*****
Foxtrot Two breeched the outer edges of the storm, swooping into the valley. The wind buffeted the large craft as if it were a leaf in a gale. While fighting to keep control, the pilot flipped the record switch for the device attached to the belly of the ship; the live uplink to the satellite blinked active. He turned his attention back to the infrared monitor he was using to see by, and prayed.
Tutankhamun watched the winged beast descend. Once it was within a hundred feet he flicked his fingers at the craft, sending it toppling end over end into the Nile. The pilot had no time to eject.
Cass Jones closed her eyes briefly as the screen went black. She rewound the tape and pressed PLAY, her concentration focused on the structure. Zooming in, her enhanced vision picked up a figure standing at the top. She frowned, playing it again to be sure of her facts before making the call.
"Sir, I know you said no calls, but you have to see this," she insisted. "Thirty three seconds in, you'll notice a figure on top of the structure; watch his eyes. You might need to zoom in for it."
President Nicholson sighed and accepted the download on his beside monitor. "What am I looking at?"
"Just watch, Sir."
"My eyes aren't enhanced, Jones, you'll have to tell me," he muttered with exasperation.
"His eyes glow white a fraction of a second before the ship goes out of control."
"A reflection?"
"No, Sir. They glowed."
"What's the significance?"
Jones shook her head, wondering how he’d ever made President. "It means he's not human, Sir. Also, the pattern of the storm centres exactly on him."
"Are you saying he's like you, a Biogen?"
"I appreciate that you think I'm all powerful, but even I can't create storms and earthquakes. It has to be an A.L.F. Sir."
Nicholson ran a palm down his face and groaned. "Who do we have available to go in?"
"Sir, if I may..." She hesitated. "I'd like to head this one."
"Hmm, I don't know, Jones, you've only finished your training."
"Professor Brand says I'm ready," she interrupted. "It just needs your signature. Please Sir?"
"Fine, it's yours. Now can I get some sleep?"
An Innocent Life
"Captain Jones, Ma'am, we can't get any closer. You'll have to go on foot the rest of the way." The pilot said, while struggling to keep the Blackhawk steady in the gusting winds.
"How far are we out?"
"Just under five ks, Ma'am."
"Set us down where you can then."
Jones looked out the side window of the helicopter, watching the rising rivers cut great swathes through the desert sands. Forty hours straight of torrential rain had left hundreds of lakes, and probably as many small rivers vying for dominance as they rushed toward the Nile. The main street in Luxor town sat two metres below the Nile with the water level rising with each passing minute. Lightning forked, illuminating what remained of the town, making several of the men gasp at the destruction.
Reports from NATO HQ on the anomaly's whereabouts put him in the El-Saidi region, on the periphery of the storm and conveniently away from the flood zone. Jones sat at the open door, scanning the area with her night vision.
"All clear," she said, once Blackhawk7 set down. "Thanks for the pleasant flight, Chris. safe home." Saluting him, she joined the others as they piled out and made for cover of the nearest structure, which Green checked and declared safe for their use.
"Latest Intel says he's holed up here," Jones pointed at the map she laid out on the dusty floor. "Brown and Grey, you cover the front of the complex from the roof of this building. Green and Black you have the back from the flats here. He's taken over the penthouse suite; the former occupant has been confirmed dead along with several of the staff members. The remaining staff are hostile, seemingly protective of our target and we must assume under his influence. I would prefer we not kill them but…" she paused, meeting each of their eyes, "but, if you can't incapacitate them, you know what to do." They all nodded. "Red and Gould, you've got my back."
As they reached the town, they spilt up, securing their assigned areas. Once settled, Jones' ear crackled as Browns voice came over the implanted comms device. "Brown, Grey ready." Then again with Greens call.
She kept her pace slower so her companions could keep up with her, entering through the back doors and taking the first left turn that, according to the blueprint she memorised, led to the service elevator and would take them to the far end of the hall on the floor they required. Scanning the immediate area for heat signatures, she stepped forward into the lift and pressed the button for the top floor. Darkness came without warning as the power went out, stopping the lift and trapping them between floors five and six.
"Looks like we're doing it the hard way," she stated, pointing to the hatch in the ceiling of the lift. "Gould wedge the doors open so the lift doesn’t start moving again."
Flipping open the access trap, Jones made a foot hold with her hands and boosted first Red, passing up their weapons, then Gould, before jumping up easily. For her the climb was a walk in the park, but for the guys, not so much, particularly Gould who was panting heavily by the time they reached the ledge for the fourteenth floor.
"There's no one in the hall, we can rest for a few minutes," she advised her comrades, using thermal imaging to scan beyond the lift shaft. "I'm picking up two heat signatures across the hall on the left, one male and one heavily-pregnant female. Female is lying down. Judging by the panting and moans, I'd say her baby isn't far away."
"Our target is the male only right?" Red asked.
"No frickin way I'm taking out a woman and kid," Gould added, angrily.
She turned to Gould, still using her thermal sight, and noticed how hot he appeared compared to Red. "Control your temper Gould, we do what needs to be done."
Gould scowled at her. "My temper is none of your concern."
"It is if it interferes with your performance. Wait," she looked at him closer, "are you ill?"
"I'm feeling a little off-colour, but I assure you it won't interfere when it comes to doing my job.”
"Damn it, Gould, if you were feeling unwell why did you ask to join the mission?"
"I was volunteered," he stated. "Like I said, it won't interfere. It's just the start of a cold or something."
"I'll have to report this when we get back."
"It's true what they say then?" he added with disdain.
"And what do they say?"
"That you’re a heartless bitch."
"Technically true, Gould. I don't have a heart, nor the human weakness associated with it. That's what makes me good at what I do."
"What in hell are you?"
She chuckled. "Does it matter?"
It was Red who answered, "Yes it matters, I want to know who's ass I protecting."
"In short, a BioGen, Biogenetic Enhanced Cyborg." They looked confused. "Most of my body was genetically modified and other parts enchanced with bionics in the lab. My muscles are ten times more powerful than the average person's. My eyes are capable of thermal, night and telescopic vision. I can hear a pin drop half a mile away and I'll heal most wounds within an hour. Gould is right, I don’t have a heart, but a mechanical valve to pump blood with maximum efficiency around my body. Despite what others think, I'm not a machine." Concluding she scanned the area again and touched her earlobe to activate the transmitter. "Brown, Green, we're moving in."
The woman's agonised screams could be heard by the other two as soon as they emerged from the lift shaft.
"What the hell is he doing to her?" Red whispered in alarm.
Jones scanned the room. "By the look of it, watching her have the baby. I think she's having problems though."
"We need to get her out of there," Gould hissed.
"Keep it down," Jones whispered. "They're both in the bedroom. The main living area is clear. We'll be only a few metres from them when I short out the control pad for
the door, so hand signals only from now on."
They both nodded in confirmation.
A tiny puff of smoke later and the control pad was history, allowing Red to open the door and the three to slip inside. Jones indicated they should take position on opposite sides of the bedroom door. She counted down with her fingers: three… two… Gould sneezed and hell broke loose.
Tutankhamun sent a gust of air at them, blowing them off their feet with the unexpected force. Crashing furniture knocked their weapons from their hands. First to her feet, Jones ran for him. Catching him around his middle, she propelled him into the wall. The woman screamed in anger and tried to get up. She collapsed to the floor as another contraction wracked her body.
Red lifted her by placing an arm behind her back and the other under her knees. He carried her to the living room to lay her on the floor behind the sofa, gaining a little protection from the fighting and flying debris swirling around the room. He made it half way to the bedroom doorway before he fell to his knees with a look of both shock and pain etched on his face. A moment later, he fell forward displaying an ornate dagger protruding from his back.
Gould fought against the force that held him pinned against the wall, the exertion causing him to fall foul to fits of coughing. He could only watch in horror as their target and Jones rolled around the floor, each landing what should have been crippling blows to the other. Suddenly, the target had her by the throat, holding her off the floor.
"Yield to me," Tutankhamun demanded. "Join with me and rule this kingdom by my side."
Clawing at his hand, Jones tried to free herself from his powerful grip. She could feel herself losing consciousness from lack of oxygen due to the restriction on her windpipe. The hand holding her captive shook her violently, rousing her for a moment.
"Submit," he growled.
"Never," she managed to croak before everything went black.
Tutankhamun dropped her to the floor and crossed the room to Gould who was struggling to free himself. Gould thrashed against the invisible hold until he was coughing so hard he could hardly breathe. Tutankhamun propelled him against the other wall and laughed as he fell to the floor in a heap. The laughter led to coughing, his throat burning with hellfire.