Daemon

police stopping to look out over a tangled pile of burning wreckage, scratching their heads, as police are wont to do. It would take them days to figure out. The nearest police car’s GPS signal was a mile away.
    He did a quick postmortem: the Daemon Task Force had been neutralized. It might mean another level for him.
    A motorcycle streaked up alongside his car. The rider reached out with one hand, extending a submachine gun, and fired a short burst at Gragg’s tires.
    ‘What the hell?’
    Gragg raised his gloved hands to fire the nova light, but then realized his blacked-out windows would ruin the effect. His armored windows didn’t roll down either. ‘Son of a bitch.’
    Gragg motioned with his gloved hand and swerved the car toward the racing bike, but the bike was far more maneuver-able. It ducked around to the right side of the car. Again, automatic gunfire cracked at his tires.
    Gragg shook his head. ‘Solid rubber, asshole.’
    He reached out into D-Space and started drawing from the surrounding horde – pulling dozens of remaining AutoM8s toward him. ‘You want to play? Then let’s play.’
    Ross and a Korr lieutenant peered through the recessed postern gate. Dozens of AutoM8s crisscrossed the tarmac, circling Building Twenty-Nine. Ross looked across the barren tarmac leading to the ship channel a hundred yards away. It was the longest hundred yards he’d ever seen.
    Philips sat in the corridor with several more Korr guards. A medic wound a bandage around her head to cover her injured eyes, while the others trained weapons on the short corridor behind them.
    Philips looked up blindly. ‘What’s the situation?’
    Ross and the lieutenant slammed the door with a clang and turned to face her. A roaring motorcycle engine, gunshots, and screams echoed through the interior halls.
    A guard stared down the corridor. ‘We can’t stay here, sirs.’
    ‘We need to run for it, Nat. Those Razorbacks appear to know the floor plan. They’re methodically clearing rooms.’
    The lieutenant piped in, ‘They’re armored, Doctor. Light weapons don’t stop them. At least not from the front.’
    She nodded gravely.
    ‘There’s a ship channel about a hundred yards away. If we can reach that, we should be safe.’
    Ross turned to the lieutenant and pointed toward what appeared to be dynamite sticks snugged into his web harness. ‘What are those?’
    The man glanced down. ‘Magnesium flares. To signal the medevac chopper. The radio was down for—’
    ‘Break ’em out. These AutoM8s probably target with infrared. Flares could distract them.’
    The lieutenant pulled out six flares. He handed three to Ross. ‘Just twist the top off and strike them. Like this …’ He pantomimed the action.
    ‘Let’s test this.’ Ross struck the flare several times before it ignited. He held it, hissing and popping in the corridor. It burned a brilliant red. ‘Open the door.’
    One guard heaved the heavy steel door open, and Ross hurled the flare as far as he could off to the right. He and several guards watched closely as an AutoM8 swerved to avoid it. Another swung wide around it.
    The lieutenant frowned. ‘So much for the infrared theory.’
    Philips looked toward his voice. ‘What’s happening?’
    Ross shook his head. ‘They’re not attracted to the flares, Nat. They’re avoiding them.’
    ‘Then they
are
using infrared. They’re looking for human heat signatures. The flares must look like a raging fire.’
    Ross and the lieutenant exchanged looks. Ross nodded and knelt next to her. ‘You’re right. We’re in business, Nat.’ He removed his jacket and placed one empty sleeve in her hand, then grabbed the other one. ‘Don’t let go of this. I’ll guide you. We’ll use the flares to conceal our human heat signature. The tarmac is flat. Just follow me and move as fast as you can.’
    ‘How many AutoM8s are there?’
    ‘You don’t want to know.’
    ‘Jon, I …’ Her head darted to follow a roaring engine as it passed.
    ‘I know it sucks you can’t see. We’ll get you to a hospital, but we need to do this to have any chance at all. Just run with me. You ready?’
    She reluctantly nodded.
    Ross turned to the Korr lieutenant. ‘You and your men ready, Lieutenant?’
    A motorcycle engine revved and screams echoed behind them, punctuating his words. ‘Klausky, distribute these.’ He passed the magnesium flares. ‘We travel in a group. Place these on our perimeter.’
    The guards struck flares.