Read LZR-1143: Redemption for Free Online

from, we looked at each other, faces passive.
    The roof was a bust.
    So was the third floor.
    And the second.
    We did several laps of the first floor, checking the gyms, the cafeteria, and the break rooms. The young woman who shared her room gave us an understanding frown, and told us that she hadn’t seen her, but would call for us if she did. It was impossible to know whether she had taken anything else from her room, as it was an unrivaled disaster area, but her crossbow—and her backpack—were missing.
    That was a problem.
    “We don’t know anything,” I said calmly as Kate paced the room the next morning. She had tossed all night, rising more than eight times to check Ky’s room. Her hair was getting long and it slowly swayed back and forth across the cotton shirt she wore as pajamas. Her long legs paced frantically past the bed as I watched her dizzying motion.
    “What do you mean we don’t know anything? We know she isn’t in her room, and hasn’t been there since yesterday. We know she isn’t on the roof, and she most likely isn’t wandering the upper floor offices and command centers. We know her weapon is gone, and her dog hasn’t been seen since she left. You know what else I think I know? I think she left.” She stopped moving, folding her arms across her chest, her body language daring me to argue.
    Realizing that the better part of valor is patience, I paused and thought for a moment. She made a good case. But there was no way to leave this fortress. I was about to make that point when the phone next to the door rang. Kate was a lioness tackling a sick zebra.
    “Hello? Yes… but we… Yes. We’ll be there.”
    I stared as she slammed the phone down. Her eyes were sadder than before, but her words were angry, and somewhat confused.
    “We need to get to the supply locker and gear up. The operation has been moved up. We’re leaving in an hour.”

SIX
    We dressed hurriedly, and grabbed our go bags, which had been packed for weeks. Larger backpacks full of gear and supplies waited for us, and we would transfer our meager personal belongings—really just trinkets and underwear at this point—when we suited up.
    “Mike, I can’t leave not knowing…” she began, as she pulled the lace tight on her sneaker. I interrupted, know where she was going.
    “Yes, you can. You know she is fine. She is somewhere in this building pouting, and we cannot miss this plane. You know that if they called this up early, it means there is something urgent about the flight or the schedule or something else went sideways and we have to adjust.”
    I grabbed her arm gently as she walked past, locking eyes and lowering my voice.
    “She will be fine. This is it, though. This is our chance. Not only to make a big goddamned dent in this plague, but to get to the West coast. To your daughter.”
    She pulled her eyes away and nodded, clearly torn between the two directions. But she opened the door and waited for me to grab my bag and join her.
    We ran down the hall to the supply locker in which we had been introduced to our gear the day before. We pulled on the equipment and stowed our gear in the larger bags. Our weapons were packed and placed next to the bags, and they disappeared with several NCO’s en route to the rooftop helipad. Captain Williams appeared at the door, unruffled and staring again at his ever present clipboard.
    “What the hell,” said Kate, and I seconded the sentiment as I tried to untangle the thick cord attaching the earpiece to the collar of the jacket.
    “Is there a problem?” I asked, knowing the answer before I finished.
    “There was an… attack… on the forward operating base where the AC-130 was stationed. It had to get into the air early as a precaution. It was going to land again after the danger had been neutralized, but…” He trailed off, seeming to falter, searching for words to describe what had happened.
    “How many?” I asked softly, standing up and settling the large