“Graphite.”

“No metallic signature that way, pretty standard stuff.” Leo sniffed. “Any markings on the outside? Symbols or warning-”

“No. Just a serial number or something.”

“What’s the number?”

“Ah…Seventy-two-slash-one-oh-six.”

“You’re sure?”

“What’s wrong?”

Leo let his head flop back. “Wow. They actually did it.”

“Did what?”

“Seventy-two-slash-one-oh-six isn’t a serial number. It’s the atomic structure of hafnium. Seventy-two protons. One hundred six neutrons. Those old-time scientists…you have to give them credit. So far beyond us, in some ways. Pure research, a culture of intellectual inquiry and unlimited budgets…must have been nice.” Leo rubbed his nose, sniffed. “It wasn’t even supposed to be possible. Oh, maybe in a purely theoretical sense, of course, but not-”

“Is it some kind of a bomb?” said Rakkim. “Like a hydrogen bomb or a neutron bomb?”

“No…not like that.” Leo giggled. “Hafnium bomb…it’s much more powerful.”

Chapter 40

Late morning and the camp rippled with activity, an increased focus Rakkim hadn’t seen before. Nothing definite, but the squad of troops moving from their tents to a nearby staging area had an extra kick to their step, trucks rumbled past more often than usual, and soldiers sat around outside the mess hall cleaning weapons that were already maintained. Rakkim wasn’t the only one who noticed. The miners leaned against their machines, bleary-eyed and covered in dust, watching the proceedings.

“What’s happening?” Rakkim asked a sergeant barreling past.

The sergeant barely glanced at Rakkim and Leo, both of them in civilian work clothes, and walked on.

“Does the Colonel know we’re here?” said Leo.

“I sent word.” Rakkim spotted Baby on horseback at the edge of camp, ran toward her, waving his hands to catch her attention. She must have seen him, because she turned her horse, a huge white stallion, and trotted over, her movements graceful, perfectly attuned to the stride of the horse.

“There you are, handsome,” said Baby, tall in the saddle, the reins in one hand as she patted the horse’s neck with the other. The sun turned her blond hair bronze. Her boots creaked in the stirrups. “Colonel’s looking for you.”

“What’s going on, Baby?” said Rakkim.

“Oh, trouble somewhere in the kingdom, like always,” said Baby. “Never a dull moment. Bores me to tears, if you want to know, but the Colonel’s sending off some boys to settle things down.” She nodded at Leo. “Who’s this big fellah?”

“I’m Leo, ma’am,” said Leo, stepping away from the horse. Probably allergic.

“Nice to-” Baby pressed a finger to her earpiece, listening. “I’m talking to him right now, sweetie.” She looked down at Rakkim. “Colonel says to meet him at the east lookout and double-time it.” She patted the horse’s back behind the saddle. “I could give one of you a ride, but I’d be hard-pressed to choose.” She spurred the horse, dirt kicking up around them.

“Wow,” said Leo. “That’s the most beautiful girl I ever saw…except for Leanne.”

They found the Colonel peering through binoculars down the east access road. A half-dozen guards stood nearby, assault rifles tracking Rakkim and Leo as they approached.

The Colonel turned, beckoned them closer.

“Colonel, this is Leo-smartest man you’ll ever meet, just ask him,” said Rakkim. “Leo’s the Ident tech wiz that the Russians hired to check out your weapon.”

“You make me feel old, son,” said the Colonel. “You started shaving yet?” He glanced at Rakkim. “Still haven’t found the weapon. Still haven’t decided if I’m going to share it with the Russians when I do.”

“Come on, Colonel, you didn’t win all those battles by overthinking every decision,” said Rakkim. “You’re going to do what your instincts tell you, and most of the time, you’re going to be right.”

“You’re just saying that because I took a liking to you,” said the Colonel, bright blue eyes sparkling in the morning light. “So did Baby, and I usually trust her judgment. Only thing that prevented me from throwing in with you that first night was I can’t abide a man who betrays his country, even the republic.” His eyes crinkled. “Turns out you’re not a traitor.”

They turned and watched a couple of loaded troop transports roll past, the Colonel’s expression serious for a moment before his good humor returned.

“You told me you had betrayed your Fedayeen oath when the Russians made you a large enough offer. Nothing special, just another tough guy gone outlaw.” The Colonel wagged a finger. “Not so.”

“Heck, Colonel, if you only deal with honest men, you’re going to be awfully lonely.”

“Let’s just say I like to know who walks in my house. So I had some folks do a full workup on you.” The Colonel tugged at one of his sideburns. “Turns out you’re not just another outlaw, you’re Rakkim Epps. Orphaned at nine, raised by Redbeard himself, a Fedayeen shadow warrior until you abandoned your calling to consort with lowlifes in the Zone. Damn, you must have been a disappointment to Redbeard, ’cause I know it would tear me up to see a pup I raised to hunt end up with his snout in garbage.” He seemed amused. “I put a hacker on you, real smart lady in Columbia City-she dug up your true background.” He inclined his head toward Rakkim. “It seems sometimes one can find a needle in a haystack.”

“You reach into a haystack, be careful you don’t draw blood,” said Rakkim.

“You’ve been playing a role since you were a child,” said the Colonel. “You’re not a renegade, and you’re no Muslim either. You’re a patriot, a Russian sleeper agent.” He gently turned Rakkim’s wrist, touched the crucifix burned into his palm. “Born-again Christian too. I wondered about that the first time we shook hands.”

Rakkim felt the breeze off the mountain wash over him, felt clean to the bone, pleased. Spider had done his job, planted the false background so deep that only another top hacker could find it. Best way to make certain the lie would be believed.

“Nine years old and set out on the street,” said the Colonel, shaking his head. “Hell’s bells, boy, you’re the deepest sleeper I ever heard of. Gave up your childhood for Mother Russia.”

“Wasn’t like I had a choice.” Rakkim shrugged. Offered his hand. “We have a deal?”

The Colonel shook his hand. “Screw the Chinese.”

“Screw the Chinese,” said Rakkim. “How did you find out about me?”

“Evidently there’s some kind of back door at a KGB database that this little gal in Columbia City discovered. She only found it because of some new wormware developed last year.”

“Lucky girl,” said Rakkim.

“Goddamn, the boys in Moscow must have been proud of you.” The Colonel clapped Rakkim on the back. “I’d love to know what it was like growing up with Redbeard. Most of them running the show in the republic are useless as tits on a bull, useless as our own politicians, but Redbeard…he seemed like a real man.”

“Redbeard didn’t cut slack, Colonel, not for himself or anybody else, but the things I learned from him saved my life more often than I can count. You and Redbeard…I think you would have liked each other.”

“I take that as a high compliment.” The Colonel leaned forward. “Did he ever have any idea…ever get a hint of who you really were?”

Rakkim shook his head. “Not that there weren’t times I wanted to tell him.”

“Probably just as well. Head of State Security nursing a Russian spy to his bosom, teaching him all his tricks…might have been too much to bear.”

“We all make mistakes.”

“That we do.” The Colonel looked down the road below. “I even made a few myself.”

“You waiting for something, Colonel?”

The Colonel kept his face turned away. “Got word yesterday of some bandit activity in Hattiesburg and Marston, ugly business. Last night I sent Alpha Company to bolster the local defense units. That left me with just two companies, which is a little shorthanded, but things have been quiet. Until now.” He turned to Rakkim. “You ever hear of a gang of trash called the End-Times Army?”