Ballistic: Icarus Series, Book Two (41 page)

“Quit stalling, Eli,” Riley demanded. “Spill.”

“The goal was to lower the risk of combat casualties through improved tactical efficiency,” Eli said. “The neural bridge network was designed to isolate select neural frequencies and merge them into a unified signal using a pentagonal transmitter configuration. In essence, the bridge would create a synthetic extrasensory network within a defined squadron, allowing them to coordinate maneuvers without the use of traditional battlefield communications.”

“You are talking about telepathy.” Jake’s mouth dropped open. “Mind speak?”

“
Moderated
mind speak,” Eli nodded grimly. “Each network would be delegated to a single, remote administrator. Once the connection was established within the designated squadron, the assigned intermediary could manipulate anyone on the frequency for that specific bridge.”

“And by intermediary, you mean puppet-master,” Tessa said, crossing her arms.

“Potato-potahto,” Eli said, throwing his hands up. “If they’ve found a way to bridge the infected, we are in serious trouble.”

“But they can only control those who’ve been implanted with the transmitters, right?” Jake asked. “If that’s true, we still have a chance to stop them. A couple of dozen transmitters aren’t nearly enough to create an entire army of those things.”

“Yes, it is.” Understanding settled in my stomach like wet concrete. “If they get their hands on a bonded alpha.”

“Exactly,” Eli said jabbing a finger in my direction. “Once an alpha pairing has been established, it creates the same type of inherent neural link you’d see within a hive. The alpha would be able to influence any of the infected that align with them using that connection. While the pairing is necessary to establish collective intelligence, the intermediary need only control the alpha to control the army.”

“So, which is he?” Ballard pointed to Micah.

“It doesn’t matter,” Eli said. His jaw was tight as he reached down into Collin’s bag.

A second later, he was on top of Micah with a scalpel to his throat. Ty grabbed for him, but Eli dodged his grasp. The impact of Eli’s body on Micah’s, sent Megan and me tumbling to the floor. I landed hard on my back, the air rushing from my lungs. Megan slid across the floor, her eyes wide with shock. Collin shot to his feet and threw his arms wide, shielding Riley, Falisha, and Jake.

“What the hell are you doing?” Zander yelled, shoving his gun in Eli’s face.

“I’m trying to save our lives, you idiot!” Eli hissed. He was straddling Micah’s chest with the blade pressed into his skin. “It doesn’t matter if he’s the alpha or not, he’s part of a pair. Eliminate their bond, and you eliminate the threat.”

“Get away from my cousin,” Zander growled low in his chest.

“Eli, don’t do this,” Falisha shouted, shoving past Collin and raising the sawed-off shotgun in front of her.

“Put the guns, down,” Ballard said, raising his own weapon.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Everybody just take it easy,” Tessa shouted, holding her hands out in front of her. “Please, lower your guns before you do something you regret.”

“Regret?
Regret?
” Eli scoffed. Sweat poured down his face. The scalpel shook furiously in his hand, drawing blood from Micah’s throat. “I have nothing
but
regret. Giving up a chance to stop all this will not be one of them. I’m sorry, kid, but your cousin is dangerous. There’s no other way.”

“Pentagonal!” Ty blurted, rushing forward.

“What?” Eli paused, momentarily thrown.

“You said the transmitter set up was pentagonal. That means five, right?” Ty pressed, inching closer to Eli. “They never finished installing their little mind-control jobbies.”

“What are you talking about?” Eli narrowed his eyes and pulled away a fraction of an inch.

“There are only
four
transmitters,” Ty pointed at Micah.

“Four?” Eli’s voice shook, his face cloaked in doubt.

“He’s right,” Collin said reaching down to help me to my feet. “We only found four of them. There’s one on the back of his neck, two on his chest, and one on the side of his head.”

“Check for yourself, if ya don’t believe me,” Ty said, moving closer to Eli.

“I will,” Eli hissed, glaring at everyone in turn. “Don’t come any closer.”

One,
he mouthed, his eyes fixed on the probe in Micah’s temple.
Two, three.
He pointed to the metal jutting from Micah’s chest. He kept the blade in place as he slid his hand behind Micah’s neck, groping blindly for the last of the transmitters. A spark flashed, and Eli jerked his hand away, stunned.

“Four,” Ty grunted as his fist connected squarely with Eli’s jaw.

Chapter 36

Perception

I clutched a plastic bottle in my hands, mesmerized by the orange liquid that swirled around inside of it. The cyclone slowed, and the dip at the center got smaller and smaller until the pulp was floating in a cluster on the surface. When it finally stilled, I shook the bottle vigorously until the storm inside mimicked the thoughts in my head.

“You know, you’re supposed to be drinking that, not torturing it for information,” Collin said, nodding toward the juice in my hands. “Bottoms up, Liv.”

“Ouch, take it easy,” Eli hissed, swatting Collin’s hands away from his face. “My jaw could be broken for all you know.”

“I doubt that very much,” Collin shook his head and dropped a compress into Eli’s lap as he rose to his feet. “If it were, your mouth wouldn’t be moving nearly as much.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice,” I muttered as I twisted off the cap.

I downed the warm, sour liquid in one swallow, put the lid back on, and threw the empty bottle at Eli. It bounced off the side of his face and clattered to the floor. Bella yipped and chased after it then settled on the floor, happily crunching the plastic with her teeth.

“Seriously?” Eli glared at me, clutching his swollen face.

“Sorry, not sorry,” I shrugged, shooting him a dirty look.

“Nice shot, Liv,” Ballard snorted, his gun still trained in Eli’s direction.

“It was an honest mistake,” Eli muttered, turning away from us.

“Be right back,” Collin patted my shoulder and made his way over to check on Micah.

True to his word, the man had done everything in his power to help our friend. Micah’s ankle had been set and splinted, his cuts were cleaned and stitched, and the last of the fluids was now coursing through his veins. His breathing had improved some since the transfusion, but his skin was still clammy and sallow. He had yet to regain consciousness. The wound on his shoulder smelled even worse than it looked.

Zander and Riley had not left Micah’s side since the whole scalpel fiasco with Eli. Jake and Falisha returned a few minutes later with Christa, carrying stacks of sandwiches and bottles of water for the group. Once the rations had been disbursed, the three of them joined Zander and Riley in their vigil.

Based on the way the five of them were looking at me, Riley had already let slip my unsolicited confession. It was only a matter of time before I’d have to answer for my secrets. For the moment, at least, there were more pressing matters at hand.

I studiously dodged their questioning glances, distracting myself by opening and closing my knife. Squints was sitting on the floor a few feet away, his legs crossed beneath him, staring off into space. His glasses were thick enough that there was a good chance he could actually see it from here.

“How you feelin’, Doc?” Ty smiled dropping onto the seat next to Eli.

“Like I got punched in the face,” Eli said, fuming.

“Yeah, I reckon that smarts a bit,” Ty said, flexing his fingers absently. “Sorry I had to lay ya out like that, but you was actin’ crazier than a billy goat in a pepper patch.”

“What the hell does that even mean?” Eli shook his head.

“It means you deserved it,” Megan said, picking absently at her fingernails.

Ballard nodded his agreement with a smirk. Despite the fact that he’d literally saved Micah’s life, Ty looked genuinely sorry that he’d hurt Eli. He had to be the nicest person I’d ever met in my life. Tessa and Devon wandered over a few minutes later, with Mason and a couple of other people trailing behind.

“Alright, you two,” Tessa clapped Ty on the shoulder and nodded to Ballard. “Let’s see what we’re up against, shall we?”

“That’s my cue,” Ty smiled nervously, pulling a folded notebook from his back pocket.

Ballard flipped on the solar light and held it overhead while Ty tore a stack of papers from the spiral. He spread them out on the floor side by side and wiped his sweaty palms on his pant legs.

“Okay, so this is the fence that runs around the park. This, here, double-scribbly line is the main entry gate.” Ty dragged his finger along the right side of the page. “They had two guys stationed inside this ticket booth, and two more walking the fence on either side of it. They stayed inside the chain link the whole time and only walked as far as the corner before turning back.”

“There were no other guards stationed along the perimeter?” Tessa crossed her arms over her chest.

“No ma’am, just those two,” Ty shook his head and pointed to another square on the map. “Actually, there weren’t many guards outside, at all. Just the two on the fence, a short fella by the entrance to this small building, and two more ‘round back. They had these white masks on their faces and black gloves.”

“You’re saying there is a grand total of seven bodies guarding the entire western half of the camp, including the main entrance?” Tessa looked confused. “That leaves the entire fence line exposed.”

“So, all we need is a pair of bolt cutters, then,” Falisha said, making a scissoring motion with her fingers.

“I’m afraid that’d end poorly.” The corner of Ty’s mouth dipped. “This here fence is electrified.”

“Of course it is,” Jake said, throwing his hands in the air.

“The wire zig-zags up and down across the middle of the whole thing,” Ballard added. “Must be a lot of juice running through it, too. We could hear it crackling all the way up on the overpass, and that’s at least a hundred yards away.”

“We had a similar set up on the ranch, though ours wasn’t near as powerful,” Ty said. “Most of the amps would be running through the guide wires, but those insulators looked short to me, so I reckon the metal around them is gonna be pretty hot, too. I’m bettin’ it’s got enough kick to knock a grown man clean outta his boots.”

“Well, that explains the lack of sentries,” Tessa sighed, “but I know for a fact they have more men than that. Where the hell is everyone?”

“The bulk of their forces are concentrated here, inside these two buildings.” Ballard indicated two large rectangles in the middle of the map. A thick line connected the two creating an H shape. “They built some sort of tunnel here out of PVC pipe and heavy plastic. There was a lot of movement inside, people being dragged back and forth between the two buildings, but no one went through it without an armed guard.”

“Well, no one except your friend, over there,” Ty tilted his head toward Micah. “That’s how he caught our attention in the first place. He was alone.”

“Well, that and he was running like hell.” Ballard snorted. “Once he got through that tunnel, he disappeared into the other building, and we lost sight of him. A few minutes later, he comes scrambling out of a big, yellow tube on the side of the building and lands in a dumpster.”

“Poor guy looked like he’d been chewed up and spit out,” Ty shook his head, “but he didn’t stop for nothin’.”

“He’s stubborn like that,” Zander stared down at his cousin.

“Must run in the family,” Ty said, smiling up at him.

“So, after Houdini over there drags himself out of the trash bin, he scoots across this empty wading pool here, and up the end of this water slide over here.” Ballard taps on a curvy line near what had once been the Lazy River. “He missed the guards by, like, a second. No joke. Problem is, now he’s trapped, right?”

“I was sure he was gonna get himself caught,” Ty said raking his hair back.

“For real,” Ballard’s eyes bulged. “Like, where could he go, you know?”

“Focus, guys,” Tessa rolled her hand. “We can’t get in unless we know how Micah got out.”

“Oh,” Ty said, nudging Ballard. “Tell ’em about the truck, Vic.”

“Right, sorry,” Ballard nodded. “A few minutes later, this big truck pulls up to the main entrance and backs right up to the front gate. That’s when all hell breaks loose. The soldiers inside the truck laid on the horn. The ticket booth guys come barreling out of their squat-box, waving their guns in the air, and the guys walking the fence take off toward the big building.”

“It was crazy,” Ty breathed. “The ticket booth guys were like, ‘Y’all ain’t on the list,’ and the truck guys were like, ‘The hell we ain’t. Check again.’ So they’re yellin’ back and forth, back and forth, and madder than a hornet in a Coke can. Pretty soon, they’re pointin’ guns at each other through the fence. Next thing you know, Micah’s head pokes out from behind the corner of the ticket booth. I swear to you, I didn’t even see him move, but there he was.”

“It took a few minutes for them to straighten things out at the gate, but eventually, the ticket booth guys buzzed the truck in,” Ballard said. “The second the gates slid apart, the crackling sound stopped.”

“So, it’s a closed circuit, then,” Jake said. “We can work with that.”

“As soon as the truck gets through the gate, people start piling out,” Ballard said. “They were scared and confused, but none of them looked dangerous. Still, the soldiers had guns on those folks before their feet even hit the pavement.”

“Hmm,” Tessa’s brows knit.

“Once they were all out, the uniforms split them into two lines and herded them into this building.” Ty made a circle with his fingertip around a small rectangle close to the front gate.

“That’s the arcade,” Megan said, pointing over my shoulder at Ty’s map. “At least, the front half of the building is. The back part is where the locker rooms and bathrooms are. Men’s on that side and the women’s is over there.”