Daemon

life.
‘This is Perimeter-9 … do you copy?’
    The Major motioned for the guard to hand it to him, and he started heading toward the stairwell doors as he keyed the mic. ‘This is Secom, Perimeter-9. What’s your status?’
    Out on the tarmac Perimeter-9 clutched a radio handset and winced in pain. ‘All units down. Repeat: all perimeter units are down. Request medevac and air support.’ He limped painfully behind a wrecked and bullet-riddled AutoM8. His lower leg was stained with blood just below a makeshift tourniquet. The leg was badly mangled.
    The Major’s voice came over the radio through a haze of static.
‘Report on the unmanned vehicles.’
    ‘They left with the intruder. But more of them just arrived. They’re forming for another attack. I’m out of ammo, sir. Badly injured.’ He craned his neck back toward a chopper angling in toward the roof of Building Twenty-Nine. ‘Requesting immediate airlift.’
    ‘Negative. Just stay put, Nine. Help’s on the way.’
    Just then Perimeter-9 heard the howl of high-performance engines. He turned to see twin racing motorcycles streakingacross the tarmac in his direction. They were moving in close formation at 150 mph or more.
    ‘Hold it. I’ve got two motorcycles inbound …’ He stepped behind the fender of the car, putting the car hood between him and the approaching bikes. ‘They’re moving fast as hell.’
    ‘Where are they headed?’
    Suddenly a brilliant green laser light dazzled his eyes. He held up his hands against it, squinting. ‘Hang on, I’m being painted by something. I can’t see—’
    The roaring engines were suddenly on him and he heard a deep
thwack
. He was completely disoriented for several moments. As his vision cleared, he had a view from the ground – a view of his own headless, one-armed body slumping over the hood of the car ten feet away, then sliding onto the pavement.
    Back in the gaming pit, The Major was already gone. His voice came through on a nearby guard’s radio.
‘Perimeter-9! Do you copy?’
    Ross watched eight armed guards piling black bags onto the floor for transport. Two were staring at him with hard eyes – stun guns ready.
    ‘I guess I should have seen this coming.’
    Philips squeezed his shoulder. ‘I won’t let them do this to you, Jon. I have friends in Washington, too.’
    Suddenly the howl of racing engines echoed down the corridor behind the nearby ballistic doors. Everyone turned to see shadows streak along the corridor wall, then twin black motorcycles roared into view beyond the closed bulletproof glass doors. They raised robotic blade arms menacingly. The blades on the lead bike were already stained with blood.
    Everyone stepped back away from the doors. The Korr guards raised their weapons, clicking off their safeties. Ross pointed toward the far glass doors. ‘Let’s get to the roof. Now!’
    Philips stared at the machines beyond the sealed Lexan glass.The most exotic thing that the Daemon had spawned yet. ‘Jon, I’ve seen the word ‘Razorback’ listed in decrypted Daemon intercepts. This could—’
    A spiraling green light stabbed forth from the face of the lead bike, beaming through the ballistic glass into her eyes. She screamed and slammed her palms against her face, staggering back.
    Ross rushed forward and grabbed her. He pulled her behind the guards, who were also dazed by the light. ‘Don’t look at them! They have blinding weapons!’
    Then the ballistic doors slid open with their familiar hiss – and the roar of the advancing Razorbacks filled the cavernous gaming pit. Followed by gunfire and – almost immediately – bloodcurdling screams.
    Ross pulled on Philips’s arm. ‘Run!’ The engine roar was deafening now as Ross guided Philips down the adjacent hall toward the open security control room door. There was only a smattering of gunfire now as the roar of the engines zigzagged across the room behind them. Smashing furniture. Ross risked a quick glance back behind them. Blood was spattered all over the walls and floor near the ballistic doors. A Korr guard was running toward him, firing blindly over his shoulder as a Razorback raised twin, bloody blades and screeched after him on the polished concrete, green laser spiraling. Ross turned away as a series of metallic ringing sounds, screams, and sharp thwacks accompanied the roar of engines.
    Ross reached the security control room door, half dragging the blinded Philips across the polished