Page 5 of Defender (Omega Sector: Under Siege #1)

“We’ve got a big audience, people, so you can expect that they’re going to be throwing everything at us, up to and including the kitchen sink,” Derek told them. “Look sharp and watch each other’s six.”

Because the scenario involved possible tear gas but didn’t guarantee it, none of them had their masks on yet. The ability to get the masks situated quickly was an important part of a real-life airborne attack.

They stood inside the holding room. In just a moment, the door would open and the clock would start. One of the revolutionary parts of this simulator was its ability to mechanically reset rooms and situations. Every time the door opened, the team entering would be facing a different scenario.

Just like real life.

The door flew open and they got into formation, entering the darkened hallway so that everyone was facing a different angle. Using abbreviated sign language, the six-person team motioned to each other about who would take the lead and who would bring up the rear.

Everyone was focused but had the slightest smiles pulling at their faces. The team lived for this sort of challenge.

The scenario was a dark alley, amazingly lifelike. Ashton reached over and touched one of the “city” walls. He couldn’t feel the texture through his gloves, but it obviously had weight behind it, like a real wall.

An announcement from what would be the equivalent of dispatch came in through the earpieces they all were wearing.

“SWAT team, we have intel that a group of five men is attempting to exit a bank two blocks to your north. Be advised suspects have hostages and have released tear gas into the vicinity.”

“Masks on, people,” Derek said as they began jogging toward the north, staying close to the wall. Soon they were around the corner from the bank.

The bad guys the team was combatting resembled lifelike robots. They had sensors on their frames that could pick up on any movement or sound within human parameters. If a person could see or hear the SWAT team, the robots would be able to also.

And shoot accordingly.

Not real bullets of course, but the entire team’s gear was covered in a netting that held sensors.

The same ones the lab guy had explained would notify them when they’d been hit.

Shots the bad guys took and the team received would be marked and counted against them.

A direct shot to the head or enough shots to the chest—even with vests—would “kill” the SWAT member and they would be unable to help the team any longer.

Basically it was a game of laser tag but much more intense.

“Ashton, Liam, I want you to find some way to get to higher ground so we can take shots if needed. Lillian, Roman, keep lower.”

The sound of gunfire—scarily realistic—could be heard throughout the building.

Everybody scattered, each going to their assigned place.

It really was an amazing facility. Ashton jumped up and grabbed a fire escape ladder and pulled it down.

It easily supported his weight as he climbed up.

If he didn’t know he was in a simulator, he would swear he was on a city street at night.

The creators had captured the chaos of a hostage situation with eerie accuracy.

Ashton spotted the window he wanted to get to. It would give him excellent vision into the bank.

He looked at Liam. “I’m heading up to that window.”

“Roger that. I’ll stay here.”

Ashton had to make a pretty big leap over to the next “building,” but grabbed the balcony and pulled himself up with no problem. He eased along the ledge to get to the window he wanted. Carefully.

Simulator or not, a fall from twenty feet would do some serious damage.

Once he made it through the window, he pulled out his mock sniper rifle.

Ashton spoke into his mic. “All set, Derek. I have visibility on the targets.”

“Roger that.”

“I’m in position, too, Derek,” Liam said. “Ashton and I can take out at least three of the perps.”

“Hold. We’re working our way around behind them.”

From his riflescope, Ashton watched as Roman made his way down the edge of the wall, using the smoke for cover. Ashton couldn’t see where Lillian moved, but that wasn’t unusual. Her smaller size gave her a distinct advantage in situations like this.

“Whoa, Roman, bogey on your six.”

Ashton saw the human-looking robot step out from around the corner and aim at Roman. Ashton took the shot, even though he knew it would be too late.

The robot immediately powered down as Ashton’s electronic bullet hit him, but the damage had already been done. Roman’s suit lit up in the shoulder.

Roman’s obscenities flew over the comm units. Ashton watched through his sniperscope as Roman grabbed the shoulder that had been “hit.”

“Damn it, that hurts.” Roman’s voice was tight with pain.

“What?” Everyone asked it at the same time.

“Those sensors,” Roman said, teeth clearly gritted. “Shocked the hell out of me when I got hit and it’s still sending a pretty damn painful pulse every few seconds.”

Not unlike what you would feel if you got shot in real life while on a mission. Although probably not nearly as painful.

“So I guess you’re not dead,” Liam said.

Roman cursed again under his breath. “No. Just wounded. No wonder that lab coat bastard was all but laughing.”

“Alright, that’s it. Let’s finish this. If they’re going to use force, I’m not going to hesitate to order you all to do so, too,” Derek said.

It was over less than two minutes later.

Ashton and Liam picked off three more of the six—five had been bad intel from the beginning, a nice little twist in the game—Lillian was able to take the other two from where she’d successfully sneaked around behind them.

The lights came up, and all mechanical bad guys stopped moving. The good guys had won that particular scenario.

“Alright, people, we’re going to need to debrief. Not just our actions but how everything worked in here,” Derek said. “Meet in the control room in fifteen minutes.”

Ashton took off his gas mask now that overhead ventilation units were sucking all the residual tear gas and smoke out of the building.

He stood up and looked around the room he had crawled into to take his shots. It looked just like an apartment living room. Maybe the room would be part of another scenario—domestic hostage-taking or something.

He turned to walk to the window so he could crawl back out and find a way to the ground when metal shutters suddenly dropped from the ceiling, covering the window, blocking his route.

Great. There went that exit. When the scenario finished, obviously everything shut down. Literally.

Ashton turned toward the door on the other side of the room; the only other exit. He’d find his way back down using that.

But the metal shutters dropped from the ceiling there, too, covering the door.

“Um, Derek, I’ve got a situation here. I think Big Brother just locked me in the apartment building room I was using as cover.”

Liam laughed. “I guess they don’t have all the bugs worked out.”

“Roger that, Ashton.” Derek responded. “The control room should be able to hear this conversation and let you out soon.”

“But until that time,” Roman piped up, “please use your isolation to reflect on how you plan to move yourself out of the friend zone with the lovely Ms. Worrall.”

Ashton rolled his eyes and gave a mock laugh. “You know what? You guys can kiss my—”

His words froze up as every sensor on his clothing and gear began to jolt him repeatedly. Ashton dropped to the ground, his muscles seizing up from pain, as almost every inch of his body was bombarded by a near constant flow of electric shock.