Infinity Squad Read Online Free PDF Page B

that. I just want to get in and out without seeing any of you. How can I do that?"
    He suddenly drew his razor sharp claw out, the one that had killed Private Fredricks, and used it to scratch a spot on his back. Then he looked at the ceiling. "If the sun has risen... hunting parties will return home at dawn. But they will be drawn back by any noise carrying down the mountain. If you do not use one of your spinning machines..."
    "Helicopters."
    "Yes. And if you make no noise- none - then you should not be detected. If you stay in the shadows. And leave well before the sun approaches its highest point." He pointed straight up.
    "Noon."
    "Yes. You do not want to be on the Night Hunting Grounds then."
    I jumped off the table to my feet and started towards the door. "Okay. No noise, no choppers, stay in the shadows, leave by noon. Got it."
    My hand was on the doorknob when he said, "And when will your leaders enter, so that we may discuss the terms of a peace treaty between our two races?"
    "Um... I'll have to get back to you on that. Soon. But thanks again!"
     
     
    I was actually pleased with myself and feeling better about the mission until I exited the room and saw Ann-Marie leaning against the wall in her battle fatigues, smiling.
    "So the Hell-Spiders can talk, huh?"
    "How the hell did you know where I was!"
    She laughed. "Wouldn't be much of an intelligence officer if I didn't."
    I ran my hand over my face again. "And you heard everything?"
    "Well, just your side, obviously. That room's got five cameras in it, recording 24/7."
    "Fuck! Fuck! I can't let anyone see those recordings-"
    "Already done," she said, pushing off the wall and falling in by my side as we walked back to barracks.
    "You erased it? Without a way to trace it back to you?"
    "Wouldn't be much of an intelligence officer if I didn't."
    "Okay good. And Butcher, look, I know breaking the news that the Hell-Spiders are psychic would get you a medal or something, but could you keep it just between us for now?
    "Wouldn't be much of an-"
    "Yeah yeah. Come on. We've got a long hike and not much time."
     
     
    Grimstone was in the Mech Bay, wearing five hundred pounds of powered exoskeleton jam-packed with sensors and weapons. It responded to his motions with no delay, like he was wearing a metal coat. The floor shook with every heavy step he took, and he threw the test weights around with ease.
    He yelled over the sound of the hydraulics, "THIS IS AWESOME! Why don't we wear these things ALL THE TIME!"
    A bored looking technician looked up from his readouts. "Because there's only five of them on the whole planet. And one of them is worth a hundred of you."
    Grimmy pointed his arm towards the test targets at the far end of the range, and five different types of weapons emerged from the suit's arm, one after another. Each made a really cool, ear-scathing SNICK-SCWING! as it came out, aimed automatically, then retracted without firing.
    "THIS IS AWESOME!" he cried.
    I had seen enough. "Grimmy!" I yelled from the doorway, Ann-Marie next to me. "Get out of the suit- we won't need them today!"
    "Awwwwww!"
     
     
    We popped our head into one last room on the way back. It was a small office, filled with a large desk, a rifle leaning against the corner, and file cabinets and folders everywhere else. A worried man sat behind the desk, behind mountains of paperwork.
    "Hey Captain Morse," I called around the mountains. "The General's sending us on a bug hunt on the big mountain."
    The captain of the infantry looked up, and I could just feel his eyes dying to look back at the form he was filling out. "Very well," he clipped. "Carry on."
    He returned to his paperwork and Butcher, Grimmy and I looked at him for a few seconds. "It sounds pretty dangerous," I added.
    Morse made absolutely zero motion to get out from behind his desk. "I'm sure you'll be fine."
    I looked at Butcher and shrugged. "Okay. Just thought you should know," I said as we left.
     
     
    The sun was dawning as