“Is this a new variant of the Cybernetic Infantry Device?” Nadia asked carefully. From the tone of her voice, Brad knew exactly what she was thinking. Was this machine some new monstrosity that would drive his father insane over time?
Patrick shook his head. “Not really. Oh, the exoskeleton provides me with a little armor and I can access a few sensor capabilities, but that’s about it. Most of this hardware is dedicated solely to keeping me alive and functioning.” He offered her a rueful nod. “So my days as a combat pilot — either in the air or inside a robot — are over.”
Then he flashed a warm, appealing grin, the kind of smile that Brad had missed seeing for a long, long time. “But I can get around pretty well now in the LEAF.” His grin widened. “Hey, who knows? Maybe I’ll even be able to dance at your wedding.”
EPILOGUE
Trailed by his security detachment, Gennadiy Gryzlov strode onto a huge factory floor. An assembly line surrounded by computer-driven industrial robots ran down the middle of the enormous space. Dwarfed by their surroundings, a tiny group of scientists and engineers waited nervously near a pair of large doors at the end of the production line.
He joined them. “Well, what have you got?” he demanded.
One of the engineers keyed in a code, unlocking the doors. They slid smoothly aside. One by one, arc lights flared on — revealing a series of tall, motionless, human-shaped figures.
Gryzlov stood transfixed, hungrily staring up at the massive machines. They were more than ten feet high, with spindly arms and legs and elongated torsos. Smooth ovoids bristling with antennas and other sensor arrays took the place of heads.
Smiling now, he turned toward the senior scientist. “You have done very well, Dr. Aronov,” he said. “I congratulate you.”
The portly professor of cybernetics dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you, Mr. President. My team and I have worked hard.” He hesitated briefly. “But I confess that we would not have been able to achieve so much without being able to reverse-engineer so many systems.” He shook his head in amazement. “I would never have believed the Americans were so far ahead of us in so many fields. It would have required many years of painstaking research and development to achieve similar advances in actuator, sensor, and battery technology.”
Gryzlov nodded in satisfaction. While he would have preferred a live prisoner to interrogate, components salvaged from the Iron Wolf combat robots wrecked outside Perun’s Aerie had proved their worth a thousand times over. “And the neural interface technologies required to make these war machines fully operational?” he asked. “Have you been able to re-create them?”
Aronov looked apologetic. “I am afraid the haptic control interfaces suffered too much battle damage for us to replicate them,” he admitted. “My people have been working very hard on various alternatives, Mr. President… but without success so far.”
Gryzlov waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t be too concerned, Aronov.” He smiled coldly. “After all, we now know where to go to acquire the necessary information. When the time comes, you’ll have what you need to bring these machines to life.”
He nodded toward his guards, who ushered the scientists and engineers away — leaving him alone to revel in the knowledge that Russia would soon have its own lethal war robots. He smiled nastily, remembering Martindale’s arrogant boasts. The man had sneered when Gennadiy Gryzlov had promised that this war was not over. Well, the days were fast approaching when he would redeem that pledge — and this time it would be a war fought entirely on American soil.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Patrick Larkin for all his hard work.
About the Author
DALE BROWN is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, from Flight of the Old Dog (1987) to, most recently, Iron Wolf (2015). A former U.S. Air Force captain, he can often be found flying his own plane in the skies of the United States.
Also by Dale Brown
Iron Wolf
Starfire
Tiger’s Claw
A Time for Patriots
Executive Intent
Rogue Forces
Shadow Command
Strike Force
Edge of Battle
Act of War
Plan of Attack
Air Battle Force
Wings of Fire
Warrior Class
Battle Born
The Tin Man
Fatal Terrain
Shadow of Steel
Storming Heaven
Chains of Command
Night of the Hawk
Sky Masters
Hammerheads
Day of the Cheetah
Silver Tower
Flight of the Old Dog