Page 30 of Resolution
It took half an hour to make sure the flyer was fully equipped with all the weapons and bombs it was designed to carry and then Jeff, Cody and Ryan left the ground and soared into the sky, going north at great speed.
“What’s the plan?” Cody asked. “I’m assuming we don’t want to give away our presence by rushing to attack.”
“Much as I want to wipe them off the face of the planet, no, I realize we can’t go in yet. I want to get close enough to contact Melly and make sure she’s unharmed. Find out where in the complex she’s being held. Gather intel.” Jeff glanced at Cody. “If she’s been injured or they’re threatening her, we will get her out today.” He raised his wrist a bit to show off the alien bracelet. “The infected won’t bother us with these on and I’m confident the three of us can eliminate a few alien guards and scientists if we have to.”
“I’ll have your six,” Cody confirmed. “But I would prefer to have the entire team here and obliterate the place in the process. Put an end to whatever new nightmares the aliens might be planning. It’ll take the APC’s a week to make the trip into position to attack with our air support, you know. And there are no roads to this place so they’ll have to go cross country. They might be spotted?—”
“I have a different plan,” Jeff interrupted. “The beginnings of one anyway. But let’s see what we learn today. Anything new from the drones?”
Cody went silent as he tapped into the feed. A grin appeared on his face and his expression as he looked at Jeff was excited, eyes wide and sparkling.. “You’ll like this.” He broadcast the feed onto the holo platform in the cockpit.
Jeff leaned closer to see the details. “Children? They have children there?” The grassy enclosure was occupied today by a large group of kids running around as if letting off tension from being cooped up. “That complicates things and also makes it more urgent than ever to take these bastards out.”
“Check again,” Cody advised. His eyelid twitched and the holo zoomed in on one portion of the play area.
Melly stood there, talking to another woman.
Jeff’s heart lurched and he was sure it stopped beating briefly. Abandoning the controls to the AI he stared intently at the holo and studied the woman he loved. “It’s her. Cody, it’s her, thank the Lords of Space.”
“She looks good,” Cody said as the holo played.
Jeff tried the subaural com again but they weren’t close enough yet. “I can’t lose her,” he said, hardly aware he was speaking. “She’s everything to me—my other half. I feel—I feel like I’ve lost part of my soul. And it’s my fault for not protecting her as I’d sworn to do. When she disappeared from Glastine and those bastards told me she’d gone willingly I tried to take the place apart with my bare hands. I lost it.”
“I get it completely,” Cody said. “If anything happened to Tamsyn I’d be the same.”
Ryan, who’d been sitting quietly in the weapons officer’s chair, added, “The doc is part of the team, captain. We’re all committed to getting her back and wiping out these aliens. Whatever it takes.”
He was warmed by the support from his teammates as they continued to fly north. He kept trying the com while watching the holos Cody was gathering. He kept one drone focused on Melly as she dealt with the children in the big play yard but the others were circling the complex, gathering intel.
Melly? Sweetheart?
In the holo she startled, hand to her heart and raised her eyes to the sky. Is that really you? Oh, Jeff!
We’re coming. Are you okay? Have the Khagrish hurt you?
She shook her head. Jeff hoped no one was watching. In her relief she’d forgotten the whole point of the subaural com was to prevent the enemy from overhearing or becoming aware there was communication occurring. Not yet. I mean, I was drugged and stunned but the guy in charge here said I could have a week to recover before—before he brought me into the experiments. You’ve got to get me out before then. There are only a few days left.
I wish it could be today but I don’t have the intel or the manpower to take the place down right now. But we’ll be back in force, I give you my word. Frustration was bitter in his heart and he ran through contingency plans trying to find a way to snatch her to safety right now but there wasn’t one, not with an unknown number of the enemy on the ground, not to mention the children and other innocent civilians being held there. Cody gave him a sideways glance, as if signaling his willingness to participate in any harebrained attack but Jeff shook his head. He knew he had to stick to his original plan, even though it was going to be nearly impossible to fly away and leave Melly behind. What have you observed there so far?
Not much honestly. I’ve been in this wing with the children mostly. I met Dr. Mercattor and she’s all in with these aliens. Melly’s voice held disgust. I’ve seen five different guards, armed with what I’m sure are blasters and maybe stunners, a couple of scientists I think and maybe a few lab tech types. But there must be more—for example someone has to be cooking the food hey bring us.
We’re up here gathering intel, Jeff assured her. No, don’t look up, sweetheart. We’re actually quite a distance away, to stay out of scanner range.
“Ask her if she can go inside,” Cody said. “One of my drones can travel with her.”
Cody wants to know if you can go inside for a minute. He wants to send a drone with you. Once you get it inside the building, you can go back to what you were doing with the children so as not to draw suspicion, Jeff sent.
Of course. He watched Melly say something to the woman she was with and then walk unhurriedly across the grass toward the building. Cody’s drones were so small they were invisible so he glanced at the other man to make sure the tiny spy eye was tagging along with Melly. Cody gave a thumbs up.
When his wife walked indoors, the holo view shifted to the bare walls and gray floor of the prison Melly was held in. The drone stayed with her as she walked but then flew up to the ceiling and entered a vent. Cody switched off the holo feed from that one and broadcast the high altitude overview again.
All right, good, sweetheart. The drone has left you and is doing its work. You can go outside any time now. Jeff steeled himself for what he had to say next. I love you and I’m going to get you out of there, along with the other prisoners if possible. I have to be going now. Time is of the essence and there are things I have to do, preparations I have to make. We’ll only get one shot at this so I have to make sure the plan is foolproof.
I understand, she replied. I love you too. Hearing your voice today was like a miracle. I knew you’d be looking for me.
I tried to kill Quantike when he told me you’d willingly left me and gone to the research facility, he admitted. Everything I’ve done since then is with the aim of finding you and getting you back.
How—how long will it be?” she asked, voice faltering.
