We are now seven chapters in yippee, let's get this wagon rolling shall we?
As we helped clean up I noticed Snake Eyes sitting alone. He hadn't moved in nearly two hours and I was starting to worry about him. "Hey." I touched his forearm tenderly but he didn't look at me. "You okay?" I moved around to face him and smiled. "We did all we could, there's nothing anyone could have done better. Especially you." Still he didn't move. I slipped my hand into his and squeezed it gently. "Shadows of your past hitting you too? I can relate to that." I didn't let go of his hand as I knelt down before him, looking up into the visor of his mask.
"You know, rage can be a great friend but in the long run, it only makes you bitter and cold. I'll never forget what my family and what so many other people did to me but I've taught myself to forgive them. It's the closest I ever came to peace and I'm learning to forget, slowly, by replacing the old memories with new ones." I had no idea why I was telling him this but I felt like I needed to.
Faith whined beside him, nudging his hand until he opened his fist and gently stroked her head. "Just remember that for me, okay?" I squeezed his hand again then let go. His hand reached out and snatched my wrist so I stopped and looked back. He was looking at me now and for a moment he didn't move before he reached down beside him and picked up my bow.
Smiling brightly I took it and nodded to him. "Thank you Snake." I looked down to Faith and smiled lovingly at her. "Come on girl." She barked, leaping up and licked Snake's visor before bounding after me.
"We have to find out who's holding their leash." I was walking with Rip, Duke, Heavy and Scarlet as we discussed what to do next.
"With their weaponry, financing and intel, these guys are high tech pros." Heavy said sardonically.
"Well that totally limits the possibilities." I frowned, scratching my head. Intelligence really was not my thing.
"Hey! The weapons case." Suddenly Rip called out and we turned to stare at him.
"What?" Duke frowned.
"Remember McCullen had us open the weapons case?" We all nodded.
"5-2-9-4-4-0." I relayed the numbers then blinked. How the hell did I remember that?
"Yeah, well maybe that code reactivated the tracking beacon."
"You're right." Duke nodded, a frown creasing his brow. "McCullen that son of a bitch."
"So, McCullen uses NATO to fund his R+D then steals the warheads back." Scarlet smiled secretly at Rip as Duke clapped him on the back.
"Who says you're not a thinker?" Suddenly Breaker ran up to them, gasping for breath.
"Guys, I found her." He led us back into the main communication room where a picture of that raven haired woman was up on the main screen.
"That's her alright." Duke nodded his head and his eyes glazed over slightly as he was lost in thought.
"Her name is Ana de Cobray. Baroness, if you're feeling formal." Breaker informed us.
"Baroness? Well she really traded up. Financially of course." I clapped my hand to my head at Ripcord's poor choice of words.
"Smooth. Real smooth." I told him.
"Who's he?" Duke pointed to the man she was with. Since she was wearing a white dress and a veil, I assumed it was her husband.
"Daniel de Cobray. Big shot French scientist. Runs a lab in Paris." This tweaked our attention.
"Lab? What kind of lab?"
"Particle accelerator." Breaker answered then looked up, the puzzle slipping into place for everyone.
"Oh my…" Scarlet's eyes widened. "They're going to use him to weaponise the warheads."
"Well that's where she's going." Duke said then everyone looked around at each other. Finally Heavy spoke.
"Well I like croissants." Breaker grumbled.
"I would if a certain dog would stop stealing mine…" Faith whimpered and he looked down at her, looking into her beautiful gold eyes as she flattened back her ears. Finally he succumbed to her cuteness and gave her a little pat.
The flight over had been smooth and I had slept for most of it however I did end up falling asleep on Snake. Thankfully he hadn't shoved me off or anything, in fact he'd rested my head on his leg which I'd found extremely comfortable as he'd stroked my hair back from my face.
The van, however, was a completely different story. It was seriously uncomfortable to sit in the back, especially with two guys trying to suit up into their accelerator suits. I zipped up my jacket, straightening the collar at the back then tied back my hair. Securing the bracers on my arms I checked the straps to my swords and my quiver before sighing. I felt seriously badass, especially with the double guns strapped to my thighs.
"Hey, is that Double Bubble?" Breaker asked as Duke unwrapped the slim packet.
"But it's my last piece." He looked crestfallen as Breaker held out his hand.
"Come on, hand it over."
"Okay here you go." He relented sadly and I smiled at the guy before looking down. I lifted my blue stone from my neck and gripped it tightly, closing my eyes and tried to remember my mother's face but found I couldn't. Letting it go I tucked it into my jacket and sighed, fiddling with my archer's gloves for something to do.
"Alright stick to the plan. Scarlet, Snake Eyes you take the front. Rip, Duke you take the back and Kaze, you take the air front with Snake and Scarlet." I blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"The air, you know, do your thing." I blinked again.
"I can't keep myself suspended for that long. Mind if I hitch a ride on the roofs?" He nodded.
"Whatever you need, just keep your eyes on the target and do not lose them."
"Got it." I nodded then flexed my fingers, I reached down for Faith then realised she wasn't there.
"Breaker will be our eyes and ears, I'll give the orders from here. You do what I say when I say it. Got it?"
"Yes daddy." Rip answered as he put his helmet.
"Okay almost there." Heavy turned back to Scarlet. "You'd better suit up." As we sped towards the lab we saw that woman and ninja, Storm Shadow, as I had learned his name, walking out.
"That's them!" Breaker called and pointed. Ana rushed into the black hummer as guns open fired on us. I shifted in anticipation in my seat, grabbing the door ready to fling it open. When we began to screech I tore open the door and leaped out, rolling to absorb the shock then drew my two guns, firing it at the car as it drove away. I smashed the back windscreen and I glanced as Snake streaked past me.
With a deep breath I ran after him, leaping over cars with a little wind lift to chase after them. I ran over the roofs of Paris, keeping up with the black hummer as Snake clung onto the roof. "Keep holding on Snake." I called into the mouthpiece. "I'm right on your tail."
As they began to slam into cars I acted quickly. My hands swiped from side to side, flinging cars, pedestrians and other stationary cars out of the way to minimise the damage caused by them. One car slammed into the side of the truck and I gasped as Snake was flung to one side of the roof. "Snake?" But he rolled himself back up again. "Nice save."
I watched as some sort of metal ramming thing slid out onto the front of the truck. "Look out Snake!" I yelled then flung myself from the building I was running across. Just as a car was flipped up into the air I watched in awe as Snake leaped over it, using it as footholds to flip off of then land on the roof. When I landed beside him I turned a look on him. "How do you make it look so easy?" I demanded then looked forwards as another car sprung onto us.
With a thrust of a hand I swiped it out of the way, yelling as I shifted the heavy weights through the air. When the path was clear I clung on, feeling my fingers slipping but Snake tucked me into him tightly, keeping me grounded as I kept my head down.
"Hey Heavy it's getting kind of thick out here." Scarlet yelled as she weaved in and out of the cars.
"Yeah I know. They're driving right into the heaviest traffic, what kind of escape route is that?"
"Maybe they're not trying to escape. Maybe they're heading somewhere." Breaker mused intelligently and I gasped for air, turning into Snake and held onto him tightly.
"Possible target?" Heavy asked.
"Yes. Somewhere with a lot of…metal." I could hear the light bulb go off in his head.
"They're going to blow it up!" Yeah but what? "All units, all units!"
"Guys you have to stop them!" Breaker yelled into the mouthpiece.
"Yeah we're working on it." Scarlet bit back sarcastically.
"I mean right now, they're going to detonate the warheads on the Eiffel Tower!" Holy crap, that's a lot of metal. Suddenly Duke and Rip open fired and I yelped.
"Guys! My ass isn't that big so don't use it as a target!" I yelled at them.
"Sorry Kaze babe." Rip answered. "Maybe you should get the hell out of there."
"I can't leave Snake alone." I shot back but I felt his hand touch my back so I looked at him. He gave me a firm nod which I assumed meant that he wanted me to pull back somewhere safe. "You sure?" He nodded again. "Okay then." I relented then opened out my arms, letting a wind catch me before landing on a lamppost. Leaping forwards I waited until Heavy drove past in the van before leaping onto the roof and hung on as they slowed down to pick up Scarlet. "Huh?"
"Sorry, I'm just hitching a ride for a moment." I yelled into the mouthpiece over the sound of rushing wind and gunfire. "How's it looking?"
"Not good, Snake is now trapped under the Hummer and we're still no closer to getting that warhead back. Suddenly I heard Duke yell through the mouthpiece.
"Alright Rip let's take this thing down. Hang on Snake!" Instantly I looked up and saw Duke fire a missile at the back of the car, throwing the rear end up with Snake hanging on underneath. I cursed inwardly, hoping Snake would be okay. In answer small panels at the side of the Hummer lifted up and fired several missiles back at the boys.
"Look out!" I yelled then watched as they leaped up, twisting and jumping to avoid the missiles as they exploded around them. "Damn, this life is just too cool." When a pulse canon appeared from within the roof, I winced as Duke and Ripcord were flung off their feet.
"Kaze get in there!" Heavy yelled so I stood, balancing carefully before running on air. It was a cool feeling, racing on air as if I were on ground but I had to do it in short, sharp bursts of energy to keep me propelled upwards until I could land on a car that could carry me forwards a little then change vehicles, gradually getting closer.
I drew my bow when I had a good shot and lifted an arrow, pulling it back. When the arrow was airborne I concentrated on it, making it swerve around the Hummer then smash through the windscreen, straight through the guy in the passenger's seats neck. Before I could draw another one however I had to leap up as a car was flung in my direction by the furious driving of the Hummer.
"Whoever's at the wheel seriously needs to take some classes." I growled, leaping through the air, propelling myself forwards before landing on the roof. "Where are you Snake? Someone tell me!"
"Underneath still, hurry!" I drew my guns and shot into the roof, growling at the armour plated metal so I slid forwards, gripping on tightly. Swinging down the side I slammed through the window, shattering the glass then shot inside. My aim missed as the Baroness hit my hand away then delivered a fast strike to my neck.
Crying out I elbowed her back as she turned, drawing her gun to shoot me but I crossed mine against hers, snarling as we fought strength on strength. When Duke slammed into the front of the Hummer Ana looked up so I took my chance.
Slapping my gun across her face I split her lip. "Kaze get out of there!" Heavy yelled as we grabbed each other's throats, squeezing as tightly as we could.
"I'm…a little…chocked…at the moment." I grunted then let go of her throat. Obeying Heavy's command I placed my feet against the side of the truck then pushed out with all of my strength. When I slammed into a stall, fruit rolling everywhere I looked up just in time to see the truck get struck by a train and it soared through the air.
Wincing I pulled myself up, rubbing my throat. "Yah, thanks for the heads up Heavy." I panted, feeling my muscles ache as I began to step forwards.
"Stand down, Kaze, you're hurt." Heavy told me.
"I still got some fight in me." I argued as I saw Snake Eyes running towards me. Holding out a hand we gripped each other's arms, nodding to tell him I was alright.
"I said stand down, I shouldn't have let you come on this mission in the first place. You're too injured to continue."
"But…"
"That's an order." I growled in frustration and struck out with my foot, collapsing a wooden beam on the stall then breathed in deeply. Snake's grip tightened slightly.
"I'm fine." I assured him, gripping my bow tightly. "Come on, let's go find them." He nodded and we ran side by side. I knew I was slowly him down a lot but my body ached too much for me to push it. "Heavy, what's our status?" I asked.
"The Baroness is on the roof of the glass building on your left, she's going to escape. We've already lost Storm Shadow." He answered. "Missiles been fired and the tower is beginning to crumble." Looking up I saw the tower indeed falling apart as the green swarm ate its way through.
"Yah, I can see that." I clapped Snake on the shoulder. "I'm going up." He nodded so I took off, using the last of my energy to propel myself towards the roof as Duke leaped off the roof and into the plane after the Baroness.
"Duke!" I yelled.
"What's happened?" Heavy demanded sharply but I ignored him for a moment, angling myself in the air.
"Duke just jumped into the plane." I answered. "And so have I." I murmured just as I slipped through the open hatch just seconds before it closed. "Ha!" I yelled, swinging my bow and knocking out two guys then kicked the Baroness back as she leaped forwards. Duke leaped up clumsily and tackled another guy around the middle as he grabbed a gun. Drawing a blade I sliced it at the ninja as he drew one of his, my foot still pressing Ana down and we all froze.
"Come on Duke!" I yelled then spun around, knocking Ana's head against the side and she fell limp as I drew my other blade and fought against the ninja. I knew I was safe fighting him, he'd hurt me but he could not kill me.
Even now as I ducked under his blades and flourished my own he never went for a killing blow. "Duke!" I yelled as I saw him get knocked out cold.
"Kaze! Kaze what's happened?" I grunted as Storm Shadow whirled me around then trapped me, a blade at my throat and the other at my side. "Report Kaze dammit!"
"Hello Joes. Snake Eyes, I believe I have something of yours." Storm Shadow murmured into my ear as I breathed through clenched teeth. Through my earpiece I heard Ripcord groan.
"Uh oh, Snake ain't too happy about that."
"She's very beautiful, isn't she brother?" I growled and tried to pull away but Storm Shadow held me tighter. "Very strong willed, a true fighter."
"Let me go you son of a bitch before I shove that sword up your ass." He laughed in my ear, tucking his head into the nape of my neck, tilting his mouth towards my ear.
"I think I'll keep this one brother, who knows? Maybe she'll be useful to me." Anger burst free as my vision began to go dark but I shook my head slightly, fighting to stay awake.
"I'm going to slice you into salami you…" I began to spout off extensive Japanese insults and Storm Shadow laughed with amusement. Sliding one sword back into its scabbard he then gripped me in the grove of my neck, squeezing firmly and my insults began to die away.
"Guys…I'm so sorry…" I whispered as my vision went black. "So sorry…"
"Sleep tight little warrior." He whispered then pulled the sword away. However as my knees buckled and I went limp, I was pretty sure that he kept hold of me, supporting my weight as I slipped into the blackness of the unknown.
Oh, Storm is so mean.