Eye Candy (55 page)

“Roger that. Nice work. After you, Mister C.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” said Canary. “Gear down.”

Danny reduced his throttle and dropped his own flaps and gear as Canary struggled to land the crippled jet. The nose of the 950 yawed side to side. The wings rocked. The landing gear touched the runway and screeched, sending up white smoke. The aircraft skidded once, the nosewheel touched, and they were safely down. Once Canary was clear of the runway, Danny touched down. Howard and Bernard followed.

Everyone deplaned at the end of the runway, in awe of the damage the jets had endured.

They huddled behind the 288. Everyone was dressed in black camouflage and body armor. And fully armed.

“We’re here,” said Rory. “How do we get inside?”

“Phase Two,” said Danny. “Zammy, it’s showtime.”

“Leave everything to me.” Zammy pulled out his phone and made a call. “We’re in position.” He hung up. “You guys are going to love this. Keep your eyes on the beach.”

Moments later, six, eight, ten, a dozen vehicles surfaced just beyond the breakers. The low hum of stealth-enabled engines filled the air and the vehicles rode the waves onto the beach.

Danny watched in awe. “Hovercraft?”

“Water Striders,” said Zammy. “Submersible all-terrain vehicles. Special Forces use them all the time. Fast in, fast out.”

The hovercraft rode up the beach and onto the airfield. The lead hovercraft angled toward the airplanes. The others formed a defensive perimeter.

“I need one of those for my store,” said Oberon.

“Sorry, we can’t keep them. They’re on loan from the U.S.S. Enterprise,” said Zammy, “which is on its way to port in Long Beach. I called in a few favors to get them here.”

“Lord, I hope I live to see the day!” Romeo proclaimed.

The hovercraft came to rest. A ramp opened and a man wearing a business suit and body armor trotted over. He transferred a large assault rifle to his other hand and shook hands with Zammy. He then exchanged a hug with Delilah. The diagonal black lines of cammo paint on her face and the submachine gun in her hands were equally foreboding.

“I’d like you all to meet a close friend of ours,” said Zammy. “This is Senator David Stein. He chairs the Senate Joint Armed Services Committee. We share a passionate dislike for Les Grossman.”

Senator Stein laughed. “That’s an understatement. When he was just making movies, it wasn’t a problem. But his pervasive anti-robot rhetoric has become a national security threat. He’s made a lot of enemies, including in the military and Pentagon. The fact is that the world can be a hostile place. We need to be able to meet threats of any kind. Robots are crucial to that mission. Robots save lives. And they tend to make one helluva valiant soldier.” The Senator nodded to Howard and Bernard, both of whom wore body armor and had green and black cammo paint on their faces, and carried assault rifles.

“That was a nice speech,” said Zammy.

“Did I rush it? I felt like I rushed it.”

“No, it was good. Did you bring help?” Zammy asked.

“I brought the house.” The Senator spoke into the small boom microphone attached to his ear. “Activate and deploy.”

All around the airfield, ramps unfolded from the hovercraft. Robots poured out. Large, silver robots. Danny recognized them at once.

“Pagaz.”

“Pagazim,” said the Senator, “plural. And they’re ready to kick some ass.”

“That makes about a hundred and fifty of us,” said Blendo.

“Alright, let’s get ready to move, everybody!” Danny called.

Tim and Maggie turned to Gali, Copper, and Turing.

“You girls look so cute in your face paint and body armor,” said Rony. “When we get home the four of us should have a nice tea party with some dolls and a couple pounds of C-4.”

“Okay!” Gali, Copper, and Turing exclaimed, smiling.

“You girls get the command center up and running,” said Tim. “You’re our eyes and ears once we get inside.”

“We’ve got you covered, dad,” said Turing.

“We’re leaving a full complement of Pagazim to guard the airfield. No one will get within five hundred yards of your girls,” said Senator Stein.

Automatic gunfire erupted. Rounds plinked off the armored hovercraft in a flurry of sparks.

“Get down!” Danny yelled.

Everyone dove for the tarmac.

Howard and Bernard leveled their weapons and returned fire. Howard spoke calmly between bursts of gunfire. “If you’ll escort the girls to the command center, Miss Maggie, we’ll be underway.”

Maggie veritably pushed Gali, Copper, and Turing up the stairs and into the jet. Blackie, Whitey, Kong, and VanCat escorted Maggie while she helped the girls into the Gulfstream.

All around, everyone was returning fire. A horde of humanoid drone robots had descended upon the airfield.

The Pagaz units were dropping them like flies, but they kept coming by the dozens.

Bella aimed his .50 caliber rifle and fired. A drone’s head exploded.

“Nice shot,” said Rukara. He let loose a burst from his assault rifle and another drone fell.

“Thanks,” said Bella, firing again.

“We can’t stay here all night,” said Rony. She held an Uzi in each hand, and fired in alternate bursts, dropping two more drones.

“She’s right,” said Atom.

“Let’s get ready to move,” Blendo added. He and Atom both fired, and two drones dropped.

“Senator,” said Poo, “get the bots into a wedge and we’ll fall in inside of it.” Poo whirled and shot a drone that was concentrating its fire on the G-950 where the girls were. The drone toppled over.

“Right,” said the Senator. “By the way, I’m a huge fan of your work.”

“Thanks.” Poo emptied his clip into three drones fighting hand-to-hand with a Pagaz. The drones fell in the dirt. Everyone waited for the Pagaz to stand up, but it didn’t move.

“Our first casualty,” said Blackie.

“Looks like it just got real, honey,” said Romeo.

Isaac and Nik each unloaded their weapons on a drone. Beside them, Oberon drained his magazine and dropped four drones.

“Hey, Romeo,” said Oberon, shouting over the gunfire, “if we make it out of this, promise to tell me how you make that vegetarian fish.”

“You got it, sweetie,” said Romeo, squeezing off rounds in short, controlled bursts, “but only if lover boy over there agrees to shave off that rats’ nest he calls a beard. I want to see his face because I think I’m in love.”

Bella fired another round from his massive rifle. “What can I say?” He chambered and fired again. “Robots love me. Whoa–!”

A round hit Bella in the chest and he fell on his back.

Rony and Rukara knelt beside him while Atom and Blendo concentrated their fire and destroyed the drone that shot Bella.

Bella gasped for air, coughing and choking.

Rukara slid his hand inside Bella’s body armor. It came away dry. “It’s okay. The round didn’t penetrate.”

Bella sat up, grunting as he drew breath. “Sure feels like it. I think my ribs are broken.”

“That was close,” said Rony.

“Too close,” added Rukara.

Bella gasped as he heaved himself to his feet. He retrieved his rifle from the tarmac and chambered a round. “I’m done screwing around. Let’s go.” Bella walked from behind the hovercraft.

Senator Stein stood and called, “Move out!”

Everyone moved at a fast walk, weapons at the ready, firing as they went.

Kong carried a gatling gun with six long black barrels that spun when fired. A long belt of ammunition was fed from a massive pack on his back. Kong squeezed the trigger, shredding drones to pieces, until the barrels glowed red-hot.

VanCat held an Uzi in each hand. He sprayed bullets everywhere, dropping drone after drone, and used his other two hands to tear fresh magazines from the dozens on his body armor, popping in the fresh clips and blazing away.

“On your left!” Blackie called, and Whitey turned and shot the drone just before it fired.

Moshe and Tikva and Helen and Sparky leapfrogged forward, moving in pairs. They took turns covering one another, advancing quickly.

Tim and Maggie came next, followed closely by Isaac and Nik.

Floyd and Susannah followed with Canary and Laura, all firing like mad and slamming fresh magazines into their weapons.

Atom, Blendo, and Poo advanced with Zammy and Delilah. Rony and Rukara were on either side of Bella. Bella grunted with each step but moved quickly. He fired round after round from his massive rifle despite his injury.

Danny and Rory brought up the rear, accompanied by Howard and Bernard.

The team assembled and took cover behind the line of Pagaz robots.

“How much further to the house?” asked Laura.

“I’d say about fifteen hundred meters,” said Rukara.

“How far is that in feet?” asked Maggie.

“Almost a mile,” said Atom.

“We’re going to fight our way uphill for almost a mile, outnumbered?” Susannah asked.

“Damn right,” said Danny.

“It would help if we knew what was waiting for us,” said Poo.

“Right,” said Tim. He keyed his radio. “Ladybug, this is Papa Bear. Do you copy?”

~

Down at the airfield, inside the big Gulfstream, Gali, Copper, and Turing reclined in the jet’s luxurious leather chairs, eating chocolate and drinking from pouches of coffee. A portable computer console sat on the table.

“What do you guys think Candy and Harley are doing right now?” Gali asked.

“Probably sitting by the fire,” said Copper, “watching Grossman O.D. on Diet Coke, and keeping warm. Instead of freezing their asses off in an airplane like us.”

Gali licked melted chocolate from her fingers. “You think Les will get elected President?”

“Probably,” said Turing. “My teacher Mrs. Graves said he will.”

“It would help if he lost a little weight and got rid of the body hair,” said Copper. “It’s really gross, man.”

Turing flattened her pouch. She grabbed a new one and squeezed the bottom. “I love the crunching sound it makes when you activate it.”

“That’s your third one, Tur,” said Gali.

“I know,” Turing smiled, “and I feel great!”

“Mom’s gonna kill me!”

“Mom’s not here,” said Turing. “And she’s not going to find out. Here, have some more chocolate. They go good together.”

“Who do you guys think is cuter,” Copper asked, “Danny or Rory?”

“Danny,” Gali replied.

“Danny’s cute,” said Turing, “but I think Rory is cute, too.”

“What about Poo? Or Bella?” asked Gali.

“Poo is a babe,” said Copper.

“I agree,” said Turing. “Plus it’s important to be with someone who makes you laugh. But Bella is handsome, too. He just needs to shave off that beard. It looks like a home for wayward spiders.”

Gali and Copper laughed.

“You think Rony and Poo are going to get together?” Gali asked.

“Definitely,” said Copper.

“Definitely,” said Turing.

“What about Harley and Rory?” asked Gali.

“Oh please,” said Turing, “don’t even get me started on those two.”

Tim’s voice sounded from the computer on the table. “Ladybug, this is Papa Bear. Do you copy?”

“Oh, look!” said Turing. “Daddy’s calling.” She donned the waiting headset. “Hi, Papa Bear. This is Ladybug.”

“I’m supposed to do it,” said Gali.

“I can do it,” said Turing. “We read you loud and clear, Papa Bear. Go ahead.”

“Roger that, sweetie,” said Tim. “We need some eyes in the sky. Go ahead and launch it.” Maggie’s voice was audible in the background, “Tell Gali not to let Turing have more than one pouch of coffee.” Tim added, “And mom says no more coffee for you.”

“Daddy says launch it,” said Turing. “And no more coffee for me.”

“See?” Gali scolded. She removed the small black quadrocopter from its protective case and handed it to Copper. “Get ready to throw it through the door.”

“Roger,” said Copper. “Fire it up.”

Gali tapped the screen a few times. “Initiating start-up sequence.”

Copper’s face appeared on the screen. “We have visual.” Her voice sounded from the speakers. “Audio is good.”

Gali tapped the Rotor icon. All four rotors whirred to life. The copter nearly flew itself out of Copper’s hands.

“Okay, Copper, launch it.”

“Roger.” Copper moved to the open door of the jet.

Bullets plinked off the sheetmetal and sent up a shower of sparks.

All three girls dove for the floor.

When it was clear, Copper inched forward, closer to the door. “Get ready, Gali! One . . . Two . . . Three!”

Copper leaned forward and hurled the copter through the door.

Rounds hit the jet.