Read Online The Phoenix Variant: The Fifth Column 3 by Nathan M Farrugia - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nathan M Farrugia
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Sophia said.
‘I’m glad we talked about this too,’ Aviary said.
Sophia tried to spot the lens but it was difficult to see.
‘The lens records 4K video, one-twenty-degree view,’ Aviary said. ‘Combine that with the two cameras already built in, you have a 360 view that is so fucking fabulous it’s off the scale.’
Sophia turned the phone over in her hands. ‘Off the scale,’ she said. ‘I guess I could give it a shot.’
Aviary’s eyes lit up. ‘Great! When Nasira’s back you can give one to her as well. And if you see the boys at all.’
Sophia watched Aviary pour half a dozen phones into her own ruck. ‘Sure.’
‘I was wondering,’ Aviary said. Her gaze flickered. ‘If I give you this location data for the operatives, I was giving some serious thought to maybe you training me some more.’
Sophia felt a knot in her chest. ‘What sort of training?’
‘I don’t know, operative stuff,’ Aviary said. ‘I mean, the Jaguar Knights—the Force Recon guys—they taught me some weapon handling and movement, maybe you could teach me some more? Of that stuff. The stuff I just mentioned.’
Sophia handed the phone back to her.
‘Or other stuff,’ Aviary said.
‘I’ve already taught you some pretty high-level anti-surveillance and security,’ Sophia said. ‘That’s more than most soldiers know. And a lot of field agents.’
‘I know, but I’m not prepared for everything . Not like a—’
‘A black swan event,’ Sophia said.
Aviary wrinkled her nose, confused. ‘Yes, how come I’m not prepared for a black swan event and other cool things?’
‘It’s an event with no precedence or warning,’ Sophia said. ‘You can’t deal with that, not yet.’
‘Don’t you think it’s a good idea if I could?’ Aviary said, waving the phone dramatically between them. ‘I mean, you have Nasira helping you all the time. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone else as well? Someone with cool hair maybe.’
Sophia didn’t know what to say.
Aviary pointed at the map on her laptop. ‘Is that why you want them? Only operatives can handle black swans? I wouldn’t be useful.’
‘You are useful,’ Sophia said. ‘You found the map, for starters.’
‘I’ve read the Akhana’s survival guide for humans,’ Aviary said. ‘I know it inside and out. I know every type of psychopath, I know all about the Fifth Column, I’m on the operative ketogenic diet. I think I would make a very good operative. No one ever suspects the weird Hawaiian girl.’
‘I’m not an operative,’ Sophia said. ‘And neither are you.’
Aviary chewed the inside of her lip. ‘And you’re the authority on that?’
‘It’s dangerous, hacking into the Fifth Column,’ Sophia said. ‘You shouldn’t have done that.’
‘I just granted you your wish!’ Aviary said. ‘And you don’t want it anymore?’
Sophia felt the heat build inside her. ‘This isn’t a game!’ she yelled. ‘One mistake and I find you in the bathtub with your brain splashed across the ceramic!’
‘I don’t make mistakes!’ Aviary paused. ‘And more to the point, I don’t have a bathtub.’
‘But you have this!’ Sophia said, trying to bring her volume down. She gestured to the couch, to the kitchen, the apartment as a whole.
‘Yeah, and it’s boring as hell,’ Aviary said. ‘Your life might be dangerous but it’s exciting.’
‘This is something real,’ Sophia said. ‘Your life is real. Mine’s just … I don’t know, like some passing reflection in the glass. I’m there one minute and then I’m gone. That’s how it is.’
Aviary’s hands uncurled. ‘You’re not going anywhere,’ she said. ‘I have plans tonight and you’re coming.’ She handed the phone back to Sophia. ‘To something real.’
Chapter 9
Sacred Mountain Range, Peru
With her ruck on her back, Nasira opened the door and stepped across the hard snow. The blizzard was gone and for the first time Nasira could make out the village. Only it
‘I’m glad we talked about this too,’ Aviary said.
Sophia tried to spot the lens but it was difficult to see.
‘The lens records 4K video, one-twenty-degree view,’ Aviary said. ‘Combine that with the two cameras already built in, you have a 360 view that is so fucking fabulous it’s off the scale.’
Sophia turned the phone over in her hands. ‘Off the scale,’ she said. ‘I guess I could give it a shot.’
Aviary’s eyes lit up. ‘Great! When Nasira’s back you can give one to her as well. And if you see the boys at all.’
Sophia watched Aviary pour half a dozen phones into her own ruck. ‘Sure.’
‘I was wondering,’ Aviary said. Her gaze flickered. ‘If I give you this location data for the operatives, I was giving some serious thought to maybe you training me some more.’
Sophia felt a knot in her chest. ‘What sort of training?’
‘I don’t know, operative stuff,’ Aviary said. ‘I mean, the Jaguar Knights—the Force Recon guys—they taught me some weapon handling and movement, maybe you could teach me some more? Of that stuff. The stuff I just mentioned.’
Sophia handed the phone back to her.
‘Or other stuff,’ Aviary said.
‘I’ve already taught you some pretty high-level anti-surveillance and security,’ Sophia said. ‘That’s more than most soldiers know. And a lot of field agents.’
‘I know, but I’m not prepared for everything . Not like a—’
‘A black swan event,’ Sophia said.
Aviary wrinkled her nose, confused. ‘Yes, how come I’m not prepared for a black swan event and other cool things?’
‘It’s an event with no precedence or warning,’ Sophia said. ‘You can’t deal with that, not yet.’
‘Don’t you think it’s a good idea if I could?’ Aviary said, waving the phone dramatically between them. ‘I mean, you have Nasira helping you all the time. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone else as well? Someone with cool hair maybe.’
Sophia didn’t know what to say.
Aviary pointed at the map on her laptop. ‘Is that why you want them? Only operatives can handle black swans? I wouldn’t be useful.’
‘You are useful,’ Sophia said. ‘You found the map, for starters.’
‘I’ve read the Akhana’s survival guide for humans,’ Aviary said. ‘I know it inside and out. I know every type of psychopath, I know all about the Fifth Column, I’m on the operative ketogenic diet. I think I would make a very good operative. No one ever suspects the weird Hawaiian girl.’
‘I’m not an operative,’ Sophia said. ‘And neither are you.’
Aviary chewed the inside of her lip. ‘And you’re the authority on that?’
‘It’s dangerous, hacking into the Fifth Column,’ Sophia said. ‘You shouldn’t have done that.’
‘I just granted you your wish!’ Aviary said. ‘And you don’t want it anymore?’
Sophia felt the heat build inside her. ‘This isn’t a game!’ she yelled. ‘One mistake and I find you in the bathtub with your brain splashed across the ceramic!’
‘I don’t make mistakes!’ Aviary paused. ‘And more to the point, I don’t have a bathtub.’
‘But you have this!’ Sophia said, trying to bring her volume down. She gestured to the couch, to the kitchen, the apartment as a whole.
‘Yeah, and it’s boring as hell,’ Aviary said. ‘Your life might be dangerous but it’s exciting.’
‘This is something real,’ Sophia said. ‘Your life is real. Mine’s just … I don’t know, like some passing reflection in the glass. I’m there one minute and then I’m gone. That’s how it is.’
Aviary’s hands uncurled. ‘You’re not going anywhere,’ she said. ‘I have plans tonight and you’re coming.’ She handed the phone back to Sophia. ‘To something real.’
Chapter 9
Sacred Mountain Range, Peru
With her ruck on her back, Nasira opened the door and stepped across the hard snow. The blizzard was gone and for the first time Nasira could make out the village. Only it
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