Free Legacy of a Mad Scientist by John Carrick

stated.
    “They don’t have a hope in hell,” King agreed. “But
if they throw the entire weight of the government at him, and he
removes the players… Even one at a time… If he decides to take it
personal and political…”
    “The world will be a better place? What?” Snow
asked.
    “They’ll be calling him emperor, and offering him a
golden crown, is what,” Ross concluded.
    “That sounds nice,” Snow said.
    “It’s usually followed by a series of stab wounds,”
Ross said.
    “But they don’t know what we know,” Snow said.
    “Which is what?” Ross asked. “For all we know, he
could nuke Angel City if he has a nightmare.”
    “Yeah, well, I never liked this place much anyhow,”
Snow said.
    “Are you kidding? I Love AC! Can’t get enough of this
town,” King laughed.
    “That’s because you’re never here,” Ross smiled.

Chapter 8 – Otto Malvinas
     
    Across the canyon from the Fox home, rows of houses
were set into the hillside. At the crest, a series of cascading
balconies concealed an operations center behind tinted panes. By
their dress and bearing, it was clear the occupants were field
agents of the highest caliber, all but one.
    To describe Fifth Gate Citizen Otto Malvinas as
portly would do the man a disservice. Otto had spent a lifetime
acquiring his bulk. Weighing a stout three seventy, he boasted of
being as wide as he was tall.
    Upon learning of the Project Epsilon failure, Otto
decided to visit the Fox homestead. He was intrigued by the pipe
dream of the MCX, and felt that technological breakthroughs were
best intercepted early.
    As the owner of the parent company that had recently
purchased Washington Security, Otto had come down with his
bodyguard to inspect the operation. He and Bell had arrived late in
the evening, after eleven, and now stood in the central command
room with Captain Faulkner.
    The captain explained that the house was filled with
surveillance equipment and long-range suppressed weapons, all
controlled by a master switchboard. He pointed out that the
recording drives were backed up to double-blind positions. Plus,
the DOD had vetted all personnel to ensure competence and
loyalty.
    Malvinas had many questions for the captain, and it
was clear the officer's patience was being tested.
    Bell asked permission to step outside for a smoke and
left the command center.
    A young sergeant monitoring the surveillance screens
interrupted the captain and chairman Malvinas. He pointed out the
arrival of a large truck on the street between the command post and
the client. It touched down, and three armed operatives stepped
from the back of the truck.
    Upon sight of the operatives, the command post came
alive with activity, surveillance systems delivering high-contrast
images of the mercenaries making their way across the canyon toward
the Fox home.
    Otto smiled with excitement. "What happens now?" he
asked.
    "Now it gets fun," Captain Faulkner replied, smiling
for the first time since Otto's arrival.
     
    At the Chinatown Noodles shop, King continued his
protest. “It’s Stanwood, man. He’s all over this. I told you, we
need to handle him. If we don’t, it is just a matter of time till
he gets our records, and when he does, it’s gonna be Goodnight
Gracie, for all of us,” King made a circular gesture, but Ross and
Snow both understood that he was including the six absent members
of their team as well. “If we don’t get proactive here, and I mean
right quick, we’re not going to have a chance.”
    “He’s the National Intelligence Director. What are we
going to do, go after the entire cabinet? Kill everyone who
disagrees with us? Take out a bunch of intelligence directors and
politicians? A coup? Are you talking about a coup? That is
treasonous,” Ross pointed out.
    “What about this, what about just Stanwood?” King
offered.
    “We can’t kill Stanwood. He’s hands off, Andrew said
so,” Snow stirred her noodles.
    “Yeah, well, he’s not sitting at this