Togusa sighed to himself knowing that the kids would be Cathryn's primary concern now that they knew that they were in there. "Saito, Cathryn, do you think you can take out their guards without alerting their pals to the situation?"
Saito answered after a short pause, making Togusa wonder if they were networking outside the normal channels so no one could hear them. "Negative. Cathryn's side of the building has six guards for the meeting room she's covered, and the other side of the building I've counted another five at least who are on patrol. Meaning there are at least 18 covering the building from the inside."
"Fine then." Changing his focus on the coms, but still letting everyone hear he caught the sit reps from the other team members on this mission. "Major, Batou, you're going in, cover Cathryn's side of the building. Pazu, Borma You're on Saito's side of the building. Proto, you and Ishikawa are going to keep those in the security room from seeing that there is a problem until its too late."
"Ryoukai" Was the universal response to the action plan. Those running into the building activated their cloaking and started the raid. With Proto and Ishikawa playing havoc with the security systems there was next to no chance for the group holding the hostages to know that something was wrong.
The raid was going well until one of the subordinates got jumpy. "Boss, somethings not right." Cathryn had been keeping a close eye on the hostages and started to see more movement before she caught the comment from the underling. "Togusa, the underlings are getting jumpy. This isn't going to end well, the hostages are getting nervous."
"Understood, if the guards try anything stop them." The return order was a welcome one. Flicking the safety off her rifle she zoomed in on the room and picked her target. The most enervated of the guards. The door to the room exploded inwards and as he brought his weapon to bear on the hostages he quickly found himself unable to do anything. The bullet shattering his brain case and splattering its contents out the other side preventing the shots from being fired.
The room was quickly secured, Pazu and Borma having had less resistance than was expected had made it up to the hostages before the Major and Batou. Cathryn's single shot preventing the loss of any lives. The hostages were till in fear reactions, but at least they were alive to be scared out of their wits. Cathryn leaned back against her support seat and let relief and the adrenaline of the mission drain out of her. There was a warm congratulatory message in the back of her mind, reminding her that her network with Saito was still up for the mission. "Thanks Saito, I'll see you back on the ground." An affirmative was returned before the order came through their coms to recall for mission debriefing.
Her job never seemed to get easier, no matter how many missions she went on or what she did between those missions, but she had the freedom she desired, and now she was truly free. Her debt had been discharged and she was officially recognized as a member of Section 9. The official recognition didn't bother her one bit. It was what she did with it that made each nerve wracking mission worth the adrenaline. That and her ability to be understood by her team, she had been called Saito II by her team mates from time to time for her dislike of doing grunt work that was outside of her specialization, but Saito understood, and the knowing smirk he would throw her way when it happen made the teasing bearable. She was free. That was all that mattered.
