Rachel knew Truxa was dead, and even if she wasn’t, she was certainly infected. Still, de Vries fought on.
Behind Rachel, the two men who were guarding the door of the huge truck came down the ramp and ushered her into the vehicle. She turned to find herself face to face with an older man, sweat running down his face, his silvering hair plastered to the side of his head.
From pictures she had seen, she knew instantly that it was Warren’s father.
“Rachel, we’ve got to go. There’s no way we can hold them back any longer.” Even as he said that, his hand shot out, pushing Rachel down and firing over her head.
Rachel didn’t even bother to look and see how close the vampire had come. Over the tacticom, Flak’s voice, choked and nearly unintelligible, said, “Pull back. She’s… she’s gone.”
Out in the center of the vampires, de Vries and Sinunu fought on, but now, even de Vries was threatened with being overwhelmed.
A commotion to the duo’s left caught Rachel’s attention.
The elemental, which had been destroying vampires left and right, faded suddenly and was gone.
There seemed to be a communication between Sinunu and de Vries. As one, they turned back toward the vehicle, fighting their way through the vampires separating them from the men who had come to rescue them.
A team of men in battle armor came from the right, led by a big, redheaded ork who had lost his helmet somewhere in the fray.
Using lasers and heavy-caliber rifles, the men cleared a path back, and the two groups met in the middle of the fray. Firing as they ran, the group covered ground in long strides and made the vehicle before the vampires could regroup.
Rachel, standing on the platform and firing into the crowd of vampires to help keep up the confusion, watched as Sinunu climbed up beside her.
Sinunu wasn’t crying, though Rachel knew her own eyes were stinging with tears. Instead, the other woman’s eyes had gone dead, and Rachel shuddered at what she saw behind those lifeless pink orbs.
26
Play with cybermancy and you play with the basic processes of life itself, and the integrity of the spirit. There’s no bigger game. Unlike the Azzies, that may be all there is to it for Ordo Maximus. They’re into the power and secrecy. It’s as simple as that.
–
From encrypted telecom transcripts posted to Shadowland BBS by Captain Chaos, 11 December 2056. Identity of speakers not definitively verified.
Deep below, standing in operating theater number two, Oslo Wake watched the strategic retreat of the Fratellanza, Inc. Forces.
Beside him. Pakow shifted nervously. Wake could almost taste the man’s fear, could smell the stink of sweat on him.
Wake smiled to himself. The man was like a pane of new glass. Still, Wake was pleased by how things had gone, As the last of the trucks pulled out of sight, he sighed.
“Have security recall the troops and order a clean-up detail. I want a full report, losses on both sides as well as equipment damage. I also want to know how the runners penetrated our computer system so easily, Lastly, there will probably be several new arrivals tonight. I want them tagged and implanted if possible, destroyed if not. If there are any new metas in the mix, I want a count of them, and I want them sequestered until I can speak with them personally”
“Of course,” said Pakow. “I’ll relay the order.”
Wake smiled again when he noticed how quickly Pakow had gotten himself under control. “I’m actually quite pleased,’ Wake said. “Tonight’s activities have invigorated me tremendously. From the trideo I’ve seen so far, I’d have to say that our shock troops did quite well.”
Pakow looked troubled. “Excuse me?”
Wake laughed, and clapped a hand on Pakow’s shoulder, pretending not to notice when the other man flinched. “Doctor Pakow, our troops had absolutely no training other than the natural instincts provided by our treatments, and no weapons other than a few built into their cyber. Yet they managed to stave off a heavily armed assault conducted by seasoned professionals. If ever there was an indication that we’re on the right track here, tonight was certainly it.”
Wake watched as Pakow forced an airless chuckle. “Of course, Doctor Wake.”
Wake smiled and knew without a doubt the impact that smile had on Pakow. The smaller man paled. “Now, my dear doctor, there is something I would like to show you.”
Pakow nodded, but didn’t say anything.
Wake made a few adjustments on the monitors, and watched as the playback showed the small group of runners storming the room below.
“Hey, this isn’t Warren.” The voice from the monitor was soft, feminine, but with an edge to it that Wake admired.
He played the whole loop, not bothering to look at Pakow. As the one Wake had come to realize must be the Martin de Vries stepped out of the supply elevator carrying a body obviously meant to replace Warren’s, Wake froze the image.
“Isn’t he simply magnificent?” Wake whispered under his breath. Then he turned to look at Pakow, who had gone a dangerous shade of purple, his dark eyes fixed on the monitor. “He truly is the pinnacle of what we’re trying to achieve here. A full vampire who is in complete control of himself, who has retained his soul. What I wouldn’t give to have him under observation for a few months. Still, his flaws are obvious, and I will be honored to one day turn them into strengths.”
Pakow gained control awkwardly.
“Come, Doctor Pakow,” Wake said, killing the picture on the monitor. “It’s time to get to work on our patient. When I learned that Marco’s brother was coming to attempt a rescue, I took the liberty of moving Warren’s body to the backup facility. I meant to tell you, but I guess I was preoccupied.”
Wake looked up just in time to see Pakow swallow hard, his protruding Adam’s apple bobbing. In that moment, Wake actually found it in his heart to feel sorry for the other man. You didn’t ask for this, did you, little man? You didn’t ask for the burden of being the salvation of metahumanity, and the pressure got to you.
Pakow cleared his throat, and pushed a heavy lock of hair up off his forehead. The hair stayed for just a moment, then fell back down again. “Where are we going?”
Wake looked at him closely. finding a perverse pleasure in watching the man squirm under his gaze. “Doctor Pakow, you don’t look so well. Have you been pushing too hard?”
Pakow’s face turned positively ashen, then he nodded. “Maybe. I am feeling a bit… tired.”
Wake nodded. “My apologies, Doctor. Unfortunately, any rest will have to wait. I’m a bit tired myself, and could certainly use your expertise for this next crucial step. After that you should take a break. It’s been a tiring day.”
Wake led Pakow out of the room and down the hall to operating theater number six. He stepped into the dimly lit room. This one was identical to the other five operating theaters, complete with an experimental tank in the middle. Except this one held Warren D’imato.
“Well, hello, my friend,” Wake said to the figure down below.
“Is that Warren D’imato?”
Wake ignored Pakow’s stupid question. He spoke in a quiet whisper, addressing Warren. “You are about to be given a gift beyond your wildest imaginings. If your procedure goes well, you will become one of the most powerful creatures ever to walk the earth. How does that grab you?”
Pakow had gone over to the control console. “You’ve started the procedure on him,” he said. “How far has it gone?”
Wake shook his head. “Not far. I’ve done the ritual magic, but haven’t yet exposed him to the first viral bath. I’d like you to do that, and take over the rest of the process. I’m going to be busy for a while.”
Pakow gave him a grave nod. “I understand”
“Do you?”
“I’ll let you know when the procedure is complete,” Pakow said.
Without answering, Wake made his way from the operating theater and was heading for his office. By the time he reached his sanctuary, a small beep told him that someone had tracked him down on his private line. “Right on time,” said Wake.