Free Code Breakers: Beta by Colin F. Barnes Page B

hidden with the voice data of the communications tunnel.
    — Gerry, it’s Enna. Look, Petal’s not dead, that was for The Family’s benefit. There’s no time to waste, you have to come to GeoCity-1.
    “No! That’s awful. Are you sure? I mean, the wreckage is still there, what if she got away?”
    — She’s alive? Really? What’s going on? Where is she?
    “She didn’t, I’m afraid,” Enna said. “The bodies were terribly burnt, but I identified her personally. I’m so sorry, Gerry, I know how much she meant to you, and to all of us.”
    — Gerry, she’s with Gabe. Hold on! I know what happened at Seca’s place. It’s not what you think. He didn’t double cross you. I’ll explain all that later. There’s no time now, you have to come here. I promise you that Petal is currently safe. A lot has happened since you were away. Get here as soon as you can. Oh crap, it’s already too late. They’re here. Please hurry. We need your help, Gerry.
    — Connection lost, Mags said.
    Silence.
    His head rang like a bell. A single thought dominated everything. Petal was alive! After the shock, the other details percolated through. What was going on? She was with Gabe, after what he did? And Enna sounded so panicked. Who were ‘they’?
    “Goddamnit!” He couldn’t ignore her. He needed to get to her, find out more, and find out whom she was so scared of. Gerry initiated his new athletic protocol. He sprinted from his old house to the shuttle landing zone. He had to get out there and find out what was happening. His muscles and heart, modified by smart nano-machines, burned through energy, and had him racing through the streets. Despite the roar of his heartbeat, the thought of Petal grew strong in his mind. Now he had hope, real hope, and no one was going to stop him. Not even The Family.
    He raced across the park and past the tower where Kaden was pretending to be him, rounded the corner, and faced the aviation quarter.
    The evening sun dipped low on the western edge of the dome, casting the huge mushroom control tower into a long shadow. Five individual shuttles sat on the Polymar™ surface. While he approached, he accessed the main aviation computer system. Using his currently borrowed ID credentials, he identified the shuttle’s nodes and sent a stream of instructions.
    The middle shuttle responded first. Its door opened, and its hydrogen VTOL engines whined up to speed. This was it. Time to get to work. As he approached, the security patrol made their way out of the tower and continued on their rounds between the landing pads and a path that circumnavigated the quarter. Gerry immediately recognised Bran and Malik.
    Gerry ran past the twin brothers and continued until he reached a shuttle. He activated the door and jumped in. It was already closing when Bran rushed over. He opened his mouth to say something, his eyes wide. Clearly he’d thought Gerry was in his apartment. Gerry flipped him the bird and engaged the shuttle’s engines. The noise and downdraught of the VTOL props sent Bran flying back on the deck, his legs and arms thrashing about him like a bug.
    Gerry spoke over the PA, “You guys need to be a bit quicker, or perhaps this job is a bit much for you, huh?” Gerry smiled and headed up and away from the landing pads. But in his haste he hadn’t requested from Control the opening of the Dome. The access panel remained closed.
    “Control, this is Gerry Cardle. Open the exit. I’m on urgent Family business. Over.”
    “Hold your position, Mr Cardle, seeking authorisation.”
    “I don’t have time. I’m going out one way or another.” He gunned the engines, circled round to gain some room, and buzzed the control tower. “Now. I’m not waiting.”
    He aimed the shuttle at the access panel. Even if they refused to open it, he calculated that it was one of the weakest parts of the Dome’s superstructure. The size and velocity of his craft should smash through it. He hoped. He approached the