Cate nodded and her mouth curled down. “Boy oh boy, what I wouldn’t give to catch a glimpse of this thing.”
“No,” Alex said softly. “If it was close enough for us to see, we’d be dead, or just become part of its cat and mouse torture game. We’re going to stay as far away from this thing as we can.” He grabbed hold of her shoulders. “But if we do see it, I’m just hoping it’s long before it sees us.”
“Warm bodies… with plenty of nonbiological elements. Gotta be our PLA friends.” Rhino held up the reader, turning slightly. “Multiple signatures, all about the same size, and all stationary.”
Jackson grunted. “Not gonna let these guys get the jump on me again.”
Rhino leaned back. “Don’t feel too bad. These guys are robots — trained to be lethal since they were kids. We can take ’em, but that might mean permanent take-down. Not a great option while they’ve got Dr. Weir.” He exhaled. “And the last thing we want to be doing is starting a war that we were sent to stop in the first place.”
Casey came back in and crouched. Blake and Jennifer joined them. “Fifty feet, directly in front. They’re not moving.”
“Ambush?” Jackson asked.
“If it’s an ambush, it’s a strange one.” Casey’s lip curled. “Nah, unlikely. We’ve seen the concealment techniques these guys have used. They wouldn’t just be hanging it out there in the open.” She looked around. “Better scan for claymores, or anything else they could use for booby traps.”
“I don’t think so, boss,” Rhino said. “That big guy coulda taken me out clean. He didn’t. I don’t think that’s what they wanted.”
“Maybe they want to talk,” Blake said. “Let me go in.”
“Not a fucking chance,” Casey spat back.
“Attention, HAWC Special Forces operative Casey Franks!’
“What the fuck.” Casey’s head jerked around.
“HAWC Special Forces operative Casey Franks, operative Hank Rinofsky, operative Vincent Blake, soldiers Jennifer Hartigan and Benjamin Jackson. Come forward. We will not harm you.”
Casey turned to the group, her teeth clamped tight.
“No secrets in hell, huh?” Rhino said to Blake.
The voice drifted back to them again. “You are outgunned, outnumbered, and we have your chief scientist. Lower your weapons, we just wish to talk.”
All eyes were on Casey. She got to her feet. “Jackson, you come with me. Jennifer, stay put. Rhino, Blake, left and right flank.” She looked up at Jackson. “Stay on my shoulder, and stay cool.”
Rhino grinned at the big McMurdo soldier. “You just got a promotion, big fella… coz you’re expendable.”
Jackson grinned back. “That’s the nicest thing anyone ever said to me.”
Casey cradled her gun and pushed through the broad fronds and hair-like foliage of the blue tinged jungle.
CHAPTER 47
Casey stood just inside the line of hanging vines, watching the two men in the clearing. Rising up behind them, nearly invisible in the gloom, was the cliff wall, and the source of the signal. Somewhere at its base, or even inside, their goal resided.
So close, she thought. She looked back at the men. There was the brutal, black-eyed soldier, their leader — she assumed — one of the men she had briefly fought only just before. Behind him was the giant she had seen take down Jackson and Rinofsky. The massive soldier didn’t look human, and she assumed he was afflicted by something like acromegaly, the gigantism syndrome. His features were big and broad to the point of being ogreish. But instead of the lumbering gait she would have expected from someone like that, he moved fluidly, athletically. She knew he’d be a problem.
Peeking out behind him was Aimee Weir. By the way Aimee held her shoulders, she guessed her hands were tied.
“Show time.” Casey grit her teeth and stepped forward.
She knew that though Aimee wasn’t being used as a shield, her proximity meant going in shooting was not an option. She also bet that the other PLA solders were close by, and a single word from their leader would bring them from the trees and trapdoors.
The soldier in front of her stood at ease, his hands clasped behind his back. He brought a hand around, making Casey brace, but it was empty. He motioned her forward.
“HAWC Casey Franks.”
Casey waited, watching.
“What now,” Jackson whispered.
“Now? Now, we join the party.” Casey continued in, her gun cradled.
The soldier smiled, but the lift of his lips never reached his blank eyes. “I am Captain Wu Yang of the PLA Special Forces, Dragon Brigade. You are Casey Franks of the American Special Forces, HAWCs.” He half turned. “Your chief scientist speaks very highly of you. She tells me we need you and your team’s expertise to survive.” He chuckled and looked around. “In this strange and savage place.”
“You bet you do,” Casey said.
“I think I do.” He nodded. “But I do not think I need you, though I do think we need your armaments. However, I am generous. Hand over your weapons and join us. It makes sense for us to combine under my leadership. I outrank you, Lieutenant.”
“Not in my army, pal.” Casey didn’t flinch.
Yang smiled grimly. “We could have killed you all. Many times. Please don’t make me regret that decision.”
“We’re just gonna find what we came here to find, and we’ll take Dr. Weir back. No one gets hurt, no one wastes time, energy, or ammunition. Then we all go home.”
“Go home?” His expression hardened. “I believe you shut that door… and killed our people.” His arms dropped to his sides. He spoke a few words in Chinese, and the giant turned to put a large hand on Aimee’s shoulder and pull her forward.
Yang took hold of Aimee and looked into her face for a few seconds. “I know you Americans, very well. You value the individual, where we in China have learned to value the whole. One life is worth nothing.” He gripped Aimee by the hair, dragging her head to one side.
Aimee grimaced, but never made a sound.
“I won’t ask you again.” His eyes slid back to Casey.
Casey’s jaws clenched briefly. “We all know where this is going. Let’s just get to it.”
Yang turned. “Last time.”
Casey didn’t want a firefight, not while Aimee was so close. She needed to make some space. “I coulda kicked your ass — still might.” She needed more time; her eyes traveled to the giant. “How about I chop Dumbo down to size first.”
Yang stared for a moment, perhaps not believing what he was hearing from the woman. His face broke into a grin and then he started to laugh. He half turned to speak a few words to the giant. In return the big man’s eyes widened momentarily, before he too started to laugh, the sound like two buzzsaw blades grating together.
Jackson leaned forward. “Maybe I should take that guy on, you know, because…”
Casey half turned, snarling. “Because you’re a man, huh? Listen, boy scout, he already handed you your ass once. I can take him, you haven’t got a chance.”
The huge PLA soldier leaned down towards Yang and spoke in a deep slow voice. Yang listened, grunted and then nodded. “His name is Mungoi. Maybe if you defeat him in unarmed combat, I might let you live. If not…” He grinned. “You won’t be here to know about it.”
Yang let Aimee’s hair go and clapped his hands once. “Trial by combat. Yes, this is appropriate for warriors. You have my permission to kill him, if you can.” He turned and spoke rapidly to Mungoi, and the huge man grinned, his eyes sliding to Casey. “And he has my permission to kill you.”