2041 Sanctuary (Genesis) by Robert Storey Read Free Book Online Page A

order, he’d failed to see the S.I.L.V.E.R. operatives that had crept up behind him like the cowards they were.
    ‘What do you want?’ Samson said, in no mood for games.
    Zhang’s hand went to the hilt of her sword.
    Ophion held out his arm to stay his companion’s intent and raised his visor. ‘It is said you were one of the last people to see Tien Bai alive.’
    ‘Who?’
    ‘My sister!’ Zhang said, between clenched teeth.
    Samson remained cool. ‘I heard there was a collapse at the transmission station.’
    Zhang’s eyes narrowed to slits, her blade sliding from its sheath with a sibilant hiss.
    Ophion turned his head a fraction in her direction and said something in Chinese, his tone angry.
    Samson laughed and in the blink of an eye the point of Zhang’s sword hovered a fraction from his throat, the hand that grasped it shaking with rage.
    Samson didn’t flinch. Around them fifty commandos, witnessing the exchange, trained their weapons on the assassins, the sound of mechanical actions being readied producing a muted yet threatening cacophony of noise.
    ‘I’m ready to die, Nexus,’ Samson said, leaning onto the blade to draw a spot of blood, ‘are you?’
    Ophion moved forward to whisper something in Zhang’s ear.
    The woman slammed her sword back into its scabbard and let loose with a string of curses aimed at Samson, before stalking away in fury.
    ‘Do you find it convenient our communications are down?’ Ophion said, after Zhang had gone.
    Samson considered the man before him. He didn’t doubt he could kill him if he had to, but he was liable to get injured in the process and he could ill afford such a hindrance if he was to secure the Committee’s precious pendant.
    ‘Sanctuary is a dangerous place,’ Samson said, ‘landslips happen all the time down here.’
    ‘Our scans showed traces of explosives at the scene.’
    ‘Did they?’
    ‘And the back-up receiver has mysteriously disappeared.’
    Samson didn’t care what they thought, they couldn’t touch him and they knew it, not with the thousands of soldiers at his back.
    Ophion stepped alongside him and lowered his voice. ‘Don’t go anywhere alone, Colonel.’
    ‘Threaten me again,’ Samson said as Ophion walked away, ‘and I’ll chop your fucking head off.’
    Ophion paused to glance back over his shoulder. ‘Advice is not a threat, nor is the fact that you won’t make it out of Sanctuary alive.’
    S.I.L.V.E.R.’s leader strode away leaving Samson fighting the temptation to shoot him dead. Why shouldn’t I? he asked himself. Nexus would be the first to attack from behind . Assassins are born cowards . Just do it . Samson reached for his replacement rifle, which was attached to his armour’s back-plate.
    ‘Colonel,’ an engineer said, breaking Samson’s preoccupation.
    Ophion drifted out of sight and the chance had gone. Why not give the order to kill them? Samson thought. Thousands against twelve . He liked those odds. He’d heard the stories, though, much like anyone else who’d served for long enough. S.I.L.V.E.R. never went down without a fight. At least one of them would be carrying enough explosive to collapse two square miles, so even in defeat they made sure their job was completed; either that or retribution was served. Samson’s anger rose. They lack honour as well as courage .
    ‘Colonel,’ the man said again, ‘the mortar’s ready to go.’
    ‘Then what are you waiting for?’
    ‘This is the third attempt. From our visual scans and the previous failures, we believe the target zone is too unstable to withstand the impact and sustain the weight of the cable.’
    Samson focused on the man before him. ‘And?’
    ‘We also think a third strike might bring down the whole structure. It’s too risky.’
    ‘Alternatives?’
    ‘We could go over one at a time.’
    ‘How long would it take?’
    ‘A few days, considering all the supplies we’d need.’
    Samson shook his head. ‘Unacceptable. What