Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction ❯ Bubblegum Avatar #2 – "Born to be Killed" ❯ Chapter 14 - “Safehouse” ( Chapter 14 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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Chapter 14 - “Safehouse”

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The safehouse was actually an apartment on the fifth floor of a five story building on the border of between Timex City and the Outer District, deep in the Fault. It wasn’t a very nice place, but compared to the Outer District, it was still a civilized place. Due to the high walls of the Fault, daybreak came late and dusk early, leaving the area in an eerie twilight in those hours when the sun couldn’t reach into the trench. The sun was now overhead, lighting the entire fault brightly as if it was in a more normal part of the city.

Both Craig and Nene got out of beat-up car brought especially for this mission and looked at the building. According to Sylia, it was one of a dozen that she owned through several dummy corporations in case of an emergency.

“Nice place,” Craig said. He was a little tired from the better than two hour-long drive he and Nene had to make through the heavy traffic to reach here.

“It’s creepy,” Nene replied, looking around. There were a few people and cars around, but the looks were unfriendly, the cars has beaten and marred as the surrounding area.

“Then let’s not hang around out here.” Craig tapped the radio he wore on his lapel. “Black to White. We’re outside the castle.”

“Come on up,” Sylia said. “We’re waiting.”

The pair walked from the small parking lot into the building, the lobby was gloomy, dirty and had never seen better days. There was one elevator to the left of the lobby and the stairs were to the right of the elevator shaft. There was an odor of unwashed bodies, urine, and food cooked long ago. They were the only people in the lobby. Craig unzipped his jacket and looked around. “Elevator or stairs,” he muttered.

“Elevator?” Nene suggested.

“Stairs,” Craig said, then noticed Nene wilt. “All right. You can take the elevator. I’ll take the stairs.”

“But what will Sylia say?”

Craig shrugged. “If she asks, tell her that we’re checking both ways for defensive purposes.”

“Er...okay.”

Craig keyed the radio mike again. “Black to White. We’re coming up.”

“Come ahead.”

Craig looked at Nene. “Go ahead.” He waited until the redhead was in the elevator and heading up before he started up the stairs, two at a time. Because of the way the stairs were laid out, he could see the elevator when he reached every floor, thus he was able to keep track of the car as it went up. There didn’t seem to be anyone else around, and Craig saw no evidence of current human presence..

By the time he attained the fifth floor, the elevator doors were just opening. Nene stepped out, looking disgusted. “That elevator is slow,” she said.

“What do you expect in such an old building?” Craig asked. “An express?”

The T-shaped hallway was little better then the lobby had been. The old food smell was stronger, as was the body odor, but at least there was no smell of urine. They were standing at the base of the T.

“We want apartment Five O Four,” Nene said as she started down the corridor. She looked around. “Doesn’t it seem quiet to you?”

“Yeah,” Craig replied. “And I won’t say it.”

“Say what?”

“It’s a little too quiet.”

“You’re not funny.”

“Who said I was trying to be funny?”

They reached the cross corridor without finding the apartment. As they stood there, a door opened to their right and Mackie stuck his head out. “Over here!” he said in a loud whisper.

Sylia was waiting for both of them when they entered the apartment. Instead of her normal business suit, she was dressed in her innersuit, over which a bathrobe had been thrown over. “Nene,” the leader of the Knight Sabers said, “your hardsuit is in the next apartment. Get suited up and come back in her where you’re done.”

“This way,” Mackie said, leading the redhead to the far wall. He pushed on the wall and the apparent wall swung in, revealing a room behind it.

He allowed Nene to pass him and was about to step into the room himself, when Sylia said, “Could you get Craig and Me some tea?” Mackie stood there, indecisive for a few seconds before he sighed and walked towards the kitchen. Nene pushed on the wall from inside the room and the opening disappeared.

“What’s the plan, Boss?” Craig asked.

“You will be on the roof when the others arrive,” Sylia said, “in your hardsuit and on watch. Nene and I will meet Irene in our hardsuits, explain what’s going on, and try to convince her that we’re the good guys. Linna will stay with Irene, so, it’s going to be you and Priss doing most of the guard work this evening. Nene has to work tonight, and I need to make some final arrangements to give both of our guests new identities. I’ll be back as soon as I can, then we’ll move Irene to a more secure location.”

“How long are we going to be here?”

“Tonight. By then, I’ll have something a little more secure in the way of a hiding place lined up. A few more days, and we should be able to make both Jeremy and Irene disappear from GENOM’s sight.”

“All right. Are you expecting trouble?”

“There is a good chance Irene and the others might have been followed. That’s why we’re here and not at the garage of the Silky Doll. Mason may have been mad enough by your stunt to forget to send one of his assassins after Irene, but we can’t count on that.”

“So what happens if the female terminator shows up? And what happens if she brings friends?”

“You and Priss will fight them while Linna gets Irene out of here,” Sylia replied. “Mackie’s rigged a couple of items into your hardsuit for this mission, including an open channel to me. If the hit team does show up, just send a signal. I will be wearing a receiver and will get back here as fast as I can..”

“Okay.” Craig looked around the apartment. The apartment had four rooms, living room, two bedrooms, and bathroom, all on the small side, and finished in cast off hotel room style. “Is this the best we can do?”

Mackie came back into the living room, a pair of cups in his hands. He gave Craig and his sister each a cup. “This building may look as run down as all the others around it,” he said, “but it is structurally sound. This apartment and the one next door have some special things the other apartments in this building don’t have.”
“Like what?” Craig asked.

Mackie pointed to the front door. “The door on these two apartments looks like every other door in the building, but they’re actually a security strength doors set in a reinforced frame.” He waved his hand around the room. “The exterior apartment walls are reenforced concrete, as are the floor and ceiling. The building is right up against the wall of the Fault, so most of the excess weight is taken up by support beams embedded in the side of the Fault. You saw the secret door between here and the other apartment, plus there’s an escape tunnel in the larger bedroom of this apartment.”

“The tunnel leads to a garage a black and a half from here,” Sylia said. “That’s where we parked the vehicles, and that’s how we arrive and how we’ll leave.”

“This isn’t a hastily prepared hideout, is it?” Craig asked, looking a little stunned.

“Part of my duties involve preparing for any circumstances,” Sylia said. “Granted, this safehouse wasn’t put together for this purpose, but it will serve as such, for now.”

“Where is everyone?” Craig asked. “We didn’t see anyone in the building.”

“The place is being fumigated starting tomorrow, so everyone’s moved out for several days,” Sylia replied.

“Ah. You cleared the area just in case the boomers do show up.”

“That and the second reason. Mackie?”

The younger brother nodded. “In case things get really bad, the building is wired with strategically placed explosive charges.”

Craig’s expression was one of queasiness. “You rigged the building to go boom?”

“More like implode,” Mackie replied.

Craig exhaled noisily, flopped into an easy chair and sipped his tea before looking up at Sylia and Mackie. “Not leaving anything to chance are you?”

Sylia shook her head. “Do you think Linna would accept anything less?”

“No,” Craig replied, “But we are putting a lot on the line for those two.”

“Do you want to back off?”

“Hell, no. I don’t want to give Mason the satisfaction, and neither do you. Any plan of his we can screw up is a good thing.”

The Leader of the Knight Sabers swallowed a mouthful of tea. “You will not get an argument from me.”

The wall swung open, and Nene walked out, armor on, and helmet under one arm. “I’m ready,” she said.

“Your turn to suit up,” Sylia said to Craig.

*****

An hour later, Craig was in place on the roof, watching the street below. The street was beginning to get dark and it was surprisingly quiet for the time of day, with only a couple of people out and about in the dim light. One looked like a street person, searching for heaven knows what, while the other one, an unsteady figure that looked like a drug user, was staggering down the street. Neither one seemed to be a threat, but Craig still watched them for any signs of acting through the scope on his rifle. The soft rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance, and the clouds thickening in the sky about told him that there was a very good chance of rain.

The sentry post was disguised as a air conditioning unit, one of four such units on the building’s roof. Placed as it was, Craig could watch most of the street from inside the post without showing himself to anyone watching the building. With the exception of a trap door in the floor towards the rear of the compartment, there was no way in or out.

The compartment itself was about three meters by three, nothing more then a shell of the unit is was masquerading as. The walls were rust flecked, blended with mold and mildew

It had been a very quiet hour. After Craig had suited up, Mackie had lead him to a ladder in the bedroom closet of the second apartment which lead to the roof. They had climbed up, and Mackie showed him were a cunningly built observation post which allowed him to watch most of the street without showing himself to anyone below. So he had stood there, quiet and still, watching.

The buildings on each side of the safehouse were basically businesses and offices, thought Craig doubted that either was fully occupied or making the owners a lot of money. The other buildings across the cracked and badly-patched street were a mix of apartment buildings like the one he was standing on and office buildings, none of which were more then half a dozen stories tall.

“White to Black,” Sylia said. “Green just called. She’s less the five minutes away.”

“About time,” Craig muttered. “This hardsuit isn’t designed with sentry duty in mind.”

“Blue is ten minutes away,” The Saber leader said. “She’s making sure no one is following the Queen. When she’s arrived and suited up, you can take a short break.”

“Thanks boss.”

“Anything to report?”

“Nope. Been quiet as a graveyard, and that scares me.”

“Stay alert.”

“Like I’m going to do anything else,” Craig muttered.

Several minutes later, a van turned onto the street from Craig’s right. Craig keyed his radio. “Black to White, I think Green and the Queen have shown up.”

“Understood Black,” Sylia replied. “Be on the lookout for Blue and any Rooks.”

“Yes, Mommy,” Craig muttered. Sylia either didn’t hear or decided not to respond to Craig’s comment. Craig watched the van as it rolled to a stop in front of the apartment house, the driver turning off both the lights and the engine. After a few seconds, the driver’s door open and Linna stepped out, looking around nervously before she leaned back into the car. Another few seconds passed and the passenger’s door open and a young girl stepped out onto the street, looking even more nervous then Linna did. The pair closed their doors and walked into the building.

“White to Black,” Craig said, “Jackpot. The Queen is on her way up with Green.”

“We’re ready,” Sylia replied, and that was it.

Craig sighed and returned to watching the street and the surrounding buildings. So far, so good, he thought. At least until the boomer hit teams show up....

*****

Irene Cann (Chang) was understandably scared.

The last six hours had been the worse in her life since the death of her parents. Feeling a need to get away from her normal surroundings for a few days, she had spent the last couple of nights over at an apartment of a friend who was spending three weeks in the United States. Sleep had eluded her most of the time, so she would sit and listen to the radio. She hadn’t read a newspaper or seen much television during that time, so her first indication that her life had been destroyed was when a report about the explosion and fire came over the radio early in the morning. Her heart nearly stopped and she recognized the address of the lab Jeremy had given her.

Not believing the report, she turned on the television and watched in horror as the cameras showed the building with smoke coming out of the doors and windows. She barely heard the reporter’s voice, shock and dread dimming her senses. She went for the phone, and dialed Jeremy’s number, but no one answered. She tried several more times, again with no answer. Finally, she collapsed into a heap, sobbing bitterly. Jeremy was dead, her mind said over and over again. They killed him GENOM killed all of them.

She didn’t know how long she laid there, but sorrow was slowly eaten away by anger. GENOM had killed her friend, her lover, her soulmate. She had nothing to live for now....

It had taken her an hour to get to the scene of the fire, now crowded with police, firemen, onlookers, and GENOM employees. She had stood in the crowd, watching and listening to the conversations around her. She didn’t know why she was here – maybe Jeremy survived, or did she want to see the police and tell them what Jeremy had told her? Or maybe something else?

It wasn’t until she saw Mason walk out of the building that a fire inside of her sprang up. She moved through the crowd, her eyes never leaving the well-dressed man and his three coldly beautiful aides. Then she was through the onlookers, avoiding the ADP trooper holding the crowd at that point with more luck then skill and raced up the stairs.

The man stared at her, a thin smile inflaming her even more. She stopped two steps away, fists clenched and shouted, “One of you murdered him!”

She wasn’t really aware of the purple-haired woman until a hard slap sent her reeling down the stairs. Getting slowly to her feet, she would have fallen again, only someone grabbed her by the arms and steadier her. She was aware of someone calling her name, but it too her several seconds to recognize the voice. “Linna?” she whispered.

“It’s all right,” her friend whispered back.

Another woman, wearing red biker’s leathers, shouldered past them, placing herself between both Irene and Linna and the woman who had struck Irene. In that split seconds, Irene realized the woman who had struck her was probably a boomer. She looked at the other two, and it was chillingly clear to her that they were also boomers.

Priss and the purple-haired boomer stared at each other, neither willing to back down. After a few seconds, Mason took another step down.“That’s enough,” he said sharply. “Stop it.”

Something buzzed nearby, and another of Mason’s aides, a woman with white hair, pulled out a phone and answered it. Mason ignore the boomer and glared at Irene. Even in her dazed state, Irene felt the coldness and hate directed at her through the glare. “We don’t welcome false accusations,” he said sternly. “We consider our corporate image important.”

The white haired boomer stepped forward and murmured something into Mason’s ear. Mason shifted his glare from Irene to the boomer and snatched the phone out of her hand. He took several steps up and away from Irene and her rescuers, but she could hear his first words. “Mister Van Vliet,” he hissed.

She didn’t hear the rest of the conversation, as Linna started pulling her away from Mason. “Let’s got out of here!” she whispered into Irene’s ear. Without further protest, Irene let her friend guide her down the stairs and through the crowd. The other woman trailed behind them, apparently watching their backs. In a matter of minutes, Irene was in the front passenger seat of a nondescript van, with Linna getting in the driver’s seat. The biker leaned in Linna’s window and said to her, “I’ll going to hang back and see if I can spot a tail. Be careful.” With that, she was gone.

Linna started the van and they drove off. After several minutes, Linna asked, “Are you all right?”

Irene nodded, her anger slipping into a sea of sorrow. “Jeremy’s dead,” she whispered.

“No, he isn’t,” Linna replied firmly. “He’s alive and in good health.”

Shock hit her like a lightning bolt “But –“

”He was never in there. Some people picked him up the night before last and got him away. He’s safe.”

“But how?”

“I’m not certain. Some people showed up at my place and showed me proof that Jeremy was all right. They asked me to help find you. I said yes.”

Irene sat there, stunned. “H-he’s really alive?” she whispered.

Linna nodded. “GENOM tried to kill him while he was being picked up, but he’s all right.”

“When can I see him?”

“Tomorrow morning at the earliest. The people who rescued Jeremy told me that we have to be careful. GENOM is still looking for Jeremy, and now, for you.”

“Me?” Irene squeaked. “Why me?”

“Because they may think you know where he is,” Linna replied. “That’s why we’re going to a place where you can hide for the day, then move you tomorrow morning.”

“But why are you involved?”

“Because I’m your friend. Because they convinced me that they had your best interests at heart. Because I couldn’t say no.”

Irene slumped into her seat, fatigue and emotional upheaval crashing into her consciousness like a tidal wave against a rock. She felt herself drifting in a hazy sea of dulled senses, as her emotional being dissolved. She should have been overwhelmed with happiness that Jeremy was alive, but she felt listless.

Then, like a lighthouse on a stormy night, a flash of light caught her eyes. The ring, her engagement ring was glittering again, and for the first time in a long time, she began to feel hope.

Linna nudged her. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“No,” Irene replied. “I want to talk to Jeremy.”

“They tell me that will be arranged when we get to the safehouse. When was the last time you ate?”

“I don’t remember.”

Linna was silent for a few seconds, then she said, “There’s a burger place with a drive through lane up ahead. I’m going to pull in. I think you’ll feel better after you’ve eaten.”

Irene would have preferred to sleep and maybe forget all about the events the last few hours as a dream, but her stomach grumbled displeasure at the lack of food. “All right,” she said.

*****

As soon as Leon came storming through the doors of the squad room, people made haste to get out of his way. Without slowing his marched across the room, ignoring everyone and everything with the exception of the chief’s office, where his glower was focused. Without knocking, she opened the door and stalked in, closing the door behind him with some force.

Chief Todo looked up from his desk. “Problem, Inspector?” he asked.

Leon slammed a report onto the chief’s desk. “Case closed?” he half-shouted. “It’s pressure from GENOM, isn’t it?”

The Chief push back from the desk and half turned his chair. Placing his hands over his middle, he said in a mater of fact tone, “Not at all. Upstairs has decided that it was merely an accident.” he turned his chair to face Leon. “There was no evidence of Boomers being involved.”
“What do they know?” Leon shot back. “They haven’t been to the scene.”

“You’ve got your hands full keeping a rein on boomer crimes!” Todo replied. “Such as that dead boomer from that car case two nights back!”

Leon ignore the jab. “Don’t you see, GENOM is trying to develop a monster boomer!”

Todo closed his eyes and raise a hand. “That’s just a wild hunch, right?” He opened his eyes and looked directly at Leon. “Nothing’s happened yet!”

Leon climbed onto the desk and leaned over so his face scant centimeters from his superior. “By the time something happens,” he growled, “it’ll be too late!”

With a growl of his own, Todo leaned forward, using the motion of his arm to force Leon to back off his desk. “I swear,” he shouted, “You’re the one who needs to be reined in!”

The younger man, still leaning on the desk, shouted, “Any time you want to take ‘early retirement’, let me know!”

“You’ve got some nerve saying that! You’re going to eat those words!”

Anyone who was listening to the argument would have been convinced that it was genuine. And in some ways it was real – Leon wasn’t faking his anger about being told the case was closed, and Todo got annoyed at the younger man’s brashness. But it was also as much show as substance.

Both knew that the ADP was, at best, a public relations band-aid for the politicians to hide behind. GENOM controlled the city, and that included the entire political and bureaucratic structure. The ADP could only do what the government told them they could do, and GENOM told the government. Chief Todo was caught in the crossfire – orders from on high were killing his people, yet to resign would have allowed GENOM to put a yes man in charge that would make matters even worse.

So Todo stayed, following orders as they came down, but allowing certain people, like Leon, a wide avenue to pursue things that needed to be chased down. The public arguments reenforced Leon’s image as a loose cannon and Todo’s as a follower of orders.

With the chief’s words ringing in his ears, Leon stalked back into the squad room. “I swear,” he growled, “it’s because of crap like this that we can’t stop boomer crimes.” That was for the benefit of any spies or listening devices located nearby. Far from being a paranoid mind set, both Leon and Todo had found enough evidence that both sorts of spies were in the building., making real discussion difficult at best.

Daley walked up. Like Leon and Todo, he knew the arguments were not a intense as they sounded, so he settled into the role of peacemaker between the two.

“You shouldn’t get so steamed.” he said, smiling. “I’ll help you relax tonight. How about it? We could go to a motel.”

The offer was a long running joke between the two of them, But right now, Leon needed to talk to Daley without the chance they would be overheard. “Okay,” he said walking away from his partner, “So we’ll go someplace where we can be alone, right?”

The redheaded Inspector followed him. “A patrol car?” he suggested.

“No,” Leon replied, “An ADP armored vehicle!”

Daley ignored the muted sounds of laughter as he followed Leon out of the squad room.

*****

The two inspectors reached the motor pool ten minutes later. The motor pool was a mass of noise and light, as mechanics did their best to repair and rebuild ADP vehicles that had been damaged or destroyed in action. The repairs went on continuously, as there was no telling when there would be a need for the vehicles.

Leon tapped a man in grease covered overalls and shouted, “Need a armored car for a few minutes! What’s handy?”

The mechanic pointed at a armored car in the corner. “Need someone to test drive that!” he shouted back.

“Fine!” motioning to Daley to come along, the two went over to the vehicle, and climbed in. As soon as the doors were closed, Leon nodded to Daley. The redhead removed a small device and waved it around the compartment. While Daly was doing that, Leon started the car up and put it into gear.

They drove out onto the street and were a full block away before Daley said, “It’s safe.”

“Good,” Leon replied.

“The Chief pull us off the explosion?”

“Yeah. Told me that there was pressure from on high to drop the case.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. You knew as soon as that Mason character was involved that things were going to go down hill.”

“Yeah, but it makes me wonder about something.”

“What?”

Leon glanced at his partner. “Johansson told me Mason was taking a trip out to Aqua City the night of the battle.”

“Well, there was a report of an unknown aircraft in the area about that time,” Daley said. “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking that maybe Aqua City and this explosion are connected.”

“How?”

“Johansson also told me he’s heard that USSD was nervous about their particle beam satellites for a while.”

“Let me guess,” Daley said dryly. “They got panicky about the time of the Aqua City incident.”

“Bingo. Now why would they get that way unless –“

”-- unless something with the ability to tie into the particle beam satellites was stolen from them.”

“Exactly.”

“So how does that tie in with the explosion at the lab?”

Leon made a turn onto a side street and accelerated again. “We know from the evidence that we found that the people in that lab were working on some sort of boomer, correct?”

“Yes,” Daley replied, “we found evidence of a boomer being in the room, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Well, you know as well as I do that no exploding boomer is going to do that much damage, even a military one. Those engineers were killed deliberately by someone who didn’t want anyone to know what they had been doing. And what does that mean?”

“It means GENOM was doing something illegal.”

Leon nodded. “And suppose the item that USSD lost was a device that could tie into the particle beam satellites, and GENOM stole it because they wanted to put it into a combat boomer?”

Daley shook his head. “That’s pretty thin. USSD won’t admit that they let something like that get away from them.”

“True,” Leon replied, “but that would explain why USSD had troops out at Aqua City before we could get there, plus it would explain why the Sabers were there. It would also explain the little girl I saw.”

“What little girl?”

“The one that the Sabers handed over to USSD. Maybe she wasn’t a real little girl. Maybe she was a boomer.”

Daley’s expression became one of skepticism. “Sounds like a long leap of faith.”

“But it fits the few Facts we have....” Leon stopped speaking. “Hikigane,” he said.

“What’s that?”

“A name Johansson came up with.”

“Trigger?”

“Or Gunlock....Oh shit.....”

“What?”

“Suppose Hikigane was the name of a project designed to develop something like a targeting system for the particle beam satellites. Something that could be used on the ground, in close proximity to the target.”

Daley shook his head. “Even if you developed something like you described, how would you get it into the area?”

“Inside a boomer.”

“Too suspicious.”

“Not if the boomer looked and acted like a six-year old.”

Daley was silent for several minutes. The secret of their success was his logic mixed with Leon’s instincts. Leon could go from point A to point D immediately, but it was up to Daley to trace the line of reasoning through points B and C to reach D. It wasn’t quite as simple as that, but it was close enough. “Too thin,” he said finally. “It holds together, but only just. The chief wouldn’t go for if even if the people upstairs let him.”

“I know,” Leon replied. “But it does fit what facts we do have.”

“We need more facts.”

Leon made another turn at an intersection. “I think I’ll ask Nene to take a look around the ‘net and see if she can find something to prove or disprove my theory.”

“Be careful,” Daley said, his expression grim. “USSD is no one to mess around with and GENOM is even worse.”

“I’m just trying to find out what the Hell is going on. Isn’t that our job?”

“Our job is to keep the lid on this mess of a city as long as we can,” the red-headed Inspector replied. “And if we find enough evidence to be a threat to someone, we’re going to be the ones who are going to be in trouble.”

“So, let’s not do anything stupid then.”

“Too late for that.”

Leon shrugged. “You will back me up?”

“Of course. Someone has to keep you out of trouble.”

“Good.” Leon made another turn, heading back towards the ADP building. “Let’s see if we can find out what Mason’s hiding.”

*****

It was two hours later when Linna drove into the Fault.

Irene had been feeling better until she saw Linna take an exit leading into the kilometers long gash in the earth’s crust. “Why are we going in there?” she asked.

“According to the people I’m helping, the safehouse is here in the Fault,” Linna replied. Irene noticed that her friend continuously glance in the rear view mirror, as if looking for someone. “There’s a small device in the bag next to you. They told me to turn it one once we entered the Fault.”

Irene pulled the small device out of the bag. “This?” she asked.

`”Yeah,” Linna replied. Irene looked it over. It wasn’t much, just a black box about the size of her hand with a button and small red light on it. “Push the button,“ Linna said. Irene did so, half-expecting the box to be a bomb of some type. But all the box did was chirp electronically, and the light to start flashing slowly.

“Good,” Linna said. “According to the instructions, we’re suppose to take a left at the bottom of the Fault and drive until the light on that box is flashing very quickly. We’re suppose to stop at that point and I call them on this.” Linna held up a simple looking cellular phone. “We’ll get the rest of the directions to the safe house then.”

The drive into the Fault was a bit unnerving for Irene. While she had lived in the city for a while, she had never been this close to this part of MegaTokyo. The people walking along the sidewalks looked shabbier then the people she was use to seeing, their expressions more guarded. The cars and buildings matched the people in looks and impressions. Age and decay hung in the air, sending a shiver through Irene.

Ten minutes later, the light on the box began to flash. Slowly at first, but gaining speed until it was flashing rapidly. “Linna,” Irene said, staring at the box and it’s light.

“I see it,” Linna replied. She pulled the van over to the side of the road and placed it in park, though she left the engine on. She picked up the phone and touched a button before placing it to her ear. “It me,” she said, then listened for about thirty seconds. “Got it.” She put the phone down, then looked at Irene. “We’re about five minutes away.”

Irene nodded. “Do you know who these people are?” she asked.

“I know of them well enough to know that they’re serious about helping you.” Linna put the van into drive.

About five minutes later, they stopped in front of a five story-tall apartment building that looked like it had seen better days. The area was almost in darkness, as the sun had drifted across the sky, and those streetlights that did light up were weak and dim.

Linna got out the van first, then leaned back in. “We’re here,” she said

Irene got out slowly, looking around nervously. “I-I don’t like this,” she said in a soft voice.

“It will be safer than staying out on the street or going back to your apartment,” Linna said, holding out a hand to her. “I can promise you that.”

Linna guided Irene into the building, through the worn lobby, and to the elevator. The car labored all the way up to the top floor. Linna stepped out and looked around. “This way,” she said. “We’re looking for apartment Five O Four.”

The found the apartment and Linna knocked on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened and Irene let out a scream and jumped back as the thing that answered the door wasn’t human, but some type of blue and pink boomer with a featureless head and think arms.

Linna gripped her by the arm. “It’s alright,” she said. “She’s here to help.”

“S-S-she’s a boomer!”

“No, I’m not,” the ‘boomer’ replied, sounding slightly annoyed. “I’m a Knight Saber.”

Linna pushed her friend into the apartment, past the one who had answered the door, and into the main room. Another figure stood there, looking a lot like the first one, only it was taller and was mostly white in color. “Welcome,” the second figure said.

Irene’s eyes were wide. “Yo-you’re a Knight Saber?” she asked.

“I am,” the figure replied. “You can call me White Saber. Would you like to sit?” The voice was female and the figure was matched the voice.

Irene fumbled around, trying to locate a chair without taking her eyes off of the Saber. When she did locate one, she sank slowly into it. “When can I talk to Jeremy?”

“Red Saber is making the final connections right now.”

A phone appeared in front of Irene’s face, held by a armored hand. “Here you go!” the Saber who had opened the door for them said cheerfully.

Irene took the phone from Red Saber’s hand gingerly, and held it to her ear. “H-Hello?” she said, her voice trembling.

“Irene?” a voice said. “Can you hear me?”

The voice sounded familiar, but she needed to hear more. “Is that you, Jeremy?” she asked.

“Yes, it’s me. Are you all right, darling?”

“How do I know it’s really you?” Irene asked, a knot of tension building in her stomach. “How do I know this isn’t some type of trick?”

The voice in the other end was quiet for a few seconds. “I don’t know. I wish we could be together right now, but the White Saber say that you’re in danger for the next day or so. She did promise me that as soon as it was possible, we would be together.”

Part of her really wanted to believe this was Jeremy she was talking to, but she needed to test him. “I see,” she said. “Remember when we were in the restaurant and you told me what you were really doing on the boomer project?”

“Yes.”

“During that dinner, I mentioned a friend’s name and you made a comment about her, do you remember?”

“Sort of. You mentioned...Lina? No...Linna. You said Linna and you had been discussing Boomers a couple of days before. And I said something like, ‘Your friend from the fitness club, the one who went through boyfriends the same way you went through parfaits’.”

Irene exhaled slowly. “What’s the name of my teddy bear?”

“Which one, the brown one or the blue one?”

“The one you gave me.”

“You mean Happy T. Bear. I still think you should have called him Blue instead of Happy.”

Irene giggled, the last of doubts wiped from her mind. Jeremy was alive and unhurt. “I’m fine, Jeremy,” she said. “Are you all right?”

“I’m a bit sore because I didn’t realize the people who came to get me weren’t working for GENOM,” Jeremy replied. “But nothing serious. I saw what happened at the lab last night, and I realize that GENOM doesn’t want the world to know what they’re doing with this boomer.” He was silent for a moment. “They tried to kill me Friday night. Sent one of those female assassins after me and the people sent to get me, only the Sabers stepped in and killed it before it could murder me and the others. I owe these people my life.”

“I-I see,” Irene said, looking up at the two Sabers in the room. Linna stood off to one side, watching Irene. “Are you safe for now?”

“Yes. I don’t know where I am, but they said it’ll only be fore a little while longer. They don’t want to move me until you’re here, and they want to make sure there’s no one following you.”

“Yes, I understand.” The White Saber was tapping a finger on her wrist in the signal for time. “I think White Saber wants me to end this conversation.”

“That’s probably a good idea. If GENOM wanted to, they could probably tap into every single telephone conversation in the city. Let’s not take any chances.”

“Okay.” Irene felt tears begin to form. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Irene managed to turn the telephone off before the tears came. Linna came over and knelt next to her. “Are you all right?” the brunette asked softly.

Irene managed to nod. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t be crying, but I can’t help it.”

“It’s all right to cry,” Linna replied. “That was Jeremy on the phone, wasn’t it?”

Irene nodded. She looked up at the White Saber. “Why are you helping us?” she asked.

“Because it is the right thing to do,” the armored woman replied. “GENOM is building something obscene, and they’ve already killed fifteen people to hide that fact from the world. Jeremy Kwan is the only one left alive who can tell the world about it.”

“And you think Jeremy won’t talk if I’m dead.”

“That was a consideration,” The White Saber replied. “But you are not a willing participant in this, and GENOM wants both you and Jeremy dead. I think it is best for everyone concerned that does not happen.”

Irene nodded, wiping the tears from her face. “So now what happens?”

“You and your friend stay here for the night, guarded by several of my team. Tomorrow morning, we’ll move you to where Jeremy is, and take it from there.”

“Come on,” said Linna, talking Irene by the arm. “Why don’t you lie down for a while?” the taller woman guided Irene into the smaller bedroom before closing the door.

It only took Irene five minutes for sleep to claim her.

*****

Cahira parked her car three block away from the target, in the darkness of an alley and got out of the vehicle. Staying in the darkness of the alley, she watched the building. The van was still parked in front of the building, some sort residential apartment structure, but there was little in the way of lights visible in the windows, which did seem somewhat unusual.

She continued to scan the building, looking for any obvious signs of security, but saw none. She thought for a moment, then removed a phone for her pocket. After the third ring, a voice said, “Yes?”

“The target has been located.”

“Excellent. Mister Mason insists that his people perform the operation, so you are to pass the information onto me.”

“Yes sir. What do you wish me to do once Mister Mason’s people arrive?”

“You are to stay and observe. If the operation is successful, you are to do nothing. However, I suspect that the operation will fail, and when that does happen, you are to take over and complete it.”

“I understand.”

“If the target knows of Mister Kwan’s location, by all means extract the information. But the objective must be eliminated. That is your first priority.”

“Yes sir.”

“I will contact Mister Mason. The team will be there in little over an hour. Observe and report everything to them, but do not become involved unless they fail.”

“Very well, sir. Anything else?”

“Yes. Be aware that the Knight Sabers are doubtlessly involved. Do not let them interfere. Call me when it’s over.”

“I will sir. Good-bye.” Cahira broke he connection and continued to watch. If the Sabers were involved, she intended to get some vengeance for the destruction of Gyda. Preferably in blood.......