10

Chakti Maha Prasat

Grand Palace, Bangkok Thailand

Monday, April 4, 21:00 hrs

"I tell you, I hear shooting and explosions outside," Minister of Finance Saikua rasped as he pressed his ear against the wall. "What the hell is going on?"

Saikua along with 82 hostages were held inside the large ballroom of the throne room. No guards were posted inside but armed terrorists are guarding outside the ornate hardwood doors. The hostages are hunkered; many of them were injured when tried to fight the brutal captors. If there is any consolation, many hostages were already released. They were also given food and medication. What is left are the high ranking military and government officials.

The king was also absent. He was taken earlier by Trang. No one knows if he still alive. His actress wife was crying and was being comforted by other hostages.

"Prime Minister," Saikua reported to PM Wongsamut, who is the de facto leader of the hostages. "I'm very certain that I heard gunshots. Perhaps the terrorists lied about releasing some of our people. Perhaps they are shooting them-."

"That is not very likely," Captain Porngarunatikul assured him. The tall, handsome young captain is the highest ranking Royal Guard captured. He is wounded in the head but his mind is still clear. "What point would it serve? It's possible a rescue attempt was launched. The terrorists might be battling with soldiers and police at this very moment."

"Rescue team?" Minister of Defense Prompat looked hopeful. "I want to see these kidnappers get blown to hell."

"Those idiots are going to get us killed," PM Wongsamut said.

"But at least we have a chance," Saikua said.

"Our only chance is to Wichaidit to give what they wanted," Wongsamut snapped.

Porngarunatikul leaned in and whispered. "Gentlemen, it's a long shot, but if we could find a way to organize and fight back-."

"Are you crazy?" Wongsamut said. "We are not trained to fight like you, Captain!"

"But we can surprise them," the captain argued. "That is a formidable advantage in combat. We could link up with the rescuers…"

"Enough, Captain," Prompat said. "This room is not secure."

"This room is soundproof, completely shielded…"

"He's right, Captain," Wongsamut said. "Those bastards wouldn't get the palace without somebody's help."

Porngarunatikul looked surprised. "Are you saying sir, that there is a traitor?"

"Very possibly, somebody in this room."

Outside Grand Palace

Bangkok Thailand

Monday April 4, 21:05 hrs

"Rock, we have trouble," Benny announced.

Rock stood up from his stool and looked at the banks of LCD screens in the wall. "What is it?" he asked.

Benny pointed at a monitor with six blinking lights. "Our guys are trapped inside the Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Coins. There is an APC outside, and the building is now surrounded by the enemy."

The two Lagoon support crew are still holed up in their command van. They are tracking every move of the strike team, as well as the terrorists inside the complex. All six of the Lagoon crew is equipped with GPS trackers that register on the monitor as bleeps. The complex is also under round the clock surveillance from the ground and air, providing real time data for the mission controllers.

"Anything we can do?" asked Rock.

"I don't know. We don't have much here."

Rock smiled at him. "We have the Batman."

"That is still experimental," Benny complained.

"Well let's do an operational test here."

Benny concedes. "Very well." He stood up and looked outside the window. "I think we can launch it here…" He noticed several men approaching the van. At first he thought they were soldiers on patrol outside the perimeter, until he realized they are not wearing uniforms. "Uh..Rock?"

"Yeah?" Rock replied focusing on the monitor.

"Do you want a cup of coffee?"

"No."

"I recommend a Mossberg."

Rock dove to the floor as he grabbed a Mossberg 500 shotgun from the wall. Benny also hit the deck at the stillness of the night erupted in gunfire. Bullets went through the aluminum body of the van like Swiss cheese, blasting glass equipment to oblivion. Debris rained on Rock and Benny but they managed to not get hit, however their computers were obliterated.

The door opened and a gunman rushed in, M-16 ready. He didn't see Rock on the floor. Rock triggered the shotgun. Buckshot smashed on the terrorist's chest, hurling him backward out of the door. Benny's Remington shotgun roared from behind. Glass crunched as buckshot blew the rear window open and the head of the gunman peeking outside.

Rock pumped the shotgun as more bullets zing inside the van. He aimed the shotgun on the fluorescent lamps and fired two shots, engulfing the van in darkness. The gunfire stopped.

Two men entered the door to check if their targets had been eliminated. One of them fumbled for a flashlight. As soon as he lit, Rock opened up. Rock held the trigger as he pumped the Mossberg again and again, slam-firing buckshot on the assailants. Both fell as steel balls perforated their bodies, reducing their insides to mush.

Benny looked outside. "They're gone, Rock," he reported, wiping a sweat from his brow. He removed his finger from the trigger, fearful that his uncontrollable shaking would accidentally discharge the weapon.

Suddenly, a black figure rose from behind Rock. Benny quickly saw the apparition and aimed his shotgun. But he held his fire when the figure slid a shiny metal blade at Rock's neck.

"Drop it," the ninja hissed in accented English.

Benny hesitated.

Rock tossed his shotgun away. The blade is only millimeters from his skin. One false move and the ninja would saw his throat. "Anata wa nihonjindesu ka?" Rock asked.

The ninja was startled to hear Rock speaking fluent Japanese.

"Watashi mo nihonjindesu," Rock continued.

"Anata ga nihonjindearu tame, watashi wa anata o korosu koto wa arimasen to wa omowanai," the ninja threaten.

"Fair enough," Rock muttered. His right hand flicked, a billy club dropping from his sleeve to his palm. The rod extended upward, blocking the sword blade. His right hand snaked to his shoulder holster and triggered the .38 caliber snub nose revolver without drawing it from leather. Rock felt his side burn from powder but he didn't care, the shriek of pain from the ninja is a welcoming sound. The sword dropped on the floor.

"Rock! Drop!" Benny shouted.

Rock hit the deck.

Benny triggered the shotgun. Double 0 buckshot slammed on the mortally wounded ninja, he spun around but still standing. Benny pumped the Remington, the unmistakable sound of ka-chunk as the shell loads is terrifying enough. Benny fired again, this time catching the ninja in the chest, steel balls pulping whatever internal organs remained intact.

"Die you bastard!" Benny yelled. The ninja started to collapse when Benny fired a third shot, blowing the ninja's head like a watermelon. What's left of the ninja crashed on the floor, unrecognizable.

"You okay, Rock," Benny asked, keeping his gun ready if there are more intruders.

"Yeah," Rock muttered. "Son of a bitch, how did that bastard sneaked behind me?"

"He was a ninja," Benny simply answered.

Rock surveyed the damage. "How are we going to support our guys inside?"

"I got an idea," Benny replied. "Let's go for a walk."

Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Coins

Grand Palace, Bangkok Thailand

Monday, April 4, 21:15 hrs

Shenhua splashed water from her canteen on the face of the Burmese terrorist. The prisoner moaned as he regains consciousness and found himself in a dark room, a lamp lighting his face and he was surrounded by six armed, scary-looking individuals. He tried to move his arms but they are tied to a chair.

"I hope my Chinese friend didn't cause you brain damage," Revy remarked. "Cause I would."

"Who are you?" the prisoner asked.

"We are the one who's gonna ask questions," Shen said, taking out a kunai from her thigh. "What is your name?"

The Burmese didn't answer.

"For the sake of convenience, I shall call you Bok. I hope that's okay with you. Now, where were we?" Shen pointed the knife closer at the prisoner's cheek. "Who is your leader?"

The prisoner glared at Shen. Without another word she stabbed the knife on Bok's leg. The Burmese opened his mouth to scream in pain but Shen quickly covered his mouth. "Listen to me very carefully," Shen said menacingly. "I'm a nice girl, the one that you can date and fuck till morning. But what I don't like is being lied upon, because, I hate liars. You know what I do with liars? I castrate them alive. Just ask my last ex-boyfriend."

Revy looked at Lotton. "You got your hands full on this one," she chuckled.

"Sod off," Lotton growled.

"Now let's do this again," Shen continued. "Who is your leader?"

"Kham…his name is Kham!" the man said.

"I know him," Natthar said. "He is the leader of a separatist movement in the border."

"Where are the hostages?" Shen asked.

"I…don't know…" the prisoner rasped.

Shen pushed the kunai deeper, delivering insane amount of pain on Bok's body. "I'm getting tired, Bok," Shen said.

"Okay…okay…stop please…" Bok begged. "I'll tell you what you want to know!"

"Where are the hostages?"

"They are….kept in the Chakti Maha Prasat. Except for the king, he was kept somewhere else. I swear I don't know."

"Why are you helping Trang?" asked Natthar.

"He…he promised to give us money for our cause, our leader believe him. But I have my doubts."

"Why is that?" Dutch asked, suddenly curious.

"Trang knows your government won't give 1 billion dollars. He's planning something else to get money."

It doesn't take a genius to know what this is all about. "Trang is after the treasures inside the palace," Dutch deduced.

"Is he insane?" Natthar exploded. "Thailand is going to lose part of its national heritage!"

"Wait," Lotton interjected. "Something doesn't make sense. How is he planning to take the treasures out of the palace and out of Bangkok? The army surrounded this place up tight."

"He's planning to use trucks," Bok said. "Trang would ask the government to provide large vehicles. The treasures would be loaded on the trucks with a few high-ranking hostages. The trucks will be driven to the airport where a plane is waiting to take the treasures to a country with no extradition."

"The art from the palace is irreplaceable," Natthar said. "They would be worth millions to the black market. But no price tag can be placed on the loss to the world if such historical masterpieces is hidden from the public or destroyed in a rash action."

"There is one more thing," Bok said. "Trang has a trump card. I don't know exactly what, but I saw his men unloading drums of chemicals from the trucks. They could be planting a huge explosive device."

"Fuck," Dutch cursed.

"What do we do now?" Lotton asked.

"Simple," Revy answered. "We kill them all before they kill us."

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you guys for the wonderful reviews. However I will set the record straight: there will be no lemon scenes in this story, as you can see they are in a middle of a battle so there is no time for that, hehehe. But rest assured there will be more LottonXShen romantic moments.

And if you guys are wondering, no, Sukandar will not make an appearance because she is dead. But wait for the ending, because there will be an explosive revelation. -gene