The Rotohawk veered across to the side of the street and pulled up under the cover of an overhanging advertising board. The tyres tore up the road, sending dust and stones flying against a nearby wall. Drefnig disengaged the turbines, and looked up as something banged on the cab's roof. When he stuck his head out of the side window, he saw a bent neon sign flashing just above his head.
Synthetic carrots!
Massive sale!
'Why are we stopping here?' Entworth said. 'Isn't that the building over there?' He pointed up at a tall dark building that was almost lost in the night.
'That's it, yes. We're going to walk from here. Trent will be on the lookout for any patrols.'
Entworth clicked his jaw from side to side. 'If we must. I prefer the smash and grab approach myself, but if he's half as slippery as you say he is, I suppose a little caution wouldn't hurt.'
'Gail Thompson sent several squads to pull him out of the Mekinet News building. Somehow, he still got away. I'm not taking any chances this time.'
Entworth nodded. Releasing his restraining bar, he unlocked the seat, and swivelled it around until it faced the back of the cab. Unhooking the wire mesh hatch, he let it fall with a metallic clang. With the hatch open, he could see clearly into the Rotohawk's back cage. Drefnig glanced over his shoulder at the six blank faces staring back at him. Their eyes shone like captured animals in the semi-darkness.
The squad wore black helmets and flexible combat armour. Trooper Sam Tapenocki was closest to the hatch. Her green eyes gazed intently from a small, but attractive face. She opened her mouth in a smile, exposing a line of perfect white teeth. Just behind her, Trooper Tim Polowski sat looking down at his boots. His deep set eyes and prominent jaw line led many to assume that he wasn't that bright. He was smarter than he looked. Polowski had never tried to rise in the ranks but he was good at what he did. His combat experience was second to none. Mick Rutter, Ken Boland, Carol Smart and Dan Rickworth sat on the cramped benches behind Polowski.
'Right,' Entworth said. 'Listen up. In a minute we're going to jog over to the apartment block opposite the Mekinet News building. We'll enter the building from the East. The apartment is on level 120. Trent is a hacker, so expect some kind of dirty tricks. I'm sure he's installed cameras in every place big enough for two rats to shag. Don't stand around sightseeing. Expect trouble. Stay in the shadows and keep your mouth shut.'
Rutter shuffled on his seat at the back of the cage. Short red hair stuck out in tufts from beneath his helmet. He straightened his combat armour but it still looked loose on his skinny frame as he peered towards the front cab with curious eyes. 'What's our point of entry?' he said.
'We're going in on the ground level,' Entworth said. 'I want you to call all the lifts down to the ground level as soon as we enter the building. Pin the doors open with waste bins or whatever is around. I don't want anyone using them after the operation has started.'
Rutter nodded and sat back in his seat.
Entworth looked at the others in turn. 'Tapenocki and Polowski, take the first lift and go straight up to level 120, but get out on the level below. Send the lift straight back down. I want you to walk up to 120 and stay close to lift the doors. Guard the corridor and make sure nobody uses the lift. Don't let anyone enter or exit the apartment while the operation is in progress.'
Tapenocki nodded and straightened the front of her flexible armour. Her eyes twinkled with excitement. 'Got it,' she said.
'Don't move from that spot, whatever weird shit you might hear going on around you. Got it?
Polowski reached up and scratched behind his ear, offering a thumbs up in response.
'Excellent,' Entworth said with an exaggerated smile. 'When Tapenocki sends the lift back down, Rutter will pin it open like the others.'
'Okay,' Rutter said. 'You can count on me.'
Boland chuckled to himself, his stocky shoulders hunching up against his short, fat neck. 'Finally, a job you can handle,' he said.
Rutter scowled in Boland's direction. He chewed his lip but kept his mouth shut.
'Pay attention,' Entworth said. 'Boland and Rickworth, I want you two take the lift up with Tapenocki. When you get out, head straight for the stairs. Make sure nobody uses them, but be careful who you shoot. Remember this is a residential building.'
'What about me?' Carol Smart said. She was new to the squad. She hadn't settled in yet.
'You stick with me and Commander Drefnig.'
'What if he comes down the stairs while we're all going up in the lift?' Tapenocki said.
'He's in a wheelchair, so I doubt he's going to do that, but we'll block the staircase on the ground floor anyway. Boland and Rickworth will be monitoring the stairs up top. If Trent does try it, he won't get far.'
'I'll kick the fucker down the stairs if I see him,' Boland said with a grin.
Drefnig shook his head. 'No, you won't. We need him alive. If Trent gets killed, we're all going to answer for it. We need to get him back to the towers in one piece, ready for questioning.'
'I'll shoot him in the legs then,' Boland said. 'He's not using them anyway.'
'Don't shoot him at all,' Drefnig said. 'We can't take that risk. Contain him. Shut down all his possible exits. When he has no other choice, he'll cooperate.'
Boland mumbled his agreement but his eyes betrayed his disappointment.
'Right,' Entworth said, turning his seat to face the front of the cab again. 'Everyone knows what they're doing. Am I right?'
'Yes sir,' a chorus of voices shouted from the back.
Entworth nodded and folded his arms. 'Sounds like the boys are ready.'
Drefnig stared at the apartment building across the road. 'No mistakes,' he said. 'I want Trent gift wrapped and on his way back to the detention cells within the hour.'
Entworth pulled a handle on the dashboard. The Rotohawk's rear door fell open with a thud, forming a shallow ramp that descended to the road's dusty surface. Drefnig opened the cab's side door and climbed out, stretching his long aching back. Squeezing into the Rotohawk's cab was always a challenge for a man of his height.
When Entworth tried opening the passenger door, it jammed up against the wall. He couldn't open it more than a few centimetres. 'What the fuck?' he said, pulling the door shut again. Climbing over Drefnig's seat, he hopped down onto the road beside him.
The other security forces climbed out of the Rotohawk's rear cage, gathering around Drefnig and Entworth in a tight group. They stood in semi-darkness as the lopsided neon sign above the Rotohawk illuminated the concentration on their faces.
'Blends right in,' Rutter said in admiration of Drefnig's parking.
Drefnig shrugged, and led them all a few metres away from the flickering light. He rolled his shoulders, and stretched his neck from side to side. His long limbs felt ready for action.
'Commander Drefnig is a far better driver than you are a passenger,' Entworth said. 'When will you guys learn to use the restraining bars?'
'Fuck that,' Boland said. 'I'm built to bounce.'
Tim Polowski grinned from under his helmet. Carol Smart frowned at them both and folded her arms in front of her chest.
'Move out,' Drefnig said. 'We've got work to do.'
The roads were empty in the Business District at this time of night. Anyone who was looking for fun would already be in the Old Quarter by now. Those who preferred to avoid the bright lights and exciting nightlife would have gone home hours ago.
Drefnig caught a movement in the corner of his eye. A tall woman in a big brown coat was standing at the corner of an alley that led away from the main road. She puffed on a short cigarette, holding it tightly between her finger and thumb. The cigarette's orange tip glowed brighter as she inhaled deeply and blew a plume of white smoke into the cool night air. She watched the security forces running across the road before tossing the cigarette onto the ground and walking away with her head down.
Entworth shot Drefnig a look. He pointed at the woman's back as she walked away. Drefnig frowned, shaking his head.
The security forces jogged quietly on the balls of their feet. They kept their heads down, and stayed in the shadows of the buildings, as they made their way towards Damen's apartment block.