Toka-Ace: Burial: Toka-Ace, #2

By Tahir Kashif

With the sabotage of August-Mason, Unit Nine aka Troy Haden and his peers have a chance to begin life anew. Unbeknownst to him, plans are being put into motion to recapture him and his peers. The hope of his new life and the pull of what's familiar collide.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tahir Kashif
• Release date: Mar 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393340126

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Emmerich got the emergency call before the sun rose.

The news conveyed to him over the call sent him into an immediate rage. He ordered for a car to pick him up and take him to headquarters.

He quickly showered and put on a suit. A black Chrysler 300 was waiting for him outside.

The driver opened the door and Emmerich got in the back. His assistant, a man named Nelson, was already in the car.

Report. Emmerich said not deigning to greet him.

Nelson began reading from the papers in his hands. About an hour and a half ago there was an attack on the headquarters. An armed militia detonated a car bomb near the entrance and launched a surprise attack.

It took you an hour and a half to notify me. Emmerich growled even more angry.

Our first priority was to minimize the damage and...

Emmerich interrupted. I don’t care just get on with the report.

I’m afraid things are quite serious. Our security personnel were decimated. They were completely unprepared. Thirty of them were killed. We lost lab technicians, scientists, and engineers, the number of confirmed dead is a dozen with more injured. Nelson listed. Most devastatingly, Unit Eight was killed.

Fuck. Emmerich groaned.

I’m afraid that’s not all sir, Nelson said. To him every bit of bad news that he had to relay felt like provoking a bear. The news concerning the bioweapons program is much worse. The numbered Units as well as half a dozen of some sub-assets are all missing. Other sub-assets are dead.

What? Emmerich growled.

It’s believed that the attackers were targeting the bioweapons program specifically. Nelson said meekly.

The bio-weapons program was unique and exclusive to this branch of August-Mason. The secluded location made it the perfect place to operate with no outside interference to bother operations.

I don’t care about repairs to the facility. Put every available resource on finding them.

We’ll do that sir. Nelson said.

Contact the rest of the board. Emmerich ordered.

I’ve already done so sir, they’re on their way to headquarters now.

Emmerich sat back and pinched the bridge of his nose. He cursed and slammed his fist on the ceiling.

Nelson flinched as Emmerich turned his angry gaze on him.

Get Marcel on the phone. Emmerich ordered.

Right away. Nelson obeyed. He made the call. Sir,

Put him on speaker.

Yes sir.

Marcel here. He said.

It’s Emmerich, where are you?

I just arrived at HQ. Marcel said. The damage is bad.

Kenneth, Florian, and Jake, where are they? Emmerich asked.

Jake and Kenneth are here already. They’re talking to staff that are already on site. Marcel reported. Florian said that he’s moments away.

I’ll be there shortly as well. Emmerich said. See you in a few...

Sir, Marcel cut him off. Sorry but, you haven’t heard from August, have you? His voice was shaky.

No. Emmerich said. And we’ll fix this debacle before he finds out about any of this. Give the order to everyone on site, recapturing the numbered units and the sub-assets comes first.

Yes sir. Marcel sighed with relief.

Emmerich ended the call.

After more time on the road, he spotted the familiar blue building.

His car pulled into the lot and he was able to finally see the damage that had been done with his own eyes.

Emergency vehicles were in the parking lot.

There was a gaping hole where the front lobby was. The lobby itself was charred and still reeked of smoke despite the fact that the fires had been put out.

The deceased were being carried out in body bags.

Crews were working to safely remove the gas that had been pumped into the vents.

Emmerich noted the damage to the side of the building.

Sir. Nelson spoke up.

Emmerich stopped and looked at his assistant.

Nelson pointed at the ground before him.

Emmerich had almost stepped in a small pool of blood.

Thank you. He said grouchily. He stepped over it. Get some contractors on the phone. Good ones, get this damage fixed. Tell them money is no object.

Right away sir. Nelson said.

Emmerich’s phone began to ring. He glanced at his phone. The call was from Florian.

I just arrived, I’m on my way to the board room. Emmerich said curtly.

Florian hesitated for a moment. Has no one informed you of who was behind the attack?

No. Evidently everyone is in the middle of an informational clusterfuck. Emmerich replied.

Oh boy, Florian breathed deeply.

Emmerich’s agitation and curiosity went hand in hand. Spit it out.

It was Beatrice, Unit Nine and Unit Two. Apparently, they were in league with Waylon.

Florian explained what he knew but as soon as Emmerich heard that Beatrice was involved his vision went red.

I’ll be there shortly! He raged. He hung up the phone and was beside himself with anger. He could still vividly recall Beatrice. Thinking about her made him angrier and angrier.

She went before him, gained his trust, used his resources, played him for a fool, and stole from and attacked the company.

Emmerich was a bull walking through the halls. His fists were clinched, his mouth was tight and pulled down in a frown.

Crews and employees saw him and got out of his way.

He threw open the doors to the board room to see the other high-ranking executives sitting around a table.

We are going to make her pay! Emmerich vowed angrily. Where is she now?

That’s still being determined. Jake said.

I can’t fucking believe this. Emmerich began pacing. She betrayed us.

Beatrice of all people. Florian added. 

Imagining the ways she’ll suffer, is the only thing keeping me from ripping someone’s head off. Maybe poison, or slow torture, Emmerich listed. Shooting her is too simple. I want to make it hurt. Perhaps daily torture, everyday for a month, then I’ll finish it off by shooting her myself. How fast can we get the bioweapons program up and running again? He asked.  

Three weeks. Jake answered.  

Emmerich wasn’t happy but he could live with that.

Nelson came into the room. Emmerich, sir, I...

This better be really important, or so help me God. He bore down on his assistant jabbing his finger at the young man. Who told you to interrupt?

August will be here shortly, sir. Nelson said.

The news stopped Emmerich cold. His anger left him immediately. He put his arm down. That’ll be all Nelson. He said quietly.

Sir may I request the rest of the day off?

Sure. Emmerich agreed.

Nelson quickly left the room.

Emmerich turned to his fellow executives. They were in consternation at the very idea of August coming so soon.

We need to give him some good news. Marcel’s eyes darted from person to person looking for agreement and hoping that someone could come up with some way of pulling them out of the proverbial fire.

What do we tell him? Jake asked.

No one spoke.

They knew there was nothing that could be done.

So that’s it? Kenneth looked over the faces of his peers. They had thrown in the towel.

Failure of this magnitude could not be excused. The five of them knew that. More importantly, they knew that August knew that.

What now? We’re waiting on the proverbial guillotine. Marcel pointed out.

Proverbial? Emmerich barked a laugh. August is pissed.

Emmerich’s mind raced.  

The door opened.

A squad of men unfamiliar to any of the executives walked into the room. They were calm and straight faced. All of them were dressed the same, black shirts, black jeans, and black boots. Each one carried a side arm. There were seven in total. The final man had a computer bag.

One of the men drew the blinds

Who are you? Emmerich asked cautiously. Are you with August?

The men ignored him.

I want to talk to August himself. Jake said defiantly. He got up and began to leave the room.

No one leaves this room. The guard by the door said curtly. His hand hovered over the holster of his gun.

Jake put his hands up and conceded. Okay, you win.

The man with the computer bag put a monitor on the table in the middle of the room.

"Go