Chapter 10
In the dark streets at 9:00p.m., an ambulance raced down with its sirens screaming like a banshee. A black Lexus was on its tail driven by Bond, he had to stop the ambulance that shot at his friend Stanton. The ambulance was driven by soldiers under the employment of a man known as Thade. He dashed through the night trailing the sirens of the ambulance.
"He's after us do something." said one of the soldiers.
"I'm driving you deal with him!" roared the driver. The four men opened the back of the ambulance revealing their MP K-5s spraying at the black Lexus. Bond revealed his Walter PP-K with the silencer attache and fired back. The men hit the car's window as 007 tried everything to avoid being shot in the head. He swerved the car left and right to get a good aim, so far he hit one of the men who fell to the streets head first. Bond accelerated the car closer but the machine guns causing him to make a different strategy. He couldn't attack the shooters, so he had to attack the ambulance. He slowed his engines down to get a good shot. The men paused to reload giving Bond the advantage to bump their vehicle as one of the soldiers fell to the streets. Only one driver and two shooters left, he checked his ammunition only two bullets left, that was all he needed.
He accelerated reaching the tail of the van. The driver made a sharp turn as Bond immediately swerved to the narrow passage. He came out onto another street following the sound of the siren. It took him a while to reach where the ambulance had passed. He got there making his way to it. The two remaining men used the emergency bed pushing it out of the van to crash into the black Lexus. Bond steered right as the bed scratched the car.
The car got damaged more than before as the two men continued spraying their ammunition. Bond lowered himself down while a bullet broke the front window of the car. He needed to act fast, he turned the car to the right as the men reloaded he took the advantage shooting one of the rear tires as it flattened down. It shook the men but they held their stance. He drove further to the front window as one of the shooters approached. He stared at Bond, who gave them a smile the man leveled his gun at him, he shot the other tire on the right waving the shooters goodbye driving to the front of them, as he applyied the breaks bashing the bonnet, slanting ambulance into the sidewalk as it crashed down screeching the streets. While he focused on the crash, he didn't know about the car in his front, he quickly applied the breaks but it was too late, the Lexus hit the car in front making Bond crash into the air bag hitting his head on the steering wheel. The crash wrecked Stanton's car; the front was busted open, the sides were riddled with bullets and the back was dented. He got out of the car in one piece, he was bruised around but could still stand. He staggered towards the street, where people came to check if he needed help he just waved them away and signaled for an incoming taxi.
"To the Valkyrie." said a drowsy Bond.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?"
"No thanks I just had a problem with the ambulance." he looked at him puzzled, but complied.
Back at the hotel, Stanton was treated by a couple of medical experts who were summoned by the manager. Stanton laid on the emergency bed as doctors treated his bullet wounds, the authorities investigated the shoot out as the manager explained what happened. The taxi arrived as the gates were opened. Stanton saw someone in the passenger seat he was not hoping for. James emerged out of the car after paying the cabby.
"Must have been one heck of a party." he commented.
"Not one for the books." replied Bond as he closed the door and approached an injured Stanton.
"Good to see you are in one piece James."
"Good to see you are still breathing."
"What happened to the car?" asked a worried Stanton. He left without saying anything, Stanton already knew the answer.
"Damn it James, I still have payment on it, how would I explain all this?"
A few hours later Leilani rushed to the Valkyrie as fast as she could,
the bureau alerted her of the incident while she was filing the report.
She reached the suite where James and Stanton stayed in it wasn't wrecked but she only saw James finish getting treated.
"I heard what happened." she rushed towards him as she embraced him as a sign of relief. "Where's Stanton?" she asked, suddenly an anxiety of worries overwhelmed her.
"He's in the hospital."
"Is he alright? How did they break in? What happened to the men surveying the place?" she panicked. Bond held onto her to calm her down.
"He'll live, two men broke in I took care of them and the people who hi-jacked the ambulance."
"Oh James, I shouldn't have left, I feel terrible..." he silenced her.
"You're beating yourself too hard." he calmed her down making her feel slightly better. She looked at him sensuously staring into his blue eyes, they didn't hesitate as they kissed.
The first time was in fear and caution, they needed each other right now after escaping death and danger, they put their differences aside for the sake of the world. Croftnik was still out there along with his plans he had to be stopped he had attempted on their lives three times. They had to disassemble the League, the League of Death.
She woke up the next morning, Bond was outside the balcony talking to someone on the phone, his superior M.
"...I may have found where the 26X1 might be held."
"I've gotten your report about what you've uncovered, but we can't touch Croftnik yet."
"He's attempted three attacks on me M, I don't know what else I should wait for."
"Bond we want Croftnik to be flooded out, not to be assassinated, he must be exposed or our government nor the United States will have nothing on him."
"Understood" said James feeling disappointed. As he hung up he cursed the situation, Leila came up behind him.
"James, we have to do whatever it takes." she said.
"I know." he said cupping her hand. "But Croftnik is well conserved."
"What if we catch him in the act?"
"He's too smart to be caught."
"Not unless we know his agenda." then Bond remembered about the veto meeting, and how to disable the league. Snow!
"I believe we do..." she stared at him with curiosity...
Fort Dexter, North Dakota
Bond had located the 26X1 to Ft Dexter, he had his priorities, to destroy the 26X1 before it fell into the wrong hands. The Griffin had been stolen a week ago, it might have been too late to prevent the developments of duplicates but he might be able to disable the further development. They informed Stanton about their objective, Stanton had been treated but won't be out of the hospital for at least a month. Bond had to flood Croftnik as a fraud, he didn't want to admit it but M was right what would be revenge would be outing Croftnik as a thief. He's reputation would sink. He was accompanied by Fox, Stanton's orders, even though Bond felt Stanton needed company, but so did he.
When they reached the airport, Q had sent his car to their destination where James could pick it. The Aston Martin DB6, was set for him to drive as he glanced at it, the man sent by Q, was Montgomery Q's assistant.
"Nice car James." commented Fox as she looked at it.
"Ah Commander Bond, welcome." Said Montgomery as he approached to shake his hands.
"So Q sent you?"
"Yes still working in Q-lab I'm afraid."
"Don't worry he'll be fine." he said as Fox approached.
"Leilani Fox, CIA" she said offering her hand.
"Pleasure to meet you miss." he said as he accepted it. "Now 007, Q wants you to sign this release forms." he said handing the documents to Bond.
"All set, Montgomery." he said returning the document, entering the car.
"Is there any chance that you can bring this car in one piece?" he asked.
"Nope." he said as he and Fox drove off to their destination.
It took two hours to reach their destination. Fort Dexter. Their car couldn't be seen or they would know there are intruders. Bond opened the boot of his car to reveal his stealth suit all packed and ready. He suddenly realized that there was only one.
"Seems a little too late to have asked for an extra." he thought to himself.
"What's wrong James?" she asked.
"I need you to stay close to me."
"Why?" she asked.
"You'll need to." He replied. She complied into trusting him. They equipped themselves with their firearms, Bond carried his PP-K with the silencer attache and suited himself up with his stealth suit augmented by Q. Fox was equipped with her colt 45 and a wolfram 29. They scouted in the forest watching the gates. A car approached the fort gates as one of the soldiers checked the visitor, after identifying him, he saluted and ordered the gates to be opened just then the window revealed a blonde woman with blue eyes with another, the twins!
"Codiaeum's in there." he pointed out.
"How do we get in?" she asked.
"We need a distraction." he said. Suddenly a truck carrying military supplies was heading towards the fort, they saw it as an opportunity. Bond exposed his pistol with the silencer attache at the upcoming truck leveling at the front tire. They were almost at his sight just a few inches more. A spit from the pistol hit the front tire as the truck went into a slump. Two men inside came out to check what had happened while the other two questioned them.
Bond roughened his shirt and unbuttoned it a little and urged Fox to do the same. They approached the truck like a couple enjoying each others company.
"Hello, need some help?" asked James, the soldiers saw him with Fox whose shirt was exposed a little.
"Er would you have a spare tire?" one of them asked.
"Let me check." responded Bond as he went to his car, Fox went to the back of the truck with a silencer, killing the two men and hid around the supplies.
After Bond had assisted them they got back in the truck and continued. While they focused on their destination, James quickly entered the back with Leila and enjoyed the ride.
They got in through clearance without being detected, James searched the provisions they were carrying for anything to their advantage. He found some grenades which he took and searched for any body armor for Leila. He scattered all supplies until he found one, handing it to her.
"Consider it a Christmas present." he commented. They followed the truck to its destination, until the two agents spotted different targets. Bond spotted Codiaeum, Leila spotted Gina.
"I'm going after Cyrus."
"I'll try and grab information from the girl."
"Careful, they aren't as innocent as they appear."
"There's only one, James." she said dropping off the truck and equipping her wolfram 29 and tracing the girl through the bunkers. She was distance away from the girl as she only reached the location where she was about to turn. She followed her trace from left to right trying to find a way through the labyrinth, until she reached the t-junction at the end. She could have gone any side of the bunkers. She followed her instincts and stealth closer to the left, she cradled her gun tightly, she was either right or wrong but she trusted herself. She spun to the bunker and leveled her gun at the woman in the dead end.
"Don't move!" she said leveling at the twin. The woman looked at her assassin calmly and raised her hands.
"You caught me." she said acting surprised.
"I'd like some answers" she said. "Where can I find Croftnik?"
"I won't tell." she teased.
"I'm ready to kill you, without hesitation." threatened Fox.
"Oh my sister wouldn't like that." she said putting her hands down.
"Where is she?" urged Leila. Just then a heavy blow was landed at the back of her head as she laid unconscious, Gina was at the other side of the bunker waiting for the right time to strike. They knew they were being followed as they lured the unsuspecting agent leading her to a false trail.
"Here I am." said Gina.
"Nice work twin." said Gem as she skipped to the unconscious Fox.
"You know what this means Gem?"
"I do Gina..."
"Playmate!!" they said.
Meanwhile Bond followed Codiaeum through the tanks as he was heading to the jet hanger, probably where the 26X1 was kept he was met by Decker as they entered the hanger accompanied by five soldiers and a man heavily guarded he had the ring like Decklyn, Croftnik!
He was about to invade, but he had to take care of some things. If he or Leila were caught he wanted to disable some heavy artilleries, like the tanks he was near as they were aligned with each other. The grenades he took were digital so he set a timer for seven minutes knowing what they talked about might be to his advantage. He also raided some trucks with military weaponry placing some bombs inside after taking one of the grenade launchers, he hid it where if he was in trouble, he could retrieve it. He scouted his way to the hanger where the three main members met. He equipped his PP-K ready for the worst he also had his Q-scrambler revealing his camera to find any evidence to leak Croftnik as a fraud.
He looked for an opening for him to get in as he saw the blast doors were slightly closed giving him the advantage to snake his way in.
Bond crept close to where the meeting took place, then he found what he came for, the 26X1. The men stood right beside the jet talking about it, then he saw something that wasn't meant to be...
Behind the Griffin, he saw ten jet crafts under tarpaulins. The Griffin had been duplicated and were ready to be shipped. He took a picture of it with his cell phone, this was not a good sign.
"Well Sir its been done." gestured Codiaeum to the line up of the jets.
"Excellent, they'll soon be ready for shipments?"
"Of course sir." Codiaeum "and you'll get your share out of it too, Decker."
"I hope so." said the four star general "What's the big deal about these jets anyway?"
"These are attached with electro-magnetic pulse." commented Codiaeum "They can't be detected by radar scanners."
"You checked all that?"
"Of course, everything Mr Bond said really paid off." said Croftnik smiling. Bond was ready to level his pistol at Croftnik but he kept his cool, M was right, it would be more satisfying exposing Croftnik not only to his clients, but to the world and everyone he was affiliated with, causing the league to fall.
"Patience James." he muttered to himself. If he got to Fox he could destroy their political connections. He checked his watch and saw that he had five minutes left, then a question came to him: where was Fox and what happened to her?
Just then Codiaeum's phone rang. He checked who it was then answered it.
"Hello...?" he said. He gestured some nods and okays to his caller and projected a smile. The last thing he said was.
"Bring her here."
Bond had a bad feeling in him and if his guess was right they found her, they found Leila...