Metal Deep: Infinite - Metal Wing: Episode 5 Read Online Free PDF Page B

deadliest weapons on the planet were being created.

    We stopped at the end of a hall and entered a pitch black room. The General said nothing until the door was closed and small light burned a dull blue up in the corner. “You’re dead,” he said as soon as the door was sealed. “Your hand selected hospital staff was cleared to know this. Those two patrol officers that brought you here were not.”

    Five thousand questions gridlocked at my mouth. I had no idea where to even start. The more immediate concern was for the two cops who knew the government secret. “They’ve already agreed to keep quiet.” I was learning what happened to people who came across government items of business that were not meant to be known. It never ended well for them.

    “For their sake, I hope they do,” Wyld said. “Regardless, it’s good to see you on your feet. I’m surprised you were spry enough to get back to base with minimal fuss. I’m feeling more confident concerning your selection.”

    “It would have been easier to get here if I didn’t have to navigate your police state out there.” My tone may have been accusatory. If anybody had a right to be in arms against terrorist it was me, but I didn’t see the point in locking down entire cities to preserve “freedom” and safety.

    The General switched on his military voice, “I’m afraid that’s above your pay-grade, Captain . Your job is to follow orders. As a soldier you don’t have the luxury of second guessing command decisions. Is that understood?”

    I plopped down in one of the two chairs that were separated by a small square table. It was lightly brushed with blue tint from the corner light so that it looked like it had a slight glow to it. I didn’t feel soldierly, and for the first time I really didn’t feel like playing Wyld’s military game. I could salute, shoot their weapons, and shine my brass later. First, I wanted to know about Star. “Where’s your daughter?” I asked pointedly. “What’s happened?”

    General Wyld took the other seat, and in a rare display of humanity, he let his forehead fall into hands. He braced on the table as he slouched from the weight of the question. “She’s going to live,” he said. “But she’s still in a coma.”

    “I want to see her,” I demanded.

    His head popped up and he just looked at me with a stare that shot a thousand yards, and then some.

    “Please?” I added.

    He shook his head, “In time. Since you’re obviously mobile, I have an assignment for you first. We’re skipping proficiencies. You’re about to get on the job training with your new toys.”

    “Field duty with no shakedown?” I balked.

    “That equipment has seen more trials than you have. The tough sell isn’t putting the gear out there… It’s putting you out there. Unfortunately, as sad as it is to say, you’re the most qualified, outside our scientists, to use it. With the impending threat of an escalated war in the wake of the bombings, you’re our best hope for stopping this madness before things get worse.”

    “ Then can I see Starshine?”

    “We’ll see. She needs to focus on recovery after she wakes. It’s not going to be easy for her, and I don’t know that having you around as a distraction would be overly helpful. But I’m not without heart,” my Scam-O-Meter red-lighted quick as he spoke, “You do well, get this war over for us, and I’ll make sure you’re at her side when you get back.”

    I shot up to attention, “Then let’s do this.”

    General Wyld’s smile was wide and confident. He seemed certain that he could keep me under his thumb by dangling the carrot of his daughter in front of me. My own smile threatened to appear as I thought about just how wrong he was.

JUICED
    The next morning I started the day off in the infusion lab. I had seven injections of something the doctor called “Nanogems.” The briefing packet simply referred to the substance as Compound NX-8. It wasn’t