Different Paths (41 page)

Muncy had lived up to his nickname by dropping his
pliers twice in the last minute but he had broken into the primary case and was
just waiting for the lieutenant’s word to cut the last wire. They had decided
that it was best that they cut them both at the same time just in case there
was a failsafe trigger which set off the other bomb.

“El-tee? How’s it coming?”

Kristopher slowly pulled free the timer from the
case. According to the files they had downloaded from the CoreNet the timer
would be attached to the fuse by a series of wires. If the correct wire was
cut, the fuse became inert. If the wrong one was cut, it triggered the bomb.
The basic diagram showed two different set ups; one with three wires and one
with two wires. Pulling the timer out far enough that he could see Kristopher
said, “Its out. I have only two wires, a black/white and a red/blue. Which do I
cut?”

Muncy shrugged but realized that the lieutenant
wouldn’t be able to see that so he added, “I have no idea. The basic diagram
I’m looking at doesn’t mention those colors.”

Spike added, “Twelve seconds.”

Kristopher looked at the wires and thought back.
There was something about the black/white wire which tugged at his memories.
Something about how the Major had always viewed the world, in black and white.
According to him there were no shades of grey. Having nothing else to go on,
Kristopher placed his snips around the black/white wire and said, “We cut on
three.”

Muncy nodded. “Roger. Wait…do we cut on three or
do we count to three and then cut?”

“Dammit Butterfingers! Cut the wire when I say
three.”

“Eight seconds...”

“One…”

“Seven…”

“Two…”

“Six…”

Kristopher nearly shouted, “Three!”

Both police officers cut their respective wires
and held their breaths. Seconds passed….since they were still alive, they
figured it worked and they let out their breaths.

It was Ernspiker who spoke first, “Well El-tee, it
looks like your hunch played out.”

“Aye, that it did,” Kristopher said as he slowly
backed his way out of the barrels. “Now get on the horn and get a HazMat crew
and a wagon in here on the double.”

“Roger that sir.” Handing the young girl to the
lieutenant, Ernspiker and Muncy moved off to do their jobs.

Pushing his R-Gun out of the way, Kristopher
smiled. “Hiya Eve, do you remember me?”

She nodded. “Yes. You’re Uncle Achilles’ friend.”

Setting her down, Kristopher took her by the hand.
“That’s right. Come on….lets go find him.”

*   *   *   *   *

In the aftermath of the battle it was discovered
that News Anchor Jennifer Moody and Holo-recorder Ryan Puente had been
broadcasting the whole time which was how the Coalition had known about the
assassination attempt by the Galactic Marshals. It had given the three members
of the High Council that hadn’t been able to attend the interrogation of Jagger
Jax enough evidence to issue the Executive Order dissolving the charter of the
Galactic Marshals. All throughout the Coalition, the Galactic Marshals were
being detained.

Of course, none of this was being broadcasted.

To the general public, the story was that a group of
pirates had impersonated the Galactic Marshals in an attempt to rescue their
leader, the notorious bandit Jagger Jax. Anything else that might get leaked
out was quickly stamped top secret and the only two civilians in the room were
informed, in no small manner, of where they would end up if that happened.

Chapter 37

When Iaido woke up, he was in a hospital.

It was an obvious deduction considering the number
of tubes running into and out of his body. Seeing two fully armored SWAT guards
standing outside his door, he double checked to make sure he wasn’t restrained
somehow. Nope, no handcuffs but then, he wasn’t going anywhere fast at least
not at the present time.

Lifting his sheet, he probed his wound. There was
a bandage over top it but he just ripped it off and grimaced with the pain. The
slice had been deeper than he thought during the battle, of course that could
be attributed to the adrenaline and endorphins running through his body.
Soldiers have been known to call it a ‘combat high’ the condition where a
person is so hyped up on the natural stimulants in the body that they keep
going and going, long past where a normal man could. The problem is that once
the ‘high’ wears off, the body tends to go into shock and many soldiers die.

Looking around, he spied his friend Jay in the bed
next to him. He had similar tubes running in and out of his body but Iaido
could tell from the monitor that he was alive. His smile fled when he noticed
the missing left hand. Once again, the Master Chief had literally given a part
of him in defense of the country.

Scanning the room, he noticed that a large bouquet
of daisies on the counter next to the bed and a green leather bound book next
to it. Even without reading the card, he knew it was from Athena. The daisies
referred to a mission they had done together when he was forced to buy her some
flowers as part of their cover story. Not knowing anything about flowers, he
had grabbed the daisies and it had becoming a running joke between them.

Reaching out slowly, he picked up the book and
read the title, “The Complete Works of Mark Twain” in gold foil. Another gift
from Athena.

Hearing the two SWAT grunts come to attention,
Iaido looked towards the door and was shocked to see the General walk into the
room. Of course, he didn’t have his blades at hand so maybe he felt safe. Iaido
managed a small smile when the old man stopped at the foot of his bed and moved
no closer.

“Well, well, you are still among the living I
see.”

Iaido nodded his head. “General.”

“I wonder if you will you ever call me by my right
title?”

“Probably not.”

The President chuckled. “I would probably die of a
heart attack if you ever did anyway.” The politician moved to the foot of the
Master Chief’s bed and looked at the chart. “Don’t worry about him. He’ll make
it also. He’ll probably be in here a bit longer than you; it’s a miracle that
he isn’t dead but then, Omega boys were always hard to kill.”

“Is that a compliment?”

The President grinned. “Yes it was but I’m
stalling.” Folding his hands in front of himself, his face became serious. “I
just came by to say thank you for saving my life. It was unexpected after
everything I put you through.”

“You’re welcome.”

He swallowed hard. “Unfortunately, we have a
slight problem.”

Iaido raised one eyebrow.

“Due to the circumstances surrounding your amazing
duel with Hector, the Myrmidon program and my involvement has come to the
attention of the media.”

“So?”

“So, the Myrmidon program was against the
Constitution and several different treaties.”

Slowly, Iaido forced himself up to a sitting
position. “And? How does this affect me?”

“Right now? Not at all but there is bound to be
some fall out down the line somewhere. I have my spin doctors working on it but
I would like you to leave Terra as soon as you are able.”

“Are you banning me from my homeworld?”

The President shook his head. “No…but it would be
best if you are hard to reach for the near future if you understand what I
mean.”

Iaido did understand.

This wasn’t the first time the media had gotten
wind of the super soldier program and just like every other time; they would
meld into the background and were soon forgotten.

The President smiled and turned to leave when
Iaido cleared his throat and the politician stopped. “Yes?”

Holding up the leather bound book Iaido said, “Our
business is not yet through.”

The smile that was on the President’s face froze
and lost any warmth it was supposed to have. “Ah yes…the bounty.” Reaching out,
he took a hesitant step forward.

Iaido contemplated killing him right there and
then, it would’ve been so easy. The IV tube in his right arm had plenty of
slack, one quick tug and a simple toss and he would have the General at his
mercy.

But that was Achilles, the killing machine.

Iaido was more than his programming. He walked his
own path.

He made his own decisions and lived with the
consequences. That was what his Sensei had been trying to tell him those many
weeks ago. Choices made in the past for the best of reasons tend to come back
and haunt your future. Iaido just handed him the book.

“You have my word that this was unopened by me.”

Judging from the way the President swallowed,
Iaido knew that he was right in his suspicions. This book was more than it
seemed and probably held enough information to bring the President down. But
something told Iaido that to discredit him, he would have to sully the
reputation of his friend and mentor the Sensei and that was something he would
never do.

Before he let go of the book Iaido added, “I
understand now what Sensei was trying to tell me. I understand the lessons of
the forge. Everything has its own time, its own seasons and its own reasons.”

By the slightest smile, Iaido realized that the
General understood what he was trying to say. Changing the subject he said,
“Please make sure my payment is lodged within twenty-four hours.”

Recovering his posture, the President asked, “Why
so soon?”

“I will be gone before sunrise. It would be nice,
if you pulled the guards from the room. I would hate to have to hurt anyone in
my escape.”

“That will be unnecessary as they will be leaving
with me. With the infiltration of the Praetorians in the Galactic Marshals I
have promoted several SWAT officers to act as my personal guard for a short
time.” Looking up he called out to the officers, “Spike and Sponge Bob, I want
you to meet Iaido Achilles Spartan, my savior and an old friend.”

 The two officers moved forward at the Presidents
call, eyes searching the room for unseen threats.

One had a growling bulldog painted on his helmet
with a spike collar; obviously this was the one the General had referred to as
Spike. “It’s a pleasure, sir.”

Shaking hands, Iaido turned his attention to the
other officer. Even though he moved well, it seemed to be slightly stiff as if
he was just getting over some sort of injuries.

Sponge Bob leaned down and whispered in the
President’s ear. “Sir, we are running behind schedule.”

He nodded. “Yes, yes, you are quite right.
Achilles, I mean Iaido, thank you once again.”

As he turned and walked away, Iaido didn’t feel
the rage or hate that he’d been carrying around all these years. It was rather
liberating. Placing his feet on the floor, Iaido began yanking out tubes and
wires. Several alarms were going off on the machines but no nurses or doctors
rushed inside.

Standing slowly, Iaido moved to the bouquet of
daisies and pulled out a set of tacnet glassed that were attached to the flower
stems. Slipping them on, he saw a message play across his vision as they
automatically interfaced with his cybernetic implants.

‘Cloaked and on overwatch until you are ready.’

Every step was painful but Iaido knew the secret
about pain. Pain is life. It’s pain which keeps the soldier alive.

It wasn’t long before Iaido found himself naked
standing on the roof of the hospital in the rain. Of course, when a great
yawning maw of his ship opened up several feet in front of him, he couldn’t do
much more than smile and climb onboard.

Epilogue

It had been several months since the assassination
attempt on the President of the Coalition. The latest rumor was that it was
actually a plot by the Confederacy to disrupt the uneasy truce and a precursor
of open warfare again.

Not that anyone in the mines of Mercury cared.
That was something that happened in the real world. The only reason they knew
anything about it at all was the Coalition News was broadcasted constantly
during their mandatory rest period. They only cared about three things, when
was it time to eat, time to sleep and how much longer was their shift. Most
miners don’t last six months due to the harsh conditions and those that do, tend
to move around in a trance. They eat, sleep and work all in the same stupor.

So it was no surprise that at first no one noticed
the three strangers moving through the tunnels. It was obvious that they were
strangers and not miners due to the fact one was a huge black Mantis and the
other two were wearing powered combat armor and carrying weapons.

The smaller of the armored men stopped at one of
the miners and ran some sort of scanner over him.

DJ panned his Typhoon S11, the latest version of
the venerable railgun, at the influx of miners that had finally noticed them
and stopped working. “Athena are you sure that he’s still here?”

“Yes. I am in their database and it shows him
working in your area.”

Pax voice came over the channel. “We are being
hailed by the Miners Guild, what are my orders Captain?”

“Let them eat static. We are not leaving
empty-handed.”

“Aye, aye sir. They have dispatched two cruisers
to investigate. ETA three minutes until firing range.”

Xerxes began to chirp and gesture at one worker who
was still digging. He was bald with broad shoulders and several tattoos down
his right arm.

Iaido knew that he fit the general description of
the mark but only a cellular scan could confirm it. Waving the simple device
over the miner, he smiled when the lights turned green.

“This is him. Bag him.”

The miner never stopped working until the ten
thousand watts of electricity flowed through him rendering him unconscious.
Calmly and effortlessly, Xerxes picked him up and they followed the path
highlighted on their HUDs back to the Nemesis.