Star Marque Rising by Shami Stovall

Author:Shami Stovall [Stovall, Shami]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780998045214
Published: 2018-04-15T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ASSASSINATION

“Where are they?” I asked.

Sawyer shrugged. “In the building. Perhaps outside. But close.”

“You don't know where they are specifically? I thought you were on top of this.”

“Tracking the communications of a bunch of would-be assassins isn't enough to impress you?” she sarcastically asked. “Next time I'll let you do it, and I'll be the one toting around the gun.”

Now wasn't the time for playful bickering. “Do Lysander and the others know our targets are close?”

“Not yet.”

I pulled my enviro-suit helmet over my head and waited as it suctioned into place. Once the screen pulsed to life, I switched through the comms until I had everyone in the nearby area.

This wasn't Capital Station. I didn't know my way around, I didn't know the procedures, and I didn't know the terrain. Devising a plan that involved catching a bunch of assholes who did have that information put me at a huge disadvantage. It wouldn't stop Endellion, though, so I couldn't let it hold me back, either.

“Lysander,” I said. “If you were going to lead a team of rebels into this building, what would you do?”

For a second, he didn't answer. I got angry—thinking he was ignoring me—but the moment his comms line flickered onto my screen, I calmed down.

“Most research facilities on Vectin-14 have internal scanners to prevent corporate espionage,” he said. “That means that prepping the place with explosives or an electromagnetic disturbance would be near-impossible. They would've gotten caught within the hour.”

“The building does have internal scanners,” Sawyer said to me, not through the comms.

How was she even hearing the conversation? She wasn't wearing an enviro-suit, and she was just standing around with her gaze glued to her PAD. Maybe she had some sort of cybernetic implants, as well, something that worked in tandem with her PAD, so she could listen in on communications.

Lysander continued, “The mag-lev trains go through security checkpoints, and walking in on foot is a long trek that requires passing several gates with guards. The quickest way into the building, avoiding the most obstacles, is through the landing pads on the roof. Those transport shuttles are checked and given clearance at other stations, but the clearance authentication could be faked—or the cargo tampered with afterwards—and no one would know until the shuttle arrived onsite.”

“And then what?” I asked.

“Preparations would be made on the landing pad to avoid the internal scanners. Once inside, the alarms would likely trigger on any unauthorized weapons, but by then they would have the advantage.”

I switched off my comms and turned to Sawyer. “And what would you do if you were on this assassination team?”

“I'd be manning the building's scanners,” she said with a raised eyebrow. “That way, when the insurgency began, I could prevent the alarms until it was far too late for security to do anything about the problem.”

“Wouldn't someone notice the scanners being tampered with?”

“Depends. But that's why I wouldn't risk long-term prep. However, a couple extra minutes can go a long way.”

I reconnected my comms. “Lysander, Mara, you two should meet me on the landing pad.

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