Emp sabotage, p.35
EMP Sabotage, page 35
“No, that’s a few miles to the east,” Ruth replied.
They approached the road. As they did, John heard a faint sound rising in the distance. At first, it was little more than a rumbling, but after a few seconds, it grew, changed, and became something all too familiar. Ruth must have heard it, too, for she stopped in her tracks, still a few yards from the road, and glanced at John. He gave her an anxious look. They were standing out in the open. The nearest cover was a stand of trees back behind them.
They didn’t have long to consider the wisest course of action. Dust arose to the east, and the vehicles appeared within seconds. The motorcycles came fast, blasting down the small road at an alarming speed. Ruth turned, signaled for John to do the same, and made for the stand of trees. He followed, but he kept gazing over his shoulder to track the approach. There were at least a dozen motorcycles of various makes and models being ridden by a rough-looking group of men and women.
Unfortunately, it was clear that they would not reach the trees before the group passed by, so she stopped and crouched down in the grass. John squatted beside her, taking the sword handle in both hands.
The wild grass grew to their shoulders when they crouched, so they were not completely hidden. The first motorcycles, however, roared on by without the riders even looking at them. Then a couple of riders glanced in their direction. The final motorcycle in the line was a massive Indian Thunder Stroke 116, a crimson-colored beast that looked like it had only recently been stolen from the dealer’s lot. The man riding it was enormous, draped in a long leather coat and black boots. His helmet had a flaming skull on the side and a row of spikes along the top.
As he drew parallel with their spot in the grass, he slowed down, and his big head swiveled in their direction. Ruth saw a long black beard flecked with gray poking out from under the visor.
“You’re in our territory, you rats,” he roared, his voice so deep and so loud that it cut through even the cacophony of engine noise. “We eat interlopers for supper!”
Apparently, that was enough for Ruth. She tapped John on the shoulder, rose, and ran for the stand of trees. As she did, John heard the man cackle with laughter, but he didn’t look back until they were safely hidden in the deep shadows beneath the boughs.
10
Dana ran out on deck, chased by the shouting of the captain. On the lower deck, people were moving back and forth. Some were manning the firehoses. Others had guns, but the enemy boats were still too far away. Three mismatched boats racing along off their port bow. They were speedboats, but it looked like someone had mounted armor and weapons to them. She could hear their engines. Small but powerful, cutting through the waves.
She moved to the top of the steps at the edge of the upper deck, leaning against the handrail, and raised her binoculars. Maybe a dozen men on each of the boats, some in uniforms, others in civilian clothes. A few National Guard, some Coast Guard, and plenty of wannabe civilian heroes. Some of what she’d thought were mounted guns proved to be water cannons. However, a few of the men had rifles.
She lowered the binoculars. On the lower deck, an AILS agent named Maksat raised his own rifle, a retrofitted AK-47, and took aim at the distant ships.
“Don’t shoot at them yet,” Dana shouted. “Captain wants all rifles on the forward deck. These guys think were pirates. They don’t realize who they’re dealing with, but we’re about to show them.”
Cheers went up, and the rifle bearers practically danced up the promenade deck toward the main deck at the bow. The main deck was the largest one on the yacht, and they’d reinforced it with bullet resistant panels in the gaps along the handrail. The rifle bearers took up positions along the handrail, some on the port side, some on the starboard.
Only the women manning the firehoses remained on the aft deck. Dana clambered down the steps and made her way along the promenade toward them. As she did, she raised the binoculars and gazed at their attackers again. The three speedboats were coming in at an angle, clearly intending to intercept the AILS flagship. Since they were civilians and “old-worlders,” they probably wouldn’t open fire first. They would attempt to disable the boat or convince them to stop.
They don’t realize we can’t be bargained with, Dana thought, and felt a little shiver of glee. There was nothing quite as thrilling as exceeding the expectations of their enemies.
As soon as she reached the main deck, she heard a distinct whistle coming from the bridge. She knelt and grabbed the handrail with her free hand, still gazing in the direction of their enemies. The boats were in firing range, but they weren’t firing upon the yacht. Some had their rifles pointed in their directions, others did not. The water cannons were pointed at them, but all of the people looked nervous to Dana. Anxious.
And you should be, she thought. She lowered the binoculars and grabbed the handrail with her other hand. You’re less than insects to us.
“Brace yourselves, soldiers,” Dana shouted. “Maneuvers.”
She saw the soldiers on the deck in front of her reaching out to steady themselves, but they kept their rifles at the ready. Suddenly, the yacht took a sharp turn to port. The force of it pulled her away from the handrail, but she clamped down tightly. The soldiers along the main deck braced themselves. Most rode the turn, but a couple of them went down, though they quickly recovered.
Captain Tyra was turning the flagship toward their attackers. That should catch them off guard. The yacht turned in such a way that it was now positioned to intercept the speedboats instead of the other way around. Dana looked through the binoculars and saw their attackers scrambling. They seemed to be shouting at each other. The gap was closing fast.
“Open fire,” Dana shouted. “Now’s the moment! Drive them away!”
The attackers on the main deck rose above the handrail, braced themselves, and began to fire upon the speedboats. These old-worlders were going to learn that AILS operatives were well-trained and well-stocked with ammunition. They wouldn’t be the first to try to take their ship or the last. The yacht completed its turn, aiming its bow directly at the oncoming boats.
The men on the speedboats didn’t have much cover. As Dana watched, they began to drop. One man even flopped over the starboard gunwale and dropped into the ocean. It took a few seconds before they managed to return fire, and by then, they’d already lost seven men. She heard return fire plinking against the armor plates along the front of the yacht. At first, the speedboats maintained their course, as if they thought the AILS flagship was bluffing, but the yacht only picked up speed.
“Keep firing,” Dana shouted. “Aim well. No wasted bullets.”
She watched through the binoculars as more men fell on the speedboats. The pilot of the nearest boat was hit, and he stumbled to one side, clutching his chest. Someone else rushed to take his place. However, it became clear to all three speedboat crews that the yacht fully intended to ram into them. Dana watched the pilots change course, turning to port to avoid the impact. Many of their men, though armed, had dropped down, seeking cover, and no longer returned fire.
She couldn’t help but laugh, and it was a wild laugh. The AILS soldiers continued to shoot at them, even as the boats turned away. Unfortunately, the speedboats were faster, so once they were turning away from the yacht, they quickly gained distance. The old-worlders were now mostly lying flat, trying to avoid getting hit at all costs. AILS soldiers had picked off almost two dozen of them at this point. One of the men who had fallen into the ocean hit the bow of the yacht, and that made Dana laugh again.
“Okay, okay, stop shooting,” she called, as the smaller boats sped away. “They’re leaving. Don’t waste bullets. Let them go.”
The soldiers took a few more shots before heeding her command. Then they rose above the handrail, as if to survey their handiwork. Mind Maiden 1, flagship of AILS, had once again won the day.
“That took care of the problem,” Dana said. “They won’t come back any time soon.”
As the soldiers stood there, gazing ahead of the ship, Dana turned and made her way back to the bridge to report to the captain. She found their fearless leader standing at the helm, her closest attendants gathered around her. Tyra was an intimidating figure, tall and muscular, with dark hair pulled into a tight bun against her skull. She had sharp eyes that could cut right through a person, lips that were usually pressed together into a line, and angular facial features that seemed to have been chipped out of stone. She wore a self-designed uniform of gray and black, with padded shoulders, shiny buttons, straight pant legs, well-polished boots. She looked more like a relic from the past than a modern captain.
As Dana entered the room, Captain Tyra acknowledged her with the merest twitch of her head. The other attendants looked at Dana expectantly.
“As you can see, Captain, we overwhelmed the attackers,” Dana said, saluting her. “None of our people were injured. Bullets hit the armor plates, but that’s it. No casualties on our side.”
Tyra motioned for one of her lieutenants to take the helm. Then she turned to face Dana. The captain was hard to read. She had a severe expression on her face at all times, whether she was happy or furious, so Dana could never tell if she was going to get praised or chastised. However, under the circumstances, it seemed a bit of celebration was in order.
“They didn’t last more than a few seconds, Captain,” Dana said. “I doubt they’ll come back for a second round. I’m sure it took them by surprise.”
Tyra just stared at her for a moment, then nodded once. “You seem rather pleased with this outcome, Dana.”
It wasn’t quite what Dana had expected, and she sputtered for a second, trying to think of how to respond. “Well, um, uh, I’m just happy with our ability to respond to threats from the mainland, Captain. That’s all. It’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
Tyra turned without comment and resumed control of the helm, pushing her lieutenant aside. After a few tense seconds, she replied, “It never should have come to this in the first place. We’re still roaming the open sea like two-bit pirates when we should be settled in our new command center. We are behind on our timeline, Dana. We should be on the Mako by now, taking control of it at the very least, if not fully in control.”
“Yes, Captain,” Dana said. “Losing my...losing Parker was a big setback. Without a man on the inside, we couldn’t prepare the Mako for our arrival. It’s not all bad news, though, is it?”
“No, of course not,” the captain replied. “I simply want you to check your excitement. We have a lot of work to do. Driving away a few small boats is but a very small success.” She cocked her head at an angle. “Still, some things are going well. Both of the EMPs were a success, and we have essentially taken down the entire mainland. The cities are in utter chaos. That is the best possible outcome.”
This got a number of proud smiles and head nods from the surrounding attendants. Even Dana dared to beam proudly at this. Yes, the EMPs had been a huge success, achieving as much as they’d dared to hope.
“Also, we’ve been taking out the specialists and experts who know about our society and pose a threat to us,” Captain Tyra continued. “The last of the loose ends will soon by tied up into a neat bow. Then we can start to build a whole new world from the ground up. When the foundation is right, the whole structure will be sound and secure, and human frailty will never again threaten the future. I have the money, I have the resources, and I have the will to see it done. So, yes, Dana, there are reasons to celebrate.” She turned and gave Dana another sharp, unreadable look.
“Yes, Captain, you’re right,” Dana said, but only because she didn’t know what else to say and that sharp look demanded a response.
“Nevertheless, we’re struggling to achieve some of our most important strategic goals,” the captain continued, turning back around. “Parker failed us completely. A short blip from his radio is all we ever got. He provided no intel, and we have no idea if he laid any groundwork for our arrival. Even if we hadn’t been delayed in a dozen different ways, we really have no idea what’s waiting for us on the Mako, so we can’t make concrete plans. This…frustrates me greatly.” She said the last part tightly, between her clenched teeth. The sheer ferocity contained in those softly spoken words sent a shiver down Dana’s spine.
“Captain, should we...?” Dana hesitated before saying it. “Should we consider setting up our base somewhere other than the Mako? There are disadvantages to that place.”
“I want the Mako,” Captain Tyra snapped. “Do you hear me? My father paid for its construction years ago. It belongs to my family. It’s mine, and I want it. Never question my judgment on this ever again.”
“Sorry, Captain. It was not my place. Is there anything I can do to speed up the timeline?” Dana asked. “I’ll do whatever I can. Just command me.”
Tyra turned from the helm again. Though she didn’t beckon a lieutenant this time, the same high-ranking attendant—a rather rotund gentleman named Nelson, who had a broad face and a shiny bald head—stepped into her place at the wheel. The captain turned and took a step toward Dana, who resisted the urge to back away and cower. Was there a hint of a smile on Tyra’s face?
“I appreciate when soldiers volunteer for hard work,” she said. “Yes, Dana, there is something you can do to speed up the timeline, and if you pull it off, you will have my gratitude.”
Even a crumb of gratitude from the captain meant everything. “Whatever you ask of me, Captain, I’ll get it done.”
“Of course you will,” Tyra said, with a stiff nod. “Dana, I can’t operate with this lack of information. When we lack information, we lack control, and it’s never wise to charge into battle without advance knowledge of the battlefield. I need to be able to control everything at all times if we’re going to see our grand plans through to completion, and that means I need you to reestablish communication with the Mako somehow. If Parker is lurking on board somewhere, I need to know about it. Maybe he was injured. Maybe they learned of his true mission, and they’ve got him locked up somewhere. Or maybe he’s dead. I want to know.”
Dana saluted her. “I’ll send an advance team to check it out.”
Tyra laid a hand on her shoulder and gradually clamped down. She had a firm grip, but Dana resisted the urge to flinch. “I’m trusting you to get things back on track again. However you do it is up to you, but I expect success. Is that clear?”
“It’s clear,” Dana said, and despite herself, her voice quavered a bit. “I won’t let you down, Captain Tyra.”
“If you encounter any old-worlders who think to delay us further,” the captain said, “you know what to do.”
“Yes, as always. Old-worlders are not fit to live, sir.”
11
Ruth and John hunkered down in the stand of trees until the sounds of the motorcycles had faded into the distance. By then, it was drifting toward evening, and light had shifted into shades of blue and purple. Still, they waited a bit longer.
“If we leave their territory right now, there won’t be any problems,” John said. He was leaning against the trunk of a fat live oak tree, gazing out at the road.
“But we have to cross their territory to get to Ronny’s,” Ruth replied. “It’s on the other side of that road.”
“We could divert to the east, circle well around them, and then approach your brother’s ranch from farther to the northeast,” John said. “It would take a bit longer, but we would avoid this gang.”
“And we might run into another gang,” Ruth replied. “I want to spend as little time on land as possible. There are dangers everywhere. We’ll cross the road, stick to the fields, and avoid these people at the same time.”
“Okay, I trust your judgment.”
Ruth nodded, rose, and stepped out of hiding. Even though it was getting dark, she rushed toward the road, listening carefully for any indication of the returning motorcycles. She dashed to the road, looked in either direction, then crossed to the overgrown field on the other side. She would have preferred to follow the road. It would have made the journey easier, but it seemed unsafe, especially now. Instead, they moved through the field but stayed in sight of the road so they could follow its course.
After perhaps an hour of walking, when evening had fully fallen, she spotted lights in the distance. Flashlight beams sweeping back and forth. Ruth diverted farther from the road, heading toward a line of trees to the north. She moved low, trying to keep her body beneath the level of the wild grass. As she got closer to the trees, it became clear that the flashlights were moving in their direction, shining in the wild grass and bushes.
She traded an anxious look with John. They wouldn’t reach the trees in time, and she was afraid to get caught in one of the beams of light. So finally, she came to a stop and dropped down onto her hands and knees. John lowered himself beside her, clutching the sword in both hands. A few minutes passed, and she began to hear voices in the distance.
“…around here somewhere.” A deep voice, booming out over the field. “Yeah, we drove past them. It was just a couple of people. They couldn’t have gone far.”
As soon as the speaker stopped talking, there was a bark and hiss of static. It sounded like a radio. They had working radios? That was surprising. Working motorcycles and working radios. This was a cutting-edge gang.
“We’re making a sweep,” the deep voice said. “Overturn every rock, reach into every hole. Root them out. I want to see what they’ve got and who they’re with. It was a mistake to let them go.”
Ruth began crawling through the field, headed for the line of trees. However, she had to move slowly in order to avoid making too much noise. John came with her, though crawling with the sword seemed especially awkward. She heard murmuring voices directly behind her, and the backwash of flashlight beams illuminated the grass around her.
Another bark and hiss from the radio, followed by, “No, we’re not going to give up. They couldn’t have gone far.”
