Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction ❯ Black Knights, Steel Hearts ❯ Chapter 22
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Trboturtle 
Quincy continues his investigation; The Black Knights discuss the mission; Mclaren receives new orders.
Anime/Manga: Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mecha / Cyberpunk / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.28.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.3K | Visits: 616 | Status: Work In Progress
Quincy continues his investigation; The Black Knights discuss the mission; Mclaren receives new orders.
Anime/Manga: Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mecha / Cyberpunk / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.28.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.3K | Visits: 616 | Status: Work In Progress
**************************************************
The Bubble Gum Crisis OVA's (which this story is based on) are copyrighted by
Artmic Inc. and Youmex, Inc. I am just borrowing the characters for a little
while for non-monetary reasons. I can be contacted at the Email address above.
Serious C&C will be accepted, out-and-out flames will result in a Boomer
or two being sent after you, once they get around to building them.
Please, enjoy my take on the Bubble Gum Crisis universe . . .
*************************************************
Ch apter 22
GENOM Tower
MegaTokyo, Japan
Saturday, December 22, 2035
9:56am
Quincy watched Faust through half closed eyes. "Your report?"
There were only three men in Quincy's office. Quincy sat behind his desk, his face an unreadable mask. Faust was looking worn and tired from the frantic mission he had received yesterday. Tarson, another of Quincy's new special assistants, watched quietly with a poker face.
Faust glanced down at the papers in front of him, then looked at Quincy. "It is as you thought, Sir. The bottom line is that GENOM cannot account for somewhere between a hundred seventy-two and two hundred five Boomers over a period of three years. Would you care for a breakdown as to type?"
"I do not care at this moment. Is there a pattern involving how and where the Boomers are lost?"
"No Sir. The missing Boomers are from all over the world, in a variety of methods. I have several of my people looking for a possible connection involving one of the other Megacorps, but nothing yet."
The third man in the room glared at Faust. "Grasping at straws, Faust?"
"Mr. Tarson," said Quincy, allowing steel to creep into his voice. "Refrain from cheap shots. It will not help the current situation any."
"I'm sorry, Sir."
"Continue, Mr. Faust."
Faust readjusted his glasses. "Most of those we cannot account for disappeared during disasters such as explosions, building collapses, and transport crashes. Also, there has been a slightly higher then expected number of missing Combat Boomers from the combat zones."
"I see." Quincy was silent for a minute. "Thank you, Mr. Faust. You have done excellent work."
"Thank you, Sir. Do you wish for me to continue investigating the matter?"
Quincy was silent for a minute, then stared at Faust. "I do. Coordinate with Miss Madigan and her security people on this. I want whoever is behind this rooted out as soon as possible. You will work with a small staff full time on this matter, and refer all inquiries to this office. You have a top priority clearance on this - but make no move to shut down the people behind this until I give you the word. Is that clear?"
"Understood, Sir." Faust left a question hanging.
Quincy nodded. Faust would never ask, but it needed to be answered. He said, "I want the entire operation in one fell swoop, Mr. Faust. I want to leave no one who was involved in this disgrace behind when their leaders are rounded up."
Faust nodded. "I'll start on that right away, sir."
Quincy looked at Tarson. "Have the police discovered what exactly happened on the Coastal highway last night?"
Tarson shook his head. "There were Boomers involved, but according to our sources inside the ADP, the Thor strike left very little in the way of salvage. The few useful pieces that were recovered are already in our possession. As soon as we have enough data, I will forward it to Mr. Faust and his team for their analysis."
What is the estimated cost of this incident to GENOM?"
"We were fortunate in that we have very few operations in that area of the city. One of our bioresearch labs was damaged, but our people report the damage was minimal, and repairs will be completed in a couple of days."
"What about the reports that the Knight Sabers and another group in hardsuits were at that location?"
"It looks like both groups were involved in the incident, but their exact role is unknown at this time."
"I can guess their role," replied Quincy slowly. "The unseen enemy who took Janie VanDell set a trap, and both the Knight Sabers and the Black Knights set it off."
Both Faust and Tarson look at their boss in surprise. "The Black Knights?" asked Tarson. "Here?"
Quincy waved a hand. "It's not hard to deduce the identity of the other team. Our people in the United States have tried several times to hire them, without success."
"Who are they working for?" asked Tarson.
"MALCORP," replied Faust. "The Black Knights have a long history with them."
Quincy nodded. "I think it is time that I meet the new CEO of MALCORP. Extend an invitation to Mr. Mallory for dinner tonight."
"And if he refuses?"
"He won't. I think he will want to meet me as much as I want to meet him."
Faust made a note. "Anything else, Sir?"
"The investigation will start now, Mr. Faust. I want your team at work before noon. Mr. Tarson, you will assist Mr. Faust any way you can. You two can go now."
**********
Warehouse #41526584
District 4
MegaTokyo, Japan
Saturday, December 22, 2035
10:14am
Gregory Mallory looked at the people sitting around the table. All the Knights but Marla were there, even the ones who had been injured in the fight last night. Marcus Jackson, Nicky Yashida, Harland Grace and one of Harland's team sat on the one side of the table. All of White Team and the other member of Blue Team were on the other side. Leon and Jeena sat at the far end of the table, with Doctor Mayer standing behind them. Most of them had cups of coffee or other
hot drinks in front of them, along with the remains of a hasty breakfast. None of the Knights smoked, so the air was clear of tobacco.
"Listen up, Knights," said Mallory, and waited for the muted conversation to die away before he continued. "We should have done this morning, but I doubt any of us were in any shape for a debrief then. I don't have a lot of time, so I'll keep this meeting short."
"Good," muttered Kelly Hollis, Blue Team's number two. "I have a splitting headache."
"At least you still have a head," replied Harland gruffly. "You came close to losing it last night."
"Don't remind me."
"That's a good place to start," said Mallory. He looked up at Doctor Mayer. "What's the latest on the injury list?"
Mayer looked peeved. "Hollis has a mild concussion, nothing that a couple of days of strict bed rest won't solve. McLendon there," he motioned toward Blue Three, who had his right arm bound tightly across his chest, "has a second degree shoulder separation, and a concussion. And Dawes has a compound fracture of the ulna bone. Most everyone else has the large collection of bruises and cuts I've ever seen outside of an emergency room."
"So, what's the verdict, Doc?" asked De La Cruz lightly. "Are we going to live?"
"For the next ten minutes," replied Mayer blandly. "After that, I won't make any guarantees."
"What about our guest?" asked Mary Pierce, the Leader of White Team. "What's her condition?"
De La Cruz leaned back in his chair and smiled. "She's strong enough to curse at our new friend over there, that much I do know."
"You and everyone who's spent any time within ten meters of that door in the last half hour knew that," replied Grace evenly.
"She's got an arm broken, several cracked ribs, and a concussion," said Mayer, a look of distaste crossing his features. "Not to mention being as stubborn as a Missouri Mule."
"She'll live," remarked Mallory dryly. "And before anyone asks what we're going to do with her, I'm already taking steps to get her back to the Knight Sabers. It the least we can do for her."
"What's the condition of the Hardsuits?" asked Grace.
"Seven of them are on-line," replied Nicky. "The other two are undergoing repair, and should be ready before nightfall."
"Good," said Mallory. "How about the helicopters?"
"Battered but still usable. They both should be ready about the same time as the hardsuits."
Mallory nodded. "Mr. McNichols picked up some information last night on who's behind Janie VanDell's kidnaping. Leon?"
Leon stood slowly and looked around the room. Everyone at the table was watching him, their expressions hovering between curiosity and mild interest. He knew word had gotten around about his actions the night before, and because of that, most of them were ready to accept him as a member of the team. Not that different from the ADP, he thought to himself.
He took a deep breath and said, "One of my informers told me that Gulf and Bradley Japan brought in a Doctor Yin Zin-Choon late last week. He's a specialist in informational retrieval."
"Who's running Gulf and Bradley Japan?" asked De La Cruz.
"You're going to love this, Knights." Mallory's smile held no warmth. "Carlton Bradley."
"Shit," muttered Grace. "Don't tell me Cora's here too."
"She is."
There were muted conversations among the Knights as the news was digested. Leon, his face puzzled, asked, "I don't understand. What's with Carlton and Cora Bradley?"
Mallory looked at him. "I take it you've never met them?"
"All I know about them is what my source said - they're not people to mess around with."
"To put it mildly," said Jeena. "It's safer playing with a lit stick of dynamite then to cross those two."
"Jeena's right," said Mallory. "Carlton and Cora Bradley are the only legitimate heirs of Carson Bradley, former CEO of Gulf and Bradley."
Leon frowned. "Wasn't he the one that died a couple of years ago in the US? In some type of terrorist attack?"
Mallory nodded. "Killed literary minutes after Gulf and Bradley signed that deal with GENOM to co-produce a Boomer Giant."
"That was a joyful day," said Dawes in a low voice. "I didn't shed a single tear when I heard the news."
"Mr. McNichols, you have to forgive my people's lack of surprise at hearing that the Bradley twins are involved in this," said Mallory to Leon. "We've had some run-ins with Gulf and Bradley in the past."
"What's the deal with them?" asked Leon.
"Carson was a bastard," replied Mallory. "But he was a stable bastard. You knew which way he'd react to a given situation. Neither Carlton nor Cora inherited the stability, so there's no way of knowing how those two would react."
"Cora's a psychopath," said Jeena. "The type that would pull wings off of flies for the sheer pleasure of it."
"Carlton's not much better," said Grace, staring down into his coffee cup.
"But they've never cross over the line this seriously before," said Mallory. "As far as we knew."
"Aren't we making an assumption here?" asked Leon. "We don't know that Gulf and Bradley is behind this."
"We have to start somewhere," replied Mallory. "However, I doubt Gulf and Bradley, on the whole, is behind this. Jansen Bradley's ruthless, but not stupid. If Gulf and Bradley is involved, it's confined to the Japan branch."
He looked at Nicky. "Start digging into Gulf and Bradley system ASAP. I want a list of properties that they might be using."
Nicky stood. "On it, Boss." He walked away briskly.
"Harland, I want you and a team of Jeena's people to start shadowing Carlton and Cora. Keep the tail loose - I don't want them to know we're watching them."
Grace grimaced. "Round the clock?"
"Yes." Mallory looked up at Jeena. "Who's your opposite number at Gulf and Bradley Japan?"
"Hachio Ozu. If the Bradley twins are involved, then so is he."
"We'll include him in the surveillance."
"We're going to be stretched thin," said Jackson slowly.
"Can't be helped. This is the closest thing we've had to a lead since we got here. I want this confirmed or denied as quickly as possible."
Mallory glanced down at his watch. "I've got a meeting in about an hour with someone from the Knight Sabers. If things go well, we'll have Blue Saber out of here before the afternoon."
"You have been busy, haven't you?" asked Grace. "How much sleep did you get last night?"
"Five minutes less then you did," replied Mallory, stretching slowly. "That's it for now, people. Let's get this show on the road."
**********
Gulf and Bradley Research lab G-46
MegaTokyo, Japan
Saturday, December 22, 2035
10:37am
Mclaren stalked down the hallway, trailed by two of his assistants. He kept the scowl on his face to hide the uneasiness he felt. What in hell is Bradley doing here?
He'd gotten the call from Ozu ten minutes ago, too late to be ready for the visit, but early enough to allow doubt and some fear prey on his mind. It was Bradley's way of reminding Mclaren who was in control here and the scientist hated it.
He turned the corner and saw two large men flanking the door to his lab. He recognized them as two of Bradley's bodyguards Boomers, he thought, Probably BU-55Cs. Another reminder of who's in charge here.
The Boomers watched Mclaren march toward the lab doors in silence, their faces impassive. Mclaren glared at them, but didn't slow. I won't be humiliated by a pair of scrap pile rejects!
The Boomer on the right stepped in front of Mclaren. Forced by the sudden movement, the scientist halted in his tracks. "Yes?" he snapped.
"Mr. Bradley wants to speak to you only," the Boomer said in a cold, flat voice. "Your assistants will wait here for your return. Those are Mr. Bradley's orders."
"Very well," said Mclaren, his own voice hard and tinged with anger. Another one of his foolish stunts. "I'll play along with his damm game. Miles, Hal, wait here while I see what our 'Lord and Master' wants."
Without waiting for a reply, Mclaren stalked into his lab. At the last second, the Boomer moved aside, allowing the scientist to walk through the lab doors unopposed.
Bradley was standing in the middle of the lab, Ozu and two more Boomer bodyguards standing several meters away. As always, Bradley was dressed in an expensive suit, dark gray today, and looked freshly groomed. He looked up and smiled at Mclaren. "Ah, Doctor, there you are."
"Cut the pleasantries," snapped Mclaren. "Why the visit?"
Bradley snapped his fingers, and Ozu stepped forward and handed Mclaren a computer disk. "The disk holds some modification I want made to the shield generator design. I want it done as soon as possible."
Mclaren took the disk, his eyes never leaving Bradley's. "What else?"
"I want at least a dozen Boomers ready to move out twelve hours from now. I also want them equipped with the new shield generators."
"Are you serious?" shouted Mclaren in anger, taking a step toward Bradley. Ozu and the two Boomers moved to intercept him, but Bradley waved them off. "You want me to drop everything else so you'll have more toys to play with?"
Bradley's smile faded. "You will do it, or you'll wish you were back in prison."
"What you're asking for is impossible!" continued Mclaren. He held up the disk. "These changes are going to take several hours to make by themselves, assuming they are doable! And do you know how long it takes to bring a deactivated Boomer on-line?"
"I did not come here for excuses, Doctor."
"Then you're a bigger fool then I thought you were!"
A cellular phone rang, disturbing the sudden silence. Ozu pulled a phone out of his pocket and answered it.
Bradley's eyes narrowed, and Mclaren knew he'd gone too far. He would have never confronted Carson Bradley this way, when the man was alive. But his time in prison had taught him something about fights - don't let the other guy know you were scared, no matter how scared you were. And it would be a cold day in hell before he'd give Bradley the satisfaction of seeing the fear hefelt. He had to stand his ground now.
"Would you like me to have my bodyguards break both your arms?" asked Bradley in a quiet voice. Mclaren saw Bradley's calm exterior crack, letting part of his tightly controlled anger surface.
"Then who in hell would supervise this job of yours?" shouted back Mclaren. "If any of these other clowns in this lab knew as much as I did, you wouldn't have broken me out of jail!"
Ozu stepped forward. "Mr. Bradley, you sister wishes to speak to you. She said it's important, and it concerns the VanDell matter."
Bradley grabbed the phone out of his security chief's hand, and spoke into it. "Yes?" he growled. "What?...Are you sure?... How in hell did it happen?....Find out! We need to know! What's her condition?....What's does Doctor Kyso say?...Damm it, Cora! That girl can't die now!"
Mclaren prudently stepped back, out of Bradley's reach. Bradley ignored him and started pacing, his voice hard and sharp. "Seal the building, I don't want anyone in or out until I get there. I also want everyone who was on the security detail when this happened in my office before I get there . . . No! I will do the questioning!. . .I don't care! It's my responsibility, not yours ...I'm on my way. Good-bye."
He returned the phone to his security chief, then glared at Mclaren. He was trying to hide his anger, but he wasn't doing a good job of it. "You have twelve hours," he said in a hard voice, "from this minute, to complete the task I have set for you. If you do not, I will kill you myself. Is that clear?"
"Yes!" snapped Mclaren angrily. Unlike Bradley, the scientist did nothing to hide his anger. "I'll have to pull several techs off other projects, but you'll have your damn dozen Boomers in time."
"Good." Bradley strode out of the lab, followed by Ozu and the two bodyguards. Mclaren watched them leave, then picked up the phone and started dialing. He had a job to do, and no time for pleasantries....
**********
The Bubble Gum Crisis OVA's (which this story is based on) are copyrighted by
Artmic Inc. and Youmex, Inc. I am just borrowing the characters for a little
while for non-monetary reasons. I can be contacted at the Email address above.
Serious C&C will be accepted, out-and-out flames will result in a Boomer
or two being sent after you, once they get around to building them.
Please, enjoy my take on the Bubble Gum Crisis universe . . .
*************************************************
Ch apter 22
GENOM Tower
MegaTokyo, Japan
Saturday, December 22, 2035
9:56am
Quincy watched Faust through half closed eyes. "Your report?"
There were only three men in Quincy's office. Quincy sat behind his desk, his face an unreadable mask. Faust was looking worn and tired from the frantic mission he had received yesterday. Tarson, another of Quincy's new special assistants, watched quietly with a poker face.
Faust glanced down at the papers in front of him, then looked at Quincy. "It is as you thought, Sir. The bottom line is that GENOM cannot account for somewhere between a hundred seventy-two and two hundred five Boomers over a period of three years. Would you care for a breakdown as to type?"
"I do not care at this moment. Is there a pattern involving how and where the Boomers are lost?"
"No Sir. The missing Boomers are from all over the world, in a variety of methods. I have several of my people looking for a possible connection involving one of the other Megacorps, but nothing yet."
The third man in the room glared at Faust. "Grasping at straws, Faust?"
"Mr. Tarson," said Quincy, allowing steel to creep into his voice. "Refrain from cheap shots. It will not help the current situation any."
"I'm sorry, Sir."
"Continue, Mr. Faust."
Faust readjusted his glasses. "Most of those we cannot account for disappeared during disasters such as explosions, building collapses, and transport crashes. Also, there has been a slightly higher then expected number of missing Combat Boomers from the combat zones."
"I see." Quincy was silent for a minute. "Thank you, Mr. Faust. You have done excellent work."
"Thank you, Sir. Do you wish for me to continue investigating the matter?"
Quincy was silent for a minute, then stared at Faust. "I do. Coordinate with Miss Madigan and her security people on this. I want whoever is behind this rooted out as soon as possible. You will work with a small staff full time on this matter, and refer all inquiries to this office. You have a top priority clearance on this - but make no move to shut down the people behind this until I give you the word. Is that clear?"
"Understood, Sir." Faust left a question hanging.
Quincy nodded. Faust would never ask, but it needed to be answered. He said, "I want the entire operation in one fell swoop, Mr. Faust. I want to leave no one who was involved in this disgrace behind when their leaders are rounded up."
Faust nodded. "I'll start on that right away, sir."
Quincy looked at Tarson. "Have the police discovered what exactly happened on the Coastal highway last night?"
Tarson shook his head. "There were Boomers involved, but according to our sources inside the ADP, the Thor strike left very little in the way of salvage. The few useful pieces that were recovered are already in our possession. As soon as we have enough data, I will forward it to Mr. Faust and his team for their analysis."
What is the estimated cost of this incident to GENOM?"
"We were fortunate in that we have very few operations in that area of the city. One of our bioresearch labs was damaged, but our people report the damage was minimal, and repairs will be completed in a couple of days."
"What about the reports that the Knight Sabers and another group in hardsuits were at that location?"
"It looks like both groups were involved in the incident, but their exact role is unknown at this time."
"I can guess their role," replied Quincy slowly. "The unseen enemy who took Janie VanDell set a trap, and both the Knight Sabers and the Black Knights set it off."
Both Faust and Tarson look at their boss in surprise. "The Black Knights?" asked Tarson. "Here?"
Quincy waved a hand. "It's not hard to deduce the identity of the other team. Our people in the United States have tried several times to hire them, without success."
"Who are they working for?" asked Tarson.
"MALCORP," replied Faust. "The Black Knights have a long history with them."
Quincy nodded. "I think it is time that I meet the new CEO of MALCORP. Extend an invitation to Mr. Mallory for dinner tonight."
"And if he refuses?"
"He won't. I think he will want to meet me as much as I want to meet him."
Faust made a note. "Anything else, Sir?"
"The investigation will start now, Mr. Faust. I want your team at work before noon. Mr. Tarson, you will assist Mr. Faust any way you can. You two can go now."
**********
Warehouse #41526584
District 4
MegaTokyo, Japan
Saturday, December 22, 2035
10:14am
Gregory Mallory looked at the people sitting around the table. All the Knights but Marla were there, even the ones who had been injured in the fight last night. Marcus Jackson, Nicky Yashida, Harland Grace and one of Harland's team sat on the one side of the table. All of White Team and the other member of Blue Team were on the other side. Leon and Jeena sat at the far end of the table, with Doctor Mayer standing behind them. Most of them had cups of coffee or other
hot drinks in front of them, along with the remains of a hasty breakfast. None of the Knights smoked, so the air was clear of tobacco.
"Listen up, Knights," said Mallory, and waited for the muted conversation to die away before he continued. "We should have done this morning, but I doubt any of us were in any shape for a debrief then. I don't have a lot of time, so I'll keep this meeting short."
"Good," muttered Kelly Hollis, Blue Team's number two. "I have a splitting headache."
"At least you still have a head," replied Harland gruffly. "You came close to losing it last night."
"Don't remind me."
"That's a good place to start," said Mallory. He looked up at Doctor Mayer. "What's the latest on the injury list?"
Mayer looked peeved. "Hollis has a mild concussion, nothing that a couple of days of strict bed rest won't solve. McLendon there," he motioned toward Blue Three, who had his right arm bound tightly across his chest, "has a second degree shoulder separation, and a concussion. And Dawes has a compound fracture of the ulna bone. Most everyone else has the large collection of bruises and cuts I've ever seen outside of an emergency room."
"So, what's the verdict, Doc?" asked De La Cruz lightly. "Are we going to live?"
"For the next ten minutes," replied Mayer blandly. "After that, I won't make any guarantees."
"What about our guest?" asked Mary Pierce, the Leader of White Team. "What's her condition?"
De La Cruz leaned back in his chair and smiled. "She's strong enough to curse at our new friend over there, that much I do know."
"You and everyone who's spent any time within ten meters of that door in the last half hour knew that," replied Grace evenly.
"She's got an arm broken, several cracked ribs, and a concussion," said Mayer, a look of distaste crossing his features. "Not to mention being as stubborn as a Missouri Mule."
"She'll live," remarked Mallory dryly. "And before anyone asks what we're going to do with her, I'm already taking steps to get her back to the Knight Sabers. It the least we can do for her."
"What's the condition of the Hardsuits?" asked Grace.
"Seven of them are on-line," replied Nicky. "The other two are undergoing repair, and should be ready before nightfall."
"Good," said Mallory. "How about the helicopters?"
"Battered but still usable. They both should be ready about the same time as the hardsuits."
Mallory nodded. "Mr. McNichols picked up some information last night on who's behind Janie VanDell's kidnaping. Leon?"
Leon stood slowly and looked around the room. Everyone at the table was watching him, their expressions hovering between curiosity and mild interest. He knew word had gotten around about his actions the night before, and because of that, most of them were ready to accept him as a member of the team. Not that different from the ADP, he thought to himself.
He took a deep breath and said, "One of my informers told me that Gulf and Bradley Japan brought in a Doctor Yin Zin-Choon late last week. He's a specialist in informational retrieval."
"Who's running Gulf and Bradley Japan?" asked De La Cruz.
"You're going to love this, Knights." Mallory's smile held no warmth. "Carlton Bradley."
"Shit," muttered Grace. "Don't tell me Cora's here too."
"She is."
There were muted conversations among the Knights as the news was digested. Leon, his face puzzled, asked, "I don't understand. What's with Carlton and Cora Bradley?"
Mallory looked at him. "I take it you've never met them?"
"All I know about them is what my source said - they're not people to mess around with."
"To put it mildly," said Jeena. "It's safer playing with a lit stick of dynamite then to cross those two."
"Jeena's right," said Mallory. "Carlton and Cora Bradley are the only legitimate heirs of Carson Bradley, former CEO of Gulf and Bradley."
Leon frowned. "Wasn't he the one that died a couple of years ago in the US? In some type of terrorist attack?"
Mallory nodded. "Killed literary minutes after Gulf and Bradley signed that deal with GENOM to co-produce a Boomer Giant."
"That was a joyful day," said Dawes in a low voice. "I didn't shed a single tear when I heard the news."
"Mr. McNichols, you have to forgive my people's lack of surprise at hearing that the Bradley twins are involved in this," said Mallory to Leon. "We've had some run-ins with Gulf and Bradley in the past."
"What's the deal with them?" asked Leon.
"Carson was a bastard," replied Mallory. "But he was a stable bastard. You knew which way he'd react to a given situation. Neither Carlton nor Cora inherited the stability, so there's no way of knowing how those two would react."
"Cora's a psychopath," said Jeena. "The type that would pull wings off of flies for the sheer pleasure of it."
"Carlton's not much better," said Grace, staring down into his coffee cup.
"But they've never cross over the line this seriously before," said Mallory. "As far as we knew."
"Aren't we making an assumption here?" asked Leon. "We don't know that Gulf and Bradley is behind this."
"We have to start somewhere," replied Mallory. "However, I doubt Gulf and Bradley, on the whole, is behind this. Jansen Bradley's ruthless, but not stupid. If Gulf and Bradley is involved, it's confined to the Japan branch."
He looked at Nicky. "Start digging into Gulf and Bradley system ASAP. I want a list of properties that they might be using."
Nicky stood. "On it, Boss." He walked away briskly.
"Harland, I want you and a team of Jeena's people to start shadowing Carlton and Cora. Keep the tail loose - I don't want them to know we're watching them."
Grace grimaced. "Round the clock?"
"Yes." Mallory looked up at Jeena. "Who's your opposite number at Gulf and Bradley Japan?"
"Hachio Ozu. If the Bradley twins are involved, then so is he."
"We'll include him in the surveillance."
"We're going to be stretched thin," said Jackson slowly.
"Can't be helped. This is the closest thing we've had to a lead since we got here. I want this confirmed or denied as quickly as possible."
Mallory glanced down at his watch. "I've got a meeting in about an hour with someone from the Knight Sabers. If things go well, we'll have Blue Saber out of here before the afternoon."
"You have been busy, haven't you?" asked Grace. "How much sleep did you get last night?"
"Five minutes less then you did," replied Mallory, stretching slowly. "That's it for now, people. Let's get this show on the road."
**********
Gulf and Bradley Research lab G-46
MegaTokyo, Japan
Saturday, December 22, 2035
10:37am
Mclaren stalked down the hallway, trailed by two of his assistants. He kept the scowl on his face to hide the uneasiness he felt. What in hell is Bradley doing here?
He'd gotten the call from Ozu ten minutes ago, too late to be ready for the visit, but early enough to allow doubt and some fear prey on his mind. It was Bradley's way of reminding Mclaren who was in control here and the scientist hated it.
He turned the corner and saw two large men flanking the door to his lab. He recognized them as two of Bradley's bodyguards Boomers, he thought, Probably BU-55Cs. Another reminder of who's in charge here.
The Boomers watched Mclaren march toward the lab doors in silence, their faces impassive. Mclaren glared at them, but didn't slow. I won't be humiliated by a pair of scrap pile rejects!
The Boomer on the right stepped in front of Mclaren. Forced by the sudden movement, the scientist halted in his tracks. "Yes?" he snapped.
"Mr. Bradley wants to speak to you only," the Boomer said in a cold, flat voice. "Your assistants will wait here for your return. Those are Mr. Bradley's orders."
"Very well," said Mclaren, his own voice hard and tinged with anger. Another one of his foolish stunts. "I'll play along with his damm game. Miles, Hal, wait here while I see what our 'Lord and Master' wants."
Without waiting for a reply, Mclaren stalked into his lab. At the last second, the Boomer moved aside, allowing the scientist to walk through the lab doors unopposed.
Bradley was standing in the middle of the lab, Ozu and two more Boomer bodyguards standing several meters away. As always, Bradley was dressed in an expensive suit, dark gray today, and looked freshly groomed. He looked up and smiled at Mclaren. "Ah, Doctor, there you are."
"Cut the pleasantries," snapped Mclaren. "Why the visit?"
Bradley snapped his fingers, and Ozu stepped forward and handed Mclaren a computer disk. "The disk holds some modification I want made to the shield generator design. I want it done as soon as possible."
Mclaren took the disk, his eyes never leaving Bradley's. "What else?"
"I want at least a dozen Boomers ready to move out twelve hours from now. I also want them equipped with the new shield generators."
"Are you serious?" shouted Mclaren in anger, taking a step toward Bradley. Ozu and the two Boomers moved to intercept him, but Bradley waved them off. "You want me to drop everything else so you'll have more toys to play with?"
Bradley's smile faded. "You will do it, or you'll wish you were back in prison."
"What you're asking for is impossible!" continued Mclaren. He held up the disk. "These changes are going to take several hours to make by themselves, assuming they are doable! And do you know how long it takes to bring a deactivated Boomer on-line?"
"I did not come here for excuses, Doctor."
"Then you're a bigger fool then I thought you were!"
A cellular phone rang, disturbing the sudden silence. Ozu pulled a phone out of his pocket and answered it.
Bradley's eyes narrowed, and Mclaren knew he'd gone too far. He would have never confronted Carson Bradley this way, when the man was alive. But his time in prison had taught him something about fights - don't let the other guy know you were scared, no matter how scared you were. And it would be a cold day in hell before he'd give Bradley the satisfaction of seeing the fear hefelt. He had to stand his ground now.
"Would you like me to have my bodyguards break both your arms?" asked Bradley in a quiet voice. Mclaren saw Bradley's calm exterior crack, letting part of his tightly controlled anger surface.
"Then who in hell would supervise this job of yours?" shouted back Mclaren. "If any of these other clowns in this lab knew as much as I did, you wouldn't have broken me out of jail!"
Ozu stepped forward. "Mr. Bradley, you sister wishes to speak to you. She said it's important, and it concerns the VanDell matter."
Bradley grabbed the phone out of his security chief's hand, and spoke into it. "Yes?" he growled. "What?...Are you sure?... How in hell did it happen?....Find out! We need to know! What's her condition?....What's does Doctor Kyso say?...Damm it, Cora! That girl can't die now!"
Mclaren prudently stepped back, out of Bradley's reach. Bradley ignored him and started pacing, his voice hard and sharp. "Seal the building, I don't want anyone in or out until I get there. I also want everyone who was on the security detail when this happened in my office before I get there . . . No! I will do the questioning!. . .I don't care! It's my responsibility, not yours ...I'm on my way. Good-bye."
He returned the phone to his security chief, then glared at Mclaren. He was trying to hide his anger, but he wasn't doing a good job of it. "You have twelve hours," he said in a hard voice, "from this minute, to complete the task I have set for you. If you do not, I will kill you myself. Is that clear?"
"Yes!" snapped Mclaren angrily. Unlike Bradley, the scientist did nothing to hide his anger. "I'll have to pull several techs off other projects, but you'll have your damn dozen Boomers in time."
"Good." Bradley strode out of the lab, followed by Ozu and the two bodyguards. Mclaren watched them leave, then picked up the phone and started dialing. He had a job to do, and no time for pleasantries....
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