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  Intel arrived via the courier. Talice and Mac sat at the briefing room table with their SLATES, hardcopy maps, handmade notes, and a couple of dossiers. They were both impressed at the amount of information Fawkes had provided. And glad of it. It was the day before the team was to return from leave, giving them a chance to review in private.

  Tooley was on a tour with two of the Marine sentries, looking over the training facility and helping in the kitchen. It seemed he had an interest and knack for cooking. Talice had smiled, watching him working with the staff.

  Mac had been reviewing maps for three hours. Talice, the dossiers of suspected Nemesis escapees from Crius and their backgrounds.

  “Two of these guys are former Marines, and there’s a woman suspected of a couple of assassinations on Eos.” Talice glanced to Mac who was rubbing her eyes. “There might be as many as twelve people we need to gather up.” She slid the folders aside. “Let’s take a break. We need to get you some steps in before the team returns. The gym, then lunch.”

  Mac nodded. “This isn’t going to be fun. We need to talk this out with everyone before we even consider presenting it to the colonel. What’s our time frame?”

  “Thirty days. We’ve made progress, and now we need to integrate Tooley. When the team gets back, we’re going to hit it hard.”

  “The suspected compound isn’t much more than a ghost town in the middle of nowhere on Southland continent.” Mac maneuvered around the table to Talice’s side and punched up a map on her SLATE. “Little cover, basically in the Outback. We may need to hike twenty kilometers just to get into recon range.”

  “What’s this?” Talice pointed to a squat building apart from the main complex.”

  Mac studied it. “How did I miss that? Damned if it doesn’t look like a hangar.”

  “Turbocopters?”

  Mac considered. “They had to get off Crius somehow. I’ll do some scaling on this and figure out what they could be hiding. If they have aircraft capable of getting here from there, that complicates things.”

  “Also means they may have a long-range warning system. And something to challenge Bird One?”

  Mac nodded after a moment. “Geez, I hope not. We’ll have Niky look this over. And Abie and her crew when Bird One arrives. First…” She moved her hoverchair out and headed for the door. “Bet I can do ten steps today.”

  “You do that, and I’ll buy you a drink.”

  Mac scoffed. “Of what, apple juice?”

  “Oh, I might still have a bit of single malt hidden away. But you didn’t hear me say that.” Talice showed a knowing smirk.

  “Then let’s go. I’m getting thirsty.” Mac disappeared through the doorway, hitting the afterburners in the hall. Talice had to run to catch up.

  * * *

  The Marine turbocopter landed as expected ten days later. Fawkes had sent instructions once again by courier, saying he would arrive with medtechs in tow, this time to deliver the final briefing before mission OpCom. Talice and Mac had gone over how they would present their preparations; for capture, not elimination, of the Nemesis operatives. They weren’t certain how hard they’d have to press.

  Talice called the team together after the evening meal. And when they’d had a chance to shower and dress in clean camis. She knew Fawkes had monitored with Mac at TacOps while she watched from a bunker on the live-fire line. Tooley had integrated quickly and easily. He was sharp, listened, followed directions, and was a crack shot. He and Jian worked well together as Cover One. Briggs and Rory were Team One as before, with SmartGuns, the heavy stuff. Bělinka and Ollie were Team Two now, with Dosu and Nikolay as Cover Two. Talice felt like the proverbial fifth wheel, and once Fawkes was gone, knew she’d be back on the line. Otherwise, she’d be climbing the walls.

  The man-mountains arranged themselves on one side of the table, everyone else as they could. Except Niky and Bělinka, with little Tanja sleeping in her mama’s arms. Talice had thought about this, but the closeness the new parents felt, and the air of protection in the room with the team gathered, gave off a different sense than before. Besides, she’d never known Rory wanted a family of his own, and that was one reason he was thinking of retiring. He fawned over Tanja. Niky and Bělinka, of course, just beamed.

  Stuff I never thought of is only now coming to light. Or maybe it’s just that we’re changing, getting older. We have more now to protect. More now to look forward to. More now to dream.

  Talice watched Mac as she maneuvered her hoverchair through the doorway and rearranged the table seating to her liking. Talice hadn’t talked to Babs yet, about her bugs or anything for that matter, though scuttlebutt said the doctor was elated. Mac had stood on her own and taken twelve steps. Twelve halting, exhausting steps. Never touched the parallel bars. Didn’t ask for help. Done it all by herself as Babs watched. Then they’d hugged each other.

  Fawkes entered, with a young woman sergeant at his side, her hands filled with folders and a SLATE. She handed the folders around the table, activated the SLATE and passed it to Fawkes, then took her exit.

  Talice knew he wouldn’t keep them long. It wasn’t his style. He’d give his information, ask for questions, and in thirty minutes or so, they’d be done. He would have questions later for her and Mac. And later still, maybe questions for her of a more personal sort.

  What the hell do I do about this man? He’s so damned serious sometimes. Jian… we’re teammates. We trust each other. We’ve been through the fire together. He’s never put pressure on me for anything. It’s not his style. Fawkes… needs his control. He makes sure I’m… complete. It’s almost like… a script. I…

  Fuck this. We’ve got a job to do.

  She shook herself and focused on the briefing.

  “The important thing to remember,” Fawkes was saying, “keep all options open, and be sure the team knows the plan. There’s nothing worse than confusion in the ranks and officers who aren’t in agreement.” He glanced to Talice as he spoke, then looked around the room. “Let’s see what questions you have, then I’ll get out of your way, so you can do the job.”

  The questions weren’t many, but they were on point; likely opposition, weapons, aircraft or groundcraft they might encounter, comm reliability so far from a relay station.

  “That’s a good one.” Fawkes brought up a world map. “We have a comm satellite we’re putting in synchronous orbit above the target, once you’re on station. That will give you comm as necessary.”

  Talice looked to Mac, listening closely. This was new. She made a mental note to ask Fawkes about it during their meeting.

  The room emptied slowly after the final comments. Fawkes spent a moment with Niky and Bělinka, offering his congratulations. Jian introduced Tooley to him. Talice thought to join them, then decided to let Jian do it himself. Her guess was, at some point Jian would advise Fawkes about his plans for a new team, once this mission was complete. Might as well let the kids start now. This really is beginning to feel like the last go-round.

  Mac slid her hoverchair closer to Talice as Fawkes approached and spoke. “Can I tempt you ladies with a totally non-alcoholic drink, accompanied by a bit of chocolate surprise? I brought cookies.”

  “You sure know how to show a lady a good time.” Mac showed a wide smile. “Actually, we have a few things we need to go over with you. Or would you prefer to wait until morning?”

  “I’m headed back early, so tomorrow might be best.” Fawkes looked to Talice. “Babs wants to see you before bed, if you don’t mind.”

  Talice nodded. “Say 0700 for breakfast, Colonel?”

  Fawkes agreed, then bid them good night. Mac turned to Talice after Fawkes disappeared through the doorway. “That briefing was about as low-key as I’ve ever seen from a Marine senior officer. What’s up?”

  Talice shook her head. “No idea. That comment about confusion in the ranks was aimed right at us. So we’d better clear the air with him tomorrow.”

  “When does Bird One arrive?” asked M
ac.

  “Two days. And that’s another thing. Did you ID that hangar or what might be in it?”

  Mac shook her head. “That’s why I want Abie to look at it. Nikolay said he can check for comm or a warning system in the area, but he needs to be within two or three kilometers of the hangar.”

  “Which means a long hike for us,” said Talice. “We dare not get too close with Bird One. The satellite is a good thing. Comm not only back to Base, but between the teams and the ship.”

  “It also puts them outside the range of immediate help if needed. Yeah, this is gonna be different, and very tough. The teams will really be on their own.”

  Talice nodded. “Let’s table this until tomorrow and get some rest. My guess is Fawkes will be harder to convince than we thought.”

  Mac gave her a look. “Then we’ll just have to be our charming best, right Princess?”

  “Yeah. But right now, I need a good night’s sleep. For real.”

  * * *

  Damn little sleep. That’s what Talice had gotten.

  She’d commtexted Babs, who put their appointment off until the following day. Then went in search of Fawkes before retiring, and was told by his young orderly the Colonel had retreated to the turbocopter for a private vid conference with Northland Base. No details, only that the message had come in after the briefing. And he likely would not be available again until morning. Talice thanked her and headed back to the barracks.

  Then got damn little sleep.

  She met Mac in the mess hall next morning, already in a corner with coffee and an empty plate. “You got about as much rest as I did.” Mac only nodded in reply as Talice sat with tea and a muffin.

  “My legs are on fire,” mumbled Mac. “I don’t know if my new muscles will ever get used to this.”

  “Sure they will. Just takes time. You’re doing well.” Talice smiled and sipped. “Showtime with the colonel this morning. I commtexted Briggs and told him to take the team out to the live-fire range. Get them away from whatever explosions might happen with Fawkes.”

  “We need a third option,” said Mac.

  Talice shrugged. “Fawkes went back to the turbocopter late last night for a vid conference with HQ. Maybe it’s about this mission. Last minute intel he’ll give us today.”

  “Or we can ask about.”

  They sat in silence for moments.

  “Mac, what if Fawkes suspects something more?”

  “You mean along the lines of what Scarbach told us?” Mac considered. “Yeah… that becomes our third option. And I’d much rather he hear about it through his channels than from us.”

  “Because we’d have plausible deniability then?”

  “Ooohhh, listen to you with the big words so early in the day.” Mac smiled. “But it sure wouldn’t be the first time, would it? He’d have to know what to look for. He’d have to know something to know something, right?”

  “Well, we’re not talking, and Scarbach isn’t talking, and the politicians surely aren’t talking.” Talice looked up with recognition. “Damn!”

  Mac cocked her head and raised an eyebrow.

  “What if that’s where Gorg Evans is?”

  * * *

  Fawkes’s orderly commtexted Talice: Please come to the turbocopter at 1100 Hours with Ms. Macauley. Sergeant Lallement.

  Talice flagged Mac as she passed by her room. Well, at least we know she has a name. Wonder how long she’s been working with him?

  Their ID’s were checked at the perimeter, then again inside the turbocopter hatchway. They were ordered through a combat-grade scanning arch. Their wristcoms were examined, then handed back.

  Glad I didn’t wear the colonel’s little gift, thought Talice, as she glanced around. The interior was divided; a main equipment bay and two offices, with doors opposite each other, and a narrow corridor between. At the end of the corridor was a third door. She knew that led to the cockpit. A no-nonsense MP stood on guard before it. Their IDs were checked for a third time, and the MP knocked on the starboard door.

  Sergeant Lallement answered, nodded to the MP, then knocked on the door opposite.

  This is fucking weird, thought Talice. She pursed her lips and caught a glance from Mac, who was no happier.

  Lallement opened the office door. Talice and Mac stepped in. Thinking she couldn’t be more surprised at this point, Talice found she was wrong. In the tiny office, to either side of Fawkes’s desk, were two Marines, both with heavy pulse rifles and in full HCS gear.

  Lallement stood at the open door. Fawkes motioned to the MPs, and they took exit with the sergeant. The door closed. No one had said a word.

  “Colonel—”

  Fawkes held up his hand. He activated a switch on the desk, and the walls shimmered slightly, then motioned her to speak.

  Security screen. Fuck, this is serious. Talice straightened. “I think you just answered every question I was about to ask, sir.”

  Fawkes nodded, motioned to the chairs before the desk, and took his own seat. “First things first. We’ve had some pretty specific threats recently.”

  Talice and Mac exchanged wordless glances.

  “Secondly, there’s no threat to the training center or your team. This is all political and anti-political, if you understand my meaning.”

  “Protests,” said Mac. “The net news has been covering it lately.”

  “We’re dealing with it. This is one reason I’m here personally, to assure you the Marines are in charge of this situation. Now… let’s talk about this mission.”

  “Is this really necessary now, sir?” asked Talice. “The mission, I mean. If the opposition has gotten so strong, why not let it play out? Let the people decide.”

  “Believe me, I’d like nothing better. But we’re in a situation where criminal intent is involved.”

  Talice started to speak, then Mac laid a hand on her arm. “In what way, sir?” asked Mac.

  Fawkes waved a hand. “As we said before, basically extortion.”

  “Then let the local authorities handle it. The Marines shouldn’t be involved at all,” said Talice.

  Fawkes nodded. “We’re almost at that point. So that brings us to the discussion we had some time ago, regarding capture.”

  Talice let go a breath. “I’m glad to hear you say that. Frankly, we’re uncomfortable with the other option.”

  “So am I. Still, there is tremendous pressure politically on us right now.”

  “We’re not committing murder just so some politicians can get reelected. That’s not an option any longer.” Talice paused, glancing at Mac again, who nodded slightly. “We hereby withdraw from that request.”

  “That may not set well with high command. Or the council.”

  “And we’re not under your command… sir. We’re a private enterprise. Which you’ve reminded me of several times.” Talice set her jaw.

  Fawkes looked away for a moment as they waited. “If I authorize capture… then what?”

  “We talked about this,” replied Mac. “As we said, turn them over to the Marines, or the locals, at your discretion. Handing them over to the Marines would give you a big card to play, however. The council would owe you one. And the local authorities would probably be glad they’re not responsible.”

  Fawkes nodded slowly after considering. “Can you do it? That’s the real question.”

  “We’ve trained for it, more than thirty days. We’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”

  “And you’re prepared to neutralize in case of a firefight, correct?”

  Talice nodded. “Colonel, we’re not going to let ourselves be killed. We’ll do what is necessary to get as many of them alive as possible.”

  Fawkes studied his SLATE. “Alright. You’ve got a ten-day window once you lift.”

  “Bird One arrives tomorrow. We can lift the day after. Transit time to the target area is about eight hours.”

  “Then get your team prepared. This is important, maybe more than even the Crius mission.”


  “You’re on the line for comm, correct?” asked Mac.

  Fawkes nodded. “You have my number. I just hope you don’t have to use it.”

  Talice nearly grimaced. “We’ll be ready, Colonel. Tell the top brass your best team is on the job.”

  Fawkes deactivated the security screen and buzzed for his orderly. She entered, the HCS-suited Marines followed, then the sergeant escorted Talice and Mac out of the turbocopter. And closed the hatch behind them.

  Neither said a word until they were back in the barracks at the briefing room. Talice drew tea and sat, her face hard.

  Mac drifted up with tea in hand as well. “You didn’t say anything about our information from Scarbach. Or your theory about Gorg Evans.”

  Talice drank for a moment before answering. “It really doesn’t matter where Evans is if he’s not helping us. And Scarbach’s intel is our hole card, Mac. I’m holding what we have in case the colonel gets in trouble over this.” She gave Mac a look of deep concern. “Or in case we do.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  All Work and No Play (Part Two)

  Looking For an Edge

  “He who only sees the obvious, wins his battles with difficulty;

  he who looks below the surface of things, wins with ease.”

  Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”

  Mission 290HEJZ - Code name: Checkmate…

  Southland Outback

  The southern-most continent on Theia contains a massive expanse of sparsely occupied land generally knows as the “Outback”. In reality, this area consists of varied regions extending north to south, separated from the east and west coasts by mountains.

  The majority of the Outback is dry, but the eastern edge is more temperate and cooler, being sheltered in a valley corridor nearly a thousand kilometers long. The remainder is desert, or near-desert, and considered extremely hazardous.

  The Outback has a low human population, a largely intact natural environment, and very low-density land uses (such as cattle grazing). As Theia has been occupied by humans for less than four hundred years, little is known about the formation, geology, or other factors of the Outback.