Terror
Chapter 7: getting out
Reno and Rude were still watching the store house from the streets. Hidden in the shadows, the Turks' faithful allies they tried and failed to find a way out of their current situation. The only positive side of their predicament was that all remaining terrorists were inside that building. They had seen none guarding the perimeter or patrolling the streets.
Reno swore something nasty as his gaze wandered over to the house for the tenth time that minute. They were running out of time.
"We can't blow it up because Elena and Rufus are still in there, can't charge right in because they hold them at point blank range, come on Rude, think!" Reno was agitated and dangerously close to losing his professional cool, Rude knew this, but he had no ideas how to solve this situation either. He placed one of is gloved hands on Reno's shoulder lest the redhead would start pacing and give their position away.
But there wasn't much else he could do; the main entrance was guarded, so was the small rift in the side of the building they had discovered. It could not be seen from the hostages point of view as it was shielded by the half-fallen stairs, but the entrance was thin a stealthy attack with big speed would be impossible. The distance between entrance and hostages was too big to try taking them on in one all out attack and the lives of their coworker and the company's heir were at stake.
They needed help. Help they wouldn't get with their phones out of cell range. If they had taken Belok's electronic calling device, they may have been able to contact the leader of their adversaries and struck up some negotiations. However, Reno had destroyed the machine in a fit of anger that had at least given him short-lived satisfaction. He wasn't very good at negotiations anyway, or Tseng would allow him the exra days off for 'reconnaissance' that he liked to ask for.
The thought of their Wutaian leader came unbidden, but brought with it a lot of bitterness. They still hadn't found him, had completely failed their rescue mission and only succeeded in putting their vice president in danger. Rightfully the Turks should have dealt with those terrorists swiftly, should have repaid tenfold whatever they might have done to Tseng and then bring the stoic Wutaian home.
But instead they were stuck in a desperate situation, without any real options.
"Any movement from inside yet?" Reno had dropped his trademark 'yo' at the end of his sentences – another indicator of the emotional strain.
Rude shook his head.
"All this waiting is making me crazy; I opt for a sneak attack." Reno had already readied his EMR, he wasn't joking. And while Rude preferred a safer option there was none to be had. The terrorists seemed content with waiting for the Turks' move, confident in having the upper hand in this struggle.
Their only hope would be that they would be fast enough - and that the terrorists would hesitate shooting an important hostage like Rufus Shinra. Rude reluctantly nodded his head.
"Alright."
-
"Any movement?" the terrorist leader asked from his front guards. They had been on constant alert, sweeping the streets for any sign of enemy movement but so far failed to detect those they were looking for.
"Maybe they retreated?" Kromek asked tentatively, there was an unmistakable tone of relieve in his voice. "Or they were injured or killed in their attack on Belok."
Before the thought could infest his other cronies and let them become careless, he bellowed at Kromek: "Fool! Those are Turks out there; they are just waiting for the right opportunity to strike."
The subordinate shrunk visibly under the harsh rebuke, but it had the wished effect, all other guards went back to full alert. The leader turned back to his hostages, a nasty smile on his face.
"It is about time I start thinking about what to do to you, I mean with you." he corrected unconvincingly. "As long as your annoying friends are out there we can't really leave here with you. This would be a real pity, because if we have to run for it, we would have to kill you first. It would be a pitiful waste of ransom money, but a nice symbol for all anti ShinRa groups." He let the words sink in; wanting to make sure they understood that he had no scruples killing them on the spot.
Letting the rifle glide into its holster at his leg the dirty man drew a long knife from his belt and watched it intently. "It might be easiest to just lure them out somehow."
He gazed at Elena intently measuring her potential to be a threat to him should he get close. Apparently satisfied with the result he stepped towards her, raising the knife towards her face. The blond Turk made no move nor did she betray any fear towards the approaching man, her features finally in control as she had wanted them to be earlier.
The leader was not perturbed by that, while Rufus was still held at bay by his henchman he held the knife to Elena's throat. "Scream for me, Missy!"
-
Reno and Rude had crept towards the house, positioning themselves just behind the guards. When they heard he silent words of the terrorists' leader float towards them they knew that now was the time to strike. Inaction would only result in further harm to the hostages or their own capture. Without a spoken command they attacked at the same time, intent on felling their opponents with a single blow to move on to their fat, dirty leader.
Two solid punches to the back of the guards' heads dealt with them quickly, the sound of bodies hitting the floor seemed loud to the Turks' strained ears. And it proved to be too loud. The leader had spotted their attack and spun around o position himself behind Elena, pressing the knife firmly to her throat. His helper moved closer towards Rufus, preventing any escape attempt by focusing his weapon's sole attention on the young blonde.
"Drop your weapons, scum!" The terrorist leader barked. There was unmistakable glee in his voice, his victory was complete. With yesterday's ambush and today's tactics he had taken all the Turks off the streets for good. AVALANCHE was nothing compared to his command. He could already feel the appreciation he'd receive for his deeds, could already hear the sound of good hard money in his pouch that he would get for the Alex Shinra's brat.
Satisfied he watched as the redheaded Turk dropped his weapons, the bald one seemed unarmed. "Leto!" he called, "take their weapons and escort them over here, they must be dying to reunite with their friends." The fat man laughed at his bad pun, but when no reaction came from the terrorist guarding the small side entrance he stopped. Dragging Elena with him, he moved forward until he was able to look past the broken stairway towards the guard's station.
A gunshot rung out in the big hall, the terrorist leader dropped to the ground behind a startled Elena. A precise shot had split his forehead open and killed him before he even hit the floor. The last terrorist spun around at the sound of the automatic weapon firing. Taking the rifle away from Rufus proved to be a costly mistake. Dark Nation tore out of the shadows under the stair way and lunged at the man. Razor sharp teeth tore into his arms and face, tearing into flesh and opening gruesome wounds. The man tore free with strength born from panic, but his escape route let past Reno - and ended there.
Elena still hadn't moved from her position next to the stairs, her gaze was fixed on the barely man-sized entrance in the side wall. Heavy-lidded but clearly slanted eyes looked back at her, and broke the spell that seemingly had her transfixed.
"Tseng!" Elena rushed towards her superior, closely followed by Rufus and the other Turks.
"Boss! Good timing, yo!" Reno acknowledged, lazily placing his EMR across his shoulders as if saying he could have done it himself. Without breaking much of a sweat – probably.
None of the Turks chose to comment on their leaders beaten up state. The Wutaian was breathing heavily, leaning against the wall for additional support. His shoulder wound was bleeding freely again, probably opened by the force of his weapon's recoil.
But the job was done, the terrorists taken care of and the vice president safe.
The mission came first.
But now that the mission was over it was time to take their leader home - and to a hospital.
-
To be concluded
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A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and special thanks to rivendellelve and needleholehalo for the continued support of this story. Only the epilogue to go and it won't take long, I promise :)
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