Forever Until Tomorrow (War Eternal Book 5) (27 page)

"Are you still enlisted?" Mitchell asked.

"I'm on special assignment," Daisy replied.

"Rank?"

"First Lieutenant."

"Stand up and turn around," Mitchell said firmly. "That's an order, Lieutenant."

Daisy raised her eyebrows and then did as he asked. Mitchell put his hand on the base of her neck, feeling beneath the softness of her skin.

"You have warm hands," Daisy said.

"You can sit now," Mitchell replied.
 

She returned to her seat. "So, what is this about?"

Mitchell told her everything she needed to know, keeping the focus on the AIT and leaving off anything having to do with the future or AI. Then he fished the data card out of his pocket.

"There's encrypted information on this card that will hopefully give us a solid lead on the AIT stronghold. If not the location of their leadership, at least a nearby cell. Corporal Starling brought me to you because he thinks you can help me get the intel on it."

"He does, does he?" Daisy said, glancing at Max again.

"I told him you're the best, darling."

"Look, Colonel, I've got official orders. I'm sure you understand that. Max is vouching for you, and I can tell by your mannerisms you're legit as far as being in the service and used to giving orders. That's the only reason I'm still sitting here. I can't divert my resources onto this. Not without authorization."

"Lives are at stake here, Lieutenant," Mitchell said. "The maglev crashes? The AIT denies it, but I know they're responsible."

"Then why would they deny it?"

"It's part of the game. You're in special operations. You know how it's played. Don't you?"

She paused, considering. Then she nodded. "You didn't hear this from me, but the UEA capitulated to the AIT. They kicked Major Asher out in exchange for non-interference during the launch of the Dove."

"I had a feeling it was something like that," Mitchell said. "The AIT isn't going to honor it. You know that, don't you?"

"I was hopeful. Latest media reports are saying there was faulty software in the maglev controllers. That the AI had a time-based glitch that caused it to overload the reactor and blow the engines, causing the crash."

"Bullshit," Max said.

"Total bullshit," Daisy agreed.
 

"No, it isn't," Mitchell said. "I'm sure it happened exactly like that. But was the glitch pre-existing in the system, or was it added? They'll never be able to prove it, and as long as the AIT denies it, the government will believe them."

"Logic says that if they managed such a massively successful terrorist attack, they would be all over it," Lyle said.

"Unless they're holding their cards for something else," Daisy said.
 

"Something bigger," Mitchell said.

Daisy sighed heavily. "Shit. I'm going to blow my orders if I help you. Maybe I won't get court-martialed, but I'm going to get nailed for it regardless."

"You don't need to get involved. All I need is someone who can open this thing up."

"Then I do need to get involved, Colonel. He won't trust you without me."

"In that case, how do you feel about saving the world?"

"Somebody has to do it, right?"

Mitchel smiled. "Yeah."

"I'm in."

"Are you sure he'll be here?" Katherine asked.
 

"He'll be here," Trevor replied.
 

"And you are certain he is not compromised?" Origin said.

"As sure as I can be. Coates is too low down in the pecking order to draw much attention."

"You know about him," Katherine said.

"I make it my business to get to know the people at the bottom. You never know when they might come in handy."

"That's not very trusting of you."

"I've been around the block more than once, Kate. The military and the private sector are the same. They tell you what you need to know, and if you want more than that you have to be creative. True, they'd like to turn us all into automatons, just like the Tetron, apparently. I wanted to know more about who Nova Taurus was, so I made a few contacts with people who could tell me the things they might not want operatives to know about." He smiled. "Of course, they left out the part about it being controlled by a rogue AI."

They had traded Origin's driverless van for an older model car that she had gotten transferred from the inventory of a used vehicle dealer near Baltimore. The place dealt more in stolen goods than anything else, and it had been easy for her to break into their systems and move the car under an assumed name. Then the Tetron had gone to pick it up while Trevor organized the meeting with Coates and Katherine had tried to contact Michael to check on him.

That part worried her, though she wasn't about to show it. Repeated pings had gone unanswered, which wasn't like her friend at all. He was always there for her when she needed him, even if it was for a few words of encouragement or a few minutes of joking around. She was nervous that Watson had caught on to him, and caught up to him, and that she would never see him or hear from him again.

"Katherine?" Trevor said.
 

She looked over at him. He had been trying to get her attention while she was thinking about Michael. "What?"

"We're almost there. You know the plan?"

"You'll drop Origin and me off. We meet with Coates, but we need to make it quick. He'll pass us badges to get into Nova Taurus. You circle back and pick us up."

"Keep your head turned," Origin said. "Don't look directly into the cameras. We have to get the timing right. I planted a distraction that should keep Watson's attention diverted for the two minutes while we make the pickup."

"How did you get Coates to help us, anyway?" Katherine asked.
 

All she knew of the lab tech was that he was almost too willing to help Trevor get them in, despite the risk to his job. Trevor had given him very specific instructions on how to procure the badges, to make sure he circumvented Nova Taurus security. It was a good thing one of Trevor's responsibilities had been to try to get through that security. The former special forces soldier knew every detail, trick, and hack to make it happen.

He shrugged in response to her question.

"It isn't like you to be coy, Trev."

"It also isn't like you to pry."

"This is my life we're talking about, and the future of humankind. I think the circumstances make prying acceptable."

"It isn't enough that I'm vouching for him?"

"You tried to kill me, too."

Trevor sighed. "Point made. Fine. If you have to know, we've been seeing one another."

That caught Katherine off-guard. "Seeing one another, as in, seeing one another?"

"Don't play dumb, Kate. Yes."

"Were you ever, you know, before you were with me?"

"On and off."

"You never told me."

"It never came up, and it wasn't important. I was loyal to you. What does my orientation have to do with anything, anyway?"

"It doesn't. I just never expected someone like you would be so open about who you were seen with."

"Enough," Origin said. "There's the garage."

"Affirmative," Trevor said, his entire demeanor changing in an instant. "You know what to do."

Katherine tried to picture Trevor kissing another man. She didn't have a problem with it, but she also couldn't visualize it.

The car slowed and turned into a parking garage, located two blocks from the Nova Taurus tower. They made their way up to the third level, slowing as the reached the top of the incline.

"There he is," Trevor said, shrinking down in his seat.
 

"Perfect timing," Origin said. "The flares are active."

Katherine knew she wasn't referring to actual flares. The flares were really some kind of network connected bomb that would burst with false information in a dozen different places within the city. By the time Watson investigated each, they would be done with the pickup.

The car stopped. Katherine and Origin climbed out. The car moved again. Katherine noticed the camera nearby but didn't look at it.
 

Daniel Coates was standing near the stairwell down. He was tall and thin, with curly hair and a boyish face.
 

"Daniel," Katherine said.
 

"Here," he replied, holding out the two cards. "They'll get you up to level three security."

"We needed level five," Katherine said.

"I know. I'm sorry. I couldn't get it. They changed the access codes a couple of hours ago."

"He knows Trevor is free," Origin said.
 

"Thank you, Daniel," Katherine said.
 

"Yeah. No problem. Tell Trevor I love him, and to call me when all of this blows over."

"I will."

The car had circled the lot and come back around. It stopped right next to them.

"Look at the camera. Just for a second," Origin said.

"Why?"

"Just in case."
 

Katherine did as Origin asked. Then they climbed into the car. Trevor didn't look at Daniel, and Daniel didn't acknowledge Trevor. He had taught the tech well.

Then they were moving again, out of the garage and back onto the street.
 

A police car whipped past them as they exited, headed toward one of Origin's false reports.

"When do we go in?" Katherine asked.
 

"Tomorrow, during normal work hours," Origin replied. "It will be easier to blend in."

Katherine nodded, and then looked out the window.

With this part over, she had more time to worry about Michael.

Katherine still hadn't heard from him by the time morning came. She had tried to ping him at least fifty times until finally Origin had warned her that despite the added security measures they were taking, her constant attempts might give away their position.
 

She didn't want to think that he was dead.

She also didn't know what else to think. And it was better than the idea that Watson had turned him into a slave.

She felt his absence in the back of her mind, even as they prepared for the mission ahead. They had been friends since they were each five years old, growing up in the houses next door to one another. It was an unlikely friendship. Beside the gender differences, she was athletic and physical, he was overweight and mental. Somehow, it worked, even if things had never turned romantic. He was just too much like a brother to her.

A brother who was always there for her. A brother who always came through.
 

A brother she didn't want to be without.

"Do you already know how much I hate skirts?" she said to Origin.

They were in the bedroom of their hotel suite, getting dressed. They were wearing identical black miniskirts with shimmering white blouses, high heels, gold earrings, and way too much makeup. Katherine felt like a domesticated cow in the outfit and was gritting her teeth through its wear. They had to fit in, and they couldn't do that without dressing professionally.

"Yes, I am aware," Origin said. "I am not in favor of this manner of style myself." The Tetron smoothed her own skirt. "We need to get access to a mainframe terminal. I'm not sure level three will be enough. If that is the case, one of us will need to be successful in convincing the security detail to let us in."

"Do you think that will even be possible?"

"Watson has control of some of the soldiers. He cannot control everyone. The security guards will be susceptible to subterfuge." She slid the side of her skirt up, showing a lot of thigh and a pair of bright pink panties peeking out of the shadows.

"This can't be happening," Katherine said, looking away. An advanced intelligence that had traveled the universe and invented a time machine, and it was practicing seduction?

"We must get in and discover what Watson is planning," Origin said, straightening the dress again. "I will do whatever I must do to achieve that goal. I know you understand what is at stake."

"I do," Katherine said. She picked up the small stiletto knife Trevor had provided and tucked it into her bra strap. She would have preferred a gun.