Page 4 of Dark Shaman: Love Found (The Children Of The Gods #99)

"Assuming we can acquire these engineers, how long before we have production-ready designs?"

"With their expertise and our existing prototypes?

I assume that we can have a combat-ready design in about six months.

If we can use the same facility that produced the exoskeletons we have now to manufacture these, then we can have the new modified suits ready in under a year.

If we need to scatter production between different outfits and assemble them in our own plant, we will need a little over a year.

If you want everything built from scratch in one place, it might take a little longer than that.

In the meantime, we can start recruiting and training humans on the suits we have. "

It was aggressive but possible. Kian had seen what motivated engineers could accomplish when given unlimited resources and a clear goal. "It won't be cheap."

Kalugal shrugged. "I'm willing to fund it if you are not going to limit who I can sell the suits to. There are communities all over the world that desperately need protection and could use them."

Kian snorted. "Are you trying to sell me on the idea by pretending to be a humanitarian suddenly?"

Kalugal affected an offended expression and put a hand over his chest. "You wound me, cousin.

I care deeply about all the poor sods who get slaughtered all over the globe because they are members of the wrong tribe or the wrong religion or whatever else their savage neighbors don't like.

That doesn't mean that I have to provide these excellent protective weapons for free. Someone else will foot the bill."

That was more like Kalugal, and even though Kian could see a number of problems with the idea of supplying these kinds of weapons to warring tribes, he also saw merit in giving people the ability to protect their families.

But that was all peripheral. What Kalugal was suggesting was an elegant solution to their limited numbers problem. Guardians could provide leadership and training, while human operators in exoskeletons could provide the bulk of the force.

Kalugal pulled out his phone again and showed Kian a real estate listing.

"Look at this—private island in the Bahamas, two hundred acres, existing infrastructure including a small airstrip.

The previous owner was some tech billionaire who got divorced and needs to sell all of his possessions for the settlement agreement.

It's been on the market for eight months, which means that he's getting desperate by now. "

Kian studied the images. The island had potential. It wasn't isolated or impossibly remote, but it could be kept private. "Price?"

"Thirty-two million. That's pocket change given that some Beverly Hills mansions are going for more. It's a good investment."

"Islands are typically not a great investment, but our motives are not purely financial. "

Kalugal pursed his lips. "I wouldn't mind owning an island.

We can disguise it as a corporate retreat center.

Executive training facility. Rich people go to private islands for team-building exercises all the time.

Some physical activity, some zip lines, nothing that would look unusual from above.

Everything else can be underground, just like in my father's island.

" He took a long puff on his cigarillo. "Navuh might be crazy, but he's not stupid, and I'm not too proud to follow his example when it can benefit me.

" Kalugal finished his Scotch and set the glass down with a decisive click.

"I know it's ambitious, and I know that there are a thousand things that could go wrong.

But what's our alternative? Wait for my father to perfect his enhanced soldiers while we slowly develop robots that might not be ready in time? "

Kian couldn't argue with that logic. They were in an arms race, whether they liked it or not, and chances were that Navuh was going to beat them to the finish line even with the new plan. He already had enhanced soldiers and was now working on perfecting them.

"Let's do it." Kian set his glass down. "What's our first move?"

"We get Weng first," Kalugal said. "She's the lynchpin.

Without her mechanical expertise, the others can't optimize their systems. She's divorced, has no kids, and her parents are deceased.

Workaholic by all accounts. Lives for her projects.

She'll jump at the opportunity. While that's going on, I will also put in an offer for the island. "

"What about Ross and Torres?" Kian asked .

"Ross is a mercenary at heart. He goes where the money and interesting problems are. Torres is more idealistic, but she's also practical. I'll frame it as developing protection for a private security force, let her ease into the full truth."

"When did you have time to think all of this through?"

Smiling, Kalugal tapped his temple. "I'm a fast thinker, and I have a good crew that does the research for me."

Kian stood, walking to the edge of the roof. The village spread below, peaceful and without a care. How many more years of peace could they count on? How long before Navuh's reach extended even here?

"We'll need a project manager," he said without turning around. "Someone to coordinate all of this. The engineering team, the production facilities, and the training centers. Someone who understands both the technical and tactical requirements."

"Do you have someone in mind?" Kalugal asked.

Kian turned to him. "I was thinking about your man, Phinas. He and Jade could undertake the project."

Kalugal didn't look too happy with the suggestion. "I'll talk to him and you talk with Jade, but I don't think she'll be willing to take this on in addition to leading her people."

"She'll love it." Kian stubbed out his cigarillo and pulled out a new one. "She can utilize Kagra to oversee the Kra-ell while she's busy with the new project."

Kalugal still didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Name? We need to give this project a name. How about Operation Equalizer? Since that's what we're doing—equalizing the playing field between humans and enhanced soldiers."

"Not bad. But I have a better one. Project Titan. I like the mythological reference. It implies strength without spelling out the military application."

"I like it." Kalugal stood. "Project Titan, it is."