Starfire Read online

  “He’ll get away. He’ll drive back to Barrow and disappear into the town. How will we know who did this?”

  “You don’t know for sure that’s the shooter,” she said. “It could be a scientist making a run for it.”

  “Right. Damn it! Right.”

  He lowered the rifle, then brought it up again. He aimed at the snow cat, and he fired a single shot. The glass on a rear window of the cab turned white and a hole appeared.

  Yuki sucked air through her teeth.

  The snow cat swerved, but then sped up. Edwin popped off another shot, destroying another window, then another.

  Finally, the driver had had enough. He swerved into the gatehouse and crashed. A figure fell out and rolled away.

  “Did you hit him?” she asked in a whisper.

  “No—at least I hope not. I was aiming at the back windows.”

  “Good, I thought—”

  She got no further. The snow near them jumped. There was no cracking sound of a gun, but the evidence of a bullet striking nearby was undeniable.

  They ducked down and huddled in the snow.

  “He’s got a silencer, or something,” Edwin said. “That must be it.”

  “Shhh,” she said, getting her gun out. She took off one glove so that she could get her finger onto the trigger. She’d fired a few guns in her life, but only for fun. This wasn’t fun at all.

  Her hand felt the sharp cold immediately. She knew that her fingers would be numb in twenty minutes. But by then, this would probably be over with one way or another.

  Edwin stood suddenly and popped off several shots in rapid succession.

  “Do you see him?”

  “No,” he said, aiming at the guardhouse.

  Yuki saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone was coming up behind them, moving up the ridge.

  A figure loomed, a white plume of breath coming out of his face. He had a black beard and a hat that was folded and covered in fur. He aimed his gun at Edwin’s back.

  Yuki didn’t follow Edwin’s instructions—not exactly. She fired off all seven of her bullets in rapid succession. He’d told her to take it easy, squeezing off one at a time. Instead, she sprayed at the intruder.

  She got lucky. One of the rounds—she thought later it was the third one—hit the man’s beard. The jaw behind that beard was destroyed, and he went down. Yuki kept firing, out of panic or rage, she couldn’t be sure. But when she was done, he was dead in the snow.

  Before he fell, the assassin had gotten off a shot of his own. Breathing so hard she was gasping, she turned back to Edwin.

  “Are you hit?” she asked. She felt her own body. “I don’t think I am.”

  Then they both noticed the puff of feathers floating around Edwin. It dawned on her that he was wearing a down parka. He had a shocked look on his face.

  She rushed to him, knees pumping in the thick snow. She ran her hands over him and finally, together, they found the bullet hole.

  Edwin grinned, putting his finger through it. There was a matching hole nearby in the fabric, but no blood.

  “He shot my coat,” he said, and laughed.

  She slapped him in relief, then collapsed back onto the snow bank beside the assassin’s corpse. She was shaking and in pain, but she was also grinning and unbelievably glad to be alive.

  Chapter 21

  Lab 126, Alaska’s North Slope

  Twilight

  Yuki and Edwin climbed down the snow bank and crept into the facility. There were security doors on every building, but Edwin found a pass-card.

  Inside, they encountered a mess. There were bodies in every major room, perhaps twenty in all.

  “What are we going to do, Edwin?” she whispered. “This is crazy. Who would kill all these innocent people?”

  “We’ve got to report in,” he said. “Then we have to set up to survive for about ten hours.”

  “Survive?” she asked. Her mind was full of terrors like polar bears, assassins and the like.

  “Yes. The heat and power have been shut off. I’m afraid the generators might have been damaged. The temperature is going to drop steadily.”

  She looked around, imagining a slick coating of frost covering everything. It was easy to do.

  “You need medical attention first,” he said. “Come on, I’ve got some skill with sutures.”

  She followed him to an emergency locker. They broke out supplies, drank water and ate rations. Setting up a propane heater, Edwin had her pull her shoulder out into the open air. Her clothes pulled at her scabbed flesh, and she winced.

  “The fabric is in the wound,” he said. “Fortunately, the bullet seems to have gone right through you. I think it might have chipped a bone, but I doubt it’s shattered.”

  “What bone?” she asked, feeling a little sick.

  “Your clavicle.”

  “Why don’t you think it’s broken up? It hurts like hell.”

  “With that kind of injury your shoulder would sag down. I’m not seeing that.”

  She made a hissing sound as she visualized this. He worked on her wound, prodding it and pulling out strips of cloth. It began bleeding again, and he sprinkled powder over it and patched it with a large bandage.

  “You’ll live,” he announced, “at least until we can get real medical help.”

  “Thanks,” she said, putting her hand on his. “For everything.”

  “You saved my life as surely as I did yours, little lady.”

  She blinked at being called a “little lady” but took no offense. Edwin was just being friendly, and currently, she had more pressing problems.

  After they’d taken care of the basics, Yuki considered sleeping. Although she was exhausted, she was just too wound up on adrenaline to relax now. She followed Edwin around the various lab buildings, looking for survivors and clues as to what had happened.

  They found a surprise in the building closest to the docks. As they approached, thumping footsteps rang out ahead of them.

  “Someone's inside,” Edwin said, raising his rifle.

  Yuki removed her right glove and wrapped her fingers around her pistol. Edwin had seen fit to reload it for her, as she’d made good use of it already today. The grip was freezing in her hand, almost painfully so, but there was no way she could fire it in a thick, arctic-rated glove.

  They opened the door to the building and poked their noses inside, staying low. There were desks in the dimly lit room, and they crouched behind the first one they found. Nothing stirred.

  “I’m armed,” Edwin said. “Identify yourself.”

  Nothing.

  Edwin and Yuki exchanged glances. “Identify yourself first,” she whispered to Edwin.

  “Right. Dr. Edwin Goody here,” he shouted. “Lab 126 security. Is there anyone here I can talk to?”

  There was a rustling sound, and a hissing release of breath. “Go away. We’re armed,” came a response at last. To Yuki, the voice sounded male and frightened.

  “Okay,” Edwin said. “I’m going to have to ask you all to exit out onto the dock, one at a time.”

  “What? So you can shoot us and drop us into the ocean? We know you’re lying, killer. Get out of here or we’ll burn you.”

  “Lying about what?”

  “There isn’t anyone on security named Edwin.”

  “I’ve been here several times doing contract clearances, but I’ve been permanently assigned now on site. I landed in Barrow today. A man named Belish was supposed to be my supervisor.”

  There were some whispers. Yuki wondered if they really did have weapons of some kind. She figured they might have, as they’d certainly had time to gather them.

  “Where’s Belish then?” asked the frightened voice.

  “Dead. They got his snow cat coming out to the lab. They got both of the cats. Me and Dr. Tanaka here are the only survivors.”

  More rustling and whispers. Finally, someone stood up and came forward. He looked at both of them.

  He was
middle-aged and wore thick glasses. He extended a trembling hand toward Edwin and Yuki.

  “Good to meet you Edwin—at least I hope it is. I’m Dr. Samuels, oceanography.”

  Edwin slowly stood up and gripped the man's hand in return. The two smiled like old friends.

  “Sorry I took so long to get out here on the job,” Edwin said.

  “I’m just glad you made it through at all. What’s our situation?”

  Edwin shook his head. “Not good if more assailants are on their way. We’ve got two pistols and my rifle. Who’s in charge?”

  Two other soft-looking science types came up slowly. Yuki saw they had made Molotov cocktails. They’d been serious about burning intruders. They smelled of gasoline and their eyes were glassy with fear.

  Everyone looked at one another. “The lab director is dead,” Dr. Samuels said. “You say Belish didn’t make it—well since this is a security situation, I’m guessing you are in charge, Edwin. At least for now.”

  Edwin nodded. “Great,” he said. “Maybe I’ll get a raise.”

  Chapter 22

  Area 51, Gamma Level

  Underground

  Dr. Linscott had heard of Area 51—who hadn’t? In scientific circles the story had always been that it was a long misunderstood place. It was a known government installation located out in the desert of central Nevada. Secretive yes, but magical no. Dedicated to working on experimental aircraft, the base had been operating since the Cold War. People who’d learned about it had naturally let their fantasies about the place get the better of them.

  That was the story behind the story, and she’d always believed it because she was a person of science. Her kind demanded hard evidence before they were willing to let their minds take leaps. She didn’t trust her government—she didn’t trust anyone’s government—but that didn’t mean every conspiracy theorist was right.

  But now here she was, deep under the ground after having endured security such as she’d never seen. Deemed a security risk, she’d functionally become a prisoner at Area 51 for several days.

  Unsmiling agents had begun a seemingly endless interrogation four days earlier. They’d taken her to Travis AFB, followed by a two hour flight eastward on a transport. After arriving at Area 51, she’d been led underground and locked in a “visitor’s facility”—in other words, a jail cell.

  Outside her door was a corridor. She knew that much, as she could see it through wired glass. Sometimes, even that tiny porthole was electronically turned opaque. Except for glimpses she was allowed to gain through it, she had no idea what was going on in this place.

  Each day, several times a day, the armed “attendant” gently pushed her back into her “room” after providing her with food and various other necessities. The guard was a well-built black man who had no name patch on his uniform, and who gave her nothing more than a smile when she demanded to know who he was. She consistently called him “guard” to which he took mild offense.

  She’d asked to be released, of course, and that her phone be returned. She asked to be allowed to talk to Detective Perez and many other things. On the second day, her requests had transformed into demands, but it didn’t matter. Everything she asked for was politely refused.

  “Guard, you can’t hold me like this,” she said, arms crossed as he came to deliver a meal to her.

  “I’m sorry, Dr. Linscott. You aren’t being held. You’re employed here.”

  Her lips became tight lines on her face. “This is bullshit. All I did was wiggle my finger over a tablet, for Christ’s sake! That’s not an excuse to lock me into an underground cell!”

  As usual, the guard looked pained. “Your situation is unusual,” he said. “You have to understand, you’ve been a suspect all this time. We have to make sure we know exactly who we’re dealing with.”

  Jackie’s mind was racing. The guard had never before provided her with such detailed information. During previous encounters, he’d dodged everything she threw at him. His manner of speech had changed as well, she realized. He no longer sounded like a standard soldier.

  “Something’s changed,” she said. “They gave you approval to speak. That’s it, isn’t it?”

  He looked momentarily conflicted. “Yes,” he said. “You’ve passed all our preliminary investigations. Your case has moved to the next step.”

  “What next step?”

  “You’re to be debriefed. It’s now been deemed safe to allow you to mingle among the general population. You can meet your teammates today, if you like.”

  “Teammates? Don’t you mean fellow inmates?”

  “Your bitter attitude has not helped your case, Dr. Linscott. You must understand that each of these discussions has been recorded, reviewed and carefully evaluated. Your combative behavior has delayed your induction process by two full days.”

  Her jaw sagged. The gall of these people!

  “You mean that by complaining I’ve kept myself in purgatory longer?”

  “Exactly.”

  She narrowed her eyes and glared him. His demeanor had undeniably shifted. His speech was more sophisticated than it had been before…suddenly, she thought she had the answer.

  “You’ve been evaluating me, haven’t you? Who are you? What are you? Some kind of shrink?”

  The man smiled. “I’m a psychiatrist, among other things, yes.”

  He reached up to his blue uniform and pulled away a strip of tape. His name was revealed underneath, stenciled into the cloth. It read: Major William Clark. She eyed it thoughtfully, mind racing.

  “A major, huh? You had me pissing myself, Major Clark. Did you know that?”

  His eyes sparkled with amusement. “My apologies. That was never my intent.”

  “What was your intent?”

  “I’m responsible for team balance. You have to understand, there were several difficulties with your case. You came in from a situation that had been characterized as ‘uncontrolled’.”

  “Yeah,” she said, thinking of the bombings and the car wreck. “I didn’t come here after an interview in a coffee shop. What I don’t get is why you guys are so terribly interested in dragging me here in the first place. Even stranger, after you actually managed to get me out here, you locked me up.”

  Major Clark shrugged helplessly and gave his head a slow, apologetic shake. “I’m sorry. The situation outside the facility has intensified. We had to know you weren’t a mole of some kind.”

  “What finally convinced you?”

  “Would you like to take a little walk with me?” he asked.

  She hesitated for less than a second. “You mean, out of this damned room?”

  “Precisely.”

  She took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Damned right I want out of here. I’ve been going crazy in this cell. No phone, no internet. My folks are probably putting out an all-points-bulletin on me.”

  “We took care of all that. They know you’re involved in a new project and unable to respond to personal communications.”

  Jackie didn’t like that. She knew her parents well. Her dad—especially her dad—wouldn’t take well to the news she was working for the government in any capacity. He’d been in anti-war riots in his youth, and he didn’t trust a government man farther than he could throw one. Not even half that far.

  “This way, please,” Major Clark said.

  She followed him and chided herself for eyeing the gun on his hip. She doubted she could get it away from him, much less use it effectively to escape this place. She’d have to cooperate for now.

  Clark led her down a long, echoing corridor. Bright recessed lights lit up white walls. The place looked like the inside of the science department in any modern university. The biggest difference was the heavily layered security.

  There were cameras in the ceiling behind tinted domes. Every door had a thick round porthole in it with a computer pad embedded in the wall on the left side. The portholes were all opaque, silvered over as if electronically altered. Ther
e were no door handles, either. She could only imagine what it took to open one of these thick doors. Thumbprints, voice ID—maybe even retinal scans. These doors only opened for people who were supposed to open them, and biometrics were used to make sure the right person walked through.

  They came at last to the door at the far end of the hallway. This door was larger, and there were even more elaborate security systems in evidence guarding it. In fact, if she hadn't known better, she would have thought the twin nozzles that aimed at her from the two corner ceiling points on either side above the door might be there to expel something. What might that be? Water? Gas? Maybe even a gush of flame? The idea made her shudder.

  When her eyes returned to Major Clark, she found he was watching her carefully. She flushed. She had the impression he was reading her mind as confused thoughts glided over it.

  “What’s behind this door?” she asked. “It must be something pretty serious. This security is extreme.”

  “You’re right,” Clark said. Then he fell silent again, watching her.

  “Well, are you going to open it?”

  “Yes—if you want me to.”

  She eyed him suspiciously. “What? Are there consequences?”

  “Yes, there definitely are. Once you step through this door, Dr. Linscott, your life will change forever. The details of the agreement you signed will go into effect, permanently and irrevocably.”

  “What if I don’t want to see any secrets?”

  “Then you will be—fired. You’ll be expelled from the program. Your new clearances and status will be revoked.”

  A slow smile came over her face at his words. Major Clark lifted his hand in supplication. “Please, don’t take that option. We need you.”

  She thought about that. “All this is about my work on the EM-Drive, isn’t it? Why? Have you got something better than a working prototype? If so, you don’t need me. All this security can only mean that you’ve already done more with the drive than I have. I don’t see how I can help you.”

  “Let me assure you, you’re essential to this project. That’s all I can say without your go-ahead. This is the last chance you have to exit the program cleanly. I urge you not to do so.”