Blink: Leviathan (Book 2)

27

The outpouring of horror from both Tyndall on the Manitta-Vanna and his fellow operatives didn't surprise him, so Darien just stood for a moment and let them vent. He understood the impulse – he was hardly enamoured with the plan himself. Eventually the hubbub died down and he looked around at the sea of horrified faces.

"Feel better?" he enquired.

"Darien, it's insane," Amber exclaimed. "You'll die!"

"No I won't," he replied. "An ordinary human wouldn't be able to get out of the sub before detonation. I'm a Blink operative. I can."

"But what about the sonic blast that thing puts out? This ship seems able to take it but our subs can't. You'll never get close enough."

"I will if you distract that thing. Keep its attention away from me until I'm too close for it to stop."

"I can't sanction this, Operative," Tyndall said. "I'm not sending you on a suicide run."

"I don't need your permission, Lieutenant," he returned. "You said it yourself. We don't have enough shuttles to get everyone off-planet. Either we stop that thing now or a lot of people are going to die. Not to mention everything we've learned here will go up in smoke. Is that what you want?"

Silence greeted his ultimatum as those present contemplated the words. Evacuating into the sea would be a virtual death sentence for the station inhabitants and with the prospect getting off planet closed, he didn't see an alternative. And maybe, just maybe his audacious scheme might kill the Leviathan stone dead. That was a measure of payback he desperately wanted.

"Damn it all," Tyndall sighed. "Alright, the ordinance is in the armoury on pier seven. I'll let the guards know you're coming. You'll be dealing with Blitz-Pattern CC blasting caps, up to three megatons apiece. Familiar with them?"

"I know the model," he replied.

"They can be coupled together for increased yield but you'll need a cargo lift to shift the finished bomb to the launch bay. I'll leave one of our survey subs standing by for you."

"I appreciate it. When this thing blows I'll have to Blink as far away as I can – I'll be in the open ocean. I'll punch my trauma beacon then you home in and pick me up as soon as you can. The water here's freezing."

"Will do, Operative. Just make sure you're there." He paused for a moment. "Good luck, kid, and Godspeed. Tyndall out."

The only sound on the ship was the low rumble of the engines as the assembled operatives exchanged looks, none of them able to offer any alternative to the mad-cap scheme. Darien took a steadying breath and nodded to himself. "Alright then."

"I'll go with you."

He turned sharply at the sound of Niamh's voice. She stepped up beside him and nodded, her green bionic eye glinting viciously in the light.

"What?"

"I said, I'll go with you," she repeated.

"The survey subs only take one person, Niamh."

"I know that, but rigging one of those subs with a bomb that size, it's a two person job – you know that," she countered. "Besides, I wouldn't want you to get cold feet at the last minute."

She grinned and he shook his head, unable to keep a smile off his face. He knew there was no point trying to talk her out of it. One thing his second-in-command didn't lack was stubborn courage.