0-SA (The Last Ship Series)

Chapter Seventeen: The Hunt

"I can't believe we're doing this again."

"Sage-"

"No this is bullshit Jacques! You promised me this was the last time we were going out there, and now here we are again out here, in this truck, waiting to find this stupid fucking leech head." Sage leaned back against her seat. "It almost took off my head."

William was in the back avoiding the confrontation. He just took a deep breath as he looked at Jacques who was just thinking.

"If we would have caught it, then it would have been the last time, Sage." Jacques looked over at her before placing his hand on her thigh and giving it a comforting squeeze, "When this is over we'll have the life we always wanted." Jacques glanced back at William, "William can be our maid ain't that right Willy?"

"I hate when you call me that." William groaned, "If they really pay what they said they would, I'm helping out the Sphere. You all heard the rumors of the ship haven't you?" He leaned back as he scanned his maps.

Sage had moved Jacques hand from her leg, but not before letting out a unamused chuckle, "That's not true and you know it. All the ships that were meant to leave have been gone for a long time."

"Yeah, but you know as well as I do no one wants to be here. They're is talk about a ship being built to that is going to take important people out of here." William scooted forward in his seat, "We could buy our ticket off this rock and head straight to the Solar Sun."

Jacques laughed, "Those are big dreams kid. There's no way we'd ever get lucky enough to get on a ship if there even was one available."

Sage leaned over to look at William, "You really think they would let a couple of ground soldiers like us on their special ship for special people?"

William shrugged, "I mean if we bring them that Irinaut, we could be heros. We could save Raven." The soldier fell back in his seat, mumbling, "You should shoot for higher than the stars."

"I'm not trying to get myself killed." Jacques sighed, seeming to have calmed down, "I'm not hopeful about finding her, but if we do I'm sure it will be a plus. Raven is one of our best demolishing experts. She's helped take down massive hives in the past."

"Why didn't she want to come anyway?" Sage cracked open a canteen and took a few drinks, "When we were first recruited to find the Irinaut?"

William pulled open his documents, "A lot of reasons. Probably the same reasons you don't want to be here. Her last mission was over a year ago, a failed one at that. Their entire team was ambushed and only part of the bombs went off. Her entire team was killed in combat. The only reason they found Raven is because she had crafted an electrical shocking van with her tools. She sat on a rubber mat in that truck for two days before anyone from base was able to get her."

"Jesus William how do you know all this?" Jacques turned back and looked at William, "Don't you think that's private?"

William shrugged, "Not really it's part of our files. I read yours and Sage's too. I didn't realize you were married."

Sage groaned, "William, unfortunately being a soldier comes before our marriage right now."

"Hey that's not true." Jacques turned his attention back to Sage.

"All do respect, do not start that while we're on shift. Also, William, stop reading through our profiles. Weirdo." Sage threw a piece of napkin at him from the front, "What else do you know? Did you read the files on the Irinaut?"

"After we got home yes. This thing has been invading capture for a long time. The professor's both believe it's building something or trying to make something livable." William pulled up the photos they had gotten before Osa abducted Raven, "The professors said they haven't seen anything like this before. They've never seen them geared up like this to protect them except for him. The craziest thing is his records go back an over a year now. We're not the first ones looking for it, but it obviously stays around the facility somewhere."

"What makes you say that?" Jacques looked back at William who had pulled up a large blue map.

"Look at this, it attacks in these clusters. If I can pull enough of the data together I might be able to pin point where the Irinaut is. Well, at least maybe close." William was tapping his tablet, "This might be easier then we thought before."

"You really think you can track it?" Sage seemed surprised. The woman was peeking over the seat to watch William work, "I'll say one thing, you're good with tech, William."

"If anything get us closer. It's gotta be on high alert now we almost had it." William sighed, "I don't know how we're even going to get up on it."

Jacques clapped his hands together, "We're not."

"What do you mean we're not that's why we're out here." Sage threw up her hands, "What are you-"

Jacques help up his hand, "We're going to tag it, and take it down from a distance. We already know he's dangerous up close. If we can tag before we tranquilize, it will make our job a lot easier." He rubbed his face, "It's going to be the safest way at this point. William, keep working on that and let me know if you find anything, and Sage-"

"Jesus what?" Sage groaned out as she rested her hand on her forehead.

"Nothing. Just sit there and look good." Jacques was looking over some maps himself, "And check your bags. I don't want any mix ups this time."