Specters: A Monster Squad Novel - 8 (37 page)

“I thought these things were supposed to be stupid?” Lamb whispered.

Jacobs shook his head. “Looks like the intel was wrong.” He reached up and clicked his coms open. “OPCOM, this is Delta Four.”

“Copy, Delta Four. We’re seeing it ourselves,” Mitchell’s voice crackled through their earpieces. “Urge extreme caution.”

Jacobs gave Lamb a ‘duh’ look and shook his head. Clicking off his coms, he whispered, “I thought we already were.” He clicked his coms back on, “Roger that, OPCOM. Any luck contacting Delta Actual?”

“Negative. They’re still radio silent. Our best guess is that they are working their way up toward your location.”

Lamb stepped over the trip and entered the clearing. Hard packed earth and prairie grasses disguised the tracks. He walked along the edge of the clearing looking for any sign of where the tango had reentered the woods. “I’m not finding anything.”

Jacobs nodded. “OPCOM, tango’s trail runs cold at the clearing. Any heat signatures that could point us in the right direction?”

“Negative, Four. Other than small wildlife, you and Three are all that’s lighting up.”

Lamb sighed and leaned against at tree. “Any bright ideas?”

Jacobs nodded. “Possibly.” He clicked his coms again. “OPCOM, any of those wildlife signatures close enough and still enough that they appear to be observing our actions?”

Silence met his request and Ing was about to check his radio when his earbud came back to life. “That’s affirmative, Four. Fifteen meters south-by-southwest of your current position. Advise extreme caution.”

“Copy that, OPCOM.” Jacobs clicked off his coms and motioned for Lamb.

“What the hell was that about? Surveillance bunnies?”

“Think about it. If you move about underground, surely you have ways in and out, right?”

“Yeah, I would guess.”

“So, a head popping up now and then would appear as what to a drone or satellite looking for heat signatures?”

Lamb smiled. “Small wildlife.”

Jacobs nodded and readied his rifle once more. “Fifteen meters south-by-southwest. Ready to take a walk in the woods?”

“Just keep your eyes open for more of those trip wires.”

*****

Gaius opened his eyes and his throat caught as he gulped huge lungfuls of air. He rose from the ground and brushed the gravel from his uniform pants. His legs still felt shaky as he steadied himself and he looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Another man in a similar uniform jogged up to him and offered him a hand. “Are you okay, Airman?”

“Yes, I am fine. I just got a bit lightheaded for a moment.”

“Maybe you should sit down, get a drink or go to medical?”

Gaius held his hand up, stopping the man. “I am fine, I assure you. I only need a moment.” The man studied him a bit then went about his business, satisfied that he was okay.

Jumping into a new body so quickly could have that effect. Without properly preparing, the impact could be deadly for the new host. Gaius spotted this man and simply dropped into him, the nearest vessel to his queen. He knew she was near, but he couldn’t tell exactly where. Somehow, she was hidden from him.

Only a handful of his demons had survived the slaughter at the warehouse. Once the spell was lifted and they were able to depart the broken bodies of their hosts, they saw the full impact of the damage. Even the great Fallen one had been slain…something they didn’t think possible.

He immediately sent word to those who were transporting her devices and ordered their shipments halted. Their decimated forces had to be gathered. As long as they still dwelt upon this plane, they were bound to her. They must save the demon queen from the human hunters and reclaim her prizes.

He sat upon a bench outside a large concrete building and watched as vehicles drove by. Others in uniform came and left. Mothers with children walked past him, their minds on their useless lives and their endless lists of things that must be done. Gaius stood and stared off toward the horizon. He tried to reach out and detect where Lilith was, but she wasn’t reaching back. He could sense her, but his mind couldn’t touch hers.

He could feel the others drawing closer and he hoped that once their strength was added to his own, he could locate her. Once he pinpointed her, he would storm the very gates of Hell to save her.

“I can feel you, my queen. And we are coming to save you.”

*****

Darren halted his squad and clicked off his torch. He squatted lower and peered around a sharp bend in the tunnel. Light could be seen flickering and based on the orange glow, he was certain it wasn’t sunlight. He motioned to the others and pointed around the corner.

Easing slowly forward he strained to listen and could only hear the popping and crackling of an open fire. He waved his hand over his mouth indicating no talking and slowly eased his head around the corner. Seeing nothing but another corner, he slipped out from where he was and leveled his weapon. He flattened himself against the opposite wall and eased along the edge until he could peek around the opposite corner.

An open circular room with a large support post in the middle sate empty. A fire pit built into the wall was the source of the light and flame. In the orange gloom he noted a pack next to a small stack of wood and he motioned to Sullivan. Little John checked it and nodded. “It’s Tracy’s.”

Darren checked the other tunnel entering the room and saw the same series of corners. “We’re on the right track. Keep moving.”

Donovan shifted around and covered their six while the trio exited the other side. He kept one hand against Sullivan’s back while covering with the P90. He nearly tripped when he felt the big man suddenly stop. “What’s the hold up?”

“Hit a ‘T’ in the road.”

Darren scanned both sides and shook his head. “I’ve no idea.”

Sullivan pointed to the right. “It goes uphill. Further from the water.”

Darren knew they were far enough away from the river that continuing uphill now was moot. But he had no other reason to
not
go right. “Right it is.”

The trio continued moving until they hit another series of corners and another round room. They found piles of backpacks, hiking boots, folded tents and other assorted camping gear and two very dirty piles of heavy coats that looked curiously like makeshift beds.

Sullivan poked at one of the piles of coats with the barrel of his SCAR. “I have a really creepy feeling about this.”

Darren slapped the big man on the shoulder, “Let’s move. Now!”

Another series of corners and another ‘T’. Another right and a much longer trail up the mountain. As the trio approached the next series of corners, they could hear a muffled voice that sounded very much like someone struggling. There were also grunts and hoots that reminded Spalding of great apes he had heard at the zoo.

He held his fist up to stop the other two and used hand motions to direct their course of action. They would enter, Sullivan up the middle, Donovan clears left, Spalding clears right. Just as he gave the signal to enter, Gus gave a muffled yell and all three rushed the second corner, weapons leveled.

*****

Bigby tossed the last of his trash and stepped away from the fast food area outside the exchange. He stood beside the double glass doors and stared southward toward where the hangar sat. He knew that he would have to find a way to approach that wouldn’t be suspect. He’d need a non-descript vehicle that nobody would second guess, even at high alert. He watched as minivans and sports cars rolled past the large building. Pickup trucks and Humvees. Nothing he saw gave him the warm fuzzy feeling that it would go unnoticed.

Even when a base police vehicle stopped and turned onto the main street, he knew that stealing one of those would only help him get caught faster.

From where he stood he couldn’t imagine a vehicle that could give him the proper cover and go unnoticed. He was about to give up his search when he noticed a young airman sitting alone on a bench outside. The young black man suddenly stood and stared off to the south, his face looking as if he were in a trance.

When he opened his eyes and continued staring south, Bigby couldn’t put his finger on exactly why, but the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. There was something ‘off’ about the young man. Bigby stood at the door and watched as the young man simply stood near the sidewalk and stared.

“What’s your story, mate?” Bigby leaned against the wall near the door and watched the young man. Could he be a member of base security who was out searching for him? Something told him that wasn’t the case.

He watched as the young man lifted his hand and pointed his palm toward the south. After a few moments, he dropped it dejectedly. If he was trying to use the Force, he was failing miserably.

Bigby pushed off the wall and stepped outside. “This may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.”

He walked slowly toward the young man and slipped in behind him. “You look lost, mate. Need a hand?”

The young man barely glanced at him before shaking his head. “No.”

Bigby gave him a smirk. “Waiting for someone then?”

The young man shook his head again. “No.”

Bigby nodded. “Trying to find someone?” The young man ignored him. “Someone who doesn’t want to be found maybe?”

“This is not your concern, Celt.”

“Celt?” Bigby chuckled. “Something tells me that you’re a long way from home, boy-o.”

*****

Jameson sipped his coffee and waited for Ingram. He knew that the younger man was many things, but he wasn’t stupid. He just needed to be reminded
how
to think strategically. He hoped that this lunch meeting would snap him out of whatever funk of stupidity he was in and get him back to thinking like a spy.

He saw the younger man step into the restaurant and wave at him. He slipped into the booth across from him and seemed far too chipper.

“Great news. I talked to the techs, and we can have the Titans flown to Geneva at any time.” Ingram quickly unraveled the napkin and placed his flatware out on the table.

“I told you, now is not the proper time.” Jameson motioned for the waiter and nodded. “I took the liberty of ordering for us both.”

Ingram paused and gave him a puzzled look. “It would have been nice to at least look at the menu.”

“Trust me. I’ve been eating here for years. There’s only three things worth eating, and I ordered them for us.”

Ingram slumped in his seat and cast a weary eye at the older man. “I suppose you ordered drinks, too?”

“Oh, no. I always have coffee with lunch. Feel free to order whatever you like.”

Ingram sat quietly for a while then reached into his breast pocket. He withdrew a thumb drive and slid it across the table. “You were right about the Swiss accounts.”

“Of course I was.” Jameson picked up the thumb drive and held it up. “And what is this?”

“Backups of everything. The techs made it for you for your own files.” Ingram avoided his gaze while he waited for their food to be delivered. “So, clue me in. What’re the next steps in this grand plan of yours.”

“You saw the deposit. That’s only half of what the Council promised us. If we want the other half, we need to take care of the problem they hired us to handle.”

Ingram nodded. “True, but I thought you said they weren’t ready?”

“You convinced me otherwise.” He sipped at his coffee and studied the younger man. “None of our intelligence indicates that they have the assets we saw them utilize at the saw mill. So, I believe you were correct in your assumptions. They were hired guns brought in to handle a specific problem.”

“So we’re back to the original plan?”

“Unless you think our team can handle the threat at reduced strength.”

Ingram shook his head. “I’m not following you.”

“Perhaps we send a strike force to deal with the squads and set up a live feed to the Council. Once they make the final payment, and I mean the very moment it hits the accounts, we have a small team standing by to kick in their doors and eradicate them.” The smile that spread across his face sent a shiver down Robert’s back.

“I suppose that might be possible, but why so soon? I mean, seriously, does half a day make a difference? Do you really think the Council is going anywhere?”

“Think about it, Robert. You’ve hired someone to remove the only threat to you, but now that person you hired is an even larger threat. You either cut and run or hire somebody else to remove that threat. Do we really want to risk our boys to a bunch of fangers?”

“That’s an awful lot of ‘what ifs’ there.” Ingram rubbed at his neck as he thought about the life and death game of chess that Jameson proposed.

The waiter stepped up to the table and placed the soup and salad before each man. Robert ordered a club soda absently as he continued to play out the ramifications of the ploy. Once it was safe to talk again, he lowered his voice, “Do you think the Titans can handle either job at reduced strength?”