The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

risk, but our sources,” she turned to Merton, “say our only chance is to take an aggressive posture. Many powerful families are frightened to act. Someone has to take the lead.”

“You’re wealthy, Miss Pynn. We’ll give you that. But we all know your story. You’ve only been here two years. These other families have roots. You think they’ll risk it all for you?”

“Not for me. No. What’s your name?”

“Gavin Yoster.”

“They won’t sacrifice anything for me, Gavin. But I believe they love Earth and know how much they owe the Solomons. If Earth bows to the Guard like every colony in the Collectorate, our history ends. Chancellors become another race of indigos.”

More nods. “True words,” the fatherly merc said. “I might be living in-between now, but I was born a Chancellor. Philadelphia Redux. Earth can’t become like the colonies.” He looked around. “Most of us here were stationed out there. Anyone want Earth to be another one of those shitholes?”

A strong round of “no” followed as the mercs bought into Sam’s plan. The next part, however, proved more delicate.

“As we establish these alliances, we will be prepping a combat mission to rescue many Solomons in hiding and kill the assassins who are tracking them. We will focus our efforts in the eastern quadrant of the NAC. We …”

A bald woman who resembled Pat during her merc days raised a hand. “Beg your indulgence, Miss Pynn. There are twenty of us. We’re not sufficient to handle a quadrant of Boston, let alone a fourth of the NAC.”

“I agree. You’ll receive specific coordinates for your first strike. Better yet, you won’t be alone. The Solomons we’ll be rescuing are heavily armed. From there, we’ll be banking on our alliances to use a tactic called strategic multiplicity. I’ve been told it’s taught in Tier III UG training as something for peacekeepers to protect against when fighting colonial insurgencies.”

“Yes,” the father-figure said. “Two cells strike, inflict damage, merge as one, move on to the next target. In the meantime, other cells become inspired. Before long, disparate cells unite to become an unstoppable virus. Works in theory, but indigos were never smart enough to pull it off.”

“But we aren’t indigos,” the beast replied. “My only question: Where are these other cells?”

Samantha hated to hold back, but the next few hours would be delicate enough without making promises she couldn’t keep.

“I can’t tell you my source, but I have it on great authority there are hundreds of cells in the NAC alone. Worldwide, thousands.”

“Solomons?”

“Yes.” Eyes turned suspicious. “Well-armed. Fighting for their lives. Fighting for their families. Does anyone have a problem with this?”

“No.” Father-figure seemed to speak for everyone. “We have a job. We’ll get it done. But they’d best know what they’re doing. Any of them shoots at me, my flash pegs are coming in hard.”

“Understood.” Sam held her breath waiting for the question she truly did not want to answer, but no one asked. They didn’t need to know the ultimate destination of this fight, and she wasn’t confident anyone – merc or Solomon – would survive to reach it anyway.

“I have purchased three Scrams, a requisitions transport, and a dozen slatpods with carbedyne underbellies.” She saw eager smiles. “I know. Tourist rovers. But I think they provide agility. We are also reprogramming a Recon tube. You’ll have body armor as close to Guard spec as we can purchase.”

Father-figure introduced himself as Joseph Doltrice, former Guard special operations captain, and continued:

“From where I stand, you’re sparing no expense and you’re giving us the best chance to prevail. Can’t ask for more. Only question: What’s the command structure?”

Merton nodded. They had discussed this at length.

“Naturally, Miss Pynn’s orders are inviolate,” he said, “but she is not experienced in tactical planning. She prefers former officers with the most battle experience to take lead. We ask you to determine the chain of command and report to us.”

Sam interrupted. “Your rank will not impact your credit share, but we can’t have everyone working for themselves.”

“Fair enough,” Doltrice said. “We’ll sort it.”

The orientation went better than she imagined. No one asked about Michael or his fellow insurgents; Sam didn’t want them to know about her emotional investment. She didn’t want to tell them how her exchange of messages with Michael via admin stacks the past two days had firmed her resolve. They didn’t need to know he would be the source of their first-strike coordinates.

She left the cottage with Merton, who expressed surprise at the meeting’s success.

“I’ve heard stories about mercenaries,” he said. “Erratic, easily angered, capricious. At first blush, I’d say you hired well. They seem a reasonable lot, especially given what we’re asking.”

“They should be. I’m paying them a fourth of my estate.”

“Yes, your risk is enormous. Speaking of which, your sidearms were for show. Yes? You don’t intend to fight alongside them.”

“What am I supposed to do? Stay safe inside the compound?”

“You are not a soldier.”

Her blood heated. “I know how to kill. I’ve shot three men in the head. My father taught me to …”

“Many Chancellors know how to kill. It’s in our genetics. Whatever your father expected you to become ended when you crossed the IDF without him. Sam, I agreed to help you rescue Michael and his people because I expected you to be smart. In this case, smart means allowing others to execute the dirty business.”

She caught the scent of roses on a gentle breeze.

“That’s how old-school Chancellors work.”

Merton cleared his throat. “Yes, because it keeps them alive.”

“I don’t want to live without Michael.”

Merton curled his lips as if stifling a laugh.

“Love is a wonderful sentiment, Sam, but I’ve never known a Chancellor to place it before all else. It clouds judgment.”

“Or maybe it puts everything into perspective. Maybe that’s been the Chancellory’s