Rising Tomorrow (Roc de Chere Book 1) by Mariana Morgan (essential reading txt) 📕

account, thanks to the direct link, but the content was also far more robust. Cassandra’s network contained every scrap of information the company had come into contact with in more than two hundred years of existence. The pre-programmed spider-crawl code began self-replicating, scanning the data and flagging up any files specified on their priority lists. A second program would begin by transferring the files marked as priority one, proceeding then to priority two, and time permitting would attempt to copy the entire database, starting with the newest files and working backwards.

There was no fear or doubt in Eloise’s eyes. She was in her element, focused on what she loved. With Tilly running the data-transfer show, she set off on her own task, browsing through the system.

But then something else attracted her attention.

***

‘Paradox, this is Phantom,’ Rivas called. His voice had that distant quality of a man deeply focused on his task, and Ingram passionately wished she could have been out there in the air. ‘The two shuttles have been identified as original Natra class, no modifications. I repeat, no modifications. I can take care of one, but I’ll never survive the oncoming fire long enough to deal with the second.’

Natras were a standard-issue small troop-transport aircraft used routinely throughout the Freedom Wars. Like the majority of the small aircraft the Afro-European Alliance used during the Wars, it was a hybrid. Their reduced wingspan would make landing on just one engine a challenge. Since the peace treaty, over ten thousand Natras, minus their military-grade armament, had been sold to private corporations. Obviously, some of them must have swapped hands with the armaments untouched, in violation of the arms trade.

That was all the confirmation Gonzalez needed to clear his conscience of what was about to happen.

‘This is Paradox Beta,’ Ingram cut in. ‘Do not—I repeat, do not—engage both. Hit and run, Phantom,’ she said very clearly. ‘Let the computer do the calculations, no blind laser shots. We want the Natra disabled and forced to land, not a ball of fire.’

She knew she could force both Natras to land with one spectacular pass, pushing a Stealthy’s manoeuvrability past what the engineers would have considered possible. Given the circumstances, however, it would have been unacceptably reckless; they might need a fully functioning Stealthy to cover their retreat later on.

‘Wouldn’t dream of it, Paradox Beta. I have a firing solution. See you on the other side.’

Ingram realised she was holding her breath and forced herself to exhale. However much she wanted to help, there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t help Rivas, she couldn’t help Tilly or Eloise—she had nothing to do except watch and wait. Through her visor, her eyes locked with Gonzalez’s.

***

‘Bogey One is trailing smoke,’ Rivas reported. He was panting heavily and Ingram wondered how many Gs he had pulled moving out of the incoming fire on such a wildly divergent course. ‘Bogey Two has dropped speed and is saturating the airspace with active scans!’

‘Okay, we’re done!’ Ingram decided, studying the feed from Rivas’ sensors on her wrist-comp. The wounded bird was dropping fast, but the pilot was firmly in control of the craft, attempting an emergency landing. Rivas had bought them some time, but not enough for them to hang around for a full transfer. Tilly had pinged, announcing the successful transfer of both priority lists a moment earlier, and that was good enough. ‘Moretti, break the connection. We’re leaving.’

The Elite woman, her eyes glued to the computer in front of her, didn’t reply.

‘Moretti!’ Ingram barked, taking a quick step and jerking the other woman by her arm.

‘We are not done,’ Eloise protested, pulling her arm free and calmly returning to the keyboard.

‘We’ve got copies of priority lists one and two. We are done!’ Ingram again grabbed Eloise by an arm, her steel grip almost twice as powerful as normal thanks to her armour, ready to pull if the Elite woman kept resisting.

‘Look at this!’ Eloise wailed. Gonzalez approached, and they both looked over her shoulder at the holo-display.

‘Is this…’ Ingram struggled for words.

‘Yes. Four levels. Two hundred cells and nearly seven times as many life signs,’ Eloise spelled out.

‘Leeches. They have hundreds of them on the underground levels,’ Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and Ingram exchanged a look. If Megan was still alive, she could be here.

‘There is nothing we can do right now. There are over sixty armed security guards on site and a Natra shuttle with more troops in the air. We’re done!’ Ingram repeated, giving Eloise’s arm a yank. Gonzalez grabbed her other arm and pulled as well.

Any protests Eloise might have made were drowned by an eardrum-shattering bang.

The walls shook. Gonzalez shoved Eloise to the floor just as the side entrance to the lab exploded. The heavy metal door broke into pieces, taking with it chunks of the nano-reinforced concrete door frame that shot across the lab. Sergeant Kizenberg went flying, her body smashing into the opposite wall. No one heard her neck snap in the ensuing chaos, but it didn’t matter—the pieces of the door and wall had shredded both her nano-armour and body with absurd ease to the point of no recovery.

The blast had redecorated the whole lab, though objects and people not directly in its path merely changed locations rather than getting torn apart like Sergeant Ula Kizenberg.

Palmeiro was the luckiest. Over by the other door, protected by a curving wall, he escaped almost unscathed. Before the dust settled, he was pulling Eloise, whose concussed body had been thrown his way, behind an overthrown table and some cabinets. With his other hand he pulled a grenade out of his pouch.

Like most technology in the 28th century, grenades had been greatly improved with nano-tech, but their basic look and simple functionality remained virtually the same.

‘Take cover!’ he yelled, just before throwing the grenade into the gaping hole where the door had once been. He dived on top of Eloise to protect her.

More nano-reinforced concrete chipped when the grenade exploded, but only a small fraction of the