Free Blood Soaked and Invaded - 02 by James Crawford

think?” He was yelling, and it looked like he wanted to throttle the newcomer, armor or no. I can’t imagine that it would have been a good choice. “And ‘Mister’? I goddamned well outrank you.”
    “No, you do not. I am in charge of this camp and everything in it. You manage your people, and that’s fine. Other than that, you all answer to me.” The Major looked around at the group of us, and all we saw was the texture of the visor hiding his face. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am Major Kenney, your Camp Director and CO. My people have one order as far as you all go: shoot to kill.”
    Our local Dark Overlord raised his gauntlet to the front of his black, textured visor, and lifted it up. There was a second, clear one, underneath. Major Kenney was about what you’d expect for a career military man: sharp features, chiseled bone structure, and that rangy look old soldiers seem to take no end of pride in.
    Not a man to fuck with. Clearly.
    “I am aware of your enhancements.” Kenney’s eyes came to rest on Baj, who was on his knees with a beaker full of Channing dust in his hands. “I am equally aware that you consider yourselves to be invincible, and I bet you think that a round from a weapon won’t end you where you stand. That is a mistake on your part. These rifles are powered by the same technology that your boy just roasted himself with, and the ammunition is superconductive.”
    “Touch my people and this will become a very personal issue, Major,” Shoei snarled.
    “Mr. Omura, allow me to give you a piece of advice for free: don’t test me.” Major Kenney turned, and I realized something about this armor. It wasn’t just armor; it was a motor-assisted exoskeleton.
    Great. Just great.
    I watched him get a faraway expression, and saw his mouth move with a very sharp nod. He looked at all of us on the ground once more and waved his right hand. The guns lowered, and the soldiers stepped back about three paces.
    “Thank you all for your cooperation while we investigated your comrade’s untimely departure. Please accept my sympathy in your time of loss. The boy was a good soldier,” the Major intoned, as if reading from a teleprompter on the inside of his visor.
    For all I knew, he might have been.
    “Now then,” he resumed, “we will go back to our business of keeping you secure. Please be aware that the Corps of Engineers will commence work on your new buildings as soon as they arrive this morning. They will also examine your homes for structural integrity and may make alterations and repairs as they see fit.” He crossed his arms, clearly tired of talking to us. “The engineers are under orders not to interact with you, and will be wearing biohazard gear. Do not interact with them or attempt to infect them with your ‘enhancements’,” he actually used air quotes, “or there will be significant consequences. Any questions will go through one of my people, and from them to me.”
    Nate raised his hand.
    “Mr. Banks?”
    “Sir, if you and your people are doing the ‘Predator’ bullshit, how are we supposed to know you’re there to ask questions?”
    “An excellent question, Mr. Banks. Anyone who wishes to ask questions or needs our assistance should call out, ‘Guards’, and one of us will be there momentarily. We are listening and watching everything in your community.”
    “Thank you, sir,” Nate said, sounding surprisingly sincere.
    The Major nodded, gestured to his people, dropped his outer visor and became invisible, along with his cadre.
    As if by instinct, our group didn’t move for several seconds. Not that it would have made any difference, but I guess everyone felt better for allowing the world to resettle on its axis before doing anything else. We’d lost one of our own, and discovered that our little walled community was a prison, all before noon. It was shaping up to be one Hell of a day.
    I hadn’t even had a full cup of coffee. That’s enough reason to downgrade my