Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Weapons Engineer

"How?" Brenda asked without waiting for Thomas to speak. "I'll let Gary explain." Vince gestured for the boy to speak. "Okay, think of the Righteous Army," Gary said, standing up. "These guys aren't soldiers. They're accountants, goalkeepers, plumbers, and teachers. WICKED actually has a small army, well-trained, Well equipped. Even if we could find a bunch of the best launchers in the world and get the other weapons they were using, we would still be at a disadvantage." Thomas didn't understand what exactly they were talking about. "So what are your plans?"

"The only thing that would level the playing field is make sure they don't have any weapons, then we have a chance." "So, are you trying to steal weapons?" Brenda asked. "Intercept weapons shipments? Or something?" "It's not like that," Gary replied, shaking his head, and then a childlike excitement appeared on his face, "The key is not how many recruits you can recruit, but who you can recruit. Of all the recruits recruited by the Justice Army, There was one woman who was the key figure." "Who is it?" Thomas asked. "Her name is Charlotte Chiswell, and she's the chief engineer for the world's largest weapons manufacturer, at least for the high-end weapons manufacturers using second-generation technology. Pistols, launchers, grenades... as long as you can Speaking of which, the weapons used by WICKED are all produced there, and they all rely on cutting-edge electronics and computer systems to operate. Charlotte has figured out a way to render the weapons useless."

"Really?" Brenda asked skeptically.Thomas couldn't believe it, but he listened intently to Gary's explanation. "They use the same chip for each of their weapons, and she's been trying to figure out a way to remotely reprogram the weapons to scramble them for months. She's finally succeeded. Once she's activated, she only needs a few Hours would do, but would have to have a small device in the building to be effective, so our guys do the job by transporting immunizers. We also don't use weapons if it works, but at least we have fairness competitive environment."

"If it wasn't an advantage," Vince added, "their guards and security personnel are so well trained in the use of weapons that it's like second nature to them. But I bet they've let up a lot in hand-to-hand combat .real fights, with knives, planks, shovels, sticks and rocks, and fists.” He grinned happily. We don't do that, and if their weapons were still working, we'd be defeated before we even started." Thomas recalls a fight with the Griever in the maze, just as Vince described it.He shivered at the thought of that scene, but it was better than not using a weapon at all.

And, if they could, it meant they had a chance, Thomas felt a sudden thrill. "So what do you do?" Vince paused, then continued: "We've got three Bergs, and put eighty people in them—the strongest people we could find. We'll send them over to WICKED contacts, implants, though it's going to be Hardest job, but when it's done, we'll punch a hole in the wall and let everyone in. Once we've got control of their facility, Charlotte will help us make sure enough weapons are still working to keep the situation under control .That's the only way we can do this, or everyone will die. If necessary, we will blow up the place." Thomas knew it all, they would be unnecessary in such an attack.This is especially true for those with unbroken memories who know the layout of WICKED.

Vince seemed to see what Thomas was thinking, and continued: "If what Gary said is true, you and your friends will be a great help to our planning team, because some of you know the inside and out Facilities. Every single person is essential, no matter how old you are." "We've got a Borg, too," Brenda suggested, "unless it's been torn to shreds by a lunatic. It's just outside the walls northwest of Denver, and the pilot is back with our other friends." "Where's your Berg ship?" Thomas asked. Vince waves to the back of the room. "That direction is safe, everything is close. We wanted to take a week or two to get ready, but we're running out of options. The Charlotte unit is ready, as is our first batch of eighty people." Ready. Probably the next day we'll have you share what you know with others to make the final preparations, and then we're off. Nothing sounds more glorious than this plan, so we'll just go in and get going .”

Hearing him say this made Thomas feel more at ease. "How sure are you?" "Listen, kid," Vince said with a serious face, "we've heard about WICKED's mission for years. We've heard that every man, every woman, every resource...is used Finding a cure for the Flare. They told us they found someone who was immune, and that if they could figure out why the brains of the immune people weren't infected by the virus, the world would be saved! But at the same time, the city crashed Collapse; education, security, medicine for other diseases, charities, humanitarian aid...the whole world is going downhill and WICKED does whatever it wants."

"I know," Thomas said, "I know this all too well." Vince couldn't stop, and wanted to pour out the words that had been held in his chest for a long time. "We could have done a better job of suppressing the spread of the disease without having to find a cure for it, but WICKED sucked all the money and the best people. Not only that, they created false hope, and nobody was on guard. Thought the miracle cure would save them eventually, but if you wait any longer, no one will ever save them." Vince looked tired, the room was quiet, and he sat staring at Thomas, waiting for his answer, Thomas had no objection to what the man had said.

Vince finally spoke again: "As long as our immune people can get in, they can implant the device. But if the thing is already installed when we arrive, things will go much smoother. With the immunity on hand Otherwise, we can enter the airport, and we are allowed to land, but..." He looked up at Thomas, as if waiting for him to make a statement. Thomas nodded. "Let me do this." "Yes." Vince said with a smile, "I believe it's up to you."