The Hunted Assassin (17 page)

“So. Quite an afternoon?” Evans said.

“I’ll say,” Jaxon said, taking a seat on his bed and glancing at the dossier for Camille.

“Have a chance to review any of that yet?” Evans asked, noting the file that was currently displayed.

“No, just got back a few minutes ago. I have to say, though, the team selection worries me a little,” Jaxon said as he continued to skim through the pages of Cam’s file.

“The director wasn’t lying when he said that we had slim pickings. Most agents either die on the job or are promoted within the company. He’s not about to pull some advanced agent out of some high-level office to give you assistance.”

Jaxon nodded. “I get that, but Camille? Do you think she’s the best choice, regardless of her qualifications? I’d almost be better off with a three-man team,” Jaxon said as he got deeper into her file.

Evans remained silent as Jaxon continued to read.

Although fraternization inside the company was frowned upon, it was virtually inevitable in certain cases. Jaxon’s case was one of them. His devotion to his job dictated that any outside relationships were fundamentally impossible. The company looked the other way when Jaxon and Camille became an item, electing to allow them a nominal semblance of a normal life.

“My God,” Jaxon stammered. “They shut her down after the news of my death?”

“Well? What did you expect? She was in love with you, and she thought you were dead. You didn’t think about cluing her in on your … departure?”

“I … I thought about it, but I didn’t want to force her hand into something that she might regret. So, I felt it better for her to cope on her own.” Jaxon let the commPad drop to the bed. “I guess I always thought that she loved the job more than she loved me, making the decision easier.”

“Easier for her, or easier for you?” Evans asked.

Jaxon closed his eyes and leaned back. “Jesus, Perry, does she even know?”

“Not yet. When I reached out to her, she’d recovered surprisingly well from her mental breakdown. All she knows is there’s a mission, and it’s going to the outer ring. She knows it’s a four-member team, but she’s unaware of any individual identities. She’ll be here in a few hours, and we’ll have time to acclimate her to her new reality.”

“Holy shit, a breakdown?”

“I was there when they told her about the explosion. She imploded instantly, not being able to cope with anything for quite some time. We gave her nearly nine months to recover, but she never did. She was able to function in society, but not to the level of an active agent. Not until recently, that is.”

“What happened? Why the change?” Jaxon asked.

“Not sure. Perhaps it was just the passage of time.”

Frustrated, Jaxon tossed the device across the bed. He glanced down at the display, and it flipped to the scientist.

“What about this one?” Jaxon asked, picking up the commPad again.

“Like the director said, he’s a chemist, and he’s green. In the sense of fieldwork, that is,” Evans said, adjusting the lapels on his collar.

Despite being inactive for so long, Jaxon picked up on the nervous tic instantly. “So, a scientist with no field experience. Great.”

Evans glanced at his watch before continuing. “Well, it’s as the director said. He’s had simulated training, and we feel that he’s a prime candidate for your team.”

“What exactly about him makes him prime material for this mission?” Jaxon asked, noticing more signs of discomfort from Evans.

“He’s a young, impressionable man. He’s—”

“How young?” Jaxon asked as he delved deeper into the file.

“Compared to you and me? He’s a child. He’s twenty-three, but he’s an accomplished scientist. He graduated from MIT with honors and came on to the GSA immediately. He’s spent a few years in the research and development department of one of our subsidiary companies. About a year ago, the director brought him into our division, where he’s successfully completed his training. He wants to make a difference, and both the director and I feel that with the right tutelage, he could develop into a talented asset.”

Jaxon continued to observe Evans’ suspicious behavior as he explained the attributes of the scientist. He began to wonder if his skills in observation were a little rusty, as his one-time handler quickly returned to his normal behavior. Then, right when he was about to dismiss the ordeal entirely, Jaxon noticed Evans look at his watch for the third time since coming in, and he was continually shifting his weight from foot to foot.
He’s clearly holding something back regarding the scientist, but what?
Jaxon wondered.

“Yes. I think he’ll do fine,” Jaxon said, deciding to hold any further questions until later.

Jaxon closed the file on the chemist and opened the last one on the commPad. Miles Oliver. “What’s the story on—”

Suddenly, the lights in the room flickered, and sirens began to blare. He studied Evans’ reaction, and it was a cross between bewilderment and equal surprise. He was difficult to read.

“What’s going on?” Jaxon asked, leaping to his feet.

“I … I don’t know. I’ll find out,” he said before stepping out into the hallway.

Jaxon shuffled nervously about his bunkroom, wondering if the assassins had somehow found out their location. With his advanced training kicking in, he quickly prepared for yet another bug-out. He grabbed his duffle and started tossing things in, beginning with his new environmental suit and helmet. Next, he threw in the commPad along with a number of other necessities that had been given to him upon his arrival. Within moments of completing his packing, the door burst open.

Evans looked at the packed bag and smiled. “Oh, yes. Your motto still stands, I see. Always be prepared,” he said. “Looks like we have a change of plans. The compound is under some kind of attack, most likely more of the assassins coming after you. Sorry, old chap.”

“Are you certain that’s who it is? I’ve only been here for a few hours.”

“Unknown. Very few people know this place even exists, so—”

“The mole? Did somebody leak that we were here?” Jaxon asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“Again, unknown. There’s a sport UTV in a storage shed at the back of the property. You and Miles need to get out quickly. As soon as you two sneak out the back door, I’ll … create some kind of diversion in hopes of drawing their attention away. Once you get on the road, head for the spaceport in New Mexico. Miles knows where it’s at.”

Jaxon knew as well, but it had been years since he’d been there. “Where exactly are we? Will the UTV have enough fuel for that distance?” Jaxon asked, concerned.

Evans rushed out into the hallway, leading Jaxon through the sublevel corridors. “Yes. We’re only about a hundred miles away, and Miles has driven the route already. Besides, the quad is, how do I say it? Special? It has an energy drive system that doesn’t require solid fuel. It’s a new prototype that we’ve been developing for a few years. Trust me, you’re going to have a blast,” Evans said as he began to climb the stairs to the main level.

When they reached the landing, Miles had his duffel bag slung over his shoulder and was standing in an attack stance, his feet shoulder width apart. Jaxon nearly laughed out loud at how ridiculous the man looked.

“Relax, partner. We’ve got this,” Jaxon said, then continued to explain the plan while Evans fumbled through a closet at the front of the cabin, looking for something in particular. A moment later, he called out to them.

“Okay, guys. On my mark, you need to move quickly. If this diversion goes as planned, you’ll have a wide open window for at least several minutes.”

Jaxon was not one to question Evans’ motives. He’d learned to trust the man early on, and in situations like this, it paid off. “Ready.”

Miles shuffled from side to side and simply nodded his head. Evans opened up the black box that he’d taken from the closet and pulled out an antenna. He flipped a couple of switches on the console, and a rumble could be heard out in front of the cabin. Jaxon’s curiosity got the best of him, and he moved to a window and pulled a curtain to the side. What he saw caused him to smile.

“A remote-controlled decoy car?” Jaxon asked.

Evans returned his smile. It’s a fully functional vehicle, with some added modifications from the company. If I drive the car away from the cabin, you boys should be clear to head in the other direction.”

Jaxon walloped Evans on the back as he hustled toward the back door. He cracked it open, an inch at first, then a bit more, until he got a good view of the open field. From his vantage point, it was clear as far as the eye could see. But, for all he knew, there could be more killers in the forest beyond. Exactly where they needed to go for their escape vehicle. Before stepping out into the open, Jaxon slipped his freshly issued energy pistol from his holster and flipped off the safety. “You ready?” he asked.

Miles nodded silently and pulled his own weapon out. Then, they stepped out and ran through the open field before ducking under the cover of the trees. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the storage shed, just where Evans said it would be. Once inside, they tossed their duffels into the compact cargo bed before they both moved toward the driver’s seat.

“Sorry, pal. I’m driving,” Jaxon said, slipping past Miles and into the seat. Miles huffed with disappointment and quickly moved around to the passenger side. Within moments, they were out of the shed and winding their way along a dirt road, heading for the unknown.

28

Unknown space station, located in the outer ring.

Pablo Guzman rolled over onto his back, panting heavily. “My Lord, Tosha. “Are you trying to kill me?” he asked.

The girl that lay next to him, less than half of Pablo’s age, pulled herself up and on top of Guzman. “That was not my plan, Señor. But I can take you to the edge if you’d like.” She leaned in and kissed Guzman passionately, driving her naked breasts into his chest.

It took all of Guzman’s might to push her away, if only to give himself a moment to catch his breath. “Please, dear. At least let me rest for a few moments before—”

“What? Does this mean that you don’t have what it takes to handle me completely?” Tosha asked with a pouty lip.

Guzman smiled and stared up into her hazel eyes surrounded by a deep cocoa complexion, and thought that he actually might be in love with this one. “Oh, I can handle you, my dear. In just a short time, I promise you that you’ll be completely satisfied,” Guzman begged.

Tosha sat up, straddling Guzman’s naked body. She held herself upright by placing her hands on his chest then ground her pelvis over his. “Okay, Señor. I can wait a few minutes … if you can,” she said then giggled devilishly.

Guzman thrust his head back and closed his eyes in ecstasy. Every sensation in his body was heightened, and he was now quite positive that she was, in fact, trying to kill him with her sexuality. As his arousal returned rapidly, a knock came at the door.

“Wha … What? Who is it?” Guzman asked angrily.

The door opened, and an armed guard stepped in. He looked at Guzman and Tosha, neither of them hiding their nakedness. Tosha smiled innocently as she rolled off of Guzman and laid along the edge of the bed, exposing her full frontal nudity to the guard.

“I, uh … there is a call for you, Señor. It’s from Brutus.”

The anger in Guzman’s eyes vanished instantly as he sprang from the bed. “What did he say?” he asked.

“Nothing, Señor. He’s still holding and said that it’s urgent,” said the guard.

Guzman grabbed a robe from the bedside and quickly wrapped it around his shoulders before following the guard out into the hall. At the end of the hallway, a small room that housed three radio operators was open. Each of them monitored various communication sources.

“Give me privacy, dammit,” Guzman snapped as he lowered himself into the chair in front of the computer terminal. He adjusted the headpiece and slipped it over his ear, placing the microphone in front of his mouth.

“This is Pablo. Brutus, are you there?” Guzman asked impatiently.

There was a slight delay in the transmission strength, due to the location of Guzman’s space station in the outer ring. “Yes, Mr. Guzman. I read you. I know that direct contact is only to be used as a last resort, but I have urgent news.”

“I only hope that the news you bring is that agent Jaxon Rasner has been eliminated,” Guzman said, staring at a blank monitor. “And why aren’t we on a vidphone? I want to see your face when you tell me this glorious message.”

Another brief pause before the response.

“Unfortunately, a video connection at my present location is unachievable. And I won’t be near a console for another few hours. We’ll have to do this through voice only,” Brutus said, hesitating between almost every word. “I, unfortunately, do not have the news that you wish for. Rasner is still alive, and our efforts to sidetrack his mission have failed. As I speak, the mission is proceeding as planned.”

“Jesus Christ,” Guzman yelled. “Your instructions were clear, and you continue to fail me at every step. You’ve known about his location for, what? A year and a half? And you disregard my advice to eliminate him before your prestigious company can assemble a plan to bring him back? And now, you tell me that the mission is proceeding?”