Chapter 152

Book 5 - Chapter 149

The Daedalus Academy

Y: 2143 – 1 week until Southern Europe regional inter-academy first round.

Daedalus Financial Position: <5.23M> bitcreds 

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Daedo attached the last cord and checked the other group's progress. There were six of them, but they had the larger section of Amphibian to drag.

Daedo: good. Keep that pace up until you reach the island. 

Myrmidon checked the dampening and background noise. 

Myrmidon: counter measures are working. The chance of interception with known technologies is zero.

“Let’s move,” Daedo informed his group. “We need to set up camouflage as soon as we make landfall.”

“What if it's blasted to hell?” Axel-Zero asked as she swam.

“It will be,” Daedo said. “But we have no means to camouflage on the water. We need dry land. Even if it’s an irradiated wasteland.”

“Great, just great,” Axel-Zero mumbled.

“The exo is built to withstand red levels of radiation,” Jia explained.

“You’re such a fan girl sometimes Jia,” Axel-Zero replied.

A small laugh escaped Vannier’s lips.

“What?” Axel-Zero asked with feeling.

“Nothing. We need to focus on getting out of here. Don’t let fear control you,” Vannier replied.

“Bah,” Axel-Zero said. “We were almost nuked to death and now we’re swimming towards ground zero.”

Daedo was kicking underwater and did not hear the muffled exchange. One of the benefits of the nano technology was the ability to shape martial weapons and mechanical tools as needed. The entire squad now sported flippers and used the power of the exo to kick. Myrmidon and Daedo were experimenting underwater, using age old swimming techniques. Moving their whole body like a wave finishing with both legs kicking together.

After thirty minutes of experimenting, he shared the results with both groups.

Daedo: this method is 40 percent more efficient.

Jia had already begun to mimic Daedo and soon they all swam like Aquaman. Within hours the two main parts of Amphibian were beached on an Island off the east coast of Panama.

Daedo looked to the sky, and the sun was barely visible. He wondered how long they had before it began to clear, and it made him feel nervous because he could usually calculate everything in a tactical situation. But there was little data for him and Myrmidon to go on. It could be hours, days or months before the sky cleared enough for the spy satellites to have a clear view of the ground. He looked around at the scorched earth, Huawei would be using low flying drones to scout the area, but they would start at the perimeter.

“We have to hurry,” he said. “Morton, Amari – you have drone duty. Shoot anything out of the sky within range.”

“Won’t that alert them to our presence?” Morton asked.

“The second one will, but the first will most likely be a malfunction due to the conditions,” Daedo replied. “It will buy us some time.”

With that Daedo checked the radiation levels, they were still rising but their exos were well made. They were designed to tolerate radiation from a nuclear weapon, but they were designed to work in space which included radiation as an ever-present threat. The team pulled the two sections together and scavenged what they could to build a makeshift camouflage cover while Daedo checked their vitals. 

He was pleased with the exo, it had tolerated the blast and underwater conditions which required specialised equipment. It allowed them to swim at speed for hours and now protected them from radiation. He wanted to get back into the water soon to not only to escape Huawei but the radiation as well.

But the performance of the exo was second to that of the cadets. His squad were theoretically first years, but practically third with the intense training regimes they were exposed to. None of them showed signs of heightened stress or fatigue. None more than they would during an intense arena battle. Vannier, Picard and Jia were not only peak performers their calm focus spread to all the squad. He had selected the most mentally tough for his squad but also added Picard and Vannier for this mission.

“No sight of drones,” Morton reported.

“As soon as the canopy is in a place you two can rest,” Daedo said while engrossed in his design tool.

“We’d like to help,” Morton expressed on behalf of the pair.

“I know,” Daedo said, “But we need to rotate rest assignments. You and Amari will be first.”

When he was finished, he shared the design with the squad. They had been completing tasks for him up until this point without knowing the end result.

“We can’t repair the propulsion systems?” Vannier asked studying the plans and task list.

“Yes and no.” Daedo replied. “We will cannibalise some parts from the air system and rig them to the aquajets. Between the two systems we will create a hybrid which can work.”

“What’s this?” Axel-Zero asked indicating a long pole.

“The control system is damaged severely, the fastest way to get moving is to fashion mechanical steering control,” Daedo replied.

“So, we are going to steer with a big pole?” Axel-Zero asked incredulous.

“It’s a backup in case the actuators directing the drives fail. But yes, we can steer with the big pole,” Daedo replied calmly.

“We can’t dive?” Picard deduced.

“It’s safer to stay near the surface, but we can dive,” Daedo replied.

“Enough questions,” Vannier declared, “We have work to do.”

Each member scanned their task lists and most began to strip parts and deliver to Axel-Zero who had the unenvious task of sorting and tracking for when they needed reassembly.

The Frankensteinish vessel began to take shape as the squad worked into the night. They slept in shifts and although it wasn’t comfortable, they were exhausted which helped them drift off while wearing an exo. 

An hour before dawn they turned the craft and pushed it into the water. Daedo was inside checking for leaks, while Jia dived beneath looking for air bubbles.

Jia: no signs

Daedo: good. Clear in here as well. Everyone aboard. We will head east and won’t be far from land in case we need to make running repairs.

Axel-Zero: what’s our destination?

Daedo: Undecided.

The once sleek craft previously known as Amphibian ploughed through the water. The cabin wasn’t pressurised, it had still had full power but if Daedo pushed it, the craft would rip apart. They maintained a shallow depth, deeper was better hidden but risky, shallower increased their chance of being observed.

Daedo’s control panel was virtual, he monitored the craft while Picard and Vannier scanned their surroundings. 

Vannier leaned towards him and said softly, “It would be good if we could get a message back home that we are alive.”

After a moments hesitation he replied, “That exactly the sort of message we don’t want intercepted.”

“What made you hesitate?” She asked.

“You made me think about how the Masters might respond and I don’t really want them making an expedition over here in a carrier. But then, that is what Huawei would expect whether we are dead or alive. They will monitor their progress and not interfere, using them as virtual homing beacon to our location, if we were alive. Or our remains if we happened to be dead. So, we must hide from them as well and give them something to mislead Huawei.”

Vannier could still be shocked by Daedo, “All that in the small hesitation?”

“Thanks for prompting me. I’ve been focused on getting us out of the fallout. Squad,” Daedo spoke up loud enough for the entire group to hear who were already straining to listen to the conversation. “We need to send a covert message to Chief Austin and who will arrive within hours after they finish waiting for us to contact them and discussing possible courses of action.”

After minutes of ideas being thrown about the craft Axel-Zero proposed, “Why don’t we stream to the world and tell them what Huawei has done?”

“Because they will try remove us using conventional means,” Daedo said. “The stakes are just as high for them. If we expose them, they could be dead as well. If DaVinci and Svarski deem them unstable and dangerous, they will remove Huawei as a threat.” He paused for a moment before adding, “We won’t survive another nuke, nor the firebomb they possess. Not in our current situation.”

The squad continued to bandy ideas back and forth while Daedo listened, but they did not have his full attention. He was amazed that they followed him into this dire situation and none of them expressed doubts. It was second nature that Myrmidon ran scenarios on their ideas, Daedo didn’t have to ask, his ever-present companion was a part of him just as much as his hand or even his own thoughts. His companions trusted him and Myrmidon with their lives, and their trust was so deep they expected to survive. As if it wasn’t a question of if, but how.

The cabin had gone quiet.

Morton moved to speak but Vannier sensed it and held a hand up for silence.

“There is a high chance, low risk solution,” Daedo said, and the squad held their breath assuming he had ‘genius’d’ something they all have overlooked. 

Vannier noticed his solemn demeanour, and she knew understood him better than most, “No.” She said simply.

“You have my plans, they just need to be followed,” Daedo replied.

“What are you talking about?” Axel-Zero asked in panic.

“No. You don’t know how much of a symbol you are,” Vannier said earnestly.

“They won’t kill me if they have me,” he replied and before he finished, the cabin broke in pandemonium. Everyone either shouted denial of his plan or were in shock.

Jia simply said, “We need you.” Then Morton, Kozlov, Rahman, Amari, Fleming, Axel-Zero and Picard repeated the statement in turn.

Vannier was last, “I need you.”

Daedo ignored them and pulled up a map. “We move east then south and land near here,” he said highlighting Caracas. “You will escape to the mountains and contact Master Haddad. “I will then head west in Amphibian and contact Huawei.”

“This is a plan we cannot accept,” Vannier said. “I would follow you to death, but I will not abandon you.”

“Picard,” Daedo said. “It’s an order I expect you to follow.”

Picard was silently crying, but she replied, “Yes Sir.”

“I don’t understand!” Axel-Zero exclaimed. “They don’t know where we are. We can bring in the carrier and just fly back to the Eye of the Sahara.”

“We ran the scenarios,” Daedo said. “Huawei’s capability and weaponry would ensure the carrier never makes it back. They have learned their lesson since Dakar and the evidence they are well prepared is all around us.”

“What about Morton’s plan where we sneak into a city and purchase an underwater craft and head back to our ocean floor base?” Axel-Zero asked.

“It’s a good plan,” Daedo admitted. “But there are too many variables and unknowns. The chance of discovery is high. And what happens to the inhabitants of that city if we are discovered?”

“What if we stop you?” Axel-Zero expressed what a few were feeling.

“That response is safe for you to air. For anyone else it would be treason,” Daedo stated.

“Damn!” Vannier exclaimed, “This is the first time I wish you were merged. At least then we had permission to depose you if you got out of control.”

“Do you really believe that this is an example of being out of control?” Daedo questioned.

“No! But it’s a very unpopular decision. Have you thought through the years if we are without you? Have you calculated how many of us will die in that scenario?” Vannier knew that the decision was mostly based on the risk of losing people.

“You won’t be kids then,” Daedo said.

“But that logic you are a kid now too!” Axel-Zero shouted. His new squad were quiet, they were relying on his old comrades to change his mind.

“We have to convince him with a better plan,” Picard said. “He won’t budge because you’re emotional.” 

“Okay,” Vannier said. “You’re right. Thanks.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Minutes flew by as the squad tried to think of a better plan. While they did their best brainstorming before, now they were deadly serious as if the stakes were somehow higher.

“Don’t,” Daedo said and the break in silence surprised them. “I anticipated that and had cut communications.”

Axel-Zero swore, smiled weakly and shrugged as Picard glared at her. Her friend leaned close and whispered, “Axel-Zero, I love you, and I am as distressed as you are with Daedo’s plan. But if you do anything like that again I will shoot you.”

“One hour to Caracas,” Daedo announced.

“Marais?!” Vannier asked.

“No.” Daedo answered.

“Mace? Where is her squad?” Picard asked.

“Were they effective in warning us about the nukes?” Daedo said flatly. “Huawei have proved they can outwit Mace and her squad. They must have more command channels that she hasn’t cracked.”

“Contact DaVinci?” Vannier asked.

“Too many unknowns,” Daedo said.

“But. Wait.” Vannier said. “Let’s split as in our current plan, but instead of contacting Huawei, what have you got to lose in contracting DaVinci?”

“Or Svarski - South America is one of their strongholds,” Axel-Zero added.

“Very good.” Daedo acquiesced to muted celebration. “We will alter the plan this much. Do I have your full cooperation now?”

“Bastard!” Vannier yelled. “You planned this!”