AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was no time, however, before everyone’s earpieces came alive with the sound of Joe Takahashi’s voice. “Victor One, Victor Two. Cameras are off and disabled. Two EKIA, we’re clear.”
EKIA meant “enemy killed in action,” and Zack had said there were normally either one or two men in the security room monitoring the cams.
“Roger,” Travers broadcast back. “Retrace your steps and meet us in the stairwell. Be advised, there is activity in the kitchen.”
“Roger that, will bypass.”
Travers didn’t wait for the other fire team; he led his five all the way past the kitchen and to the stairs, and then they entered the enclosed stairwell.
Instantly Court heard a sound from below. The Victors heard it, as well, because the men aimed their pistols, stopped, and waited.
Court whispered into his mic even though he was within fifteen feet of everyone. “Suggest blades.”
Travers instantly echoed Court’s idea, announcing it as an order.
Victors Five and Six holstered, drew knives, and knelt there at the top of the stairs, while the rest of the group stood back and out of view of anyone coming up.
A pair of sentries armed with MP5 submachine guns climbed up to the ground floor. Neither of them seemed ready to encounter a threat, and when the two Americans launched at them, they had no defense. Victor Five went for the man on the left and shoved his blade into the man’s chest, not quite getting his hand over the guard’s mouth before he let out a scream. Shoving him up against the wall, however, he did cover the noise that came from him, and he left the blade in until the man went limp and slid to the ground.
Victor Six stabbed his target in the lower rib cage, then used the man’s slung weapon to pull him forward before he fell back down the stairs.
The man gave out a gasp of surprise, but it was muted, and his end came quick.
In seconds both dead Cubans were dragged into a corner that would hide them if the door was opened, and the six-person team began descending.
•••
Zack Hightower sat on the bench in the underground communication room, looking up at Anton Hinton in disbelief. He’d heard the man’s spiel, the promise of a better world. After finding the words, Zack said, “You call this enlightenment?”
“I do. My study of comparative theology led me to the only possible conclusion. Nothing is real.” He smiled. “But I will change that. I will give true meaning to humanity.”
“By killing millions of people?”
“By my calculations, tens of millions, unfortunately. I feel terrible about that. Believe me, I did try to find a better way.” With a wistful smile he said, “But those left behind…my God, what a world we will have.”
Zack said, “I get it now. You think you’re a god.”
“No, I don’t. I exist. God does not. But what if a divine power could exist? What if it could be created? What if god could be manufactured by a benevolent person of great skill, and then simply set out into our world, to permeate everything, bring goodness to the planet that would serve every man, woman, and beast?”
Zack had no words.
“Listen to me. Someone was going to build an algorithm that took control of all things. It was inevitable and it was coming. I am a futurist, after all, and I know that technology only moves in one direction. It explodes, it never implodes.
“Why not have me be the one who creates it? Me, an honest, kind, gentle person who has always only wanted to help people use automation to simplify and improve their lives. If I can create a new order that improves this planet, I can leave it behind as my legacy.”
Zack shook his head now. “Cyrus is your gift to the world? Do you fucking hear yourself?”
“Cyrus the Great founded the first Persian Empire. Fifth century BCE. I took his name for my algorithm because Cyrus was known for respecting all the religions of the lands he conquered. My world won’t enforce belief systems. Whatever magic you need to trust in to get you through life is just fine.
“Cyrus was a powerful but kindly ruler. As am I.”
“You’re insane, is what you are.”
Gareth Wren moved forward quickly towards Zack; the Sentry robots’ faces followed the movement as their cameras scanned. The Englishman reached across his body with his right hand and then swept it back, slamming the back of it into Zack’s face, knocking him off the bench and to the floor. “Shut your fucking mouth!” he shouted, his eyes wild with fresh rage.
Anton said nothing about this; he just appeared calm and stood over Zack as the American spit blood on the floor.
Finally he knelt down next to him. “On the contrary, I’m the only truly sane person I’ve ever met. So incredibly sane the rest of the planet doesn’t understand me. Don’t think of me as evil, think of me as what I really am. I am an agent of chaos, no more and no less than that. And a short, harsh, cleansing dose of chaos is exactly what the world so desperately needs, because after that chaos, the impurities of this earth will be washed away.”
