Free Down by Brett Battles Page A

things like that,” Ash countered.
    “For all they’ve done to humanity, the Project understands how important actual people are. It’s their brains, the way they think. You can’t get that in a textbook. Like I said, they don’t want humanity to slip backward. They want it to take up right where it left off, only with a lot more room to breathe.”
    “Unbelievable,” Powell said.
    “So you see,” Wicks said, “if we take Dream Sky, we effectively cut the brain out of the project.”

8
     
    WARD MOUNTAIN NORTH
    11:14 PM PST
    JANUARY 7 th
     
     
    R ACHEL HAMILTON ACHED from lack of sleep, but the way things were going, she knew it was unlikely she’d be lying down anytime soon. She had, however, taken the supervisor’s chair in the Resistance base’s comm room.
    As she scanned the room, Aiden, one of the comm operators, caught her eye.
    “Yes?”
    “Just got off with Berlin,” he said. “The main building of NB098 is on fire and it looks like the base is undergoing a full evacuation. It’s unclear where they are going, but we have people following them.”
    “Thank you,” she said.
    They were in the middle of, by far, the largest operation the Resistance had ever undertaken, an operation she felt certain would determine whether or not Project Eden would lead the rebirth of mankind. There was no question that the Project’s goal of restarting humanity would be achieved. The Resistance had failed to stop that. But she’d be damned if she’d let those mass murders have anything to do with guiding what came next.
    She was cautiously optimistic. A handful of the attacks on Project Eden bases had fizzled, but many were at least putting a scare into those occupying the facilities, while a surprisingly large number had achieved even more—severely damaging bases, causing evacuations like the one in Berlin, or, like in Los Angeles, taking control of the base and either capturing or eliminating all personnel.
    Initially, all these attacks were meant only to create a large-scale diversion from the real operation to take Dream Sky. But they were taking on a life of their own, and delivering not only diversions but a solid body blow to the Project.
    As for Dream Sky, she had received very little information.
    “Try Captain Ash again,” she said to Crystal.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Crystal spent a few moments talking into her headset before turning back to Rachel.
    “He isn’t in a position to talk right now,” she said. “But I’ve been told he and a team have made it inside.”
    They’re in! Rachel felt a rush of adrenaline.
    “Keep checking with them every ten minutes. I want to be kept up to date.”

9
     
    DREAM SKY
    2:21 AM EST
     
     
    M OST FUNICULAR TRAINS were single enclosed cars divided into two or three seating areas, each on a different level. Like giant stair steps.
    Dream Sky’s funicular did not have any seats or walls or windows. Rather, it consisted of two open platforms, the upper one set back and elevated a good four feet above the other. Each was encircled by a waist-high, removable railing.
    The team split between the two platforms, Chloe hopping on the lower one so she’d have a clear view of what was coming. Once everyone was on board, Robert pushed the button that started their descent.
    To Chloe the train moved at a snail’s pace. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply to ease her restlessness. When she finally parted her lids again, she studied the landing at the bottom. It was partially shadowed but the platform looked deserted. Still, someone could be waiting out of sight.
    “Keep sharp,” she said. “Shout if you see anything.”
    The train continued its monotonous voyage through pools of light and strips of shadows, until it finally neared the end of the run and slowed. As soon as Chloe felt she could make the jump, she leaped from the train onto the arrival platform and raced through the door that led from the deck into a hallway.
    Gun in hand, she cleared the area,