Heroic Measures (continued)

“. . . in position at grid Gamma . . .”

“. . . still no signs of activity. All heat sensors . . .”

As advanced as he assumed their communications systems were, they were still at the mercy of interference caused by the ionized atmosphere caused by the storm itself, and worsened by the lightning strikes. Sudden bursts of shrill static made him glance up toward the horizon, seeing if he could spot the location of the strike.

“. . . no sign of entry at . . . grid . . .”

“. . . storm damage at our location: grid Delta four . . .”

Walter checked his watch.

Any minute now . . .

Their timetable, Walter knew, was based on the expected path and arrival time of the storm. There was no way to guarantee its precise onset, so Walter hoped that no one jumped into action without specific orders to do so, before they were ready.

“. . . it’s pouring here now, like someone’s dumping buckets . . .”

“. . . rooftops . . . grid . . . seventeen . . .”

Lightning struck somewhere toward the south side of the city. The resultant thunder took only a few seconds to reach him, telling Walter that it had been close. His skin prickled and he wondered how much that sensation was from his own apprehension, the increased charge in the air, or the first of the devices being activated not too far in the distance. Most likely, he concluded, it was a combination of at least the first two.

“. . . grid . . . nine . . . report . . .”

“. . . can’t see them . . . do you . . . send . . .”

The noises that came over his headset next sounded much less like static and a great deal more like at least one person screaming in agony.

“. . . nineteen . . . can you . . .”

“. . . debris . . . damage . . . no medical . . .”

A blinding white-yellow flash, followed almost instantly by an ear-ringing crack of thunder, momentarily washed out Walter’s vision in a vast, bright blur. Its target had been the building of financial offices two blocks away. Walter watched as something on its rooftop burst like a firework into copper-colored flame.

He nearly dropped to his knees as his mind was flooded by a wave of mental disruption. Although it was not exactly like vertigo, he still had trouble keeping his balance. The objects around him had edges too sharply defined to seem entirely natural. He forced himself to think, reaching for the transmit control on his headset. If he could not manage to speak, it would at least broadcast his location.