AMP Rebellion (4 page)

I nodded my head in approval. "OK, York. Do as Rodriguez and pick a half-dozen volunteers from the other groups. You have 24 hours for a first draft."

York stood and saluted. "You won't be disappointed Sir. That plant will be in our hands in a couple days."

I raised my hand. "Whoa there partner. Just come up with a draft. We will worry about schedule when the time comes; any other ideas of interest?"

A team was formed and placed in charge of communications and another for sustainability. If we were to be laying low for any period of time we would still have to eat. An additional team was given the task of security.

Again, I felt lucky to be surrounded by professionals. There were no timid citizens in the nation of Defiant. McKinzey and the Durians had thrown down the gauntlet and the team surrounding me had picked it right up.

McKinzey had used the Grid military to place our Defiant citizens under arrest. Over the week that followed our field agents were only able to manage another 48 rescues. Our associates within SCore had noted that all but 87 of those who had come aboard the Grid after our arrival had been rounded up. Searches for the remaining few were intensifying. After adding up the numbers, only 12 remained hidden and on their own, the other 75 were huddled with us. The people we had rescued were all that we would have to work with.

Three of our field agents had been assigned to track McKinzey's movements. One returned with news.

Mars Torres spoke, "Sir. I was able to locate the President's doctor. McKinzey has paid him a visit four times in the last five months. He has some type of chronic condition with his intestines that requires treatment. I don't know if that in itself buys us anything, but it may give us a time and place where we know he will be. One of our SCore operatives handles that scheduling."

I replied, "That is some fantastic work Mars. I just hope we can put it to use."

A young Lieutenant then spoke, "What if the President is another Durian infiltrator? Would it do us any good to get a sample of his DNA? Maybe a blood sample from his doctor?"

Mars replied, "I could work up a profile of the doctor’s office Sir. We are good at getting in and out of places that are locked. Since it is a private office we might just be able to obtain a sample."

I responded, "Work up a plan to do just that, but don't put yourself at risk over it. If you think we can get in and out of there without issue then let us know."

Mars replied, "Yes Sir. I will spend a little extra time in that area and see if my contacts can pull up any floor plans or images from within. Sometimes these private doctors have marketing images available for public consumption. Anything that aids us in getting in and out is a plus."

Mars had his marching orders. It had not occurred to me that McKinzey could be a Durian plant just as Rodney Turk had been. The Admiral Zimmerman imposter had been an impressive actor. I had no doubt that if McKinzey had been grabbed and replaced that the new McKinzey would be equally as highly trained as Rodney Turk. If Mars was able to get a DNA sample, and if McKinzey proved to be an imposter, it would explain a lot about why he had taken the actions he had.

After having a quick lunch I wandered into a meeting that Sergeant York was having with her team.

York spoke, "Now listen up people. We have to take down these three guard positions at the same time. I want people ready to roll when the time comes. Study floor plans and run scenarios through your heads a thousand time if that is what it takes to commit this to memory. We move in and hit them hard."

Diane York turned to face me as I stood in the doorway. "Mr. Grange. We have not discussed what level of force we are going to be using here. These are civilians and much like my Daddy was, they are just innocent bystanders in all this. I will do whatever it is that I am ordered to do Sir. I just ask that you take those thoughts into consideration."

I replied, "Absolutely, we want minimal damage and injury where possible. Some will resist and if things don't go well, there could be circumstances that we want to avoid. If it comes down to us versus them you each are going to have to make that call on your own, but make every effort to keep harm to a minimum."

"I have been going over a few possibilities to assist us in keeping these ops non-lethal. Over at the shooting range, Duane had a hand weapon that fired a high voltage dart. It was only good for close range, but the recipient was easily knocked out or incapacitated for a short period of time. I have the keys to the place so I will task one of our field guys to slip in there to see what he can find."

I continued, "It may not be the optimum weapon, but it has the advantage of being somewhat silent as compared to the conventional weapons we have been using. We will have to see if Jeb had more than just the one that Duane showed off to me."

The stun guns fired a compressed air dart that had two short-needle electrodes on the front and an ultra-capacitor to store charge in the body. The recipient would receive up to a five second jolt of high voltage. It was essentially a ramped up version of the shock tools we used during interrogation. If a person could be incapacitated for only a few seconds we would be able to hold them at gunpoint from taking any further action.

As plans continued to firm up, Mars Torres returned with a blood sample from the President’s doctor. Tests had shown conclusively that the DNA was a match with previously archived values. It appeared that McKinzey was just a putz all on his own.

After numerous team meetings to discuss our options, the first set of plans emerged. Diane York’s team would raid and take control of the main Kappa power plant. A second team would secure a block of slips in the Alpha bay where a shuttle would be made available to take our personnel beyond Grid space. The shuttle team would be dressed as Grid military. Once the shuttle team was in place the power plant raiders would give themselves up.

False orders would be given to the soldiers involved in the capture and if all went well the captives would be transported to the shuttle and then out to the waiting transports. It was an ambitious plan, but a plan that we could work. During the following day, two additional plans were discussed with the York plan offering the best potential for success.

A trip to the shooting range revealed that Jeb had four high voltage dart guns packed away in boxes, a single case of 64 darts were found, they only required a charge. The guns and darts were dispersed amongst Sergeant York’s team as assignments were handed out.

Our field agents were able to land a sizable lot of surplus military uniforms that were slated to be converted to civilian clothes. The materials used had excellent properties for use by those with activity based jobs such as Grid system mechanics. The uniforms would be worn by our team at Alpha bay who would be posing as a military shuttle crew.

The York team would consist of the 75 members who had come aboard the Grid from our fleet. It was hoped that the Grid personnel involved would be so ecstatic at capturing the 75 fugitives that they would easily hand them over to the imposter shuttle crew. Our comm team had been given the task of making an order appear to come down the chain of command to place the captives into the custody of the shuttle crew. If the plan flopped the remaining research team members would be responsible for coming up with a new solution.

A time was selected and I stood in front of our teams for a speech. "Well, two weeks of planning has come to this moment. We have attempted to script out every aspect of this mission. Our team assigned to the docks has located a shuttle capable of taking the 75 of us off this station. It has been modified with our ion engine updates, so, if we can make it off of the Grid we can outrun any ships that attempt to follow."

"Our mission will be to return to the Suppressor, to gather enough ships and men to board and overtake the transports where our men are being held and to head for home."

I continued, "One thing to keep in mind during our efforts. The people we are going up against are not the enemy. They are our friends, brothers, mothers and cousins. Some will treat us as if we are the enemy, but we will not be of that same mindset. We are caught in a bad situation and only our best efforts will free us from McKinzey’s grip. If we can follow the scripts in our plans and use our best instincts where needed, we should be on a shuttle heading out of here in a few hours’ time."

The shuttle team soon departed for Alpha bay as I moved with York’s team towards the power plant. The maps we had been given to avoid the cameras were marked with areas of concern. Field agents would be waiting in those locations to signal if the way was clear. Kappa section was 12 decks below and six kilometers inward towards the center of the Grid. The journey took five hours.

When we arrived in the Kappa section the hallways were largely clear. Huge, official celebrations had been set up and were taking place in all sections of the station. Our teams were dressed in party attire and would approach each of the four entryways to the power plant as if in a moving party. Once amongst the security personnel the dart guns would be used. I was a member of York's team.

York spoke in a low voice just before we rounded the final corner to the entryway. "OK, we want to look happy so I want to see all smiles. Timmet and Smith, you will move in behind the guards. When I raise my right hand, hit 'em with the darts. And Marky? Where did you get that shirt? We are supposed to be celebrating, not going to a funeral!"

York continued, "The rest of us will provide cover as Timmet and Smith pull the guards from view and wrap 'em up. Jones and Barswell will stay at the post until we secure the other guards on our docket. We only get one chance to do this right people, let's make it count!"

Our group of 18 partiers slowly rounded the corner of the hallway. Smiles and laughs abounded. As we approached the guard station the first of the guards came out of his booth.

The guard spoke, "Sorry folks, you'll need to keep moving on down the hall. This is a restricted area."

Jones spoke, "Awe, come on officer! The wars are over! It's time to celebrate!"

The guard held up his hand and politely declined. "Sorry Ma'am. We will have many chances to celebrate going forward from today, but we do need you to move away from the entryway. The boss says we have to keep the gate clear."

York spoke, "I tell you what. If you bring your fellow guard out for a group hug, we will move on. We just want everyone to be happy today."

York smiled. The guard turned and waved his partner out of the booth. After a short explanation the two guards held out their arms in a welcoming gesture. The group moved in around them and York raised her right arm.

Pfft! Pfft! Zzzz! Zzzz!

The guards dropped to the floor. Jones and Barswell dragged the stunned guards into the booth and stripped them of their uniform shirts and hats. Moments later two guards were again stationed at the booth.

York spoke, "Let's move people. We have a schedule to keep. We should see the next two guards on patrol and the third should be sitting in their break room having his lunch."

As predicted, the next two guards were found patrolling the otherwise extremely quiet power station. Their years of service without incident had made them sloppy, unprepared and predictable, the exact traits that would allow alien infiltrators to take over the power plant and shut down the energy generation needs of Kappa and its two adjoining sections.

When we arrived at the main security station the guard at lunch was sitting at a table eating. York walked into the room.

The guard looked up. "Hey. You can't be..."

Pfft! Zzzz!

The guard fell forward onto the table and then backward onto the floor. His body convulsed as the high voltage jumped through him to a ground source. The power plant was ours.

Each team had a comm bracelet that our comm team had provided. Our conversations were hidden and secure from the monitoring equipment on the Grid. It was an advantage that we would do our best to make use of.

York spoke to the other teams, "Raven's gate is secure. What's our status?"

A voice replied, "This is Halsey gate. We are locking down the entryway as we speak. Give us three minutes and Halsey will be closed to all."

A second voice replied, "Jessup gate is locked and secured. We are ready for phase two."

The comm was silent for several seconds before the final team responded. "This is Jefferson gate. The final guard has been subdued. Montcrief took a club to the head. She has a knot forming, but she will be OK. Gate should be secure and locked in two minutes. I will signal when we are complete.

York again pressed the button on her comm link. "Madison. How are we looking for our transportation?"

Madison replied, "It was a cakewalk Ma'am. We have the papers that look authentic and a have a tap into the official desk where calls would be made. Any call originating from this bay will be intercepted and the answers given that make us look legit. If you are secure we are ready for phase two."

York replied, "Roger that Madison. Hold tight. The real fun is about to begin."

When the last steel piston set the Raven's gate blast door York picked up the comm in the guard booth.

York spoke, "This is Gunnery Sergeant Diane York of the Defiant Defense Force. We are in control of the main Kappa power station. We need to talk to someone in charge."

The voice on the comm replied, "Uh. Who... hold on a sec."

After several seconds a another voice came on the comm. This is Kenny Dewill. I'm the shift security manager. What did you say about Kappa power?"

York replied, "I said we are in control of the power station. You Sir, need to pass this information up the chain of command as quickly as you can. We have demands or we start shutting down power for three sections."

Kenny Dewill replied, "I will pass that information along."

The comm was quiet for nearly a minute before the next voice was heard.

An older man spoke, "This is Colonel Hodges with the Grid military. Miss York, I would advise that you turn yourself in immediately before things go too far. How are our personnel? There were 14 members of the security stationed there. Is anyone in need of attention?"

York responded, "Your people are fine Colonel. Let's not waste each other’s’ time. We want a ship with enough supplies to last 75 people for three months. We want off the Grid Colonel. Make that happens and you get your power station back intact, along with your personnel."

York continued, "You have 15 minutes to meet that demand or we start shutting down generators. If we reach the final one and our demands have still not been met, those same generators will be taken offline in a most permanent manner."

The Colonel responded, "York. You and I both know that 15 minutes is not enough time to put something like this in play."

York fired back, "You call McKinzey and make this happen Colonel. If you think you need more time that is your problem not ours. On my mark you will have precisely 15 minutes before we start shutting things down. I have faith in you Colonel. Make it happen."