Page 91 of Headcase
“I love you,” Zane blurted.
“Wow, you reallydothink I’m going to die. Have a little faith, Lois.”
“I’m serious. I love you. I know it doesn’t make sense and it’s too fast and you can’t love me back, but I need to say it and you need to hear it just in case. Okay?”
“Okay,” Asa said. “Okay. I hear you. But I promise I’m coming back. And I’m bringing that piece of shit with me, so you can decide exactly what you want to do with him. Be creative.”
Zane continued to cling to him until Calliope’s voice came over the comms. “Everything is in place. Noah, are you good to go?”
Noah flipped on half a dozen switches, and the monitors blazed to life. “I’m ready, yeah.”
“Everybody in the water,” Calliope said. “I want a last minute systems check.”
“I’ll be back, Lois. I promise.”
Zane reluctantly let Asa go, chewing on his lip as he watched him leave. Above deck, August, Adam, Avi, Aiden, and Jericho were checking each other’s gear before putting their rebreather masks on and giving a thumbs up, falling backwards off the boat into the chilly water, each carrying an underwater propulsion system.
Asa was the last in the water. Underneath, they did a final check, ensuring everything was ready. There were no guns to worry about, just the two knives strapped to Asa’s thighs. The trip from the boat to the shore went quickly with the propulsion pulling them along.
“We’re in position,” Asa said.
“Well then, here goes nothing,” Calliope said.
Zane watched on the monitor as Calliope pulled up the link she’d used to try to join the game. His stomach lurched as the old school graphic popped up asking if she wanted to play the game. She clicked the yes button. The cursor flashed for a solid five minutes. Then, just like last time, theGAME OVERwarning appeared and the screen went blank.
“Shit,” Noah muttered. “What if he doesn’t bite?”
“Be patient,” Calliope warned.
Minutes dripped by, Zane’s skin crawling with each second, until finally words appeared in block letters on the screen.
I TOLD YOU. GAME’S OVER.
Calliope clicked the blinking cursor, typing:I know who you are.
NO YOU DON’T.
Calliope didn’t hesitate before typing back:Sure I do, Freddie.
“That should get him scrambling. Now, I just need to make a very obvious attempt to breach his system.” Zane listened to Calliope’s furious typing. “That ought to do it.”
ARE YOU TRYING TO HACK ME?
Calliope cackled maniacally, typing:Trying? Who’s going to stop me?
“Okay, go,” she hissed.
Noah spun his chair to the other two monitors, pushing a few buttons. Zane could only watch as the satellite images appeared, seemingly refreshing every thirty seconds. Noah wore a headset that made him look a little like he should be working the window at an In & Out Burger, but his commands were short and to the point.
“Hold. There are two security guys standing at nine o’clock. Looks like they’re bullshitting.”
The others stayed submerged while Calliope continued to bait Freddie. “Yeah, that’s right you fuck-wad, come and get me.”
“The two guards are separating,” Noah said. “One is retreating around the east side of the property. The other is staying put. Wait for my signal, then be ready to pounce.”
When the guard turned his back, Noah said, “Go, now. Take him down.”
Zane’s heart stopped as Asa emerged from the water in one fluid motion, catching the man from behind and slitting his throat without effort before dragging him back into the water.
