government forces?”
“Sergeant, you have in your possession fifty per cent of the world’s supply of the undeployed virus, because Miami was the only bomb captured intact. If FASA can get their hands on it they have a chance to get back into the bomb-making business in the near future. And I am afraid they know about Fastbox.”
“What? How, sir?”
“We have been compromised. In the last twenty-four hours we have arrested sixteen military personnel who are either members of FASA, or being paid by FASA for information. I don’t expect we got them all, and we have reason to believe there are other FASA elements within the military, low-level but dangerous. Within hours every FASA cell will know about the Fastbox mission and its importance.”
“Did they get Fastbox Three, sir?”
“No, that was just bad luck and zombies. We have already instituted security protocols with Fastbox One that should ensure its payload.”
“Shouldn’t I just destroy this payload, sir? You’ve got Fastbox One, and once it’s in a secure facility, you won’t need this one.”
“You must destroy it if capture seems imminent, but we need that payload. FASA deployed the virus before it was fully ready; from examining samples taken from subjects our people believe that working with undeployed samples could fast-track us to various counters. We need every milligram available.”
“All right, sir,” Marv said slowly, thinking hard. “So I should avoid government forces because there may be FASA elements looking for me. Is your section secure?”
“It is now,” Colonel Nelson’s voice was grim. “We are now in a fully secure environment, with dissemination of any data regarding Fastbox limited to a very small circle, ‘Eyes Only’. However, in your case it is safe to assume they know the contents of every communication except this one. Do not employ email again, and expect that any unsecure transmission has been compromised. You need to stay off the grid and continue heading to Texas until I can get reliable forces to you.”
“Any estimate on that ETA, sir?”
“Not soon; everything is, as you must know, a madhouse, and the news of FASA’s infiltration has changed everything. I had two helicopters and a security team drawn from the Georgia National Guard on standby since receiving your e-mail, but I had to release them because I cannot be sure that one or more members could be FASA. Only SpecOps personnel have the background investigations sufficiently in-depth to trust at this point, and they are stretched to the limit on other missions. The one asset I have gotten is dedicated to Fastbox One. When that is secure, I’ll shift them to you.”
“Understood, sir.”
Colonel Nelson sighed. “I know this isn’t your usual line of work, Sergeant. We’re asking more of you than even a Ranger ought to have to give. But you’re the man with the ball, and we need to run with it.”
“All The Way, sir.”
“Good. This may not come into play, but if you find a functioning ATM, this account will let you draw cash, compliments of Uncle Sam. Prepare to copy.” He read off the digits.
“Got it, sir. My battery is starting to fade-I have a way to trickle-charge it, and will report in when I have enough power. I’ll try for eighteen hundred, sir.”
“Good luck, Sergeant.”
Marv sat on the toilet lid with his face in his hands, feeling like a man adrift on the open sea. Shaking his head, he tore off the portion of the tissue box that had his notes and tucked it into the nylon case that held the payload. Studying the phone, he detached the scrambler module and the authorization chip and added them to the case as well.
Back in the RV’s main compartment, he handed the phone and the katana to Doc. “Charge it up. Screw with that phone in any way, shape, or form, make any attempt to use it for any purpose, and I will beat that sword into bits. Got it?”
“My sword!” Doc gushed, grabbing the scabbard like it
“Sergeant, you have in your possession fifty per cent of the world’s supply of the undeployed virus, because Miami was the only bomb captured intact. If FASA can get their hands on it they have a chance to get back into the bomb-making business in the near future. And I am afraid they know about Fastbox.”
“What? How, sir?”
“We have been compromised. In the last twenty-four hours we have arrested sixteen military personnel who are either members of FASA, or being paid by FASA for information. I don’t expect we got them all, and we have reason to believe there are other FASA elements within the military, low-level but dangerous. Within hours every FASA cell will know about the Fastbox mission and its importance.”
“Did they get Fastbox Three, sir?”
“No, that was just bad luck and zombies. We have already instituted security protocols with Fastbox One that should ensure its payload.”
“Shouldn’t I just destroy this payload, sir? You’ve got Fastbox One, and once it’s in a secure facility, you won’t need this one.”
“You must destroy it if capture seems imminent, but we need that payload. FASA deployed the virus before it was fully ready; from examining samples taken from subjects our people believe that working with undeployed samples could fast-track us to various counters. We need every milligram available.”
“All right, sir,” Marv said slowly, thinking hard. “So I should avoid government forces because there may be FASA elements looking for me. Is your section secure?”
“It is now,” Colonel Nelson’s voice was grim. “We are now in a fully secure environment, with dissemination of any data regarding Fastbox limited to a very small circle, ‘Eyes Only’. However, in your case it is safe to assume they know the contents of every communication except this one. Do not employ email again, and expect that any unsecure transmission has been compromised. You need to stay off the grid and continue heading to Texas until I can get reliable forces to you.”
“Any estimate on that ETA, sir?”
“Not soon; everything is, as you must know, a madhouse, and the news of FASA’s infiltration has changed everything. I had two helicopters and a security team drawn from the Georgia National Guard on standby since receiving your e-mail, but I had to release them because I cannot be sure that one or more members could be FASA. Only SpecOps personnel have the background investigations sufficiently in-depth to trust at this point, and they are stretched to the limit on other missions. The one asset I have gotten is dedicated to Fastbox One. When that is secure, I’ll shift them to you.”
“Understood, sir.”
Colonel Nelson sighed. “I know this isn’t your usual line of work, Sergeant. We’re asking more of you than even a Ranger ought to have to give. But you’re the man with the ball, and we need to run with it.”
“All The Way, sir.”
“Good. This may not come into play, but if you find a functioning ATM, this account will let you draw cash, compliments of Uncle Sam. Prepare to copy.” He read off the digits.
“Got it, sir. My battery is starting to fade-I have a way to trickle-charge it, and will report in when I have enough power. I’ll try for eighteen hundred, sir.”
“Good luck, Sergeant.”
Marv sat on the toilet lid with his face in his hands, feeling like a man adrift on the open sea. Shaking his head, he tore off the portion of the tissue box that had his notes and tucked it into the nylon case that held the payload. Studying the phone, he detached the scrambler module and the authorization chip and added them to the case as well.
Back in the RV’s main compartment, he handed the phone and the katana to Doc. “Charge it up. Screw with that phone in any way, shape, or form, make any attempt to use it for any purpose, and I will beat that sword into bits. Got it?”
“My sword!” Doc gushed, grabbing the scabbard like it
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