first chapter of the final rewrite of "The Coming of Darkness"

Chapter 1


A single figure slid down the zip line over the city streets. Ahead, the hotel’s roof grew larger as she approached. Dressed in all black, she was invisible to all but the most attentive spotter.

God, what a rush! Words couldn’t describe the feeling of floating fifteen stories above busy streets and not worrying about being injured. Air cars floated below and giant billboards blared their messages for all to hear.

She landed on the roof and disconnected from the line. The wind blew cold and raw and it tussled her raven-colored hair. The woman reached up and pulled an equipment bag off the line.

A quick glance and she moved into the maze of environmental and communications equipment on the roof. No one had seen the approach; that was perfect. So far, the mission moved according to plan.

The rock bit into her knee but the woman didn’t notice the pain. She could, unlike most people, cut the pain off and not feel it. Sometimes that could be an advantage but other times, like now, it made her feel less then human.

Kate Almir opened her bag and sighed. It contained the tools of her trade: a Kimber pistol and ammunition, a throat mike, katana sword and enough rope to reach the alley below from the ten story high roof.

She slipped the mike around her throat and hit the button. A short burst of static sounded in her ears before it cleared. Fleet Intelligence had a transport hidden in a park on the other side of town. Rear Admiral Claudio Reyes, Intelligence’s chief, could communication directly with her during the mission, which left things ever more intense then they normally would be.

The mission: stop a Fleet tech named Mel James from selling top-secret technology he stole. Agents undercover in the arms markets had identified the Germanic Empire as the highest bidder. James waited four floors below for his visitors to arrive.

Kate looked back at the zip-line and sighed. Two years. It had been two years since she left Necko but things were still the same. She had been a killer then, albeit a slave, and was still a killer now-albeit a government sanctioned one.

The more things change, she thought, the more they stay the same.

She pulled the Kimber out and placed a clip into it. Richmond. What a dump. Why had the target decided it would be a great place to sell stolen technology? Of all cites on Earth, and beyond, why such a small town?

Either way it didn’t matter where James had gone he would have been found. Once the theft reached Intelligence Reyes had jumped into motion. Every asset he had in the field went into motion: all with the purpose of finding the man who had stolen the most sensitive files the Intelligence Chief had.

In a way, Kate felt sorry for the man. Did James actually think that Fleet would stand idly by as he stole their secrets? Of course they would send someone like her to stop, and silence, him.

Reyes had left no stone uncovered in his plan. While Kate had the hard part, two more agents were in the lobby and another watching the streets. Despite Intelligence’s best efforts, the theft had reached the planetary security net so the police would be alerted.

And hopefully be a day late and a dollar short, Kate thought, because their arrival would foul the plan up good!

“Falcon,” she said, “This is Rover.”

###

Falcon’s location was across the street from the hotel. His location, carefully hidden, gave him a clear view up and down the street. His eyes narrowed as a car came into view.
Multicolored lights reflected off the buildings in the distance. Falcon cursed under his breath. The damn cops! There were early! That would interfere with everything!

“Falcon this is Rover,”

“Rover,” he said, “We’ve got a problem: the cops are on the way.”

“****,”

Behind the first car came a second. A third car joined them and a truck brought up the rear. The truck meant SWAT was on the way. He hoped Rover had a backup plan in place or they would keep her from achieving Reyes’ goals.

“SWAT is on the way,” he said, “They’re about thirty seconds away.”

A sigh was all he got in response.

“We’re blown,” he said, “I repeat we’re blown.”

“Belay that!”

The harsh, forceful retort from Rover stopped him in mid breath. He had heard she could be ice cold about a mission, but this was ridiculous! How could the woman remotely think they could succeed in stopping James with the Police on scene?

Either way, he had to give her credit for guts. If anyone could pull this off, it was she! Hell, he might as well ride it out to the bitter end and see what happened.

“Keep an eye on the SWAT team,” Rover said, “I’ve got James.”

“What are you going to?”

“I’ll tell you when I know,”

The link went silent.

###

The multicolored lights gave the scene a garish look. Another vehicle came to a stop, joining the first police vehicle. Behind them, a truck pulled up and a SWAT team exited.

Lieutenant Jason Brinkman stepped out into the cold, night air. They had brought a lot of personnel for the job; however, according to the Chief, it was anything but ordinary. A theft of Fleet secrets from Alliance Navy Headquarters had caused an alert on the planetary net. A follow up had provided the police with the location and identity of the thief.

Normally, the police wouldn’t concern themselves with the theft. However, when the information reached them that the Technician responsible, Mel James, had come to Richmond to sell his stolen goods, which got them involved. This, the Chief had explained to Brinkman, provided the perfect opportunity for them to stick a finger in the eye of Fleet Intelligence Chief Admiral Claudio Reyes for previous stunts he had pulled in their regional jurisdiction two years ago.

Brinkman spat on the sidewalk. He looked up at the hotel. James had chosen the one wing that took his snipers out of play.

Damned antique buildings, he thought, full of angles and wings that aren’t necessary! If only he had chosen a newer building all of this could be settled with a sniper shot to the head!

A Sergeant approached. The woman stopped beside Brinkman and she craned her neck skyward. She shook her head for a moment before speaking.

“What if Intelligence shows up?”

What if they did? Could he get his people to James before some agent snatched the man from their grip? Would Reyes, once again, make them look like fools in their own backyard?

That isn’t going to happen. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. He will not make a fool of me!

“Claudio Reyes knows this is my turf! If that son of a bitch tries to take James down-or into custody while I’m here…I’ll take it all the way to the top of Fleet Command!

“Besides,” Brinkman said as he looked at the SWAT team. “Once James left their property, it became my game.”

The SWAT team moved up the steps, automatic rifles loaded and full of menace. Brinkman secretly wished Intelligence would interfere. With the firepower at their disposal he wished an agent would arrive…friendly fire could be deadly at times.

“Has that ever stopped him before?” the Sergeant asked.

“No,” Brinkman answered, “But things won’t go well if an agent tries to get involved.”

Which suited him just fine.

###

Falcon watched Brinkman and the Sergeant talk. From his vantage point, their voices carried over to him. His eyes narrowed as the SWAT team entered the building.

“Rover,” he whispered, “This is Falcon.”

“Go ahead, Falcon,”

“SWAT has entered the building,” he said, “I estimate you have ten minutes to reach the end zone.”

“I’m workin’ on it,”

He sighed and shook his head. Rover always tended to be overconfident in her abilities. This time he hoped she was right.

###

Kate looked at the city lights below. Reyes had spent a lot of time and money in development of the skin-tight suit she wore. The crowning achievement in camouflage; it took and bent light around the wearer, which made them invisible.

When she had seen it for the first time, Kate had laughed and joked about it being a teenaged boys’ sex fantasy until she wore it. Once activated, no one in her training class save the instructors could see her. It had been a mind-opening experience.

The key to optical camouflage was the tiny magnets built into the suit. They bent the light in such a way the only a slight blurring, if you knew what to look for, of the edges shown. For covert ops, it had been a Godsend. However, for her foes, the suit equaled their worst nightmare.

You can always count on the Police screwing things up. I planned this mission down to the minute and now it’s blown to hell. Not that I like the idea of carrying the mission out however.

Kate found herself in a reflective mood as she worked. Two years. It had been that long since she left Necko, without a damn thing having changed. Fourteen years she had been a gladiator slave, whom people bet money on. Now, she knelt on the roof of a hotel prepared to kill a man for the government with their full sanction.

God, I hate this ****ing job.

A burst of wind blew through the roof. If sent her hair flying in all directions. Typical; not matter how hard she tried it didn’t want to cooperate!

She pulled a length of rope from her bad and started to unwind it. It would be needed soon.


###

Mel James paced the hotel room like a caged lion. Where were they? The Germanics certainly were taking their damned time. It wasn’t like they didn’t know where the meeting was! Hell, they had picked the spot!
He crossed the room and poured himself another glass of whiskey. Every moment spent waiting on his contacts allowed Intelligence to grow that much closer. He needed to be under their protection, both physically and diplomatically when Intelligence or, even better, the Police arrived.
The alcohol burned a path down his throat. Either way, things would be over soon. The Germanics would have their information and he would have the credits to further the cause. Then the real work would begin.
Democracy! What a joke! A system concocted by the powerful elites to allow them to run roughshod over the weak. That would change soon, however, because over the course of several years he had connected with hundreds of people who felt the same way. The Germanic money would allow them to act…and the galaxy would tremble at it.
The credits would be a windfall to their organization: dedicated to overthrowing the Alliance government. Weapons of mass destruction would allow them to replace the oppressive government in DC with one more equitable…and fair for the billions of lower class workers through the galaxy. Did the deaths of Fleet Personnel really matter? They stood as representatives of an unjust system.
He nearly jumped when the feminine voice of the computer spoke:
“You have visitors,”
About damned time…
“Open,”
Three men entered. The expensive suits made James raise an eyebrow. Why was it that people who worked in government always dressed well? It was meant to impress but all it did was disgust him. Once they had topped the Alliance, then the Germanics were next.
He looked at two of the blonde men and snorted. State security: a bunch of thugs who keep people afraid through threats and force. A real terrorist knew how to use people’s own fear against them. Soon, very soon, the Germanics would know fear…a gut-wrenching terror that they loved to inflict on others.
“What’s up with the two SS goons?”
Major James Kaemper of High Fleet Intelligence smiled slightly. An SK officer, he was slyer then the SS muscle, but still didn’t hold a candle to the capabilities of Claudio Reyes’ personnel in Fleet Intelligence.
“They’re our protection,” Kaemper said, “Because you have to know Reyes will try to stop you.”
“**** him,” James said, “I’ve got their systems so buggered they won’t learn what happened until we’re safely off planet.”
“Arrogance is unbecoming,” The SK agent said, “Because Intelligence is someone even we’re worried about.”
James waved a hand. “Trust me. They won’t be around. Do you have the money?”
Kaemper laid the briefcase on the table. He entered the combination and opened it. James’ eyes grew wide. Stacked neatly within were millions of credits. There were enough for his people to build, finance and operate their clandestine army.
“Is that enough?”
“Oh, yes, it is indeed.”
“Do we have a deal?”
“Of course,”
Kaemper turned to face the SS men and all hell broke loose.

###

Guests in the lobby looked up as the SWAT team entered the building. Women gasped and their dates reached over to comfort them. This, for many couples, was supposed to be an expensive night of romance and pleasure. No one had come to the Jeffersonian with the expectation of police with automatic rifles storming the building.
It was a more disturbing sight for a woman sitting in the café. She had heard the police’s arrival on the tactical net. Her mind switched into overdrive. How had they gotten there so quickly? Who had screwed the pooch?
Either way it was water under the bridge. Rover stood to lose the most now, not that she and Falcon weren’t on the hook also. However, when it came to Reyes and his wrath, all of them would hear it when the mission was complete.
She counted them as they passed bay. Twelve: an entire squad. It was enough to nearly make her burst out in laughter. Didn’t police commanders understand proper force levels? They had sent a dozen heavily armed men after one man while Reyes sent three people with a support staff of four.
If James doesn’t know there here, he will soon.
“Rover,” she whispered. “This is Snow Cat. SWAT’s in the building they’re heading for the stairs.”
“That didn’t take them long,” came the sardonic reply.
“It thoroughly blows our mission to hell,”
“You’re not kidding,” Rover said. “Let me get to work.”
“Good luck,”
“I’ll need it,”
The link went dead. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for Rover. A couple swallows and she finished her coffee. Everyone’s attention was on the SWAT team, which afforded her a perfect time to leave. She slipped across the lobby and out the front door.
She cocked an eyebrow at the number of cars outside. Could there possibly by any police left patrolling the city? One, two, three-no five! -cars of officers and support staff. Rover had her hands full that much were for certain.
And there wasn’t a damn thing they could do about it.

###




A slight sound, slightly more then a thud, made Kaemper turn his head. It came from outside the room, in the hallway beyond. What the hell? Could someone know they were there?
He frowned at the sound. Could the authorities have caught up already? Kaemper looked at the window and cursed under his breath. There were enough police cars below to keep Berlin subdued!
Thank God he had decided to give James diplomatic immunity! Now the police couldn’t prevent them from laying their hands on what James knew. He looked at the two SS men.
“You two! The door, now!”
They tore their jackets off. Beneath they had short, hand-held sub-machine guns. Each of them was jet-black and full of menace. Large, filled clips were slammed home and the safeties removed.
James watched it all with wide eyes. They couldn’t have possibly caught up already! He had set a worm into Intelligence’s systems…they shouldn’t have been able to alert the planetary net for several more hours!
“They can’t be here already!” James exclaimed. “I took care of everything!”

The two guards opened the door. They peered outside and slammed it shut again. Both men looked at Kaemper with dark, hooded expressions.
“SWAT,” one said, “And entire team: I counted twelve.”
James ran a hand through hair suddenly sodden with sweat. All the he planned for, all the caused wanted stood on the precipice of failure. How could this have happened!
“****, ****, ****!” James cried.
“Calm yourself, James,” Kaemper said, “I can claim your seeking asylum with my government and they can’t do anything to you.”
“Can you guarantee that?”
Kaemper snorted. “Of course I can’t! You forgot about Intelligence! Reyes wouldn’t stop at a subtle-or not so subtle-assassination either you know.”
“Oh hell,”
Splinters and parts of the door flew as a SWAT officer kicked it in. The rest of the police team followed, rifles drawn. Neither of the SS men resisted; they wisely placed their weapons on the floor and looked at Kaemper, who shrugged. A plain-clothes officer entered the room at the team took places surrounded James.

The man shook his head. “You’re one dumb son of a bitch, James,” he said, “You picked this hotel and this region. Did you think I’d be asleep at the switch or something?”
“Mister James is seeking asylum with my government,” Kaemper said. “Which you have to honor.”
“Honor a request from a bunch of scumbags who want to kill anyone who isn’t like them?” the man snorted, “I don’t think the Foreign Ministry will go for it.”
“We are a peaceful people,” Kaemper said, “And civilized-“
A red dot settled on James’ forehead. A piece of Kaemper’s distracted mind screamed a warning: laser scope. He opened his mouth to shout.
“Does being ‘peaceful and civilized’ mean one steals the secrets of a sovereign government?” a woman’s voice said from outside the building before the roar of gunshots filled the air.
Glass shattered. Propelled by the bullets shattering it and the wind, shards flew everywhere. Everyone threw their arms over their faces for protection.
More shots rang out. Each of them struck James, his body dancing in a hideously choreographed dance of death. A final pair struck the tech in his head, and it exploded in a burst of gray and white.

Mel James paced the hotel room like a caged lion. Where were they? The Germanics certainly were taking their damned time. It wasn’t like they didn’t know where the meeting was! Hell, they had picked the spot!

He crossed the room and poured himself another glass of whiskey. Every moment spent waiting on his contacts allowed Intelligence to grow that much closer. He needed to be under their protection, both physically and diplomatically when Intelligence or, even better, the Police arrived.

The alcohol burned a path down his throat. Either way, things would be over soon. The Germanics would have their information and he would have the credits to further the cause. Then the real work would begin.

Democracy! What a joke! A system concocted by the powerful elites to allow them to run roughshod over the weak. That would change soon, however, because over the course of several years he had connected with hundreds of people who felt the same way. The Germanic money would allow them to act…and the galaxy would tremble at it.

The credits would be a windfall to their organization: dedicated to overthrowing the Alliance government. Weapons of mass destruction would allow them to replace the oppressive government in DC with one more equitable…and fair for the billions of lower class workers through the galaxy. Did the deaths of Fleet Personnel really matter? They stood as representatives of an unjust system.

He nearly jumped when the feminine voice of the computer spoke:

“You have visitors,”

About damned time…

“Open,”

Three men entered. The expensive suits made James raise an eyebrow. Why was it that people who worked in government always dressed well? It was meant to impress but all it did was disgust him. Once they had toppled the Alliance, then the Germanics were next.

He looked at two of the blonde men and snorted. State security: a bunch of thugs who keep people afraid through threats and force. A real terrorist knew how to use people’s own fear against them. Soon, very soon, the Germanics would know fear…a gut-wrenching terror that they loved to inflict on others.

“What’s up with the two SS goons?”

Major James Kaemper of High Fleet Intelligence smiled slightly. An SK officer, he was slyer then the SS muscle, but still didn’t hold a candle to the capabilities of Claudio Reyes’ personnel in Fleet Intelligence.

“They’re our protection,” Kaemper said,
“Because you have to know Reyes will try to stop you.”

“**** him,” James said, “I’ve got their systems so buggered they won’t learn what happened until we’re safely off planet.”

“Arrogance is unbecoming,” The SK agent said, “Because Intelligence is someone even we’re worried about.”

James waved a hand. “Trust me. They won’t be around. Do you have the money?”

Kaemper laid the briefcase on the table. He entered the combination and opened it. James’ eyes grew wide. Stacked neatly within were millions of credits. There were enough for his people to build, finance and operate their clandestine army.

“Is that enough?”

“Oh, yes, it is indeed.”

“Do we have a deal?”

“Of course,”

Kaemper turned to face the SS men and all hell broke loose.

###

Guests in the lobby looked up as the SWAT team entered the building. Women gasped and their dates reached over to comfort them. This, for many couples, was supposed to be an expensive night of romance and pleasure. No one had come to the Jeffersonian with the expectation of police with automatic rifles storming the building.

It was a more disturbing sight for a woman sitting in the café. She had heard the police’s arrival on the tactical net. Her mind switched into overdrive. How had they gotten there so quickly? Who had screwed the pooch?

Either way it was water under the
bridge. Rover stood to lose the most now, not that she and Falcon weren’t on the hook also. However, when it came to Reyes and his wrath, all of them would hear it when the mission was complete.

She counted them as they passed bay. Twelve: an entire squad. It was enough to nearly make her burst out in laughter. Didn’t police commanders understand proper force levels?

They had sent a dozen heavily armed men after one man while Reyes sent three people with a support staff of four.

If James doesn’t know there here, he will soon.

“Rover,” she whispered. “This is Snow Cat. SWAT’s in the building they’re heading for the stairs.”

“That didn’t take them long,” came the sardonic reply.

“It thoroughly blows our mission to hell,”

“You’re not kidding,” Rover said. “Let me get to work.”

“Good luck,”

“I’ll need it,”

The link went dead. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for Rover. A couple swallows and she finished her coffee. Everyone’s attention was on the SWAT team, which afforded her a perfect time to leave. She slipped across the lobby and out the front door.

She cocked an eyebrow at the number of cars outside. Could there possibly by any police left patrolling the city? One, two, three-no five! -cars of officers and support staff. Rover had her hands full that much were for certain.
And there wasn’t a damn thing they could do about it.

###




A slight sound, slightly more then a thud, made Kaemper turn his head. It came from outside the room, in the hallway beyond. What the hell? Could someone know they were there?
He frowned at the sound. Could the authorities have caught up already? Kaemper looked at the window and cursed under his breath. There were enough police cars below to keep Berlin subdued!

Thank God he had decided to give James diplomatic immunity! Now the police couldn’t prevent them from laying their hands on what James knew. He looked at the two SS men.

“You two! The door, now!”

They tore their jackets off. Beneath they had short, hand-held sub-machine guns. Each of them was jet-black and full of menace. Large, filled clips were slammed home and the safeties removed.

James watched it all with wide eyes. They couldn’t have possibly caught up already! He had set a worm into Intelligence’s systems…they shouldn’t have been able to alert the planetary net for several more hours!

“They can’t be here already!” James exclaimed. “I took care of everything!”

The two guards opened the door. They peered outside and slammed it shut again. Both men looked at Kaemper with dark, hooded expressions.

“SWAT,” one said, “An entire team: I counted twelve.”

James ran a hand through hair suddenly sodden with sweat. All the he planned for, all the caused wanted stood on the precipice of failure. How could this have happened!

“****, ****, ****!” James cried.

“Calm yourself, James,” Kaemper said, “I can claim your seeking asylum with my government and they can’t do anything to you.”

“Can you guarantee that?”

Kaemper snorted. “Of course I can’t! You forgot about Intelligence! Reyes wouldn’t stop at a subtle-or not so subtle-assassination either you know.”

“Oh hell,”

Splinters and parts of the door flew as a SWAT officer kicked it in. The rest of the police team followed, rifles drawn. Neither of the SS men resisted; they wisely placed their weapons on the floor and looked at Kaemper, who shrugged. A plain-clothes officer entered the room at the team took places surrounded James.

The man shook his head. “You’re one dumb son of a bitch, James,” he said, “You picked this hotel and this region. Did you think I’d be asleep at the switch or something?”

“Mister James is seeking asylum with my government,” Kaemper said. “Which you have to honor.”

“Honor a request from a bunch of scumbags who want to kill anyone who isn’t like them?” the man snorted, “I don’t think the Foreign Ministry will go for it.”

“We are a peaceful people,” Kaemper said, “And civilized-“

A red dot settled on James’ forehead. A piece of Kaemper’s distracted mind screamed a warning: laser scope. He opened his mouth to shout.

“Does being ‘peaceful and civilized’ mean one steals the secrets of a sovereign government?” a woman’s voice said from outside the building before the roar of gunshots filled the air.

Glass shattered. Propelled by the bullets shattering it and the wind, shards flew everywhere. Everyone threw their arms over their faces for protection.

More shots rang out. Each of them struck James, his body dancing in a hideously choreographed dance of death. A final pair struck the tech in his head, and it exploded in a burst of gray and white.