Back to GatefoldIssue #3 by John Cheese
November 2017 |
Stone sat at the console as she shifted through the mug shots and files of the three potential assassins they had been sent to stop, the tracking algorithm she had entered into the safehouse’s computer system searching for any sign of them within the city limits. Putting her head in her hands, she heard the door open and turned to see Zawadi walk in, her bo-staff slung over her shoulder and a fresh bruise on her temple.
“You look like you had fun.” Stone grumbled as Zawadi walked past the holographic projector and leaned her staff against a pile of crates.
“You look like you didn’t.” Zawadi replied. “How is everyone else?”
“Flintlock called in a few hours ago, she didn’t get on any hits on the facial recognition scanners at dinner and later when she stalked round the corridors. Hannigan has been looking for the mystical disturbance that disrupted the tracking spell we attempted yesterday evening.” Stone explained, as Hannigan swept down the stairs, her billowing grey funeral shroud flowing like water behind her. “As for Scorpion, I haven’t heard from her yet.” She added, as the holographic projector lit up, almost as if it had heard that they were awaiting a message. Pressing accept, the women were shocked at the person on the other end of the line. Dressed in black leather trousers accented with yellow chevrons and a tank-top emblazoned with a pink hand, and her hair cut short, the woman was the picture of hard line protest.
“Scorpion is that you?” Hannigan asked cautiously.
“It’s Mira Sells when I’m on the picket capitalist usurpers.” The woman replied before flashing a cheeky smile. “But yes it is.” She added as she tapped her index finger against her thump repeatedly.
“Did you find any sign of our targets?” Stone asked.
“Not outside the hotel and not in the hostel I’m staying in.” Scorpion replied as she removed a disposable PDA. “I did some background checks on the other protesters. Most are relatively harmless, but there were a few hardliners out yesterday.”
“We’re not here to stop protestors, that’s the job of the police.” Zawadi sighed as a phone rung on Stone’s desk for a few seconds before being silenced. “Hopefully the security services are watching them so concentrate on the potential assassins wherever they are.”
“Got it.” Scorpion snorted, before giving a two fingered salute to her teammates, before the holographic projector shut down.
“She’s incredible.” Stone whispered. “I saw her Miriam performance at the airport, it’s almost like she holistically switches between roles and personalities.”
“That doesn’t help us find Ghost Maker and Co.” Hannigan replied. “I’ve consulted with the Loa, and it appears that someone or something is shielding the assassin’s location from both medical and technical tracking. We need to go back to basics to find where they are hiding within the city.”
“I may have a lead.” Zawadi announced as she sat down on the desk next to Stone’s computer. “While I was out tracking I came across this super criminal, some kind of right wing fascist leader just for rats. I found him in an abandoned building freaking out because his ‘Lebensraum’ had been invaded by something that didn’t fear his ‘Rat Hitler’ act.” She added, as she slipped a pouch out of her pocket and produced a dirty scrap of paper and some underdeveloped Polaroid photos. “He took these.” She continued as she flattened out the piece of paper to show a human face with long barbells arching over its head and down from its chin. “Look familiar?”
“It’s ‘Cuda, where did he see this?” Stone asked as she thumbed through the photos, each showing a glowing smudge on a wall.
“Sewers.” Zawadi replied flatly. “There was a man in yellow as well putting these marks on the wall, so I suspect that Laserworks was here as well. ‘Cuda is the kind to stay near the wet, so at least we know where to find him, and maybe, just maybe he’ll know where the others are.”
“Then let’s get our feet wet.” Stone sighed as she took one last look at ‘Cuda before the three of them grabbed their gear and headed back out on the hunt.
# # # # #
The manhole just off Circular Quay offered little resistance to the crowbar Zawadi had brought with her, and nobody seemed to question why three women were trying to gain access to the city’s sewer system. Then again the glamor Hannigan had cast over them, to make them resemble a work crew might have had something to do with it. Sliding down the ladder Zawadi led the way and inspected the tight brick tunnels she found herself in, waste water coming up to her ankles.
“Not bad.” She stated as Hannigan descended followed by Stone, the business woman, despite being dressed in her armour, seemed a little perturbed at her surroundings. Not as nice as Paris or New York, but far better than Mumbai or Jakarta.” Zawadi continued. “Not a bad introduction to sewers all in all.”
“Better than flooded New York.” Hannigan sighed. “My partner Mike and I were sent down by the city to find and kill a pair of Labyrinth Snakes that had been damaging pipes and eating pets.”
“Can we please stay on target?” Stone grumbled as she pointed to a glowing arrow etched on the wall. “I would rather like to stop this ‘Cuda and get out of here as soon as we can.”
“Well it doesn’t take a genius to follow the trail so lead on.” Zawadi announced as the trio moved out in the direction of the arrows. After a few twists and turns, Stone came to a stop and looked up in horror at the ground above them.
“Not claustrophobic are we?” Zawadi asked.
“We’re under the hotel were the G20 leaders are located.” Stone stated as she pointed to a hole laser-cut from the roof of the sewer into the buildings maintenance tunnels above them. “We were right Laserworks was here, maybe Ghost Maker and ‘Cuda too, and it looks like they are already inside.” She added, as Zawadi pulled herself up into the tunnel, the space illuminated by another glowing arrow blasted into the ceiling just past the breach.
“We need to warn Scorpion and Flintlock that the assassins are inside the perimeter.” Zawadi announced coldly, only for Stone to shake her head and point to the wrist mounted map, static filling the screen. “Then one of us has to get to the surface and…” Before she could finish the ceiling above crumbled and a massive figure smashed through, tackling her through the sewer roof and into the water below, the impact sending waves that knocked Stone and Hannigan flying. Emerging from the sewage, the face of the attacker was shark like, with long barbells sprouting from his chin and cheeks.
“Thought I smelt warm bloods splashing round the sewers!” The shark man hissed in a Jersey Shore accent. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised that there was trash floating down here, as he lifted Zawadi up by her throat and leered at her.”
“Stand down ‘Cuda!” Stone yelled, as she got to her own feet and levelled a futuristic rifle at the piscine assassin.
“Stand down!” ‘Cuda laughed. “This is my chance to be rich…and famous!” He hissed as he threw Zawadi at Stone, the later catching her teammate, the pair collapsing back into the water. Advancing on the pair ‘Cuda missed the low chant echoing round the tunnel as Hannigan plunged one hand into the water, and ran the other on the brick wall. Looming over the stricken woman, ‘Cuda got ready to stomp the pair, only for a tidal fist to slam into his chest, the blow winding him, before a hand of brickwork wrapped around him and pinned him to the wall. “So you have a squishy wizard huh?” ‘Cuda snarled as he pushed the fingers apart, bricks exploding outwards like shrapnel. “I know how to deal with your kind!”
“How about my kind?” Zawadi asked, as she got to her feet, a telescopic bo-staff held in a defensive position before her. “You are nothing compared to the monsters I hunted with my darling Ulysses.” She added coyly as she jammed her staff into the brick walls of the sewer just as her opponent charged at her. As he neared, Zawadi swung over the top of the staff and slammed her foot down into ‘Cuda’s head, before flipping round, her feet on the bar, and her fingers jabbing into his eyes. Groaning in pain, ‘Cuda swung out blindly, his blow dislodging the staff, albeit to no avail, as his prey had sprung onto his back like some kind of tenacious remora.
“Get off parasite!” ‘Cuda hissed as a bolt of energy struck him in the torso, steam bubbling off a stinging welt on his chest. Springing off with both feet, Zawadi kicked ‘Cuda forward towards Stone, the armoured business woman firing her weapon again, this time producing an energy net that bound ‘Cuda and sent him falling face first into the water.
“Hopefully he’s conscious enough to tell us where Laserworks and Ghost Maker are hiding.” Stone stated, as she approached ‘Cuda’s body, only for him to stir and lunge at her.
“No need I have what we need!” Hannigan replied as a column of water surrounded ‘Cuda before evaporating into steam, the heat stress causing ‘Cuda to collapse to the floor gasping before falling unconscious. “There is a magical energy signature on him, and I’m picking up two identical signatures above us. One is in the underground garage, the other is further up.”
“Then we know where to head.” Stone sighed grimly. “If we head up we can warn the others.”
“Go to the garage, I will magically contact Flintlock, she is not far from one of the signatures.” Hannigan ordered as she summoned up a cage of electricity around ‘Cuda. “There is no smell of blood on them, hopefully we can keep it that way.”
# # # # #
Flintlock slid her shotgun pistol into her bag, before checking her hair and the blouse she was wearing before grabbing her key-card from the table and stalked into the corridor. She’d spent most of last night using the facial recognition camera hidden in the emerald pendent she was wearing. So far she hadn’t run across any of the assassins but she was on alert, judging from the case-studies she’d read on the plane to Australia, she knew that Ghost Maker at least was a professional and could appear anywhere within the blink of an eye.
“Flintlock this is Hannigan.” A ghostly voice echoed in her head, the disembodied voice causing her to look around in shock and desperation. “I’m contacting you mystically, stop looking round and stay straight. We’ve captured ‘Cuda, and have a bead on the other two assassins, one of them is on the sixteenth floor heading along the south corridor, I can guide you to him, but you need to stop him.”
“I’m on it.” Flintlock answered coldly as she headed for the stairwell and headed down two flights of stairs and headed across the central corridor towards the south side of the building, coming to a walkway that overlooked the atrium and the zen garden featured there, rustling bamboo and the slight tickle of water drowned out by the talking of the three leaders heading towards her, flanked by their sombre bodyguards. “Is he still here?” She whispered as she tried to look past the oncoming dignities.
“Still on the south corridor, thirty plus meters ahead of you.” Hannigan replied as Flintlock caught the rattle of a cart pushed by a waiter rolling over the floor heading towards her. The little she could see of the waiter’s features revealed a scar on his right temple and a predatory glare on his face.
Acting quickly Flintlock screamed a warning. “GUN GET DOWN!” Her words galvanising the security guards as they muscled their charged to the floor just as the waiter flicked his wrist and a hail of shurikens flew through the air, the star shaped projectiles slashing open the walls and drilling one of the security guards in the back. “GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” Flintlock yelled, as she charged the gap to the waiter, shoulder barging the cart and knocking the assassin to the floor. Within seconds the assassin was back on his feet, but the corridor was deserted save him and Flintlock.
“You’re not a senator.” The assassin stated calmly in English that was accented somewhere between a Russian and Japanese accent.
“And you’re not a waiter Ghost Maker.” Flintlock replied as she pulled her pistol out of her bag and put her head above the cart just in time to see the assassin pull one of the handles out to reveal a katana. Squeezing the trigger her shot went wide as the katana struck her wrist, the weapon clattering to the floor. Reacting swiftly Flintlock aimed a snap kick over the cart, bringing her heel down on Ghost Maker’s hand, at the expense of the trousers she wore, the blade slicing open the fabric. With a grunt Ghost Maker let go of the blade and aimed a jab to Flintlock’s throat, the blow causing her to collapse wheezing to the floor.
“I will shape your ghost.” Ghost Maker hissed, as he walked round the cart and loomed over Flintlock before picking her up and slamming her hard onto the cart. Not bothering to answer him, Flintlock kicked off against her enemy, sending the cart rattling towards the glass edge of the walkway, the barrier cracking and remaining intact upon intact. “Pathetic, face your death with dignity harlot.” Ghost Maker sighed.
“Make me.” Flintlock replied as she rolled off the cart, landing on her hands before back flipping into a standing position. Running towards her, Ghost Maker didn’t realise his mistake until it was too later, as Flintlock flipped him over her shoulders and slammed him face first into the cart, before pushing it through the weakened barrier and over the edge, sixteen floors to the atrium. Peering over the edge, Flintlock’s eyes went wide as she saw Ghost Maker rocket up, the cart blasted open and a jet-pack clamped to his back. Flicking his wrist, a throwing dagger flew towards Flintlock, nailing her in the shoulder, causing her to scream in pain.
“Ghost Maker, your window of operation has expired,” A voice called over a radio. “Get out of there or you’ll be buried.” It added, as Flintlock swept her hand across the floor and reclaimed her pistol. Looking on in anger, Ghost Maker jetted backwards towards the window, just as Flintlock fired her remaining shot, the shell detonating the jet-pack and sending the assassin whizzing through the window, glass shattering and into the building on the other side of the road and detonating in an orange fireball.
“Ghost Maker is toast.” Flintlock wheezed as she removed the knife from her shoulder. “Literally.”
“This is Scorpion, Hannigan is linking us with the TP.” Silver Scorpion stated. “I’m counting the world leaders out to the assembly point. People are asking where you are, you’d better get down before they start sending search teams in.”
“Got it, I’m heading for the exfil.” Flintlock sighed. “We may need to get further away I overheard Laserworks talking to Ghost Maker about bringing down the building. “
“Zawadi and Rosetta Stone have him cornered in the parking garage.” Hannigan announced. “Awaiting confirmation of takedown. Hopefully they’ll hurry.” She added, as Flintlock grabbed her bag and headed for the stairs down to the atrium as fast as she could.
# # # # #
The man dressed in yellow armour hurriedly worked on the support pillars of the car-park with the laser drill he was using. Cautiously opening the door Stone and Zawadi watched as he powered down the tool, and removed a foot long tube and stick it into the guts of the pillar.
“We have to be careful, this guy is part of an ex-AIM Special Forces unit known as the Seekers who apparently were as twitchy as they come. He’ll likely have booby trapped the perimeter of his work area.” Stone whispered as the pair worked round a car, and advanced on where Laserworks was packing his equipment away. “We need to get close and…” With a hiss, the car nearest Zawadi exploded in a blast of light, the concussive force and energy discharge knocking the Wakandan huntress to the floor and causing Laserworks to jerk round and stare at her. Wordlessly he slipped his helmet on and fired a pulse laser at Stone, the beam charring her armour.
“Now what?” Zawadi asked, as she slipped behind a pillar to avoid the light show illuminating the car-park.
“As long as he doesn’t go for the…” Stone began to say, before she noticed Laserworks edge towards a keg sized canister lying between the four support pillars he had been working on. “Crap!” She swore, as she started tapping the gauntlet mounted computer on her wrist, just as Zawadi charged towards Laserworks, only for a cage of laser-beams to spring from the floor and halt her progress.
“Too late heroes.” Laserworks stated as he pressed the plunger down before looking down at the counter and jabbing at the plunger again. “What is wrong with this thing? It uses a hyper laser communication system to connect to the emitters.”
“And I’m using a short range tachyon stream emitter to block it.” Stone told him sweetly. “Humans, so primitive that they still only communicate with EM radiation.” She added with a chuckle as Laserworks advanced on her, passing the caged Zawadi, his gauntlets glowing with a halo of blinding light.
“Smart girl, it will serve AIM well.” Laserworks purred, as Stone tapped her gauntlet, the bars of the cage dissipating.
“Thank you, never and enjoy your concussion.” Stone replied in the same sweet voice as Zawadi removed a bolas from her belt and swung it.
“My concussion?” Laserworks asked in a confused voice as the bolas wrapped round his legs and sent him tumbling into one of the pillars so quickly that the glass of his helmet’s visor cracked. Groaning he got to his feet, and removed his helmet just in time to see a bo-staff smash into his face, the blow sending him reeling hard into the asphalt of the car-park floor.
“That concussion.” Zawadi told him, as Stone walked over to the primer Laserworks had activated, before ripping out a few components, reversing a lever and finally kicking it over on to its side. “Disarmed?” She asked, as she placed Laserworks into the recovery position.
“Disarmed.” Stone answered before activating the wrist mounted communication device. “Ana, good news Laserworks and ‘Cuda are neutralised, and it appears if Ghost Maker is dead. I repeat all assassins taken out.”
“Standby for exfil instructions.” Ana’s concerned voice replied. “New Intel has just arrived.”
“What new Intel?” Zawadi asked.
“Nothing that concerns you.” Ana answered. “Sable out.” She added, as the communication link was cut.
“Something’s gone wrong.” Stone stated. “But on who’s end?”
# # # # #
Silver Scorpion smiled slightly as the last of the world leaders came out of the atrium of the hotel. The majority of the crowd had been distracted by the fireball that had shot out of the sixteenth floor three minutes earlier, but not her, so far things were going to plan, and it sounded as if the last of the trio of assassins had been neutralised. All in all, a good results for a textbook mission, the kind she preferred.
“Scorpion, this is Sable.” A voice buzzed over the ear piercing that she was wearing. “I need a headcount of the leaders now.”
“Twenty out of twenty extracted from the hotel.” Scorpion answered. “Flintlock has just exited the building as well.”
“That’s not good news.” Ana replied, her words causing a shiver of worry to run up Scorpion’s spine. “Intel came in five minutes ago, there is a fourth assassin in the crowd.”
“A fourth assassin.” Scorpion gulped as she looked around at the baying anti-capitalist protesters, her eyes flicking from person to person for any sign of a weapon. “Do we have a name, an appearance or a target?”
“No, find that assassin and neutralise them.” Ana ordered before signing off. Looking around, Scorpion tried to catch Flintlock’s eye, but she was too busy being shepherded to safety by the security forces with the rest of the HVIs. Pushing her way through the crowd scenarios rattled round Scorpion’s brain as she factored in the remaining time an assassin would have to take a shot, the position they would need to be in, and how quickly they would have to strike considering the heightened security that surrounded their target.
“It’s impossible.” She whispered, as she gasped for air, sweat running down her brow. “Where is it? Where is it!” She screamed as she fumbled in her pockets, the people around her staring at her with suspicion and amusement on their faces at her freak-out. Desperately she pulled out a blister pack of pills, and that’s where she saw the polished metal finish of a gun barrel on one of the protesters closest to the fence. Dropping the pills she barged through the crowds towards the shooter, only to be locked out as the crowd formed round her, shouts of ‘crazy bitch’ and ‘freak’ filling the air.
“GUN!” Scorpion screamed, as she was tackled to the floor crying and thrashing, by the police officers that had stormed into the crowd to restrain her. “She’s got a gun!” She cried, just as a shot rang out, followed by the sound of an unseen body hitting the floor.
“You look like you had fun.” Stone grumbled as Zawadi walked past the holographic projector and leaned her staff against a pile of crates.
“You look like you didn’t.” Zawadi replied. “How is everyone else?”
“Flintlock called in a few hours ago, she didn’t get on any hits on the facial recognition scanners at dinner and later when she stalked round the corridors. Hannigan has been looking for the mystical disturbance that disrupted the tracking spell we attempted yesterday evening.” Stone explained, as Hannigan swept down the stairs, her billowing grey funeral shroud flowing like water behind her. “As for Scorpion, I haven’t heard from her yet.” She added, as the holographic projector lit up, almost as if it had heard that they were awaiting a message. Pressing accept, the women were shocked at the person on the other end of the line. Dressed in black leather trousers accented with yellow chevrons and a tank-top emblazoned with a pink hand, and her hair cut short, the woman was the picture of hard line protest.
“Scorpion is that you?” Hannigan asked cautiously.
“It’s Mira Sells when I’m on the picket capitalist usurpers.” The woman replied before flashing a cheeky smile. “But yes it is.” She added as she tapped her index finger against her thump repeatedly.
“Did you find any sign of our targets?” Stone asked.
“Not outside the hotel and not in the hostel I’m staying in.” Scorpion replied as she removed a disposable PDA. “I did some background checks on the other protesters. Most are relatively harmless, but there were a few hardliners out yesterday.”
“We’re not here to stop protestors, that’s the job of the police.” Zawadi sighed as a phone rung on Stone’s desk for a few seconds before being silenced. “Hopefully the security services are watching them so concentrate on the potential assassins wherever they are.”
“Got it.” Scorpion snorted, before giving a two fingered salute to her teammates, before the holographic projector shut down.
“She’s incredible.” Stone whispered. “I saw her Miriam performance at the airport, it’s almost like she holistically switches between roles and personalities.”
“That doesn’t help us find Ghost Maker and Co.” Hannigan replied. “I’ve consulted with the Loa, and it appears that someone or something is shielding the assassin’s location from both medical and technical tracking. We need to go back to basics to find where they are hiding within the city.”
“I may have a lead.” Zawadi announced as she sat down on the desk next to Stone’s computer. “While I was out tracking I came across this super criminal, some kind of right wing fascist leader just for rats. I found him in an abandoned building freaking out because his ‘Lebensraum’ had been invaded by something that didn’t fear his ‘Rat Hitler’ act.” She added, as she slipped a pouch out of her pocket and produced a dirty scrap of paper and some underdeveloped Polaroid photos. “He took these.” She continued as she flattened out the piece of paper to show a human face with long barbells arching over its head and down from its chin. “Look familiar?”
“It’s ‘Cuda, where did he see this?” Stone asked as she thumbed through the photos, each showing a glowing smudge on a wall.
“Sewers.” Zawadi replied flatly. “There was a man in yellow as well putting these marks on the wall, so I suspect that Laserworks was here as well. ‘Cuda is the kind to stay near the wet, so at least we know where to find him, and maybe, just maybe he’ll know where the others are.”
“Then let’s get our feet wet.” Stone sighed as she took one last look at ‘Cuda before the three of them grabbed their gear and headed back out on the hunt.
# # # # #
The manhole just off Circular Quay offered little resistance to the crowbar Zawadi had brought with her, and nobody seemed to question why three women were trying to gain access to the city’s sewer system. Then again the glamor Hannigan had cast over them, to make them resemble a work crew might have had something to do with it. Sliding down the ladder Zawadi led the way and inspected the tight brick tunnels she found herself in, waste water coming up to her ankles.
“Not bad.” She stated as Hannigan descended followed by Stone, the business woman, despite being dressed in her armour, seemed a little perturbed at her surroundings. Not as nice as Paris or New York, but far better than Mumbai or Jakarta.” Zawadi continued. “Not a bad introduction to sewers all in all.”
“Better than flooded New York.” Hannigan sighed. “My partner Mike and I were sent down by the city to find and kill a pair of Labyrinth Snakes that had been damaging pipes and eating pets.”
“Can we please stay on target?” Stone grumbled as she pointed to a glowing arrow etched on the wall. “I would rather like to stop this ‘Cuda and get out of here as soon as we can.”
“Well it doesn’t take a genius to follow the trail so lead on.” Zawadi announced as the trio moved out in the direction of the arrows. After a few twists and turns, Stone came to a stop and looked up in horror at the ground above them.
“Not claustrophobic are we?” Zawadi asked.
“We’re under the hotel were the G20 leaders are located.” Stone stated as she pointed to a hole laser-cut from the roof of the sewer into the buildings maintenance tunnels above them. “We were right Laserworks was here, maybe Ghost Maker and ‘Cuda too, and it looks like they are already inside.” She added, as Zawadi pulled herself up into the tunnel, the space illuminated by another glowing arrow blasted into the ceiling just past the breach.
“We need to warn Scorpion and Flintlock that the assassins are inside the perimeter.” Zawadi announced coldly, only for Stone to shake her head and point to the wrist mounted map, static filling the screen. “Then one of us has to get to the surface and…” Before she could finish the ceiling above crumbled and a massive figure smashed through, tackling her through the sewer roof and into the water below, the impact sending waves that knocked Stone and Hannigan flying. Emerging from the sewage, the face of the attacker was shark like, with long barbells sprouting from his chin and cheeks.
“Thought I smelt warm bloods splashing round the sewers!” The shark man hissed in a Jersey Shore accent. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised that there was trash floating down here, as he lifted Zawadi up by her throat and leered at her.”
“Stand down ‘Cuda!” Stone yelled, as she got to her own feet and levelled a futuristic rifle at the piscine assassin.
“Stand down!” ‘Cuda laughed. “This is my chance to be rich…and famous!” He hissed as he threw Zawadi at Stone, the later catching her teammate, the pair collapsing back into the water. Advancing on the pair ‘Cuda missed the low chant echoing round the tunnel as Hannigan plunged one hand into the water, and ran the other on the brick wall. Looming over the stricken woman, ‘Cuda got ready to stomp the pair, only for a tidal fist to slam into his chest, the blow winding him, before a hand of brickwork wrapped around him and pinned him to the wall. “So you have a squishy wizard huh?” ‘Cuda snarled as he pushed the fingers apart, bricks exploding outwards like shrapnel. “I know how to deal with your kind!”
“How about my kind?” Zawadi asked, as she got to her feet, a telescopic bo-staff held in a defensive position before her. “You are nothing compared to the monsters I hunted with my darling Ulysses.” She added coyly as she jammed her staff into the brick walls of the sewer just as her opponent charged at her. As he neared, Zawadi swung over the top of the staff and slammed her foot down into ‘Cuda’s head, before flipping round, her feet on the bar, and her fingers jabbing into his eyes. Groaning in pain, ‘Cuda swung out blindly, his blow dislodging the staff, albeit to no avail, as his prey had sprung onto his back like some kind of tenacious remora.
“Get off parasite!” ‘Cuda hissed as a bolt of energy struck him in the torso, steam bubbling off a stinging welt on his chest. Springing off with both feet, Zawadi kicked ‘Cuda forward towards Stone, the armoured business woman firing her weapon again, this time producing an energy net that bound ‘Cuda and sent him falling face first into the water.
“Hopefully he’s conscious enough to tell us where Laserworks and Ghost Maker are hiding.” Stone stated, as she approached ‘Cuda’s body, only for him to stir and lunge at her.
“No need I have what we need!” Hannigan replied as a column of water surrounded ‘Cuda before evaporating into steam, the heat stress causing ‘Cuda to collapse to the floor gasping before falling unconscious. “There is a magical energy signature on him, and I’m picking up two identical signatures above us. One is in the underground garage, the other is further up.”
“Then we know where to head.” Stone sighed grimly. “If we head up we can warn the others.”
“Go to the garage, I will magically contact Flintlock, she is not far from one of the signatures.” Hannigan ordered as she summoned up a cage of electricity around ‘Cuda. “There is no smell of blood on them, hopefully we can keep it that way.”
# # # # #
Flintlock slid her shotgun pistol into her bag, before checking her hair and the blouse she was wearing before grabbing her key-card from the table and stalked into the corridor. She’d spent most of last night using the facial recognition camera hidden in the emerald pendent she was wearing. So far she hadn’t run across any of the assassins but she was on alert, judging from the case-studies she’d read on the plane to Australia, she knew that Ghost Maker at least was a professional and could appear anywhere within the blink of an eye.
“Flintlock this is Hannigan.” A ghostly voice echoed in her head, the disembodied voice causing her to look around in shock and desperation. “I’m contacting you mystically, stop looking round and stay straight. We’ve captured ‘Cuda, and have a bead on the other two assassins, one of them is on the sixteenth floor heading along the south corridor, I can guide you to him, but you need to stop him.”
“I’m on it.” Flintlock answered coldly as she headed for the stairwell and headed down two flights of stairs and headed across the central corridor towards the south side of the building, coming to a walkway that overlooked the atrium and the zen garden featured there, rustling bamboo and the slight tickle of water drowned out by the talking of the three leaders heading towards her, flanked by their sombre bodyguards. “Is he still here?” She whispered as she tried to look past the oncoming dignities.
“Still on the south corridor, thirty plus meters ahead of you.” Hannigan replied as Flintlock caught the rattle of a cart pushed by a waiter rolling over the floor heading towards her. The little she could see of the waiter’s features revealed a scar on his right temple and a predatory glare on his face.
Acting quickly Flintlock screamed a warning. “GUN GET DOWN!” Her words galvanising the security guards as they muscled their charged to the floor just as the waiter flicked his wrist and a hail of shurikens flew through the air, the star shaped projectiles slashing open the walls and drilling one of the security guards in the back. “GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” Flintlock yelled, as she charged the gap to the waiter, shoulder barging the cart and knocking the assassin to the floor. Within seconds the assassin was back on his feet, but the corridor was deserted save him and Flintlock.
“You’re not a senator.” The assassin stated calmly in English that was accented somewhere between a Russian and Japanese accent.
“And you’re not a waiter Ghost Maker.” Flintlock replied as she pulled her pistol out of her bag and put her head above the cart just in time to see the assassin pull one of the handles out to reveal a katana. Squeezing the trigger her shot went wide as the katana struck her wrist, the weapon clattering to the floor. Reacting swiftly Flintlock aimed a snap kick over the cart, bringing her heel down on Ghost Maker’s hand, at the expense of the trousers she wore, the blade slicing open the fabric. With a grunt Ghost Maker let go of the blade and aimed a jab to Flintlock’s throat, the blow causing her to collapse wheezing to the floor.
“I will shape your ghost.” Ghost Maker hissed, as he walked round the cart and loomed over Flintlock before picking her up and slamming her hard onto the cart. Not bothering to answer him, Flintlock kicked off against her enemy, sending the cart rattling towards the glass edge of the walkway, the barrier cracking and remaining intact upon intact. “Pathetic, face your death with dignity harlot.” Ghost Maker sighed.
“Make me.” Flintlock replied as she rolled off the cart, landing on her hands before back flipping into a standing position. Running towards her, Ghost Maker didn’t realise his mistake until it was too later, as Flintlock flipped him over her shoulders and slammed him face first into the cart, before pushing it through the weakened barrier and over the edge, sixteen floors to the atrium. Peering over the edge, Flintlock’s eyes went wide as she saw Ghost Maker rocket up, the cart blasted open and a jet-pack clamped to his back. Flicking his wrist, a throwing dagger flew towards Flintlock, nailing her in the shoulder, causing her to scream in pain.
“Ghost Maker, your window of operation has expired,” A voice called over a radio. “Get out of there or you’ll be buried.” It added, as Flintlock swept her hand across the floor and reclaimed her pistol. Looking on in anger, Ghost Maker jetted backwards towards the window, just as Flintlock fired her remaining shot, the shell detonating the jet-pack and sending the assassin whizzing through the window, glass shattering and into the building on the other side of the road and detonating in an orange fireball.
“Ghost Maker is toast.” Flintlock wheezed as she removed the knife from her shoulder. “Literally.”
“This is Scorpion, Hannigan is linking us with the TP.” Silver Scorpion stated. “I’m counting the world leaders out to the assembly point. People are asking where you are, you’d better get down before they start sending search teams in.”
“Got it, I’m heading for the exfil.” Flintlock sighed. “We may need to get further away I overheard Laserworks talking to Ghost Maker about bringing down the building. “
“Zawadi and Rosetta Stone have him cornered in the parking garage.” Hannigan announced. “Awaiting confirmation of takedown. Hopefully they’ll hurry.” She added, as Flintlock grabbed her bag and headed for the stairs down to the atrium as fast as she could.
# # # # #
The man dressed in yellow armour hurriedly worked on the support pillars of the car-park with the laser drill he was using. Cautiously opening the door Stone and Zawadi watched as he powered down the tool, and removed a foot long tube and stick it into the guts of the pillar.
“We have to be careful, this guy is part of an ex-AIM Special Forces unit known as the Seekers who apparently were as twitchy as they come. He’ll likely have booby trapped the perimeter of his work area.” Stone whispered as the pair worked round a car, and advanced on where Laserworks was packing his equipment away. “We need to get close and…” With a hiss, the car nearest Zawadi exploded in a blast of light, the concussive force and energy discharge knocking the Wakandan huntress to the floor and causing Laserworks to jerk round and stare at her. Wordlessly he slipped his helmet on and fired a pulse laser at Stone, the beam charring her armour.
“Now what?” Zawadi asked, as she slipped behind a pillar to avoid the light show illuminating the car-park.
“As long as he doesn’t go for the…” Stone began to say, before she noticed Laserworks edge towards a keg sized canister lying between the four support pillars he had been working on. “Crap!” She swore, as she started tapping the gauntlet mounted computer on her wrist, just as Zawadi charged towards Laserworks, only for a cage of laser-beams to spring from the floor and halt her progress.
“Too late heroes.” Laserworks stated as he pressed the plunger down before looking down at the counter and jabbing at the plunger again. “What is wrong with this thing? It uses a hyper laser communication system to connect to the emitters.”
“And I’m using a short range tachyon stream emitter to block it.” Stone told him sweetly. “Humans, so primitive that they still only communicate with EM radiation.” She added with a chuckle as Laserworks advanced on her, passing the caged Zawadi, his gauntlets glowing with a halo of blinding light.
“Smart girl, it will serve AIM well.” Laserworks purred, as Stone tapped her gauntlet, the bars of the cage dissipating.
“Thank you, never and enjoy your concussion.” Stone replied in the same sweet voice as Zawadi removed a bolas from her belt and swung it.
“My concussion?” Laserworks asked in a confused voice as the bolas wrapped round his legs and sent him tumbling into one of the pillars so quickly that the glass of his helmet’s visor cracked. Groaning he got to his feet, and removed his helmet just in time to see a bo-staff smash into his face, the blow sending him reeling hard into the asphalt of the car-park floor.
“That concussion.” Zawadi told him, as Stone walked over to the primer Laserworks had activated, before ripping out a few components, reversing a lever and finally kicking it over on to its side. “Disarmed?” She asked, as she placed Laserworks into the recovery position.
“Disarmed.” Stone answered before activating the wrist mounted communication device. “Ana, good news Laserworks and ‘Cuda are neutralised, and it appears if Ghost Maker is dead. I repeat all assassins taken out.”
“Standby for exfil instructions.” Ana’s concerned voice replied. “New Intel has just arrived.”
“What new Intel?” Zawadi asked.
“Nothing that concerns you.” Ana answered. “Sable out.” She added, as the communication link was cut.
“Something’s gone wrong.” Stone stated. “But on who’s end?”
# # # # #
Silver Scorpion smiled slightly as the last of the world leaders came out of the atrium of the hotel. The majority of the crowd had been distracted by the fireball that had shot out of the sixteenth floor three minutes earlier, but not her, so far things were going to plan, and it sounded as if the last of the trio of assassins had been neutralised. All in all, a good results for a textbook mission, the kind she preferred.
“Scorpion, this is Sable.” A voice buzzed over the ear piercing that she was wearing. “I need a headcount of the leaders now.”
“Twenty out of twenty extracted from the hotel.” Scorpion answered. “Flintlock has just exited the building as well.”
“That’s not good news.” Ana replied, her words causing a shiver of worry to run up Scorpion’s spine. “Intel came in five minutes ago, there is a fourth assassin in the crowd.”
“A fourth assassin.” Scorpion gulped as she looked around at the baying anti-capitalist protesters, her eyes flicking from person to person for any sign of a weapon. “Do we have a name, an appearance or a target?”
“No, find that assassin and neutralise them.” Ana ordered before signing off. Looking around, Scorpion tried to catch Flintlock’s eye, but she was too busy being shepherded to safety by the security forces with the rest of the HVIs. Pushing her way through the crowd scenarios rattled round Scorpion’s brain as she factored in the remaining time an assassin would have to take a shot, the position they would need to be in, and how quickly they would have to strike considering the heightened security that surrounded their target.
“It’s impossible.” She whispered, as she gasped for air, sweat running down her brow. “Where is it? Where is it!” She screamed as she fumbled in her pockets, the people around her staring at her with suspicion and amusement on their faces at her freak-out. Desperately she pulled out a blister pack of pills, and that’s where she saw the polished metal finish of a gun barrel on one of the protesters closest to the fence. Dropping the pills she barged through the crowds towards the shooter, only to be locked out as the crowd formed round her, shouts of ‘crazy bitch’ and ‘freak’ filling the air.
“GUN!” Scorpion screamed, as she was tackled to the floor crying and thrashing, by the police officers that had stormed into the crowd to restrain her. “She’s got a gun!” She cried, just as a shot rang out, followed by the sound of an unseen body hitting the floor.