The Machinery Of Light Part 29

"Actually," says Haskell, "I would."

If Sarmax thought it could be used as a tool against Carson, anything's possible. And if this place does what she suspects it's about to- They move out into a deserted hangar. Equipment's everywhere but nothing looks flyable. Or even useful, for that matter. This stuff is from a bygone era.

"We're off the beaten track," says Maschler.

"We're going even farther," says Lynx. "You ready, Strom?"

"a.s.suming Maschler and Riley are ready to run point," says the Operative.

Maschler and Riley look at him. "Sure," says Riley.

"What route?" says Maschler.

"We'll tell you as we go," says Lynx.

How does this work?" says Sarmax.

"You get in one of these alcoves," says Spencer. "You first."

"There's something I need to do first," says Spencer-starts working the console. The fact that it's totally unintuitive matters not in the slightest when he's already hacked the instruction manual-the manual that sat at the heart of the Kremlin for all that time, the one that Jarvin almost found. But not quite-and now Spencer's the one who's calling the shots. He keys in the last of the sequence. There's a low rumbling hum. The alcoves light up, s.h.i.+mmer with a strange energy.

"Well don't just stand there," he says.

The pillar at the center of the room is a strange kind of metal Haskell can't identify, without evidence of grooves or bolts. It looks more organic than mechanic. She's got a funny feeling it's made of the same substance as the rails that run along the floor and ceiling. She walks up to it.

"Don't touch it," says Szilard.

"You don't know what the f.u.c.k you're doing," she says.

They head through corridors that look like they could use some maintenance. It's mostly dark, save for their own sensors. They're seeing no one. Maschler's voice comes through on the group channel: "What are you expecting?" he asks.

"Surprises," says Lynx.

The men on point get the message. They shut up. For now, at any rate. They keep on cautiously leading the way, Lynx and Carson following, Linehan walking backward, bringing up the rear. He figures that if anything was following them, it probably would have made its move by now. But he doesn't know for sure. He watches the pa.s.sageway recede, hears Riley's voice echo in his head: "Lights. Up ahead."

Spencer walks calmly into one of the flickering alcoves.

Jarvin does the same. Sarmax simply stands there.

"Move," says Jarvin. says Jarvin.

"Why?" says Sarmax.

"What the h.e.l.l's your problem?"

"You guys really think you're going to pull this off?"

"Got an alternative?" says Spencer.

"Take over this s.h.i.+p," replies Sarmax. "Drive it into deep s.p.a.ce."

"And do what?" asks Jarvin.

"Live in splendid isolation."

"Without your precious Indigo?" says Spencer.

Sarmax stares at him.

"She's still alive," adds Spencer.

"How the f.u.c.k do you know that?"

"Better hurry if you want to find out."

Sarmax walks into an alcove. There's a blinding flash.

You do not not want to turn this thing on," says Haskell. want to turn this thing on," says Haskell.

"It's not a question of what I want," want," says Szilard. says Szilard.

Haskell can see the president isn't wasting any time. While he's talking, he's operating controls via wireless-she feels a low hum pa.s.s through her suit. Far overhead, the ceiling-rail starts flickering, along with the rail below. But nothing seems to be happening to the pillar. The humming intensifies.

"I'm begging you," she says.

"You think I'm walking into Sarmax's trap?"

"Try Sinclair's."

They've come through into an area of the war-sat that looks to be a lot better maintained. The lighting's a lot more reliable. There's an open door up ahead. Emanating from within is a noise that sounds a lot like someone's fingers. .h.i.tting a keyboard.

"Hmmm," says Lynx.

"No shooting unless I say otherwise," says the Operative.

"Now he tells us," says Riley-gestures. Maschler moves through the doorway, guns at the ready.

The flash dies away. Spencer blinks, adjusts his vision. Looks at the alcove he's in-at the room beyond that. It looks exactly the same as it did before. He feels like a jet engine just went through his head. Dust is everywhere. A lot of it looks like it just got blasted from the alcoves.

"What do you mean she's still alive?" says Sarmax.

"I don't think this worked," says Jarvin.

Sinclair wants wants you to switch this on," says Haskell. you to switch this on," says Haskell.

"I'll find a way to surprise him anyway."

"You've got the coordinates?"

"Absolutely."

"He's way ahead of you, Jharek. Turn that on and G.o.d knows what will happen."

"You know what they say about desperate times, Claire."

The pillar's starting to glow in a very weird way: some sort of greenish-blue. It starts to pervade the place, shadows running up and down over the walls. The two marines move in closer to Szilard.

They take the room like any good commando squad: those on point going through, moving out into the room in different directions, the rearguard suddenly charging past the guys in the middle and in after the point and- "All clear," says Linehan.

The Operative and Lynx move through. The room looks like any normal office. Fancy, though: wood panels along the walls and door opposite. Nice carpet underfoot. A well-appointed desk takes up most of one corner. A very attractive woman sits at it. She regards them calmly.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" she asks.

She's not in armor-just civilian clothing. She looks so good she's got to be genetically engineered. But it's not her looks that are making the Operative nervous.

"We're here to see Dr. Sorensen," says the Operative.

"Are you nuts?" says Lynx, and shoots the woman in the chest.

They step out of the alcoves.

"You'd better answer my question," says Sarmax, moving toward Spencer. Jarvin cuts in between them.

"Easy," he says.

"You guys have been talking behind my back," says Sarmax.

"Better get used to it," says Spencer. "We're the razors."

"Where the h.e.l.l's my Indigo?"

"Where she's always been," says Jarvin.

"At Sinclair's side," says Spencer.

He's counting on you doing this," says Haskell. "Just not so soon," replies Szilard. The pillar is now blazing so bright they're having to adjust the shades on their visors. Haskell's watching everything get just a little darker. She realizes the equipment has reached activation frequency.

"It's too early," she says. she says.

"You mean this doesn't appear in any of your visions?"

She nods. He laughs. "Such a shame," he says. "So sorry to disappoint you. But in truth, nothing's written."

There's a blinding flash.

The woman's blown backward out of her chair. She drops behind the desk.

"Suck it," says Lynx.

"What the f.u.c.k's your problem?" says the Operative.

"Let's go see the doctor-s.h.i.+t!"

The woman's coming up from behind the desk with a carbine, spraying explosive rounds. Lynx fires his suit-jets, leaps to one side and unloads on full-auto, unleas.h.i.+ng in tandem with the four other men. Now the woman's taking damage. Bullets slice through her flesh, starting to reveal the metal cha.s.sis underneath. The Operative tosses a grenade at the woman's feet. It detonates, taking half the room with it.

How am I supposed to reach her?" says Sarmax.

"She's within a klick of us," says Spencer.

"But like Jarvin said-this didn't work," work," says Sarmax. says Sarmax.

"I've changed my mind," says Jarvin.

The flash subsides. The room looks the same as it did before. Szilard looks puzzled.

"We haven't moved," he says.

"We weren't supposed to," says Haskell.

"This didn't work?"

"Depends what you mean by 'work,'" says a voice.

The room's a shambles. So is the secretary-android. Smoke's everywhere. The opposite door's been blown down. Lynx is already moving through it. The Operative turns to the other three men.

"You guys stay here," he says. "Set up a perimeter."

"Perimeter?" asks Linehan.

"This room is the only way to reach what lies beyond it."

"How long will you be?"

"Depends on how many questions you've got."

Linehan mock-salutes. The Operative moves after Lynx.

You're saying we just-?" asks Sarmax.

"More than just saying," says Spencer.

"Welcome to the Righteous Fire-Dragon," Righteous Fire-Dragon," says Jarvin. says Jarvin.

"Jesus," says Sarmax. He checks his suit readouts-they all check out. "Is this me?" me?"

"Who else would it be?" asks Jarvin.

"Say hi to the new you," says Spencer.