Blink: Phantom (Book 3)

13

She felt like the weight of the universe had been lifted from their shoulders upon their return to Blink Station Alpha. Even now Amber could still feel the residual adrenaline from her part in the venture as she guided the shuttle into the asteroid curtain around their home. While Vandal Squad had Blinked back after the mission, Hammerhead had stayed behind and secured Tannis Brock for transport aboard a penal shuttle craft.

So maybe the shaking of her hands had more to do with the fact that he was locked in the rear compartment less than twenty meters from where she sat. Darien had taken no chances; Brock was manacled, sedated and strapped into one of the chairs under guard. Idas and Uther sat with their prisoner in the rear, armed with volt guns and watching him constantly. Until they could hand him over to the marines of the station's security detail none of the operatives wanted Brock to do anything more than breathe.

When they entered the station's main docking bay she could see that Smith wasn't taking chances either. No less than five fully armed Colonial Marines stood waiting at their designated bay. When they disembarked Tannis Brock's unconscious form was bundled unceremoniously onto a stretcher and strapped tightly into place. Then the marines took the Ghost away, all the while keeping their guns trained on him.

Amber gratefully watched him disappear out of sight and her whole body relaxed. Their job was done, for the moment. The five other operatives of Hammerhead Squad gathered alongside her, all of them gazing down the passage where Brock had been taken. They exchanged looks, but for a long time no-one spoke.

Then she saw a grin crack Idas's face. He looked at them.

"Damn we're good," he declared. "We just took down a former Ghost! How many other Blink teams can say that, huh?"

"Not one," Niamh concurred. For a moment the silence seemed to swell like an intake of breath, and then the dam broke.

All the relief and elation came spilling out of them in a torrent of whoops, laughs, hugs and shrieks. Amber closed her eyes, letting her head rock back and a smile cross her face. Then she started laughing – she couldn't help it. Someone hugged her; she didn't even look to see who it was before returning the fierce embrace. When she released her hold she realised it was Hekket who stood with something approaching joy stamped on his youthful features. Before she could say anything, however, Darien stepped over to her, clapping a hand onto her shoulder and giving an affectionate squeeze.

"I think someone deserves a little more credit," he said. "That was a hell of a piece of flying, Amber."

"Well, now you know why you keep me around," she laughed.

Uther clicked his fingers. "I knew there was a reason!"

"Belt up." She gave the gangly operative a good-natured shove. As her elation began to subside, the enormity of what they'd accomplished – of what she'd accomplished – finally started to sink in. A seventeen-year-old girl had just gotten the better of one of the colonial military's most dangerous killing machines. Part of her surged with pride at the fact she'd out-flown the man. The other part of her was simply glad to be alive at the end of it.

"Well, well, well! Sounds like the heroes are home, eh?"

Amber turned at the sound of the singular accent to find Taggs standing in the corridor with the rest of Vandal Squad flanking him. They wore the casual fatigues of the Blink operatives – dark hooded jacket and trousers without the additional heft of armour and ordinance. He gave them a wiry grin. "Have a nice wee trip back?"

Darien shrugged. "Can't complain."

"Glad to hear it." Taggs strode forward and the two squad leaders shook hands firmly. Then Taggs motioned with a jerk of his head towards the passage behind him. "Now, if you're all done pattin' each other on the back, Smith wants to see the lot of us for a debrief right now. You best go dump your gear."