Operation Sting Read Online Free Page A

the overhead bulbs, what could be seenof their faces showed a mixture of anticipation, apprehension and pride.
    Williams continued. “In the crates and boxes stored in this room is all the equipment we’ve been quietly piecing together for many months. Today, our plans are complete. We have everything we need to put Operation New Age into effect!”
    Everyone cheered.
    Williams held Whiplash high above his head. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he grinned, “we can begin!”

    Queen Bee and her boss, the head of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Agency, were arriving back at SWARM headquarters. They looked like business executives returning to their office, as they approached the bustle and noise of Trafalgar Square. None of the hundreds of people they passed had the slightest clue to their true identities, or to the dangerous problem they had to solve.
    In the centre of Trafalgar Square stood Nelson’s Column, rising high above the crowds and thetraffic, as it had for over one hundred and eighty years. Briskly, they walked across to the fourth of the huge stone plinths that bordered the square. They stood at the sheltered lower corner of the plinth, beside a walled topped with a balustrade high above. Tucked away behind some benches was a spot few passers-by ever noticed.
    They stood, as if quietly minding their own business, with their backs to the immense bulk of the plinth. Queen Bee glanced around, then touched her hand to the flat, cold stone. Palm-print recognition systems built into the stone verified who she was. In the blink of an eye, a holographic projector created a solid-looking image of the corner in front of them, masking them from view and giving the appearance of an empty corner.
    Safely hidden from view, a narrow section of the plinth slid aside and they stepped inside. The slab settled back into place behind them, the projector switched off, and everything was back to normal.
    Inside the plinth, Queen Bee and her boss had entered an elegantly designed lift. Queen Beelifted her head slightly and spoke clearly. “This is Queen Bee, access T-alpha-324, confirm.”
    “Confirmed,” said an electronic voice. The lift began to descend.
    The head of the SIA’s voice sounded muffled in the confines of the elevator. “You don’t need me to tell you how serious the situation is.”
    “No, sir,” said Queen Bee.
    “I can’t protect you, Beatrice. They’ll shut you down unless those robots of yours succeed.”
    “Believe me, sir, I’m extremely angry, and extremely worried.”
    The head of the SIA shot a glance at her, his eyebrows raised. She seemed so calm.
    The lift glided to a halt, and while the SIA chief headed deeper into the depths of the secret base, Queen Bee walked past the sliding doors marked “SWARM – Department Of Micro-robotic Intelligence” and headed for her office.
    Once she was behind her desk, her calm mask dropped for a moment. She sat with her head in her hands, trying to clear her mind and think logically. At last she sat upright, pulled the hem of her jacket straight and tapped at thetouchscreen in front of her. The face of Agent J, one of SWARM’s new human agents, appeared on the screen.
    “Online, Ms Maynard,” said Agent J.
    “Gather all SWARM staff for a briefing. We need results right now. And you, Agent J, I want you to go to Techna-Stik. They developed Whiplash, so they might have an angle on how to track it down that we don’t know about. Sirena and Morph will accompany you.”
    “I’m live, Ms Maynard,” said Agent J.
    “We haven’t a moment to lose.” She tapped and the screen went blank.

    “Any moment now, boss,” said Bullman.
    Williams nodded and waved him away. Bullman marched back across to where Fraser was working on Whiplash. The weapon was connected to a desktop computer and surrounded by a tangle of wires. The other members of the gang were busy unpacking equipment from crates and boxes.
    Williams and the Insider were sitting on atatty leather sofa