Pulse

Chapter 13 - Wolves

Adam and Drexle stood side by side transfixed, their faces lit up by glare from the Chair room holoscreens. Their attention was drawn to a single, grey dot picked up by the security cameras. Whatever it was, it wasn't getting bigger, which meant that it had stopped at a considerable distance from the Glasshouse.

Adam put down the bowl of salad he was munching on, wiped his mouth and, without taking his eyes off the screens, asked Drexle if he could get closer. Without answering, Drexle tapped at the holo-keyboard floating in front of him and the Glasshouse security cameras immediately zoomed in on the strange, unidentified object until it came into view.

"Oh crap!" said Adam swallowing. "I know what that is."

"Some kind of transport?" offered Drexle.

"That's not just any old transport. That's an S.U.D."

"A what?"

"Uh... a Special Unit Dropship. Specifically, a Wolf squad. You can tell by the markings. See. There and there," explained Adam pointing at the screen towards the blown up image.

"Yes. I see it," said Drexle solemnly.

They watched as the special forces transport dropped it's payload under cover of powdery snow. Powerful thrusters rotated the vehicle 180 degrees. Then it took off in the direction it had come.

"Oh shit! Not good. Not good."

"How not good?"

"Don't you see? It didn't land."

"Umm..."

"They're not here to capture us. The drone would have waited if that was the case."

"Oh. I see."

"If the drone had landed, we might've been ok."

"So... Search and Destroy?"

Adam let out a deep sigh. "I'm afraid so, Drexle."

Was this it? Was this defeat? Where was the Voice? Was it not seeing this?

Drexle shot a sideways glance at Adam attempting to read his changing facial expressions; a blur of emotional states overlapping and collapsing into one. He knew that Adam was committed to the success of the mission, but, for a fleeting moment, Drexle picked up the desire to run; to get out of here now before the assassination squad arrived on their doorstep, before they reached Nikolai and Qi.

Adam was staring unblinking at the holoscreens, lost in conflicting thoughts and emotions, his bottom lip curling up under the tension. In his mind, he imagined a realm beyond the scenery displayed on the screens; a place where his new friends could be safe. A place where Niko, Drexle and Qi could live out the rest of their lives away from all this.

If he could sacrifice himself right now in the pursuit of that idyllic goal, he would gladly do it without giving it a second thought. But, right now, he needed to get back in the Chair and help Grace for as long as he could. Her mission was top priority and that's what he was here to assist with. Nothing could get in the way of that. Not now. Not after having come so far. The others would have to deal with the encroaching threat as best they could. There was no other option.

Finally, he blinked, lowered his gaze and, in a hoarse voice, said, "How much time do we have?"

"Twenty, maybe thirty minutes."

"Right. Remember, these are ground units, moving through thick snow. So that should buy us a little more time."

"Understood."

"Drexle, listen to me. We have to make every second count. You must keep those Wolves away from me at all cost." Adam paused, his head heavy with the consequences of his words, considering carefully what he was asking Drexle to sacrifice. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"