2020 – Rebel, chapter one
The grenade flew through the air, hit the ground, and bounced once before finally coming to rest next to an oil drum. A second passed, and then both exploded, sending a small pink shape flying.
"Take that!" Ty crowed, pumping a fist in the air. "I declare war on Team 17!"
The smile fell from his face as a grenade was lobbed straight back at him.
"And that," said a very satisfied Pete, "Would be Charlie sending Team Tyler to the bottom of the ocean."
Kate scrutinised the 'battle field' in front of her. "I don't get it," she admitted after a pause.
"It's a game," Pete explained succinctly.
"Simulator."
"It's a game that Ty likes to pretend is a simulator."
"Teaches me how to throw grenades. And shoot things."
"Like you need a simulator to teach you that."
"We don't get to throw live grenades on the practise field," Ty pointed out.
Pete rolled his eyes. "And that is really a live grenade," he muttered. Kate looked at the fist-sized ball that was used to represent the various grenade and cluster bomb style weapons.
"Worms War I – the best game this century."
"I thought it was a simulator," Kate teased, and Ty paused, considering his own words.
"Why don't you have a go?" Pete suggested, and Kate snorted.
"Game or simulator, I'm dealing with six hours of training a day. I don't need any more."
The two men exchanged a glance. "She... has a point," Ty admitted.
Pete yawned in agreement. "Yep. And in one sentence she renders useless something you worked on for three months."
Kate raised an eyebrow at Ty, who grinned wryly. "I made it a simulator. Before it was just a game. I broke into the code and added a few... improvements."
Kate smirked. She and Mike had been rebels for over a month now, and the relaxed energy that always existed within the camp was addictive. The only thing that continued to annoy her was the fact that he had already been on two missions – one an attack on an Alphae weapon storage base, the other a carefully planned break-out of an ex-politician – and she was yet to leave the camp. Her leg had healed reasonably quickly, more due to her own stubborn will than to the great skill of the camp's lead medic.
"If you don't like my simulator, why are you watching?" Ty asked, interrupting her train of thought.
"Spreading the word. Meeting this afternoon."
"Oh, goody," Ty exclaimed, giving her an exaggerated grin. "Maybe we get to blow something up."
***
"War's over," Jim said in disgust. "Ceasefire is now permanent; the UN has decided forcing a well-trained force out of its stronghold isn't worth the effort, time, or money. Imports and exports may recommence within a few months, as will tourism."
There was an angry murmur around the room. Nearly fifty rebels were gathered into the war room, listening to Jim's report. The rebels preferred not to use formal titles or ranks, but Kate had a growing suspicion Jim was the 'unofficial' 2IC of the camp.
"What does this development mean for us?" called Heath Stanton from near the back of the room. The newest arrival to the camp, he was a strongly built man in his early forties with golden hair and blue eyes. A short beard framed his chin and mouth, and he smiled easily despite the grim situation.
In the centre of the room, Jim nodded slowly. "It helps, in a way. We are no longer having to defend ourselves on two sides. Unfortunately, it means that the Alphae aren't defending on two sides either, and can focus more strongly on us. On a more practical level, it might stabilise the economy a bit." His focus suddenly shifted, resting on the face of a young man with curly black hair standing next to him. "Ben."
"Over the past week, I've been trying to set up a database of known Alphae and Allied officials. While the latter may no longer be of great importance, the former is, and I would like to continue it."
"This sounds good," Mike whispered into Kate's ear, and she jumped.
"Where'd you come from?" she asked, but Ben continued before he could answer.
"The closest Alphae base that would contain this information would be here, twenty kilometres north of the South Australian borderline."
As he spoke, a projector flashed, and a three dimensional image appeared in mid-air. The device sent out a stream of nanoparticles that would have floated away but for the pull of gravity, which was just enough to keep them in place. An image could then be projected onto the hovering particles instead of onto a flat screen.
A stretch of red desert was visible, and Ben carefully zoomed in until it showed an aerial view of a small town.
"Unfortunately, it is one of the most heavily guarded Alphae bases in this half of the country." The image zoomed in again, then panned down, so they were looking at one particular building as if from ground level. It rotated slowly, showing the entire exterior to everyone around it.
A pair of thick steel gates rose four metres into the air. Two fences ran around the entire compound, each as tall as the gate and each with rolls of barbed wire atop it. Suddenly the image flickered, and the realistic desert colours changed to various shades of blue. Kate stared, confused, until she realised that this must be an ultraviolet sensor – between the two fences she could now see a flickering green line.
"I'm sure you're all familiar with the problems created by fences," Ben said, as if sensing Kate's confusion. "But between the two fences is a motion detector – long story short, using ladders to climb over the fence is a no-go."
Several suggestions were made and discounted; how about a "bridge" made of ladders, up the side of the first fence, across the top and then down on the inside? No, because that would leave the invaders vulnerable to the human guards watching the fence. Tunnel underneath? Would be too time consuming and unstable. Bust open the gate? Subtle. We're trying to be subtle.
"How are the gates operated? Is it mechanical?"
The group turned curiously to the speaker, a young woman named Grace. She had been at the camp for nearly four years – her husband was somehow involved with Ace and the Alphae and, disgusted by his actions, Grace had left home to seek out the Resistance Fighters, later to be known simply as Rebels.
Something else about her caught Kate's eye, however. She was five months pregnant. The father could only be someone from camp, but Grace wasn't saying who – and she had never been observed to be in a relationship.
"Here," Ben said, answering Grace's question and pulling Kate back to the discussion at hand. "This switch here, inside the guard house, controls the gate mechanics."
"So we'd only need one person inside the fence, someone who could open the gate?"
Everyone in the room took a moment to consider the idea. Eventually Ben nodded, glancing at Jim.
"One person in, who can overpower any guards they come across, and open the gate. Opening the gate isn't exactly subtle, but..." Jim trailed off. Then he shook his head. "Anyway, we still need someone inside, and so far there's no obvious way of getting past the fence."
"What other buildings are in the area?" Kate asked. Surprised by the question, Ben quickly turned to his computer and brought the image out, revealing the small town around the Alphae compound. For a moment, Kate studied the map, while everyone else waited to hear her idea.
***
As Kate lifted an arm and pointed at one of the buildings not too far from their target, Ty followed her gaze, wondering what she could be thinking. "There," she began. "What's in there?"
"Uh, I'm not too sure," Ben admitted. "I don't think it's Alphae owned... there's little to no security around it."
"Parachute," Kate suggested. Several of the rebels nodded, but most appeared confused. She elaborated. "From top floor of that building, parachute across. Would have to be at night, of course. One person."
Ty grimaced, thinking about the game Kate had interrupted earlier that morning. She'd come in just as one of his worms was parachuting from one rocky outcropping to another. He turned to Pete.
"Why didn't I think of that? It's my simulator."
***
Plans for the attack – and what would need to happen once the rebels were inside – continued to evolve as the afternoon continued. Several other ideas for entrance were raised, but in the end, Kate's parachuting plan seemed most likely to work.
Once inside the base, the team would need to move into the building undetected and attach a wireless transmitter somewhere it wouldn't be easily found. Ben and Ty – the two most techno-handy people in the camp – would have it coded to automatically begin cracking the Alphae computer security and transmit all the data it could find back to base.
All the rebels has to do after planting the device was get out. Theoretically simple, however Ben's information about the security levels in the base kept everyone glued to reality.
Then began the debate about who would go. The best number for this sort of mission would be four people, including whoever would be parachuting.
"You're not jumping off that building," Mike murmured into Kate's ear. He didn't need to ask to know that she wanted to go and, while he knew he didn't have a chance of being able to dissuade her, he needed to lay some ground rules.
"I wasn't going to," she replied, turning her head slightly towards him, and he caught the flash of annoyance on her face.
"Sure you weren't."
Before she could reply, someone else was talking. Kate quickly tapped her ear, then closed her fingers together. The motion took less than a second, but six years of practise allowed Mike to catch her message; My life – my choice.
Over four hours after the group had entered the war room, the meeting drew to a close. Those going on the mission, including Kate, would meet again later to plan further.
But before anyone could leave, the door opened and Aiden hurried in. Caught halfway between boy and man, he was desperate to join the rebels in active fighting, but – for good reason – the council continued to refuse him. Ignoring the curious glances of those who had seen his rushed entrance, Aiden approached Jim and the two had a quick whispered conversation.
Kate studied Jim's face. There was no sign of worry or fear; instead, a vague excitement. A second later, he nodded and Aiden scampered off.
Almost instinctively, the group sensed that news had arrived, and silence fell as they turned to Jim.
"As you know, Flanagan's Stealth group, often referred to as the southern rebel sector, managed to drive the Alphae from Coober Pedy – and thereby half of South Australia – two months ago. Since then, they've been taking control of as many SA towns as possible."
There were a few nods and murmurs of approval. Sean Flanagan and his southern rebels were on fairly good terms with the central group to which Mike and Kate were now attached.
"We just received word that they've taken Adelaide."
For an instant, there was silence, and then came the first sounds of excitement.
The rebels now controlled two major cities – Adelaide and Melbourne.
***
Infused with this knowledge, the foursome chosen to infiltrate the Alphae base doubled their planning efforts. There was very little in the outback that required major attacks, and yet the central group was one of the largest, although this was possibly because of its high civilian count. Interaction between the rebel sectors – which had each been formed in isolation – was at an all time high.
Jeremy, one of the council members and the most skilled medic in the camp, agreed that Kate's injured knee wasn't going to be a hindrance, and she felt another thrill at the thought that she'd have her first mission.
"What is the point of arriving on time when half the team is late?" Ty grumbled, casting Kate an irritated glance. "Would you sit still? First mission, whoopdy-doo, soon enough you'll get sick of getting shot at."
"Like you did?" Kate smirked, knowing that Ty was eager for any and every mission that came up. At the same time, however, she made a conscious effort to stop tapping her foot.
"Actually, I prefer to go on the ones that let me explode things," he said.
"Like rescuing Allied prisoners?" Kate suggested dryly.
Ty rolled his eyes. "We told you, it wasn't supposed to blow up. Are you ever going to let that go?"
She grinned. "Nope."
"Nothing short of an Alphae attack on McCellan's private residence will excuse them lot from being late..."
"How about a food supply issue?" Jim asked dryly, coming into the small room.
"Food supply issue?" Kate echoed, concern obvious in her face.
"All sorted now," Jim reassured her, deciding not to elaborate further. He glanced around, then turned quizzically to Ty.
"Where are the other two?"
"Was I not just saying that everyone is late? And I take it there's been no Alphae attack?"
"Not here, at least," came a new voice. Heath entered the room, followed closely by a slim woman named Jennifer Lawson. In what she called "a past life" she had been the sort to jump from aeroplanes and tall cliffs as often as possible, and had instantly stepped forward for this mission.
"Alphae attack on Ballarat," Jennifer told Ty, who looked slightly mollified now that the entire team, plus Jim, had arrived.
"They beat them back?" Kate asked.
"We don't know," Heath said grimly. "But they're drawing closer and closer to Melbourne. They want that city badly."
"Of course they do," Ty replied, snorting softly. "If the south-east sectors can take control of Sydney and Canberra... that'd leave most of the south coast under rebel control."
"They'd need a lot more than the east coast," Jim pointed out. "To control the south, we'd also need the rest of New South Wales, and that isn't going to come easy."
"Any more news from Adelaide?" Ty asked.
"Nothing major. Incarcerated major Alphae players, set a fair few lower ranked Alphae to work... and basically tried to bond with the public."
"Good." Ty stifled a yawn, then glanced at his watch. "Can we get started now?"
"You'll make the hit three days from now," Jim began, launching straight into business. "Ty, you're in charge. And the success of this mission is dependent on whether you can get in and out undetected."
"Never going to work," Ty countered. "Which is why I thought of... this." He pulled a piece of paper from behind his chair, laying it on the table with a flourish. The four around him studied it for a minute. Kate was the first to respond.
"I don't get it," she said, frowning. She pointed at a squiggly line in the centre of the diagram. "What is that?"
Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Please, Kate, it's quite obviously a river. Or a snake. Or a futuristic impression of Ty's hairstyle."
"Fun-nee," Ty growled, rotating the picture. He waited, and still none of them seemed to understand. "Look. It's the water pipe running underneath the town. It has an access point here, inside the Alphae security fence."
"Ah, so river was close," Heath quipped. Personally, he'd thought the squiggle was some sort of power cable.
"How does this help?" Jim asked. He'd had a lot more practise than the other three at interpreting Ty's pictures, and thus was having a little more success understanding the diagram.
Ty pointed at a square located halfway along the squiggly line, which they took to be the access point; most likely a tunnel leading down to the main pipe. With a start, Kate realised that the entire picture was a map of the compound, but one that included the underground pipes and cabling.
"I'm going to blow it up," he announced, his demeanour changing; to sobriety rather than the expected excitement. He brusquely readdressed the diagram. "We cannot get in undetected. What we can do is make them think that we were there for a reason other than why we were."
Kate nodded, understanding. "So they'll think it was a rebel attack aimed at destroying, or at the very least damaging, their water supply. The Alphae will put resources into fixing that... and they'll never even wonder what else we did there."
"Exactly."
"Means splitting your team up," Jim warned. "Two people to lay the device; two to do actual damage to the pipe."
Ty stared at him unflinchingly. Jim's eyes narrowed.
"No." For another moment, they continued to battle silently, before Jim repeated himself. "Absolutely not. Pairs, Ty."
There was another tense pause, then Ty sighed. "Fine. Kate and I will plant the device –" He looked up at her, and she nodded. "– and Jennifer and Heath can do the fun stuff." A little bit of his usual zest returning, he added, "I'm thinking a hydro-sulphuric explosive, possibly with some magnesium. Actually, make that a lot of magnesium."
***
"The meeting went well?" Mike asked, one hand unconsciously reaching out to grab Kate's as she passed him in the hallway.
"Very," she replied. Her fingers started to curl around his; then she seemed to change her mind and pulled them from his grasp as she walked past.
Living in a house together reeked of normal, and it had taken some weeks for them to grow comfortable with the concept. It almost felt as if, surrounded by change and disaster, they weren't allowed the moment of ordinary. They had learned to accept it, in the way they accepted every other change that haunted the new world.
Kate would be leaving in the morning, and a small part of her felt some sense of satisfaction at the thought that now Mike would have to deal with her risking her life – maybe he'd work out what she was worried about every time he went out.
"Be careful," he warned, as if reading her thoughts.
She snorted. "Well, I wasn't going to... but seeing as you asked – no, commanded – maybe I'll give 'careful' a try."
Before Mike could comment on her sarcasm, she had her arms around his neck and was kissing him. For an instant, he wanted to snap at her, ask her what was going on; and tell her to make up her damn mind.
Do you want me or not? he asked silently. But it had been far too long since he had last held her like this, and he didn't dare question her out loud.
When he woke in the morning, she was already gone.