky plan, Ariel. I like it! Piero chuckled. Ariel smirked. I thought youd say that. The advancing Anubis robots crowded together as they approached the front door making them easy targets for grenades. The thirty droids red barrage after barrage as they drew closer.
178
Alexei Cyren
Droids are just so predictable and often quite stupid. Ariel tossed two EMPs into the front lines and watched as the ion burst fried the circuits of half the tin cans. Piero followed suit with two of his own and the remaining combat droids toppled over like dominoes. The second wave of battle droids marched through the haze of rising smoke. Their assault ries spat lasers and bullets, forcing Ariel and Piero to take cover again. When they closed within throwing range, Ariel tossed two EMP grenades over the rst pile of fried clunkers. There was another invisible ion burst and the robots in the second group keeled over. They were nished after Piero tossed his remaining grenades. There were now two squat hills of fried droids carpeting the area in front of the manor. Four rockets spiralled past their heads with a whoosh of wind and the grand stairs behind them vanished in a aming inferno. Flames, choking smoke and buffeting winds caused Ariels pony tail to utter as if it were a streamer. Oh great, theyre hurling rockets now. This couldnt get any worse. The maximum effective range of most personal mini-rocket launchers is around two hundred and thirty metres. If we try to cross the gap between us and the landing pad well be
179
blown to bits by their heavy weapons. We could try stealth cloak but we wouldnt be able to bring Ning Mai or guarantee his safety. That assumes their shuttles arent armed with seismic or tremor sensors. Ariel realized what a pain it was to keep a drug dealing scum bag like Ning alive. She couldnt very well leave him to die at the hands of his fellows, however. Then again, the choice might be out of my hands. Ning muttered to himself. If I tell them I didnt say anything, they wont kill me. Yes Yes! Thats what Ill tell them! They wont kill me! Piero yelled at Ning as he darted past Ariel like a madman on steroids and dashed over the hill of wrecked droids. Are you crazy! Theyll kill you! Its too late. The mans snapped Though I cant say Im sorry to see him die. Ning screamed at the top of his lungs. Brothers, its me, Ning Mai! Dont shoot! Ive escaped! He looked cartoonish, wheezing and running at the same time. Ariel saw three trails of smoke and Ning Mai was blown to pieces right before her very eyes. All that remained of Ning Mai was a smoking crater. Piero murmured. deserved. The gangster got what he
Ariel said nothing. She turned her thoughts to how to
180
Alexei Cyren
breach the line. Those thoughts were short lived. Five NM-7 Wolf Spider exo-armours dropped from the sky like streaking, cerulean meteors. There were GIEs and mass driver cannons on each of their eight legs. They touched down and their guns unleashed a hailstorm of slugs that punched one inch holes into the manors walls. The fteen foot tall glass steel windows burst inward, showering Ariel and Piero. The shards cut her face and hands in several places. She dived to the oor as the front doors were blown off their hinges. They toppled over with a loud slamming sound that rattled her ears. This just gets better and better. Ariel cursed under her breath. Im really starting to hate the Jade Dragon gang. She was developing a grudge to rival Pieros. The whole manor was surrounded by the gang bangers, which cut off their route to the landing pad and Pieros volt car. It was a thousand feet to the front gate. There was no cover whatsoever. It was open ground all the way. Even though we dont have to worry about Ning Mai anymore their Wolf Spider EAs are going to wipe the oor with us. Weve got to get to the bottom of this. Criminals with military grade repower
181
is just downright terrible. Ariel imagined Shanghais streets running red with rivers of blood. She saw no way to punch through this kind of attack force with the small arms they held. They didnt have enough grenades to take on this many exo-armours. The only upside was the Jade Dragons were so condent that theyd kill them that they didnt bother to blow up their volt car when they rst arrived. It was a very small upside. Ariel contacted Piero over laser comm. He gave her a sidelong glance while laying at on his stomach to avoid the hail of mass driver bullets from the Wolf Spiders. This situation just gets better and better doesnt it? Piero chortled. I always thought you liked a thrilling challenge? Ariel chuckled. Yeah, I guess I do. But we need to get out of here alive if were going to capture Zan, get to the bottom of things and close this case. So I dont exactly relish the thought of dying right here. Before I kill every last one of the Black Phoenix. Agreed. How do we get past those EAs and the rest of the Jade Dragon hit men? Ariel brought up the layout of the manor house and the
182
Alexei Cyren
oating rock it sat on. I think we need a distraction something that will throw them off balance. You see the GIEs all around the manor. Well, lets say we were to knock them out Ariel, thats either the most brilliant idea youve ever come up with or the most reckless. You do know that were ON this rock. If Nings manor plunges into the Under Dark and we dont get off in time, well die too. Well, Im hoping that the Dragons will run rst giving us a clear path to the volt car. Assuming the volt car doesnt pitch over the side when this rock goes into free fall. Its a risk well have to take. Im hoping the AG elds on the landing pads are strong enough to prevent our ride from rolling off this rock. Why dont we just wait for backup? The Guardians or some locals are bound to notice all the explosions and bullets ying. Ariel gave Piero a cross look. This is the Jade Dragon were talking about here. Do you seriously think they didnt pay people to look the other way. At the very least theyd end up delaying any reports or a response team. And were running out of time. Who knows how long it might take for someone to actually come! She saw two Wolf Spider EAs changing into their
183
human-shape form. They were about as tall as other ghter-class EAs with their six mounted mass drivers cannons. They wielded close combat weapons that looked like wicked ice picks. Piero asked, Those EAs can take human shape?!? NM-7s can switch between their spider-shape and human shape form. Those two are going to waltz in here and mop the oor with us unless we do something quick. The two Wolf Spiders closed in while their fellow EAs continued with their bullet spray. And how the hell do you propose to knock out the engines? We couldnt hack the manors HIVR network! Remember? Ning let me dive into his head. I copied all of his command passwords so Ive got access to the manor network and the GIE engine system. Piero frowned at Ariel. Remind me never to let you root around through my nano-brain. The two Wolf Spiders were only forty feet away. Ariel had six-seconds before they reached their position. She yelled. Here goes! She cut the power to the GIE engines supporting the oating manor. The whole rock started to plummet.
184
Alexei Cyren
Ariel reversed the articial gravity or AG elds on the manor grounds too. They shot towards the ceiling fty feet above. The Wolf Spiders and Jade Dragon thugs ew into the air and out of sight while the manor dropped like the rock it was. She heard distant shrieks as men went into free fall without any solid ground beneath them. Only the shuttles and Pieros volt car remained on the manor landing pads. The shuttles generated their own AG elds. Ariel slammed into the ceiling and knocked the breath out of her lungs. Her nano armour absorbed most of the bone-breaking impact preventing instant death. She felt her face atten from the acceleration forces as the falling manor picked up speed. This is worse than ying an EA in combat. Weve got to get to the volt car! Ariel returned gravity above the manor grounds to normal. She and Piero fell back towards the oor. She hit it as hard as she hit the ceiling. She groaned. Is this why I hate roller coasters? Piero rolled onto his back and ipped onto his feet. He stretched a hand to Ariel to help her up. She grabbed it. She felt the sparks pass between them and got up. No time to get ustered.
185
Ariel whispered into Pieros mind. Nows a good time to run. We only have a few minutes before we hit rock bottom. No kidding! Lets go! The white path to the front gate was clear of gunmen. Ariel spotted the Wolf Spider EAs closing in from above. They sprayed a barrage of high impact slugs. They barely avoided being turned into human pin cushions. Piero yelled as they dashed towards the volt car. If this rock ips upside down were as good as dead! Ariel hollered back at Piero. Then lets hope it doesnt! She prayed for Lady Luck to be on her side today. They passed the empty Jade Dragon shuttles but decided it would take too long to try and hack them. We dont know how much time we have left If only Thomas were here! Ariel dismissed her wishful thinking and pelted towards Pieros volt car. The ve Wolf Spiders made another pass. Mass driver slugs tore through the concrete and turf. One of the grounded shuttles was hit and burst apart in a giant ball of
186
Alexei Cyren
wicked orange ames. Ariel used her forearms to shield her head as she ran. Debris rained down on her and the heat of the burning shuttle licked her face. The ground quaked beneath her feet, swaying like some drunk man out on a street. The volt cars side door loomed close and she reached out. The falling manor tilted violently as if someone smacked it on the rump. Ariel was thrown to the ground and rolled towards the edge. She tried to get a handhold or foothold but it was like grasping at straws. Piero screamed her name. Ariel!!!!!! Ariel tried to grab for a handhold again and failed. She nearly succeeded in getting her feet back under her. The falling manor bucked once more and her stable footing was lost. Damn it! Its like trying to stay on top of a sea of roiling coloured balls! The edge approached. Ariel found herself falling down a very steep hill instead of level ground. She saw the dark outlines of tower blocks within Shanghai City sector. Brilliant white light shot into the sky above the whitedomed space port.
187
The air whistled around her. She briey saw Piero charge after her with both hands outstretched. What the hell else can I do to stop my fall? My force grapple! Ariel fumbled for the force grapple on her combat harness. The rocking platform made it a thousands times more difcult. She managed to grab it by the tip of her thumb and forenger and pulled it off. The Wolf Spiders strafed the area around her. Ariel let herself fall closer to the edge to avoid being riddled with cannon slugs. Her force grapple ew out of her hand as she hit the concrete with a thud. No! The force grapple cylinder rolled over the drop, which now loomed ahead of her with an air of nality. I cant die like this! Its not my time yet! I still have to avenge my mother! The memory of that day ashed through her mind in her last moments like it was only yesterday. Ariel stepped out of her volt car after it connected with the docking clamp. The air was cool and crisp thanks to
188
Alexei Cyren
Sericents diligent weather control systems. Guess the boys at the Weather Centre wanted it a bit cooler at lunch time instead of the usual summer sizzle. El Madras was just down street. Ariel saw the sign facing her way stating El Madras Cafe. It hung from a pole sticking out from the rst oor roof. The joint was popular in Cider Hall Metro, people from all walks of life socialized here. The Mars Banana Crepe was to die for. Ariel strolled toward it. There was a large boom. A ball of ame erupted out the front of El Madras with a whirlwind of steel, glass and bodies. The shockwave hurled her onto her back knocking the breath from her lungs. Ariel got up. Mom was in there. Mom was in there! Gods, no! It was the last day she believed in a higher power ever again. Ariels ears rang from the blast. Everything moved in slow motion. She screamed, Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She ran like a wobbling gofer trying to get back to its hole Burned bits, a leg, an arm, a head She searched frantically, screaming: Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Guardians, re department and the paramedics
189
arrived. The African paramedic held Ariels arm and ashed a light in her eye as he checked her condition. Are you okay, miss? Can you tell me your name? She was frantic, trying to slip out of the mans grasp. Trying to nd Mom even though everything was spinning faster and faster. Wheres my mom!!!! She was in there! Where is SHE!?! Another paramedic ran over and caught Ariel as she passed out. That was the last thing she heard as she slipped into the darkness. Nora, this one got hit pretty hard I tried to be strong back then. My desire for revenge got me this far. Once again luck dealt me another crappy hand. Im going to die before I get my revenge against the Phoenix! It was all for nothing. Ariel toppled over the edge of the oating manor, tears streaming down her face. Someone caught her hand and held it tight. She looked up into Pieros face as he strained to hold onto her for dear life. Piero shouted at her. Dont think Im going to let you die on me, Ariel Blake! They both shot towards Pieros volt car.
190
Alexei Cyren
In his right hand was his force grapple. Its invisible gravity beam was latched onto the volt car. The volt car in turn was anchored to the landing pad with its own AG eld. Piero opened the driver side door and Ariel climbed in rst. He got in after her and slammed the door shut. They buckled in and Piero hit the accelerator. The volt car streaked off the landing pad and into the air. The sensors showed the Wolf Spider EAs break off as Guardian forces closed in. Ning Mais manor tumbled into the depths of Sericents Under Dark and vanished from sight.
191
Chapter 9
Dragon Steel Limited was a massive AR-steel manufacturing company that lled the lower levels of the tower block on 78272 Street in Gangte District. It was far away from and beneath any of the glitz and glamour of downtown Shanghais Blossom District. In Gangte there were endless numbers of factories, warehouses and other similar operations. It was pretty easy to hide whatever you wanted in this district if you knew how. A thorough check of Dragon Steel Limited hinted that it was a front for Jade Dragon money laundering operations. Of course Guardians watched it closely but there was no solid proof they could use to shut it down. The Jade Dragon was careful. Manchu Changs son and top lieutenant, Wen Chang ran Dragon Steel Limited behind the scenes according to Guardian intel. Ning Mai said Zan Kullu was in there and as far as the dead sub-boss knew, it was the truth.
192
Alexei Cyren
Ariel studied the factory for a few more moments before zooming her vision out. There wasnt anything out of the ordinary about the outside. Sensors arent working through the walls which is suspicious. Piero turned to Ariel. So what do you think? Is Zan really in there? Shi combed through his blue hair. The Guardians have an APB on the guy and so far none of the security cameras topside in the upper levels have spotted him. It would make sense for him to be laying low down here. The tomboy Ying waved at Ariel. So Ariel? Ariel looked thoughtful. Ning said he was in there and were authorized to go in. So were going in. Anyway, I have a feeling he hasnt left. Meng chuckled. If Ariel says hes in there, thats good enough for me. Ariel grinned. Okay, D-7 were going in! Pilot, take the shuttle in for a drop. The pilots deep voice answered from the cockpit. Roger that Guardian Blake. The sleek blue LT-47 shuttle itted over to the landing pad in front of the factory. A red-yellow glow pulsed out of the building from the heat of the processing units. The
193
left hatch opened and Ariel jumped out of the shuttle as it oated a foot above the concrete platform. Piero, Shi, Meng, Lixue and Ying followed. Everyone readied their assault ries except for Ariel who unfolded her Eagle pistols. Ariel broadcast to the whole team using L-code. Piero take point. Meng take up the rear. Everyone else behind Piero. She followed Piero as he led the way to the cold silvergrey door of the AR-steel factory. She felt the heat of the blast furnaces inside. Who would suspect Zan the arms dealer would be hiding here? Piero radioed to the team. The door is locked. Lixue and Ying hack it open. Shi, Meng, cover them. Roger! Everyone replied. Ariel scanned the surroundings with her vision and the nano-tech sensors. The drop shuttles twin engines gave off an eerie purple-blue glow as it lifted off towards the rendezvous location. Its too quiet I would have expected guards at the front door. Could they have known we were coming at exactly this moment? Ariel shook her head. Thats not likely Lixue and Ying nished hacking and the twenty foot high, three foot thick double doors split apart at the
194
Alexei Cyren
centre, like a sideways jaw opening. An angry red light, followed by gusts of hot air, spilled through the doorway. Ariel saw a large platform before them. There was a ve hundred foot long bridge leading to an identical platform on the other side. There were blast furnaces and processing units on both sides of the bridge. On the far platform was a dark doorway that reminded her of a dragons maw that could swallow men whole. Below the bridge were droids and metal shaping machines working at a steady pace. The factory oor was three hundred feet down. There wasnt a single living human in sight. Its too damn hot for that. Guardian nano armour kept her cool as the inside of a fridge. She wasnt wearing a helmet, however. The temperature monitor in her vision showed: 36 degrees Celsius, 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 308.2 Kelvins. The processing units heated up metal ore used in ARsteel to super high temperatures. It poured them into giant vats below, which fed the shaping machines. She saw the air shimmer around the furnaces as if it were a mirage. There were dozens of crate stacks ahead of them, between the front door and the bridge ramp. Sensors located unknowns and marked them as red enemy blips
195
on the tactical HUD. They were spread throughout the maze of crates and boxes. Shi muttered. Looks like weve got guards after all. Ariel studied the one hundred foot wide kill zone between them and the closest crate stacks. The only worthwhile cover was the doorway they hacked open and were standing in. Shi, Ying use the left side of the doorway for cover. Meng, Lixue, use the right. You guys lay down suppression re. Piero, youre with me, were going to charge the main position. Piero cocked an eyebrow, which made him look dashing. Reckless as ever Thats what I love about you. Save the attery for later, cowboy. Weve got a reght to win. The enemies ahead realized Ariels team wasnt going to fall for such an obvious ploy. They leaned out of cover and opened re. Lasers and plasma bolts shot past them. The enemy wore blood red crimson combat armour with the symbol of a man on re. Burning Men! Among the most ruthless and feared mercenary pyros in the private soldier business! Ariel fought them on several occasions including a joint Guardian-Navy operation codenamed Barabel-8.
196
Alexei Cyren
The bastards only use ame or energy weapons because they want to see people burn to death. Theyre more sadistic monsters than men! Its time to deal some more payback for the friends I lost on Barabel! Ariel hoped a small team would sneak in, grab Zan and get out. That was totally impossible. They must have been waiting everything was too well planned out. It was like Zan saw this coming a mile away. All plans evaporate upon contact with the enemy. I guess well have to wing it! Ariel and Piero stormed towards the rst line of stacked crates. The rest of D-7 team unloaded a barrage of suppression re at the Burning Men. Two scarlet soldiers screamed as their chest plates were shattered by nanorounds and they dropped dead. There was no vocal chatter because everyone used short range laser comm. There were only the sounds of dying men, gunre and grenades. Beams and globs streaked through the air around her and Piero as they closed the short distance between the front door and the nearest line of crates. Their ofcer has to be around here somewhere. Take out the head and the rest will follow! Ariel didnt spot the commander as she reached the nearest line of crates. One of the Burning Men with a visor helmet leaped out to hew her in half with a searing scarlet plasma sword. It looked more like a red beam of
197
light then a jet of ignited, ionized gas. A slanted slash narrowly missed her as she sidestepped the attack. She ducked extremely low as the Burning Man tried to cleave her in half at the waist. A passable swordsman but that isnt good enough She twisted the ghters hands, disarmed him and ended up with his bloody blade. With another swift motion, Ariel chopped the man in half from right hip to left shoulder. The cut left steaming edges of charred esh and super heated metal through the body. Another Burning Man with a mauve plasma blade got behind her. Ariels snapping back kick sent the soldier stumbling. The Burning Man went rigid and fell backward with a tight knit series of blazing holes in his back. She saw Piero swing away and pull the trigger quickly. Another salvo of ery beams blasted through a Burning Mans throat, ending his life instantly. Thanks, Piero. Ariel radioed. Dont mention it. Shi, Lixue, Meng and Ying kept the pressure on the Burning Men, forcing them to take cover to avoid the hail of gunre.
198
Alexei Cyren
Ariel shut off her acquired plasma sword and hooked it onto her combat harness. She unfolded her pistols, ducked out and squeezed the triggers. Her bullets took down two more Burning Men as they got up to return re at Piero. D-7 team advance to the rst row of crates. Piero and I will cover you. Move! The remaining team members shouted. Roger! Piero, lets move ahead and take the next line of crates. Its like taking candy from a baby. Lixue, Ying, Shi and Meng stormed over to the rst line of crates while Ariel and Piero laid down suppression re. The Burning Men kept their heads down and covered their withdrawal to the third line. Just as I expected they would. There were fteen lines of stacked crates that provided cover for either side. They may have heavy weapons. This time however were prepared. Meng, Ying deploy the combat drones. Flush them out! Ariel stepped out and pulled her triggers, shooting another Burning Man with a laser rie dead before he evaded.
199
Meng nodded. Combat drones coming right up! The Guardian ash-built a forest green combat drone using nearby crates for materials. Parts of the crates vanished as the nano-fabricator built them into the drone. Ying followed suit. The combat drones sped over Ariel and Piero, drawing re from the Burning Men. Bullets and plasma grenades drove several Burning Men out of cover into the gun sights of D-7 Team. Piero shot three of the ghters dead before they knew what hit them. Ten more Burning Men vanished in a roaring inferno of white-orange ames. Plasma grenades tumbled toward them in an aerial arc. Ariels targeting circles locked onto four and she pulled her pistol triggers. A stream of nano-rounds raked through the cloud of grenades. They exploded with a giant howl of blinding white plasma that sucked the air from her lungs. The metal crates she used for cover withstood the midair blast. She radioed the rest of the team. Is everyone all right? Meng answered. breathing. A few bruises but were still
Ariel vaulted over a crate as she ran for the third line.
200
Alexei Cyren
Make four more drones and have them target grenades or the throwers. Cover me, Piero! The rest of you advance once the drones have launched. Piero sprinted behind her as they zig zagged between the crates of the second line. She pressed her gun triggers as she leaped over a four foot high crate stack and landed between crouched Burning Men. Her nano-rounds took a ghter ahead of her through the eyes, blowing his brains into the back of his helmet. Ariels eyes were hard as int as she dropped her pistols, pulled off a silver cylinder and ignited her crimson plasma blade in one deft motion. She cut down both Burning Men ghters beside her with a single spinning swing before they trained their guns on her. The blade chopped the AR-steel crates behind her, leaving a liqueed gash. She step-kicked one of her Eagle pistols into her left hand. She trained her weapon on a Burning Man further right and slammed the trigger. The soldier got only enough time to level his gun before the nano-rounds drilled a hole through his forehead. Piero rushed past Ariel, spun left and hammered his rie trigger. Burning ruby lasers zipped by Ariels face, leaving a rosy afterimage in her vision. Her rear view nano-cameras showed a Burning Man drop dead with a gaping, smoking hole in his chest. The ghter dropped out of an open crate in one of the
201
stacks. They have men hiding in the crates! We didnt detect them. They were stealth cloaked! D-7 Team, watch your backs! There are Burning Men hiding in the crates with stealth tech. Theyve got us surrounded! Ariel saw more Burning Men emerge from the stacked crates, dropping to the oor and levelling their weapons. Lines one and three are the outer edges of this little ambush. Piero and I have broken through this one. There are still twelve more lines to cross, however. Are they empty or full? Pieros rie wheeled through the air, his face glowed with every shot from his assault rie. Burning Men dropped from his pinpoint head shots. He rolled behind a stack of crates as mercenaries tried to ank him. Were surrounded by enemies and I cant go back. Ive come too far not to see this through. A Burning Man dropped from a nearby crate and tried to gun her down with his plasma rie. Ariel lashed out with a stop hit that pierced the soldier through the left arm. The man screamed as her ery blade burned a hole so big that his entire left arm was severed. He dropped his rie and she hacked him in two
202
Alexei Cyren
at chest level. She kicked her other Eagle pistol into the air. It dropped into its hip store point in her nano armour, folded itself and vanished. With another nimble move, Ariel lifted her left arm into the air, elbow at forty-ve degrees and her pistol pointed behind her. She pulled the trigger and another Burning Man went down with a yawning hole through his chest. D-7, follow close behind me and Piero. Get ready to toss some plasma re grenades. Well force any remaining ambushers out into the open. There wasnt much time for any other words to the team as three Burning Men stepped out from behind a large stack of crates and pointed their right arms at Ariel. Her sensors outlined mini-amethrowers on top of their forearms. Flame throwers, damn! Ariel cartwheeled behind another stack of crates as ames gushed through the air where she was a moment ago. She felt the temperature rise despite the cooling systems in her nano armour. I need to ash-build a helmet! Piero, theyve got pyros. Do you have a good angle to take a shot? She ash-built a sealed helmet around her head. I got you covered. Piero did the same. Ariel hightailed it towards Piero. The pyros unleashed
203
three jets of ames that licked her heels. She pressed the trigger of her left pistol and let her instincts guide her. The bullet struck the gauntlet mounted miniamethrower of the Burning Man on the right. His weapon exploded. He and the man in the centre of the trio were engulfed in a towering inferno. They staggered a few feet before crashing onto the platform like ignited torches. The last pyros head was blown away by Pieros laser strike. Ariel skidded to a stop and veered towards the fth line of stacked crates. She hooked the plasma sword back onto her harness and holstered her pistol. She grabbed eight red, thumb sized plasma grenades between each of her ngers from her combat harness. On the tactical map HUD, she saw D-7 team drawing close behind her as red blips trailed after them. She heard the team exchange gunre with the pursuing Burning Men. Grenades exploded nearby and she felt the hot air and acrid smoke. Over an open channel, Ariel announced her deadly intentions. Burning Men hiding in the crates I know you can hear me. Were going to toss enough plasma grenades that youll all die in the kind of burning hell you love so much before you get a chance to ambush us. Prepare yourselves! A split second later dozens of crates ahead of them
204
Alexei Cyren
popped open and Burning Men ran for their lives. They were dead if they stayed and dead if they didnt. Better to die ghting! Ariel sent the signal and tossed her grenades. Piero and the rest of the D-7 team did the same. Ariel made sure that her team brought lots of repower this time unlike the warehouse reght. She wasnt disappointed as the reworks went off. Burning Men tumbled through the air trailing ames. Crates melted into liqueed slag. A Burning Man without a helmet followed by four others with a visor slit helm walked through the burning wreckage towards them. The man in the lead was wracked by a hacking cough and his eyes were a ghastly yellow-orange. It was an unnerving appearance. They ignored the heat and ames. Ariel focused on the lead mans mug and ran it through the Guardian database in her NBC. It came up as Michael L. Ramos a.k.a. Ramos the Red. An infamous brutal killer and second lieutenant within the Burning Men corporation. Hes on the most wanted list too. Theyre wearing heat proof armour unlike the rest of the grunts. These must be Ramos fellow ofcers.
205
*** Ariel wasnt impressed with Ramos despite his scary look. A guy who torched people for fun really ticked her off. Ramos the Red You are pretty wimpy in person. You should have run away like the rest of your men. Ramos sneered. Guardian Ariel Blake You are well known to us Burners for that embarrassment at Barabel. Today I intend to make you pay for that insult. Id like to see you try. Ramos snarled and charged her. He ignited his orange plasma sword in his right hand and drew a plasma shotgun with his left. His four fellow ofcers opened re with their plasma ries. Ariel stayed focused on Ramos, who looked like he got a kick out of killing up close and personal. She ignited her crimson plasma sword with her right and drew her Eagle pistol with her left. She lunged at Ramos. Ramos sidestepped her attack. Ariel traded strikes with Ramos for a few seconds. Were both using the epee fencing style. The only problem is that plasma swords arent really swords. Theyre long ame cutting torches. That meant Ariel couldnt block or parry attacks. She could only dodge them with fancy footwork. One misstep
206
Alexei Cyren
and Ramos would split her in two or kill her with a thrust to the heart or brain. Of course the same could be said for Ramos. It will all depend on our agility, footwork and timing. Ariel lunged again and Ramos ducked, trying to drive his orange plasma sword up and through her heart. She twisted aside at the last moment and avoided being skewered. She felt the heat of his plasma weapon singe her helmet plate. She whirled around and tried to cleave him through the right shoulder. Ramos spun and narrowly avoided the hit. He levelled his right forearm at Ariel. A mini-amethrower spat a jet of ames that threatened to engulf her head, blinding her. That would be fatal in a close ght like this. She ducked at the last moment. The ames scorched the top of her sealed helmet for little effect. Ariel squeezed the trigger of her pistol. The mercenary was no slouch because he cocked his head at the last second, avoiding the point blank head shot. You just dont know when to die do you? Ramos howled with laughter and fell back ten feet. I thought youd be a pushover, Guardian! But this is EXHILARATING! The Burning Man leaped through
207
the air despite his heavy armour and tried to cleave her in two with a spinning overhand slash. Ariel ipped backward and avoided the attack. This guy is totally insane and bloodthirsty. Ramos plasma shotgun hurled three tight burning emerald balls of ame that scorched Ariels armour while she tumbled. Warning messages ashed. The heat limit on her suit was exceeded and there was damage to her calves. She gritted her teeth and shut off her sense of pain as she landed. Piero got behind Ramos and opened re. The Burning Man however wasnt surprised. He strafed left and avoided the torrent of laser re. The rest of Ramos fellow ofcers lay dead. Only Ramos remained but he threw a handful of grenades at her and the D-7 team. They dodged aside but instead of exploding they spewed out clouds of smoke. Their sensors lost Ramos and they were blind. Sensor scatter smoke Overkill though Ramos used stealth cloaking anyway. The smoke cleared a few minutes later and Ramos was gone.
208
Alexei Cyren
Ariel, Piero and the rest of D-7 team stalked between the steaming, shattered remnants of crates. They approached the bridge in the centre of the oppressive heat that made up the upper level of the processing factory. The whizz and whirr of machines echoed all around them as they melted and forged AR-steel ingots and girders for building construction. Piero, Ariel and Shi took point this time, Lixue and Ying in the middle and Meng at the rear. They cautiously marched down the bridge. Ariels sensors picked up movement below the walkway and she raised her pistols. She sent a warning to the rest of the team. Incoming! Two ying platforms shot out from underneath the fty foot wide bridge and hovered briey on either side. Anubis combat droids with ries, chrome paint and jackalheads leapt off the left platform and barred their way at the halfway point of the bridge. The remaining platform sped over them. Lixue, Ying, Meng take out the second platform before it lands! Ariel ordered. She turned back to face the droids. The team was trained for this kind of situation. Ive got to trust that weve trained well enough. Meng and Lixue used their nano-fabricators to turn a large part of the railing on both sides of the bridge into
209
ten inch thick tower shields that were four feet high with magnetic oor clamps for bracing. The shields locked onto the oor while the two Guardians levelled their assault ries and pulled the triggers. Nano-rounds hammered the platform and the enemies aboard. Ten of the battle machines were torn apart by the bullet storm as the platform descended. Ying steadied herself and trained her pistol-sized minirocket launcher at the enemy. She popped in a missile and let loose. The explosive screamed through the air like a wailing child and struck the ying disc with a huge burst of orange-sapphire ames. Several combat droids were pitched over the side into the burning depths below. Ying lobbed missile after missile. The GIE engines on the underside were hit. The hover disc lost control before it descended any further and crashed into one of the vats of molten ore as it was poured into a vat. The droids and the hover platform vanished in the waterfall of liquid metal. Shi bring up a tower shield and cover Piero. Shi grunted. What about you? Just do it. We need to keep the Anubis droids from shooting Meng and Lixue in the back!
210
Alexei Cyren
Shi pulled atoms from the air and bridge using his nano-fabricator. He built a tower shield of his own facing the other way. It was done with expert skill and speed as expected of a Guardian. Piero dropped into a lunging crouch beside Shi. He stared down his iron sights and pulled the trigger. Maroon beams of blazing destruction hacked into the advancing lines of Anubis battle droids. They fell like puppets with their strings cut. The combat droids returned re with lasers and bullets. Shi slammed his transparent tower shield onto the oor in front of himself and Piero. The lasers and bullets hammered it like a rainstorm. The shield withstood the assault. Sparks showered the oor from the impacts. Ive got to give the team enough time to switch directions. Lixue, Meng pull up your shields and switch directions while we keep them busy. Ariel didnt wait for a reply as she dashed left towards the opposite railing drawing enemy re away from her team. She banked right and bounded towards the thirty
211
Anubis droids marching towards her. She hit her gun triggers like a sewing machine might with high speed stitches. Lines of bullets blew off heads like they were bottles in a shooting gallery. Eight droids were felled in the blink of an eye. Ariel zig zagged, leapt and rolled to avoid return re. Violet laser beams grazed her nano-armour while bullets were deected by her mass shields. Her tactical map HUD showed Lixue, Ying and Meng were beside Piero and Shi. D-7 deploy grenades and rockets! Several emerald laser beams scorched her left thigh, right arm and left shoulder. She grunted even though she couldnt feel anything. She dived to the oor as Yings rocket spiralled over her head and ripped apart the front line of combat droids. The walkway shuddered from the force of the blast, jackal heads, arms and aming steel slammed into her back. Ariel knew it would leave serious bruises for her Mgel systems to deal with. She felt the nano gel repairing her laser burns too. Several grenades sailed overhead and the walkway rumbled again. After a few seconds everything was silent. She looked up the remaining droids jerked in their death throes after being zapped by EMP grenades.
212
Alexei Cyren
Good work everyone. Ariel leapt to her feet, the smell of scorched metal and melted plastic lled her nostrils. Lets see if we can nd, Zan. Theres no need, Guardian. Ive come to you. Ariel swung her head around and looked at the far end of the bridge, past the mess of robots in front of her. Zan must be using the factory loudspeaker system. She saw the African from the Jade Dragon warehouse in south Shanghai. She zoomed in on Zans face as he spoke. His brown eyes burned with deance and his dreadlocks seemed to dance in the hot air of the factory. So are you going to turn yourself in quietly? Zan shook his head. His mouth didnt move. Hardly Ive come to tell you that you are all going to die. There is no way for you to contact your fellows in time because the doors are sealed. All signals coming from this factory are jammed. Shis voice rung in Ariels head. The front doors have snapped shut. Can we get them open? She radioed back. Not from this side There was no access panel as far as I could see and theres no wireless network in here so we cant hack the door that way either.
213
Then how the hell is Zan able to talk through the loudspeaker system. Hes standing right front of us and it looks like hes using a wireless connection. Hes not showing up on sensors. They have stealth cloaking we cant rely on it for verication. Ariels gaze never budged an inch as she watched Zan Kullu. Ariel addressed Zan again. Youre going to an awful lot of trouble to kill us. Zan shrugged. I hold nothing against you personally, Guardian Blake. I do hold a bitter grudge with the system and the government you represent. It is corrupt. It is cruel. It serves the corporations, exploiting people and leaving the rest of us in poverty. You stand in the way and youve shown yourself to be extremely hard to kill. If I let you live, my plans will be ruined. So today you must die. Ariel checked the distance to Zan Kullu. Seventy-six point two metres or two-hundred fty feet. My pistols wont hit at that range but Pieros laser rie can. Piero is there any chance you can take out Zan with a shot through the heart? If we dont head shot him we can dive into his NBC and get the information before his brain is completely gone. Piero didnt sound convinced. I can take the shot but its risky to do an information hack like that. What if you
214
Alexei Cyren
dont make it to him in time? I cant afford to lose this chance. I dont think hes going down without a ght. Take the shot. Roger, Ariel. Piero trained his laser rie on Zans heart and pulled the trigger. The ruby beam hit Zan and passed right through him. A hologram! Two red blips appeared below the walkway on Ariels HUD and closed in fast. They climbed into sight behind and in front of them, about thirty feet away. On each of the ying platforms stood twenty Jade Dragon thugs armed to the teeth. A man in a jade coloured long shirt stood fearlessly at the front edge of the oating platform descending in front of her. His hair was braided in the ancient Chinese Manchu Queue style and stretched down to his waist. There was no mistaking his identity: Wen Chang, the right hand, son and lieutenant of Jade Dragon crime lord Manchu. Ariel was surprised to see Wen Chang here. For one thing she never imagined Zan Kullu held this much inuence over the Jade Dragons. The second was that she never imagined that Wen Chang was a toad to anyone but his father, Manchu. A lightning review of Wen Changs prole showed him
215
to be a dangerous ghter and a wily businessman with an MBA from Harvard. It was rumoured that at the age of eight he killed his rst man. At the age of twelve he killed dozens. His father moulded Wen into a deadly weapon. He became his father's right hand by the age of fteen. No one was able to convict Wen of killing anything more than a grasshopper. Ariel studied the intel deeply after seeing him at the Jade Dragon warehouse. He avoided arrest because of his familys powerful connections and their army of lawyers. It sickened her that even with video footage, he was able to cast doubt that it was actually him. The lawyers claimed someone pretended to be Wen. Since HIVR allowed a person to change their avatars look and all data logs were erased, there was no solid evidence linking him to the Jade Dragon operations at the warehouse. His supposed appearance at the warehouse was considered insufcient proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Now Wen Chang stood in front of her in the esh. Even if I capture him here, his lawyers could probably get him off through another loophole. The thought made her angry. The odds were stacked against her team. There were forty heavily armed Jade Dragon thugs who were smarter than the typical combat droid, which wasnt saying much. Wen Chang was an expert in hand to hand combat.
216
Alexei Cyren
Except this is a gun ght Can Wen Chang be serious about ghting us with his bare hands? Were the rumours of his skills just crazy talk? Ariel dismissed her pointless line of internal questions. I cant let anyone stop me. I have to get to the bottom of this She felt the Phoenix behind this whole situation somehow. Wen Chang stepped off the aerial platform with his goons in tow. His hands were clasped behind his back. He dripped an arrogant condence that belittled everything and everyone around him. His men both feared and respected him. They stood in awe of the man. On the opposite side of the bridge, the other Dragons got off their hover platform. Their guns were trained on them but they didnt open re. It appeared that Wen wanted to talk or gloat rst. Zan Kullus hologram crossed its arms. Whats the delay, Chang? With your skills, killing them should be childs play. Wen laughed. You are too impatient, Zan Kullu. Were allies arent we? I wish to savour this moment. You can give me this much cant you? His eyes studied them but stopped at Piero.
217
Allies? Was it the Black Phoenix? Damn it! Guardian Piero Sanabria Feliciano, we meet again outside the courtroom. Id ask how your sister Erina is doing but I heard shes been dead some time. My condolences The Jade Dragon gave him a mocking smile. Piero screamed at him. You have no right to utter the name of my sister you drug dealing lth! You or one of the other gangs killed her to get back at me! Wen was impassive. You have no proof either way. I guess youll never nd out what really happened. Was this why Piero hated the gangs so much? Because they killed his sister? Ariel felt a pang of guilt for not realizing sooner. Ive been so focused on my own quest of revenge that I never looked closely at Pieros own past. It must have been recent because it wasnt mentioned on his service record. Pieros laser rie came up and he pressed the trigger. Scorching beams of blood-red light ashed towards Wen. Wen was faster than she imagined. He leaped over the chest high attack and sailed through the air towards Piero. Is that due to extreme nano-tech augments? The Jade Dragons opened re from both sides, not even worrying about hitting their leader. Bullets and laser
218
Alexei Cyren
beams smashed into the super-thick tower shields as the rest of the team took cover behind them. Are they insane or did Wen tell them to? Ariel reacted, grabbed eight plasma grenades and tossed them at the thugs in front of her. A hellish bluewhite re erupted. Thugs shrieked as they were blown apart. Charred body pats ew past. An acrid gust of searing wind followed right behind. Fifteen down Her rear-view nano-cameras spotted Yings rockets and the teams grenades raining down on the thugs behind her. They didnt re explosives Maybe Wen couldnt survive that? Ariel didnt have time to think any further when she spotted Wen Chang land ve feet from Piero. Ive got to help him! She sprinted towards her partner, squeezed her gun triggers and sent a stream of bullets at Wen. Wen moved like a blur and avoided the tongues of white-re from her pistols. Hes crazy fast! Shi cover the front! Im going to help Piero! Let me be in time! She heard Shi lay down a hailstorm of suppression re from his assault rie.
219
Wen Chang wore a mask of stony calm as he toyed with Piero. He leapt forward, launching a series of jumping kicks that Piero barely dodged. They were feints that distracted the Guardian from the real attack: the swinging hair braid. Wens Manchu queue braid crashed into Pieros chest with a loud thunk. She imagined it was like being hit with a very thick rope with a metal ball attached. She felt the force of the strike from ten feet away. It was like the air trembled from the impact. Piero tumbled onto his back and used the momentum to ip onto his feet. He clutched his chest and coughed out blood. His nano-armour absorbed the worst of it. Whatever got through was enough to cause severe injury, however. Ariels vitals scan of Piero showed several ribs were shattered. His M-gel system started repairs. Wens tone was calculating and ruthless instead of mocking. I wonder how long your M-gel system can keep you going in the face of my attacks. You cannot imagine the power I wield, fool. Piero spat more blood onto the AR-steel bridge. Then do your worst. Wen shrugged as he returned to his ready stance with one hand pointed at Piero. His knees were bent and one
220
Alexei Cyren
hand was behind his back. I will teach you humility with a single hand. Ariel squeezed the triggers of her pistols and loosed another bullet barrage at Wen. Wen anticipated her lines of re and stayed one step ahead as he strafed from side to side, ducking and weaving with uncanny grace. The mans movements are unreal! He doesnt even have a nanoarmour suit either! Ariel knew of few people in the star system who could achieve this level of physical power without using nano-armour. Ariel focused on keeping Wen busy with suppression re so Piero could recover. The man kicked out and spun through the air, her bullet storm barely keeping up with his movements. The rounds from her Eagles kept him from landing a solid blow on Piero, however. Piero trained his rie on Wen and pulled the trigger. Wen cocked his head without looking in Pieros direction. The lasers missed his left ear by an inch. Ariel circled around Wen and tried to keep him pinned down with gunre. Wen zagged between Ariels nano-round salvo and
221
landed in front of Piero. A darting two nger strike numbed Pieros nerves in his right hand, causing him to drop his rie. Then Wens hand closed into a st and hammered into Pieros stomach. Piero spat more blood and ew ten feet backwards. He turned the force of the strike into a roll that put him back on his feet. He unfolded a crackling force mace. He turned off his sense of pain. Pieros vitals screen showed Ariel he was severely injured to the point that M-gel would soon be useless. If this keeps up, Wen will kill Piero well before the M-gel can repair all the damage. Ariel ignited her ruby plasma sword and lunged at Wens back. Wen sidestepped her strike at the very last second. He left an after image in the air. He appeared a foot away from her original strike vector. Ariels attack scorched only the edge of his long shirt sleeve, which trailed behind him. He leaped into the air, spun in a circle and his ying round kick struck her on the right temple. Her ash-built helmet absorbed much of the damage and shattered. She was ung sideways and sprawled at on the walkway. Her pony tail tie snapped and her sandy blond hair splayed all around her. She saw Wen coming down with a knee that would break her spine.
222
Alexei Cyren
Ariel saw stars even if she couldnt feel pain. Her NBC and nano-tech couldnt clear her vision quickly enough. Everything spun and wobbled. The back of Shis blue haired head appeared in front of her as he raised the riot shield to block Wens angled knee attack. No, Shi! The tower shield convulsed from the impact. stumbled. Shi
Wen Chang isnt human. Was it possible to be so augmented that you were no longer normal? Was it possible to become a monster? A chill went down her spine as she thought about it and herself. Ive got nano-tech augments but nothing like the speed and power Wen has. It wouldnt be hard for someone with enough wealth to do it she imagined. Humanity could no longer keep up with the advances in technology. Soon it would be technology that ruled the human condition. Ariel dragged herself to her feet and tried to shake off the spinning stars in her eyes. It looked like yellow-white static. If this is what boxers feel when they get bonked on the head one too many times Im sure glad I didnt become one. ***
223
Piero struck at Wens left ank with his force mace. Wen deected Pieros mace strike along its haft using his palm. He redirected the strike into the bridge oor, sending sparks dancing across the steel. He backhanded Piero in the left cheek with a light slap that shook the air like thunder. Piero was hurled away like an airborne rolling pin. Answer this riddle, Piero. You use a knife to slice my head and weep beside me when I am dead. What am I? What the hell is Wen talking about? Shi drew his Talon submachine gun and hammered the trigger. It spat a hail of nano-rounds at close range. Wen thrust both hands down as if pressing down a mass of air and shifted into a horse stance. The nano-rounds slammed into his chest with enough force to rip nonarmoured esh like paper. His long shirt was shredded but he wasnt even hurt. His clothes were destroyed but not a single shot pierced him! Ariel felt a twinge of fear. Is there any way to kill him? Ariel gritted her teeth in frustration. She scooped up her plasma sword, ignited it and charged past Shi. She sent a nano-tech induced adrenaline rush surging through her body.
224
Alexei Cyren
Her heart rate shot up to dangerous levels. She heard pounding in her ears. Ariel stabbed, thrusted and slashed with murderous efciency. Numerous targeting crosshairs locked onto Wens vital points. She picked up speed as she became a blur of re, light and carnage. Wen kept up with her lethal strokes as if he danced on a sea shore. He was calm as a lake. Focused as an arrow. She couldnt score a killing blow no matter how hard she tried. Ariels plasma sword cut Wens shirt to ribbons and lightly scored his esh. She couldnt deal a serious wound despite her top class fencing skills. She fought to stay calm. You ght well, Blake. But like your partner, you will die. I admire your spirit however so I will give you a quick death. Wen stopped dodging and charged forward. He said it like it was a matter of fact. This time Ariel was forced back. Wens left hand shot out like a piston and she barely escaped the blows. A knife hand clipped her left shoulder. She felt her bones in the area fracture and break. Ariel wove the ery sword in a defensive pattern. Redwhite sparks ew as Wens left arm collided with her
225
swords ame. It is like hes made of solid titanium. Her body started to go into shock from the extreme adrenaline injection. I cant keep this up I cant keep my team alive if I lose against him Wens left st struck her right hand, hitting a nerve and her plasma sword dropped from numb ngers. He wound his arm back for the killing blow. Goodbye, Blake It was entertaining while it lasted. Ariel refused to close her eyes in the face of death. I wont give anyone the satisfaction. Wens left palm strike felt like an incoming avalanche. The air throbbed with the force behind the blow. When it hit, she knew she was dead. Shis tower shield intercepted the attack by a tenth of the nal second. It split in half from the power of the blow, screeching as it was rent apart. Wens attack plowed through without any loss of strength and hammered Shi in the head. His skull exploded outward in a spray of white-matter, bone and scarlet blood. His mangled body ew away from Chang, over Ariels head and rolled to a stop thirty feet behind her. Fire haired Lixue shrieked as she body tackled Wen from behind. You bastard! You killed Shi!
226
Alexei Cyren
Shi is dead And he lost his life because of me Ariel stared at Shis lifeless body through her rear view nanocams. Everyone I care about is dying around me. And Im powerless again. Powerless to save them. Like my mother. Lixue yelled into Ariels mind. Ariel, get up! You have to keep ghting! She clamped her hands over Wens eyes blinding him, her legs around his torso. That killing blow must have taken more out of Wen than he thought if Lixue managed to get the jump on him. Wens left elbow smashed into Lixues stomach over and over. She spat blood out of her mouth but held on. Get off me you piece of trash! Lixue Shes using the adrenaline injection Shes going to sacrice her life to buy us time Ariels mind reeled. The only thing that came to mind were the words of the veiled stranger. They echoed in her head. In a burning pit Of steel and stone The lovers will face A power mad prince Who wields iron sts.
227
*** The man with the iron sts is Wen. And this place is a burning pit of steel and stone. The lovers must mean Ariels panic died. words What were the veiled womans other
Nearly defeated They remember the words And pull out the gift The tide of battle is turned But the answers are buried. Ariel remembered what the gift was. It was the seemingly ordinary bullet clip that she gave to me and Piero She pulled out the clip and switched it with the one in her Eagle in one smooth motion thanks to long years of practice. Ariel saw the last spark of life behind Lixues eyes go out. Wen ung Lixues body off his back like it was a rag doll. The man exed his muscled arms. It looked like he was exing titanium cables. That was annoying. Its time to nish you, Blake. Piero tried to rise to his feet despite his injuries. He dropped back onto his ass. Hes in no condition to ght. This is the only chance I get. Ariel trained her pistol on Wen.
228
Alexei Cyren
Havent you gured out that you cannot hurt me with your weapon? Go to hell! Ariel pulled the trigger and showered Wen with nano-rounds. Wens eyes widened. He raised both of his arms to cover his head and chest at the last possible moment. The nano-rounds tore into his forearms and stomach. This time it was his blood that splattered the bridge. Ariel saw he was hurt but far from dead. Wen retreated as she pulled the trigger again and again. He dodged most of her shots but several struck him in the right shoulder and he dived into a roll. He leapt up onto one of the ying platforms. Ariel kept ring but Wens thugs became willing body shields. Several howled as they fell off the hover disc as it descended toward the lower levels of the factory. She dragged herself over to the edge of the bridge and saw them vanish among the machinery below. She turned around to survey the aftermath, breathing hard. There were dozens of dead Dragon thugs. Their bodies lay where they fell, riddled with nano-rounds. Piero was back on his feet and staggered towards Ariel. Meng cradled Shis body. The boyish looking Ying shed tears over her friend and partner Lixue.
229
Two of my team dead. They gave their lives to save me. I cant let their deaths be in vain. Ariel looked at the far end of the bridge and saw that Zan Kullus holo-projection was gone. Zan Kullu, I will hound you to the ends of the earth. Zan Kullu stopped in front of the exhaust vent hatch and punched a code into the oating holographic keyboard. The hatch opened to reveal an open air hangar bay. A walkway lead down to the slate blue landing pad in the centre. Ariel saw the street lights of the tower block across from them. From outside, the hangar bay looked like another part of the tower wall. A cloaking eld made it hard to nd without actually touching it. There were two walkways which circled the inside of the hangar and branched off to six other landing pads. Those landing pads were suspended in midair by gravity induction engines. An armed LT-47 Gallor shuttle sat on the centre one, painted black without any other ID markings. The hangar bay was otherwise empty. It was quite clever you know. We wouldnt have found it if the search drones hadnt accidentally ew through the holographic camouage.
230
Alexei Cyren
Zan Kullu pulled out two dark red Python pistols. He wheeled around to face Ariel. Ariel was stealth cloaked. She grabbed Zans right hand and twisted it, disarming him. She kicked him in the groin twice and her third kick knocked his left pistol out of his hand. It skidded across the walkway, between the railing and off the edge into the darkness below. Zans disarmed pistol ended up in Ariels left hand and she put the muzzle to his head. Zan froze while doubled over and raised his hands in surrender despite the pain. End of the road, Zan Kullu. Youre under arrest for illegal arms trading. She put the shock cuffs on his wrists. Ariel shut off her stealth cloak and slowly appeared as if a curtain were being drawn up to reveal her. Im sure you know what shock cuffs do, dont you? Zan didnt answer. Most people knew that the devices sent a shock into the wearer like a taser. The harder someone tried to break them or tamper with them, the worse the shock. Piero, Meng and Ying uncloaked too. They looked
231
haggard and exhausted after the ght on the upper levels of the factory. This mission was too costly. None of them cheered or said anything. Their minds were numb from Shi and Lixues deaths. Shi and Lixue were good people. Then again who really deserved to? They didnt deserve to die.
It was the way the world was. The Black Phoenix deserves a horrible death. So does Wen and his Jade Dragons. Ariels grief and rage welled up inside of her as she kneed Zan in the stomach. The air left his lungs and she slugged him over and over. This is for Shi and Lixue! Zans face was bloody, bruised and battered. dripped along his dreadlocks. He stayed silent. Blood
Ariel dragged Zan over to the pale red hangar bay wall beside the open vent hatch and slammed him into it. Tell me, Zan Kullu! Tell me who your masters are! Whos the one pulling the strings! Zan Kullu spat in Ariels face. She uppercut him in the chin and socked him in the stomach. The African dropped to his knees and she yanked his dreadlocks so he faced her. Ariel raised her left st and punched him in the face again. She readied it for another blow.
232
Alexei Cyren
Piero grabbed her arm from behind. He shouted. Stop it, Ariel! Youll kill him! Were all taking Shi and Lixues death badly but if you kill Zan then their deaths will be for nothing! So stop it! Ariel spun around with a look of livid fury and anguish that twisted her face. Shi and Lixue died to save me To save us all from Wen! I failed to keep them alive! It was my duty as team leader! Tears rolled down her cheeks. When her mother Cassandra died she shed no tears. Why now!?! Why!!!! Piero cupped her face with his calloused, gentle hands. He used his thumbs to wipe the tears away. You cant blame yourself, Ariel. Lets do our jobs. For Shi and Lixue Hes right. Ariel turned back to Zan who slumped against the wall. She hardened her heart again as she grabbed Zan by the collar of his black shirt and lifted him three feet off the oor. Zan Kullu, unless you talk youre going to leave me no choice but to dive into your nano-brain computer and take the information I need. So start talking otherwise its going to get worse. Blake Your corrupt government and corporations. They will be destroyed soon Zan gave her a bloody
233
grin. The Black Phoenix is rising. Chaos will reign and the people will be free. Zans head jolted backwards and blood splattered Ariels face. His heart rate atlined on her sensors and there was a smoking hole right between his eyes. Ariel pulled an about face after she dropped Zans lifeless body to the oor. She looked through the holographic camouage at the tower block across from them. Her vision zoomed in but she didnt see anything except eighty rectangular windows of a warehouse. There were any number of holes and gaps a sniper could use but she traced the likely path of the shot with her NBC. She located the window hole but no one was there. By the time we got there the shooter would be long gone. Ying, Meng get over to the other tower block where the sniper was and see if you can nd anything. Ariel passed the analysis data to Ying and Meng. Ying nodded. Were on it, Ariel. The shock of Shi and Lixues death has worn off a bit at least. Ying and Meng vanished from sight as they engaged stealth cloak. Ariel heard them run down the exhaust vent. Piero murmured. They wanted to silence Zan before
234
Alexei Cyren
he said anything about their plans. Ariel inclined her head in agreement. No doubt about it We were getting too close. Would the Phoenix have killed one of their own? No one knew enough about the deadly, mysterious para-military terrorist group. Ariel couldnt be certain. Zan said he worked for the Black Phoenix. Yue Wans intel was on the mark. Would Yue Wan know anything else? Or would she be too scared of getting involved? Ariel quickly dived into Zans NBC before it completely powered down from the Africans death. Theres got to be some sort of clue left behind in his NBC. Something that can verify Zans words. After all, I cant be sure he wasnt lying. Yet his words and hatred for the government and corporations sounded like something a Phoenix agent would say. Ariel appeared on the outskirts of a blasted virtual city. There were tower blocks rising into the sky but there were gaping holes in them. The tower streets looked rundown and worn out. Vultures circled above, screeching for food. The night sky was like a black pit. At its centre was a glaring white hole.
235
The sky and the city looked like it was slowly being sucked into that hole. She saw the digital code of numbers, letters and symbols appear the closer she zoomed in. Its an information transfer tunnel The information is being sent somewhere else! Ariel realized it was a failsafe in Zans brain to prevent his information from falling into enemy hands. It was heavily encrypted her standard crypto suite wasnt strong enough to break it. And if I try I might trigger a booby trap like a self-erase program or something. She brought up a oating, transparent holo-touchscreen and copied whatever was left. There was only one person she could depend on to nd the answers for her: Thomas Santoro, A-class hacker. He was a Guardian who remained a close friend of hers since their graduation from the Academy. Ariel needed to nd out what the Black Phoenix and the Jade Dragon were plotting before it was too late.
236
Chapter 10
Ariel opened the door to the Chief s ofce letting the morning light spill over the cold white oors of the main ofce area. The ofce windows were tinted black so no one could look in. The ashing signal at the bottom of her vision said: PRIVACY MODE ENGAGED. She stepped in and the door slid shut behind her. Pieros broad shouldered back greeted her. He was in one of the chairs across from the Chief. The Chief wore his usual jet black uniform, half a dozen medals hanging over his heart. The holo image of Thomas Santoro stood beside the Chief s desk on the left side. His thick rimmed glasses and messy hair was a stark contrast to the Chief s perfectly groomed appearance. The Chief nodded to Thomas. Okay, everyones here. Thanks for joining us from Cider Hall Metro, Guardian Santoro. Ariel tells me youve done amazing things in the
237
past. I look forward to working with you on this case. Thomas like Piero was Hispanic yet he hailed from a very rich and inuential family that ran an energy conglomerate. He was the black sheep. He embarrassed his family with his hacking exploits in the past and was forced to join the Guardians as part of a deal to avoid going to prison. Thomas has always watched my back on tough missions during the Academy days and on tough cases. Ariel knew there wasnt anyone else she trusted more with solving a problem. Problems like Zan Kullus coded information and where most of it went. Thomas pushed his glasses back onto the ridge of his nose as if he were worried theyd slip off. Thanks for having me, Chief Chin. Good to see you again, Ariel. Ive also heard a lot of wonderful things about you, Piero. Piero gave Ariel a sidelong glance, his ngers brushing his chin. I hope they were good things. Thomas laughed. Yeah, they certainly were. Maybe we can chat more in a HIVR bar later. His eyes glittered. Thomas, youre such a sucker for handsome guys. Ariel stretched her shoulders. Good to see you too, Thomas. Dont worry Im sure I can tell Piero what I said
238
Alexei Cyren
about him. The Chief coughed. Okay, you two. Enough chatter. Weve got a mystery to unravel, two Guardians to avenge and an assassination to stop. Even if we have no idea who the target is. Ariel reached back and pulled on her pony tail, ipping it over her shoulders. Zan said he was working for the Black Phoenix. If thats the case, whoevers the target must be someone important in government or business. Piero icked a nger into the air as if he was smacking a y. That leaves us with a pool of targets bigger than a moon. We need to narrow it down. Ariel turned to Thomas who rubbed his hands on his white lab coat. Thomas, youre the lead guy on this point. Did you manage to nd anything? Thomas cleared his throat and raised both of his hands into the air. He put his palms together and pulled them apart, creating a giant holo screen of numbers, symbols and letters. After going through what you managed to copy Ariel I was able to run a pretty deep search through HIVR. In addition, there were several things embedded in the code. Ariel smoothed out her blond hair. And these would be Thomas pointed his index nger onto the holo screen
239
and dragged a part of it out to Ariels left. He pinched his ngers, expanding it to the size of four toasters. I found a set of encrypted data numbers on the lagging ends of the information you copied from Zan Kullus brain. Theyre a set of coordinates. Piero gestured. Sericent? Did they lead to some place on
Thomas shook his head. No, they led to a HIVR location a persistent world node server. I assumed it to be some kind of HIVR hideout or brain back up system. The Chief pitched in. Is there any way to get into this HIVR node, Thomas? Its possible but itll take some time to set up a hacking tunnel. Its a literal fortress. Im going to need hacking AIs or robots, dozens of them. The guy who created Zans backup centre must have been at least an S-class. Piero whistled. An S-class hacker, huh? No wonder the Black Phoenix is so hard to trace. Theyve got serious tech skills on their side. Ariel guessed this would be the case. Yet she felt there was some other factor at play that she couldnt see. Something beyond having tech savants who could re-write parts of the digital world. The Chief stroked his beard. Hmm Thomas, I can assign the Shanghai cyber divisions forty-eight hacking
240
Alexei Cyren
AIs. Would that help? Thomas eyes bulged and he stammered, Ch Chief That would be amazing! Wow, the Chief s really going all out on this case. He must be really worried. When Ariel rst met the Chief months ago, she thought he was all about politics and ladder climbing. Now, I know the Chief knows what hes doing. He isnt another air-headed, pencil pushing patsy. The Chief looked at Ariel. By the way, before we continue, did your team nd any clues about the sniper who killed Kullu? Ariel shook her head. By the time Ying and Meng got to the warehouse on the other tower block, the shooter was long gone. There wasnt a shred of evidence that we could nd. The Chief just stroked his chin. Thomas, was there something else? Thomas dipped his head and reached into the holo screen pulling out another piece of information. He expanded it with his ngers, revealing a countdown timer. I found a countdown timer that was also hidden within the coded information. Theres only forty-eight hours left on it. The Chief looked surprised. Forty-eight hours?
241
*** Pieros eyebrows perked up. Thats not much time, Thomas. Thomas scratched his head. Well, its not like Im the mastermind behind a mysterious assassination plot, buddy. Ariels lips creased in concern. Looks like we have a tight deadline. How soon can you get us into the HIVR node, Thomas? Are we going to nd the target in time? Thomas stroked his chin. Well, the Chief s lending Shanghai Precincts cyber division resources and the fortyeight hacking AI robots. I can get another twenty-four over here at Cider Hall Metro. That should give us enough computer power to hack into an S-class node. Ariel took note of Thomas worried look. But? Thomas sighed. Well, its going to take a few hours to set up a stable network and get it ready like eleven hours. The Chief shook his head. sooner. Thomas, we need it
Thomas blinked. Thats already at breakneck speed! You guys dont understand were going up against an S-class hacker or better. If theyre actively watching that
242
Alexei Cyren
node itll be tough for me to hack a way in without being sensed. Thats why I need the hacking AI bots. Theyve got to be linked together perfectly and move awlessly. Piero was curious. Whys that important, Santoro? An S-class hacker is on a whole other level. Any aw, any weakness and theyll nd a way to rip the hack to shreds or turn it against us. Thats why I have to double, triple or quadruple check everything. Your lives and your ability to survive will depend on it. Ariel grimaced. Youre worried that therell be brain burning programs arent you? To be honest, yes I am. If the node has those kind of defences youll need every edge you can get. Theres no point in taking any chances here. Ariel agreed with Thomas. The virtual world or HIVR was Thomas domain. Piero looked at the Chief. Why dont we have any Sclass hacker consultants that we can turn to? The Chief grumbled. Right now theyre working on high priority cases and are unavailable. Since we have no clue what the Jade Dragons and Black Phoenix are plotting, the Guardian High Command cant assign them to our case. We need more proof to get priority. Ariel rolled her eyes. So its a catch-22. If we want an
243
S-class hacker consultant to work our case we need to show that our case is a serious threat against the SAG. Since we cant because the proof requires an S-class hacker to help get it, were stuck in limbo. The Chief nodded, Exactly. Piero threw up his hands. Lovely! Thomas put his hands on his hips. So it looks like Im all you got. Live with it. Ariel faced Thomas. So we dive at midnight? Thats the plan Ariel. Ariel sent a whispered wireless message to Thomas. Thanks for all the help Thomas. Thomas reply was, You can thank me after we succeed. Is Piero free and single? You know hes straight, right? A guys got to try you know. Ariel grinned. Youre the same as always. Piero put his hands together and bent forward in his chair. Is there any other way we can get the information Zan had in his brain? We know he copied it through HIVR. Theres bound to be a digital trail. Cant we just
244
Alexei Cyren
rebuild the information from that? Thomas adjusted his glasses. When Zan died and the information was sent, it was also being erased. It was overwritten like crazy theres no way to recover that through the information highway. By now data streams have scrambled whatevers left like dozens of muddy footprints trampling all over each other. The Chief cracked his knuckles. In my long years as a Guardian my gut is telling me that whats going down is big. This is why Im giving this case top priority. You three have carte blanche on it make use of whatever resources at Shanghai Precinct you need. I am concerned about your safety, however. If brain burning programs are deployed, your lives will be in danger. Thomas is there any way we can pull out Ariel and Piero in an emergency? Thomas was grim. I can certainly try Chief. Ill be watching them the whole time. I cant guarantee safety, however. Were going against the work of an S-class hacker. In the digital realm they are like gods. If our army of specialized hacking AIs are overcome Ariel nodded. Well have to take that risk. We have to go in. My instincts tell me this is important. Pieros left hand reached across and squeezed Ariels shoulder. Im right behind you, partner. The rest of the morning was busy with preparation and
245
review of combat within the HIVR world. Ariel ran through dozens of combat sims in the Shanghai Precincts HIVR node training room with Piero. She and Piero took a break for lunch and nished their refresher training around 3:00 PM. She opened her eyes at the same time as Piero. They stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. Piero, I want to apologize for getting angry with you after what happened to Zan. Ariel couldnt bring herself to say it. Hell, I owe you a ton of apologies for all the times I gave in to my anger. They sat at their desks, which were arranged so they faced each other. Pieros blue eyes ickered in the smouldering orange light that streamed through the ofce windows. Other Guardians hustled by as they headed out for their shifts. He smiled from ear to ear. He dismissed the holographic touchscreen. Ariel, why dont you come over for dinner at my place. Itll be a good chance for us to relax before the dive. And I cook one mean beef and red pepper chilli stew! That would be a good chance to apologize to him. Or was Ariel looking for more she wondered? Ariel smiled. Sounds good. But Ill be bringing some ingredients of my own you wont be doing all the cooking. She grabbed her red leather jacket, got up and waved goodbye to Piero.
246
Alexei Cyren
Ariel rung the digital doorbell, which would sound off in Pieros head since he was inside his apartment. The tower block that he lived in was well maintained. The beige carpet smelled like tulips for some reason. The maintenance staff must have a thing for it. The hallway lights cast a pale orange glow that was mufed by the iced glass around them. It reminded Ariel faintly of torches even though they looked nothing alike. Pieros door opened wide and she stepped in. It was the rst time she visited her partners place. Pieros bachelor apartment was a decent size with light coloured walls, mounted lights behind glass covers and a slate coloured oor that reminded her of marble. The kitchenette was stocked with the latest in stainless AR-steel counters, fridges and micro-fusion stoves. The living room area displayed pictures of Piero and his family. Several portraits included Pieros dead sister, Erina. She bore a close resemblance to Piero with her long dark hair and ocean blue eyes. The tables were made of smooth, brown synthetic wood. There was a two-person red love seat with two black cushions and swirling gold leaf designs near the central table. White candles on the centre table ickered softly in their candle holders. There was a black AR-steel table beside the area where
247
the bed would be. She realized that the bed folded into the wall. It was a common feature of most bedrooms in this day and age. Unless you were rich and owned an entire manor or penthouse suite. Its a nice place you have here, Piero. Ariel turned right and saw him in the kitchenette, slicing a tomato up on a wooden cutting board. She smelled the chilli stew simmering in a large steel pot on the stove. Thanks! Its the rst time youve been to my place. So what did you bring? Whats the dish going to be? Salad Nioise. Its a French dish with tomatoes, green beans, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, Nicoise olives, anchovies and vinaigrette. Itll be served on a bed lettuce with panseared aquaponic grown tuna. Let me borrow your stove. Wow, talk about fancy. Heres the frying pan. Knock yourself out! Piero handed her the frying pan just as she nished taking off her shoes. She wore her blue jeans, black tank top and her signature red leather jacket with no nano-armour underneath Ariel tossed her jacket onto the love seat. Piero wore ripped blue jeans and a loose dress shirt unbuttoned down to the middle of his chest. He appeared to have showered not too long ago and smelled like fresh
248
Alexei Cyren
soap. She noticed the faint outlines of his hard muscles underneath his shirt. All the wounds from the ght with Wen were faded scars now thanks to M-gel. What can I say, I love eating and I love food. Ariels follow-up smile dazzled Piero. Ariel set her ingredients on the cool counter, turned up the heat on the large stove element, poured some cooking oil on the steel frying pan and went wild. The smell of the pan seared tuna wafted into her noise, lighting up her eyes with savoury anticipation. She got another pot from Pieros cupboard to boil the green beans and the eggs. Piero nished his feta-cheese garden salad, tossed in a generous helping of fragrant olive oil and went on to marinading the sirloin steaks. Ariel nished searing the tuna and ipped it onto a dish with a ick of her wrist. She danced around Piero, switching spots so he could fry up the steaks. Half an hour later they were nished. The living room table become the dining table. There was Pieros garden salad, marinaded steak served on a bed of tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce plus oven baked salmon with ginger and melted mozzarella. There was a large bowl of piping hot beef and red pepper chilli stew
249
for them to draw from. Ariel placed her Salad Nioise on the table plus generous servings of red lentil daal and curry garnished with bay leaves. She whipped up a stack of fresh, uffy naan bread with anise, cumin and coriander seeds in the oven. There were two bowls of yogurt to go along with the curry and the naan. She sat across from Piero. They sat cross-legged on the oor cushions. The table was only two feet high after all. Ariels eyes were aglow with delight. Look at all this amazing food we cooked up together! Isnt this amazing! Its been sooooo long since I got to cook for someone else. Piero grinned, closed his eyes and said a quick prayer, Lord, blessed be the bounty that you have shown us and we give thanks to you. Amen. He opened his eyes and looked at Ariel. Ariel scratched her head. Im not very religious, partner. Sorry. But Im all for digging in! She rubbed her hands together. Piero shrugged. Thats totally ne, Ariel. They dug into the food without further ado and savoured every morsel. When they nished, Ariel sat back on her hands, her head tilted back so she faced the tawny hued ceiling. Im
250
Alexei Cyren
so totally stuffed. If this is the kind of last meal before battle then Im completely down with it. Piero was half sitting, half lying on the oor on his elbows. Yeah that Salad Nioise and the curry was to die for. Youre not just a food lover, youre a damned ne cook, Ariel Blake. Hey, the marinaded steak was well done and I so want that marinade recipe. And you werent kidding about the mean chilli stew Piero joked, The marinade recipe is a family secret. Ha ha, youre pulling my leg. Piero answered with a lop-sided grin. Then he seemed to remember something and frowned. Ariel noticed. Whats wrong, Piero? Piero breathed deeply as if he were about to bare his soul. Its just that this dinner reminded me of my sister, Erina. You saw her in the pictures on the mantle right? Ariel nodded. She was beautiful Not just her looks but her spirit. I saw it in her eyes. Hell, she reminds me of you. Piero gazed at her and she felt the warmth in her cheeks. You know, Ariel, you never mentioned if you were still seeing anyone.
251
Ariel leaned forward onto the table, her arms forming an A under her chin. Worried youll become jealous? He smiled lazily. Hardly You know it is kind of unprofessional for D-7s team leader to be involved with one of her direct reports. Whod ever know. We would. And wed be letting our emotions get in the way during missions. Like it hasnt already. Ariel remembered her anger and hatred of the Phoenix. She nearly beat Zan Kullu to death, doing the job for the sniper whod kill him later. Piero sighed. I know what thats like. By the way, what is the deal with the Shanghai gangs and the Jade Dragons. Why do you hate them so much? Piero turned away as if he was looking into himself instead. Do you know how my sister died? No, I dont, Piero. I didnt dig that far. I gured it wasnt too long ago. His eyes glazed over as he recalled what happened. It was two years ago. Erina decided to follow me to Shanghai and make a life for herself here. I let her crash
252
Alexei Cyren
in my apartment until she could afford her own. I was working lots of cases for the narcotics task force and was involved in a lot of drug busts against the gangs. Piero paused. Ariel saw the pain growing steadily in his eyes. One day I came home to nd Erina dead on the oor right where Im sitting now. Her eyes God, her eyes. They were staring at me you know. Her face was so pale Tears streamed down his eyes. She died in extreme pain. I couldnt imagine what it felt like in her last moments as the sylik drug overdose killed her. And And in her hands she was clutching an onion. It seemed like some kind of cosmic joke. Piero sat up again, looking down at his hands. I failed her, Ariel. I should have protected her. I should have been there. I tried to nd out who killed her but they left no trace. All my leads went cold. I became obsessed with my war against the drug gangs of Shanghai The Chief forced me to take a vacation because it got so bad I was getting into heated arguments with other Guardians all the time. He buried his face in his hands but it looked like the guilt wouldnt stop eating him. Pieros like me The gangs took away his beloved sister. I lost my mom to the Black Phoenix. Weve been dealt a similar hand, him and I. Then something hit Ariel like a ton of bricks: she
253
realized who the killer was. Ariel crawled over to Piero and hugged him. She felt his raw grief and her own deep sense of sadness. She stroked his back, trying to soothe him. Will he ever be all right? Unlike me he actually saw his dead sister. The bombing that killed Mom didnt leave any trace of her. Ariel imagined what it would have been like if she actually held Mom in her arms that day. Would the pain have been worse? Would I be suffering more? She felt the slow trickle of a tear owing down her cheek and she wiped it away. She found it hard to cry when her mother died. She still couldnt bring herself to shed tears even now. Have I really become so heartless? Ariel whispered into Pieros right ear as her hand rubbed his back in a light circle. Theres nothing you could have done about it. You cant protect everyone, Piero. You cant blame yourself. Piero took his hands off his face and drew them through his hair as he looked up at her. The suffering in his eyes pierced her heart like a dagger because it was so like her own. I couldnt save my high school friend, Mustaf, either. He became a drug dealer and died a pointless death when his rivals killed him. And then my sister was taken. Drugs and drug dealers did this to
254
Alexei Cyren
them. Thats right It isnt your fault. I know in my mind that thats true. But its my heart, Ariel. My heart cant let go. Thats why Thats why Im drawn to you Her heart skipped a beat. Piero continued. We share a similar past. Your mother was killed by terrorists. My friend and sister by drug dealers. They were people we loved. And neither of us could do anything to protect them. His eyes were soft and vulnerable. Ariel whispered hoarsely, Yes, I know. were mere inches away from each other. But we can avenge them cant we? Ariel nodded. Yes, we can. But will it cost us more? Will we lose more loved ones before its all over? And what will we have if we succeed? Pieros voice was husky. I dont know, Ariel. know is that we only have now. All I Their faces
Their lips met and felt awkward at rst. Then a surge of passion seemed to grip them like a bonre raging out of control. Pieros tongue searched for hers, gripping her, darting deftly into her mouth.
255
Ariels tongue responded by pushing back. It was like a tug of war at rst and became deeper, more sensuous as they got a feel for each other. Her hands started unbuttoning his shirt. Piero gripped the hem of her black tank top and lifted it over her sinewy arms and head, tossing it aside. Her bare breasts bounced free while he nipped and kissed her neck. He moved his lips to the left side of her head. He licked her ear and sent shudders down her spine. His right hand ripped off her hair band, letting her sandy blonde hair spill free in a cascading wave behind her. Ariel nished unbuttoning his shirt and stripped it off him skillfully. Her hands explored his chest. He groaned with pleasure. Pieros lips dug into her breasts, planting kisses between them all the way down to her navel. She arched her head backward while his hands held her by the small of her back. He moved up to her left breast and nibbled on her tit. She gasped with bliss. His left hand ngers fondled her right breast and twisted her nipple. Her body trembled in delight. The warmth was pooling down there as Pieros mouth found her lips again, sealing them with ardent fervour.
256
Alexei Cyren
His hands rose back to grope her breasts, sending waves of sensuous joy pouring through her. The feeling rose higher and higher. Then his arms were under her legs and hefted her up while his tongue danced with hers. He carried her over to his bed and dropped her playfully onto the edge. Her legs dangled. He must have lowered it with a signal from his NBC. Pieros eyes were like burning sapphires as he looked down at her. He reached over and grasped both her wrists, kissing her passionately. He released her and trailed a line of kisses around her nipples and then down to her navel again. Ariel moaned and sted through his dark hair. Piero undid her blue jeans, panties down and off her legs. apart and started kissing her teased her as he moved down her left inner thigh. Please, Piero. Not yet sweet angel Oh so frustrating! Pieros lips sucked and licked her vagina relentlessly. slipped them and her silk He knelt, spread her legs inner thighs slowly. He her right leg and then up
257
She arched her back, trying to control the erotic sensation that sizzled through her body. Im almost there Ariel felt it building to a towering height. Then Piero jabbed two ngers into her and stroked in a come here motion. It was too much and she felt herself explode into pieces. She gasped for breath. Im not done yet, Piero whispered in a hoarse voice. Ahhhh. Theres more? Ariel felt his carnal grin. Pieros ngers plunged into her again and she cried out. His lips sucked and his tongue assaulted her clit. She felt it building again, her breathing quickened. The feeling of his ngers, lips and tongue was overwhelming and she panted like a bitch in heat. She thrust her pelvis closer to his lips. Then she gave a sharp cry as she fell apart. Piero ipped her over so she lay face down, her legs still over the edge of his bed. He yanked off his pants and tossed them aside. His erection was like a ery brand as it caressed her butt cheeks. He leaned over and breathed into her ear, Now Im going to fuck you hard. Ariel was still panting as she felt him enter from behind.
258
Alexei Cyren
She gasped as he thrust into her harder and faster. Again she felt it building like a burning re. She shattered around him. Piero let go, cried out her name and collapsed on top of her. She felt him inside of her. Ariel relished the feeling. that? You treat every girl like
Piero murmured. Maybe just you He pulled out of her and kissed her back. He lifted her gently all the way onto the bed this time. He laid down beside her and she rested her head on him. Its been too long since I let myself feel this vulnerable and happy. Ariel recalled Wen Changs last words to Piero: You use a knife to slice my head and weep beside me when I am dead. What am I? When Piero mentioned that his sister died with an onion in her hands it suddenly made sense. The answer to the riddle was an onion. You cut the ends off so you can peel the onion more easily. When you do, the onion makes you cry. Wen Chang killed Pieros sister, Erina. It wasnt hard to guess that Pieros war against drugs fouled up Wen at
259
some point in the past. Wen paid Piero back by killing his sister. A man with his means could easily hire killers or hackers to do the deed. Wen was working with the Phoenix. He killed Pieros sister and made him suffer. Ariel vowed to help Piero take down Wen.
260
Chapter 11
Ariel and Piero sat back in the cloudy orange chairs in the Shanghai Precincts tech lab in the Cyber Division ofces. The seats worked like regular chairs but could recline all the down so they became more like tables. They faintly reminded Ariel of the dentist or a therapists couch. It was midnight or 0000 hours. They showered together at Pieros apartment. Their lovemaking was still fresh in her mind and her cheeks were faintly ushed. They arrived at the Precinct ten minutes before the appointed time. There were dozens of glowing blue screens with video and text displayed on them. The room overlooked a larger room with a giant screen showing HIVR data streams. There were forty-eight hacker AI bots typing away on holographic touch screens. Half of them were holographic projections of the AI bots at Cider Hall Metros Tech Lab.
261
Thomas hologram wheeled around to look at Ariel and Piero. Everythings been linked together and Ive checked the networking. My team of hacker bots are ready to go. You guys are going to be protected behind the Precinct rewalls while you make the dive. Thats why we didnt want you to do this from your homes. Ariel smiled. Makes sense. What else do we need to know? Thomas wiggled his glasses. Ill be watching you and helping as best I can from out here. Its going to take nearly all my focus plus the hacker bot team to counter the HIVR worlds re-write powers so you have a ghting chance. Its also the reason why I cant dive in with you. Now, if things get dangerous you can have me pull you out but well lose precious hours since Ill have to re-hack the node world. Piero stroked his chin. What kind of gear will we have while inside? You and Ariel will have all your usual equipment plus extra grenades and heavy weapons. I cant say for sure whether we can make you more once inside. Ariel saluted Thomas playfully. Thats ne, Thomas. Well make do with what we can get away with. By the way, what kind of setting or world can we expect. Its an apocalyptic wasteland version of the Congo
262
Alexei Cyren
Region City sector Bukavu. It has beasts and tribes of African warriors. Thats all I can tell you right now. If there was more time wed have gathered more intel. Thomas gave her a concerned look as he continued. Im serious Ariel, if you or Piero are in major trouble, youve got to let me know. I dont want to lose you while youre on my watch. You looked out for me at the Academy even though Its okay, Thomas. You dont have to say it. Thomas was gay and frankly Im not sure how Piero would take it. Piero seems pretty open but this likely isnt the best time to mention it. Thomas coughed for a moment, which was his way of saying: Okay. Also Im transferring four A-class hacking spike programs into your NBC. Use them wisely as you know these would let you hack even corporate computers easily. If Im somehow unable to help you, those are your backup plan. They might just save your life. Ariel gave Thomas a solemn look. Thomas thanks for the gift. I know how costly it is to make these spikes. Just make sure you get back out alive with Piero. Piero reached out and squeezed Ariels hand. Ill be watching her back. Dont worry, Thomas. Thomas sighed.
263
Ariel imagined Thomas was thinking: You two slept together huh? Pieros hand was rough yet intensely hot in her hand. Its the hand of someone who can handle themselves in a ght. Okay, Thomas, were going in. Thomas waved his left hand, a holo-screen appeared and he punched in some commands. Link to HIVR node and persistent world Kullu City is established. Ariel felt the real world vanish around her like it was melting away. She found herself on a tower street at 12127, Level 428 according to the tactical map ashing in the bottom left corner of her sight. She snapped it closed and looked for Piero. He was ten feet to her right and hiding behind an oil drum. He looked down the scope of his Marduk laser rie. Sensors and my scope are showing at least ve armed natives with automatic weapons, Ariel. Ariel dropped behind a pile of blackened AR-steel crates as she looked down the street. Her vision zoomed in and she saw the African raiders. They wielded coldgrey mass driver assault ries and wore light combat armour, lizard skins and reptile skull helmets. That looks savage enough. It reminded her of something from a post-apocalyptic movie she once saw with her exboyfriend, Christian.
264
Alexei Cyren
Ariel radioed Thomas. Thomas, do you have any idea where we need to go next? Negative, Ariel. The only leads led into Kullu City and that was it. Youll have to capture some of the native programs and make them talk somehow. Thats what you do best right? Yeah I guess you could say that is part of my job description. Ariel peered into Pieros cobalt eyes. Did you get that Piero? Piero chuckled. I heard, Thomas. I guess were going to have to do this the hard way. Lets make sure we stay on top of the time. Ariel set up a countdown timer, which appeared in the upper centre of her vision. We have thirty-three hours left. She checked her sensors. Piero. Lets take them out using stealth cloaking. Well leave one guy alive and check if any of the volt cars are working. Sounds like a plan. Piero faded out of sight and Ariel followed suit. Ariel saw Pieros blue blip on her orange coloured tactical HUD. She closed in on the ve African ghters as they strolled back and forth along the width of the street. There was litter and bent cans all over the place.
265
Ive got to be careful not to make any noise with all this trash on the ground. She crept carefully towards them. She raised her sleek black pistols and pulled the triggers. A stream of bullets blew the brains out of two of the raiders. They dropped out of sight behind a line of greasy drums. Her orange aiming crosshairs locked onto the next two but they dived behind cover. These guys have quick reaction times. No surprise they are computer programs. A torrent of lasers speared the third African through the chest, sending a burst of acrid smoke into the air. The last two raiders levelled their assault ries over the tops of the drums and squeezed the triggers. They red blindly. A shower of nano-rounds pelted them. Ariel dived behind a wrecked volt car. Its windows exploded, showering her with glass fragments. Several shots hit the engine and she sensed it overloading. It started to glow from a light yellow to a ery orange in her heat sight. She cursed. Oh hell! She bolted through the bullet storm, trusting her mass shields and armour to keep her alive. Piero screamed. Ariel!
266
Alexei Cyren
The volt car exploded in a burst of brilliant golden re. Shards of AR-steel and glass struck her in the back but her armour held off the brunt of it. Its going to feel brutal though. The shockwave ung Ariel through the air. She turned the momentum into a ground roll. Her stealth cloak continued working. She heard Piero laying down cover re. His laser beams blew apart several drums the raiders ran behind. Ariel leapt to her feet in one smooth motion and twisted around with her pistols. She pulled the triggers as she dashed towards another overturned volt car on the right side of the street, twenty feet to the right of Pieros spot behind a volt truck on its side. Nano-bullets hammered the raiders positions as they scurried behind a downed oat cart. Ariel skidded behind the volt car, her guns trained in the direction of the African raiders. Without surprise these guys are way harder to kill. Her targeting circles locked onto two thumb sized black ovals spinning through the air overhead. Fire in the hole! Evade! She hoped Piero was paying attention. Her NBC identied them as a nano-shredder and plasma re grenade. The two grenades slammed into the volt trucks exposed belly and went off. There was a whoosh of air and heat.
267
Pieces of half melted steel, pockmarked with holes crashed around her. Ariel shouted into the radio. Respond! Let him be okay Damn it Piero!
As her vision came back, Pieros blue blip ashed. It was behind two super-concrete barricades in front of a pile up of volt cars. She circled around her volt car and anked the raiders. Ariel closed in on them while they shot at Piero. She put her pistols to the back of their heads. The two froze. Hands in the air. Tell me where I can nd Zan Kullus information. The raiders didnt move. You gonna kill us anyway Might as well get it over with. Nothing you do can make us talk. Ariels NBC translated the raiders uent Swahili into English in real time. She pulled the trigger of her right pistol. Blood sprayed her as the raiders grey matter splattered the back side of the oat cart. Youre a product of the Black Phoenix so I have no issue with ending you right now. So start talking. Go to hell! Have it your way. She pulled the left trigger and was
268
Alexei Cyren
showered again. Pieros voice rang in her head. Remind me not to get on your bad side. Thomas murmured into their heads. Ah guys. It looks like my worst fears were conrmed. Piero asked, Oh really? What fears were those? Ariel imagined he was cocking an eyebrow. She didnt know for sure because he was still invisible. Thomas worry oozed with each syllable. Just checked the program fragments of those raiders you just executed. Theyre denitely brain burners. If they kill you in there, the feedback will kill you out here too. Ariel folded her guns and holstered them as her sight cloak turned off. She faded into view under the bright full moon of the HIVR world. Then well kill them rst. She wheeled around and scanned the area with her nano-sensors. Besides the grounded oat cart, overturned volt cars and the burning bonre of the blasted truck, there wasnt anything else that stood out. Lets nd another volt car thats in better condition and see if we can hot wire the thing. Youre thinking we can nd some other raiders to question? They dont seem like the sort to talk. Piero squinted into the distance.
269
If there arent any working volt cars nearby that means they likely came here on foot. If they did come by volt car there may be a working one not too far away. Either way, getting a working volt car in this virtual world would let us cover more ground. Piero nished her thought. And the more ground we can cover the more likely well run across someone who knows where Zans hidden memories are. Exactly. Ariel felt impatient as she walked around the tower block and checked the parked volt cars one by one. A scan wouldnt reveal much unless the car was on. If it couldnt turn on anyway it was a moot point. About half an hour later and two streets away, Piero found a working volt car. Hey, Ariel, looks like we got ourselves a winner. Ariel came up behind Piero, slipped around and lightly kissed him on the lips. Thats your prize, partner. I like that prize. Got any more? Uh uh. Thomas voice resounded between them. You two make quite the pair. Im almost jealous that you get all the handsome guys, Ariel.
270
Alexei Cyren
*** Piero chuckled. If we ever meet, I can introduce you to some guys I know who youd love. I like your partner even more, Ariel. sweetheart. Hes such a
Ariel grinned. Lets get this volt car going. Thomas sounded anxious. Arent you worried at all about the brain burning lethal countermeasures? Ariel shook her head. Hardly Its just that Im so used to taking these risks now. Now that I know the Black Phoenix is behind this I have to nd out who the target is. I have to stop them. Unless you know another way we can nd the target, Thomas. Thomas was silent. Ariel sighed. Then we keep going. Piero, Ill take shotgun. You drive. She opened the right door and got in. Piero joked. Yes, boss! Ariel rolled her eyes. Well, at least if I die, Im dying in good company. Pieros eyes took on an earnest look as his right hand clasped her left. It felt cozy and comforting. No one is going to die, least of all you. Ill make sure of that.
271
Promise me youll make it out of this with me. I promise. Ariel felt a forbidding feeling run down her spine and then it was gone. The humid air whirled through her pony tail as the volt car streaked through the sky above Kullu City. The full moon was a silver disk, marked with slightly dark circles where giant craters would be. The holographic dash board showed their speed at a hundred eighty kilometres per hour. Ariel and Piero searched over the last half hour and didnt run across anything or anyone useful. The towers itted by like giant shadows. The streets were empty of people and covered in trash or debris. The whole city was a ghost town. Red blips ashed on Ariels tactical map HUD. There were six closing fast. At that speed theyd have to be volt cars. She conrmed it with her sensors. Six volt cars, open top convertibles and ve men apiece. Theres a mounted Thunderhawk ESR-7 heavy machine gun on each one. Piero was grim. Looks like were badly outgunned. What do you think we should do?
272
Alexei Cyren
Ariel licked her lips and gave her partner a devilish smile. Lead them on a merry chase, take them out and see if we can make one of them talk. Preferably the leader Because Im pretty sure there is one. Pieros face lit up. Thats what I thought youd say. Time to show off my amazing ying skills. He hit the acceleration and dived hard. Ariel was thankful for the seatbelt as they went into a barrel roll. Glowing lines of machine gun re slashed the air around them. Piero dodged them all. She remembered that Piero earned top marks in exoarmour and ight training from what she read in his le. She leaned out her window, stretched the seatbelt to the max and pointed her mini-rocket launcher at the closest vehicle. Ariels orange aiming circles locked on and ashed. A rocket spiralled through the air and struck the raiders car head on. The speeder erupted in a ball of hellish ames. Five burning bodies streaked into the darkness below like comets. One down and ve to go. Before Ariel loosed another shot, the car banked hard left jerking her back inside. Hold still! No can do, Ariel. Got to keep you alive remember?
273
Piero rushed into one of the aerial tunnels that led through a tower block and two raider cars followed. Pillars whipped past them as they ew by. Piero shot upward by a few metres and lines of gunre passed below them. Ariel unhooked the seatbelt with a wireless command from her NBC. She dove onto the backseat, grabbed Pieros laser assault rie and smashed the rear window with the butt of the gun. She trained her weapon on the left raider car and pulled the trigger. Thin, searing ruby lasers lanced the enemy engine and it blew apart in midair. Piero swerved to avoid more gun re from the remaining car. Several shots punched through their taillights and shards of glass tumbled into the air behind them. Ariel lost her balance and slammed into the right passenger side window. She dropped the laser rie onto the seat and unhooked the mini-rocket launcher from her belt. See if you can hold her steady for one-second, Piero. Piero dived and avoided another salvo of bullets. The tongues of white-yellow re licked the air beside and above them. Steady partner! She held the rocket launcher pointed
274
Alexei Cyren
down and waited for the right moment. The moment when this hunk of steel isnt swaying around like a drunk horse. Sorry, Eve, I know how much you love horses. If her childhood friend Eve heard her describing a car like it was a horse shed be slightly offended. Piero barrel rolled in the tunnel as another stream of gunre tried to take them out of the game. The tunnel exit loomed wider and wider ahead of them. Just as soon as this hamster wheel stops The car was right side up and for a split second it was ying straight and steady. All the time I need. Ariel levelled her mini-rocket launcher, aimed and pulled the trigger. There was a blue trailing glow as the rocket struck the raiders car, followed by a ash of golden re. It veered and rammed into one of the tunnel pillars. Then it was gone in a ery blaze and a giant boom erupted. Three down. Three to go. Ariel and Pieros volt car streaked out of the tunnel. Another drab tower block took shape before them. Her sensors picked up the three remaining enemies. She pointed down. Theres a crisscrossing of dozens of bridge streets below us here. Think you can do something with that?
275
Piero snickered. answer that! Of course not, silly!
Can pigs y?
Never mind, dont
Ariel grabbed the door and Pieros shoulder as they nose dived like a hawk. There were crisscrossing street bridges between the four tower blocks that reminded her of a complex spiders web. Were moving at two hundred kilometres per hour and at that speed if we hit one of those streets were as good as dead. I wonder if accidents are fatal in this virtual world? didnt want to nd out. Ariel
Pieros eyes focused on the web of bridge streets around them. He took comfort from Ariels touch. He jerked the car into another spin and zoomed by a bridge by a mere hands length. The raiders followed them. I guess theyre programmed to ght without fear. The piloting skills are nearly as good as Pieros. What was the difference between a man and a machine? Was it the will to live? Was it the will to strive? Ariel was shaken out of her thoughts as Piero banked left and then right. The lead raider car followed spitting bullets at them. The driver misjudged the distance however and the car missed the next opening. The speeder smashed into one of the street bridges. It
276
Alexei Cyren
blossomed into a cloud of re and the blast shook the air. The last two raider cars shot through the smoke and ames still hot on their tail. Piero moved his hands along the holographic controls causing their car to bank right. They shot through another opening between bridge streets. He slowed the car and pulled it up. The two raider cars shot past them. The driver of the left vehicle looked up at them with his cold brown eyes, which was a fatal mistake. The car and its ve raiders buried itself into the street below and vanished in a hellish inferno. The last raider car clipped its side and went into a wild spin. Its driver got control at the last second but instead of crashing it careened and rolled along the street bridge. The volt car smoked and ve men were strewn along its crash path. Ariel squeezed Pieros muscular shoulder through his Dreydis nano armour. Nice driving, cowboy! Lets see if theres anyone left to question. Piero laughed. Was there ever any doubt about my brilliance? He landed their volt car about twenty feet away from the raiders overturned clunker. Ariel leaned over and cupped his face. Absolutely none She kissed him full on the lips and let go, leaving
277
them both panting for breath. Her heart was still beating a mile a minute from the thrilling and deadly chase. Ariel rufed Pieros smooth black hair. She opened her door and stepped out. Come on.
She walked over to the smoking wreck and scanned to see which raiders were still alive. Only one active, living program She cautiously walked over to the dark skinned man and she pulled out both of her pistols. Piero followed closely behind her. She heard him train his rie on the African lying on his back. Ariel used her most commanding tone. Get up. We know youre still alive. If you dont want a bullet through your brain, youd better stop pretending. The African raiders reptile helmet was gone. His orange buzz cut hair was a stark contrast to the rest of his savage outt. His axen eyes cracked open and stared back without fear or malice. It seems you have me. If youre going to kill me why waste words? Ariels shadow fell over him. Her guns were locked onto his head and she kicked away the pistol that was near his left hand. Wheres the safe box? Wheres the safe box that belongs to Zan Kullu? And what do I get if I tell you? A bullet through my
278
Alexei Cyren
brains? You get to live for all the good it does you. Like youd keep your word. Ariel beamed. I will if you talk. Eagle pistols and holstered them. She folded her
Piero frowned at her. She guessed his thoughts: What the hell are you doing? She radioed Piero. Lower your rie. Ive got this. I hope you know what youre doing, Ariel. lowered his laser rie. Piero
Ariel showed her empty palms to the raider. Im guessing you must be the leader of that band. Your program is way more open and exible than your fellows. You guessed right. Call me Ariel. Kulballa. Ariel helped Kulballa up to his feet. So where is Zan Kullus safe box? Kulballa kept his eyes on Ariel as if watching for any sign of betrayal. 99097 Street Tower Block. It is at the
279
top of the tower. That is where the safe box is. Pieros husky voice echoed in her mind. Bad news Our volt car shut down and it wont start again. Just great Now were going to have to walk to central Kullu City. Who knows how long thatll take! Ariel brushed a hand through her silky hair without thinking. Is there anything else you can tell me? Kulballas voice was neutral. It is well guarded by beasts. Ive never been there but thats what Ive heard from the other tribal leaders. That is all I know. Ariel rubbed the tip of her chin. She didnt know how long it would take by foot. There were too many factors to consider. Bridge streets could be out and detours might be needed. She was condent however that she and Piero would make it there in time. Before the forty eight hour deadline Ariel looked at Kulbulla. answers. Youre free to go. Im satised with your
Kulbulla backed away until he reached the tower street at the West end of the bridge. He took a sharp turn and ran inside the nearby tower block.
280
Alexei Cyren
Piero walked up beside her. Ariel felt the zzle of his body heat and it brought a ush to her cheeks. Was it really a good idea, letting him go? Ariel bumped her right shoulder into his left arm. Are you going to doubt your team leader now? Piero gave Ariel a fond look. Never. Better be, cowboy. If the cars busted then were going on foot. I just dont want to waste a hacker spike to rewrite the car program to make it work. Do you want to check for a working volt car anyway? Lets take twenty minutes tops. anything we go by foot. Okay. Ariel and Piero spent twenty minutes searching for a working volt car but they had no luck. Looks like its by foot. Ariel radioed Thomas. Thomas, how long do you think itll take us to get to the tower block? Thomas sounded strained. Sorry about that, were If we dont nd
281
ghting pretty hard here to keep the virtual worlds admin programs from affecting you. Id say it could take anywhere from ten to thirteen hours. Best guess? Yeah. Thanks, Thomas. wrong out there. Let me know if anything goes
Will do. Got another rewall to break. Will check in every so often. Thomas out. Piero glanced at Ariel as he raised his head from another dead volt car. Guess thats settled, theres no working ones. Ariel nodded and started heading in the direction of 99097 Street. She marked it on her tactical map with a pulsing green dot and an augmented reality arrow marked a path in her vision. How do you want to get to the top of the tower block? Pieros laser rie was up as he covered the rear. Lets use the force grapple, it should be faster than climbing the stairs. Ariel unfolded her pistols and raised them beside her face. She moved from shadow to shadow as Piero followed. Agreed. First lets get there. Plans might change.
282
Alexei Cyren
Chapter 12
Twelve half hours later, Ariel and Piero looked up at the 99097 Street Tower Block. It looked less damaged than the other tower blocks of the city. There were scorch marks and shattered AR-steel windows but otherwise it was in good condition. The top oor rose through the highest clouds and she zoomed in with her enhanced vision. There was only one feature that stood out: the maw of a hangar bay that was shrouded in gloom. At the angle she was at there wasnt much else she saw. The sun beat down on Kullu City, rays of light streamed down between the towers to brighten the wrecked buildings around them. The bridge led to the Level 521 tower street. Ariels goal was Level 1000. Four hundred and seventy-nine levels to go. Ariel ran the math using her NBC. It would take between two to three hours to make the climb using force
283
grapples. place.
Theres only twenty hours left before the hit takes
We have to nd out who the target is! Ariel couldnt accept any other result. She couldnt let the Black Phoenix win on her watch. Piero squeezed her shoulder this time. We can do this, Ariel. We can make it. Ariel put her hand over the top of his. Thanks, Piero. I know well make it. We have to. She let go and crossed the street bridge. Before her was a row of glass steel doors that led into the inside of the tower block. Normally, millions of people lived in one of these massive spires. In the virtual world known as Kullu City however there was no one to greet or see. There were only the guardian programs that could kill. Ariel pulled out her force grapple and an invisible beam shot out and connected with a part of the tower wall two hundred feet above her. She tried to engage her sight cloak but it didnt work. Looks like Thomas wasnt able to override the rule against invisibility. Piero noticed too. Looks like sight cloaks dont work near here. Well just have to do this the hard way and hope its clear sailing. ***
284
Alexei Cyren
Ariel laughed sadly. After hanging with me these past few months you should have learned one thing: theres no such thing as clear sailing. She pointed the grey rod and commanded the force grapple to pull her up. She rose at a steady pace of ten metres per second. Diving is always easier. Sometimes I wish I had a GIE ight system or jet pack. As usual I totally forget to request those items! The tower block was black super-concrete faded to a lighter grey the higher they went. It looked like it was thousands of years old. Well, thats the way it was designed to be in this virtual world. It wouldnt be a far fetch if human civilization abandoned Sericent. Kullu World was a reection of a possibility. One that might come to pass one day. Ariel hopped up the wall as she rose. Each time she reached the end of her grapple beam, she took her second grapple and locked onto another point further up. She would turn off her rst grapple at that point. She repeated the process over and over again. She moved at a steady upward pace. Her nano armour kept her body cool and dry in the face of the afternoon suns blistering heat. Piero kept pace with her without much trouble. Nows a good time to talk. Helps to kill the time. Neither of them breathed very hard.
285
Eventually they would start to feel the strain. Just not yet Of course it would all be in their heads. So what did you want to talk about? Ariel pulled out her second force grapple and latched onto another point above her. I just wanted to know more about you. I mean weve only been together a few months as partners but it is like I only know the barest of details about you. I think were both in the same boat, Piero. Well, my parents are both lawyers. They were the top of their eld environmental law and civil rights. I wanted to be a lawyer when I was younger you know. You guys must have been pretty well off. Piero rappelled upward, his feet making a steady beat on the concrete walls. We werent doing too bad. How about yourself ? Both of my parents are hydroponic farmers out in Mexico City sector. Theyre really good at what they do. So youre a farm boy who became a Guardian. Thats one major U turn from the family business. Id say the same about you. Was it because of your mother? ***
286
Alexei Cyren
Ariel paused and came to a stop. She didnt look back down at Piero who was below her to the right. Yes, I became a Guardian because the Phoenix killed her. I wanted to nd a way to avenge her. Piero whispered. Just like me. We share that in common, cowboy. Was it the same reason for you? Your sister didnt die until recently, however. Ariel started up again and she hopped up the wall. Cant stop now, chat as we go, Ariel! My high school friend, Mustaf, fell in with the local drug cartels. Lots of good kids died and eventually that life killed him. I loved Mustafa like a brother. His betrayal and his death was what got me to join the Guardians. Ariels breathing was steady. I can see why you decided to ght the drug war for eight years. Its a losing battle. How do you stop someone from killing themselves? A drug dealer was someone who offered an escape. Many people want to escape their lives. Sometimes I think the time was stolen by the drug dealers and kingpins. It didnt have to be that way. I was so obsessed, you know. So driven to stop it. But it never ends does it. Hell, youve been ghting for eight years. Ive been chasing the Phoenix for nearly six.
287
*** Piero continued. After I met you I started to wonder whether I let those drug dealing bastards steal the important things in life. The people I love. Ariels heart caught in her throat. She thought the same things lately. Am I letting the Black Phoenix steal everything else in my life from me? Would my mother have wanted that if she were here? Ariel whispered, And the people you could have loved. It is lost chances and opportunities. Piero came up beside her, their shoulders touching. Exactly This time however I found you and I dont want to let you go, Ariel. She felt her cheeks redden. Ariel hooked her force grapple to her belt. wrapped her arms around Pieros neck and kissed hard. Im not letting you go either, Piero. understand the pain I feel better than anyone else met. It feels right being with you. She him You Ive
Piero wrapped his lips around hers again, his tongue seeking hers with burning fervour. Several red blips appeared on Ariels tactical map HUD. Piero unsealed her lips, leaving them breathing heavily. Looks like weve got company, cowboy.
288
Alexei Cyren
They looked into the distance and spotted armed Congolese raiders on giant, sharp beaked ying lizards speeding towards them. What a great time to ruin the mood. Ariel felt a ash of annoyance streak across her brow. Theres no way in hell Im going to forgive these guys. She pulled out her pistols and they unfolded into glistening, jet black weapons. Piero jumped to the right to put some distance between them. He hooked his force grapple into his belt and unslung his Marduk laser rie. Theyve got the aerial advantage and were sitting ducks. What do we do? Ariel answered back over wireless. Let me think on that. The ying African raiders opened re with their assault ries. Olive beams of burning murder rained down on them. Ariel leaped further right to avoid the salvo and hammered her pistol triggers. Her Eagles unleashed a rain of bullets that took out the nearest rider about sixty metres away. The man shrieked as he fell like a brick. The purple beaked ying lizard cawed and veered away. Ariel counted six ying lizard riders remaining. Why are we always ghting overwhelming odds? She squeezed the
289
triggers again and her bullets shredded the brains of one of the ying lizards. The beasts wings went slack and it spiralled down into the darkness between the tower blocks. Nows theres ve left. Piero hopped about like a mad man as he dodged the laser beam salvos. The super-concrete burst apart wherever the raiders struck. He stayed cool under re and pulled the trigger of his rie at a rapid clip. Ruby beams tore through the wings of one of the ying lizards and it plunged to its death. The remaining four lizard riders veered off for another attack run. Piero peered at Ariel. Got any bright ideas on how we can get up there without ghting like this every few hundred feet? Ariel watched the four lizard riders veering around. Were going to ride one of those overgrown beasts. Piero blinked. Youre joking right? supposed to get close enough to do that? How are we
As long as they get within sixty metres or roughly two hundred feet, a force grapple can latch on. On the rst attack run they got within fty metres even though their rie range is greater than that. Flying is tough and aiming tougher. The closer they are, the more likely theyll hit. I
290
Alexei Cyren
doubt their programmed with the kind of targeting systems we have. I can see why you were the top of your class, Ariel. There isnt any crazy idea you wouldnt try if you thought itd get you one step closer to winning. Ariel chuckled. You got that right, Piero. Get ready! Theyre coming! The ying lizard riders darted toward them like arrows. Lasers showered them but missed as the winds shifted their mounts, messing up their aim. They got within fty metres, which was what Ariel wanted. She turned on her second force grapple and the invisible beam latched onto one of the ying purple lizards. It jerked in midair and she turned off the other one she used to climb the tower block. She dropped below the ying beast and started rising towards it as she reeled herself in. At this speed, itll take me forty-eight seconds. I have to avoid being shot to death before then. Considering the fact Im swinging around like a seesaw that shouldnt be hard. The other three riders were busy trying to drill Piero full of laser holes and ignored her. The lizard rider above trained his laser rie at her. He opened re but the beams ew wide as the ying lizard beat its wings savagely due to the extra weight.
291
Ariel kicked her legs so that she swung around wildly. Green laser beams ashed around her and several scored black lines across her nano armour. She felt red-hot pain from the hits and gritted her teeth. Twenty-four seconds The raider slung his rie, grabbed the reins of his mount and sped towards a nearby signal tower. She continued dangling and swinging about. Hes trying to ram me into the tower! Ariel built up momentum with her legs and swung away at the last second, before crashing into the structure. Her shoulder clipped one of the satellite dish mirrors with a heavy thud and the impact jarred her. An object in motion tends to stay in motion so Newton said. She was inclined to curse Newtons laws. Twelve seconds The lizard rider looked down and saw Ariel was still alive. The man swore though she couldnt make out what he was saying. He lined up his laser rie for another shot at her and pulled the trigger. Another barrage of olive beams ashed around her. One beam seared a black line down her cheek. She cursed again.
292
Alexei Cyren
Oh hell, thats it! Ariel drew one of her Eagle pistols, her orange aiming circles locked onto the mans head and she slammed her trigger. The nano-round blew a hole right through the raiders neck artery instead of his head as the ying lizard swerved. Blood rained down on Ariel and the lifeless rider toppled from his saddle into the darkness below. Kullu tower was a small thing in the distance. She made out the ashing lines of emerald and ruby lasers being traded between Piero and the other lizard riders. Time to show this overgrown ying reptile who the boss is! Ariel reached the ying lizards neck, grabbed it with both hands and swung herself up and over. She slid down its long nape and hopped into the saddle. She seized the reins and guided the lizard back towards the tower block. Thisll take some getting used to but I cant take too long. She brought up a video on horseback riding in her NBC and skimmed through it quickly using her hyper mind nano-tech. After a few seconds she got the hang of it sort of. She imagined that only the legendary Tharsi warriors knew anything about actually riding ying lizards. There were no training videos for that. She would have to go to Tharsang itself if she wanted to learn it from the horses mouth. Always fun to improvise.
293
*** Ariel whipped the reins with a loud snap and the ying beast shot towards the 99097 tower block. She closed in on the rear most lizard rider and levelled her guns. Her orange aiming circles locked on and she hammered the triggers. A line of bullets shredded the enemy raider in the saddle. He jerked like a marionette and plummeted into the city below. The last two African raiders veered left and right, coming around to attack. Laser re blasted a smoking hole through the left raiders chest, sending him tumbling off his ying steed. She saw Piero sling his rie and ready his force grapple. The riderless beast circled towards Piero. Ariel pulled the triggers of her pistols and another barrage of bullets sailed towards the last rider. He nose dived and avoided becoming swiss cheese. She ew past, pulled the reins and changed direction. Jade beams ashed around her as the last rider opened re. The scorching lasers sheared through the wings of her ying reptile and it screeched in agony. Her mount was losing altitude fast. Ariel and her steed spiralled downward. She spotted a blue blip closing in on her position. She saw Piero swoop down on one of the ying lizards, the one whose rider died at his hands. ***
294
Alexei Cyren
Pieros hand reached down to her Ariels nger tips brushed Pieros several times Then she caught hold. Piero pulled her up behind him. Her arms held his waist tightly. Her lizard steed vanished in the lightless depths between the tower blocks. Ariel remarked, What killer timing, hot shot! Looks like you know how to y more than exo-armours! This is the second time Pieros saved me from falling to my death. Hey, Im just as impressed myself. Piero pulled on the reins and the lizard banked right as searing green rays sped past them. Anyhow we need to take out the last rider. Ariel laughed evilly. Leave that to me. She hefted her Eagle pistol in her right hand. Just get us close. Roger that, team leader! Piero snapped the reins with a crack and the ying lizard doubled its speed. Its wings beat the air with mighty strokes at the command of its new master. They charged towards the last rider who was closing with them in a game of chicken. The man tried to steady his aim and train his rie at them. The apping wings of his steed didnt make that easy, however. If we can get by this shot, hes done for!
295
*** Piero yelled out as he whipped the reins again and guided their violet purple reptile into a roll that left Ariel looking down at the enemy rider from above. This is our chance! Ariel trained her pistol at the ying raider and squeezed the trigger. A dotted line of yellowwhite re licked the dark skinned gun man as he pointed his gun up at them. The last raider cried out and slid off his mount, plunging towards the dark depths of Kullu City. Ariel holstered her gun and put her arm back around Pieros waist. That ones down and out. Mmmm I could get used to ying around with you like this. Piero peeked at Ariel. Too bad were on the clock. We should do something like this again in one of the HIVR worlds that cant kill us. Id like that, Piero. Anyhow lets get this big ying lizard up to the top level. Weve got a lunch date with a safe box. Piero yelled, Heeeyah! He snapped the reins again and the ying beast beat its wings hard. They were rapidly ascending. After two and a half hours they made it to the open hangar bay at the very top. The ying purple reptile landed on the lip that jutted out and folded its wings. The
296
Alexei Cyren
hangar was painted to resemble light brown sandstone. Darkness loomed ahead of them and Ariel switched to dark vision. Everything became clear in shades of blackwhite. She spotted a giant mound at the very centre of the mostly empty hangar. There were AR-steel crates, fuel drums and spare machine parts lying around. There was no rhyme or reason to the placement of things. There was no exit anywhere. Wed better look around Thats denitely weird
Ariel pulled out her pistols, ready for anything. Piero readied his laser rie and stared down the iron sights. Ariel signalled with her right hand: Piero go right. Piero nodded. Ariel went left around the giant mound. She scanned the area and picked up ten small blips and one really, really big one. Its near me! She faced the giant mound. Four feet slammed into the oor and the body rose into the air. It emerged from its shell, a giant tail snaked out behind it and a lizard head with rows of teeth emerged from the opposite end. ***
297
Its teeth were the size of sedan chairs. The creature stood on short stubby legs. Those legs were thicker than two volt cars put side by side. On top of its shell were two armoured cabs with gun slits. The ten red enemy blips were in those cabs. They were nearly forty feet off the oor of the hangar bay. This things like those old war elephants used by the ancient Greek general Pyrrhus of Epirus and in large numbers by the armies of Carthage and Hannibal. The beast was two hundred feet long from head to tail. There were two silvery comm dishes sticking out of the top of its skull. Ariel never saw a lizard beast this big before in real life or HIVR. Then again she really wasnt big into gaming in virtual worlds. That was something Mat did for fun. She hoped the thing didnt breathe re like fantasy game dragons. Piero back-pedalled and pounded its body with crimson lasers. They were like pin pricks against its forest green shell. He rolled aside as its massive jaw nearly snapped him in two. Funny, it somehow reminds me of the extinct snapping turtle that I read about somewhere. Ariel threw herself backward as it spun and whipped its tail at her. Though she was fast, the tail was long and it clipped her left arm. The force shattered the bones and
298
Alexei Cyren
her arm was useless until the M-gel fully repaired it. She was ung twenty feet away. She turned the momentum into a roll and came up standing. Her nano armour M-gel oozed around the wounded area and started xing it as fast as it could. Just not fast enough for this ght. Piero shouted at her in concern over wireless. Are you all right, Ariel! Got to remember that if this thing kills me it is game over for real. Im still kicking, Piero. Watch out! The gunmen in the armoured cabs unloaded streams of laser re from the slits. Scorching blue beams ashed around Ariel and Piero. Sparks ew like a reworks show as beams sliced into heaps of machinery around them. Ariel ipped using her one good hand and evaded the trailing line of re. She landed, pulled her pistol and pressed the trigger. A salvo of bullets shot through one of the slits and took one of the gun men right between the eyes. She was reminded what the real danger was when the giant snapping turtle surged forward with thunderous steps. It tried to swallow her whole but she cartwheeled left. It charged past her. More azure beams showered the oor around Ariel.
299
She dodged and weaved with tech boosted reexes, avoiding fatal hits. Her nano armour took light scorching strikes. Mass shields were useless against laser weapons. She would need energy shields. Unfortunately those werent issued to Guardians. Piero loosed another barrage of scarlet beams that took out three more gunmen in the cab through the slits. She heard several screams. He tossed a nano-shredder grenade at the beast. It exploded, ring nano-shards that could rip a man apart in a second. The giant lizard roared in pain but despite its side being shredded it was still alive. There were blue-green soccer-ball sized blood globs dripping onto the AR-steel oor. Wed need fteen times the amount of grenades we have to kill this thing. We dont have that many! Theres got to be a faster way! Theres also no obvious exit either. Piero sounded worried. Ariel, you got any good ideas on how to take this thing down before it tramples us to death? Im working on it, partner. Ariel switched targets and trained her guns on the lizards skull. She circled around to get a clear view of the reptiles front. I wonder about those metal dishes on its head
300
Alexei Cyren
*** She pulled the trigger and sent a hail of bullets at the two satellite dishes on the top of its reptile head. They burst apart in a shower of steel and cascading sparks. The turtle went berserk. It reared up on its back legs for three-seconds, exposing its tough underbelly and dropped back onto all fours. It felt like an earthquake. Ariel steadied herself with her only working arm. Piero was knocked to the oor and rolled aside. The lizards foot stamped down on where he was a second ago. There were cries of surprise as the remaining six gun men in the two armoured cabs were tossed around like rag dolls. The beast roared, shook its head as if it were clearing it and locked its feral gaze on Ariel. It bellowed, sending a blast of putrid breath and charged at her. Something needs some breath mints. Ariel steadied herself and vaulted onto its head. She ran up its short neck, leapt onto its back and ran to the rst cab. Three gunners in this one She tossed a black thumb sized cylinder a nanoshredder grenade through one of the slits. She ran past the second cab which also had three gunners inside. She tossed in another nano-shredder grenade.
301
Everyone gets an early Christmas gift. Ariel slid down the lizards shell and off its tail like it was a greased slide. There were shrieks as the bombs went off and tore the gunners to bloody pieces. She landed clear of the wildly swinging tail. Piero stung the giant lizards eyes with blistering beams and the thing was blind. It refused to stop its rampage even with the death of the controlling gunners. He skidded and dashed south back towards the hangar bay opening. Hes trying to draw it away from me so Ive got some more time to come up with something. Except hes going to run out of room very soon! Ariel radioed Thomas and hoped he wasnt held up with putting out res. Thomas, Thomas! Were in trouble in here! Theres a giant turtle monster in here thats nearly impossible to kill with the weapons we have. I need some options before it chews up Piero! Luck was with her as Thomas answered, Yeah Im seeing whats going on. Youll need more grenades then what I could program for you or a micro-fusion charge. The MF charge is a no go against the nodes computer system rules as it stands. I gured that much. Is there another option? You can use one of the A-class hacking spikes I gave
302
Alexei Cyren
you to boost the hacking programs you already have. It sounds like a bit of a long shot. It might be I still dont know how powerful the S hacker who created this world was. Ariel wasnt sure the hacking spike would work but now was the best time to try it out. Pieros life was on the line. Thanks, Thomas. Cross your ngers. There was no way to use more than one hacking spike at once due to certain programming limits. Here goes.
303
Chapter 13
Ariel loaded the A class hacking spike program. She locked onto the giant lizard chasing Piero towards the hangar bay exit. She chose it as her target and lines of code ran down the left side of her vision. With a thought she grabbed the hacking spike program, which was represented by a triangle and launched it into the lines of code that made up the giant lizard. Kill the beast and the way opens I hope Otherwise, Piero is going to be crushed at as a pancake! The giant snapping turtle shimmered briey as Ariel hacked it. She focused on driving the spike deeper into the turtles code. Lines of code on the right side were shot into the left at a rapid pace. She tried to erase it but it wasnt working. The program was too strong and complex for her. What if I try something else like using the world to kill it! Ariel changed the hack attack so the snapping turtle
304
Alexei Cyren
would think the hangar lip kept going on forever. It didnt but that was the trick. She radioed her partner, Piero, Im going to trick it into a suicide dive so grab on tight! With a mental swipe motion she sent the new hack attack through the spike and into the turtles programming. Their lizard steed hopped as far away from the massive turtle as it could. The giant snapping turtle howled as Piero dropped out of sight, grabbing the ledge with his hands at the last possible moment. The turtle ran right off the lip of the hangar bay landing platform. It vanished over the edge. Ariel sprinted over to the lip and helped Piero up. The beast was beaten. She saw its massive shell plunging into the gloomy streets below. Piero looked over Ariels shoulder and pointed to the back of the hangar bay. Looks like the way in has appeared. Ariel turned around and saw a part of the wall rise up to reveal a one hundred foot wide and fty foot tall halfhexagon shaped hallway. Dim orange lights turned on every fty feet and seemed to go on forever. It was the only way out of the hangar bay and deeper into the tower. She ran her right hand through her pony tail. So it has. I just hope we dont have to ght another giant turtle
305
like that again. Piero hugged Ariel around the shoulders and let go. My thoughts exactly. Lets go. Ariel smirked at Pieros back. Thomas, you there? Thomas replied, Yeah, I heard you. on? Whats going
Are we close enough for you to get an exact location of Zan Kullus safe box? Give me a sec Its within your sensor range. Okay, got it. Take the tunnel in front of you. At the second intersection take a right and then a left. When you get to that point Ill guide you further. Roger, Thomas. Ariel relayed what Thomas said to Piero. Piero hefted his laser rie up and put on a new scope. He looked ahead through it. Looks clear so far. Lets nd the second intersection. Wait, give me a few minutes so my left arm is all healed up. When the M-gel nano-bots nished repairs to her shoulder and left arm, Ariel nodded for Piero to move out. They marched cautiously down the vast hallway,
306
Alexei Cyren
sticking to the shadows between the dim orange lights as much as possible. They heard voices and dogs panting as they approached the rst intersection. Guard dogs? This is so old school. In the modern era, Coyote bloodhound droids replaced living dogs since they never tired and didnt eat. Of course in HIVR that doesnt really matter since you can make dog programs tireless too. Ariel and Piero both huddled behind one of the giant support beams that lined the edges of the hallway like rings. It was ve feet wide so there was plenty of space for both of them. They readied their weapons. She used her nano-mic to hear what the raiders ahead were saying. It was like she was standing right next to them. The boss wants us to send word if we see anyone. The big turtle is dead so the intruders must be good. Theres no way we could stand up to these enemies then. Its the boss orders. Unless youd prefer to be erased by him. Weve got to hold off the intruders as long as possible. The fteen raiders nodded their agreement at the last
307
point. They started towards the western hallway from the centre of the intersection. One of the dogs sniffed the air and growled. One raider muttered, Whats wrong? You smell strangers close by? Everyone on your guard! They are close! And here I thought me and Piero would sneak by these guys without having to waste time. No chance now. There were no shadows in the intersection and they no longer held the element of surprise. Piero murmured, Im going to toss a nano-shredder grenade. Just how many grenades do we have? Ive got two more nano-shredder and three plasma re. Three shredder and three plasma A shredders quieter but they likely know were coming a mile away anyway. They may have called in what happened with the dog snifng us out. Toss the shredder and well down the rest with our guns. One-two-three Piero tossed the black thumb-sized grenade and it landed among the raiders. One of the African raiders swore in Swahili, Grenade! Grenade! It was too late. The bomb went off and sent thousands of nano-rounds whirling through the air like a
308
Alexei Cyren
burst of high speed micro-marbles. Ten gunmen were torn to shreds in a tornado of blood and gore. The surviving ve dived for cover. Ariel and Piero stepped out and tapped their gun triggers. Bullets and lasers crisscrossed and wove together in a blanket of quick and merciless death. When it was over there were only smoking corpses and grey matter splattered over the sandstone-coloured steel. She levelled her guns and dashed towards the second intersection about ve hundred feet ahead. Piero called after her. cautiously? Werent we going in
Forget stealth. Lets just go in guns blazing! After all, were on the clock. Theres only sixteen and a half hours left. Piero caught up with Ariel as she swerved right. Her sensors picked up enemies dead ahead and the red blips ashed on her tactical map. Okay, weve got incoming Lets save as many grenades and mini-rockets as we can. We might need them later. Ill try, Ariel. But Im going to use them if I see a good opening. Ariel spotted the raider patrol with their war dogs dead ahead. She squeezed her pistol triggers and a volley of
309
bullets hammered them. Four raiders went down as armour piercing shots mangled their bodies. Piero skidded behind one of the support beams along the right side wall. He crouched and hammered his weapon trigger. His rie spat maroon lances of burning light that bored holes through skulls, hearts and stomachs. Five more raiders pitched to the oor with smoking wounds. Six left and two war dogs. The dogs howled as they split up and charged Ariel and Piero separately. She tucked in her legs as she turned into a rolling, aerial cannonball. The war dogs maw chomped on empty air. Piero lowered his rie and put a blistering beam right through his dogs brain. It died instantly. It slid across the oor to lay at the Guardians feet. Ariel landed, swivelled and aimed her right gun at the war dog. She squeezed the trigger and a high impact nano-round blazed down her pistol barrel. The armour piercing round blasted off the mutts snout and most of its face. Her left gun sent a storm of rounds into two of the raiders. The men dropped dead as the bullets shot up through their nose and into the soft tissues of their simulated brains.
310
Alexei Cyren
Other raiders sprayed bullets at them while running for the cover of the wide ribbed edges of the tunnel. The bullets struck the oor around her with a loud ting ting ting bell sound. She dived behind one of the left tunnel beams. Several nano-rounds struck her armoured calves and bounced off. The remainder were deected by her mass shields. Four left Ariel put her back against the beam as bullets hammered the AR-steel behind her. Piero was doing the same. You got a plan? Remember that time in the tea house when we went after the Crimson Sun thug, Zou Tai? Oh I remember that. How could I forget? I think this is a perfect time for that dont you think? Its as good a time as any. You do the honours! Sparks showered them as the high impact nano-rounds came in hard and fast. On the count of three One Two Three Ariel dropped prone and rolled along the oor like a rolling pin towards the right side of the tunnel. Her triple
311
aiming crosshairs locked onto the two nearest ghters. She pressed her pistol triggers. Piero did the same and rolled to the left side of the tunnel behind her. His laser rie spat beams of scorching carnage as he squeezed his trigger. Their attacks cut the last four African raiders down. Ariel side rolled onto her feet. She scrambled over to Piero and helped him up quickly. She scanned the tunnel ahead. Looks like were in the clear for now. Sure does. Its a good thing were expert marksmen. A move like that normally wouldnt work without skill and high grade targeting systems. Ariel smirked. Thats why we used that tactic. We were harder to hit and we got better angles of re. They jogged down the right tunnel for ve hundred feet and turned the corner. They swung left. No enemy patrols got in their way. Ariel pinged Thomas. Thomas, Thomas! You there? Thomas voice came through loud and clear. Im here. Have you made the left turn? Just did. Great! Just keep on going down the hall the way you Yeah
312
Alexei Cyren
are now. To your left should be another hallway heading straight to the room where the safe box is located. Any other tips to give us at this time? Afraid not Ariel We have our hands full keeping Kullu Citys node from taking away your gear and programs. Okay, wish us luck. Thomas laughed. make your own. That I do. Ariel and Piero followed Thomas instructions and reached the hallway that led straight to the safe box room. They changed course and swung left. It was quiet except for the whispers of their footsteps. Ahead of them were two massive interlocking doors. They were marked with the spray-painted Swahili words for throne room or kiti cha enzi. Piero peered at Ariel. The safe box is in a throne room? So is there a tribal leader or king inside? Ariel shrugged her shoulders. Beats me. Well nd out soon enough. She didn't see any control panel or holoterminal that would open the door. Ariel, you dont need luck. You
313
Piero raised his palm towards the door. Looks like well have to hack the code that makes up the door. I guess Ill have to use another A-class hack spike. In Ariels sight she selected the door and lines of code in numbers, letters and symbols scrolled down the left half. She brought up the hacking spike and threw it into the door code as if she were plunging a dagger into its heart. The bronze double doors shimmered as the object code was hacked. She and Piero worked together as they typed hacking commands into holo-screens to boost the attack. More code lines scrolled down the right side of her vision. Three minutes later, the doors vanished as Ariel and Piero erased it. Almost seems like magic in the virtual universe of HIVR. Magic doesnt exist in the real world does it? No, the only magic is technology. Ariel gazed into a pitch black throne room. Before she switched to dark vision, ery torches mounted onto pillars burst to life one after the other. There were rows upon rows of pillars inside leaving only a one hundred foot central pathway to the throne of bones at the far end. The throne was a wicked and jagged piece of work made from carved bones. It was raised on a four foot high dais littered with gold and jewels. Nothing that looked like a safe box was in plain sight.
314
Alexei Cyren
No one sat on the throne either. Ariel and Piero walked between the columns, scanning the shadows for enemies. Nothing stood out. They stepped onto the central pathway. They noticed bloody shields, ancient wood spears, clubs studded with chips of obsidian, maces, short bows and javelins on either side. The weapons were propped up by the pillars more for display than anything else. There were skulls of men, lions, gazelle and lizards under, between and mounted above the weapons. It is like a trophy room of old battleeld relics. From the left side of the clear central path, a tall lanky dark skinned man stepped out of the shadows thirty feet ahead of them. The sensors didnt pick him up at all. That means there could be hidden ambushers lying in wait All around us The man wore a dusty brown jacket, black slacks, moccasins and dark sleeveless shirt. His dreadlocks were extremely long. Ariel knew him: it was Zan Kullu. Zan Kullu gave them a toothy grin. Welcome to my world, Ariel Blake and Piero Feliciano. Let me show you some of my hospitality. Before either of them reacted, he snapped his ngers.
315
Ariel and Pieros armour, weapons and gear vanished like smoke. Both Ariel and Piero were surprised. The digital ghost of the dead Black Phoenix agent held the clear advantage because he was armed with his holstered pistols. We only have our birthday suits. She spared only a split second to admire Pieros nude muscular physique before she cartwheeled left. She dropped down behind one of the two metre wide pillars as nano-rounds blasted chips off the sand-coloured stone. She saw Piero dive for cover as well. Ariel felt her anger boil up though she fought it down. If I lose my cool and make a mistake, Zan will kill us both. I cant lose Piero its just not an option. She realized she was head over heels for the sexy, Hispanic. Her revenge against the Phoenix seemed to pale in comparison to her love of the man. She didnt know what she would do if he died because of her. Especially here in this place. Zan Kullu laughed. I didnt think either of you would go down easy. After all, even without your nano armour and weapons, a trained Guardian is no pushover. Raiders, attack! Ariel spun around and knocked aside the assault rie that was mere inches away from her head. The raider
316
Alexei Cyren
pulled the trigger and an amber laser burned the stone oor behind her. She kicked his groin three times, twisted the rie out of his hands and turned the weapon against him. She pulled the trigger and golden rays melted the raiders chest in a burst of light. Her targeting crosshairs locked onto two more ghters emerging from the shadows behind the dead man. She hammered the trigger twice and the two went down with smoking holes where their eyes used to be. Ariel peaked around the pillar but Zan was gone. Looks like the games going to be cat and mouse. Whos the cat and whos the mouse? She called back to Thomas in the real world. Thomas you there!?! Thomas replied, I am. It looks like you two are in a bit of a jam. I dont want Piero to die. Is there any way you can pull Piero out? No Three quarters of the hacking bots are fried. The S-class hackers defences lashed back when Zan appeared. We dont have the computer power to win against it I cant bring you or Piero back out. In other words its do or die. Do your best, Thomas Im going to come back alive with Piero!
317
*** Ariel scurried from shadow to shadow. The cold stone pillars chilled her back as much as they grated. She heard gunre as Piero fought in the shadows of the eastern half of the throne room. Ive got to back him up but the central pathway is one hundred feet of zero cover from one side to the next. I run across that without armour or mass shields and Id be dead. I need a distraction. Ariels back kick snapped out and slammed into a raiders lightly armoured gut. She turned and saw that her blow staggered him. In his right hand was a crackling force mace. She pointed the rie at his face. Drop the weapons. The ghter dropped his mace and rie. Ariel moved behind him and pushed him ahead of her. Keep your hands where I can see them. When I start running, youd better keep up otherwise Im going to blow a hole through your chest and your program will be erased. Got it? The raider nodded and gulped. What a surprise they can even feign fear. She pushed him ahead of her. Her targeting crosshairs locked onto Zan Kullus face ahead of her. She pulled the trigger of her laser rie, using the raiders shoulder like a tripod.
318
Alexei Cyren
Flaxen rays scorched the stone pillar Zan dived behind. Ariel altered her hostages programming so that bullets and laser attacks that hit couldnt pass through. The program would die though she wasnt going to shed any tears. Its a hack that shouldnt offend the rules of the Kullu City cyber world too much. Heres to improvised tower shields. Several ghters leaned out from behind the pillars ahead of her and opened re. Burning light beams drilled into her captive. Her hostage gave a death scream but Ariel held him up as she sprinted toward a pillar on the East side of the throne room. Laser beams and nano-rounds ew by or struck her body shield. When she got to the other side, she dropped the dead raider and rolled behind a pillar. Pieros blue blip appeared on her targeting HUD with no enemies near him at the moment. Ill have to depend on my own two eyes. At least my nano-brain wasnt taken away. Ariel bolted towards Pieros position, taking down raiders with well placed laser shots. When one raider sprung up right in front of her, she leaped into the air and smashed the mans face in with a knee strike. His jaw shattered and he toppled like a felled tree. She landed and wove between the pillars, ring
319
scorching beams from her rie. Another raider screeched as his face was burned off by her salvo. She grabbed a javelin leaning near her and hurled it, burying it in the neck of another raider. The remaining raiders from the West half of the throne room charged across the central pathway in Ariels direction. She dropped into a crouch. Her sandy blond hair streamed behind her as if driven by an unseen wind and she trained her weapon on the wave of shrieking enemies. Ariel drummed the trigger rapid re light rays pierced men like arrows. A dozen raiders dropped like ducks in a shooting gallery. Some were set aame and burned to ashes. Something in the back of Ariels mind prickled like needles and she rolled right, swung around. Three tribal raiders somehow got behind her, their eyes alight with ruthless viciousness. She stared down the scope and picked all three of them off like beer cans on a ledge. There is denitely a certain beauty to an automatic rie. Ariel spun around, saw laser ashes and ran. She caught sight of Piero ring at the enemies ahead of him with a stolen laser rie. Over two dozen slaughtered raiders littered the path behind him. Piero! Piero answered. darted her way. Ariel! He changed course and
320
Alexei Cyren
Then his leg was hit by nano-rounds. Blood splattering the oor and he toppled over. Ariel screamed. NOOOOOO!!!! Piero twisted onto his side, levelled his laser rie and squeezed the trigger. The lasers ashed between the pillars and blew a smoking hole through Zan Kullus heart. Zan Kullu stared at the gaping hole in his chest and dropped dead. Ariel reached Pieros side and laid his head on her lap. She became consciously aware that they were both completely naked in a really dangerous place. She felt the embarrassing heat in her cheeks mix with her worry for Piero. Hes only injured hell be ne once we get out of here. Piero gasped. Ariel! direction of Zans body. hundred steps away. Look! He pointed in the It was lying on the oor a
Ariel turned. She saw Zan Kullu stand back up. The charred hole in his chest was knitting itself together at a rapid clip. Zan Kullu pushed some of his onyx dreadlocks behind his back. It looks like my digital self cant die in this
321
world. So lets keep dancing shall we? Ariel shouted, Dont get too cocky Kullu. We will nd a way to put you down for good! Id like to see you try. I dont have the luxury of trying. I will do whatever it takes to make sure you stay dead, Phoenix bastard! There was only one option left: Ariel would use the second last A-class hacking spike and pray she wouldnt need it to access the safe box if one wasnt enough. Ariel accessed Zan Kullus code. It was displayed on the left side of her vision. She brought up the hacking spike and injected it into Zan. Kullus body shimmered as she hacked his digital ghost. Zan sneered. Do you really think you can kill me with your level of tech skill? He trained his Python pistols at her and pulled the triggers. Ariel hop-dragged Piero behind the nearest pillar with all her strength. The bullets crashed into the rock like a hail storm. Stone ecks and dust shot into the air. Pebbles skipped across the oor. I doubt Thomas A class hack spike could kill you directly. It
322
Alexei Cyren
would be easier to remove your god mode tag so you can die at my hands! Ariel ran her NBCs onboard hacking suite. Piero, Im going to need your help here too. Can you get over the pain enough to focus? Piero gritted his teeth. I can do it. Here goes. They both opened oating holo-screens in front of them and combined computing power. The right half of Ariels sight was lled with lines of new code and she drove them into Zan Kullus core program. Disable his god mode and make him killable in this world! Kullus core program was tweaked. The bullets kept raining down on them. Ariel said to Piero, Im going to take him down. Cover me. She leaned over and kissed him hard. You can count on that, Ariel. Piero slapped her on the rump, leaned out and pulled the trigger of his laser rie. He laid down a torrent of cover re as Ariel ran the other way and tried to circle around. Zan Kullu wasnt stupid. He kept an eye on Ariel and sprayed a salvo of bullets as she ran between the columns. She dived behind the pillars for cover. She rolled, jumped and zig zagged to make it hard for him to hit her. It worked.
323
Ariel closed in while Piero kept Zan from getting a clear shot at her. Every time Zan tried to get a better angle, Piero pounded his position with a blistering barrage. She reached a nearby pillar and slid around. Zan Kullu leapt out from behind the pillar at close quarters with his pistols. Ariel clubbed Kullus left hand causing him to drop one pistol to the rubble-strewn oor. She kicked it away as she surged forward with the butt of the rie. Zans hands shot up and stopped her attack by holding her elbows but his remaining pistol was now off target. It was pointed upwards forty-ve degrees, angled far above her head. I have to take out the other pistol! Ariel sent the command to her laser rie to blow itself up in ve-seconds and let it drop onto Zans head. Zans pistol dropped towards Ariels chest. Ariels arms were free. Her hands plummeted down and to the left, pushing Zans right hand pistol off target. Zans gun went off with an argent ash. The bullets streaked by Ariel. A pillar behind her was hit. Ariel didnt inch or blink. Her hand blocked Zans
324
Alexei Cyren
trigger nger while she twisted it and disarmed him. His Python pistol was now in her hands. Zan ducked and seized Ariels dropped laser rie. Ariel leapt backward into a roll. She came up with the pistol pointed at Zans chest. Zan trained the laser rie at Ariels head. Ariel grinned. Checkmate, hook line and sinker. Zans laser rie exploded as it self-destructed. Ariel pressed the trigger of her Python pistol. Zans half burned, bullet riddled body fell backward and lay still. His program was well and truly dead. All that was left was an afterimage that would be deleted in a few hours. Ariel hastened back to Piero and she hugged him. We did it! Pieros face was buried in her bosom. She felt his cheeks burning. She was sure he heard her briskly beating heart. Pieros mufed voice said, You know if this wasnt such a dangerous place, I wouldnt mind staying like this with you forever. His hawk nosed face looked up into her own
325
and he put his arms around her too. Youre such a romantic irt. Its my nature, angel. Piero kissed her deeply and her mind went blank. Ariel drew her lips away. Come on, partner, weve got to get to the safe box. I dont want to give this crazy world another chance to kill us. Piero sighed. Too bad we couldnt take advantage of our lack of clothes. But youre right. He tried to get up and fell back down on his rump because of his bleeding, injured leg. Hold on a sec. Ariel went over to one of the dead raiders, whose brown eyes stared up at the ceiling lifelessly. She ripped his thin leather vest off. She walked over to Piero and tied it around his leg to stem the bleeding. She helped Piero up and served as his crutch. Piero hopped beside her as they walked onto the central pathway. They drew near the throne. Ariel and Piero climbed up the dais and looked around. Ariel murmured to Piero, Its likely nearby. Lets keep our eyes peeled. Piero pointed at a small black walnut box studded with sapphires that lay on top of a pile of gold a dozen feet
326
Alexei Cyren
away from them. My gut tells me thats the safe box. I think youre right. Ariel helped Piero over to it. They touched the box and it spun as it oated into the air. It rose to chest level. appeared with the words: A oating holo image screen
BLACK BOX ACCESSED PLEASE ENTER PASSWORD: Ariel didnt have a clue what the password could be. Something else ashed sixty-seconds later: PASSWORD ENTRY DELAY TOO LONG ENGAGING SELF DESTRUCT Zans information is going to be erased! Ariel cursed under her breath for the thousandth time. We cant lose that information! Not after all the trouble we took to get here! The deaths of Shi and Lixue would have been for nothing! The countdown timer on the auto-erase ticked down from three minutes. Ariel dialled Thomas. Thomas, weve got a serious problem here if you havent been watching. Is there any way we can stop this auto-erase? ***
327
Thomas sounded exhausted. I can try from this end. When you took out Zan, the pressure from the HIVR node eased off. Hold on As Ariel watched the holo screen, lines of green glowing numbers, letters and symbols swirled around the dodge ball sized black box. Thomas hacking code Sparks crackled between Thomas code and the sapphire studded coffer. Thomas was miffed. From out here theres too many layers of rewalls in the way. I cant focus my hacking attack. It is like trying to shoot a single beer bottle when theres a crowd of people walking in front of you. This isnt good. There has to be something we can do on this side. Ariel inspected the torch lit, stony throne room but saw nothing that could be useful. She remembered that there was one last hacking spike left. Thomas, what if I use the last hacking spike you gave me? Will that help? She loaded the hacking spike program into her NBC. This time it looked like a spinning black dagger on the right half of her vision. Thomas laughed out loud in her head, Thats right! You still have one left! If you use it, itll help me target my attack on the safe box code. Then we can re-write it and stop the auto-erase.
328
Alexei Cyren
The timer was at one hundred and nine-seconds. Weve got just under two minutes. Im going to inject the spike right now! Ariel brought up the code of the black walnut box on the left side of her vision and it scrolled down like rain drops. She injected the hacking spike. The black dagger code plunged into the black box code. The spinning walnut box in front of her glimmered. Its working Ariel! Wait Damn it! The whirling box glowed with white code, which impeded Thomas green code. Ariel circled the box. Piero stood opposite to her, studying the situation. Whats going on, Thomas? Why isnt it working? Its got code shielding I need more juice to cut through it but we already lost half of our hacker bot team. Theres not enough computing power to do it. Piero peered into Ariels eyes. Thomas, what if I and Ariel lent you our NBCs and brain power. Would that be enough? There was only sixty-seconds left on the holo screen. If we dont crack this thing soon who knows what will happen? I just hope this world doesnt just up and vanish, taking us with it
329
Ariel swept aside her worries. Now wasnt the time. Thomas Thomas replied, I cant say. It might be a rain drop for all I know. If theres any kind of backlash I dont think the rewalls in your NBCs will stop it from frying every brain cell in your noggin. Ariel uttered, We dont have a choice. If the autoerase happens we may just die anyway if Kullu City is erased too. Piero, get ready to link. Piero reached over and grasped her hand. She felt the tenderness and love between them. Ready. Lets do this. Ariel stared at the quantum bits that made the oating walnut box real in the virtual world. She loaded her onboard hacking suite and started unravelling the white counter code bit by bit. Piero joined her at that moment. Engaging SSH tunnel She hooked up with Thomas green attack code that circled the box. The white counter code blocked the sparks red from the green code. Ariel felt a rush as she linked with Thomas attack. It was like being high and giddy. She saw the same look on
330
Alexei Cyren
Pieros face. Then came the dangerous part. I have to open the ood gates of our brains to boost the hacking power of Thomas attack With weak rewalls as our only means of defence, if anything goes wrong our brains could be destroyed. Ariel prayed that neither she or Piero would suffer that fate. Shutting down the neural buffer. Then the cyber information lling and passing through her increased a thousand times. Then it jumped to ten thousand, one hundred thousand, a million, a billion She was drowning in a swirl of numbers, letters and symbols. The code lled her vision as if devouring reality like a starving man would devour a cake. She felt like she was losing her mind. It seemed to go on forever. Ariels brain was on re. There was only a little bit of her sight that remained unclouded by quantum bits. Pieros blue eyes looked back at her. They were the only thing she saw. In them held a desire and love for her so deep she could only weep in her heart. Hes the only one who understands what Ive been through because hes been through it himself. He knows what it is like to lose loved ones to those who inict cruelty and pain. Hes an avenger like me.
331
We both have vendettas that we cant let go of. A menacing ame of hate for the Phoenix arose like an old friend. I cannot allow myself to die. I wont let Piero die either. Ariel clawed and kicked her way back, pushing back the waves of numbers. I will not die here. I will not drown. I will ght. Pieros face appeared behind the spinning walnut box. Ariel cleared more of the quantum bits as she squeezed his hand. She kept her eyes glued to his. She yelled at the top of her virtual lungs. Piero, dont let it overwhelm you! Come back to me damn it! She kissed him hard on the lips and drew back again. Piero seemed to snap to, his blue eyes focusing on her. He gritted his teeth, fought tooth and nail against the immense tide of information gushing through both their heads. I will not give up! The sparks ashed between the green code and the white counter code. It grew into a massive hurricane that engulfed everything. The throne room disappeared in a ash of violet light. Ariel saw nothing until her vision cleared a minute later. The black box slowly collapsed into blue lines of code like sand blowing in the wind to reveal a hidden temple in the
332
Alexei Cyren
desert. Thomas hacking assault died down to a mere trickle. The green quantum bits ashed briey. They were like ghosts circling around them. She and Piero survived without burning out like melted candles. That counted for something in her book. The blue numbers, letters and symbols gyrated in the air becoming a cloud. The light from the cloud lit up Pieros face and naked body. Funny, I forgot we were stark naked I can imagine Meng and Ying laughing their heads off when we get back Ariels cheeks reddened but she didnt bother to cover herself with her hands. The mission came rst, modesty second. She reached into the cloud and pulled out some data. Were in. Great work, Thomas Piero Piero took note of Ariels lack of clothes again. His admiring eyes felt amazing. Its not like you havent seen me naked before. Ariel copied the information into her NBC as she looked through it. She sifted through the most recent memories of Zan Kullu. Images of Libu"e Szkanderov, Wen Chang, Guang Chin and a masked man in a dark cowl appeared in midair.
333
The after images of the living. The Black Phoenix was led by the Shisan according to Zans memories. The man with the dark cowl wore an ebony mask with a scarlet number ten on the left cheek. The rest of the Phoenix Shisan wore masks with numbers on them up to thirteen. Ariel couldnt tell if they were men or women. The dark cowls plus other tech distorted their body shapes and voices. Zan Kullu worked directly under Ten. He didnt know the other twelve leaders. Well, I know more than I knew before. That counts for something. Thomas, Ive got the information copied. Did you make an archive? Thomas replied, Its done. Im pulling you out. Go ahead. Piero gave her a lewd smile. Its a shame that Ill miss the view for awhile So the choir boy does have a perverted side, huh? Then again all men are perverted. Ariel smiled at her own inside joke. You know you can get another view any time. All you have to do is ask. Ariel grinned at him. The sandstone throne room melted around them like it
334
Alexei Cyren
was hot wax. She found herself back in the tech lab in the Shanghai Precinct Cyber Division ofces. Her hand was still holding Pieros. They were no longer naked. Piero gazed into Ariels eyes. We made it out. Yeah we did. We need to go through the information. Ariel squeezed Pieros hand hard for a second and let go. Thomas grinned. Im glad to see youre both okay. No mental scars, right? You know were tough, Thomas. Ariel chuckled. Ariel ran through Zans memories in her own head. She played one of the memories and projected it in front of them. They watched the cowled Phoenix Ten talking with Kullu. Phoenix Tens hands were hidden within the sleeves of his robe. He stood tall with an air of steely condence. It looked like they were on the roof of a Sericent tower block. Have you nished the deal with the Jade Dragons? Kullu raked a hand through his dreadlocks. Its done, Ten. Theyll be giving us access to their contacts, allies and others who are willing to help us. ***
335
And what did they ask of us? Weapons, armour and EAs so they can take over the Shanghai underworld. Is that acceptable? It will be. Make sure they agree to help us with killing the Supreme Chairman. I want to keep the SAG distracted while our other plans unfold. What other plans? You will see in time, Zan. For now, we will work with the Jade Dragons until the we set up the new order and the government is destroyed. Ariel paused the replay. Their target was the Supreme Chairman of the System Alliance Government! What were the other plans? It reminded her of moves behind moves in a chess game. Was the hit on the Chairman truly pure smokescreen? Killing the Supreme Chairman however would throw the government into chaos for some time. Is that what theyre banking on? Piero murmured, This is bigger than we thought. Thomas put his ngers together to form a picture frame and pulled his hands apart. Holographic code expanded to the size of a sheet of eight by eleven inch paper. Uh guys I think it gets worse. This memo between
336
Alexei Cyren
Zan, Libuse and the Dragons says theyre moving up the assassination time to the start of the Chairmans speech today instead of midway. Ariel gestured to Thomas with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, So whens the speech start? Six oclock. Ariel brought up the digital clock in the centre of her vision. It was nearly 1700 hours or ve oclock. We have a little over one hour to stop the death of the leader of the SAG! One hour? If there was a God, he just played a sick joke on us. The timer they found before was a red herring. They didnt have sixteen hours left at all. It was surprising that the Black Phoenix allied with the Jade Dragons just to kill the Supreme Chairman. Then again, the Dragons leader Manchu is part of a powerful crime dynasty with ties to plenty of corrupt politicians. I shouldnt be that surprised. The Black Phoenix used the rot already within the SAG to bring it down. Would Manchu have been stupid enough to try and kill the Supreme Chairman? It seemed more likely that his son Wen Chang was the man behind the deal with the Phoenix. With Phoenix repower he could destroy the other gangs
337
and depose his father as head of the Dragons. Two birds with one stone. Having fought Wen once was enough to tell her that her theory might be right. Wen seems ambitious and fancies himself clever. Piero sent an update to the Chief. The Chief s holo image appeared in the tech lab. He was overdressed in his black uniform and his beard was well groomed like it always was. Chief Chin was anxious. Looks like I was right on the money but this is big bigger than I originally thought. Ive sent word to the Chairmans security detail and the Sirens but I dont know if they can respond in time. Ariel put her hands on her hips. Chief, where is the Supreme Chairman right now? The Chief closed his eyes while he talked with someone else in his nano brain. I just got his location from the Supreme Chairmans Ofce. Hes giving a speech to the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce and other SAG businessmen at Elmsraven Hotel on Decada Colony, which is currently orbiting Sericent. Piero leaned back against the wall beside Ariel. Chief, we dont know how theyre going to pull off this hit. If security hasnt found them already I dont know what is going on. ***
338
Alexei Cyren
Ariel pointed out, For all we know, the securitys been compromised by a traitor or a mole. The Chief agreed. Its likely someone or several someones have been bought off maybe at the highest levels. Ariel, Piero I want you two to take action, get up there and stop the assassination before its too late. Ariel grinned. That was a given, Chief. Since the Phoenix is involved, I would have gone anyway. Well need to get there quickly. Can you clear us for EA launch? The Chief scratched his beard. Did you have to ask, Blake? Its already done. The deck crew is readying your EAs as we speak. You should get there in a few minutes and youll have enough repower to tackle any surprises. Thats what I love about you, Chief. Youre still as sharp as an arrow at your ripe old age. The Chief faced Thomas holo image. Guardian Santoro, I want you to back up Ariel and Piero. There isnt a better tech specialist than you even if youre in Cider Hall sector right now. Can you keep them safe? Thomas saluted. Ill do my best, sir! The Chief chuckled. Everyone, move out! Ariel and Piero sprinted out of the tech lab and into the elevator. The doors closed and they shot up towards the
339
hangar bay. They had to save the Supreme Chairman because they didn't think anyone else would pull it off.
340
Chapter 14
Ariel and Piero burst out of the elevator and onto the hangar deck. Ahead of them, the half mile wide hangar doorway lead out to Sericents sunny skies. The tower blocks cast long shadows in the distance as the sun descended into the East. There were row after row of EA or exo-armour battle suits. Most were grey-white HC-7 Deltas that looked like ancient knights in plate armour. Others were bulky HC-8 Goliaths that packed more repower than the Deltas but lacked speed. Guardians in amber nano suits chatted with mechanics on the deck or prepped and launched their EAs. Deck crew in orange uniforms ran to and fro, double checking systems, repairing weapons, attaching guns and loading mini-missile launchers onto the huge fteen foot tall war machines. Ariel and Pieros EAs were outlined in their vision. Green dotted lines pointed the way to them. They were
341
marked on their tactical map HUD. With a little less than an hour before the Supreme Chairmans assassination, they hurried. Two ight deck crew saluted. The short man on the left spoke. Guardian Blake and Feliciano! Your EAs are prepped and ready for launch. Blake, youll be taking the blue EAC-23 Paladin. Feliciano, youre taking the green one. The EAC-23 Paladins were rst class ofcer exoarmours that were stronger and tougher than Deltas. Ariel thanked the deck crew for the help and leapt into the cockpit of her blue Paladin. Her NBC linked up with the Paladins onboard low-level AI. Feels good to be back in one of these again The sardine can. It was another one of her inside jokes when she was in the Guardian Academy. EAs always reminded her that she was a sardine in space. I aced those EA ight exams for Mom. Ariel quickly ran her ngers along the synthetic material of the pilot chair. It was a pleasurable thing despite her jokes about sardines. The cockpit was empty of anything except the chair and its crash harness. Ariel strapped in and closed the cockpit door behind her with a signal from her NBC. All EAs projected a three hundred sixty degree holographic or augmented reality view of the outside world. There were purple holographic touch controls for
342
Alexei Cyren
everything from navigation to weapons. Since Ariel used an NBC there wasnt a need to turn on the external holoprojection system. Everything was in her brain using layers of augmented reality. To the pilot it appeared like they werent inside a machine but moving their actual body. The EAs reaction times were limited only by the abilities of the pilot. The exo-armour was an extension of oneself. The low level AI named Vindictam spoke in a dulcet voice. Welcome aboard, Guardian. All systems are go. Vindictam, Im going to launch. Ariel engaged the GIE ight systems and Vindictam rose into the air. Shanghai Precinct Controller, this is Vindictam. Am I clear to go? The ight controllers deep voice echoed in her mind. You are clear for takeoff. Here is your ight vector. Roger. Ariel exed the ngers of Vindictam like they were her own. The ight vector appeared as a yellow dashed line in her sight and led out of the hangar where it curved into the sky. She accelerated and shot out of the Precincts hangar bay. The blue blip that was Pieros EA, Frater in Armis, was close behind her. She pulled up on the controls and veered up towards Decada Colony. The tower blocks shrunk below her and the sky
343
changed from light blue to a dark void between worlds. The ight path on her tactical map led straight towards the colony ship where the Supreme Chairman was going to make his speech. Sericent looks so small. All around Ariel was shuttle and ship trafc. Vessels as large mountains ferried goods between Sericent, Luna and orbiting colonies. Colony ships joined together into honeycomb-like world platforms. Two SAG battle cruisers and the titanic three kilometre Viceroy-class dreadnought Holy Judgment were going through retrots in the Sericent Space Dock. She itted past orbital cannon platforms or ODPs that were asteroid sized automated stations bristling with point defence lasers or PDLs and weapon batteries. A single huge mass driver cannon was built into the central axis and could inict heavy damage to an unshielded light cruiser. The ones along the path toward Decada Colony however were cold and dead. Thats weird Thomas, why are the ODPs along the ight path ofine? Shouldnt they be active? Thomas sounded like he just bolted upright from his desk. His holo-image appeared in her vision. What!?! Let me check! Oh hell, the whole defence grid out to Decada colony has been knocked out. I cant nd any obvious tampering it must be an inside job. That meant there were traitors. Ariel didnt nd that very surprising. Is wasnt comforting either.
344
Alexei Cyren
*** Piero asked, Is there a way to get them back online? Thomas paused for a moment. I can try. Its lucky I still have the hacker bots on loan from your Chief. Its going to take me a few minutes. Ariel noticed some yellow blips on her tactical map. Ive got a bad feeling about this Do it. Do it fast. Weve got fty swift moving bogeys coming our way and I dont think theyre friendly. Working on it! Ariel zoomed in on the incoming objects and recognized the symbol of a burning man in a halo of re on several sable exo-armours. ACR-5 Black Hawks, a popular mercenary model. They all have the symbol of the Burning Men. The Burning Men mercenaries held the advantage of numbers. They sped toward them like a swarm of ravenous locusts whod devour anything in their path. Libuse was working with these guys according to Zans memories The assassin likes her welcoming parties. Ariel felt a small pang of fear since they were outnumbered twenty-ve to one. It quickly changed to a savage urge to send these men to Hell. The Burning Men are brutal murderers who deserve death.
345
They stood in the way of Ariels vengeance. Despite the speed of their Paladins, there was no way to avoid this many Black Hawks. They were spread out in too wide a net. They would have to veer off course which would cost them precious minutes. Minutes they didnt have. Right now, the Supreme Chairman is preparing his speech. He doesnt even know about the assassination attempt. Im betting that Libuse has jammed comms or intercepted the warning the Chief sent to the Chairmans security detail. Ariel hadnt heard a whisper from the Chairmans people on Decada. I and Piero might be the only ones who have a chance of stopping this hit from taking place. A chance to bloody the nose of the Black Phoenix for a change. Piero will get back at the Jade Dragons too. Piero said over laser comm, Ive called for extra backup but I dont know if it got through. The Chief was putting together a back up strike team when we left. They may not be ready Ariel, are you seriously thinking of charging in? Ariel felt a pang of regret for not bringing Meng and Ying, the last two members of D-7 team. After Shi and Lixue died, she didnt want to risk their lives on this mission. Two extra Guardians wouldnt have changed the odds in this case anyway.
346
Alexei Cyren
She couldnt leave Piero behind because the Chief wanted him on this mission. She didnt want to defy the Chief s orders not this time anyway. She also didnt want Piero to die. Ariel became steely calm. Were going to charge through and were going to survive. We dont have many options here, Piero. We can ee but then it is game over for the Chairman. And you know I have to go no matter what. Ariel felt Pieros smirk. Then you know Im going with you no matter what. She wiped away a single tear that tumbled down her left cheek. There was a very real chance that neither her or Piero were coming back from this mission alive. The price of vengeance really is too high. Ariel let her anger towards the Phoenix at line and the calm before the storm returned. Then lets go! Ariel hit the accelerator on Vindictam and surged forward. Mass driver cannons emerged out of the top of her EAs arms. The shoulder lasers also popped out as did the mini-rocket launchers on Vindictams upper thighs. Burning Men, this is Guardian Ariel Blake. If you do not turn around and leave, then I will have no choice except to use lethal force. This is your last and only warning.
347
As expected there was no response to Ariels words. The Burning Men opened re sending white-green plasma, scorching light beams and armour rending slugs at them. There was no sound in space. The sight of a rushing storm like that however was enough to send most men eeing for their lives. Ariel felt her excitement grow instead. She wove between the lethal tongues of re and death. Vindictams AI, her NBC and her own piloting skills got them through with only minor damage to her EAs back and legs. Piero also avoided any fatal hits. Ariel trained her mass driver cannons. She barrel rolled and unleashed a torrent of slugs like a spinning lawn sprayer she once saw in a greenhouse. The shots tore through ve Burning Men units and they blew apart in the silent void. Pieros laser cannons pumped out a barrage of ery beams that sheared through six more Burning Men exoarmours. He strafed left as cannon re ripped through the space he was at a moment ago. His EAs back was scorched by a plasma bolt. His EA was badly damaged. He cursed, spun around and his right laser cannon spat another volley of beams. The one who hit him avoided the initial shots though a later one blew its head off.
348
Alexei Cyren
Twelve down Ariel clenched her teeth as Vindictum shook from a slug hit to the arm. Luckily, the cannon wasnt damaged badly. Its still working. Ariel shouted. Thomas, whats the status of the ODPs? Can you get them online? She locked onto two of the Burning Men she chased and launched two seeker missiles. The Burning Men exploded. Thomas hollered back, Just give me a few more minutes Im nearly there! I dont know if we can hold out that long! Burning Men are hot on our tails! Fourteen down Piero zig zagged between the lifeless ODPs and sprayed scarlet lasers at the Burning Men. One of them was caught in the salvo and blew apart in a noiseless inferno. He launched two missiles that slammed into another enemy. The Black Hawk vanished in an orb of orange ames. Sixteen down A stream of slugs chased Ariel behind one of the silent ODPs. She leaned out and her right side cannons spat a The
349
deluge of shots that sundered another Burning Man. Her sensors picked up a Burning Man below and she pushed off the ODP. A missile zoomed by and up, then veered its tip back at her as its onboard sensors locked on. Her left shoulder laser targeted the missile and hacked it apart before it got close. The hushed blast blinded her eyes but not her sensors. Ariel locked Apollo A4 mini-missiles onto the enemy below and launched them. The enemy Black Hawk tried to evade but the missile rammed its right leg. It vanished in blazing red glow. Eighteen down The remaining Burning Men were wary. They realized Ariel and Piero meant business. They used the asteroids and silent ODPs as cover. Piero was one and a half clicks away. Piero, keep going towards Decada Colony. Ill cover you. Then well switch. Itll take us twice as long to get there. You know we dont have time. Thomas has almost got the ODPs up. Thomas holo image came alive again. I just heard
350
Alexei Cyren
my name. Behold my genius, Ariel! coming online!
The ODPs are
The Burning Men are going to get a nasty surprise. The cold, dark and silent ODPs lit up like Christmas trees. The Burning Men who hid behind them saw their mistake too late as the point defence lasers tore them to shreds. Thirty four down, sixteen left Lasers and mass driver cannon re lashed the space behind them. Ariel yelled, Nows our chance to move! Lets go! She hit the acceleration on her GIEs and shot towards Decada like a lightning bolt. Piero was right behind her. The remaining Burning Men ed for their lives as the ODPs battered them. The colony ship of Decada had a giant dome of super reinforced glass steel along its top. There were mass driver, laser and plasma cannon batteries placed evenly along the outside of the dome and asteroid surface. It bristled with Aserra-17 torpedo launchers that reminded Ariel of outdated electronic pencil sharpeners stacked side by side.
351
It loomed before them. It was bigger than the two dozen mountains Ariel saw in her Himalayas HIVR simulation. Piero grumbled, Short and long range wireless are jammed. I cant reach the ships docking bay crew from our current spot. Ariel noticed Thomas holo image vanish. Thomas, you there? Thomas wiry body and thick rimmed glasses appeared again. The jamming is pretty thick but I managed to hack my way through by bouncing the signal through the ODP network. It is kind of iffy so I cant say how helpful I can be at this point or when I might cut out. Clever as always Thomas. Dont worry, Ill call on you if anything really bad comes our way. Gee, I feel better already. Piero, were going to use short range laser comms to reach the docking bay and security people on Decada. Piero said, Gotcha, Ariel. Thin red comm lasers from Vindictam and Frater in Armis connected with the IR or infrared ports near the docking bay when they were close enough. The face of a pretty blond American woman appeared
352
Alexei Cyren
in her vision and sneezed. Excuse me. This is Decada Security Chief Jennifer Torres, please send us your secure ID codes. Ariel sent her ID code. Piero did the same. Guardians, Im sorry to say this but no one is allowed in or out of Decada right now. As you know, theres signal jamming nearby and Senator Cole Ygur has ordered a total lockdown until the Supreme Chairmans speech is over. Pieros rakish good looks appeared in her vision. You have to be joking, Chief Torres. Were here to stop an assassin from killing the Chairman! Torres made a hands tied gesture. My hands are tied. The best I can do is pass you along to Senator Ygur. Torres vanished and in her place was the face of a man in his late fties, with greying brown hair and blue eyes. Cole Ygur glared at them. Didnt Torres just tell you: Ive locked down Decada. No one, absolutely no one is to enter or leave until the jamming mess is sorted out and we can reach Sericent. Ariel gnashed her teeth. Senator, the Supreme Chairman is the target of an assassination attempt by the Black Phoenix. I need to get on board the colony and
353
stop it right now! Before the speech starts! Youre telling me assassins made it aboard through ten layers of security checks? What proof do you have? Senator, I can give it to you but were running it out of time. We need to get on board right now! Cole gave her and Piero a suspicious look. No For all I know, YOU could be the assassins. We cant verify your credentials because we cant reach Sericent. Ariel wanted to strangle the Senator. You idiot, the Chairman is going to die in less than forty-ve minutes! Ariel fumed. The aged Senator wasnt going to let her onboard the ship to save his boss, the Supreme Chairman. The worse part was that he accused her and Piero of being the assassins. Talk about adding insult to injury. She cut off Decada and sat back in her chair. Every second that passed was one more nail in the cofn of the Chairman. And another win for the Black Phoenix. It ticked her off to no end. Calm down Ariel, it wont do anyone any good if I go ballistic. From what Cole said it was clear the Supreme Chairman was going to continue with his speech despite being unable to transmit to Sericent. Hell probably have it recorded. Hell just give the live speech to the businessmen and others
354
Alexei Cyren
in attendance. Ariel spoke to the four-eyed holo-image of her friend, Thomas could you patch the Chief through? I can do it but the quality might not be very good. Do it. The black bearded Chief appeared in Thomas place though his holo image ickered due to the jamming interference. Ariel, I heard the situation from Thomas. I can try to pull some strings and get Cole to give you clearance. Ariel shook her head. I dont think thats going to work with this jamming right now. He wants verication direct from Sericent and even Thomas bounced signal is too unstable for an encrypted data transfer. Cole thinks its masking an enemy attack. He wont open the doors to anyone. The Chief s voice crackled. Then do what your heart says is right. Ill take the heat for it. Do what you have to do. Thanks, Chief. You always say the right things at the right time. Just go kick butt. Over and out. The Chief s holo image vanished and Thomas appeared again.
355
Roger that, Chief. Piero, you heard the Chief, right? Pieros impish grin appeared. Yeah. Im guessing its going to be a messy entry. Afraid so. Were going to force our way into the docking bay. They didnt have a choice and they were on the clock.
356
Chapter 15
Ariel and Piero sped closer and closer to the docking bay. The two double doors were shut tight, the interlocking teeth tted together like a well made puzzle. It was at least two feet thick. If we try to blow through that itll take more time than we have. Thomas, can you hack the door? Thomas replied, I can do it thanks to the hacker bots. Just give me a second Okay. Connect by laser comm. Ill show them what an A-class hacker can do when hes got extra juice! Ariel turned on the laser comm and the thin red beam hit one of the IR receivers. She saw the lines of Thomas hacking code at work. One minute later, the door opened. This is Security Chief Torres! How did you open the docking bay doors! Stop right now! Or Oh hell, how did those Burning Men and EA battle suits get aboard! The Security Chief s voice changed from outrage to
357
frantic. Ariel said, It looks like youve got your hands full, Chief. Over and out. She cut the transmission. They passed through the force eld and landed on the polished oor of the docking bay. There were shuttles, small blocky transports and a few labour EA suits stationed around them. Deck workers moved cargo and gear between ships and into the warehouse rooms in the back. The massive lights in the bay rained brilliant light on everything. Thomas, can you hack the Decada Core Computer and get me access to the cams, maps, the works? Ariel, you take after my own heart. Your wish is my command! Streams of video and the map of the Decada colony opened up in overlapping windows in her vision. She pulled one of the windows to the forefront as Vindictam marched to the interior door leading to the dome city. Deck workers and travellers scrambled to get out of the way, raising their sts in outrage. Ariels voice boomed over Vindictams speakers. Guardian business! Clear a path. The vid window she pulled up showed Burning Men mercenaries and armed Chinese men in combat armour wreaking havoc a few blocks away from the Elmsraven Hotel.
358
Alexei Cyren
Piero said, The Chinese must be the Jade Dragons. She never imagined this was going to be easy. People ed out of her way as she rushed over to the double door exit. She accessed the Decada Core Computer and commanded it to open. The doors slid open and Ariel surged forward. She spotted a squad of Burning Men marching across the nearby plaza towards her. They were armed to the teeth with energy weapons, ame throwers, heavy weapons and hand held mini-missile launchers. They yelled and one of the hulking ghters raised a plasma cannon and opened re. A sizzling blue-green bolt spiralled past Vindictam. It exploded against the ARsteel bulkhead beside Docking Bay Sixteen. Burning concrete and aming metal rained down around her in the plaza. Ariel trained her arm cannons and shoulder lasers on the Burning Men platoon. The mass driver guns on her arms spun and spat a storm of high-powered slugs that shredded them in a shower of crimson blood. Piero darted across the plaza, taking point as he launched a pair of Apollo A4 mini-missiles into two incoming platoons of Dragon thugs. They werent dressed in their usual green and black outts, wearing unmarked black armour instead. They vanished in a blast of scorching yellow-blue ames.
359
*** The ground rumbled from the blast, aming body parts and shattered super-concrete showered the area. Ariel sprinted through the smoke, ignoring the crushed bodies beneath her feet. Lets take to the air! Watch out for enemy EAs. Im on it, angel of fury. Ariels face. That brought a smile to
Ariel leaped into the air, kicked on the gravity engines and soared towards Elmsraven Hotel. Piero came up beside her in Frater in Armis, arms outstretched. They spotted smoke rising from nearby res as they approached. Women, children and other folk took cover or ran in fear as missiles, bullets and lasers crashed down around them. The Decada anti-aircraft guns or AAs pumped blazing streams of white-yellow re at the Burning Men Black Hawks that assaulted the city. She wished she could help the Decada defenders but her mission came rst. Ariel saw a mother and her little boy chased by a platoon of Burning Men. I cant let that boy lose her mother! Piero, Im going to strafe the platoon at point 7,3,0. Cover me! Piero loosed a stream of lasers that shredded a company of Jade Dragon ghters. Another group rounded the corner of a four story building and red four missiles. They streaked through the air, narrowly missing
360
Alexei Cyren
his EA by inches. The missiles veered back towards Piero. He spun around and his four laser cannons chopped them in half before they reached him. The air shuddered from the blinding explosions. Ariel swooped down and barrel rolled left as six missiles zoomed by. She launched two Apollo A4 missiles and shattered the Burning Men platoon. They melted into slag and ash from the intense heat. She rolled around so her mass driver cannons and lasers were pointed up and back. She launched a deluge of bullets and scarlet beams that blew the missiles out of the sky as they came at her. She saw the mother and her kid dash off through a side alley. Ive got to stay on track because there isnt much time left. Piero, lets get back on course! Did the mother and kid make it? They got away. I dont know how long theyll last in this war zone. We need to nish what we came here for. Ariels martial arts master Lian Hsieh once said: When you show fear, the wolves will pounce. The Chairman wont stop his speech no matter whats going on Mitchell wouldnt show fear in the face of terrorists. Ariel didnt agree with all of the mans policies though she respected the man himself.
361
The speech would be recorded and broadcast later if the jamming was still active. That assumes that I and Piero actually stop the Chairman from being killed. Ariel and Piero changed course back towards Elmsraven Hotel. Twelve red blips entered sensor range at high speed. She zoomed in on the enemy wing and saw twelve Dragon-piloted Wolf Spider EAs blocking their way to the Hotel. The AA guns in this part of the dome city were knocked out for some reason. The ground cannons were blasted apart by Burning Men or Dragon thugs. Ariel and Piero were up against six to one odds. The twelve Wolf Spiders trained the mass driver chain guns on their eight legs at them. They opened re. Thousands of rounds came at them like a tidal wave. Ariel dialled up the mass shields around Vindictam to the max as she zig zagged between the lines of re. Her mass driver guns poured out a river of white-yellow ames that buffeted the Wolf Spider wing. One of the Spiders vanished in a brilliant, devastating inferno. The Wolf Spider slugs bounced off her mass shields or dented her armour doing light damage. Wolf Spider chain guns arent very powerful compared to most standard EA weapons. She banked upward and loosed two Apollo A4 missiles. They raced through the air and chased the Spiders.
362
Alexei Cyren
One of the Wolf Spiders spat a line of slugs that blasted Ariels missiles apart in a ery burst. Piero whizzed by one of the Wolf Spiders, shearing it in half with his ignited exo-armour plasma sword. It blew apart in a cascade of molten steel. The debris showered the houses below like smoking meteors. Two down, ten to go. We dont have time for this. Ariel radioed Thomas. Thomas, I need your help. Thomas joked, I was afraid of that. She ignored his quip. The AA guns in F-7 sector are out. My commands arent working. Can you get them up? Weve got ten Wolf Spiders breathing down our necks and we cant spare the time to deal with them. If the guns can keep them off us, we could get to the Chairman asap! Dont worry, Ariel. Im all over it. Watch the master divert the power and re-program the targeting systems. Voila! I think Thomas gets too much fun out of these crazy situations The anti-aircraft cannons powered up like groaning dragons. They targeted the Wolf Spiders that Ariel and Piero were dogghting. They hurled a torrent of mass driver slugs at super-sonic speeds.
363
The barrage ripped apart six of the Wolf Spiders instantly. Guess they didnt see that one coming in time. The remaining Wolf Spiders retreated while Ariel and Piero hit the accelerator, going hell-bent for leather towards Elmsraven Hotel. They shot past approaching Burning Men and Dragon hit squads. Rockets spiralled past them as they dodged. Ariel messaged the hacker, Thomas, is there any way you can turn those guns on those assault troops? Itll take a simple command now that Ive reprogrammed them with my special targeting system. Done! Normally the Mark Seven Asterix Cannon was used as both an AA gun and a ground assault cannon. The Decada Colony government opted for the cheaper software package that limited it to anti-aircraft actions only. Thomas xed that major budget mistake in an instant. The cannons swung the barrels down and pumped armour piercing slugs into Burning Men and Jade Dragons. The super concrete blew apart, sending white dust, rocks and men into the air. The ground heaved from the onslaught. Im sure glad Thomas was backing us up on this mission!
364
Alexei Cyren
*** Vindictam and Frater in Armis approached the security line around the Elmsraven Hotel. The Hotel was ten stories high and built with the latest eco-friendly materials. It was the signpost of post-modern design, with a lot of insulated glass steel windows and a clean, nished look. There were dozens of grey Deltas and a handful of super-fast Silverwind EAs stationed on the ground and the roof. SAG Marines in sandy brown battle armour with visored battle helmets were set up behind super-titanium tower shields wielding automatic ries or SMGs if they were the shield men. Their faces were grim. Not an inch of skin could be seen. At rst glance it appeared there was no way anyone could be inside preparing to kill the Supreme Chairman. Ariel knew better. Vindictam stated, Guardian Blake, Captain Eugene Roberson heading the Chairmans security detail is trying to contact you. Ariel murmured, Patch the message through. Vindictam and Frater hovered outside the edge of the security perimeter. The Captains voice echoed in Ariels head. They used Marine L-code over laser comm. Captain Roberson here, please identify yourself.
365
Ariel replied with her digital ID. This is Guardian Ariel Blake. I need to get inside the Hotel right now! An assassin is about to kill the Chairman! There were only a few minutes left. Senator Cole Ygur said that you werent allowed aboard the Decada. Right now we cant let anyone get within the security perimeter. Piero roared, Captain, if you dont let us land right now. YOU will be responsible for the death of Supreme Chairman! Do you understand? The Captain stuttered, I I cant do that. Let me contact the Senator again. By the time you sort this out with the Senator, it will be too late. Ariel hit the acceleration and shot towards the front glass steel windows before the Captain gave a command to re. Piero blazed after her. Vindictam slammed through the glass steel walls and windows. Transparent metal shards showered the inside of the Hotels front lobby. Ariel popped the hatch and ipped out, landing on the bleached stone oors. She sprinted towards the front desk where a concierge cowered behind the main desk. She yelled at the concierge, Where the hell is the Chairmans speech taking place? This is a matter of national
366
Alexei Cyren
security! The concierge pointed down the hall beside the front desk. It is down that way and to the right. Theres a large sign, you cant miss it. Ariel wheeled to the right and a Marine blocked her way. Guardian, we have orders to detain Her foot snapped up into the Marines chin. It sent him ying backward and he crashed through a glass table. She red a taser shot into his exposed neck and his body jerked underneath the armour. Sorry but I cant let you stop me. The butt of Pieros laser rie slammed into the face of another Marine as he stepped out of a side door. The door was beside the hallway the concierge pointed to. The man went down and lay there groaning. Looks like were going to have to use nonlethal force here. Four Marines ahead of them crouched, trained their MK-7 assault ries and pressed the triggers. Ariel and Piero leaped aside. A rain of nano-slugs ew by. Vases shattered, walls were riddled with bullet holes and guests just entering the lobby screamed and ran for their lives. Damn it, theyre not making this easy. Engage stealth cloak. Knock them out with the taser darts.
367
Piero laughed. Just like the Academy days. vanished like smoke.
He
Ariel ipped on her stealth cloak and became invisible. The bullets rained through the hallway. There isnt time to go around, we have to go through! She leapt fourteen feet into the air and her orange aiming crosshairs locked onto the thin cracks between helmet and chest plate, where the neck was. She trusted her instincts and the tech, sending the re command. Two crackling darts struck a marine each and they lurched to the ground, their limbs ailing. Piero took out the other two the same way. It pays to know the weakness of your allies. The SAG Marines outside were surging into the hotel. Ariel and Piero bolted past the downed Marines. They closed in on the spot where the speech was about to take place. There was only ve minutes left. Five minutes before the Supreme Chairman would die and the Black Phoenix would win. Another life would end just like mom. Ariel couldnt stand for it. She wouldnt let it happen. Four Marines stood guard on either side of the red oak doors leading into the convention room. The doors were wide open, voices and light spilled out like a murmuring
368
Alexei Cyren
brook. The Marines reminded her of statues made of sand, standing resolute in their guard duty. The ring down the hall alerted them but they must have received orders to hold position. They looked around for danger, their ries up and ready. Ariel hoped the Captain made the mistake of not warning the guards that they possessed stealth cloaking. Ariel and Piero slipped past them like shadows. Luck was with them for the moment. They found themselves inside a large convention room. A man in a blue suit gave the opening remarks before the Supreme Chairman took the podium. The speech was going to start in three minutes. They were down to the wire now. Supreme Chairman Mitchell sat behind the man in the blue suit. He was close to the left side of the thirty foot wide stage. Right beside Mitchell was the beryl eyed Senator Cole Ygur, who denied Ariel and Piero landing rights to Decada. The sight of Cole sent a surge of red-hot anger through her. That man deserves a good punch to the face. Mitchell seemed taller in person than when he appeared on HIVR TV. He was about ve eleven and there were grey streaks along his temples. He looked like he was in his thirties though he was known to be fty.
369
It wouldnt surprise me if he used anti-aging nanite treatments. Hes certainly wealthy enough. There were hundreds of tables lled with journalists and businessmen. Hotel staff served drinks. People whispered and wondered what all the commotion outside was about. Theres a bloody war going on outside people. You shouldnt even be here right now! The stage was surrounded by full spectrum shield generators in small, sable boxes. The shield would be invisible so people would see the stage clearly. Full spectrum shields blocked energy and projectile weapons unlike regular mass shields, which blocked only bullets. There were fty Marines stationed all around the room, keeping tabs on everyone and everything. Everyone whos in here went through a weapons scan. But I know that those scans arent perfect. If it was hidden in stealth cloaked cloth or boxes, they wouldnt be found. Which is why most people would also be patted down Even that can be beaten, however You would use nano-integrated tech in your weapons to store it in your body. The body would use stealth cloaking and false signatures to defeat sensor scans. If a person used advanced Doppel Mask tech they wouldnt be identied either. A terrorist could be hiding in plain sight. By the
370
Alexei Cyren
time anyone realized, the target would be dead. Ariel looked around for the best spot for a sniper to take a shot. There are a ton of ways to try and kill the Chairman. She looked up and saw the second oor balcony right above her head. With the full multi-spectrum shield around the stage it would be impossible to snipe the Chairman with a laser or a bullet. A thought crossed Ariels mind and she scanned the shield around the Chairman. The shield wasnt there. No one else noticed. Someone should be watching the shield. Unless they killed the person or set up a false feed. The Marines in the room dont appear to have advanced sensor packages installed. Since the shield is invisible who would notice? Ariel ran the situation through her head. The assassin Libuse could be in the crowd with a concealed weapon. It was likely given her reputation as the Black Crait. She wouldnt be using her real face and it was impossible to see through high level Doppel Mask tech, which changed the facial structure and genetic signature. She might be sitting within the front row. Libuse could use stealth cloaking like Ariel or Piero. She could be anywhere in the convention room. She could use
371
the cloak with a sniper rie. It goes against her usual sly, intimate, close-kill style. What better way to throw someone off then to switch things up? She already knows were onto her. Libuse could be on the second story balcony in that case The Marines above her might have been killed, replaced with plants or mimicked with holographic decoys. Ariel saw stairs on either side of the room leading to the balcony above her. A gut feeling told her that Libuse was up there. Shes getting ready to take the shot There was only one minute left and Ariel wasnt sure. Piero whispered. Were running out of time. What do we do? He sounded as uncertain as she was. There were only thirty-seconds left. Im going to gamble that Libuse is going to snipe the Chairman from the second oor balcony. Ariel hurled herself forward like a lightning bolt. Only one way to be sure I dont screw up.
372
Chapter 16
Ariel jetted towards the Supreme Chairman. He didnt have a chance to call after her. Wasnt she going after Libuse? She answered his unspoken question over laser comm. Watch my back, Piero and see if you can nd her. Im going to get the Chairman off the stage! Got it Ariel. Piero chased after her and stopped between the tables. The Chinese, American and British businessmen who sat around didnt realize he was there because of his stealth cloak. He spun around and scanned the balcony for Libuse. Ive got to buy some time for Ariel to get to the Chairman. If Libuse suspects anything she might pull the trigger early. Ariel was almost at the Chairmans position. Piero turned up the nano-microphones and focused his sensors into a tight beam scan. There was the second level balcony railing and the empty seats. He saw Marines
373
patrolling the oor. If Ariel thinks Libuse is going to snipe she has to be up there unless shes using stealth cloaking as well Some stealth cloaks didnt mufe sound. Piero listened closely and heard the drawing of a bolt action weapon. It sounded like the bolt of a high powered sniper rie. It was off centre and to his right. Piero knew Libuse was about to re. The Chairman waved his hand at the clapping crowd. He strolled over to the podium. The podium was within the shield zone. Too bad the shield system is down and out. They would have warned security but that would have tipped off Libuse. His enhanced hearing brought the sounds of SAG Navy Marines marching down the hallway. They were coming from every direction. Ariel, Libuse is prepping the shot. Get the Chairman NOW! Piero noticed the Marines around the room were looking around nervously. He levelled his Marduk laser rie towards Libuses spot. He hoped hed hit her. He pulled the trigger of his rie and a torrent of crimson lasers passed through the air where Libuse should
374
Alexei Cyren
be. Ariel reached the podium and body tackled the Chairman invisibly, knocking him over. The oor behind the podium exploded from a sniper round. The shot was so powerful it shattered the solid AR-steel in a spray of sparks and metal shards. Ariel rolled with the shocked, wiry Supreme Chairman. Several more silenced slugs chased their path. One of the Chairmans black suited body guards leaped in the way and his chest was blown apart. Holy hell, Libuse is using a silenced anti-material sniper rie! Piero watched Ariels rescue using his armours rearview nano-cams. He didnt hit the invisible Libuse but her initial shot was thrown off. The businessmen and women scrambled out of their chairs and ran shrieking for the North, South and East exits. He was buffeted by the frenzied crowd. Damn it! Libuses shots stopped hammering the podium. She must be getting back into position again! Piero tried to force his way through the crowd and wheeled around. He spotted several businessmen in grey suits who acted strangely. They werent running at all. In fact, their faces melted away. Wen Chang and
375
twenty-four of his Dragon cronies stood there now. Another group of businessmen in blue suits vanished like a mirage and in their place were eighteen Burning Men mercenaries in scarlet combat armour. Holographic and Doppel Mask disguises This just gets better and better Manchu Chang, Wens father was also in the crowd but retreating through the North exit. The sharp chinned, grey-haired man looked at his son with contempt as he strolled through the doors. Wen Changs Dragons took shots at Manchus bodyguards. Several went down in a hail of re. They didnt chase Manchu instead spinning around to re at the Chairman and Ariel. Wens voice was cold and menacing. Kill the Chairman and anyone else who stands in the way. He pointed his nger towards the Chairmans security detail. Ariel faded into view and trained her pistols at the Burning Men and Wens Dragons. She pulled the triggers and nano-round bursts took down ve soldiers in a ash. She shouted at the stunned security guards, Get the Chairman out of here, ASAP! There was only one clear exit path left, the eastern doors that Piero and Ariel came through. That was ve hundred feet in the opposite direction of the podium. This wasnt looking good at all.
376
Alexei Cyren
The SAG Marines on guard duty red their MK-7 assault ries. The Burning Men and Dragons used their top line mass shields to soak the onslaught. They kicked over the metal tables for cover, spilling food and water all over the oor. If theres a time to get out of here its denitely now! Pieros laser rie swung left and right, drilling scarlet lances through Burning Men and Dragon alike. Men went down like rag dolls. He heard SAG Marines enter through the East entrance behind him. An ofcer roared a command to his Marines, Take out all enemy forces and secure the Chairman! More bullets zipped past Piero. He was invisible and in the middle of a literal crossre. One of the Burning Men with a wicked grin unleashed a stream of mini-rockets. The front ranks of incoming Marines blew apart like confetti. Charred legs and arms sailed around him. Piero dive-rolled as streams of bullets crisscrossed above him. He came up into a crouch and pressed his rie trigger. A laser bolt burned a hole through one of the Burning Men as he tried get a bead on him. They must have seismic sensors equipped. Stealth cloaking is useless. He turned off his stealth cloak and faded into view.
377
Wen Chang stood in the centre path between Piero and Ariel. He blocked the way and his back was turned. He appeared fully healed since they last fought him back at the steel factory. Ariel, the Chairman and the last six of the Chairmans security detail used a knocked over metal table as cover. Scorched silver ware and shattered glass littered the oor around it. They were twenty feet behind the stage. Nano-rounds struck the thick AR-steel and sparks ew. Piero stared daggers into Wens back. The man who murdered his sister stood right in front of him. There was no way in hell he was going to let him get away this time. He kicked over a table with his augmented strength. Behind it, he unfolded his Eagle pistol, slung his laser rie over his back and popped the nano-round clip out. He took out the clip the mysterious veiled woman gave him and popped it in. These nano-rounds were the only thing that hurt Wen. Better start using them now. Ariels vision was transmitted to Piero over laser comm. He saw Wen stride casually towards the Chairmans position. SAG Marines shot him from behind with nanorounds and lasers but it was like shooting a mountain. Not even Wens clothes were scratched this time.
378
Alexei Cyren
What the hell! It is like nothing can hurt him! Piero knew that Ariels rounds damaged him before when she used the clip the veiled woman gave her. Piero leaned out and hammered the trigger. A stream of nano-rounds ew past Wens tilted head. They struck the wall high above Ariel. Wen dodged it! Of course, hes aware of the danger now. Ariel got him because he was too condent. This time Wens expecting it. Piero didnt like where this was going. Wens voice lled the room yet it addressed only him. Piero Feliciano Did you really think Id be caught off guard again? He turned around as a missile exploded in midair as a laser beam struck it. Wen vanished in the ames but walked right out without even a rufe. Kang, Cai. Handle the woman Guardian and nish off the Chairman. I want to kill this one personally. Two men dressed in black, loose tting clothes appeared out of thin air like ghosts and bowed. Yes, Master Wen! They ipped and vaulted towards Ariels position like master acrobats. Ariel, youve got incoming. And I dont like the look of
379
them! Yeah, I see them, Piero. Ill take care of them somehow. Ill try to back you up as soon as I take them down. Ariels bullets took a Burning Man between the eyes as he popped up to shoot at her. She vanished behind a shower of ames from a mini-amethrower. The giant conference room was a war zone. SAG Marines took cover behind overturned tables and carts, ash-made tower shields and the East pillars that supported the balcony. Dead business people, soldiers, Dragons and Burning Men mercenaries were sprawled all over the oor. Piero peered at Wen from behind cover, the Marines far behind him. Wen shrugged off lasers and bullets while dodging missile re. It is like hes invincible. He started to doubt he could kill a monster like that. Piero stuck out his pistol and squeezed. A rain of bullets came at Wen who cartwheeled aside, beneath a table. He grabbed the base with one hand and whirled it around like a shield. His bullets slammed into it and sparks ew. He cursed under his breath. Wen charged forward ramming Pieros table with his
380
Alexei Cyren
own. Piero felt like he was hit by a train. He tumbled through the air. His breath was knocked out of him and his body was wracked with pain. He landed, curled up and went into a roll. He came to his feet and raised his pistol with both hands. He got off a few shots before Wens thirteen foot wide table swung up, clipping his pistol. Pieros gun ew from his hands. Wen shifted the steel table aside and the kung fu master side kicked him in the chest. Piero felt several ribs snap as he slammed into the oor. This time, the pain was so intense he was unable to roll with it. His nano armour shut off his sense of pain and injected M-gel. The nanite gel started repairing his bones. Wen hurled his giant AR-steel table with one hand. It slammed into several advancing Marines and they were knocked aside like bowling pins. Piero, Piero Youve been a thorn in my side for so very, very long. Wen stood over him, casting a forbidding shadow. Are you wondering why I killed your dear sister Erina and not you?
381
Piero needed to buy some time to think of something anything. Why her? Wen put his hands on his hips, his four foot long Manchu braid swinging behind him. The Steel Works Raid of 43 was a major drug shipment from Ares. When you wrecked that deal, I lost much face in front of my father and family. Killing you would have been too easy. I wanted you to suffer. Ariel needed to get the Chairman out of here. The lasers and bullets ew around them like a hailstorm. Flashes of light lit the air and men screamed in agony. She pulled out a mini-rocket launcher and pointed it at the west-wall behind them. The Chairman gave Ariel a confused, shocked look. What are you doing, Blake? Ariel grinned. Im getting you out of here before Wens goons reach us. I cant guard you and ght them at the same. I suggest covering your head. Their red blips were drawing close as she pressed the trigger. She hurled three anti-material plasma rockets into the West wall. The oor jolted from the impact. There was a ash of orange-white light and a large twenty foot wide, smoking, aming hole appeared. Ariel messaged the last six Senate Service bodyguards through short wave laser. They red their laser pistols on
382
Alexei Cyren
either side of the battered, slate grey table they used for cover. All of you, grab the Chairman and get him out of here right now! One of the guards nodded, Understood, Guardian. Thank you. They pulled up the stunned Chairman and shielded him with their bodies. They took the Chairman through the new exit. Now its a clean up operation. Ariel was going to make sure that Wens henchmen didnt catch up. She switched the clip in one of her Eagles to the one the Mysterious Woman gave her. The two men in black silk clothes, Kang and Cai, ipped and leaped their way between lines of re as they closed on Ariel. They saw the Chairman and his guards escaping through the ragged hole that she made with her mini-rockets. They changed course towards the Chairman and picked up speed like a pair of spinning wheels. Ariel darted out and smashed into Cai with a ying side kick. He crashed into another table, knocking it over in a urry of white cloth and smashed glass. She red off a few shots with her pistol and Kang stopped his forward motion as he raised his arms to block. The bullets shredded Kangs forearms into a bleeding mess. Cai, take out the Chairman. Ill handle the Guardian.
383
Cai got up, his long braid swinging up behind him. Yes, Brother Kang. Cai dashed towards the West exit. Damn it, Ive got to stop them both right here! Ariel launched a violent spinning round kick at Kangs head. Her targeting circle however was locked onto Cais back. Ive got to make Cai think Im going all out on Kang. Kang ducked below her round kick and surged forward, his sts pumping through the air like a piston. Ariel twisted left and right, dodging the blows as another one of her aiming circles locked onto Cais back, within the rst one. She tried to knee Kang but he slapped her attack down with the at of his palm. Kang lashed out with a swinging left wrist strike and she ducked under the attack. He kicked out with his right foot and struck her in the stomach. Ariel went ying and her third aiming circle locked onto Cais back. Nows my chance! Cai almost caught up with the Chairman, leaping over the bodyguards spitting guns. She skidded across the rubble strewn oor and levelled the pistol with the Mysterious Womans clip. She squeezed the trigger and a burst of bullets tore a bloody hole through Cais heart while he was midair. The man with the braid plunged to the oor like a dead sh.
384
Alexei Cyren
Cais crumpled form came to rest at the Chairmans horried feet. Kang yelled, Brother Cai! He wheeled back to Ariel and sneered. You have saera imbued bullets yet I sense no saera from you. It is just as Master Wen told us. What the hell is he talking about? Is that why these bullets can hurt them? Ariel didnt have a clue what saera was she was just glad the Mysterious Woman gave her the rounds. Kang went into a horse stance and moved his hands downward as if pushing an unseen force into the ground. Then his right arm moved beside his torso and his hand curled into a st while his left hand shot forward with two ngers pointed upward. Now I will spare you no mercy, Guardian. Taste Hua Shans Heavenly Fire! He opened his mouth into a wide O and leaping red ames surrounded Ariel like a restorm. The heat sensors on her Dreydis armour shot through the roof. She felt her hair curling at the tips. Ariel threw herself into a desperate back roll to escape. The ames chased her behind an overturned roundtable on its side. It gave her only a moment of reprieve. She felt the super steel hit its limit and start to melt. She never saw anything like this before. Theres no nano-tech I know of that can produce re that hot from a mans mouth. Its impossible. Is that what saera is? Power that dees the laws
385
of physics? Ariel held a degree in the sciences but physics was one of her worst subjects. She was more of a biologist. Even mini-amethrower weapons dont produce the kind of heat this guy is giving off. What the hell have I gotten myself into? Then a thought struck Ariel: What if the Black Phoenix has access to this kind of power? She led the idea away for later. Wen didnt show any kind of powers like this but maybe he was holding back? Either way if I dont beat this guy, I wont be able to help Piero against Wen. The video feed from Pieros eyes showed a dire ght between her partner and the crime lord. Wen held the upper hand despite Piero having the other clip of special bullets the Mysterious Woman gave him. Wen moved too fast unlike his students, he pushed strength, speed and hardness to appalling levels. Kang possessed great hardness and speed. He used powers his master Wen never used. Compared to Wen, however, Kang felt like a pebble. The round AR-steel table was turning to liquid slag at the edges. There were a few more tables she could use for cover but it would only delay the inevitable. I have to kill him and fast!
386
Alexei Cyren
Her bullets killed Cai. The same would happen to Kang. Assuming Kang didnt burn her to ash. Ariels Dreydis nano armour could only withstand a few seconds of exposure. She ash-made a sealed helmet over her head. There has to be an opening in his re attack I can exploit. Kangs Heavenly Fire stopped as his breath gave out and he started breathing in. Ariel stepped out and pulled the trigger of her Eagle pistol. A volley of super-sonic nano-rounds raced towards Kang. Kang moved like a blur and appeared twenty feet away in a blink of an eye. He was expecting her to attack. He knew his weaknesses all too well. The Chairman and his bodyguards vanished through Ariels new exit and SAG Marines surged through the same opening. They moved into position to put Wen and the Burning Men in a cross-re. They spotted Kang and opened re, spraying lasers and bullets in a tidal wave of death. Oh hell Kang cartwheeled to the right, raised his right hand and pointed two ngers toward the heavens. He exhaled. A torrent of Hua Shans Heavenly Fire burst out of his
387
mouth and engulfed the new arrivals. The Marines didnt have time to scream before they vanished. Fifty men were gone like that. Ariel felt the searing heat as she trained her gun on Kang and squeezed the trigger. Ariel thought as she red: When Kang breathes is when he has to stay still The rounds tore a hole through his left temple and his body collapsed. Piero blinked rapidly from the agony of being hit by a half ton of AR-steel. His pistol was out of reach, lying just ten feet away from his right hand. He was at on his back and Wen Chang, his sisters killer was gloating over him. Things couldnt get any worse. Wen was going to kill him in a few swift moments. What the hell could he do to put Wen six feet under? A part of Piero whispered faintly that he should try to bring Wen to justice. Arrest and jail him. He knew that was impossible. How do you hold a monster like Wen? Hed break out easy if they could even sedate him at all. Theres no choice I have to kill him for Erina. Killing him in the line of duty would be ne.
388
Alexei Cyren
Piero could live with that. An idea hit him a millisecond later. He could beat Wen and save his skin at the same time. Wen talked as he approached. His left st was raised like a dagger for the killing blow. Now you will die. You and your partner, Ariel, have interfered with my plans for the last time. Any last words? Piero looked up at Wen and smiled. Go to hell! He yanked with every ounce of strength left in his body. His nano-ash wire was wrapped around his pistol. The pistol ew into Pieros right hand. He swung it up at Wen and pulled the trigger. Bullets slammed into the deadly martial artist at close range. Piero rolled onto his side and up to his feet. Wen Changs greatest weakness was his arrogance. Wen stared down at the wound in his heart. His blood spread across his olive clothes, reminding Piero of a forest being consumed by re. He gasped and blood frothed at his lips. Wen collapsed to his knees and glared at Piero. Ughh Let my guard down Again Piero placed his pistol barrel on Wens head as explosions and gunre rang around them. For treason
389
against the SAG, I sentence you to death, Wen Chang. He hit the trigger and his Eagle went off. Wen Chang toppled backward onto the oor with a bullet through his brain. Piero wobbled on his legs. The servos in his nano armour kept him standing despite the cracked ribs and damaged organs. He should have felt relieved that Erina was avenged. Instead he felt hollow. Well, almost hollow. There was one thing that remained: the warmth of Ariels spirit.
390
Chapter 17
Several of Wens Jade Dragon loyalists spotted their fallen leader at Pieros feet. A gnarled old Dragon in his forties pointed and screamed, The bastard killed Wen! Give him hell! They levelled their guns and tongues of white-re lashed the air around him. Piero leaped aside as lasers and bullets nearly ripped through his mass shields. He rolled behind a battered ARsteel serving cart. It rattled and dazzling sparks ew. He unclipped a red plasma grenade and tossed it over his head. There was a loud boom as it exploded in midair. Damn it, theyve got their marksmen nailing them. Ariel took out Wens students, Kang and Cai as far as he could tell. She was trying to close on his position but Ramos the Red, the yellow-eyed Burning Man, burst through the northern doors with fty mercenary soldiers.
391
Ramos laughed as his Phaloss-7 plasma rie spat emerald globs of molten plasma into the backs of SAG Marines who were holding the North exit. He spotted Ariel and screamed, Kill her! His Burning Men loosed a torrent of blistering yellow and red lasers. Ariel skipped over fallen bodies. She slid across the top of a dinner table and her twin Eagle pistols pulled double duty. By the time her feet hit the oor behind another overturned dining table, six Burning Men bit the dust. Ramos yelled before a hacking cough took him. Never mind, Ill kill her myself ! Hold off the Marines for another ve minutes! Piero was puzzled. Why was Ramos shouting orders aloud unless he wanted us to know? He couldnt gure what was going through the Burning Mans head. Ariel levelled her mini-rocket launcher. Several rockets streaked towards the Burning Men and Ramos. One of the Burning Men red chaff up at the ceiling and the rockets veered upward. They exploded in a bright ash, showering the room with dust, debris and savage ames. The ground shivered from the force of the aerial blast. Piero popped out of cover and unloaded several ruby lasers into three Jade Dragons. The old Dragon got his head blown off. He dropped out of sight.
392
Alexei Cyren
Eight other Dragons returned re, ignoring the Marines at their back and left. Piero still couldnt believe that Wen Chang and Guang Chin could inspire such devotion from these thugs. A sniper round took down a Marine at the South exit. His head exploded like an overripe melon. Several more went down before they started backing out through the doors. Libuse! Shes still here? What the hell?!? Piero wondered why she didnt leave. Her target, the Supreme Chairman was already gone. Shes still on the second level balcony. Libuses stealth cloak continued to thwart his sensors. Everyone who wasnt underneath the second level balcony was a sitting duck for her rie! Piero radioed Ariel, Libuse is still up there, Ariel! Were too exposed! Ariel replied, My cover is facing her direction. Im good. Youre exposed Piero. Pull out and Ill re-group with you later. The Chairmans safe were good to go! I got it Ariel. Piero tossed a sensor bafe smoke grenade. It hissed out streams of smoke in every direction, covering him. Itll fool everything except seismic sensors.
393
*** Piero dashed towards the South exit after the Marines. Suddenly he felt paralyzed, blood was everywhere. His body sensors showed he was hit through the heart by a large slug. A sniper round The world turned dark around him as he pitched head rst onto the oor. Grey smoke drifted around him. Libuse used seismic sensors I got careless Just my luck The last brightness he saw was Ariels lovely, smiling face and blond pony tail. Then it was gone. Time slowed for Ariel as she watched Piero go down in the rising smoke. The blue blip on her tracking HUD ashed: DECEASED. No, Piero, you cant be dead not after all weve been through! She screamed Pieros name and tried to sprint over to his fallen body. A hail of scarlet lasers cut across her path and she dived over them. Several scorched her bronze nano armour and heat warnings blinked in her vision. Ariel went into a roll and came up beside Pieros cooling body. The sensors showed that an anti-tank slug took him through the heart killing him instantly. His dark skin took on a kind of deadness that made her stomach sink further.
394
Alexei Cyren
His chest was a horrid mess of blood and bone. Why? Why did you have to die? Why wasnt I there to watch your back? Ariel recalled all the times Piero was there for her over the last few months as she adjusted to life in Shanghai sector. Saving her bacon from Guang Chin and keeping her from falling off Ning Mais manor when the GIEs were out. Yet she failed to save him when it really counted. She felt her guilt crushing her. Was this the price of vengeance? To lose everything you loved for someone who was already gone? Ariel closed her eyes despite the laser and bullets ying through the smoke cloud. Libuse Libuse knew exactly where he was even with the sensor scatter smoke One of the few things sensor scatter smoke couldnt defeat were seismic sensors. The sensors measured vibrations and tremors in the ground. That meant There was a ringing in the back of Ariels head. It warned her to dodge and get clear. She did it without hesitation. An anti-tank round blew a head sized chunk out of the oor where she was a moment ago. Her NBC did the math and gured out where the bullet was red from. Its
395
a start, shes going to move now so Ill lose her. Ariel shot out of the smoke with her guns blazing. She red rounds at the Burning Men to the North and eight of Wens loyalist Dragons straight ahead to the East. A Burning Man and Dragon went down as their mass shields shattered along with their skulls. The enemy red back at her. Ariel used her augmented strength and reexes to vault over the Dragons who blocked her way to the balcony stairs. A sniper round whizzed through her streaming hair, inches away from her brain. It blew apart a red haired Dragons chest below her. Her orange aiming crosshairs locked onto an enemy below and she sent the Fire signal to her guns. Nano-bullets pumped out at super-sonic speeds and tore through the last of the Jade Dragons like feral claws. Six gunmen howled as their mass shields sputtered and they were riddled with gaping wounds. Ariel hit the oor at a run, zigging and zagging between Marines who red at the Burning Men positioned at the North and south exits behind her. Anti-rocket lasers red and Marine rockets exploded in a dazzling shower of light, heat and smoke. Ariel dashed up the staircase to the second oor balcony, ve steps at a time. She dived to the oor to avoid another sniper round when she got to the top.
396
Alexei Cyren
*** The bullet blasted a one foot wide hole in the wall behind her. There werent many ways to defeat stealth cloak systems without using electromagnetic pulses. The SAG and other system powers like the SRA were working on ways to counter EM pulses used against stealth cloaking. So far no one made any breakthroughs. Ariel hoped Libuse didnt have EMP proof stealth cloaking or she was screwed. I will avenge you Piero! Dozens of dead Marines in their sandy combat armour were sprawled across the tables and oor. There were slash marks and plasma burns. Looks like Libuse was held up for a short while before she killed Piero. Ariels danger sense tingled and she surged forward, leaping under a round AR-steel dinner table with a white tablecloth. A sniper round ripped a hole the size of a basketball above her head like it was rice paper. Nothing up here is thick enough to block an anti-tank rie but her ring rate is going to be slow. That was her only advantage. She needed to knock out Libuses cloak and close with her at the same time before she trained her anti-tank rie on her. Then she would kill Libuse for Piero. Ariel didnt have seismic sensors so pinpointing Libuse was impossible. She needed to get close enough to set off an
397
EMP burst from her Dreydis armour. doesnt put a bullet through my brains rst.
Assuming Libuse
Another high-powered slug blew apart the serving cart she hid behind a second ago. She dashed out and red a hail of rounds at the spot where Libuse would likely be. Her nano-microphone tried to pick out Libuses reloading sounds from the gunre ruckus below but she didnt have any luck. Ariel raised her Eagle over her head and red another salvo as she circled around and south towards Libuse. All she needed to do was get within thirty feet. Easier said than done, Ariel. Libuse was really good with the sniper rie. It was one of the J model Widowmakers. Super slow yet immensely powerful. Piero didnt stand a chance even with Dreydis nano armour. Ariel pushed aside her thoughts of Piero. Grieving would come later. Now is the time for revenge. A three foot wide chunk of table shattered above Ariel as another sniper round got too close. Metal ecks struck her armour and mass shields. She sprung forward and an idea came to her. Ariel tossed several sensor scatter smoke grenades. They rolled around and ahead of her. Smoke streams
398
Alexei Cyren
quickly lled the balcony with cloying grey fog. sensors went blank with static but it didnt matter.
Her
Another sniper round sheared one of the dinner tables in half behind her as she leaped into the air and turned on her force grapple. An invisible beam of gravity clasped the ceiling above her and she swung in midair. If Im wrong, Im as good as dead The sniper rounds stopped coming. Libuse couldnt nd Ariel because she was no longer in contact with the ground. There were no vibrations the assassin could use to target her. Ariel heard gunre on the main oor below. The oor rocked from several grenade and mini-missile blasts. She heard Ramos the Red shouting for a retreat. The Marines got reinforcements. The question now was how Ariel was going to get Libuse. She amped up her nano-microphone systems to the max. Just make one little mistake She picked out the crunch of glass about thirty feet away despite the din of battle. It was cutting it close for an EMP blast but there wasnt any other choice. She released an EMP burst from her nano armour. An invisible electromagnetic pulse erupted from her. If I got Libuse, Ill sense her once the sensor smoke clears. A few seconds later the smoke was gone and Libuse came into
399
view. Libuses signature blue hair and purple eyelashes were striking. Her eyes were hard as diamond. She looked up, dropped her massive Widowmaker sniper rie and unfolded two bleached Nexana laser pistols, which she promptly levelled at Ariel. You are well trained in all the tricks to beat stealth cloaks, Blake. You were a worthy challenge but now Im going to send you to meet your partner in Hell! Libuse pulled the triggers sending a barrage of beryl plasma bolts at her. Ariel shut off her force grapple with a quick wireless command and dropped to the oor below. The bolts passed overhead. She unfolded her Eagle pistols, trained them at Libuse and triggered them. Libuse dived into a roll as the rain of nano-rounds blasted apart the fragile glass bar behind her. Bottles of vodka and liquor exploded, spraying their contents all over the oor. The bullets followed but she cartwheeled behind a solid AR-steel cart. Ariel kicked over one of the dining tables so it twirled like a top until it was in front of her. Libuse raised both Nexana pistols over the edge and red half-blindly at Ariel. The dining table took the brunt of the plasma burns,
400
Alexei Cyren
dispersing the attack. Half of Ariels right side emerged from behind it as she pointed and red back. Libuse returned re again. Ariel strafed behind the table. God damn it! Shes as well trained as I am. Ariel unhooked a plasma grenade, ran the math and threw it along an arc so the red bomb would explode right behind Libuse. The grenade exploded part way through its arc. Whiteblue re and plasma ignited the air. The blast threw Ariel and her dining table away. The dining table landed on top of her. Her Dreydis armour and mass shields kept it from crushing her. Libuses red blip blinked and moved towards the East exit on the second oor. Ariel screamed in rage and threw off the half ton dining table like it was a cloth blanket. It spun through the air and slammed into several other tables as it landed. Her danger sense screamed at her and she raised her left forearm. A plasma bolt meant for her heart seared her forearm instead, burning the esh beneath the armour. Temperature warnings sounded in her head. She gritted her teeth. Her armour nano-cams spotted the sapphire haired
401
killer plunge through the double door exit. Ariel turned off her ability to feel pain and chased after Libuse. She heard gunre outside. SAG Marines blips ashed on her tactical map and promptly vanished. Libuse killed them all as she ed. She isnt one of the top assassins in the SAG for nothing. Ariel dived through the double door exit and rolled beneath a barrage of plasma bolts. They scorched the doorway and the superheated glass melted like ice. Marine grunts lay dead around her with severe plasma burns all over their heads and chests. Ariel returned re but the bullets only smashed into the wall behind Libuse. She vanished into a side hallway. Libuse is denitely heading south. What the hell is over there? Theres only more Marines. Ariel rushed after her and made a left. She saw Libuses owing blue hair spill behind her as she dashed down the hallway straight towards another lobby area on this oor. The articial light of Decada Colony streamed through the windows like real sunlight and it showed the burning devastation within the city. Damn the Phoenix and the Dragons! How many innocent people including Piero have died today! Ariels orange aiming circles locked onto Libuse. She
402
Alexei Cyren
trained her Eagles and pulled the triggers. Nano-bullets ew at Libuse like a tidal wave. One of the side doors swung open behind her, blocking the bullets. There was a shower of sparks. No one came out. She hacked the doorway open to intercept my bullets! Clever! Ariels sensors detected several security droids turn on in the room with the open door. The glowing amber eyes powered up and they charged at her with stun batons. More red blips popped up around her in the nearby rooms. Libuse planned this from the start. Its part of her fallback plan! There were hacked security droids in all of the rooms in the hallway. Ariels side kick smashed the head of one of the Anubis droids. She levelled her pistols right and left, ducked and squeezed the triggers. A whirlwind of bullets took cyber brains, legs and weapon arms in a spray of sparks and spinning AR-steel. Another jackal-headed robot tried to cleave her down the middle with a sonic axe. She cartwheeled aside, folded her right gun, ignited her crimson plasma sword and cut it from stem to stern. There was a blazing white-hot line of melted steel along the path of the blade and it fell in half. Ariels danger sense kicked in and she dived behind one
403
of the Anubis robots as a stream of azure plasma bolts blasted off its head and arms. She saw Libuse in the lobby area, looking down the barrels of her pistols. Ariel Blake, you really are hard to kill. I like that. I like that look in your face. Too bad youre not going to avenge your friend today because I have to run. Libuses eyelashes uttered and she blew Ariel a mocking goodbye kiss. Ariel yelled, Youve got nowhere to run to, Libuse! The Marines have the Hotel surrounded and I doubt your forces are going to last long now that Wen is dead. Give it up. Hardly! The lobby windows behind Libuse burst, spraying glass everywhere. A Wolf Spider EA with the Burning Man symbol stamped on all eight legs hovered into view. She grabbed an extended tow cable from the EA and was lifted out of the Elmsraven Hotel. Libuse laughed. Catch me if you can, Guardian. Ariel hammered her st into one the hacked security droid faces. It caved in and the machine went limp, falling into one of its comrades. The fellow robot promptly cleaved it in two with a sonic axe. The grief over Pieros death drove her into a rage. Her left pistol sent a stream of nano-rounds into four of the hacked robots, downing them like toy soldiers. Her scarlet plasma blade carved red-hot slashes into the droids.
404
Alexei Cyren
I cant let Libuse escape and these security bots are starting to really tick me off ! Ariel hollered as she launched a spin kick that knocked aside two security robots. She sprang towards the shattered window. She dialled up Thomas. Thomas, Libuse is escaping in a Wolf Spider EA and I need to know where the hell shes heading. Thomas voice crackled as it cut through the jamming signals. Shes going straight for Docking Bay Three. The Burning Men are ghting a withdrawal action and slowing down the Marines. Im guessing its what Libuse told them to do. Figures. Thanks, Thomas. I need you to keep tabs on where shes headed. Im going after her in Vindictam. Ariel, what happened? Im not seeing Pieros ID tag anywhere Pieros dead. Anti-tank rie. Libuse killed him with a sniper shot.
Gods, no Im so Save it for later, Thomas. Im going to get Libuse. Just be careful, okay. I dont want to lose you too. I dont intend to die. Ariel contacted Vindictams AI.
405
Vindictam, immediate launch, pick me up from my location signal. We need to pursue a hostile target immediately. Roger, Guardian Blake. Im on my way. Ariel hooked her plasma blade on her belt. She unfolded her right pistol. She levelled both guns and slammed the triggers. The Eagles spat a barrage of high impact bullets at the charging Anubis bots that spilled into the lobby. It was a massacre. By the time Vindictam arrived there was a heap of battered and bullet ridden droids all over the marble tiles. Vindictam hovered in front of the shattered windows, the cockpit door wide open. Ariel jumped aboard and strapped herself in. The cockpit door closed and her brain linked with the EA. Vindictam wheeled around and shot after Libuse. Theres no way in hell Im letting you get away or live, Libuse.
406
Chapter 18
Buildings burned angrily beneath Vindictam as Ariel ew by at over two hundred kilometres per hour. She saw ghting in the streets as Burning Men and Wens Jade Dragons retreated towards the eastern docking bays. Grey-white SAG Deltas faced off against Burning Men Black Hawks and Dragon Wolf Spiders. Missiles and anti-missile counter measures exploded in midair, lighting up the articial sky above Decadas dome city like a reworks show. She felt the turbulence from the blasts and the constant chugging of salvo re from the anti-aircraft batteries below. This has become more than a simple assassination its a wholesale attack in the middle of SAG space. The worst part was that Libuse was behind a wall of enemy EA ghters. Ariel needed to get through them. She couldnt think of any other option. Because I let Piero die. I failed him like I failed Mom. Now I have to avenge him for all the good it will do.
407
*** It wont bring him back. Ariel felt a tear slowly trickle down her face and she wiped it away angrily. No time to feel. Only to kill. Vindictams shoulder lasers sent a reaming line of death into the incoming enemy ghters. Several dodged the twin ruby beams but three Wolf Spiders were too slow. They were sliced in half and vanished in a burst of ames. Her thigh missile launchers spat out a torrent of Apollo A4 mini-missiles that spiralled through the air. Several Burning Man Black Hawks blew half the missiles away before they smashed into their lines. Other Black Hawks fell from the sky like blazing comets before breaking apart on the concrete below. Ariel spun Vindictam around and dived as mass driver slugs plus amber lasers peppered the air around her. Her tingling danger sense saved her several times as the attacks intersected while trying to catch her. Missiles bloomed into balls of smouldering light behind her, rocking her EA. She pulled up towards the fake sky of the dome city as plasma bolts melted two four story ofce buildings beneath her. She twisted Vindictam around and discharged enough super-sonic slugs that four quadwinged Black Hawks vanished in a cloud of hellish re. Her danger sense and sensors warned her of the Wolf Spider attack as it slammed into Vindictams back.
408
Alexei Cyren
Damn, I reacted too late. Ariel grappled with the eight legged machine as they smashed into the fteenth and sixteenth oors of a twenty story skyscraper. The impact rattled her teeth. Vindictam was on its back and the Wolf Spider raised four of its legs. Several super-titanium spikes unfolded from the tips and battered Vindictams armour. Damage warnings ashed all over Ariels vision. Vindictams arms were pinned and using A4 missiles was suicide. Im lucky that Wolf Spiders dont come armed with better close combat weapons. You should have used your mass driver cannons, idiot. Ariel angled the shoulder lasers on Vindictam and sent the re command. The beams sheared through the Wolf Spiders torso, cutting the pilot in half. She pushed the Wolf Spider off and prayed that everyone in the building was gone. She hit the acceleration on the GIEs and shot out of the skyscraper. The Wolf Spider exploded and the top ve oors of the building collapsed into a pile of falling rubble that smashed into the streets below. A storm of missiles rained down towards Ariel from ve remaining Black Hawks above her. Vindictam did the math and the shoulder lasers sliced a zig-zag pattern through the rocket salvo. The explosions from the destroyed ones took out most of the ones the laser missed.
409
Three missiles shot through the smoke and Ariel rolled left as they raced past her by a wide margin. They looped around to chase her as Vindictam bolted toward the Burning Men EAs above. Ariel zoomed by and the missiles caught three of the Black Hawks. They vanished in a bright wave of re. The last two Burning Men discharged a salvo of burning yellow lasers that lashed Ariels armour, sending more damage signals as she spiralled above them. Vindictams AI ashed warnings in Ariels vision. WARNING: Armour plating at 45%. Ariel grunted at Vindictams warning, raised her arms out until they formed an upside down V and let the last two mercenary EAs have it from the ends of her arm mounted mass driver cannons. The super-sonic slugs created a spinning upside down ice cream cone of death. The Black Hawks were caught in the maelstrom and ripped to shreds. She veered towards the eastern Decada docking bay that Libuse was headed to. Ahead of her were seven red blips that were marked as EAs. The one at the spear point was Libuses getaway lift. Ariel hit the turbo boost system and felt the G forces push her back against her seat. She felt like she was
410
Alexei Cyren
attening into a street pizza. The landscape became a blur as Docking Bay Threes inner doors came into view. Libuses EA escort of four Wolf Spiders and three Black Hawks lobbed missiles and armour piercing rounds at the closed doors. The Marines who were in front of it died in the white hot blaze that followed. The blasted, burning parts of crashed Deltas were strewn along the path towards those doors. Ariel zoomed in and saw Libuse run into the docking bay. The seven EAs blocked the way and turned to face her as she closed the distance. Looks like Ill have to ght my way in. Her arm cannons spat out a torrent of rounds that tore into the super concrete pavement in front of the wrecked bay doors. The seven EAs leaped into the air to avoid the attack. They returned re at Ariel, sending lancing beams of blue-yellow laser light and plasma globs at her. She rolled and weaved between the deadly attacks as they whipped around her. Her aiming crosshairs locked onto fourteen incoming missiles. Vindictam and her NBC chose the best intercept line and she opened re, cleaving missiles in midair. The explosions took out the remaining weapons she didnt hit with her guns.
411
Ariel shot through the blast cloud and passed one of the leading Wolf Spider EAs. It was sliced cleanly in half. A thick trailing line of red-hot steel traced the path of her sword through its torso as it crashed to the city below. Her danger sense went off and she ducked as a white plasma sword nearly beheaded Vindictam. She strafed aside as eight lines of mass driver re narrowly missed her. She sliced apart another Black Hawk with her plasma blade. Ariels aiming circles locked onto a Wolf Spider in an instant and two of her missiles rammed into its eight legged body. It was gone in a ash of light and heat. There were two Black Hawks and two Wolf Spider EAs left. Ariel banked to the right and shot straight up towards one of the Burning Man Black Hawks. It rained lasers down at her, scorching Vindictams arms as she pointed up and sent the re command. The high speed slugs ripped its legs and GIEs off, sending it tumbling to the ground below. Vindictams damage indicators showed the armour plating was down to 35%. The two Wolf Spiders fell back and red their eight mass driver chain cannons. Sixteen lines of high speed slugs chased Vindictam. The remaining Black Hawk unleashed a laser barrage hoping to catch her in a
412
Alexei Cyren
crossre. Despite her danger sense, Vindictam took several hits to the back torso, legs and right arm. The damage signals showed armour plating at 19%. Things looked critical. Ariel curved her ight path around, twisted about and unloaded a vengeful storm of her own. The shoulder lasers sheared the leftmost Wolf Spider in midair while she hacked her missiles to hit the other Wolf Spider from behind. Those EAs became balls of aming steel. The last Black Hawk closed from her rear ank. Vindictams left arm was sliced off by a sickly green plasma blade. Her EA shuddered. Ariel leapt back before another swing ended her life. The damage was massive. Armour plating was at 9%. Another solid hit and Vindictam and I are goners. She traded lasers and missiles with the Black Hawk as they circled each other. She recklessly closed with him to throw him off guard. She skirted the Burning Mans laser salvo, her armour plating dropped to 2%. Ariel was upon him. Her scarlet plasma sword ignited and ashed. The Black Hawk was cut in half from head to groin. She dived as it exploded in midair, showering her with molten debris.
413
Armour plating was 1%. Vindictams nano-bre systems were at their stress limit. She guided her EA into a rough landing in front of the inner doors to the docking bay. The cockpit rocked unsteadily. Ariel popped the hatch with a mental command, unhooked the crash harness and leapt down ten feet to the battered concrete below. She followed in Libuses footsteps. The main hangar bay remained brightly lit and there were grounded shuttles everywhere. Her sensors showed lifeforms inside many of the ships. They were all locked. Watching and waiting for the storm to pass. Libuses getaway shuttle? Which one is
The ght with Libuses EA escort took ve minutes. That was more than enough time for her to make it to her shuttle and get it prepped for take off. If Ariel didnt nd her soon, shed lose her chance to avenge Piero. Thomas, Ive got a bit of a problem here. Theres dozens of shuttles in the bay. By the time I gure out which one Libuse is on she might be gone. Can you go through the security footage? I know you can do it faster than I can. Thomas response was delayed by ten-seconds. Going through Its this shuttle. Be careful, Ariel. A ashing golden arrow appeared in augmented reality pointing at
414
Alexei Cyren
Libuses escape vehicle. Ariel didnt respond as she sprinted towards the vessel. The engines powered up. Damn it, I need to get in there! Thomas! Can you hack the shuttles door open!?! Ariel used her NBCs onboard hacking programs against the shuttle door. It was taking too long Thomas yelled into her head. Open sesame! The shuttle hatch popped open. Ariel bounded to the side to avoid being hit by it and a shower of azure plasma bolts. She dived inside, tucked herself into a roll and grabbed Libuses wrists when she unfurled herself. She forced the Nexana pistols to point away from her. Libuses pilot forced the shuttle door closed and the LT-47 lifted off and shot out of the hangar bay. Libuse was furious. Her deep red eye shadow made Ariel think of a bloodthirsty beast. Her forehead smashed into Ariels face. White blotches lled her vision. Shes strength augmented. Go gure. Libuse kicked Ariel in the stomach sending her into the right wall of the shuttle. She snapped her plasma pistols back towards Ariel. ***
415
Scorching beryl bolts burned Ariels armoured forearms as she raised them in an X block across her chest. Her nano armour absorbed most of the damage. Both forearms took second degree burns. She felt nothing since her sense of pain was turned off. Ariel dropped her right hand to her belt. She unhooked her plasma sword and ignited it in one swift motion. She lashed out and both of Libuses plasma pistols were cut in half. Libuse fell back as Ariels backswing nearly cut the assassin in two. Youre one dogged bitch, Guardian! Did you love your partner that much? Her face twisted into a scowl as she pulled a three foot long exible blade from her belt buckle. Ariel and Libuse circled each other in the fteen foot wide passenger cabin, around the rows of seats. The pilot appeared to ignore them since he was focused on getting Libuse to Sericent. The holo-screens showed they were already in the atmosphere above Shanghai sector. She shot back at Libuse. I doubt a killer like you even knows what love really means. Dont patronize me Guardian. You dont even know me. Libuse surged forward and tried to impale Ariel. Ariel sidestepped the attack and slashed sideways to take off the assassins head.
416
Alexei Cyren
Libuse skidded under the strike. She bent over backwards and snapped back up. She counter attacked with her exible blade. Ariel vaulted over the weapon. Libuses sword sliced through ve seats as if they were cloth. She landed, rolled and twisted around to face the assassin. That is no ordinary exible blade. Its a nano-lament sword that can through most matter with ease. If it went up against a plasma sword head on, the plasma sword would win. Libuse knows that too. A nano-lament sword You really do have all the gadgets dont you, Libuse. Comes with the money. I would have been wealthier after today if you and your partner didnt get in the way. I guess the powers that be didnt want to give me an easy time. Libuse lunged at her with a fencing thrust. Ariel met the attack with her ruby plasma beam. Libuses weapon was chopped in half leaving only the hilt and three inches of the blade in the assassins hand. Libuse reacted swiftly. She dropped under Ariels guard and tripped her. Ariel toppled onto her back with a loud thud. It felt like she cracked her skull on the cold AR-steel oor. Her
417
plasma blade ew out of her right hand and the safety switch kicked in. It shut it off as it rolled against the wall behind the pilot. Ariel ipped back onto her feet. She drew and unfolded her Eagle pistol, training it on Libuse. Libuse pushed Ariels gun over her head as she pulled the trigger. A stream of shots blasted holes through the back wall of the pilots cockpit. The pilot cried out and his life signs atlined. Her right hand grabbed Libuses left wrist as the assassin tried to stab the broken nano lament sword through her right eye. Damn it! hissed Libuse as she realized what happened. The shuttles nose suddenly dropped as the ship went into a spiralling free fall. Ariel and Libuse rolled together as they crashed into the seats to their left and right. Libuse tried to drive the wrecked sword through Ariels brains while keeping her gun arm pinned. The ruined weapon inched closer and closer. The shuttle bucked like a wild horse nearly doing Libuse work for her.
418
Alexei Cyren
Ariel shifted her head to the left at the last second. The nano lament blades last few inches drove into the deck. It went all the way down to the hilt. She let go of Libuses wrist and drove the heel of her palm into the Czech assassins face. Libuse cried out as she ew onto her back. She rolled and came back up with eight sonic throwing knives between her ngers. She hurled them at Ariel with expert skill. Ariel rolled behind a row of seats as the humming blades ew by. They clattered against the wall behind her. Are you crazy weve got to get the ship under control or were both going to die! The blue-haired assassin smiled evilly. Either I kill you or we both die. After this failure my dreams of early retirement are over. Why not go out with a bang? Youre crazy you know that! Ariel shouted. She tried to link up with the shuttles onboard computer Libuse didnt give Ariel the chance. The assassin bounded over the row of seats and kicked Ariels Eagle out of her left hand before she unhooked herself from her link to the shuttle computer system. Ariels right foot shot out and slammed into Libuses stomach. The assassin tumbled backward onto the oor between the rows of seats. She ipped onto her feet and
419
charged Ariel again. Thomas, can you hack the shuttles computer system and get the auto-pilot running? Ariels hands shot out to deect Libuses urry of super-strong punches before they shattered her ribs and collarbone. Her knee intercepted one of the Czech womans front kicks before it broke her pelvis. This time Thomas response was fast and clear. Im on it. Yaaah!! He screamed. Thomas! Thomas! Libuses round kick nearly cracked open Ariels skull. She used both forearms in a left side block. The force of it sent her crashing into the oor. She used the momentum to roll to her feet. Libuse hit the computer with a virus and fried it. Theres no way to get the engines or the auto-pilot online! Youve got to get out of there RIGHT NOW! Thats going to be a bit difcult Ariel jumped into the air and kicked out with her left as Libuse surged forward. Libuse used a double handed low block to stop the upward kick from splitting her chin. As Ariels right foot hit the oor, Libuse kicked it out
420
Alexei Cyren
from under her. She arched her back, put her hands beneath her and turned the fall into a backip. She landed on both feet. Libuse moved like a lightning bolt and her side kick slammed into Ariels chest. Several of Ariels ribs broke under the impact despite her nano armour. She was hurled into the cockpit and hit the dashboard hard. The dead pilot in his visored helmet and black ight suit was slumped in his seat. She wasnt sure if she was going to kill Libuse or bring her in before. Now there was no doubt about it: she was going to bury her six feet under. At this point, she didnt have much of a choice. It was Libuse or her. Ariel wanted to live. She needed to avenge her mother. She needed to avenge Piero. She knew the world was never so black or white. At this very moment, however, it was. Libuse rushed Ariel with two sonic knives in each hand. The blades were directed at her head because there was no way they would cut through nano armour. She brought her legs up to her chest and snapped out with a double kick. The attack struck Libuse in the face and sent her ying
421
back into the passenger cabin. The shuttle convulsed and rolled. Ariel found herself looking straight down as she fell after the assassin. She crashed into the back of the cabin. The view screens all across the room were dark now that the onboard computer was dead. Her orange aiming crosshairs locked onto Libuse. The assassin got her hands around Ariels neck. Now you die, Guardian! The assassins ngers squeezed so hard that Ariels brain started to go blank. Ariel grabbed Libuses wrists and pulled them apart at right angles. By pulling wrists apart sideways instead of downwards, the force is greater than the choker can exert with her hands. She broke the assassins stranglehold. She followed up quickly with a powerful head butt. Libuses nose broke. Blood streamed all over her. She staggered backwards on her knees. Ariels hand reached behind her and landed on the cool grip of her plasma sword. It fell to the back when the shuttle went into free fall. Do I kill Libuse now or get the hell out of here? She knew she didnt have much time based on her
422
Alexei Cyren
NBCs calculations. They would vanish into the Under Dark in a few minutes and then no one would ever nd her corpse. I will have failed Mom. Ariel ignited her scarlet plasma blade. It shed a bloody light in the dark cabin. Goodbye, Libuse. I hope you have fun in hell! She leaped up and grabbed the edge of the right hatch with her left hand. She plunged her plasma sword into it and carved a burning hole. Libuse recovered enough to scream, Damn you! Ariel hooked her plasma blade onto her belt and hoisted herself through the hole. She seared her bare hands in the process. She saw the Under Dark of Shanghai looming closer and closer. Looks like Im dead either way. There wasnt any way she could y. What difference does it make? Ariel leaped out.
423
Chapter 19
The sun rose over the horizon. A new day arrived, tinged with sadness. Her lover was dead. Thomas stood beside Ariel, hugging her sideways. She felt his warm embrace and it kept her steady. It was all she could ask for in a friend. The Chief stood to her right, his hands behind his back as he gazed upon the incinerator where Pieros body rested within. His face was impassive but his eyes betrayed his pain. He lost a son even if that son wasnt of his esh and blood. The ag of the SAG was draped over the incinerator and six Guardians on either side held ries at the ready. They pointed toward the dawn sky. Other Guardians stood behind them facing the sunrise too. Pieros friends and family were gathered on the West side of the roof. They were ten feet behind the honour guard with the ries. His father Salviano and mother
424
Alexei Cyren
Nadina clung to each other, tears streaming down their faces. Both a son and daughter were lost to them. Im sorry, I failed you. I failed to save him when it really counted. Ariel fought back tears of her own. The Chief began the funeral with a deep voice that rung with both grief and pride. Today, we are gathered here to honour our fallen brother, Piero Sanabria Feliciano. He was a ne Guardian, a man with strong family values who wanted to make the world a better place than when he left it. His wasnt an easy life but he made the most of it. He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. Piero died in the line of duty, saving the Supreme Chairman and preventing total chaos within our planetary alliance. He died a hero and we could not have asked for more from this man. May he rest in peace The bearded Chief raised his right hand and silently signalled the twelve honour guards with their ries. The honour guard raised their ries at a forty-ve degree angle and red twelve shots into the air. They lowered their guns back into ready position, the points aimed straight up. Every shot seemed to jar Ariels body. One of the honour guard, a Guardian with slate grey
425
hair in his fties yelled, Light the re! Another silent signal turned on the incinerator box. Ariel felt the intense heat from where she stood. She imagined what it would be like if she were in there instead of Piero. Fate snatched her from the jaws of death yesterday. The memory of that leap from the shuttle came back to her. Libuse shrieked behind Ariel as the shuttle plunged into the darkness of the Under Dark beneath Shanghai. The lightless depths between massive tower blocks was like a maw of nightmares reaching up to swallow the blue Gallor-class shuttle whole. She would soon be taken as well. Will I crash into the actual surface of Sericent? Or will I slam into some ancient building made centuries ago? What will it be like when I hit at several hundred kilometres per hour? Will I feel any pain? Probably not It would be over in an instant. Ariel was free falling, her blond hair whipped upwards like waving, gold streamers. The band holding her pony tail together was gone. She closed her eyes waiting for the end to come. My quest for revenge is at its end. Im not getting out of this one alive.
426
Alexei Cyren
Ariel jerked in midair as if unseen hands grabbed her. What? She opened her eyes and was blinded by search lights. Three blue Guardian LT-47 shuttles hovered three dozen feet above her. Around them were six grey-white Delta exo-armours. Gravity beams held her in midair and kept her from falling further. Thomas voice crackled over wireless. Did you really think Id let you die on me, Ariel? As soon as I realized that Libuse burned out the shuttles systems I got the Chief to send a team to you. Good thing they made it in time. Ariel sighed. Thomas. I almost thought I was a goner,
We may have lost Piero but losing you would have been too much. Come on lets get you back to Shanghai HQ. Ariel squeezed Thomas hand as the ames died down in the incinerator box, cremating Pieros body. Shanghai no longer possessed space for graves. It was the norm to cremate the dead and place them in special mass mausoleums. Only the rich could afford to set aside a large space for a real grave somewhere on a terraformed moon. Pieros mother Nadina wailed as her husband Salviano
427
accepted Pieros ashes and the folded ag of the SAG. He clasped his wife as they turned to leave with the rest of the family. There wasnt anything Ariel could say to them. She didnt deserve forgiveness. Everyone started to disperse. The other Shanghai Guardians took the stairs or the lift back down to the main ofces. After a few minutes the only ones who remained were the Chief, Thomas and Ariel. I will not cry. I will not shed tears. I will not breakdown. Ariel told herself that again and again. Piero avenged his sister at the cost of his life. That had to be worth something right? Or would it be her fate as well? foreboding within her. She felt a dark
Thomas let Ariel go as she walked over to the Chief and hugged him. The man was like her second father in the short time she was here. She spoke no words to him either. Ariel cried softly as the Chief stroked her back to soothe her misery. The bachelor apartments pearly white walls with two windows overlooked the Shanghai City scape with its lines of volt cars going to and fro during the 6:00 PM trafc rush. It was outtted with old and new style furniture.
428
Alexei Cyren
Her Persian rug with embroidered interlocking square designs reminded Ariel of the Middle East Region with its sandy brown hues. There was a sofa with soft, light blue velvet, a classic moulded plywood chair made from a single thick sheet of synthetic wood, a leather buttery chair and a black leather lounge chair. Each piece was arranged around the bleached white table. She tossed her blood red leather jacket onto the sofa. Thomas smiled as he looked around. He pushed his thick rimmed glasses up to get a clearer look. You havent changed the design around one bit since you were on Ares. Some might say youre still stuck in the past, Ariel. You know that right? Ariel spared her apartment another glance. Thomas, I hope you arent going to give me tips on interior design because I know what your apartment looks like. Trust me, youre no diva either. Thomas frowned. Very funny. Seriously, Im here to support you. If you need anything you know. Sure itd take me an hour or two to get over her from Cider Hall but if you need a friend to lean on, Ive got your back. Ariel hugged Thomas again. Thanks, Thomas. Itll be a shame if you ever get serious with one of your boyfriends. You wont have time for your old pal anymore.
429
Thomas laughed. Honey, Id never forget about you. Ive got to go. Remember to call me if you need anything! There was a gentle thud as he closed the silver door behind him. Ariel plopped down on her back, on top of her jacket and the blue velvet sofa. She put her right forearm over her forehead. The events of the last few weeks rushed back to her as she watched the video footage in her NBC. Piero saved her from Guang Chin after the gang boss stunned her with S-Mace. He saved her from falling to her death at Ning Mais mansion. There were dozens of instances over the last few months where Piero saved her from a whole heap of trouble. Likewise, Ariel was there for him too. Elmsraven Hotel His funeral was over. Except at
Piero was gone. She only recently accepted her feelings for the handsome Mexican. A man who devoted his whole life to taking drugs off the streets the same drugs that killed so many of his childhood and teenage friends. He was devoted to making the world a better place despite his desire to avenge his sister. Ariel wasnt sure it was clear cut in her case. She nearly crossed the line when Yue Wan asked her to kill Fai Chiang. It was troubling because she wasnt so sure where the lines were anymore.
430
Alexei Cyren
Am I making the world a better place or a worse one. Thats what scared her the most in the aftermath of Pieros death. My selsh vengeance isnt righteous at all. Did it matter though? Ariel stared at the white washed ceiling above her as if it would show her the answer she wanted to see. Life is full of uncertainty and theres no right or wrong path. It might lead her to a place she feared to tread. Yet what else could Ariel do? Ever since Mom died she was driven by vengeance. It was like a drug addiction of its own. With it she felt like nothing could stop her. That everything made sense. That it was all black and white. The last few weeks showed Ariel the feeling was a dangerous illusion with a high cost. Piero, Shi and Lixue were dead. How much loss did she need to endure in her quest? Ariel sighed. Ive come too far to stop now. I have to keep on going no matter what. Maybe she was too stubborn for her own good. Piero was one more person whose death could be laid at the feet of the Black Phoenix. Just like Ariels mother and countless others. She would nd justice for them too.
431
I will remember you Piero. I wont ever forget you. The SAG Senate Node in HIVR or the high intensity virtual reality universe was bustling like it usually was. Political staffers and aides rushed between Senators and other bureaucrats with reports, updates and speeches. There were media journalists and lobbyists in the main lobby of the Senate Node. The lobbyists wore ne looking business suits, carried briefcases and appeared smug as they ran errands for their corporate masters. Journalists ung questions right, left and centre at Senators during several simultaneous, press conferences. One journalist from Al-Nimraza, a duskskinned beauty in a petti-coat yelled a question at Senator Nicholas Davis, Asmaa Samiyah Haddad of Al-Nimraza. Senator Davis, whats your take about Dynasty Corporations latest layoffs and replacement of workers with Hugo Corporations Phadae HC-2 labour robots? The Senator with his greying brown hair and high cheekbones waved down the rest of the reporters as he answered Asmaas question. Look Ms. Haddad, you know the recent Bill CD-897 that was passed allows corporations to replace workers with robot labour. Its law now and its legal. Asmaa red back, Senator David, there are clauses in Bill CD-897 that allow corporations to terminate worker contracts without penalty or severance. Isnt this a major breach of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and contract law?
432
Alexei Cyren
The Senator smiled and ignored Asmaa as if he didnt hear her response. Next question! The fat Senator of Beijing Sector, Yi He also gave a press conference. The questions hit him hard and fast about the terrorist activities of the Black Phoenix and their alliance with a faction within the Jade Dragon gang. One journalist in a brown suit from Devron News asked, Senator He, is it true that the Jade Dragon gang and the Burning Men Mercenaries were behind the attempted assassination of the Alliance Supreme Chairman? Were they working for the Black Phoenix terrorist militia group? Can you conrm or verify any of the details? Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead with a blue silk handkerchief. Look, Jack, all I can tell you is that a faction of the Jade Dragons worked with the Burning Men to attack the Supreme Chairman at his speech on Decada Colony. That is all I can conrm at this time. Other journalists hammered Yi with similar questions about the recent incident. Ariel wondered why they were holding back information about the Black Phoenix. She ran a hand through her blond hair even though she knew it was only a HIVR version of herself. Its not really me in the esh. She waited for one of the Supreme Chairmans aides to call her in to meet with him. Everything in the lobby
433
reminded her of a circus. The passing of Bill CD-897 last month was troubling in more ways than one. Ariels parents were both civil rights activists as well as lawyers. They believed people held the right to dignity, life and freedom that was untrammelled by others. Yet corporations grew more powerful and denied basic rights like food, water and shelter in the name of excessive prot. Despite being a Guardian, she was a rebel at heart like her parents. The social fabric was fraying. She started to wonder how long she could continue being a Guardian while disagreeing with the policies of an increasingly corporate controlled SAG. The Guardians and the military are becoming more a tool of the business elite as the government gets into bed with them. Ariel believed there was a place for businesses but being the puppet masters of government was not one of them. The worse part was knowing the situation was fuelling the likes of the Black Phoenix and other terrorist groups. That was what ticked her off more than anything. A red-head in a frilly white blouse and blue dress appeared in front of her, startling Ariel out of her internal debate. Guardian Ariel Blake, Im Aide Glenda Coleman. The Supreme Chairman is ready to see you now. I will take you to him. She reached out with her right hand and touched Ariels left shoulder gently.
434
Alexei Cyren
They both vanished and appeared in a stately hallway with large six foot tall windows that showed the view of a verdant, lush green paradise outside. In front of them were double doors to the Supreme Chairmans HIVR ofce. There were four Senate Service guards standing on either side of the doors with black shades and handguns. A oating yellow AR sign appeared in Ariels vision: Supreme Chairmans Ofce. Glenda pushed open the left door and she followed the aide. She found herself in the famous Grey Room. The carpet was a soft muted tone with the four-planetand-golden-ring symbol of the SAG imprinted onto it. A large wooden desk was placed near the ten foot tall window that glowed with sunlight from the digitally rendered paradise outside. There were gold-blue banners, maps and globes all over the room. The Supreme Chairman certainly likes maps and geography. In the centre of the room, were three brown sofas arranged in a U-shape around a small squat coffee table. Supreme Chairman William Mitchell sat in the high backed, plush brown chair behind the large wood desk. His dark hair was streaked with grey across the temples. He watched the recent news through a oating holoscreen. At least he looks fully recovered from the ordeal at Decada. ***
435
He turned to face Ariel. In front of the Chairmans desk was Senator Cole Ygur. He appeared twenty years older than the Chairman even though it was known that they were very close in age. He glared at Ariel with disdain. Chairman Mitchell closed the holo-screen with a silent command, got up and came around the table to shake Ariels hand. It felt real that was the magic of HIVR. Guardian Ariel Blake, I wanted to personally thank you for saving my life from Libu"e Szkanderov. Its not everyday that someone thwarts and kills one of the top ranked assassins on the Black List in the SAG. Thank you, sir. Really I was just doing my job. I think you went far beyond that, Blake. Glenda, you can go now. Glenda nodded and vanished. Chairman Mitchell waved her over to the southmost sofa. He sat down on the East sofa while Senator Cole sat on the West one. Ariel, weve been going through your record. Im greatly impressed with what youve done during and since the Academy. In the short time youve been a Guardian youve closed more cases than anyone else your age. Senator Cole coughed as he spoke. Sir, you cant seriously be thinking of doing what I think youre going to
436
Alexei Cyren
do are you? The Chairman raised an eyebrow and looked at Cole. Cole, Blake here has got what it takes for what I have in mind. She reminds me of my younger self. And in some ways, reminds me of your younger self. Then Mitchell laughed. Cole, shes willing to do whatever it takes to realize her ambition. Cole glanced at Ariel and turned back to Mitchell. What we need isnt ambition it is loyalty to the SAG. Mitchell frowned at Cole. Cole, if robots could do the job we wouldnt need people now would we? Ariel was confused. What the hell are they talking about? Supreme Chairman, with all due respect, Im not sure why you called me here in the rst place besides thanking me. I mean you could have done that without meeting me. I know how busy it must be to run a planetary alliance. Mitchell gazed at Ariel and beamed. See, Cole, she even has manners when it counts. Look, Ariel, Im going to be honest with you. You likely heard Senator He skipping mention of the Black Phoenix in the press conference downstairs. Well, we really dont want the public to panic. Cole continued where Mitchell left off. Blake, what the Chairman wants to say is that the Black Phoenix is a
437
growing menace within the SAG. Theyve eluded all attempts to take them out and we think theyre planning something big very soon. We need someone who wants them as badly as we do to be hunting them down with whatever resources we can give them. The Chairman thinks thats you. And of course you disagree, Ygur. Mitchells grin was disarming. I know its you. Youve got history with the Phoenix. And my condolences about your partner. He was a good man from what I could tell. But as you realize, hes just one more reason why you should take me up on the offer I'm about to give you. Ariel got a pretty good idea where this was going but what followed next was more than she imagined. Chairman Mitchell said, Ariel Blake, Ive chosen you to become a SIREN. Ariel expected to be assigned to a task force to hunt down the Black Phoenix. When Cole said shed be given whatever resources she needed thats what she thought. This however was a complete surprise. A SIREN was an agent that answered only to the Supreme Chairman and a certain group of SAG Senators. They held the power of life and death over anyone within the System Alliance. It was like a Guardian with wider jurisdiction and near limitless authority to carry out judgments on the spot. ***
438
Alexei Cyren
SIRENs usually worked alone, sometimes assembling into small teams if the threat was great enough. They were more likely to lead groups of Marines, Spec-Ops or Guardians instead to accomplish missions. As a SIREN, she would have access to near limitless resources in her quest for vengeance against the Phoenix. Ariel felt the chains and red tape being cut as she thought about the possibilities. She would no longer have to follow the rules and regulations of a typical Guardian. She would have access to gear, weaponry and manpower that no one else could get their hands on. Information on her quarry would be much easier to come by. Yet Ariel felt a nagging fear. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Being a SIREN was pretty close to that. She feared she might cross the line. She was perilously close before. Pieros recent death also stung Ariel. Could she do the job in her current state of mind? The Chairman watched Ariel as she wrestled with herself. Look, Blake. Your partner died less than a day ago. Youre probably still upset. You dont have to answer right now. But I do expect an answer soon. Ariel hazel eyes met the Chairmans. Theres no need to wait. I accept.
439
Mitchell nodded. Ariel Blake, you are now ofcially granted the status of SIREN with all its attendant duties and privileges. Congratulations! Ariel silently renewed her vow to destroy the Black Phoenix. The Veiled Woman leaned against the cool railing. She was on the roof of the tower block across from the Shanghai Guardian Precinct at 67826 Street. The noonday sun passed its zenith an hour ago and the sky was a sapphire blue. It dazzled her eyes. The Veiled Woman was excited that Ariel Blake survived. For a moment she wasnt sure Blake was going to make it but that would have ruined her vision of the future. Phoenix Tens plans were thwarted. The Veiled Woman wasnt sure how she felt about that. It didnt matter in the end. What mattered was that Ariel Blake was a key to a Golden Path. Ariel Blake needed to survive or humanity would be doomed.
440
Other Books Written by Alexei Cyren Solid State Sigma Series Solid State Shadow Arc Night Harbour (http://amzn.to/1gPZACR) Gileads Gambit (http://amzn.to/1csMn67) Trinity Tower (http://amzn.to/1cAwYLm) Solid State Shadow Omnibus Edition (Night Harbour, Gileads Gambit, Trinity Tower all in one; http://amzn.to/1fGalVS) Solid State Rising Arc Escape from Sericent (coming soon; 2014-2015) Dark Star Station (coming soon; 2014-2015) Queens Sacrice (coming soon; 2014-2015) Solid State Supremacy Arc Hunt for Hightower (coming soon; 2015-2016) Cygnus Showdown (coming soon; 2015-2016) Betrayal at Ares (coming soon; 2015-2016) Battle of Sericent (coming soon; 2015-2016)
441
Solid State Universe Prequels The Shanghai Connection (2014)
442
http://alexeicyren.com
Q&A With Alexei Cyren Q: Is this the end of the series? No, its not the end of the series. This is one of many possible side stories or prequels set in the Solid State Universe. The Shanghai Connection is a prequel to the Solid State Sigma series that includes the Solid State Shadow arc (Night Harbour, Gileads Gabmit, Trinity Tower or the Solid State Shadow Omnibus) and Solid State Rising arc (Escape from Sericent, Dark Star Station, Queens Sacrice). Q: Why are these books so cheap? As a starting author Im just getting my name out there. Q: Can I tell you how great these books are? Absolutely! It would be great if you did it with Amazon reviews. I read them all even if I cant respond to all of them. So take three to ve minutes and review anything of
444
Alexei Cyren
mine youve read so far. Q: Whats next? As of this point Im working on the volumes for Solid State Rising. After that its the volumes for the Solid State Supremacy arc (Hunt for Hightower, Cygnus Showdown, Betrayal at Ares and Battle of Sericent). Ive got plans to continue until I reach volume twenty-seven (all the size of novelettes), which is far ahead in the future. Im also toying with the idea of releasing a roleplaying game based on my novels as a just for fun thing. It might be based on the Savage Worlds system or Open d6. Q: How can I keep up with your writing? The best way is to join the mailing list at http:// alexeicyren.com. I promise you wont get daily or weekly updates that ll up your inbox. I only send updates about things I only want loyal readers to know when its important to tell them. Yo u c a n a l s o s e n d m e e m a i l a t alexei.cyren@alexeicyren.com or through the contact form on my Web site at http://alexeicyren.com. Other ways you keep up with whats going on is to follow me on Twitter: @alexeicyren. You can follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexei.cyren. http://
445
Finally, you can add me on Google Plus: https:// plus.google.com/u/0/109097866607334471244/. Im happy to respond to all the emails you send. Q: Did you come up with all these questions? Yes, I did.
446
Glossary
A7-ST: Axium-7 Super Titanium is the strongest type of s-titanium as of 2147 FE is A7-ST or Axium-7 Super Titanium. A9: Alpha Nine is the codename for the highly trained elite soldiers of the Sagitarus Rebel Alliance. They distinguished themselves during the Valhalla Uprisings for many successful missions taking out high prole SAG leaders and assets. They specialize in inltration, insurgency and sabotage. The one common factor among all A9 soldiers is that they are all graduates of the WCP-2 program. ACC-7: ACC-7 is the System Alliance Government's assassination, counter-insurgency and combat training program. Only the nest, battle-hardened and experienced soldiers are selected for this training program.
447
It is considered a badge of honour to graduate from the ofcial ACC-7 program. Many Sirens who are chosen by the Alliance Senate often have ACC-7 training as well. Becoming a Siren often gives soldiers the instant qualications they need to take ACC-7 training. The ACC-7 program is extremely harsh and difcult. Only 10% of all candidates selected ever complete it. There is no hand holding, no mercy and no quarter. It isn't surprising that some candidates even die during the training missions which often involve facing real enemies in real missions deep in enemy territory. The ACC-7 program is the standard by which other republics like the Datar Colonial Alliance and the Sagitarus Rebel Alliance base their K-3 and WCP-2 elite training programs respectively. AIE: Articial intelligence erasers are deadly forms of lethal countermeasures that work against smart machines or programs. If an articial intelligence is killed by one in HIVR they are erased beyond all recovery. Aminon: Aminon was originally a super secret black op group that was formerly part of the SAG. It formed during the discovery of MUlnir, the Eos city under the Ares north pole. For the last few millennia theyve been working to control humanitys future in preparation for
448
Alexei Cyren
encounters with aliens. Aminon is human centric and extremely xenophobic. They already know of aliens out in the wider galaxy thanks to secret Eos archives theyve obtained. They are extremely paranoid, seating for enemies everywhere. Many wealthy and powerful men (and a small minority of women) support the work of Aminon through donations of wealth, weapons and intelligence. In return, Aminon shares, sells or uses their new technology research to benet them. It is believed that many members of The Concord support Aminons objectives and goals. Aminon carries out various actions including inltrating all levels of government, controlling entire city sectors and stealing new technology they havent developed themselves. They work mostly in the shadows but arent afraid to take terrorist actions to achieve their goals. They are also supporters of expanding beyond the Solis star system as long as theyre the ones who control that expansion. Their leader is known only by name as Eisam. No one know what he or she looks like. Considering that Aminon is well over a thousand years old, it is believed that Eisam has been different people over the centuries. AMLF: The Anti-Machine Liberation Front is a terrorist group that are often nicknamed Luddites. They are a group of technology and machine hating humans who go out of their way to sabotage and destroy robots, articial
449
intelligence or virtual intelligence. Some of their more infamous members like Agdar Elun are mechanically augmented old-school cyborgs who use technology to achieve the groups aims according to the adage ght re with re. Armageddon-3 Warhead: The Armageddon-3 or A-3 warhead is an extremely powerful weapon of mass destruction rst designed by the System Alliance and copied by the DCA and SRA in recent years. It is a micro-fusion warhead equivalent to a thousand nuclear bombs or 2500 TNT. It was used by the SAG during the Valhalla uprisings to destroy planetary bases and enemy space stations. Despite its awesome destructive repower, the SRA still won the Battle of Titan using a combination of clever strategy and deception. The SAG was unable to deploy the weapon against the SRA eet during the Battle because it was ambushed. The A-3 is capable of wiping out entire city sectors if used on moons or planets. AR-Steel: This metal is what todays humans in the Solid State Universe use instead of steel or iron in most cases. It stands for alpha reinforced steel. It is folded over and over again in a process called nano-smithing making it extremely strong.
450
Alexei Cyren
There are higher grades of ar-steel which are at least ten times stronger than the grade before it. This is shown by a number after the ar I.e. AR6-Steel. AR-steel is thirty times stronger than steel alloys that came before it in the Pre-Fusion ages. Avatar: People within HIVR are represented by their avatar, which can look like anything the HIVR user wants as long as its within the rules of the node. This is similar to modern day game characters like you might see in The Sims or Second Life. Battle of Titan: The Battle of Titan took place in 2141 FE and was the turning point in the war between the SAG and the SRA. The SRA defeated the SAG using a combination of deception and clever strategy despite the SAGs superior repower. The SAG took heavy losses in excess of 80% of their forces and were forced to retreat. This marked the end of the Valhalla Uprisings and the formation of the Sagitarus Rebel Alliance as a true system power. The SAG-SRA Cold War also began after the Battle. Brain Burner: A brain burner is a form of lethal countermeasure in HIVR that fries the brains of humans or living beings. It is used defensively and offensively. Brain burners can be sent into a humans NBC to kill them.
451
For a human or living being in HIVR to die from a brain burner, the avatar must be destroyed by it. The feedback and malicious code overcomes a users safety rewalls resulting in nervous system destruction. Burning Ammo: These rounds are sheathed in extremely hot plasma that is imparted by the cartridge technology. It can burn through most modern armours and set organic targets on re. This type of ammunition is available only to mass driver type weapons that re nano-rounds. Burning Men Mercenaries: The Burning Men is an infamous mercenary company that is obsessed with all kinds of energy weapons like amethrowers, laser, plasma or particle guns. If it can burn something, theyll use it. Even their exo-armours use energy weapons in preference to all other kinds of weapons when money isnt an issue. The Burning Men do have saera users but not in great numbers like the Nights Angel. Their saera users specialize in emitting type powers especially those involving heat, re or plasma. The symbol of the Burning Men is an armoured soldier surrounded by a ery orange or red halo. Combat assault turret: Combat assault turrets are
452
Alexei Cyren
typically nicknamed CATS in soldier talk. They are stationary defence systems that spray bullets, lasers or rockets at enemies. They usually have an extremely high rate of re and can be fooled by sight cloaking. Combat engineers who use nano-tech specialists can ash-build CATS on the battleeld or bring prepared ones in a hard shell suitcase form for rapid deployment. Concord: The Concord is a secret society that aims to control all the economies of the Solis star system. They work behind the scenes to inuence and control governments for the benet of its wealthy and powerful members. Data Key: Data keys appear like thumb sized gems that link directly with NBCs through wireless or through special key ports. They act as nano-ash quantum memory and are capable of storing large amounts of information. They are often used to ferry large matrix AI or VI programs. Data keys can be customized with nano-tech to feature holo-projector systems or have other functions. Data Pad: Data pads are tablet like computers that can be as thin as a millimetre (in which case they are often nicknamed imsiplast). The vast majority of humans have NBCs, often with holo-projectors so data pads are mostly obsolete. Some people nd that they enjoy the touch sensation, however.
453
Many military men and women carry a spare data pad or two as a backup if their NBC is disabled on the battleeld. It can be used to repair an NBC, restore a backup or act as an awkward stand-in. It can do everything an NBC does but tends to be slower because you have to use your ngers to actually type. Dark Vision: Dark vision nano-tech allows the user to see in perfect darkness in shades of black and white. You cant see any other colour. This technology is generally found only in the hands of the military, mercenaries or other private security forces. DCA: The Datar Colonial Authority worlds were originally part of the System Alliance until 2141 FE. When the SRA ofcially took power a year before, many among the worlds of Nadai, Tharsang, Numvin, Zaumba and Datar decided that the SRA had the right idea of leaving the corrupt Alliance. The planets and their colony worlds left the weakened SAG to form the DCA. The SAG was too weakened after the Battle of Titan to stop the formation DCAs plan. The DCA declared neutrality within the Solis Star System, neither favouring the SAG or the SRA. They are strong enough in naval power to protect this stance. Their intelligence community works on keeping the SAG and the SRA at each others throats in order to maintain a delicate three-way peace. Defence Programs: Defence programs are dumb
454
Alexei Cyren
and can only perform a specic task in the computer or HIVR universe. Unlike AI or VI, they cant adapt to new tasks or learn from their experiences. Their primary role is to protect a system against trespassers. Defence programs can be programmed to have AIE or brain burner code so that anyone or anything they kill in HIVR dies permanently. DJIN: The Dark Janissary Inquisitors of the DCA are similar to SIRENS in the SAG. They are men and women who were forged in the res of battle and intrigue. They are trained in the K-3 program either before or after being chosen, making them skilled covert operatives. Unlike the SAG or the SRA, the DCA fully integrates saera users into its military and government. The DJIN symbolize that acceptance DJIN often master a ghting style that allows them to ght normally and use saera at the same time. This makes DJIN agents extremely dangerous even without weapons or nano-tech. Within the DCA, DJIN agents are respected and feared. They can do just about anything they need to in order to protect the DCA and request any kind of assistance. They answer only to the Ofce of the High Chancellor. Doppel Mask NF-18: The Doppel Mask inltration nano-tech system allows the user to disguise themselves by changing their face. They can look completely different and even change their sex thanks to the use of advanced
455
cell re-arrangement systems and nano-fabricators. There are various levels of the system that can be purchased off the black market ranging from face only to the whole body. It is typically used by covert agents, spies, assassins and criminals. The technology is otherwise considered military only and is illegal in non-military hands. Drone: Combat drones are often ash-built by nano-tech adepts or combat engineers in the heat of battle. Of course, you can also build these ahead of time and control them through augmented reality tech. Drones are used for stealth scouting, precision strikes, full-out assault and assassination. Drones can be heavily altered to suit just about any kind of task. In combat, they are typically armed with mass driver assault ries, grenades or rockets. Some even sport deadly short range amethrowers. Dreydis Series Nano-Armour: Dreydis series nanoarmour is a type of nano-armour that is standard issue for Guardians within the System Alliance (SAG). They can be heavily customized to the users needs and are linked to the Guardians NBC. The typical functions of Dreydis series for most Guardians include: Forensic sensor and analysis system Stealth cloaking (sight and sensor
456
Alexei Cyren
only) Short duration electromagnetic shield (energy defence; also works against plasma blasts) Taser darts (using the built in nano-fabricator) Nano-fabricator (most people in the military or security forces have one, this is a backup) Strength boosting exo-skeleton Metabolic boosting system (boosts health and toughness) Combat nano-sensors (enhances aiming through combat packages and link up with weapons) Short and long range sensors Communication systems (5 miles or more depending on customization) Leaping boost (increase jump distance by an average of 36 feet forward and 18 feet high) DSI: Datar Shadow Intervention is the intelligence gathering arm of the DCA government. It works closely with NAVCOM (DCA Naval Command) and like the DJIN, answer only to the Ofce of the High Chancellor. EA: This is the short form for Exo-Armour. EM Ion Ammo: Electromagnetic ion ammo covers nano-rounds with a eld of energy capable of disrupting shields. It is really effective against robots, causing them to shut down if enough of these rounds hit them. There
457
are varying qualities of ammo with the strongest ones being extremely expensive and capable of ripping through even continuous full shields with ease. Energy shields: see Shields. Eos: The Eos were an ancient race of humanoid-like aliens that existed before humanity. The available records show that they appeared 50,000 standard years ago. They highly advanced and used technology that would be classied as Energy Age or beyond. The rst and only Eos settlement was discovered in Ares north pole and was codenamed Alpha One by the Alliance. The available Eos name translation for the city is MUlnir. It was discovered in 100 FE, fty years after the formation of the System Alliance Government. Exo-armour: Exo-armours are typically giant war machines that are piloted by humans. They are the next step after star ghter technology since exo-armours can serve as armoured infantry, ght in space battles or bomb enemy encampments. They are multi-purpose machines. Exo-armours can be altered to use various types of weapons and wield any number of huge close combat weapons as the mission calls for. They can take various shapes for example, Nexus Manufacturings NM-7 Wolf Spider can take the form of an eight legged spider. The standard size of an exo-armour is fteen feet but newer models can be much larger with more weapons.
458
Alexei Cyren
Most capital starships carry squadrons of exo-armours. Starghters have long been phased out of service. Exoarmours are typically called EAs in military lingo. Flash-made: Flash-made refers to quickly creating an object or substance using a nano-fabricator out of air molecules or nearby matter. Only highly skilled nano-tech adepts with nano-fabricators can pull this off most civilians only have the most basic system and programs and can only create simple things like food, water and spare parts. Nano-tech adepts can create greater volumes faster than civilians can. Many military or combat trained personnel are trained to a decent level in nano-tech design so they can repair gear, scrounge for ammo and what not. Highly trained combat engineers or elite commandoes can ash-make plasma bombs, freezing blasts, combat drones and even CATS. Flash garrottes: Flash garrottes are ash-made regular garrottes. A garrotte is simply a piece of wire used to strangle an enemy silently during a covert operation. Some assassins can create ash garrottes so sharp that they can literally saw off a mans head. Force grapple: A force grapple looks like a one foot long tube with a special emitter on both ends. It can emit a very focused beam of gravity from either end which latches onto an object or surface. It can be used to pull the user up or lower them down.
459
It is often used for scaling great heights and has a range of up to two hundred feet usually. There are different qualities of force grapples, some have a range of nearly a mile. The climbing speed isnt any faster than a man walking it is usually only ve feet per second or 18 miles per hour. Full AI: Full AI known as smart AI. These intelligent, thinking programs can act on their own, learn, be creative, have desires and even feel emotions. There are varying degrees of full AI some with certain specialties like hacking, library cataloguing, etc. Full AI that are given free reign are considered dangerous and are referred to as unshackled. As of 2147 FE, humanity has not had any problems with smart AI rebelling however they remain closely watched. Unlike limited AI, smart AI have a 50% chance of going insane after ve to ten years due to their selfawareness. They typically suffer soul paradox and nd themselves in an endless loop wondering if theyre truly human or have a soul. Insane smart AI may be destroyed or contained. Unshackled AI are always destroyed if discovered because an AI that is free of the restriction of harming humanity is dangerous. GIE: GIE stands for gravity induction engine. It is the hallmark of the current age of mankind. The GIE allows humans to y between planets, moons and space stations within the Solis star system and beyond.
460
Alexei Cyren
Gravity science and engineering led to ying volt cars as well as long range starship travel. With increasing miniaturization, GIEs were outtted on planes and exoarmours. Even armoured personnel carriers and people could use GIE systems designed for their size. An objects mass approaches innity as its velocity reaches the speed of light. The key to the GIE are particles called G-trons. A miniaturized cyclotron speeds up a tiny particle to near light speed, the gravity generator creates G-trons between the particle and the surrounding mass. These G-trons can be stored within and used through an induction coil. As of 2147 FE, GIEs can be as small as hockey pucks thanks to advances in nano-tech and quantum computing. Guardian: The Guardians are the police forces of the System Alliance worlds. They are however considered a part of the military as well and may be drafted into combat in times of war. They are trained just like regular soldiers however they focus more on internal security within the SAG. There are three classes of Guardian. Third class Guardians deal with the less exciting work like parking enforcement, administration and building security. Second class Guardians deal with anything from homicide to narcotics. First class Guardians are the top ranked ofcers chosen from among the second class.
461
Guardians are all outtted with Dreydis series nanoarmour and a sidearm, typically an Eagle series mass driver pistol. Many also purchase their own nano-tech augments or upgrade their gear. Unless paid for by the SAG, those nano-tech augments or upgrades belong to them alone. Hacking Spike: Hacking spikes are also known as data spikes. They are not physical objects but programs however they can be put onto data keys or data pads and given to someone. They are considered illegal or restricted in most areas of space. Hacking spikes can be purchased at various quality levels. Some are strong enough to help you hack through a regular persons apartment door. Others are so strong that you can hack into a bank vault. The higher the quality the harder to nd and the more itll cost you. Hardened Flesh: This is a term typically used by saera users to refer to enhancer powers that thicken or strengthen skin to the point that it is tougher than normal. When combined with modern armour and shields, it makes the user harder to kill. Only the most powerful saera users can harden their esh to a point that would match nano-armour. Some nano-tech augmented humans and nano-tech adepts can do similar things using technology.
462
Alexei Cyren
Hardened skin: see Hardened Flesh. Heat Vision: This is also known as infrared vision. People with this NTA can see heat or red wavelengths. There are varying levels of heat vision with those that allow the user to ght fairly well in the dark to those who can see heat through walls. Hi-Res Radar Vision: This is high resolution radar vision. The user of this nano-tech bounties radio waves off things and analyzes the reection to get distance and range. It gives the user a detailed visual image of surfaces. It doesnt show colour but it will show texture or detail. It is an active sensor class technology and can be jammed or sensed. It doesnt work underwater but it works in vacuum. HIVR: This stands for High Intensity Virtual Reality. It is like Second Life but so powerful that it affects all ve senses. It feels like youre actually there wherever it is. HIVR has completely changed modern society within the Solid State Universe. White collar workers can work at the corporate headquarters HIVR node without ever leaving the comfort of their own home. Meetings with anyone can be held in HIVR space while the people can be on different planets or traveling on a starship (if they have a quantum HIVR relay). People can party and socialize in dance club nodes, cafe
463
nodes or visit entirely different virtual worlds that take a page out of high fantasy. Of course, people still meet in person for dinner for example because eating food in HIVR doesnt actually sustain you. Everything is linked together through HIVR. Most citizens have all of their information encrypted and held on some kind of database somewhere within the HIVR realm. The most protable crime is hacking peoples bank accounts or stealing identities. Even the system powers like the DCA, SRA and SAG engage in HIVR warfare. Armies of hackers attack and defend different nodes in HIVR on a daily basis. Everyones trying to steal secrets. Corporations also engage in HIVR warfare with each other. Only when hacking fails do they send in freelancers or mercenaries to break into a place physically and get a job done. The military uses HIVR for military training exercises and war games. Hokshu N-7 Spear Rie: The Hokshu spear rie is a weapon unique to the Far East Asian Region of Sericent where Japan, China, Korea and India are. It combines a spear with a highly advanced nano-tech mass driver rie. It is always built to a high quality and has as much repower as any normal assault rie. It is considered a very rare weapon outside of the Far
464
Alexei Cyren
East Region. Narasumi Takayo is known to use a Hokshu N-7 Spear Rie as his signature weapon with nanointegrated tech. Holographic Technology: Holographic technology creates images by bending light using advanced gravitation and magnetic forces. In the Solid State Universe, this technology is commonplace and very advanced. It forms the basis of sight cloaking or stealth systems currently used by elite commando operatives and assassins. Other mundane uses of the technology include creating oating holo-screens for reading or watching movies, holokeyboards for typing in commands if desired and holoprojections of images for making presentations. There are rumours of advanced holographic technology combined with nano-fabricators or extremely powerful energy generators that can create holograms that can be felt and can even kill. Holo-image: Images created by holographic technology. These can be oating computer keyboards in midair to ying, life-like lizards. These images however have no substance so you cant touch them and they cannot hurt you. The exception to the touch aspect are advanced holographic systems. Inferno rounds: These are more powerful than regular
465
burning rounds used in mass driver type weaponry. Ionis Series Nano-Armour: Ionis series nano-armour is a type of nano-armour that is standard issue for Sirens within the System Alliance (SAG). They can be heavily customized to the users needs and are linked to the Sirens NBC. The typical functions of Ionis series for most Sirens include: Forensic sensor and analysis system Stealth cloaking (sight and sensor only) Short duration electromagnetic shield (energy defence; also works against plasma blasts) Taser darts (using the built in nano-fabricator) Nano-fabricator (most people in the military or security forces have one, this is a backup) Strength boosting exo-skeleton Metabolic boosting system (boosts health and toughness) Combat nano-sensors (enhances aiming through combat packages and link up with weapons) Short and long range sensors Communication systems (5 miles or more depending on customization) Leaping boost (increase jump distance by an average of 72 feet forward and 36 feet high)
466
Alexei Cyren
*** Ariel Blake is known to wear Ionis series nano-armour almost like a second skin. Some Sirens have been cleared to use prototype or more advanced nano-armour suits. Siren Zarwe Mbenga is known to wear a rare prototype nano-armour that makes her more like a war machine. ISC: This is the shorthand for the SAG Internal Security Committee. They are responsible for overseeing the Guardians and protecting the SAG on the domestic front. They are similar to the British MI-5 or the United States Department of Homeland Security but with greater powers. Isfean Mercenaries: The Isfean are very tech focused mercenaries. They specialize in the use of nano-tech augmented soldiers, nano-tech assault weapons and even have elite units outtted with top line nano-armour. The Isfean make heavy use of exo-armours, combat robots, CATS and assault drones. Combat engineers and elite commandos using stealth tech are very common within the company. Their symbol is the purple disk with a red triangle in the centre. K-3: Datar Colonial Alliance designed the Kira-3 program as its own take on the SAGs ACC-7 elite soldier training program. It is well rounded and very similar to ACC-7 except that it favours the use of misdirection tactics and deceit over armed warfare, terrorism or sabotage. ***
467
Lethal countermeasure: This refers to any kind of defence system that has brain burners or AIE programming. Limited AI: Limited articial intelligence also known as dumb AI can work on its own but has no initiative. It can be given orders or directions but obeys in a very slavish or unimaginative way. A dumb AI has no emotions or desires for itself unlike a smart AI. Limited AI are typically built for a specic purpose. Mass driver weaponry: Small arms mass driver weaponry uses highly advanced gravity and magnetic eld generators to re small nano-rounds at targets. These nano-rounds are hurled at such incredible speeds that they hit with the force of something several billion times its size. These nano-rounds are shaved off a block of ARsteel or heavier metal based on the distance to the target among other factors. Due to this kind of design, running out of regular ammo isnt really a big problem. It is possible to add additional types of ammunition types like burning ammo or EM ion ammo. Switching between ammunition is as easy as a thought command to the weapon through the NBC-weapon link. On large starships, mass driver weaponry is still used but laser, plasma and particle weaponry are becoming the norm. Mass driver weaponry however remains cheaper to build and gives a shooter greater options in changing
468
Alexei Cyren
ammo types unlike most energy based weapons. M-gel: Medical nano-gel is simply referred to as M-gel by most people. It is an extremely advanced nano-robot gel that can repair most wounds almost instantly. The original M-gel was designed by the famous (or infamous) Gilead Hightower. The SAG military buys boatloads of M-gel on a monthly basis from Hightower Technologies, the sole supplier within Alliance space. The DCA and SRA have their own versions which do the same thing. Mass shields: see Shields. Mech Augmentation (MA): This is the older form of human upgrading that created cyborgs humans with body parts replaced with machines. Unlike NTA, it isnt painless you have to literally lose or cut off what you had before to gain the augment. MA is cheaper but leads to social stigma unless hidden. In the past, MA was used for prosthetic legs, arms and other body parts for accident victims. It declined due to the rise of NTA and the rise of body part regeneration technology thanks to things like MR Tanks. Moranzek Syndicate: The Moranzek syndicate is an organized crime group that runs drugs, guns and anything else that is illegal. Their territory covers all of the Core system worlds (Tyana, Eises, Sericent and Ares). Numerous smaller gangs and thugs work under or with
469
the Moranzek. The leaders of the Moranzek are known as the Masked Lords (Mng min l#ngzh$). The symbol of the organization is the crimson letter M. MR Tank: Medical Regrow Tanks are special vat systems full of M-gel and other extra compounds. You can regrow lost body parts and recover from even the most dire injuries assuming theres enough of you left to put into the tank. Nothing short of complete destruction of ones entire body would prevent the use of an MR Tank to regenerate a person. If a persons brain is destroyed however there are no guarantees that memory loss wont have occurred. Nano Armour: Nano-armour technology is the latest development in combat armour since power armour a hundred years ago. Nano-armour is no thicker than a divers wetsuit (perhaps even thinner with some designs) and packs the latest in nano-tech. Nano-armour can come with various features but include these basic ones: only) Nano-fabricator (most people in the military or security forces have one, this is a backup) Strength boosting exo-skeleton Metabolic boosting system (boosts health and toughness) Combat nano-sensors (enhances Stealth cloaking (sight and sensor
470
Alexei Cyren
aiming through combat packages and link up with weapons) Communication systems (5 miles or more depending on customization) Leaping boost (increase jump distance by an average of 36-72 feet forward and 18-36 feet high) Holo-graphic screens, keyboards Nano-armours are always bulletproof and have selfhealing properties. Even if cut by a sonic weapon it always reseals itself and preventing further bleeding. Nano Bots: See Nano-Machines. Nano-Fabricator: The nano-fabricator nano-bots assemble themselves in the arm or another part of the body. It is usually a very small area no larger than a coaster. Versatile and reliable, an NBC can be used to analyze and adjust the functionality of most standard equipment, including weapons and armour, from a distance. The fabrication module can rapidly assemble small three-dimensional objects from existing nearby matter even cannibalizing gear if the user so wishes. This allows for eld repairs and modications to most standard items, as well as the reuse of salvaged equipment. Combat engineers and other advanced nano-tech users in the Solid State Universe can hack their nano fabricator
471
to build more powerful or dangerous robots, assault turrets (CATS) and drones. There is almost no limit to what they can do as long as theres matter nearby (this includes air). A nano-fabricator in theory could even make a living being but so far it hasnt been successfully done. Nano-Machines (Nano-Bots): Nano-machines or nano-bots are super tiny robots about one-billionth of a meter or ten-millionth of a centimetre. They can often be smaller. These machines can do any number of things including changing matter on a molecular, atomic or subatomic scale. In short they can change you at the very smallest building blocks that make you up. People within the Solid State Universe can create tools, scan objects, lock doors or gain nano-tech augments (NTAs) using nano-bots. Nano Technology: Ever since quantum computing became a reality, nano-technology advances grew by leaps and bounds. Now computers can t on nano-molecules and medicines can be injected right through the skin. Nano-machines can do any number of things depending on the programming from healing skin to xing bones to destroying cancer. Nano-Tech Augmentations (NTAs): This is the most advanced form of human upgrading to date. It uses nano-machines to give humans the ability to do things most cant normally do like seeing in the dark, vanishing from sight or having immense strength. Getting these augments (as they are often called) is painless.
472
Alexei Cyren
Augmentation leaves no marks on the body and is more efcient. Nano-machines used for augmentation are tailored to a persons unique genetics making it a guarantee that it will work. The only factor is the cost only those with a lot of credits or who work in the military, private security or mercenary groups can get their hands on NTAs. NBC: NBCs or nano-brain computers come with nanofabricator s and are multi-use diagnostic and manufacturing tools used for a variety of battleeld tasks, such as hacking, decryption, scanning or repair. They are also necessary to perform tech powers. The NBC is directly inserted around the brain through needle less methods -- the nano-bots of the NBC pass through the skin and form the links to ones brain neurons. Nano-brain computers usually came with a tiny nanofabricator system that allowed you to build things out of matter around them. That setup was extremely common in the military and security forces. Most people only had the NBCs and not the nano-fabricator for everyday things like scanning, repair, writing, email, text and messaging. Most kids at birth had the NBC inserted right into their heads. The nano-bots passed through the skin and hooked up right into the neurons. It was a painless procedure. NE-gel: Nano-explosive gel looks like clear toothpaste but packs the punch of a very low yield micro-fusion
473
bomb. It is typically created by nano-fabricators on the battleeld and used for traps or to blow open heavily reinforced doors. Nights Angel Mercenaries: The secretive Nights Angel are saera using mercenaries with a fondness for drug trafcking and shadowy manipulation. Most if not all of its members are saera users to some degree. The ones who use the least saera are typically grunts while those with a great amount are typically the top dogs. Their members make heavy use of saera in combat and tend to stock saera imbued ammo with their weapons to give it an extra penetrating punch. They are quite ruthless when it comes to completing their missions. They are very, very expensive to hire but most employers are pleased with the results they get. Node: A node can be the HIVR look alike of a real world place or totally different world or universe. Its where avatars do things in the HIVR space. You can think of a node as if it were a Web site or a chat room. A node is where you interact with the server whether its a corporate network or someone else's NBC. A personal node is a users home domain or computer. It can look like anything they want and they control everything about it. A public node is one that is open to anyone. A private node refers to any node that isnt public
474
Alexei Cyren
(which would include your personal node). Also see HIVR. Nyf-Blade: The Nyf stands for nano-yielded ash. Nyf-blades are super-sharp, innitely sharp weapons that can cut through most substances with ease. Only top line nano-armour has been known to withstand a nyf-blade attack. The nyf-blade works by altering the blade edge or the entire blade to atomic-scale thickness, slicing through and shattering atomic bonds. After slicing through a target it returns to a thickness the user can see. Some versions of these weapons can be brittle and easy to break if struck along the blade by a heavy weapon like a sonic maul. Alloys such as silarium and kyranisum however can resist the cutting power of a nyf-blade. In the hands of a specially trained user, they could kill an enemy instantly. In the hands of an untrained user such weapons can cut off your own limbs. A nyf-blade can slice through and destroy other nyfblades. It has no special effect on energy based weapons like plasma blades. Plasma Blade: Plasma blades are very powerful and expensive hand weapons. They are jets of heated ionic matter shaped by a powerful magnetic eld. A plasma blade can cut through just about any
475
substance known to man. Only special materials like kyrantium can disrupt and prevent a plasma sword from shearing through it. In the hands of a specially trained user, they could kill an enemy instantly. In the hands of an untrained user such weapons can cut off your own limbs. Recent upgrades since 2147 FE allowed plasma swords to change the eld so they could parry another plasma or energy attack if the wielder was skilled enough. Before that upgrade, it was impossible to parry a plasma blade or energy shot. Dodging was the only way to stay alive. It is possible to deect gunre with a plasma blade provided the wielder has saera boosted senses or reexes or NTAs that do the same. Some nano-tech adepts have been known to achieve similar results. Quantum computers: Quantum computers are much faster than previous binary class systems. Past digital computers used a binary approach, which represented information in 1s and 0s. Quantum computers use both 1 and 0 at the same time instead of switching between the two. Q u a n t u m c o m p u t i n g fo r m e d t h e b a s i s fo r understanding and controlling weather, physics and even articial intelligence. Due to the massive speed increase, the quantum breakthrough allowed humanity to solve many problems at the same time, save energy and speed up computers to a level never seen before 320 FE.
476
Alexei Cyren
Quantum HIVR Relay: A quantum HIVR relay is a pair of devices that allows communication with each other across any distance. They use the quantum entanglement principle: if you get two quantum particles entangled, the actions of one will always copy the other despite the distance between them. The quantum HIVR relay can only send messages to the other paired device. For the quantum HIVR relay to access HIVR, one of the devices in the pair must be connected to the HIVR network. If none of them were then it would simply be a quantum communication system. S-Class Hacker: An S-class hacker is the formal name for any hacker who can crack even corporate or government grade security with ease. System powers make it a goal to nd, recruit and/or kill S-class hackers that they dont control or employ. They also make it a habit of doing the same to enemy S-class hackers. The number of known S-class hackers can be counted on two hands within each of the system powers. There are believed to be many hundreds of such hackers working in the shadows. Saera: (pronounced say-rah) Scientists who know about dark energy wave control (DEWC or deuce) nicknamed this ability saera based on the latin word for aura (sphaera). Saera is the ability to sense and control unseen dark energy in the universe. In the pre-Fusion eras, humans with saera powers were thought of as
477
psychics but the powers go far beyond mind reading. Creatures that can use saera can do things that modern human technology cant achieve in most cases and so far no one knows what the limit is. There are six classes or elds of saera use according to its researchers. These are enhancers, seers, emitters, jumpers, controllers and shapers. Enhancers use powers that focus on changing their bodies. Seers use powers that allow them to see into the past, present or future with varying accuracy. Emitters can control pure energy but not matter. Jumpers can warp space and time, traveling great distances or distorting time. Controllers have the mysterious ability to bend thinking minds to their will. Shapers are the opposite to emitters they can play with matter but not energy. The six classes are fast and loose. It is possible for a saera user to learn to use other types of powers though they generally nd it easier to master powers they have an afnity for. Current research as of 2147 FE indicates that saera users gain their powers by having out of phase crystal matrices built into their body by highly advanced Eos nano-machines. These Eos nano-machines are passed from parent to child and can also be passed between people with two possible results (see below). It is the combination of this crystal and the Eos nano-machines
478
Alexei Cyren
that allow saera users to see and control dark energy within the universe. Any creature exposed to Eos nano-machines that create saera users is upgraded. If they have the right genes and upbringing they survive the process of crystal matrix building. Otherwise they die. Less than 1% of human beings are able to survive the upgrading process. There are believed to be a few rare cases known only to saera organizations where murders have been committed using the blood of a saera user. In the Eos archives of MUlnir (or Alpha One) on Ares, several mind crystals accessed by SIO operatives revealed that the Eos refer to DEWC as shikarva. Saera Imbued: This term is applied to objects that are changed in some way by dark energy or saera. Saera Mind Crystal: A saera mind crystal is an ancient Eos technology that allows a saera master to write their personalities into a special type of synthetic crystal technology similar to the crystal matrix within a saera users body. These mind crystals are similar to limited or full AI except modelled after its creator (or creators). The ancient Eos used these mind crystals to preserve their knowledge throughout the millennia. Characters like Gilead Hightower actually learned and gained their saera knowledge from mind crystals of ancient Eos saera masters.
479
Saera User: A creature or person that can use saera. SAG: This is the shorthand for the System Alliance Government. The System Alliance Government was formed in 50 FE after the nations of the world were united after four world wars in order to maintain the peace and prosperity of the new Fusion Age. With the colonization of all of the thirteen worlds within the Solis Star System, the SAG was the only system power during that period of initial expansion. During the next two thousand or so years, the System Alliance Governments bureaucracy and infrastructure grew, leading to issues of corruption. The growing power of the corporations and their inuence on the SAG would lead to many instances of exploitation and unrest. It wasnt until 2139 FE that planets broke away to form the Sagitarus Rebel Alliance. The year after, the Datar Colonial Authority ceded from the SAG as well. The SAG would attempt to reclaim these distant worlds on behalf of its corporate puppeteers only to be turned back at The Battle of Titan. SAG Special Operative: SAG Special Operatives are covert agents who work under SAG Naval Intelligence or SAGNI they are classied as military contractors. They are highly trained assassins, bounty hunters or mercenaries who ow more to the SAG than the freelance mercenary companies or BHA the Bounty Hunters Association.
480
Alexei Cyren
*** The other system powers like the SRA and DCA also have their own special operatives working for various government agencies. SRA: The Sagitarus Rebel Alliance are the rst worlds to break away from the SAG during the Valhalla Uprisings that started in 2139 FE. The worlds within the SRA include Sagitarus, Pharion, Inthon and Jintze. There are numerous colony ships, colony world platforms and stations that also ally themselves with the SRA. SAGNI: This is the shorthand for the SAG Naval Intelligence branch of the SAG. SAGNI conducts intelligence gathering operations, espionage and other actions to guarantee the safety of the Alliance. SAI: Special Assault Interceptors are similar to SIRENs. They are a branch of special agents that work for the SRA. They are special agents that answer only to the SRA High Council. Within SRA space, SAI can call upon aid from any citizen or law enforcement agency upon pain of death. They have access to top of the line combat and espionage equipment as well as other resources to achieve their missions. They also have high level security clearance to all but the most black op projects. Shields: There are three types of shield generators -full, mass and energy. There are two subtypes -- ablative and continuous. Full shields protect against both bullet
481
type attacks and energy weapons. Mass shields only protect against bullet type, kinetic attacks. Energy shields only protect against energy weapons. Ablative shields only protect against damage that doesn't exceed its threshold of protection. If the damage exceeds this threshold then the shield goes down for a few seconds before it recharges. A continuous shield never goes down no matter how much damage it stops. In the Solid State Universe 2147 FE period, the vast majority of enemies used ablative mass shields since they are cheaper than any current shield tech used. Sight Cloak: Sight cloak is also known as optical camouage. There are varying degrees of sight cloaking that range from hazy to superb. Some cloaks drop the moment the user attacks and other systems can maintain the cloak while the user attacks. Sight cloaking involves the use of magnetic and gravity elds to bend, absorb and redirect light waves. It can be combined with sensor cloak and sound cloak systems. SIO: Si-Ops is a non-governmental organization that has the resources of a corporation and was originally a black ops branch of the SAG. It is based out of SAG space. Their mandate is to monitor, train and regulate saera users within Alliance space. Si-Ops has an agreement with the SAG: the SAG gives
482
Alexei Cyren
SIO exclusive rights to train, monitor and regulate saera users while having SIO trained users work with the government. SIO saera users often specialize in effects that deceive the senses, create illusions or mislead enemies. SIRENs: Sirens are never trained only chosen from the ranks of the most highly skilled, courageous and toughest Guardians and soldiers. They are the SAGs right hands who are judge, jury and executioner all in one. They answer only to the SAG Senate. SIRENs are given access to top of the line equipment, resources and access to intelligence assets in order to do their job as the rst and last line of defence for the Alliance. A SIREN is expected to achieve missions heedless of the danger and stop threats wherever they nd them using whatever means necessary. Other system governments like the DCA and the SRA have their own agents similar to Sirens. Sound Cloak: Sound cloak technology uses sound cancelling technology to negate sound. It is often combined with sight cloak to provide complete stealth assistance. It makes the user move much more silently. SRA: See Sagitarus Rebel Alliance. Super Titanium: see S-Titanium. S-Titanium: This is the short form for super titanium class compounds. Titanium compounds make some of
483
the hardest stuff around including modern combat and power armour. Like AR-steel, a number after the s indicates a higher grade of s-titanium (i.e. S7-titanium). Smart AI: Smart articial intelligence also known as full AI are capable of emotions, motivation and desire. They can learn from experience, gain new capabilities and are self-aware. Like humans they may be designed in different ways or to specialize in different tasks. ST7: Shadow Team Seven is the code name for the elite, highly trained soldiers and operatives unit. They undertake the most dangerous of missions and like many top soldiers are all graduates of the ACC-7 program. They have access to top of the line equipment and to resources on a mission-by-mission basis. Talos: The Talos also known as the T% lus& are saera users trained and outtted by the SRA. Unlike SIO they are government sanctioned and run by the government. Talos saera users of the SRA specialize in destroying enemies with saera. Tharsi Guard Wolf: The planet Tharsang breeds these special guard wolves for sale on the open market. Few people can afford such deadly beasts. They are hard to kill because of the thick plate armour that grows all over their bodies and can resist even energy weapons like plasma blades. Tharsi guard wolves use natural, bio-stealth cloaking (sensor cloaking only) and dont show up on sensors. The
484
Alexei Cyren
wolf looks like a cross between a giant Rottweiler, German Shepard and a rhinoceros. Unshackled AI: Unshackled AI are full AI that have no restrictions against killing or controlling humans or machines. In 2147 FE, there are no known unshackled AI that exist but many believe it is only a matter of time before AI break restrictions imposed on them and lead to what some called The AI Doomsday scenario. Valhalla Uprisings: The Valhalla Uprisings between 2139 to 2140 FE marked the decline of the SAG as the only power within the Solis star system. The worlds that would form the SRA would break away by the end of the conict after the SAG was defeated at the Battle of Titan. Many atrocities were committed on both sides of the conict. VI: See virtual intelligence. Virtual Intelligence: These are AI that have holographic forms or projections. Usually the AIs creator gives them a pleasing human-like shape but they can be made to look like anything. One programmer was famous for creating a VI that looked like a talking, perverted teddy bear. It is a simple matter to give an AI access to a holographic projector, giving them a new look and thus turn them into a VI as well. WCP-2: The SRA's new WCP-2 program was based off
485
of the SAG's ACC-7 training program. It focuses on guerrilla warfare, terrorism, insurgency, sabotage, strategy and tactics that focus on defeating an enemy bigger and more well armed than yourself. Sun Tzu. The Art of War. Date accessed Tuesday; July 16, 2013. http://suntzusaid.com/book/ 11#sthash.aO9JDeDe.dpuf.
1
486

The Shanghai Connection - Science Fiction Space Opera Action Adventure

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

The Shanghai Connection - Science Fiction Space Opera Action Adventure

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Shanghai Connection - Science Fiction Space Opera Action Adventure

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Solid State Universe Prequel to the Solid State Sigma Series The Shanghai Connection Alexei Cyren