IGMS Issue 29 by IGMS Read Free Book Online Page A

shame. "Why do you keep running?"
Why am I running too?
    "Tactics." Taylor dipped into his pockets and pulled out a handful of memory keys. "Tactics in service of strategy. Know your enemy."
    "What are you talking about?"
    "Syracuse Securities is under attack. Since I've signed myself to the company, it's my job to defend them. Right now, that means I have to let them know who their enemy is. Give me a soda."
    Alec stared at him, uncomprehending. "What kind?"
    "Surprise me."
    He took the purple can Alec handed him, cracked it open and popped a memory key into his mouth, chasing it with a long swallow. Then he gave the can back and held up another key. "Your turn."
    Alec eyed the key, the soda trembling in his hand. "First you're going to need to tell me what the hell you're doing."
    "I know who's riding the signal out there. I know who moves like that when he's in a bot, because I've watched him before. That's Jackson Clay stalking us out there."
    "Jackson. The one you decked? The one that works for Syracuse?"
    "Inside job, right?" Taylor waved the key he held. "Swallow it. They'll find it on autopsy. I encoded a file explaining what I think is going on and copied it to these keys. If I'm lucky, Jackson won't even know I'm hiding them."
    "But the Maria thing -" Alec began, reaching for the key.
    "Distraction. This is all about money, I'm betting. Wonder who bought him? Bet it's those pricks at APD. I don't know if they set us up with Santa Maria or if Jackson just took advantage of an opportunity to get himself kicked out of my squad. Worked for them either way. "
    Taylor worked quickly, searching the shelves for food containers where he could hide the remaining keys. He seemed focused, almost happy. Alec found it strangely calming.
    "He'll kill us, and then Syracuse will try to cover it up. But whoever's paying him will be sure to leak it, probably with playback from that bot. Syracuse will lose its best team, have to explain a major security breach to its clients, and have a giant PR disaster with the Santa Maria thing. They may shut down signal operations altogether. And Jackson will skate away and sign on with his new company, non-compete clause gone and a handsome bonus tucked away in some grey-market data vault. Nice plan. Care to dick with it?" He smiled again, a ragged old wolf's smile.
    "Sure. Got nothing better to do, do we?" Alec forced a smile, and felt his courage grow, just a little. Survival might be a fading hope, but revenge seemed possible with Taylor in the lead. He placed the key in his mouth, tasted its plastic case, then raised the soda can and drained it.
    "Simple plan. This pantry is the only room in the Hole without a drop ceiling or duct work. He can't sneak in here. He'll either have to wait for us, or he'll have to drive us out." Taylor pointed at the door. "When we think he's out there, I'll go first. Let him think you're going to try to hide it out."
    "Why you?"
    "I don't think he'll dart me. He'll want to take his time with me. Like with Hastings. Jackson hated to be told what to do."
    It made sense. If Jackson had been smart at all, he would have shot the old man first.
    "I'll go and try to dance with him a bit. I'll try to block his darts, like Bodi, but I'd rather not use my belly. I'll try this instead."
    Alec watched his squad leader reach into a bin and pull out a piece of red-skinned fruit. "Your plan is to get into a wrestling match with an infiltration bot and then shove an apple in its mouth."
    "Yes."
    "An apple."
    The manic light in Taylor's eyes dulled. "Alec. We've been ambushed. We're trapped with no weapons, no tools, nothing except pajamas and snack foods. We have a state-of-the-art military bot hunting us, run by someone who knows this place as well as we do. We only have a few minutes before he decides to take us out. We're going to die."
    He paused, and Alec wondered if Taylor was waiting for him to deny it.
    "So we wait," Alec said.
    "We wait," Taylor repeated. "Then we