Here is chapter six of The Trouble with Jondy. Max and Jondy have discovered Jace fleeing from White so they call her into their cabana before they are surrounded by hotel security led by the chief guard and White. Back in Seattle, Biggs has a meeting with Brin While Logan and Lydecker continue to run their gambit against Cowers.
Thanks to everyone that has reviewed this story so far. It is important to understand that while I may complain about not getting enough reviews, I understand that there are always lurkers out there reading this stuff without saying anything either way about it. I'm just trying to draw some of them out when I start my rants about reviewing.
Can I help if my ego gets the better of me sometimes and I crave new readers? Yeah, I guess I can. I just don't want to control it. I like having my ego… well, you get the idea.
Read, review and Enjoy! Always Enjoy!
Unnatural Selection
A small square office
Eighth floor, Sector 6…
Captain Cowers phone was ringing. He reached for it, nodding to the soldier standing in front of him. He wasn't expecting any calls. She nodded back and prepared to listen to the entire conversation. He flipped the base out and answered.
"Cowers. Who's this?"
"This is Eyes Only." A distorted voice said.
"How did you get this number?" Cowers demanded.
"That is irrelevant. I understand you and your soldiers have come here seeking vengeance for the fall of Manticore. Your intentions are clear. You want me dead. You have failed in this task."
"How do you know this?" Cowardly asked. "What do you mean They've failed? They haven't even tried yet."
"I am Eyes Only. Nothing happens in my city without my knowledge. You will meet with me at this location in two hours." A map of Seattle opened on his computer screen. A building in sector 9 was clearly marked. "You will come alone. Do this and live, otherwise you will find a violent end." The screen on his computer crackled and popped. A shrill noise rang in his ear. He pulled the phone from his ear as the shrill noise grew to a level that suddenly blew out the small speaker on the handheld unit. He dropped it on the floor, visibly afraid of what had just happened.
"How did Eyes Only find out about this mission?" Brin demanded.
"I don't know." Cowers said. "I didn't know anyone knew we were here."
A knock sounded at the door. A young tech officer walked in. He saluted Brin and the Captain before turning to the young Asian woman. "There's a man outside that says he knows you. He calls himself Biggs."
"What is his designation?" Brin demanded.
"He didn't say Ma'am." The tech said. "He just said you would know him. He's waiting outside for you. We have him under guard."
"Very good." Brin said. She glanced at Cowers without speaking and headed out the door.
"Which way?" He heard the X-5 commander ask as his door closed behind her. He stared at the static and snow on his computer screen. It was if he could see residual effects of the eyes staring at him. He stared hard at the screen. He was sure there was something there. Leaning forward, he squinted as if looking at something very far away. The silence was deafening in his office. There was no sound from outside and even the scratchy white noise of the snowy static had stopped.
He could barely hear a noise.
He had heard the noise before. It was familiar to him even though he couldn't immediately place it. He looked around the office before the monitor drew his gaze again. He leaned in very close, squinting into the non-existent depth of the screen. Someone blinked in there. Someone was watching him. He knew they were. He jerked back in his chair and it rolled away from his desk. Eyes Only was watching him. A small green light caught his eye at the side of his desk…
The hard drive was running.
"SHUT IT DOWN!!!" The Captain called. "SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN!!!" He yelled as he ran toward the door out of his office. "HE'S IN THE SYSTEM!" The Captain screamed. In the background a calm, relaxed laugh could be heard. Eyes Only was amused at The Captain's reaction.
The door opened and Brin ran back in followed by the young tech taking her to meet with the one called Biggs. She ran into Cowers heading out of his office.
"What is it?" She demanded. "The entire system is haywire."
"EYES ONLY IS IN THE SYSTEM! SHUT THE DAMN THING DOWN!" He yelled again. One of the techs reached for a power box on the wall. There was a slow second as power seemed to actually hover in the air. A long, descending drone sounded steady for a short time before the whole building went black. The monitors dissolved into a snowy pattern. The eyes were still next to impossible to see, but they were there. The pattern swirled around the eyes as laughter, amused laughter echoed from Cowers office.
Fogle Towers Penthouse
Logan's office.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were nuts." Alec said. Logan powered down his rig as he realized what time it was. The woman would be arriving shortly.
"Maybe I am." Logan admitted. He picked up his phone and headed into the living room. "Colonel. It's me. Everything's been set up. Biggs is there now and Suede's team is in place. They already got an early arrival obviously scouting the area. He went dark as soon as he saw Suede."
"That's good news." Lydecker said. "Is everyone ready?"
"Alec just got back. The sector 9 location is all set up and under guard. Cowers should be arriving within two hours. I'll be waiting."
"What about the S1W?" Deck asked.
"I've taken care of them. Asha and her team are on the way to your position. They will deliver the weapons to you instead. You will tell them you represent Eyes Only. You will tell them Eyes Only doesn't want them in Seattle and give them two hours to clear out. I've left a voice message for Asha so she will come to me before they leave." Logan explained.
"She'll leave the weapons without question?" Deck asked.
"I doubt it." Logan said. "You know women. Curiosity and all that. She'll have a hundred questions."
"I'll have to take certain measures," Deck said. "If we are to get them out of the picture completely."
"Just don't shoot anyone." Logan said. Lydecker disconnected the call.
"Dammit." Logan said. "He's going to shoot someone."
"I better go." Alec said. "Unless you need me to stick around until the woman gets here, in case she's… well, dangerous or something."
"Do what you want. There's food in the fridge." Logan said. "I'm going to relax and try to call Max. I want to believe that everything's on schedule and nothing could go wrong at this point…"
"The problem is, we're at that point when everything usually starts to fall apart." Alec said. "Personally, I hate when things get to this part."
"So do I." Logan agreed. "So do I."
Cabana 12
The Phoenician…
"What do you mean you know her?" Jondy asked.
"That's Jace." Max said. She rushed over to the door and opened it. "In here. Quick." She called. Jace turned and stared. Her jaw dropped. "Hurry!" Max said again as two guards rushed into the commons near the pool.
Jace dashed for the door and into the cabana. She stopped at the table of food turning to face Max with a piece of pineapple in her hand.
"What are you doing here?" Max demanded. "You're supposed to be safe in Mexico."
"Long story. Who's your friend?" Jace asked.
"Jondy, Jace. Jace, this is Jondy." The girls looked at each other. They smiled before accepting the situation as it is. "Hug and reminisce later. Why the hell aren't you in Mexico?"
"Never made it and it's a long story anyway." Jace said. "This is little Maxie." She held the baby up and out to Max. Max smiled. "Maxie… I'd like you to meet you're Aunt Max. You're here today because of her."
"She's cute…" Jondy started. Someone shouted outside interrupting her.
"She went into Cabana 12." The voice said. Max ran to the window and checked.
"We've got to get out of here. There's someone tracking me. He knows I'm from Manticore." Jace said. "I've been hiding out on the mountain for days now." She picked at some more fruit.
"We need a diversion. Jondy." Max said.
"I'm on it." Jondy went immediately to the patio, disappearing from view a couple of seconds later. Max grabbed Jondy's bag and put it over the tall Nubians shoulder. She picked up her bag and slipped it over her own before walking back to the window. When she peered out she did not like what she saw.
"Dammit." She said.
"What is it?" Max asked.
"Ames White." Max said. "How did White find you here?"
"I don't know who he is. He just showed up one day and tried to arrest me with a handful of FBI agents. They seemed to know that I was from Manticore."
"So you kicked their asses and he stayed behind to take you in himself."
"He said he was going to get a better team."
"He's going to go get some super soldiers of his own." Max said. "I don't know much about him but he's part of some ancient cult that has a plan to conquer the world." She said. "We have to get out of here."
"It doesn't have to be this way." Someone else shouted from outside. Max recognized him as the chief of security she spotted on the way in.
"You two ready?" Jondy asked, poking her head into the main room from the patio.
"Where's the diversion?" Max asked.
"No diversion. Just two guards and a quick run to the bikes." Jondy said.
"It's White." Max said. "He complicates things."
"He does indeed. I thought he was stalking me exclusively. I'm jealous." Jondy laughed. "Let's go."
The three women were out and off the patio in seconds. Max marked three guards ten feet to the right. She turned with a sexy little smile and headed directly at them. Jondy moved with Jace towards the parking lot.
Max dropped into a roll coming up between two of the guards. She watched as one struggled to pull his club. The second reached for his weapon. She lashed out at the one with the gun. His weapon went flying from a now broken arm onto another secluded patio.
"No guns." She said. "Play fair." She giggled as she landed a vicious elbow on the first guard. He fell unconscious instantly. She smiled as she turned on the third, catching him completely by surprise with her speed. A quick punch landed him against a tall Saguaro Cactus. His body just hung there. His face contorted in pain for a split second before he fell silent himself.
She turned back to the second guard nursing a broken arm and hit him once. He dropped to his knees and pitched forward smacking his face on the hard path. Max glanced around and noticed no one in the immediate area. She moved to the bikes and started her ninja quickly.
Jace sat down behind Max and grabbed her sides. The baby was quiet but awake between the two women. It was if the child sensed this and knew it was something that had to be. "Hold on." Max said.
"OVER THERE!!" A guard shouted. Jondy didn't wait. Max followed after her as shots were fired. The bullets didn't have a chance.
Ames White kicked in the front door of the cabana as a phone started to ring. He walked out onto the patio noticing a small cell phone ringing. Picking it up, he answered it.
"Who is this?" He demanded.
"Who is this?" A man asked.
"This is the FBI. My name is Agent White and the person this phone belongs to is a fugitive." White said. "Now, I'll ask you again. Who is this?"
"No one of consequence." The man said. "I know who you are, though. You're FBI credentials are fake. You're plan for world domination is going to fail."
"WHO IS THIS?" White demanded again.
"I am the one that is watching you. I am the one that will bring you down and your cult fanatics with you."
"I have your girl right here…" White said. He hoped the man would buy it.
"Then let me speak to her." The man said.
"That's not possible." White continued. "She was annoying me so I cut out her tongue." He smiled. The silence on the other end amused him. He had no idea what was about to happen.
The silence remained as the phone started to hum quietly. White pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at the display. Several lines of information zipped up the screen before the phone went blank. White pressed some buttons. He hollered into the phone. He punched the buttons and listened for a dial tone. The phone had gone dead, completely dead.
It shattered against the stucco wall of the patio. He turned, heading for the front door stopping short of it when the security chief came through.
"Did any of your men see which way they went?" White demanded of the chief.
"He said they went out and headed east toward lesser Scottsdale." The chief said. "I've already warned the local authorities." He continued but White was already walking away. He would have to hook up with his team to retrieve his car. He pulled his phone just as members of the Phalanx arrived in a non-descript utility van covered with black primer. The rear door opened and he climbed in. The hotel security guards watched the truck drive off.
Seattle
Sector 6…
Brin walked out the front door and immediately noticed three things. There was an X-5 under Cowers command pushing up from the ground. There were a dozen other soldiers still lying around, nursing wounds and groaning. A man stood to the outmost point of the group. She recognized him immediately. He was waiting calmly for another challenger. He noticed Brin as she opened the door. He also noticed six more soldiers rushing from either side of the building, three to a side.
"Biggs?" Brin asked testing the name, rolling it around on her tongue. She remembered her own chosen name. She raised her hand and the six soldiers, all x-series stopped. Some of them recognized Biggs. "822, it's good to see you. We need experienced leaders in this group."
"I'm not here for that. I'm on my own side now." His face was solid and blank. Brin stopped, staring at him looking for a tell but there was none. "I will not be staying."
"Then why are you here?" Brin asked.
"I bring you a warning." Biggs said. "I know what Cowardly has planned. He will fail. Eyes Only is powerful. He is in control of this town. He alone."
"Eyes Only destroyed Manticore. Cowardly seeks retribution. Many here are with him." Brin said.
"There is a more dangerous enemy. His name is Ames White and he has been charged by the committee with terminating any and all, human and transgenic which are from Manticore. He has taken down many of us. He also has a personal vendetta against Eyes Only."
"Are you saying that we are after the wrong person?"
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Biggs said. "Eyes Only may have destroyed Manticore, but Ames White and his cult are a much larger threat."
"Do you know who Eyes Only is?" Brin asked.
"No one knows who Eyes Only is… except, maybe Max." Biggs said. "I know Max and she has…" He paused looking for a word. "Enlightened me. Eyes Only isn't the enemy here. In a strange way, he may actually be our only hope for freedom."
"Transgenics are fairly well equipped to handle any situation. My teams are among some of the best soldiers the project ever created." Brin said. Biggs didn't have to look hard to see her pride.
"It's not the transgenics that need to worry. Eyes Only is trying to save the world. They tried to lock us down and burn us alive. The committee wants us dead. Eyes Only saved our lives. We wouldn't be here without him.
"But we are here."
"Because of Eyes Only. How many times do I have to explain it to you?" Biggs asked.
"Do you expect me to believe…"
"I don't care what you believe. I'm telling you what I know. I'm telling you how it is. There is a more dangerous enemy out there and Eyes Only knows more about the cult than anyone. Cowardly hasn't got a clue about anything going on right now."
"He has a meeting with the eyes. The hacker just cleaned our server here at HQ." Brin said. "You're telling me I have to trust him?"
"I'm telling you that you won't stand a chance without him on your side." Biggs said. "I've got a team of my own. We've supported Max in the past and we will again. She's in it deeper than anyone could have ever realized. This cult, the entire cult wants her dead."
"And Eyes Only protects her so to get her they have to go through him."
"And no one actually knows who he is." Biggs said. "I know someone who is in contact with him though. He's an intermediary. He doesn't work for EO and EO doesn't work for him. They have an uneasy truce in this battle."
"Who?" Brin demanded.
"Colonel Lydecker. He's waiting for you in Sector 9." Biggs smiled. He dropped a piece of paper onto a soldier sitting not to far away from him nursing a broken arm. "That's his location. Go and talk to him. He has some interesting information about Tinga and some of the others. He also has a very comprehensive file about the cult. I imagine he gets his information from Eyes Only." Biggs looked at Brin for her response. She gave him none. He nodded before turning and walking away.
"Wait. I have questions." She hollered.
"I would imagine." Biggs shouted over his shoulder as he disappeared into the darkness of a sector under lockdown. Brin watched after him noting the absolute second and his position when he disappeared from view.
When she turned, she found Cowers standing in the doorway. He had listened to most of the conversation. She watched him weighing her options. Cowers may have rank but she had the experience. She nodded to her troops that had come after the commotion kicked up with Biggs. The six soldiers formed up on either side of her. They faced Cowers.
"You will take the meeting with Eyes Only. Learn what he knows about the cult. Learn what he knows about other transgenics if he will tell you and find out where Max is." She said.
Cowers cocked his head. "Max?" He actually didn't know the name.
"X5-452." Brin said. "Find her location and get back to me."
Cowers stared at her. "Where are you going?" He asked.
"I'm going to go have that talk with Colonel Lydecker. He's got information I need to proceed."
"You need?" Cowers asked.
"Yes." She said. She turned with her team and followed the path Biggs had taken. They took off at a soldiers pace just as a light rain started to fall.
She had just taken command away from Captain Cowers.
Lesser Scottsdale
An old mall…
"I don't mean to sound the alarm here but we're less than a mile from the bad guys." Jace said. "It's not like I doubt you two, but…"
"Nothing to worry about. We're only going to be here about ten minutes. I have to check something." Jondy said as her phone rang. She pulled it and gave it a funny look.
"It must be Logan." Max said.
"Logan? You mean the guy with you that time?" Jace asked Max. She nodded.
"Yeah." Jondy said. She answered the phone. "Hello."
"Hey Jondy, is Max with you?" Logan asked.
"Yes. Hold on a sec." Jondy said. She tossed the phone to Max.
"Hey." Max said.
"Thank God. You're okay, right?" Logan asked. Max could hear the worry in his voice.
"I'm fine. Just a little busy right now." She said. "Is this important?"
"It is. White just told me he cut out your tongue." Logan said. "As you can probably imagine, I was somewhat surprised to find out that White had your phone. Care to explain how that happened?"
"It's a long story and like I said, I'm kind of busy right now." Max said.
"Logan." Max could hear Alec hollering from another part of the penthouse. "If Lydecker can secure Brin and her company and we have Suede's teams backing us in this upcoming battle…" He stopped talking when he realized Logan was on the phone. Logan sighed. He knew Max heard every word.
"BRIN? Logan, did Alec just say something about Brin?" Max demanded. Jondy and Jace turned to stare at Max.
"No." Logan started. "Well, yes but it's nothing to worry about. Lydecker has the situation under control. Anyway, this isn't about me. This is about you. How long have you known about White?"
"Don't change the subject, Logan." Max said. "Brin is one of Deck's little pet projects. He took point on her re-indoctrination into Manticore. He's probably got her trigger rolling around in his head just waiting…"
"Listen. Brin and the Manticore loyalists in sec6 are under control. Are you going to tell me how White got involved in your vacation plans?" Logan asked.
"No." Max said. "Are you going to explain how Deck and Brin are involved in a group of Manticore Loyalists… and by the way, when did this stop being about a turf war and become a problem with Manticore soldiers?"
"Don't worry about that. Max, if White is there then you need to get out of Phoenix." Logan said.
"And get my ass back to Seattle and save yours from Manticore apparently." Max said. "Logan you should have told me what was going on." She said angrily.
"Well, I didn't." Logan said.
"Whatever. I've got problems right now. I'll call you later." Max said. She closed the phone and tossed it to Jondy. "What are we standing around for?" She demanded.
"That could have gone better." Jondy said. Max stared at her sisters.
The penthouse
Fogle Towers…
"Yes. I suppose it could have gone better." Logan said.
Alec laughed. "What is it with you two?"
"What do you mean?" Logan asked.
"Are you ever going to tell each other the truth about what you guys do when you're not together?"
"What?" Logan asked. A knock sounded at the door.
"Never mind." Alec said. "I'll get that." Logan's phone rang.
"Hello." Logan said.
"This is Biggs." He said. "Brin had no idea what was going on. Cowers hadn't told her a thing."
"What is she doing now?"
"I would imagine she's going to have a conversation with Lydecker." Biggs said. "If Cowers is still alive then he's on his way to do your meeting. Brin was completely in the dark on everything we talked about but I planted some seeds. A lot of them actually."
"Good. So she won't be with Cowers?"
"I doubt it. She's going to meet Lydecker as we speak. She's with a squad of her people. I'm here waiting. If Deck gets into trouble, I'll back him up." Biggs explained. "If he can handle the girl then I'll move over and hook up with Suede at the Cowers meet."
"Be careful." Logan said. "If she has a team of Transgenics…"
"Not a problem." Biggs said. "I've got it covered."
"I'll send Alec just in case." Logan said. He looked up to see Alec leading a tall blonde into the room. "I've got to go." He disconnected the call.
"Hey Alec." Logan glanced at his watch. "It's almost 7:34 and Biggs is waiting for you on the Deck at RCF." He said. He smiled at the blonde as he stood up. Alec nodded and turned to leave. The woman smiled back but didn't notice Alec heading out. When she turned toward him, she seemed startled at his disappearance.
"Hello Asha." Logan said. "It's been a long time."
"Hey Logan. How've you been?" She asked.
"I'm fine." He said. "What are you doing here?"
"I've got a situation." She said.
"With the S1W?" He asked. She nodded. "What happened? More eco-terrorism in the wrong neighborhood?"
"No. Actually, we got a call from an anonymous source and found out about a deal that paid a lot of money. It would have kept us in the game for close to a year. We could have secured better facilities and far better gear than we already have, plus we had the pick of the lot." She explained. "We accepted and did the deal and everything was going fine until we got a call warning us about The Coast Guard. Sure enough they were there patrolling the shore line where we were supposed to be dropping off the supplies. This new source told us to go to a secondary location in this sector with our stuff."
"I know."
"So the voice mail you sent me wasn't a coincidence." She concluded.
"No. It wasn't." Logan said. "Who did you leave the weapons with?"
"How did you know I was shipping weapons?" Asha asked.
"I just do. Did the Colonel get the rest of the shipment?"
"And you know he's a Colonel?" Asha stepped back as Logan walked around his coffee table. "How did you know what's going on? Did you send him?"
"I didn't send him. But I do know what's going on with the people you were delivering the guns to. They are part of an advanced military program sent to disrupt the city and put it under permanent military control. They are working covertly and couldn't be allowed to have the weapons you and your group were taking them." Logan explained. The look on her face told him she didn't believe him. "Look, Asha. When you got into trouble with that eco thing a few years back, I pulled some strings and risked a lot to get in touch with Eyes Only and have the situation taken care of. I could have got into big trouble if that had gone sideways. Fortunately it didn't and your team made it out safely."
"We had to leave San Francisco because of that. Now your Colonel has given us a couple of hours to get out of the city. Logan I don't want to leave another city and set up another base of operation. I like it up here. Where the hell are we supposed to go?"
"What exactly did the Colonel tell you?" Logan asked.
"He told us that if we did not leave the city then we would be turned over to the authorities." She said. "He threatened to expose the S1W if we didn't leave before the work day begins."
"I'm sorry, Asha," Logan said. "But you had better do what he tells you."
"Help us, Logan." She pleaded.
"I can't. I have no control over the Colonel. He's running his own show. I don't know if he's working for Eyes Only or if he's got some agenda of his own that he's sticking to."
"Well you need to find out." She said.
"I can't." Logan said. "Look. I'll contact Eyes Only and see what's going on. If he gets back to me then I'll contact you and let you know what he said."
"And if he doesn't contact you?" Asha asked.
"Then you'll have to set up in another city until it's safe to come back here."
"That's great, Logan. That's just great." She said. She looked at him for a long minute. When his phone rang she turned and stormed out of the apartment slamming the door as she left.
"Yeah…" He answered the phone.
Lesser Scottsdale
The old fashion mall…
"Logan." Max said. "It's me."
"Hey." He said. He wasn't sure how to proceed.
"Look. I'm sorry I yelled at you. Things are a little tense right now." She explained. "I didn't mean to yell."
"It's okay. I should have told you what I had gotten into." Logan said. "Are you okay?"
"Not exactly. We're probably considered fugitives at this point. You remember Jace right?"
"You're sister? The one you helped out during that Vertas fiasco?"
"Yes. White was after her. He's been tracking her for days and almost got to her. She came past the Cabana with little Maxie." Max said.
"So you helped her get away. That's good. Uh, why isn't she in Mexico?"
"I don't know yet. She promised to tell us but we have to get out of here. Jondy brought us here to get something and as soon as we do, we need to disappear." She explained.
"So you want me to check the databases down there and see if White reported you to the officials?"
"Please. Check the local sector cops, FBI and Homeland Security. I doubt the HSF would care but White does use the FBI as a tool on occasion. Personally, I don't want a repeat of South Market." Max said.
"Neither do I." Logan said. "I'll see what I can do and I'll call you back as soon as possible."
"Make it quick, Logan. I don't know how much time we have."
"It's going to take a few minutes." Logan said. "I have to hack into the satellite and then into the database… that's five minutes there. Once I'm in then I'll have to run a search…" He mumbled.
"Mumble, grunt, mumble what, Logan?" Max asked.
"Give me twenty minutes. If I don't call you back by then, call me." Logan said. "Twenty minutes." He repeated before hanging up.
"We've got twenty minutes." Max said. "When Logan gets into the local database, he's going to clear us from the system and then call me back. If I don't hear from him in twenty then I'm calling him."
"Then it sounds like we're on the clock." Jondy said.
"Where exactly are we going?" Jace asked.
"I used to live on the roof." Jondy answered. "I left some stuff up there. It was hidden but there's no guarantee that someone hasn't found it yet."
Max and Jace followed Jondy through the dark corridors of the former Fashion Square Mall past all the refugees and homeless that had turned the huge building into a tiny city. The place reminded Max of South Market. As she wandered by the stands, it seemed as if she could find anything she was looking for here.
"What is this place?" Jace asked.
"It used to be a high brow shopping center. You know the type. Rich people buying clothes that match the couch and furniture they didn't need. It's that kind of place. I was told that it remained open for a year or so after the pulse but finally the business just stopped coming down from Upper Scottsdale. The money wasn't there anymore." Jondy said as they walked. "They say it only took a few weeks for the place to be looted. Even less time for the refugees to move in and get off the streets out of the hot sun."
"It's not a bad place." Jace said. "I never got out of lesser Scottsdale much but there was never any reason until White showed up with his goons."
"This way." Jondy said. She turned a corner and headed toward a security staircase. The door was blocked by a large wooden crate that looked much too heavy to even budge. Jondy pulled it out from the wall enough to slide in behind it and enter the empty stairwell.
"Where are we going?" Max asked after she squeezed through.
"We're going to the roof."
"What's up there?" Jace asked.
"Someone that probably doesn't want to see me." Jondy said.