Read Online Monster Hunter Nemesis by Larry Correia - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Larry Correia
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of your crap. You should be in jail right now.”
He’d always thought that Stark looked like a bulldog. Animals didn’t like Franks and tended to shy away from him, but Franks had always found the bulldog a fascinating creature, all slobbery, and ugly, with ill-fitting skin and labored breathing, yet they were determined beasts. Their awkwardness made him like them as much as he was capable of liking anything. The bulldog was proof that the Creator found joy in the cumbersome.
Stark on the other hand was just an asshole.
“You weren’t in charge,” Franks stated.
Double table pound. “Yes, I was! I had the situation in hand until your reckless actions endangered our entire operation.”
“You weren’t in charge. Unicorn was.”
The briefing room was packed with people, and they all began to mutter at that. Only a handful of them were probably cleared to know about the existence of STFU, but Franks didn’t care.
Grant Jefferson cleared his throat and leaned forward to speak into his microphone. “I believe that Agent Franks is saying that although Director Stark was present at the quarantine, the de facto command of the operation was in the hands of a high-ranking covert official code-named Stricken. Former Acting Director Dwayne Myers has obtained evidence that this Stricken was in fact aware of the full capabilities of the Nachtmar, and kept those facts to himself, needlessly causing—”
“That’ll be enough of that,” one of the congressmen interjected. The other one just looked confused.
“ Needlessly causing danger to MCB personnel, local responders, and civilians. Dwayne Myers is currently running the Las Vegas operation, but I’m sure he’ll be happy to testify before the Subcommittee about how Mr. Stricken subverted our mission for his own ends—as soon as he returns from cleaning up Mr. Stricken’s careless mess.” Jefferson had a good stage presence. Franks recalled from his file that he’d been a lawyer once. He sure talked like one. “Agent Franks was placed in a difficult circumstance, when forced to choose between following procedure or containing a Level Five outbreak, he choose to abide by the spirit of the First Reason. If Franks had not acted decisively, then thousands of other civilians would have been exposed to the supernatural. The record needs to indicate that Franks wouldn’t have faced this difficult choice, if Special Task Force Unicorn hadn’t overstepped their bounds.”
“What is Special Task Force Unicorn?” asked one of the confused officials.
“They are a covert action group that recruits monsters to serve as soldiers in exchange for PUFF exemptions,” Jefferson answered immediately.
The conference room was suddenly very loud. Most of those cleared for this hearing were high-ranking MCB, and this was news to them.
“Whoa there, son,” the first congressman said, glancing around the room nervously. “This isn’t the time or place to get into that.”
Franks scowled. Because everybody knows there’s no such thing as unicorns.
Jefferson gave him a nervous glance. If Stricken had the majority of the Subcommittee cowed, then they were in worse shape than expected. He turned back to their questioners. “You can’t expect Franks to defend himself if he’s not allowed to explain why he did what he had to do.”
“Who does this Unicorn thing answer to?” demanded one of the MCB section commanders.
“You would have to ask Mr. Stricken that, sir. But whoever it is, they need to hold Stricken accountable for his careless actions in Las Vegas.”
The chairman ordered the room to be silent. Franks was glad to see that there was still some fire in some of the MCB’s leadership. Stark was red in the face and sweating. He’d not expected his string-pullers to be so blatantly exposed.
Then a senior administrator addressed them. “Officially, there’s no record of any other agency or entity involved with running the quarantine. Rest assured that
He’d always thought that Stark looked like a bulldog. Animals didn’t like Franks and tended to shy away from him, but Franks had always found the bulldog a fascinating creature, all slobbery, and ugly, with ill-fitting skin and labored breathing, yet they were determined beasts. Their awkwardness made him like them as much as he was capable of liking anything. The bulldog was proof that the Creator found joy in the cumbersome.
Stark on the other hand was just an asshole.
“You weren’t in charge,” Franks stated.
Double table pound. “Yes, I was! I had the situation in hand until your reckless actions endangered our entire operation.”
“You weren’t in charge. Unicorn was.”
The briefing room was packed with people, and they all began to mutter at that. Only a handful of them were probably cleared to know about the existence of STFU, but Franks didn’t care.
Grant Jefferson cleared his throat and leaned forward to speak into his microphone. “I believe that Agent Franks is saying that although Director Stark was present at the quarantine, the de facto command of the operation was in the hands of a high-ranking covert official code-named Stricken. Former Acting Director Dwayne Myers has obtained evidence that this Stricken was in fact aware of the full capabilities of the Nachtmar, and kept those facts to himself, needlessly causing—”
“That’ll be enough of that,” one of the congressmen interjected. The other one just looked confused.
“ Needlessly causing danger to MCB personnel, local responders, and civilians. Dwayne Myers is currently running the Las Vegas operation, but I’m sure he’ll be happy to testify before the Subcommittee about how Mr. Stricken subverted our mission for his own ends—as soon as he returns from cleaning up Mr. Stricken’s careless mess.” Jefferson had a good stage presence. Franks recalled from his file that he’d been a lawyer once. He sure talked like one. “Agent Franks was placed in a difficult circumstance, when forced to choose between following procedure or containing a Level Five outbreak, he choose to abide by the spirit of the First Reason. If Franks had not acted decisively, then thousands of other civilians would have been exposed to the supernatural. The record needs to indicate that Franks wouldn’t have faced this difficult choice, if Special Task Force Unicorn hadn’t overstepped their bounds.”
“What is Special Task Force Unicorn?” asked one of the confused officials.
“They are a covert action group that recruits monsters to serve as soldiers in exchange for PUFF exemptions,” Jefferson answered immediately.
The conference room was suddenly very loud. Most of those cleared for this hearing were high-ranking MCB, and this was news to them.
“Whoa there, son,” the first congressman said, glancing around the room nervously. “This isn’t the time or place to get into that.”
Franks scowled. Because everybody knows there’s no such thing as unicorns.
Jefferson gave him a nervous glance. If Stricken had the majority of the Subcommittee cowed, then they were in worse shape than expected. He turned back to their questioners. “You can’t expect Franks to defend himself if he’s not allowed to explain why he did what he had to do.”
“Who does this Unicorn thing answer to?” demanded one of the MCB section commanders.
“You would have to ask Mr. Stricken that, sir. But whoever it is, they need to hold Stricken accountable for his careless actions in Las Vegas.”
The chairman ordered the room to be silent. Franks was glad to see that there was still some fire in some of the MCB’s leadership. Stark was red in the face and sweating. He’d not expected his string-pullers to be so blatantly exposed.
Then a senior administrator addressed them. “Officially, there’s no record of any other agency or entity involved with running the quarantine. Rest assured that
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