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Ten seconds passed Then the man at the desk stood up abruptly and turned around He’d heard so

A person approached him from the entrance, toward his turned back A woht black outfit She hit the guard on the back of the head with so of sand

What happened next startled hi at the terminal Her hand raced across the keyboard, and the video feed died

An absolute pro Russell whistled appreciation "Who the hell is that?"

"The ‘Ghost,’" Jarred said "Kelly Adelaide Works for Platz, though he denies it An enoruard answered "A scavenger from Darwin A wouard nodded he turned to Jarred "Tough as nails, that one I’ve had a run-in with her before"

"Good to know"

"They can’t be far," Russell said, clicking off the safety of his pistol

Jarred shook his head "She’s with the Ghost They’re long gone, trustto find her for almost week"

A week Russell found it hard to believe, in a tin can like this, that anyone could even get thirty seconds of privacy "Well," he said, looking over the scene, "standing around here is pointless, then Let’s go crack soer to his ear and began to run "They’ve broken through," he said to Russell "Pushing our men back" His own soldiers, four in number, ran ahead with him

When the combatants started to come into view, Russell slowed down He turned to his twentypansy tactics Pop up, shoot, duck, repeat I’ll have none of that We’re going to barrel in there like a bunch of subs and scare the hell out of ’e Russell realized he wore a wide grin, too

Russell turned toward the battle and started to jog The jog turned to a run as his ht up to him Some even passed him Bloodlust took over, and he loved it

They rushed forward as if they were playing rugby, shouting as they raced toward the ene and effective tactic

Platz’s forces, caught off guard, crouched behind whatever cover they could find under the hail of bullets and bloodcurdling cries Before they could return fire, the Nightcliff guards were right on top of them Russell ran as hard as he could, and still he fell toward the back of the group Their boldness filled hihter ensued, beyond Russell’s expectations In seconds, five Platz soldiers lay dead or dying Soround received a second bullet

Blackfield’s soldiers pushed on, into the junction corridor, leaving the shocked Gateway guards to secure ground already gained The junction hall was a narrow space--nothe twenty-ed forward

Russell passed Jarred Larsen, as crouched behind aIt sounded like a warning Russell laughed and ran on

Jarred shouted again, much louder "Blackfield! A the corridor Soled into the wall next to the door

A storunfire erupted from the Platz-held end of the junction Men screaht Oops!

Whipping around, he held a hand up, ordering the men still behind hi to take cover along the wall next to their leader A few could not overcome their momentum and died in the open doorway

Jarred moved up and took a place on the wall next to Russell

In the junction, on the other side of the wall, the wounded ot carried away," Russell said No one laughed

One soldieracross his lower back Russell pulled hih to safety

"How h clenched teeth he said, "Couldn’t see They’re dug in"

Russell took stock of hisA sobering number Russell saw no fear in the survivors’ faces, but the cockiness had definitely been smothered He leaned to the next man on the wall "We hold this position, until the rest of the boys arrive Spread the word"

As the orders spread down the line, Russell pulled Captain Larsen aside "The second squad is bringing tear gas That’ll clear them out"

"Can’t do that The circulators will suck it in and spread it all over the station"

Fro The sound reverberated through the floor and walls "The hell?"

Jarred lance inside "Son of a … they’ve sealed it The eency bulkhead"

Russell leaned in and saw it, too A ht at the halfway point of the connecting hall

Jarred grimaced "We should check on the other junctions Maybe they couldn’t seal all three"

"I’ll join you," Russell replied "You," he said to the closest soldier, "you’re in charge No one gets through that door, got it?"

"Understood!"

"Lead on, brother," Russell said to Jarred

He stood before the fourth set of eency bulkhead doors that blocked Section H Twenty o, after he and Jarred had found theht up and sent four one with them, so he could report in to Alex Warthen

Russell kicked the thick barrier with the bottom of his boot "Where the hell are my explosives?" he shouted

A number of men milled about, and all suddenly tried to look busy

Jarred Larsen appeared a minute later, alone and empty-handed

Russell spread his arms "Are we supposed to claw it open?"

"Alex said no explosives," he replied "Can’t risk the dareat," Russell said "Let the bastards slip away"

"I sent a teaet a water torch from maintenance," Jarred said "They didn’t show?"

Russellaround

"Dammit," Jarred said He produced a small handheld co but static from the other end

A voice finally crackled over the small speaker "Fiske here, sir, I’m near maintenance Want me to track them down?"

"Yes, please"

An uncomfortable silence followed Russell paced back and forth in front of the door, struggling to control his rage He could picture Platz’sit into their lifeboats

Minutes later the radio crackled again "Fiske here, sir We’ve got a proble on?"

"They’re dead Looks like an aed his hand down his haggard face

Russell felt the same The enemy was supposed to be contained within Section H "How the hell? Oh … I get it The ‘Ghost’ and the prisoner"