Page 67 of Red Zone Awakened

CHAPTER26

Freedom

The terrace of CommTECH’s research facility

Houston, Northern Territory

The blaring alarm,which had been grating on Susan Neal’s nerves, fell blessedly silent.

“The security hub team reports it was a faulty connection,” Graham, her communications expert, informed her.“They think it had something to do with us jamming the building’s signals.”

“Or it could have been our rogue press secretary and her reporter friend.”

“The team found no evidence of their interference.The alarm appears to have been triggered in a remote part of the building.They couldn’t have gotten near it without security picking them up on their screens.”

Seemed it was merely a fault after all.“Where are we on hunting down their press secretary?”

Graham indicated to Michael, who crossed the terrace toward them.His face was grim as he approached.

“I’d say your second-in-command knows the answer to that,” Graham said.

“The men we sent out after Sato and the reporter are dead,” Michael said as he reached them.“He broke one of their necks and threw the other out the window.I have another fighter who hasn’t checked in yet.No idea what’s happened to her.”

“Broken neck?Are you sure?”Contrary to common belief, it wasn’t easy to snap someone’s neck.

“I’m sure.We searched the penthouse, but there was no sign of them.They somehow managed to get past us.”

Susan let out a long, slow breath.“Who is this reporter with Keiko?What do we know about him?”

Graham pulled a datapad from the side pocket of his pants.“Mace Armstrong.Freelance.New to reporting on CommTECH.His past work was small-time local news.Looks like he was angling to move up in the world.”

“Training?Ex-Enforcement?”There were alarm bells going off in Susan’s head.A local news reporter shouldn’t have been able to take out two of her men as easily as Mace Armstrong had.

Graham shook his head.“Not that I can find.”

“Get one of the data specialists onto it.See what they can dig up.”

“Already done.”

Susan’s wrist unit issued an alert.“It’s time to talk to Miriam again.”She looked over at Michael.“Find that press secretary.We need her.”

“I’ll take Rock.”Michael eyed the man on the other side of the terrace, who was easily a head taller than everyone around him.“Rock’s ex-Enforcement, and I don’t know what skill set we’re up against with that reporter.”

She nodded absently, her attention already on what she’d say to CommTECH’s CEO.“Are you all set up?”she asked Graham.

“We’re good to go whenever you’re ready.”

Susan had no doubt that the CEO hadn’t gotten any further in fulfilling their demands.It was as though Miriam didn’t care about her scientists.That was fine with Susan because she knew that the viewers glued to their newsfeeds did care, and each execution would push CommTECH’s stock further into decline until it plummeted so far that Miriam couldn’t ignore Freedom any longer.She glanced at the stage, wondering which scientist would have the pleasure of furthering Freedom’s cause this time.

She sighed.Anyone but Rueben Granger would do.He was too valuable to lose yet.She’d get a lot more mileage out of the world watching him suffer.With a flick of her wrist, she signaled to her cameraman that it was time to start the show.