Blink: Interdiction (Book 4)

17

Amber listened intently to the reports as they filtered in from the other Blink teams who'd been sent into the Haze alongside them. With a host of different cover stories for their presence in the desolate part of the world they had tried, with varying degrees of success, to gain access to the local criminal underground.

The portable comm rig crackled and fizzed as the messages came through, even its specially augmented machinery struggling to cope with the highly charged atmosphere of the Haze. The very air around them was awash with static discharges, electromagnetic distortions and heavy with inert gases. The reinforced gear proved its worth, however, as piece by piece they were able to put together the reports from their comrades.

It was a mixed bag. Taggs had struck out, finding no inroads with the locals in the network of smelting hamlets that his squad had been assigned. Panther Squad under Bandle's command had marginally more success, but their local contact turned out to be excessively paranoid. It would be days before they could even approach the man again, let alone try and push him to organise meetings with buyers further up the chain.

Vanna Proctor, however, had seen much more success. Rigel Squad's attractive array of strictly contraband liqueurs, hallucinogenics and exotic meats had netted them a swift encounter with one of the fences for the leading narcotics distributor in the Haze. With that they were able to begin piecing together a small part of the criminal structure that worked its way through the district like ivy creepers.

What they didn't know yet was just what form the final structure took. Were there separate factions wrestling for control of different pieces of turf? Or did it all come together in some kind of clandestine pyramid with their quarry at the top?

With this new info, Darien quickly pivoted their strategy. She listened, half in awe and half terrified with how quickly his mind moved as he outlined his plans to integrate even deeper with the criminal organisations that infested the Haze. With two clear points of access he divvied up the forces into neat sections, keeping Vass's unit beyond detection range at their staging area and moving the unsuccessful groups to support the others. Vandel Squad joined Hammerhead at their survey station, while Panther Squad under Bandle were dispatched to support Vanna's efforts.

Regardless of what had transpired elsewhere, however, Hammerhead Squad still had a meeting to arrange. Barely six hours had passed before the new assignments had been carried out and Darien was planning their next move, outlining the plan for their meeting. Hammerhead's operatives were joined by Taggs and the members of Vandal Squad, huddled around the broad metal table in the middle of the survey station's primary ops room. All eyes and ears were fixed on Darien as he walked them through the coming confrontation.

"They'll need proof of two things," he told him, his eyes never leaving the holographic map display as he spoke. "First, that we've actually got the weapons. Second, that we've got the wherewithal to keep them."

"So more than just the two of us," Amber murmured.

He nodded. "Exactly. You and me, we're the contacts. They speak with us and no-one else. Hekket, Uther, you're on crate duty. You'll come in with us but you are only there to carry the gear and do as you're told."

"Aye, no' much change there then, eh?" Taggs interjected dryly, prompting a good natured rumble of laughter from the other operatives and a glare from Uther.

Darien smiled thinly and continued on. "Niamh and Idas, put on your toughest faces. You're going to be the muscle. Taggs, I'll need two of yours backing us up as well."

"I'm in."

"No, not you."

"Eh?" Taggs gave him a bemused look.