The Phoenix Variant: The Fifth Column 3 Read online

  Nasira took her down the stairs. She needed to get them away from the terminal before planning her next move.

  The MetLife lobby lacked any soldiers or operatives, and for that she was grateful. Instead, a strange glass structure loomed above them. She passed under it and exited with Aviary through a gloomy parking-lot exit, shadowed by the viaduct. The hurricane was right on them so they couldn’t stay outside long. She grabbed Aviary’s hand and they crossed the narrow road quickly, straight into a loading dock. The wind and rain tore them off course. Nasira whisked Aviary through the next building as fast as the redhead’s shaky legs would allow. She didn’t stop for a breather until they were three blocks from the terminal and Nasira had a moment to watch for any followers both on her phone and using her eyes. There were none.

  She picked an office floor three levels high. There were no lights on in this building by default, but some light cast in from adjacent buildings. She told Aviary to keep away from the windows. The hurricane battered them, which Nasira hoped would deter her. The sound rippled through the empty office building. Aviary was panting, soaking wet. She didn’t have the energy to complain. She collapsed into an office chair.

  ‘Giving some serious thought to just napping on the floor for a bit,’ Aviary said.

  Nasira left her to it and found a water cooler. She drank three cups in quick succession before returning to Aviary with two full cups. Aviary sipped it patiently, her fingers still shaking.

  ‘We made it,’ Nasira said.

  Aviary nodded. ‘Yeah. And I almost got you killed about ten times.’

  Nasira didn’t know what to say. ‘We not dead, are we?’ she said. ‘That’s what matters.’

  Aviary reached for the second cup of water. ‘Yeah.’

  Chapter 40

  Sophia felt like she was breathing for the first time in a while. She kept her hand on the lever, guiding the train forward into darkness, just as Czarina had done when they’d first commandeered the train.

  Czarina returned to the cabin. ‘Train’s clear, no one got on.’

  Sophia swallowed. ‘Good.’

  ‘We’re heading north,’ Czarina said. ‘What’s the plan?’

  ‘We burn the meteorite,’ Sophia said. ‘At two thousand five hundred degrees, preferably.’

  Czarina lowered her carbine. ‘How about thermite grenades? We could raid the ESU. There’s one in the East Village. Precinct 13.’

  ‘They won’t have any,’ Sophia said.

  ‘So what then, a blast furnace?’ Czarina said. ‘I don’t think there’s one of those on the island. We’d have to go upstate—’ She stopped and said, ‘Oh. That’s where you’re going.’

  ‘They can’t have blocked all the tunnels,’ Sophia said. ‘And they can’t all be flooded. We’ll find one. Hopefully before Denton finds us.’

  The headlights dimmed, then cut out. The tunnel went dark and the train slowed. Sophia checked the lever. She was still holding it upright.

  ‘That’s not good,’ Sophia said.

  ‘Denton cut the power to the track,’ Czarina said.

  ‘Aviary,’ Sophia said to herself. She hoped Aviary and Nasira were alright. She trusted Nasira would keep her safe. ‘We need to get as far away from this train as possible.’

  Czarina didn’t say anything further. She moved out to the first carriage, her carbine pointing to the floor.

  ‘I guess we’re walking,’ Czarina said.

  Sophia stepped around her, moved to the nearest doors and pried them open. She still couldn’t pick up on any hostile emotions from Czarina. All she could detect was stress and an element of relief. She hoped it was for the right reasons.

  Sophia started north along the tunnel. It wasn’t lit very well, and she’d given her torch to Damien. But there was just enough light to make out the tracks and the curve of the tunnel ahead. She could hear Czarina’s footsteps behind her, lightly crunching on the rocky ground.

  The New York City subway network was incredibly huge. She could spend years wandering these tunnels and never see every single spot. Right now, she just had to follow the tunnel until she hit the next station, trusting Aviary had plotted the correct direction for her.

  ‘So,’ Czarina said, ‘what’s it like?’

  ‘Being the most wanted terrorist on the planet?’ Sophia said, over her shoulder. ‘Doing wonders for my personal brand.’

  ‘They haven’t publicized your face yet, at least,’ Czarina said.

  ‘Denton can put my face on every screen in the world if he wants to, now that he has what he wants from me—after all these years—fuck.’

  Just saying it made her angry.

  ‘I can’t believe I let that happen,’ Sophia said. ‘I never should’ve gone in after him. Not with … not with what I knew.’

  ‘But you didn’t know,’ Czarina said. ‘You didn’t know he could take it from you.’

  ‘I knew about the three different Phoenix viruses,’ Sophia said. ‘There’s no excuse: I should never have gone in there.’

  She thought of Owen Freeman. And how she’d failed him. So much for being his Phoenix. Now Denton was the Phoenix.

  She stopped walking. Czarina politely stopped behind her.

  ‘He told me not to go in,’ Sophia said.

  ‘Your friend, DC?’ Czarina said.

  ‘He’s not my friend,’ Sophia said.

  ‘You promised to answer my question,’ Czarina said.

  Sophia started walking again.

  ‘What’s it like not being an operative?’

  For a while Sophia kept walking and didn’t say a word.

  ‘Sophia?’

  Sophia stopped. ‘It’s lonely.’

  Finally, Czarina stopped talking. They walked in silence for a minute. Then she started again.

  ‘It’s lonely for me too,’ Czarina said. ‘I knew on some level that what I do isn’t right. I think we all did. At least in that real psyche—what’s it called?’

  ‘Archeopsyche,’ Sophia said.

  ‘That one,’ Czarina said. ‘I think we all know. Something about this world isn’t right. It just feels a little off balance.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Sophia said. ‘You soon realize that’s not a feeling.’

  ‘That was your friend back there,’ Czarina said. ‘Daniel?’

  ‘Damien,’ she said. ‘I guess so, yeah. I’ve worked with him for a while. Operative and post-operative.’

  Now Sophia was talking just so Czarina wouldn’t. ‘Same with Jay. And Nasira.’

  ‘But not DC?’ Czarina said. ‘What’s he?’

  ‘I don’t know what he is. And I don’t really care anymore.’

  She stopped in her tracks so suddenly that Czarina collided with her. She could make out the sliver of an outline ahead. Someone’s head and part of their shoulder. Just enough light from the far end of the tunnel gave him away. Sophia turned to Czarina and spoke in a low voice.

  ‘You don’t have a torch, do you?’ she said.

  Czarina shook her head.

  It was quite possibly a mole person. She figured most of them—and there would be many under here—would still be around even today. Most people didn’t know these subterranean people existed. That was how the Akhana had concealed a base under here the whole time. And the Fifth Column for that matter.

  Sophia drew her Glock with one hand, keeping the other free for her sword. She aimed her pistol with a slight left tilt, natural for her arm.

  ‘Who are you?’ she said, loud enough her voice carried through the tunnel.

  There was no response at first, but the response that came surprised her.

  ‘Didn’t know how else to get hold of you,’ DC said.

  ‘How did you find us?’

  ‘One of the trains at Union Square,’ DC said, taking a step out from the wall. ‘I saw the handover with Damien. I was going to find you at the next station but they cut the power.’

  Sophia didn’t lower her pistol. She wasn’t getting a clear reading on him
yet.

  ‘What do you want?’ she said.

  DC moved to the center of the tunnel but didn’t come closer. ‘I thought we established that.’ he said. ‘Stop Denton. Destroy the meteorites. Save the world from a man who is equal parts insane and powerful.’

  ‘He’s not a man and he’s not insane. He’s a psychopath,’ Sophia said. ‘Sometimes I think it would be easier if he was insane.’

  ‘The commander of the Blue Berets has a proposition for you,’ DC said. ‘And requested I pass it on to you.’

  ‘So you’re best buddies?’ Sophia said. ‘This commander the commander who died in the blast at Grand Central?’

  ‘He’s under the impression I do, yes,’ DC said. ‘And the blast didn’t kill him. That commander was a decoy.’

  ‘Interesting tactics,’ she said. ‘Who is he, exactly?’

  ‘Well,’ DC said. ‘If you accept his proposition then you’ll find out for yourself.’

  ‘That’s not encouraging,’ Sophia said.

  Czarina stepped around Sophia, aiming her carbine. ‘She’s not going anywhere,’ she said, ‘if she doesn’t want to.’

  DC was holding a carbine of his own, but he aimed it downward.

  Sophia kept her Glock trained on him all the same.

  ‘All you need to do is hear me out and then I leave,’ DC said.

  ‘Speed it up,’ Sophia said. ‘I have to assume Denton’s tracking us right now.’

  ‘There’s no way to completely destroy the meteorite, not on this island, not in the time you have,’ DC said. ‘There is only one way to ensure Denton never gets it.’

  ‘Well, at least there is a way,’ Sophia said. ‘Your commander sounds extremely clever. Is he a psychopath as well, by any chance?’ She tapped the bridge of her nose. ‘You know, I can tell now,’ she said. ‘Just a big hole inside them. Base emotions, thin like ribbons.’

  ‘No, he’s not,’ DC said. He didn’t seem too excited about this.

  ‘So what’s his plan then?’ Sophia said.

  ‘Give it to him,’ DC said.

  Sophia lowered her pistol. ‘Brilliant. And?’

  ‘That’s it.’

  ‘Just give up the rock to the big man? The one who’s less deranged? According to him.’

  ‘Think about it,’ DC said. ‘He can use it to bait and trap Denton. He’s already tracking it as we speak. He still has five squadrons.’

  ‘Less than five,’ Sophia said.

  ‘Denton has two at most, maybe less. The Commander is the only person in New York City right now with the manpower to pull off a trap like that.’

  ‘You’re talking about a man who commands an entire company of Blue Berets for the Fifth Column,’ Sophia said. ‘I’d have to be pretty stupid to hand it over.’

  DC swallowed. ‘His mission—and I’ve seen it myself—is to destroy the meteorites,’ he said. ‘And destroy Denton.’

  ‘Yes but was this mission written on paper with the official Fifth Column letterhead and the official fountain pen or was it just an ordinary pen?’ Sophia said. ‘Because that makes a big impact on my decision-making process.’

  ‘We want the same thing,’ DC said. ‘I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you.’

  ‘Yeah, you said that in the OSS base and it didn’t work out so well.’

  ‘Well, actually you fell into a chasm.’

  ‘No, actually I … fell into a chasm,’ Sophia said.

  ‘So you know you can trust me?’ DC said.

  ‘The real question is if I want to,’ Sophia said. ‘And right now I don’t think it’s a wise idea.’

  She started walking, around him. Czarina moved quickly to keep up, stepping in a careful arc with her barrel pointed at DC. He didn’t move.

  ‘I can do this without you and your creepy masked soldiers,’ Sophia said. ‘Thanks all the same.’

  ‘Look at your map,’ DC said. ‘Look where the operatives are.’

  She took it out, but there was no reception. ‘I can’t, not here.’

  ‘OK, fine. But you must know what’s waiting for you at the next station,’ he said. ‘And it ain’t gonna be pretty.’

  ‘Nothing ever is,’ Sophia said.

  ‘Think, Sophia. You’re on foot. Denton has your location. Operatives will be all over you once you get there.’

  ‘I’ll just have to deal with it,’ Sophia said.

  Czarina moved behind her, stepping backward carefully so she could keep her carbine on DC.

  ‘You won’t survive!’ DC yelled.

  Sophia stopped, turned. ‘What makes you so sure?’

  She was picking up something different from him now. It was abrasive, uneven. He was angry. And worried.

  ‘What have you done?’ Sophia said.

  ‘I have Blue Berets already covering the station,’ DC said. ‘A deterrent. It’s the only way we can make it out in one piece.’

  She raised her Glock to his face again. ‘You’ve trapped me. It’s not the only way we can make it out, it’s the only way you can make it out.’

  ‘Those soldiers are there to protect you!’ DC shouted. ‘I’m trying to help!’

  ‘What part of I don’t want your help do you not understand?’ she yelled back.

  His voice dropped. He spoke calmly and it annoyed her.

  ‘It’s not about helping you,’ he said. ‘It’s about the meteorite you’re carrying. We both know that. And if you don’t want my help, that’s fine. You don’t have to come. I can take the meteorite.’

  ‘And lure Denton?’ she yelled. ‘And risk him getting hold of it? Do you realize you’re playing a very dangerous game here?’

  He stepped forward, a sliver of light catching his eyes. ‘If you walk out there without me, that’s when it gets dangerous.’

  ‘You’re not my bodyguard anymore,’ Sophia said.

  ‘Then start looking after yourself,’ DC said.

  ‘Don’t,’ she said. ‘Do they have orders to shoot me?’ she said.

  ‘No,’ DC said. ‘But if we don’t reach some sort of agreement here—if I fail—they have orders to take you in.’

  ‘Against my will,’ she said. ‘How many are there?’

  ‘Does it matter?’ he said.

  ‘He has a point,’ Czarina said.

  Sophia glared at her. ‘He has quite a few points. That’s the problem.’

  ‘I mean, I’m still on your side,’ Czarina said. ‘I owe you my life.’

  ‘Do you know what really pisses me off?’ Sophia said, to DC. ‘I can feel it all from over here,’ she said to him. ‘I can tell you actually believe what you’re saying. You actually want to help.’ She lowered her pistol. ‘And I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.’

  ‘Right now there is no good thing,’ DC said. ‘You don’t have to come in with me. You don’t even have to come to the station with me. I take the meteorite and it’s all on me and those Blue Berets. And the commander.’

  ‘And you expect me to trust them with this meteorite?’ she said. ‘When Denton is an inch away from becoming a walking, talking Seraphim transmitter?’

  DC took a step closer. ‘We just need—’

  ‘To stop Denton,’ Sophia said, holstering her pistol. ‘Yeah, I get it. But if you and your commander are going to do that, then I need to make sure you do it properly.’

  ‘So we have a deal?’ DC said.

  ‘Yes,’ Sophia said. ‘But I’m keeping your sword.’

  Chapter 41

  Aviary’s phone started buzzing in her pocket. Her half-drunk cup of water splashed to the carpet. She retrieved it.

  ‘It’s Jay,’ Aviary said.

  Nasira shook her head. ‘No, it isn’t.’ She took the phone from Aviary, answered the call and switched to speaker.

  ‘Yeah?’ Nasira said.

  ‘Might I ask who I’m speaking with?’ Denton said.

  She swallowed. ‘Nasira. Word on the street you got some friends of ours.’

  ‘Yes. We’ve ha
d a good little chat. It’s been fun,’ Denton said. ‘I have a deal for you. One might say a one-time only offer. You know, one of those.’

  ‘Whatever,’ Nasira said. ‘Get to the point.’

  ‘Is Sophia around by any chance?’ Denton said. ‘She’s much more fun with the negotiation side of things. You’re a bit … rushed.’

  ‘She can’t come to the phone right now,’ Nasira said. ‘Guess you already know that ’cause you read minds—wait, you can’t do that over the phone. My mistake.’ She allowed herself a tiny grin.

  ‘I assure you, it’s not necessary,’ Denton said. ‘What’s necessary is the meteorite she’s carrying be returned to its rightful owner.’

  ‘The museum?’ Nasira said. ‘Yeah, you blew that up. Guess there is no owner now.’

  ‘I see Sophia has made some new friends—a good operative of mine and a large bunch of Blue Berets. Unfortunately, she will need to make a choice. Very soon. Hand over the meteorite or I blow your friends to dust.’

  Nasira felt her frustration fade, leaving her cold. ‘Which friends?’

  ‘Jay and Damien,’ he said. ‘Or, as I like to call them now, Jaymien. Has a nice ring to it. And so do a couple of subway platforms lined with explosives. Motion triggered, so they can’t quite get up and walk away, if you catch my drift,’ Denton said. ‘Any attempt to rescue them, one of your friends goes boom. For every thirty minutes you fail to deliver the meteorite, one of your friends goes boom.’

  ‘Make it every sixty minutes and you got a deal,’ Nasira said.

  ‘Thirty,’ he said.

  He ended the call.

  Aviary was staring at her.

  ‘That ain’t good,’ Nasira said.

  ‘Your negotiation skills?’ Aviary said.

  ‘No,’ Nasira said. ‘I need to get them out of there before he flips the switch.’

  The phone buzzed again. This time it was Sophia’s number.

  Nasira answered. ‘It’s me.’

  ‘I just got into range. Are you and Aviary OK?’ Sophia said, seemingly calm.

  ‘Fine,’ Nasira said. ‘We had to bail from the control center.’

  ‘I know,’ Sophia said. ‘Denton’s cut the power to all the tracks.’

  ‘Didn’t take him long,’ Nasira said. ‘What’s the deal with you? You have the rock?’