“No shit,” Eddie added.
“I know the owner, Sir. He says you can depend on her.”
“To do what, give us a quick death?”
“All right, Rains,” said Taylor, leaping up to the delivery pilot. “Thank you, we’ll take her.”
The man left as quickly on foot as he had arrived by air, but it wasn’t the last he had heard of Rains.
“Come on, Mitch, I’m all up for this, but in that heap of junk? It’s suicide!”
“Yeah, well, we’ve been through worse and made it out.”
“But…”
“But nothing!” he yelled.
Rains was silenced and surprised at his sharp response.
“I know this sucks, but we’re on the clock here, and this is our only chance. I asked you twice if you wanted to leave, and I’ll only ask once more. We’re gonna have to go through a whole load of crazy before this is over, so this is the last time, are you with me?”
He looked to Rains who turned and gave the ship another once over. He paced up to it. They were all silent, watching him run his hand down the bow of the ship. It was twice the size of one of their copters and obviously a clumsy beast.
“It has a little charm, at least,” he replied.
Taylor smiled. He knew the hard sell had been made.
“Right then, load up. We’re moving out!”
Chapter 11
Taylor stood over Rains as he powered up Adrienne, and they began to lift off the ground. The ship shook a little, and her engine exhaust ports crackled in a way that made Eddie grit his teeth and wince.
"Never thought I'd see the day where you wanted me to fly a coffin to war," he said.
"She ain't so bad. She's got character, you have to admit."
"Oh, yeah, character certainly, just no positive qualities. This is one old girl falling apart at the seams. She should be laid to rest at a junk yard, or maybe donated to a trailer park."
Taylor smiled. Rains’ whining always entertained him. He turned and looked to the other copter crews that had come to his aid, now sitting as passengers the same as the rest of them. They carried carbines from their craft but had no armour to speak of.
"Your job is to guard this bird wherever you go, got it?"
They looked as suspicious of the ship as of Taylor, but nodded in acceptance.
"Yes, Sir."
Silva and Parker stepped up beside him. They were now clearly looking to him for answers.
"We'll split what we have into three squads. I'll take first, Silva, second, Parker you get third. I'll leave it to you to organise."
"Yes, Sir, but what about the mission?"
"What about it, Silva?"
"You got any idea how we're gonna find this Armand?" asked Parker.
"I know someone who can help. Just waiting to hear back."
"Bit of a long shot, don't you think?" asked Silva.
"You should be used to it by now. We lived on long shots during the war."
He shrugged. It was hard to disagree.
"Sir, we're coming up on the border. What do you want me to do?" asked Rains.
"Stay well away from the north and Belgium, cross near Saarbrucken, and remember, this is a civilian transport. Follow no military protocols, and give no implication of them either. That shouldn't be too hard for you."
"No, Siree."
"You think they'll just let us cross over?"
"There have been open borders here for a few hundred years, Parker. Until war is declared, I see no reason for that to change."
"Apart from France departing the UEN?" asked Silva.
Taylor shrugged. He could only hope they'd make it through.
Rains looked back at them.
"What's our story for being here?"
"University sightseeing."
"War's breaking out, and you think that story will hold?"
"That war hasn't broken out yet. As far as most people are concerned, this is just the usual strife in the World. Until it hits their doorsteps, they won't pay it much heed. If they do thermal identity checks as we pass by, I want it to look right we having this many aboard and little cargo."
"Sir, we got a call coming in," replied Rains, "It's anonymous and secure."
"Put it through to my pad."
Taylor lifted up the device and accepted the call. A projection appeared before them of a UEN officer they all recognised, Lukas Becker. But gone were his Captain’s pips, replaced with a single one wrapped with a laurel.
"Major?" asked Taylor, "Congratulations on the promotion."
"And yours, Colonel, but shall we get down to business?"
"Certainly."
"You are the last person I expected to hear from at this time, and your recent stints in the World news have not endeared you to many hearts. And yet, out of the blue, I get a request from you that is most bizarre, and to fulfil would be a complete breach of my duty. Would you like to expand any further?
"I wish I could explain it all in a way which would make some sense and you could believe, but honestly I can't. You know me Becker, and you know where my loyalties lie. What I am telling you, is the information I need from you is vital in maintaining the defence of Earth from future conflict."
"And what of this conflict growing now?"
"It's all linked. I know it's crazy, all of it, but you'll just have to trust me."
Becker shook his head. They both knew it was asking a lot.
"You want the location of a high ranking government official of my country, and I can only imagine that means you want to either kill or kidnap him, because it surely is not for a conversation."
Taylor nodded in agreement. "It's not about loyalty to one’s country any more, Becker, but loyalty to Earth and the human race."
"And if I do this for you, and my involvement is ever known, it will be the end of my career; the end of my life. I'll be behind bars till the day I die."
"I promise you that if we do not succeed in getting hold of Armand, your life will be over soon enough, anyway."
"You're expecting a lot of faith, based on little information or fact."
"Yes, and that's all I can tell you at this point. You know I'd do anything to protect this world. You know me. I'd only come to you with such a big ask if there was no other way."
"And if I say no?"
"I can't force you to help, but if you don't, well... I guess we're fucked."
Becker looked away as he thought about it. Taylor could see Parker watching anxiously to his side.
"Come on, Major, you're our only hope," Silva pleaded.
He finally looked up to address Taylor.
"Colonel, a lot has been asked of me, by you and many countless others over the last few years, but nobody has ever asked me to betray my country. I'll give you the information you ask for because I trust you, but do not let me regret it, or God help me, I will claw my way out of whatever hell I am imprisoned and chase you to the end of the galaxy."
Taylor smiled back. "Glad to see we understand one another. There'll come a time where we stand beside one another in combat again, Major. Sooner than you think, I suspect."
"All right. Councillor Armand is currently at an isolated schloss in the mountains near Mittenwald."
"Schloss?" asked Parker.
"Like a castle or something?" Silva joined in.
"Yes, that kind of thing," replied Becker, "I have heard of this facility in the past year. Nobody I ask about it seems to know exactly what goes on there. Clearance is required to go there. Clearance from above my grade."
"What are you saying this place is?"
"Honestly, Colonel, I do not know. It is simply called Schloss Mittenwald, despite being a number of kilometres from the town. I am not entirely sure what it used to be before this title. Little attempt has been made to hide its location, only what goes on inside."