“All freshly made at the Shark’s Cage,” Dusty said. “Won’t have any jams with those bullets or shells. Those Cazadores know what they’re doing.”
“Thank you, sir,” X said. He left the room with his new weapon slung over his shoulder. Miles followed him to their next stop, three floors down.
The hatch opened to a crisp night, the moon hanging high in the sky. X walked onto the platform where he had once surrendered to el Pulpo and his forces after a brutal fight.
He moved through the gardens, past the pool, toward the balcony overlooking the marina below. The burly figure of a soldier stood near the railing. X had a feeling this was where he would find the general.
Rhino was scanning the water for threats. He spun about when X stepped on a dry leaf. The blade of the spear flashed through the air and stopped just shy of his neck.
“Easy, there,” X said, stepping back.
Rhino lowered the blade.
“I’m sorry. I did not know—”
“Forget it,” X said.
He walked over to the balcony and took a moment to breathe in the salt air and admire the splendid view of white clouds scudding over gleaming water. Then he got down to business.
“General, I’ve ordered Lieutenant Sloan to prepare the Hive for battle,” X said. “I’ve already got this tower fortified the best I can, but there is still something we need more of.”
“What’s that, sir?”
“Soldiers.”
“Working on it, sir,” Rhino said.
X unslung his new rifle. “We’ve got another problem,” he said. “Star Grazer is at the bottom of the ocean.”
Rhino leaned forward, his jaw hanging open. “What?”
“Sunk by whales, apparently,” X said. “General Santiago is still alive, but the Cazador armada is hurting.”
“Buckets of shit!” Rhino muttered.
“That also leaves us with the same problem of dwindling oil reserves,” X said.
“I know.”
“I’m authorizing Mercury to escort a tanker to the Iron Reef for fuel as soon as Renegade and Shadow are back in service. That place just became crucial. We must protect it at all costs.” X sighed, dreading the answer to his next question. “How much fuel do we have left?” X asked.
“Not much, sir. Basically one full tank trailer.”
X looked out over the water again, thinking of his next order. It would hopefully take one of his problems off the table.
“I’ll have the militia secure that tanker,” X said. “And I want Carmela to lead the expedition to the Iron Reef, to secure the fuel outpost.”
“And Colonel Vargas?” Rhino asked.
“You dispatch him as soon as you can, General, and leave the security of the Vanguard Islands to me.” He raised his new rifle. “If Horn does show his mug, I’ll blow it off with double-aught buck.”
“We’re twenty miles from target,” Timothy said. “Cricket has reached the shore.”
“Good, hold us here,” Les said.
Michael stood on the bridge of Discovery with Magnolia, both of them armored and ready for the mission. They had finally made it to Rio de Janeiro, but a storm sat right over the target.
“Performing scans,” said the AI.
Les, Layla, Rodger, and Eevi sifted through the scan data streaming in. Using the new thrusters Michael installed on the journey over, the drone had flown to the shore, where it was now transmitting data back to the airship.
The door to the bridge whisked open, and Edgar Cervantes walked in with Sofia, both in armor. Edgar had a knife sheathed on his chest, and bandoliers of shotgun shells crisscrossing his body. He looked ready for a fight. So did Sofia, with her slung rifle and holstered blaster and pistols.
Behind the two divers were General Santiago and Lieutenant Alejo, also armored, though neither carried weapons. They wouldn’t be given any unless the mission was approved.
“Commander Everhart, the divers are almost ready,” Edgar said.
“Our team is ready to hunt,” Alejo said.
Hunt… Michael didn’t have any reason to distrust either Cazador officer, but he still didn’t like having them all on the boat with Magnolia and Rodger.
“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Les said. “Head belowdecks and stand by for orders.”
The men left, but Edgar and Sofia remained behind.
“General Santiago and Lieutenant Alejo aren’t stupid,” Sofia said. “But if they suddenly get that way, I’ll be the first to cut their hearts out.”
Magnolia grinned. “I bet you will.”
“How are the skies looking, Ensign Corey?” Les asked.
“There’s a big storm over the entire coastline,” Eevi replied. “It extends inland, which pretty much makes flying or diving too risky.”
“Lowering the ship could get us blown out of the sky if defectors are here,” Michael said. “We need a subtler approach.”
“I’ve identified a potential pocket in the storm that we could fly through,” Timothy said. “It will be bumpy getting there, but if we make it, the divers could jump. Take a look.”
Eevi bent down. “That looks promising,” she said. “But what about the Sea Wolf?”
“I’ve located a spot to drop them off a few miles from the coast,” Timothy said. “Choppy seas, but they should be fine.”
“What do you think, Mags?” Les asked. “You sure you’re up for it?”
“Of course we are,” Rodger said.
Magnolia laughed. “Who said you’re going, bright eyes?”
He frowned, and she nudged him. “Just kiddin’, Rodger Dodger. But you better not get seasick.”
“Okay, then,” Les said, “if the scans come back clean, we drop off the Sea Wolf, then move into position to drop Team Raptor in.”
“I’m sorry, Captain, but there is one problem,” Timothy said.
“What’s that?” Les said.
“I’m afraid we need to get closer to shore to complete these scans. Too much interference from the storm to scan for exhaust plumes, and Cricket doesn’t have the range.”
“All right, plot us a course and do your scans,” Les said.
The six thrusters fired, accelerating the airship toward the coast.
“Magnolia, Rodger, prepare to depart on the Sea Wolf,” Les said. He looked to Michael. “You better get to the launch bay, Commander. Stand by for scans and orders.”
Michael walked over to Layla, who stood at her chair, wincing slightly.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Bray’s just been really active today.”
Michael looked down at her belly and felt a twinge of anxiety.
“We’ll be fine, and you will be, too,” she said. “I love you, Tin.”
“And I love you,” Michael said.
He kissed her goodbye as the ship rumbled into the storm clouds. Lightning glanced off the bow, rattling bulkheads. By the time he got to the launch bay, the other divers were suited up.
“Listen up, everyone,” Michael announced. “The moment we get the green light, we’re diving. If you’ve changed your mind, I won’t hold it against you, but you need to decide now.”
When no one moved, he clapped his hands together.
“Okay, then, let’s move it, people.”
With the technicians’ help, the team did their final gear preps. The blue slashes outside the porthole windows felt like a harbinger of things to come.
“Captain Mitchells, this is Raptor One,” Michael said. “How we looking up there?”
“Almost in position, Raptor One. Stand by for orders.”