Read The Swarm for Free Online Page A

had installed a few discreet pieces of hardware there. The projection tubes provided the needed power, and the winch cable connected the two.
    In moments, he had a sat link. His frequent exercises here at night were a good cover for his real purpose for coming. Captain Li no doubt knew about Bingwen’s trips to the hole, and he no doubt checked the sim database to ensure that Bingwen had indeed come to train. And so Bingwen did train, using the last few minutes of his visit to sign in to Mazer’s forum.
    For his username he had chosen the number and surname of a current Uruguayan soccer star, and whenever Bingwen posted, he dropped in the occasional Spanish slang or colloquialism to remove any suspicion that he might be Chinese. Even Mazer didn’t know who he was in the forum.
    He reviewed Mazer’s most recent submission and sketches for the nanoshield. Bingwen was no engineer, but he recognized a promising idea when he saw one. The design could work well in tunnel combat in space, as the shield could move to the front or rear of the soldier as needed, depending on the direction of attack. And since the shield could fluctuate in size and shape, it could accommodate the ever-changing widths and heights of the tunnels. It could even allow the soldier to pierce the shield with the barrel of a slaser and fire at the enemy without any fear of exposure.
    Bingwen expressed all of this in his post, adding who he thought might be the best manufacturer for such a tool. Juke Limited was obvious, but there were others as well. Gungsu Industries had shown promise in nanotech, as had Micronix—
    The screen went blank, his sat link severed. Why? Interference? The projection tube on the wall was still operative. As was his tablet. Which meant the problem was with the cable or the winch. Bingwen didn’t take any chances. He stored his gear and hustled for the exit. As he approached, he began to feel uneasy. He stopped, crouched, and turned up his helmet’s exterior mike to maximum so that he might pick up even the softest of sounds ahead. A whirring noise flooded his ears, and he recognized the sound of the winch cable unspooling as someone made a quick decent. It was not the same sound the winch made when Bingwen used it, however; this was a lower frequency, as if the cable was strained and carrying a heavier weight. An adult.
    Bingwen stayed where he was and listened. Feet touched the ground. A D-clip snapped and released. The winch screamed as it hauled up the line. There was a moment of silence, and then the whine of the winch returned: slow, strained, and steady—a second adult coming down.
    It was one in the morning. Whoever was coming was coming for him. He listened for voices but heard nothing, which meant they were either well trained or wearing full helmets that covered their faces and sealed to their suits. Bingwen ran through every possible frequency—including the encrypted ones—until he found the one they were using. Two voices. Men. Speaking Mandarin.
    â€œâ€”dark as death down here.”
    â€œYou go first.”
    â€œThat hole’s not big enough for a dog to crawl through. You go first.”
    â€œSoldiers go in all the time. Move.”
    â€œWhy don’t we wait for him outside? He’s got to come out sooner or later. We tag him when he pokes his head out.”
    â€œThen it won’t look like an accident. We’ve got our orders. If we leave the body deep enough they won’t find it for weeks.”
    â€œThey’ll smell it for weeks, though.”
    â€œJust move.”
    Bingwen retreated back into the tunnel. He recognized those voices. They belonged to two of the recent transfers into the squadron, two of the thugs Captain Li had brought in. Typical. Captain Li had probably given them the order himself. The men had no idea they were being used.
    Bingwen picked up his pace and hustled farther into the tunnel.
    All of the projection tubes on the