Read Online Savage Bay by Christopher Forrest - Free Book Online

decapitating the nearest holographic combatant.
    Hawkeye’s second knife shattered a windowpane in the alleyway, momentarily drawing the attention of the nearest enemy solider. Hawkeye pounced, rushing forward and firing his shotgun. The hologram screamed, shimmered, then vanished.
    Shooter dropped into a gunfighter’s stance, facing down the the last hologram standing. Her hands twitched as the two opponents stared into each other’s eyes. Then the hologram moved, trying to raise his weapon before Shooter could react. Shooter drew her pistols, one in each hand, and fired four quick rounds. The soldier failed to get off a single shot before Shooter’s virtual bullets passed through his virtual head.
    “Nice,” said Hawkeye.
    At the entrance to the alley, ten heavily armed soldiers appeared.
    “Round two!” yelled Shooter, grinning like a kid on a roller coaster.

Chapter 8
     
    PRESENT TIME
    SAVAGE BAY, ES VEDRA ISLAND
     
    Five hours later, Titan Six executed the HALO jump onto the rocky beach at Savage Bay. Hawkeye had lapsed again into unconsciousness and lay on his back at the water’s edge. Pyro and Tank were crouched on the rocks around him. A heavy rain had begun to fall, and gray fog hung in the air.
    “Repeat, six hostiles approaching the beach on your west,” said Shooter over the Titan Six COM system.
    “Get that antennae and communications array deployed ASAP,” said Tank.
    “Already on it,” Shooter replied.
    Hidden in the brush, Shooter unfolded the last antennae spar on a small communications array. She powered up the unit and typed a series of commands into a small keypad.
    “Now jamming all frequencies,” said Shooter. “And satellite communications are now live.”
    OPS CENTER, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA  
     
    Caine watched the dark, wall-mounted screens in the Ops Center. The displays designated for each Titan Six team member were empty.
    Come on, come on.
    Suddenly the entire wall came to life and the displays were filled with images and data. Camera feeds from the unit’s helmet cams showed real-time video.  Data feeds from the sensors in their tactical suits tracked heart rates, vital signs, ambient temperature, and myriad other data points.
    The holographic display in the center of the room was suddenly populated with avatars representing each of the Titan Six operatives.
    “Wow,” said Cruz. “Just like a video-game.”
    “No,” said Caine in a quiet yet menacing tone. “Not like a video game. Those are real people -- my people -- down there.”
    Speakers in the ceiling filled the room with Titan Six’s audio feed. Tank’s voice was as clear as if he were standing in the Ops Center with them.
    “ -- info on the hostiles?”
    “Six-man team,” said Shooter. “Dark gray battle dress uniforms. No night-vision goggles.”
    A green indicator light on Tank’s augmented reality display in his tactical helmet signaled that Titan Six was now connected to the Ops Center aboard the Alamiranta.
    “Acknowledge Ops Center,” said Tank. “Alpha One.”
    The Alpha One code indicated that Titan Six was engaged in a hostile situation and needed immediate assistance.
    “Acknowledged,” said Touchdown.
    “Hawkeye is in trouble,” said Tank. “Blurred vision, impaired speech, followed by loss of consciousness. We suspect hypoxia.”
    “Give us a second,” said Touchdown.
    Caine and Touchdown reviewed the data on Hawkeye’s personal display. The BioMEMS system and sensors in his tactical suit transmitted a wealth of information about his physical condition.
    “He’s got nitrogen in his bloodstream,” said Touchdown. “We’re working on it now.” 
    He typed some commands on his terminal and instructed Hawkeye’s BioMEMS system to begin eliminating the nitrogen molecules in his bloodstream and supplementing his cells with higher levels of oxygen.
    “We’re running out of time down here,” said Tank.
    The holographic display showed the Titan Six team split into two areas: