Let them think they're winning, then kill them.

  Old World saying

  STEP 8: If you can't win, play dirty

  RG Doctrine

  When the going gets tough, try harder.

  Feebee’s ‘manual’

  They were bumping along in the APC. Its dark, windowless interior offering no view outside. Their welcoming party sat opposite them. The contrast between the two groups stark. One sat back, relaxed against the cool metal, their chat full of banter. The other was tense, movements nervy and tired, their silence heavy.

  Alpha-3 joined in the banter, "My vote is we have a drink or two. Be good for morale."

  "Morale? Right. And just two? Let's hope there was a recent delivery."

  "For morale? more liking for that belly if yours and their profit margins."

  "Wow. Harsh." Alpha-3 pretended to be shocked.

  "But fair." Even River joined in.

  Alpha-2 fist pumped him.

  Feebee undid her hair and shook it out, it had grown long. She absently started braiding it into a complex cornrow pattern. Her hands moved with practiced precision, fast, on automatic.

  ‘I tried to hack Corporal Rockson’s personnel file.’ The QI just dropped the comment on Feebee out of nowhere.

  'Why?’ Was all she asked.

  The QI noted she there wasn't surprise, or anger, in her voice. Interesting.

  ‘It doesn’t gel that an admin clerk knows what he knows. Also, his reaction to conflict situations is off.'

  The RG watched Feebee, mesmerised. She paused the braiding. ’True. So, what did you find?’

  'Nothing. There's no history that is anything more than fluff.'

  'Get to the point.'

  'Rockson is a cover story. 96.5% probability.'

  'Oh. Ok. Do nothing for now. Tell no-one else.'

  The QI's response was immediate, 'If we've noticed, so have the Alphas.'

  'Good point. Still, don't mention it.'

  The APC stopped, the rear doors opened, noisily. There were no echoes in the jungle, just empty silence. The RGs tumbled out and waited.

  Feebee finished with short plaits on the end of each cornrow. Her team waited.

  She finger talked, 'A3 POINT WITH RIVER. A2 COVER 6 WITH ROCKSON' It was becoming their standard recon pattern.

  The Alphas spoke quietly, conveying the message. Then they stepped out and down, onto a parade ground, following the Corporal.

  Its sealed floor stretched to walls topped with wire. Spots faced out, their bright light scattered by smoke, almost a haze in dry air beyond. The walls facing them, towards the parade ground, were full of doors. All numbered.

  This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

  Gone were the now familiar sounds of unseen fauna. This was not a place accepted by the jungle, it was a place abandoned by it.

  And that's how it felt. No warm resonant energy flowed here. Her feet felt nothing. Her bones were still.

  She shivered.

  'This is not a good place,' the QI warned.

  'I feel it too.'

  'I know.'

  "This way." The Corporal led them out to a door.

  Feebee waited as Alpha-3 entered.

  "Ok." He called back.

  Feebee went through into an area that was clearly a human military barracks like anywhere else but there was a tired, warn feeling to it. Not the precise, maintained feel of JSOC, or The Measured Response. Door frames had paint chipped corners, floors had scuff marks, a light was out. Small details but details that should have been attended.

  The Corporal stopped. "I heard you talking. It's not a good idea to go out alone. If you let us know, we can guard you."

  "Oh.Ok. Good."

  'WE GO OUT TONIGHT. ALONE' Both Alphas read her message and smiled. Not one of those nice warm smiles but the smile of a carnivore that senses a hunt about to start.

  Alpha-2, 'DIFFICULT. WATCHERS'

  Alpa-3, 'FUN'

  The Corporal apologised for the shared accommodation, "Observers tend to be male. Sorry."

  "I'm used to it."

  "Yeh. Tell me about it. See you in the morning." She left. It was a rare moment, a brief glimpse beneath the Corporal's military veneer.

  "The comms are out. Seems to be a thing here." It was Alpha-2.

  River was about to speak, Feebee shook her head. 'FINGERS. VOICE FOR TRIVIA'

  He nodded, "My world is quiet. It's strange."

  "Yes. It must be." Feebee empathised.

  Feebee smiled and touched her head. "Early to bed and a good night sleep will be good for us."

  'Can you do anything about our watchers?' She asked the QI. All she got back was scratchy laughter as an image filled one of her overlays. It was of the five of them sitting talking in the rest area of billet. The image cycled to a dorm with six beds, then back to the rest area. Then the image split into two, both showing the same view, slightly different angle.

  'There are two feeds, same image. One significantly harder to find and more secure.'

  'Why?'

  'Unsure.' Was the QI's response.

  'Hhmm. Share the split image with the others. Show us talking for another half hour then go to bed?'

  'Ok.' The QI continued, 'They'll be expecting us to try and leave.'

  'Yes. And maybe for us to hack them.' Feebee added. 'The watchers-watch-the-watchers.'

  'ASSUME THEY TRACK US. WE THINK WE'RE CLEAR'

  The QI updated the video feed with a loop of them in the rest area. Just talking.

  Feebee shared the schematic of the Farm the QI had 'found'. They were in one corner. Away from production and shipping. In what looked like the 'ADMIN SECTOR'.

  The image on the left, in Feebee's overlays showed them talking in the rest room. The image on the right however showed them walking down a corridor towards a rear exit in the Admin block they were billeted in.

  'Well done.' She congratulated the QI.

  'THEY TRACK US. WE REMAIN UNAWARE.'

  As she gave the message she asked, in a short, staccato burst. "All Clear?"

  She got an "Ack" back from them all. The Alphas smiled, then put their game faces on. River followed suit.

  'The corridors are empty for our route out. Too empty.'

  'Ok. We'll move fast. Very fast. Rush them.'

  'WE MOVE FAST. STD PATTERN.'

  Alpha-2 disabled the door alarm. Only the second feed showed this.

  Then Alpha-3 was sprinting down the corridor followed by River. Feebee was a second behind, with Rockson and Alpha-2 bringing up the rear.

  This was a fast forward movement. No attempt was made to cover their backs.

  'You able to spoof the second feed?'

  'No. I could block it.' The QI sounded disappointed.

  'Ok, I'll let you know when. Don't get caught, seeing what they see is an advantage.'

  'Ack'

  They stopped at a heavy door. Alpha-3 and Rockson waited at a turn in the corridor. Alpha-2 was working the door. River stood near, then knelt seeing the others. Feebee held her position halfway between the two groups.

  Alpha-2 was struggling with the door. The keypad remained obstinately red.

  'Help him,' she instructed the QI, 'Carefully.'

  Scratchy laughter.

  The keypad cycled to amber, then red. Alpha-2 gave out a short two tone whistle. Alpha-3 and Rockson sprinted to the door, slowed then walked out. Feebee followed with Alpha-2 and River. They were back in their recon pattern.

  On side of Feebee's overlays showed them in bed asleep, but the other gave her a view looking across a street filled with hustle and bustle. Their group was in the midst of the chaos, clearly in view.

  'Any audio?' She asked the QI.

  'Must be. Can't find it.'

  'Oh. Ok.'

  She recognised the view, its was from a classic overwatch position. There was too much going on, too many people milling around. She couldn't communicate with the team. Didn't want use normal comms.

  'They have over-watch.'

  'Overwatch? Sniper?' Asked the QI.

  'Likely. Forget the audio. Find the sniper.'

  And at that moment there was a sound they all recognised. It was the pop-pop of a silenced rifle. They looked around.

  Feebee was down, holding her chest, gasping for air. Blood pooled below her and spread across the floor.