Weapon II

https://vocal.media/chapters/weapon-d23ba09q6

Here is the link to part one of this story. I hope you enjoy it.

The brain-renting sound stopped as suddenly as it had started. Dead birds and shattered dishes were the only physical evidence from the attack. People wandered about in a semiconscious daze clutching their heads and pounding their foreheads with clenched fists in a futile attempt to reduce the pain racking havoc in their brains. Out of an overabundance of caution, I had fitted a pair of noise-canceling hearing aids before leaving the embassy, which lessened but not eliminated, the sound's brain-scrambling effects. Unfortunately, Sergei and Li did not have the same protection.

Sergei may have been partially shielded by the wall directly behind him because he was recovering faster than some of the other patrons, but Li, whose chair was fully exposed, lay on the floor with blood trickling from both ears. Strange how, in our day-to-day jobs, the three of us are continuously working against one another, but are now doing our best to help each other survive. As I was closest to Li, my first job was to check for signs of life. Sergei scanned the restaurant and surrounding area for anyone brandishing something resembling a weapon but found no one.

Li had a faint pulse and shallow breathing, but he was alive. The sound of sirens filled the air as medical help arrived. Li was in the worst condition and the EMTs cared for him first. By the time they had him loaded into the ambulance, his breathing had returned to near normal, but he still hadn’t regained consciousness. Sergei called his embassy because we decided the news would be better coming from a Chinese ally rather than a foe.

“Sergei that was a planned hit on the three of us. Someone has been watching us and knew we would meet here today. Do your people have any leads on who has created this sound weapon?”

“Up to a few minutes ago, I thought it was the Americans doing this, Alan. We thought something this techy had to come from your country. It looks like we’re all in the dark. What I don’t understand is what their reasoning is.”

“The why is easy. They want us out so they can control the lithium. What has me baffled is who’s doing it and how. My embassy is calling. I need to get back now. Take care of yourself and get some of these ear protectors. They’re not 100% but they’re better than nothing.”

“I’ll do that, Alan. Take care of yourself.”

Two cars arrived within seconds of each other, one for me and the other for Sergei. As my men drove a couple of blocks back to the embassy, I tried to remember every detail of the events leading up to the attack. The only thing unusual, which wasn’t that unusual for the tropics, was an overabundance of bugs in the air. These bugs caught my attention because of the way the sun reflected off their shells. It was shortly after the bugs showed up that the birds began falling out of the sky. Might there be a connection, or was I being paranoid? This was no time to overlook any suspicion. I sent several of my men back to the restaurant to hunt for dead bugs. Given the looks they gave me, I’m sure they thought a few had flown into my brain.

I got the same look when I ordered the marine guards to take some flashlights and search the embassy perimeter for shiny bugs. Then I instructed the cleaning staff to search the inside of the building for light-reflecting bugs. Depending on what everyone found, I would look like a fool or a brilliant detective. I was hoping it was the latter.