Page 77 of Undercover Infidel
“System diagnostics,” McLaren answered smoothly, her fingers never pausing on the console. “Final calibrations before your demonstration.”
Orlov’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed the room, taking in Bennett’s disheveled appearance, Lex’s defensive stance, and my retrieved weapon.
“I see,” he said quietly. “You’ve brought friends.”
In an instant, the laboratory erupted into chaos. Orlov’s men opened fire, forcing us to dive for cover behind equipment banks. Bullets ricocheted off metal surfaces, shattering monitors.
“Lex!”I shouted, unable to see her through the melee.
“The console!”McLaren’s voice cut through the gunfire.“Margot, we need to complete the countermeasure now!”
I provided covering fire, dropping two of Orlov’s men as they tried to flank our position. Through gaps in the equipment, I glimpsed Lex making her way toward McLaren.
“Bennett!” I called. “Cover their position!”
For a moment, I thought he would refuse—that his earlier performance had revealed his true allegiance. Then he pivoted, laying down suppressive fire that allowed Lex to reach McLaren’s side.
“What do I need to do?” Lex demanded, taking position at the adjacent terminal.
“Initialize the secondary protocol while I stabilize the primary matrix,” McLaren instructed, her professional composure returning despite the bullets flying around them.
Orlov shouted orders in Russian, directing his remaining forces to converge on them. I shifted position, drawing their fire toward me instead of the women working frantically to stop his weapon.
Bennett’s earlier tension appeared to vanish as he called out to me. “When they finish, get them out through the maintenance tunnels. Section J-7 connects to the exterior.”
Before I could respond, Bennett broke from cover, advancing toward Orlov’s position. His sudden movement drew concentrated fire, but he continued forward, absorbing multiple hits without faltering.
“Malcolm, no!”McLaren cried, looking up from her work.
Bennett ignored her, his focus locked on Orlov, who had retreated behind his security detail. With a final burst of strength, Bennett broke through their line, shooting the Russian scientist before tackling him to the ground.
Two shots echoed above the general cacophony. Bennett’s body went rigid, then slumped forward atop Orlov. Blood pooled beneath them as the remaining guards hesitated, momentarily shocked by their employer’s demise.
I used the distraction to reach Lex and McLaren. “How much longer?”
“Almost there,” Lex replied. “The countermeasure is uploading.”
Orlov’s men regrouped and, rather than help their fallen leader, advanced on our position. I fired until my magazine emptied, then drew my backup weapon.
“Done!”McLaren announced, initiating the final sequence. “The neural interface is rejecting Orlov’s targeting parameters.”
On the main display, warning indicators flashed as the system began destabilizing. The blue-white energy at the core of the device pulsed erratically, power fluctuations cascading through the connected systems.
“It’s overloading,” Lex warned, reading the diagnostic output. “The countermeasure is triggering a chain reaction in the power core. This place is going to blow!”
I pulled Lex away from the console.“We need to move. Now!”
McLaren hesitated, looking toward Bennett’s motionless form. “We can’t leave him?—”
“He’s gone,” I said firmly, grabbing her arm.
As warning lights flashed across every monitor, Lex gripped Evelyn’s arm.“Are you Janus?”she shouted.
As McLaren jerked from Lex’s grasp, her face revealed nothing—not surprise, not confusion, notrecognition—just a blank stare amidst the chaos surrounding us.
The first explosion came from the power coupling nearest the neural interface. Equipment racks toppled as ceiling panels crashed down. Orlov’s remaining men fled, abandoning their fallen leader amid the destruction.
“Let her go!”I shouted at Lex when McLaren took off in the opposite direction.
