Armacham was everything. The schools, the restaurants, the housing communities… even the very people of Fairport. Jin couldn't think of a place that didn't pay its respects to those three connected diamonds. The city pulsed with the essence of Armacham that seeped down under the skin and shackled the soul. No one came to Fairport, and no one left Fairport. In fact, Jin suspected that if she tried to escape, she would starve to death without the dose of Armacham.
The return flight came with a refreshing but numb energy as their helicopter passed between the scattered buildings of the city. Night had fallen and the tall pillars twinkled with white lights leaving the city in near-darkness. Armacham headquarters wasn't hard to spot. It was the largest and brightest group of buildings, complete with a large red logo on the central building.
Jin held onto her seat with one hand and her sniper rifle in the other, swaying lightly with the movement of the aircraft. Joe sat next to her and gripped his knees tightly. Over the roar of the helicopter Spencer spoke with the pilot, hands waving wildly in obscure gestures.
"But there was no way we were going back in the elevator, right? We had to climb ten flights of stairs. Ten! You ever carried an assault rifle, two glocks, and about thirty pounds of gear up the stairs at a dead run? My thighs are on fire!"
Across from Jin, the blond woman watched Spencer with blank emerald eyes. Her black sweater and pants were dusted white and torn in places. Jin bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at the woman. She'd given them only her first name: Moyra.
The woman glanced sideways at Jin who quickly looked away, shifting slightly on her seat. There was a subtle malignance about Moyra that Jin couldn't quite place. There was no reason for it; Moyra had barely spoken since they brought her with them to the docking station. Jin had immediately requested a helicopter transport and rendez-vous with Delta Force at Armacham headquarters, and under no circumstances would she ever allow a civilian to travel with them. Yet here she was, a misfit girl in a cheap black uniform amongst so much weaponry. And Jin couldn't for the life of her remember how she'd let Moyra come along. It unnerved her.
The helicopter descended low over the building towards the giant blue H. As Jin peered over the side, Delta Force vehicles skidded to a stop below. There'd been no sign of the Replica battalion since they'd left the compound. Jin crooked her rifle under her arm. This was easier than she'd thought.
The helicopter thumped onto the concrete sending waves of dust outwards. Jin turned to the team. "It looks like Fettel hasn't arrived yet. I want you guys to keep your weapons down unless we have confirmation from HQ. Moyra, Delta Force will take you to Fairport hospital by helicopter. Thank you for the information you provided."
Moyra stood up. "I'm coming with you."
Jin felt a strange fuzziness in her mind. She pushed it aside. "Absolutely not. This is a military operation and you would only disrupt the situation."
Moyra locked eyes with Jin, and Jin saw it. That flicker of power, as though Moyra were daring Jin to stop her. Jin glared back, and fingered the trigger of her rifle. Who did this woman think she was?
"I want to see Harlan Wade," said Moyra. "I'm coming with you."
There was a softness to Moyra's voice that soothed Jin's mind. The sound of the helicopter faded and Jin was overcome by a tingling sensation throughout her body. Her frustration was brushed away, and gentle peace replaced it. Why was she making such an issue out of this? Moyra was just one person. It didn't matter if she came with them or not. Besides, the area was secure.
"Fine," said Jin. "But you stay behind Point." She raised a finger to her ear and spoke into the comm. "Eagleye. No sign of hostiles. Permission to apprehend the subject."
Permission granted.
Jin turned and made eye-contact with Joe. He nodded and stood up, rifle barrel pointed towards the ground. He jumped out of the helicopter and Jin followed, boots clapping on the bare concrete. Delta Force and F.E.A.R had the area contained, but as Jin saw Moyra out of the corner of her eye, she felt exposed. They were far from safe.
The double glass doors opened as a woman stepped out onto the concrete. She held back her whipping hair against the wind of the helicopter. "What's going on here? Who─"
"This building has been targeted by hostiles from the Perseus Compound," said Jin as she pushed past her. "My group is with First Encounter Assault Recon, and Delta Force is securing the area. Where is Dr. Harlan Wade?"
The woman stared at Jin, her mouth opening and closing. A small pop behind Jin broke the silence, followed by mashed chewing.
"I… he's in a meeting." The woman glanced at Spencer nervously. "Who's─ what's going on?"
"Conference room," said Moyra. "This way." She flashed Jin a bright green glance as she stepped away from the group. Jin immediately felt her face burn in frustration. Before she could say a word however, Joe's gloved hand suddenly clenched around Moyra's arm.
Moyra jolted to a stop and turned back to look at him. Joe furrowed his eyebrows at her. "I'm Point," he said. "You don't want to be walking in front of me."
Jin stared at Joe in shock, and Moyra glared at him. "I know where the conference room is," said Moyra, her voice unusually smooth. "I've worked in this building before."
A few tense moments drifted by as Joe's piercing grey eyes stared into Moyra's. As Jin watched, she saw a bead of sweat form on Moyra's forehead.
"No one walks in front of me," said Joe in a deep growl that Jin barely recognized. "If you know where it is, then tell me. But I walk ahead."
Moyra's muscles tensed, making her collarbones protrude slightly. Spencer put a hand on Joe's shoulder.
"Come on, Moyra, it's safer this way," said Spencer. He nodded his head sideways. "Stay close to me. I won't let anything happen to you."
Jin gazed at him. That was too sincere for Spencer. But as Moyra passed behind him, Spencer gave Jin a quick grin, a sphere of pink between his teeth.
"Wait a second," the woman moved forward. "The meeting is already in session. I can't have you─" The woman grunted as Joe pushed her aside and moved down the hallway. Jin followed behind, sensing Moyra's angry stare on the back of her head.
Moyra directed Joe ahead as they passed down the hallways lined with doors and blue windows. Jin tried to get a glimpse of Joe's face, but his long black hair obscured his expression. He'd never made such a big deal about walking in front before. It was his job, as it was the job of any new recruit of F.E.A.R to walk point. Hardly a job worth being proud of since the point man took the brunt of the combat and was the first to be targeted by enemy soldiers. Yet there'd been a fierceness in his eyes that told Jin whatever spite Joe had for Moyra was far deeper than Jin's power struggle. He would never tell her, of course. She'd had to pry the information out of him after he stood frozen for several seconds in front of the elevator as Moyra staggered to him and grasped the front of his jacket, although Jin suspected by the startled look on his face when he gazed around at them all… he'd seen the black-haired girl again.
They approached a large glass door guarded by two men in blue ATC uniforms. Through the glass, a group of formal-looking people sat in a circle deep in conversation around a large table. The guards stepped forward.
"Whoa, whoa," said one of the guards. They each had a hand on the pistols at their sides. "What's going on here? What outfit are you with?"
"We're with F.E.A.R," said Jin, and the guards glanced at eachother with wide eyes. "You guys had a containment breach at the Perseus Compound. Delta Force has the place on lockdown." Again the guards exchanged curious looks. Jin sighed heavily. "We've been ordered to take Harlan Wade into protective custody."
"Harlan Wade?" The guard scratched the back of his head. "Why? He's having a meeting with the best Psionic researchers and scientists in the country. Hell, even Richard York is in there."
"Harlan Wade has been targeted by Armacham hostiles," said Jin. "We need to get him out of the city and get this building evacuated."
"What do you mean 'hostiles?'" The guards scrutinized her, and Jin felt her face heat up. "Isn't it your job to round up loose Psions, not play army-soldier?"
White-hot frustration shot through Jin's body. "Just get the hell out─"
"We don't have time for this," said Joe. Before the guards could move, the butt of his rifle slammed into the chest of the first guard who stumbled back against the wall, mouth gaping for air and eyes wild. The other guard shouted in surprise, but his shout was muffled as Joe planted his gloved hand over the guard's face, shoving him backward through the glass door in an explosion of glittering crystals.
The men in the room stood up at once, voices raised. Jin followed Joe into the room in a stunned awe, and behind her she heard Spencer whisper "bad-fucking ass, Joe."
"What's the meaning of this?" a young man shouted over the noise.
"Don't kill us! Please don't kill us!" An older woman ducked underneath the table, her arms over her head.
"I need everyone to stay quiet and listen carefully!" said Jin. Her voice faded in the chatter.
"Are you terrorists?" a man called. "We don't negotiate with terrorists!"
"We're with F.E.A.R," said Jin. "Quiet down!"
The room huddled in groups, arguing amongst themselves and shouting at her. Jin clenched her rifle in exasperation. This was out of control. She looked at Joe, and he gave her a small smile. Easy for him to simply punch his way through an obstacle. She resented being a small woman sometimes, and even more for being team leader. Still, if it took having to create chaos to get a little order…
She raised the rifle under the crook of her arm and blasted the overhead light in an electrical sphere of blue. A low hum rattled the windows and the room went dim as the light burned out. The chatter died instantly, and all eyes focused on Jin in a mixture of fear and interest.
Jin lowered the rifle barrel, pride bubbling in her chest. "Where is Dr. Harlan Wade?" She gazed around the room at each person in turn. A few whispered to eachother, and gathered in tighter groups.
"I'm Harlan Wade."
Jin turned to her left and an older man stepped out of the crowd. His charcoal grey hair matched his bright gray eyes behind thick glasses. His hands were in his white labcoat pockets, and he seemed the only one in the group who wasn't either terrified or angry.
"Dr. Wade," said Jin, and her voice relaxed. "We need to take you into protective custody. Please come with us."
Harlan glanced around at his group members. Jin clenched her rifle, anticipating another shot to the overhead light.
"Well I suppose I can't carry on with this meeting anyways, given that I've lost the attention of my audience," said Harlan. He pushed his glasses further onto the bridge of his nose. "But if I may ask, who am I in danger from?"
"A rogue Psion named Paxton Fettel from Perseus," said Jin. The reaction around the room was mixed. Some people looked at eachother in confusion, others froze with fear in their eyes. Harlan's expression hadn't changed. His eyes moved from Jin to Spencer to Joe. He gazed at Joe for a few seconds in silence, and Jin saw Joe shift slightly out of the corner of her eye. Harlan nodded slowly.
"Of course," he said above a whisper. He sighed. "Of course." He turned to face the room. "In that case, I suggest you all leave the room and seek protection in the lower floors. I hope we can all meet again soon. I enjoyed the insight from each of you." He stepped towards Jin and his gray beard parted in a small smile. "Shall we?"
Jin swung her rifle by the strap over her shoulder and turned back to the hallway. "I'm sorry Doctor, but we are going to have to rush you. The helicopter is waiting on the pad." Jin stopped suddenly as she faced the empty hallway. She turned to Spencer. "Where's Moyra?"
Spencer stared at her blankly, then gazed around as if expecting to see Moyra crouched in a corner or hanging from the ceiling. "I don't know," he said. "I thought she was right behind me."
Jin sighed, but felt a slight rise in relief. "Fuck it. She'll get evacuated with the others." Joe moved ahead, rifle in the crook of his arm, and Jin saw Harlan glance at him briefly before following behind him. Jin couldn't help the curiosity tingle at her nerves. She wondered if Harlan Wade knew something about Joe's history at Armacham. If he did, there was no time to explore that now. Jin moved quickly behind them, their footsteps padding in the carpeted hallway.
"Wish she hadn't bailed on us," said Spencer behind Jin. "Was gonna ask her out to Denny's─"
The building suddenly shook, and the air was suctioned in a violent boom. Joe threw out his arm and raised his rifle in one hand, stopping ahead of them. Jin grabbed at the pistol on her belt. The Replicas couldn't be here. It was impossible. Not with Delta Force swarming down below…
Cries and coughing echoed up ahead as a cloud of dust floated around the corner. Jin strained to see through the dust as it rushed towards them. A shrilled ringing blasted through the building as the sprinklers showered from above. There were no gunshots. No screams. It didn't make sense. If the Replicas hadn't arrived, what caused the explosion?
Harlan pressed up against Joe's arm. He shook his head in shock. "No… no…"
"Let's get moving now," said Jin. She kept a hand on Harlan's shoulder as they walked carefully through the dusty rain. They headed further towards the blast zone, and turned a corner.
Papers drifted down like leaves in the corridor as people held folders and briefcases over their heads against the water. Ahead, a door had been blasted open. As they neared it, Jin saw a mangled and sparking hole where the room should have been. The city glittered below in the darkness.
"Christ…" She turned to Harlan. "Was this your office, Doctor?"
Harlan stared blankly at the chasm. His mouth was slightly open and he trembled slightly. It was the first time Jin had seen any true emotion from him. She squeezed his shoulder. With a jolt, he shook his head.
"No, this was…" he swallowed. "This was Aristide's office." He whispered something and Jin had to move closer to hear him under the sirens. "He actually did it. I didn't believe he would do it. I didn't believe it…"
"Who the fuck is─ was─ Aristide?" said Spencer.
Incoming transmission from Commissioner Betters.
Jin put a finger to her ear. "Eagleye. Sir, we have Harlan Wade in custody. We're bringing him out to the bird now but there's been an explosion."
"Sounds like you guys are having fun," Betters' garbled voice rang through the comm. "Well, don't get too comfortable. You guys are gonna shit bricks when you see what I found."