Kara took a step back from their work. Maggie barked approvingly. “I think we’re ready for the others.”
She called the Hunters outside, and they formed a semicircle along the steep lawn. Renee closed her eyes and turned away for a moment, rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand when she saw what they’d done.
They had arranged a large ring of stones around a smaller central circle. A second small circle intersected the outer ring.
“It’s the hydrogen atom,” Kara said. “The nucleus”—she pointed to the inner circle—”and the single electron orbiting it.” She indicated the outer perimeter and the small orbiting circle.
“Not just any old hydrogen atom either,” Miguel said. “It’s the one Doctor Manhattan has on his forehead, right?”
Kara nodded, recalling the action figures on Adam’s desk. He’d had the whole set of characters from
Watchmen
, but the blue-skinned Doctor Manhattan had been his favorite. “Adam didn’t hesitate to put himself in danger to save others. He’s gone now, but he’ll live on in the memories of those he fought so hard to save,” Kara said. “He died for me, for Sadie, and for Navid. I’m not sure any words I say can adequately express my gratitude. Adam deserved better, but I’ll never forget what he did for us.
“Maybe it’s corny, but I think Adam would appreciate it,” Kara continued, gesturing to the hydrogen atom. “I wish there was more I could do or say, but no matter how long I stand here babbling, I’d never be able to thank Adam enough.”
“Nor will I,” her father said, stepping forward and putting his hand on Kara’s shoulder. “Maybe I’ll actually read
Watchmen
now and see what the fuss was about.”
Navid and the Hunters shared memories and stories of Adam, of how he’d kept their comm equipment in tip-top shape and continually saved their asses, whether it was in the field or from his desk in the
Huntress
. Tears welled up in Kara’s eyes as his comrades and friends spoke about his loyalty, genius, and wicked sense of humor.
Reluctantly, the Hunters returned to the house to continue planning their mission. As they walked into the dining room, their comm links crackled to life. Kara couldn’t make out exactly what the voice was saying, but she understood their expressions of surprise and confusion.
If all the Hunters were here and communication was cut off with the ship, then who was hailing them on the radio?
***
L
auren typed out a message on the computer program she’d stitched together with Samantha’s instructions. “Hunters, this is Lauren, do you read?”
As furtively as she could, she glanced across the lab to ensure Smith was still lingering in the main medical bay. Her gaze returned to the screen as the message she’d typed appeared on a console window. The text under it claimed the message had been translated to voice and then sent.
Yes, yes, yes!
She almost yelled aloud in victory as a return transmission came in, translated into text by the program:
Lauren, we read. Can you confirm your identity?
The robotic voice must be making them suspicious. She typed out an explanation as quickly as she could. Then she added a fact she knew one of the Hunters could confirm.
Tell Glenn I want my molecular biology book back.
Glenn had tried reading the textbook when he’d been injured and unable to join in on a mission. Sure enough, a message came back immediately:
This is Glenn. I’m keeping it.
Lauren smiled but wished she’d been able to hear Glenn’s voice—or, even better, see his face.
A moment later, another message scrolled across the screen.
Dom here. Glad to hear from you. Can you give us a sitrep?
Lauren summarized everything the best she could, including Thomas’s injuries and the health of the other survivors in her care. Dom, in turn, provided a short account of everything they’d endured. She felt a pit form in her stomach at the news of Adam’s death and didn’t look forward to relaying the information to the others on board the
Huntress
, especially Samantha and Chao
.
Before she typed an answer, she paused and looked at Peter. “Can you come take a look at this?”
He glanced at Smith, then joined her. His eyes went wide for a second as Lauren showed him the communication program.
Spencer has Drooler burns
, Dom’s message said next.
Anything we can do to help beside painkillers and antibiotics?
More bad news,
Lauren thought. She quickly replied that they should treat Spencer with the chelation therapy, relaying her suspicion that Drooler acid might contain enough Oni Agent to infect someone.
Peter nodded his assent when Smith gave them a suspicious glance. “Looks about right to me,” he said, before walking away.
Copy that
, the next message displayed.
Any idea how long Samantha and Chao can keep the computers offline?
No
, Lauren typed.
I don’t know how much longer we’ll be here—or where Kinsey wants the ship taken.
Before Dom could ask another question, she saw Smith coming back into the lab with a few other soldiers. She abruptly said goodbye and shut off the communication module. As casually as possible, she scanned over a scientific journal article she had pulled up on her screen in another window. She couldn’t even read the words as anxiety pumped electricity through her nerves.
“Doctor Winters, we’re going to need you to come with us.”
––––––––
“I
t’s crunch time,” Dom said, his palms flat on the kitchen table. The Hunters looked at him attentively. They’d switched from grief to work in a matter of seconds. It was a necessity for their vocation, but he couldn’t help wondering what that did to their psyches. In any case, there was time to worry about it later. “We know where the
Huntress
is for now. But we don’t know when she’ll be departing or where she’ll be headed to. It’s best we act before we’re working in the dark again.”
“Hear, hear, Chief,” Miguel said.
“Since we now have contact with Lauren, my mind’s made up.” He projected the map of the Potomac on the table again. “With time as our limiting factor, we can’t keep searching different locations, hoping we run into what we want. We have to hit targets where we can be almost one hundred percent certain we’ll find what’s on this list.” He tapped his smartwatch, and a text document appeared on each of the Hunter’s own watches. “I hate to do this, but we don’t have much of a choice. We’re looking at infiltrating two locations, so it’s time to split up again. But at least this time we won’t be far from each other. At the first sign of trouble, you call the other group and let them know. Got it, Hunters?”
The Hunters nodded, but Miguel looked skeptical. “We know how to handle ourselves,” he said.
“I mean it. If things look like they’re taking a turn for the worse, hightail it out of there. That means the name of the game is covert ops. We don’t go in or out with guns blazing unless we have no other choice.”
Dom quickly assigned their groups. Alpha would consist of himself, Miguel, Jenna, and Glenn. Renee would lead the others in Bravo Team. Then he turned to Spencer and asked, “You up for some action?”
“You know it,” Spencer said. The medicine they’d given him had helped, but the man would have some nasty scars. Despite this, he grinned at the thought of getting back into the field.
Dom turned to Kara, Sadie, and Navid next. “I’m sending you—and Maggie—with Bravo. Now, I don’t want you three getting any big ideas. Meredith will make sure you aren’t in the midst of any all-out gun battles, but Bravo might need your help in other ways.”
Kara nodded stoically. “But I want a gun,” she said. Dom hesitated before unholstering one of his sidearms and handing it to her, grip first.
“Bravo, you’ll be taking the Naval Support Facility at Indian Head,” Dom continued. “Before the outbreak, a great deal of weapons research projects took place there. The satellite images I can access over the smartwatch lead me to believe it’s pretty well vacated right now. The research and production facilities there should have everything on List B. Plus, Indian Head is fairly remote. Should be a safer ride in and out than where Alpha is headed.”
Dom turned to Miguel, Jenna, and Glenn. “We’ll pick up the ordnances and tools on List A. Quantico should have everything we’re looking for and more. Like Indian Head, it doesn’t look like the military is hanging around there.” He pointed to Marine Corps Base Quantico on the map. “But if we’ve learned anything, populated areas will be infested with Skulls. I’m especially concerned because I would’ve thought the military wanted to hold onto Quantico. If they’ve abandoned the base, it doesn’t bode well for our chances. That’s why it’s just the four of us. We’re going to do this quickly and quietly.
“Here’s the catch. We’ve only got one boat, and I want Bravo to have access to it at all times. There’s no marina at Indian Head, so they need an easy escape, and the Zodiac’s it.”
“So we’re swimming across the river to Quantico, Chief?” Miguel asked.
“Exactly right. Swimming with the emergency rebreathers will be our best form of cover so we’re not spotted by Skulls or whoever else might be at Quantico. On our way out, we can take a boat from the marina if we have to.”
“What if the military still has control?” Jenna asked.
“If we can’t infiltrate the base,” Dom said, “then we move on. We’ll try somewhere else. Any more questions?”
The Hunters remained silent, so Dom ordered them to load up and move out. The group lugged their packs and bags down to the Zodiac. It took only a couple of minutes to ensure everything was stowed and everyone had found a place in the cramped boat. Dom took a final look at the memorial Kara had constructed for Adam. He said a quiet prayer for the comm specialist before turning to Renee.
“Put her to sea,” he said.
She undid the mooring lines, gave the Zodiac a shove, and hopped in. Miguel started the engine. It gurgled to life, and then they were powering down the Potomac. The crew was ready to get their ship back.
Their trip was aided by the current, and they soon reached Bravo’s target. Low-lying brick buildings appeared beyond the trees off their port side. Dom checked the map on his smartwatch to confirm they were at Indian Head. He watched the buildings and eerily quiet streets, waiting for any signs of life, but saw none. He could only hope that this would indeed be the safer of the two targets.
“That’s your target, Bravo.” The Hunters readied their weapons and strapped their tac vests on tight.
But they didn’t stop yet. Instead, they traveled farther south down the mile-wide river until they were closer to Quantico. “Alpha, prepare to disembark.” Dom kissed each of his girls’ foreheads. “Be safe. Love you.”
“You, too,” Sadie and Kara replied.
“I’ll take care of them,” Meredith said.
“Thanks.” Dom squeezed Meredith’s hand and then let her go.
Miguel passed out the emergency rebreathers to the remaining Hunters. Before fitting his, Dom instructed his team not to surface until they reached the marina. They packed their extra magazines into water-resistant bags within their tac vests, slung their rifles over their backs, and then dove into the water. He waved at the Zodiac. He felt his daughters’ and Meredith’s eyes on him as Bravo churned up river back to Indian Head.
Dom, his rebreather synched up with his smartwatch, dove into the water and began the thirty-minute swim. The power source and oxygen filtration system started to drain as they swam. He continually glanced at the map on the watch’s screen, checking his levels and the location of his Hunters. They all stuck close, swimming perpendicular to the current. It pushed them farther down the river as they crossed it. Eventually, they were far enough across the river that they let the current take them the rest of the way to Quantico.
When the smartwatch reported they were near their destination, he gestured to the others. They grabbed the tangles of roots protruding from the river bank and pulled themselves along, bubbles streaming from their mouths in the murky water. He pointed up toward the surface and made the universal diver’s signal with his thumb and index finger, signifying “okay?” Each responded with the same hand gesture.
They slowly surfaced from the muddy waters. Dom’s head bobbed up first, in the shadow of a wooden dock, and he breathed his first breath of air without the aid of the rebreather. The others popped up beside him. They treaded water under the dock. Dom listened for the signs of Skull activity, but he heard no rattle of bones or scratch of claw against wood, only the waves slapping against the hulls of the boats moored overhead.
Dom had no idea what to expect at Quantico—but at least there were plenty of boats if they needed to make a fast retreat.
***
M
eredith prowled alongside Renee at Indian Head. They paused, and she leaned around the corner of a brick building to scan the street. There were several cars and trucks, but they seemed to have been parked rather than abandoned. She saw no walls pocked with bullet holes. No corpses rotted in the open air, and no craters marred the asphalt. A disposable coffee cup, propelled by the cool breeze, rolled along the sidewalk. Maybe the people here had actually been evacuated in time. Maybe they’d somehow been spared the atrocities of the Oni Agent outbreak.
Regardless, she didn’t plan to let her guard down. “Clear,” she said.
Renee scuttled across the street, playing her rifle up and down the road. Spencer followed next, and then Meredith escorted the girls and Maggie. Navid and Andris came last.
“Target A is straight ahead,” Renee said. “Should have the plastic explosives and the knockout gas.”
Meredith confirmed Renee’s intel with a quick look at her smartwatch’s map. “Looks right to me.”
They traversed the street, sticking to the shadows and the cover of the parked vehicles. Most of the buildings had identical drab brick façades and square windows. There was nothing particularly appealing about the buildings’ exteriors, but inside their walls some of the most significant advancements in munitions science had taken place. Meredith suspected there would be far more than a simple deadbolt guarding the secrets of this research facility. No amount of bashing the door handle was going to get them through.