Endo strikes out at a relaxed pace, not even glancing up when two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters loaded for bear fly overhead. Our small group, all dressed in BlackGuard uniforms, faces covered by masks, head across the tarmac. Lilly is similarly dressed, her face hidden, but she lies on a field stretcher carried by Hawkins and Maigo.
The buildings ahead aren’t very impressive, and I think that’s the point. The base remained a secret for a long time, thanks to its uninspiring facade. Long hangars, single-story buildings, bland structures all the way around. Looks more like a low budget construction company than a top secret base developing and testing the most advanced tech in the world. According to Endo, and conspiracy theorists, it’s all a sham. The real action is underground, and even if the entire world knows it, who cares? They still can’t see what’s going on here. But we’re about to.
It takes all of my restraint to not look back when I hear missiles take to the sky, multiple explosions and the Tsuchi’s high pitched roar. But I manage to stride on like it’s no big deal.
Endo leads us to a small building that looks like a double-wide mobile home. The steps look like old wood, but they’re solid metal. At the top, the door, also faux worn and solid steel, slides open smoothly. The short hallway on the other side of the door ends at an elevator, one of many hidden in the buildings around the base—or rather, bases, plural—with each elevator leading to a different black operation, all protected by the U.S. Air Force, who likely has no idea what really goes on below ground. Two guards, dressed in black, flinch at the sight of us. They’re either spooked by the knowledge that a Kaiju is approaching, or by the sudden appearance of the BlackGuard.
We head straight toward them and stop. I wait in silence, glaring at the men, letting them think it’s Silhouette behind the mask. Finally, I say, “Dark Matter for the infirmary.”
One of the men, let’s call him Chuck, looks past me, at Lilly. “Looks like one of ours.”
He’s right, so I lift off her mask, revealing her feline face. She twitches, but doesn’t wake, still out for the count, which is definitely concerning. Endo better be right about getting her some fast help here.
Perhaps bolstered by Chuck’s questioning, the second man, we’ll call him Bob, inspects the rest. “I heard you lost men.”
“New recruits,” I say, slowly turning my reflective face on Bob so he can be reminded about how worried he looks.
Bob forces a laugh and hitches his thumb toward Collins. “Since when does the BlackGuard recruit wom—”
Collins cold cocks Bob in the side of the head, dropping him in a crumpled heap.
Chuck reaches for his gun, but Endo, Collins and I are all faster on the draw. Before he gets the weapon from its holster, he’s got three muzzles leveled at his face.
“Are you aware of what we lost today?” I ask, making sure my voice is low and threatening.
“Ye-yes, sir.”
“Then you must also realize that I am in a really, really bad mood.” I push my weapon into his forehead. “You know they won’t care if I shoot you, right? You are dispensable. I am not.”
Chuck is shaking a little bit right now. I’ve never instilled this kind of fear in someone before. Silhouette must have a seriously nasty reputation.
“Now call the God. Damned. Elevator.”
The man places his hand on the palm print scanner. Blue light flashes back and forth, and the elevator doors slide open. Once we’re inside, the doors closed, Collins says, “Too much?”
“Just right,” Endo replies. “And not the first time one of them has been punched.” He pushes one of three elevator buttons.
“Only three levels?” I ask.
“Three main levels, each with more elevators going down. But we are primarily interested with what is on levels one and three. Any lower could be...dangerous. Even for the BlackGuard.”
“What’s below level three?” Hawkins asks.
Endo looks back at Obsidian’s doppelganger. “Answers.”
“To what?” Collin says.
“To everything.”
“Okay, thank you Captain Cryptic,” I say. “But why level three? I thought the infirmary was on the first level.”
“It is, and you’ll see. It’s not something I can easily explain, but...you need to know what you’re really up against.”
“Make sure you add mysterious and foreboding to your eHarmony account.” I straighten my relaxed posture as the doors open, but the act is for nothing. The hallway on the other side is empty...and gloomy. The hall is round, like a large sewer pipe. A grated metal walkway is mounted to the curved floor. The lights along the ceiling are yellow and caged. This place is built like a Cold-War bomb shelter.
A vibration moves through the tunnel. The Tsuchi is waging a war on the surface, but can it reach us, GOD and the Brice clones down here? Feeling a sense of Endo’s foreboding, I head down the hallway, each footfall echoing loudly on the metal floor.