Point of Origin (War Eternal Book 4) (20 page)

"I should have started with this," Aiko said, checking out her new clothes in the back of the car. She was wearing a suit not much different from Calvin and Mitchell's, a dark blue jacket with a high collared white shirt beneath and trousers cut for her gender.
 

The dress was identical to the suit the agent had been wearing, all the way down to the four-thousand-dollar shoes. It had been expensive to buy and more expensive to keep the shop owner quiet about, but Calvin insisted that he could get them into the Black Hole as long as they looked the part.

"How did you do it?" Mitchell asked as they neared the building.

"Do what?" Calvin replied.

"Get him to talk without compromising the data."

"It was a matter of honor and trust. I introduced myself. I gave him my credentials. He let me in. News of my situation hasn't reached Yokohama yet."

"Why did you tell him you were there?"

"I told him the Federation military had reason to believe the Black Hole was under threat, and that I had been assigned to set up an intervention. He had already checked on me by then, so he didn't verify my current assignment."

"He didn't wonder why a Navy Admiral would be running an operation like that?"

"It isn't unheard of, depending on the situation. Admirals are expected to be leaders and strategists. These qualities are not specific to maneuvering starships."
 

Calvin sighed, his expression dark.
 

"I got him to reveal some details of the facility without violence. When he began to balk at the questions I was asking, I retreated until I could get into position behind him. I stole his sidearm, shot the two agents in the temple to both disable their implants and kill them at the same time. I jabbed a small knife into his head to short his receiver before he could signal the delete.

"At that point, I told him the truth. All of the truth. I asked him for his help. He refused. I'm not proud of what I did. Not at all. I broke his trust and dishonored myself by my actions. It is something that I will struggle to live with, for as long as we have left to live. We both know it had to be done."

Mitchell nodded. "I understand."

"Then let us speak of it no further. I can get us in. It is up to Aiko to get the data, and you to get us out."

The car stopped back where they had started. The late hour hadn't diminished the activity in the streets and around the buildings.

"Do people in the Federation sleep?" Mitchell asked.

"This is the night shift," Calvin replied. "Most corporations run at one hundred percent capacity, broken into appropriate length shifts based on the local time."

"So you don't use Earth Standard?"

"Why would we? No, it is difficult to manage when different planets have different cycles. Only the military uses EST."

"The Alliance manages. The human body adjusts."

"Who is to say which is right and which is wrong?" Aiko said, butting in to end the discussion. "It is what it is."

"She has a point," Mitchell said.
 

Calvin nodded.
 

"Driver, please remain here."

They didn't wait for the response they knew wouldn't come. They got out of the car and headed across the street towards the Black Hole.

"Let me do the talking," Calvin said. "Hopefully they will not question why I have a upatine in tow."

"Upatine?" Mitchell asked.

"Derogatory Federese slang for a citizen or expatriate of the UPA," Aiko said.

"You have Caucasians in the Federation."

"And their mannerisms are completely different than yours. Even your walk screams UPA."

Mitchell forced himself not to smile. They were nearing the front doors of the building.

"Stay two feet behind me, evenly spaced at my back," Calvin said.

Mitchell slowed to get into position, as did Aiko. They crossed the threshold in that configuration, approaching a stiff man at a central desk. There was no indication that there was anything special about the building. The sign behind the desk read "National Financial Corporation."

The man said something in Federese, his eyes falling directly on Mitchell.

Calvin responded in English. Mitchell didn't know if it was for his sake or if it was part of procedure. Most of the Federation's military structure and customs originated from the global military that had been created on Earth after the Xeno War.

"My name is Admiral Calvin Hohn. Identification sequence alpha zero four seven kappa foxtrot nine four seven nine seven seven zero delta. I've been in contact with Colonel Xin Lo regarding a withdrawal. Confirmation code one seven four seven nine alpha omega six three seven nine charlie."

"Please transmit using your ARR," the man said in perfect English.

Calvin remained perfectly calm in his response.

"My apologies, my receiver is damaged. I am scheduled for repair at Station Seven tomorrow morning, but this couldn't wait. The withdrawal is a code red, as you'll see when you enter the data I have provided you."

The man wrinkled his forehead slightly. "Please repeat the codes."

"My name is Admiral Calvin Hohn. Identification sequence alpha zero four seven kappa foxtrot nine four seven nine seven seven zero delta. I've been in contact with Colonel Xin Lo regarding a withdrawal. Confirmation code one seven four seven nine alpha omega six three seven nine charlie."
 

He said it precisely the same way he had the first time, verifying to Mitchell that it was procedure.

The man stared at him for a moment. "I have voice signature confirmation as well as identification sequence confirmation." He smiled. "Welcome to Black Hole Eleven, Admiral Hohn. I have voice signature confirmation and access confirmation from Colonel Lo for your withdrawal."

"Thank you."

A hatch slid open to their left.
 

"Please," the man said, motioning towards it.

Calvin headed to the hatch. Mitchell and Aiko remained in position behind him.

The hatch led to a small atrium where a soldier wearing medium exo waited out of sight of the lobby. A coilgun sat on each wrist of the metal skeleton, feeder belts leading behind him to the slugs and power supply on his back. He approached them the moment the hatch slid closed.

"Admiral Hohn," he said, bowing. "I am Sergeant Wong. I will take you down."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Calvin said, returning the bow.

Wong straightened up before his eyes passed over Aiko and Mitchell. They lingered on Mitchell.

"I was not aware you had a former Alliance soldier in your entourage, Admiral."

"Is that a problem, Sergeant?" Calvin asked, his voice stiff and commanding. "Colonel Smith has proven his loyalty to the Federation in combat under my command a dozen times over."

Wong continued to try to stare Mitchell down. Mitchell returned the stare.
 

"Show some respect, Sergeant," he said in decent Federese. It was most of his Federation vocabulary.

"Yes, sir," Wong said, bowing. Mitchell returned the bow. "This way."

He took them across the atrium to the lift. It opened at their approach, and they stepped in.

"Sir," Wong said as they descended. "If you don't mind my asking, do you have any information you are at liberty to share regarding the Alliance's new starship or the truth of the rumors about the planet Liberty?"

Calvin shook his head. "Nothing concrete enough to speak on. I can assure you that whatever rumors you have heard are likely inaccurate."

"Yes, sir."

The Sergeant was silent the rest of the way down, a nearly thirty-second ride. The Black Hole was deep, deep underground.

The lift opened, revealing a long, well-lit passage where two more exo-wearing soldiers were standing at attention. They bowed to Calvin as he passed.

There was a clear carbonate door at the end of the passage, at least a meter thick. A second guard station was behind it, manned by a soldier in regular fatigues.

"I'm not permitted beyond this point," Wong said. "I will await your return here."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Calvin said.

Wong stood against the wall while the soldier on the other side of the door opened it. The heavy barrier moved slowly, giving Mitchell plenty of time to observe the soldiers.

Once the door was finished opening, the soldier motioned for them to enter.

"Admiral Hohn," he said, bowing. "Withdrawal terminals are down the hall and to the left. Select any room. The terminal will not activate until the room is secured."

"Thank you," Calvin said.
 

They were in.

The terminal rooms were spaced evenly apart, a series of blank silver hatches with control panels to their left. Calvin stopped at the first one, turning to the panel and entering both his identification sequence and the confirmation code he had tortured out of Colonel Lo. The hatch slid open, revealing a bare room with a touchscreen against the wall.

"You'll have to wait out here," Calvin said to Mitchell. "Stand in front of the panel."

"Why?" Mitchell asked.

"That is the only way to secure the room. The door locks from the outside so that no single person can withdraw from the Black Hole alone."

"Checks and balances?"

"Yes. One crooked agent, perhaps. Two? Unheard of."

"Interesting approach."

"It has worked so far. Did you memorize the sequence?"

"Yes."

"The panel will beep when I signal that we're ready to leave."

"Got it."

Calvin entered the room with Aiko. The hatch slid closed when Mitchell moved in front of the control panel.

He waited there, focusing on his breathing, feeling relatively calm and relaxed. Calvin had done a perfect job of getting them in, and he was beginning to believe it possible that they could get out without anyone being the wiser. All he had to do was stand there.

Getting back to the Kemushi probably wouldn't be a problem either. A little more money to Eito would likely get it done. With any luck, they'd be back on the Carver within a day, on their way to wherever the Federation had Pulin holed up.

When ten minutes had passed, and the panel behind him remained silent, Mitchell started to worry again. They were supposed to go in, query the codes against the database, withdraw the results, and get out.
 

How long was something like that supposed to take?

He looked both ways down the corridor. It was deserted. Not a single person had passed him, and no one had even entered the hallway. He was sure there were cameras watching his every move, so he made sure to act attentive instead of nervous.

A few more minutes passed. Mitchell hadn't realized how tense he'd become until the panel sounded behind him. He had to force himself not to jump at the noise, instead stepping crisply to the side.

The hatch slid open. Calvin and Aiko stepped out, with Calvin moving ahead of them. Mitchell glanced at Aiko, who made a brief thumbs-up at her side.

They had done it.

He bit his lip to keep himself from smiling, refocusing on acting stiff and reserved. He trailed Calvin back to the carbonate door and through.

"Did you get what you needed, Admiral?" Wong asked.

"Yes, thank you, Sergeant," Calvin replied.

Wong led them to the lift and rode back up with them. He returned to his post in the atrium while they exited through the hatch to the lobby. Once there, Calvin approached the desk again.

"My name is Admiral Calvin Hohn. Identification sequence alpha zero four seven kappa foxtrot nine four seven nine seven seven zero delta. Withdrawal confirmation code one seven four seven nine alpha omega six three seven nine charlie. Withdrawal is complete."

The man at the desk's eyes twitched, and then he nodded. "I have voice signature confirmation as well as identification sequence confirmation.I have voice signature confirmation and access confirmation for your withdrawal. Withdrawal is marked completed and has been added to your record."

Calvin turned away from the desk without saying anything else to the man. Mitchell and Aiko followed him out of the building.

The car was waiting across the street. The doors opened as they approached.

Mitchell looked back towards the building as they climbed in. There was no commotion, no chaos.
 

They had actually frigging done it!

"Mirai Spaceport," Calvin said. "Kido Resupply."

Mitchell looked over at him. "You're thinking the same thing I was thinking."

"Yes."

The car pulled away.

"Do you have the location?" Mitchell asked.

"On the data chip," Aiko said. "There is no read access through the terminal. You enter the query and write the results."

"So you don't know where yet?"

"No. We need to bring the chip back and decrypt it."

Mitchell turned toward Calvin, bowing his head. "Admiral Hohn, you've impressed the hell out of me today. You too, Aiko. You've done a fantastic job."

Calvin smiled and returned the gesture. "There are many ways to win a war."

"There are, aren't there?" the driver said, taking them by surprise. She turned her head to look at them, ignoring the road. "I'm very impressed as well, Admiral... Hohn, is it? I'm impressed with you also, Colonel. I kill one Admiral, and you replace her with another. I will say, I didn't know you like men."