Skies of Defiance by Cam Shaw

Author:Cam Shaw [Shaw, Cam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-30T16:00:00+00:00

UNIFORM

Wudang Mountains, Hubei Province, China

10th February 2021

8:17 pm China Standard Time

Gianfranco picked up the phone and dialled a number. He had a short, concise conversation with someone on the other end and put the phone down again before turning to Sol. “A helicopter will be here in an hour to pick you up. Are you sure you are going to be ready?”

Looking down at his legs as he crept around the laboratory, Sol said, “I’ll make sure I am.”

An hour later, Gianfranco and Sol entered an elevator, heading for the mountain top helicopter landing pad. Sol, dressed in a pristine White Cloud uniform sporting an Australian flag on the sleeve, looked a touch robotic with the mask over his head and his unsteady walk.

The sound of a helicopter’s beating blades got louder as they walked out onto the helipad, and before long, a matte black, stealth-looking helicopter was landing in front of them. Its engine shut down, and the side door slid open.

Gianfranco turned to Sol. “This is where I must leave you,” he said.

“You’re not coming with me?”

“No. I’m sorry. I can’t,” Gianfranco said. “I have some business I must attend to in Italy. But I wish you all the best, and I hope you can assist Roman to get White Cloud off its knees.”

He held his hand out for Sol to shake.

Sol stared down at the open hand. His memory not recalling this social convention.

“It’s a gesture of friendship,” Gianfranco explained. “You put your hand in mine, and you shake it.”

Sol put his hand into Gianfranco’s but left the act of the actual shake to him. “I appreciate everything you have done for me,” Sol said. “I will do my best to return the favour.”

Gianfranco smiled at him. “Godspeed, Sol. Godspeed.”

Sol walked slowly over to the helicopter and got in. Inside the rear section were three men, all dressed in black and wearing headsets. They acknowledged him with a simple nod, which Sol mimicked in return.

“Where are you taking me?” he asked.

None of the men answered him and stared straight ahead, unresponsive and cold.

“Good chat,” Sol said sarcastically.

An hour later, the helicopter landed on top of a skyscraper high above a city. Sol could hear the blaring of car horns coming from somewhere below as frustrated drivers battled with city traffic and the wind howled across the top of the building. A well-groomed man in a suit strode towards him.

“Welcome, Mr Barrett,” the man said, holding his hand out as Gianfranco had done. “My name is—” he paused for a moment, leaning forward to examine the mask on Sol’s head, “—What the hell is that on your head?”

Sol shook the man’s hand. “It’s a mask.”

“Yes, I can see that, but… why?”

“Because what is under this mask should not be seen by anyone, and you do not need to introduce yourself. I know who you are,” Sol said. “Frank told me all about you.”

“Frank?” Roman asked, standing up straight and blinking in confusion. “Who’s Frank?”

“Gianfranco.”

Roman smiled. “Ah, okay. Frank.”

“So, what do you need me to do?” Sol asked.

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