11
Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Coins
Grand Palace, Bangkok Thailand
Monday, April 4, 21:16 hrs
"Nest come in," Dutch called on the radio. "Come in, Nest." He removed the radio mic in frustration. "They're not answering."
"There could be technical problems," Lotton said, easing Dutch's anxiety.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Revy said. The last time they lost contact with Rock, it was when he was kidnapped by Sukandar.
"Don't worry, Revy," Natthar assured her. "My soldiers are guarding their post."
Shenhua dressed the wound on Bok's thigh but kept him bind with plastic cuffs. She felt really bad in torturing a man, but she knew it had to be done. "What's the plan, guys?" she asked.
A shadow moved across the glass panes of a window above an ancient minting machine display. Glass and framework shattered as the dark shape burst through the window. The figure dropped behind the machine as automatic fire erupted from the window. The Lagoon Team dropped to the floor and took cover behind furniture and displays.
The door smashed open, and two Thai terrorists charged across the threshold. A bearded figure, probably a Burmese, remained at the doorway holding an Uzi in his fists. The man who had crashed through the window knelt by the minting machine with a Minebea PM-9 submachine gun held in combat readiness. His face was all but concealed by a gray hood and scarf mask.
"Shit!" Rico rasped. "We're surrounded and we've got a ninja in here with us!"
Bullets splintered the thick oak furniture he is using as cover and chopped plaster from the wall above. Rico aimed his M249 at the window and fired a burst at the gunmen. What glass remained was blasted away by a rain of 5.56mm slugs. One of the Thais who had entered the building fired his Uzi at Rico's direction. The flunky was not very experienced with the weapon, relying on spray-and-pray technique. Most of his shots went into the ceiling.
The other Thai leaned around a pillar and aimed an AK-47 towards the desk. He only exposed his head and shoulders, but that was enough for Lotton. The sniper didn't need divine intervention; he simply laid the crosshairs and tripped the trigger of his HK417. The Thai took a three-round burst to the face and fell on the marble floor, dead before he could even utter a scream.
The Burmese terrorist at the doorway fired his Uzi. Nine-mm bullets sprayed the room. Several pelted Lotton's cover but none struck him. Lotton lay low, unable to strike back for the moment. The enemy ninja rose up to aim his Minebea at the vulnerable Lotton. Revy saw the predicament of her comrade; she quickly fired a burst at the Japanese killer. 5.56mm slugs sparked against metal near the ninja. The masked assassin hastily retreated before Revy could land a lucky shot.
Dutch was stationed near the ninja. But he is on the direct line of fire at the doorway. The Lagoon leader fired his USAS-12, saturating the door with buckshot. Several .32 caliber steel balls ruptured the Burmese's chest, sending him tumbling out of a doorway. The first Thai gunman swung his Uzi at Dutch's direction.
Princess Natthar quickly hosed him down with M4 fire. Four 5.56mm messengers hammered through the Thai's sternum and rib cage, tumbling end to end as they went through flesh and breaking to many pieces as they hit bone. The bullets wrecked several vital organs including the heart and lungs. The terrorist sank into death.
The automatic fire from the window increased in an effort to keep the Lagoon Team pinned down long enough for the terrorists' reinforcements to arrive. Rico and Lotton returned fire. Bullets chewed at the ragged window frame and burned air above the heads of the terrorists as they ducked to avoid receiving high-velocity lobotomies.
Revy took the advantage of the lull. She took an M67 grenade from her belt, pulled the pin and popped the spoon. She waited for two seconds and then hurled the ball-shaped explosive through the window. The M67 exploded outside. Screams of surprise and pain filled the air as shrapnel cut through human flesh.
Shenhua drew her FN Five-seven pistol and fired it at the enemy ninja. Armor piercing bullets slammed into the wall. The Chinese girl had not expected to hit the Japanese killer but she hoped to get a reaction from the ninja. The tiny 5.7mm bullets didn't have much of a takedown power but hopefully the ninja would be exposed to Dutch's fearsome shotgun.
However, Shen didn't see any movement at the minting machine. Suddenly another Thai terrorist darted through the doorway. Shen swung her tiny pistol and squeezed the trigger as fast as she could, firing ten rounds in about a second. 5.7mm rounds stitched into the guy's torso, piercing vital organs and killing him instantly.
"More company outside!" Natthar shouted.
It would not take long for the terrorists to realize that the easiest and safest way to deal with their opponents was to simply blow up the building or lob grenades. If the Lagoon Team didn't act quickly, the museum would be their tomb.
Revy glanced at the princess. Natthar nodded, taking out a grenade from her belt. Revy took another M67 from her own belt. The two Amazons pulled the pins and threw the miniblasters through the windows at the enemy lurking outside. Explosions roared in response.
Dutch took an M67 from his belt and pulled the pin as he prepared to throw the grenade through the open doorway. Without warning, a powerful grip seized the American's left arm and pulled it onto the frame of the minting machine. The grenade fell from his hand and rolled into the middle of the room.
Shen quickly saw the predicament. If that grenade explodes, they will all be dead. She broke cover and dash towards the grenade. The martial artist kicked the grenade and sent it flying through the open doorway. A split second later, the grenade exploded. The screams of agony coming from the outside proved that her effort had not been in vain.
Dutch was engaged in his own personal struggle for survival. The ninja seized the big American from behind. He slashed a tanto knife at Dutch's throat but the Lagoon commander raised his USAS-12 to protect his neck. The blade struck the steel barrel instead of flesh. Dutch's elbow pumped backwards. The blow struck the ninja's masked face. Dutch whirled to face his attacker. The ninja held the knife in the right hand and the Minebea subgun in his left. Dutch's boot lashed out and kicked the machine pistol from the opponent's hand.
The ninja feinted a stab at Dutch's face. The American badass weaved away from the knife blade, realizing the move was an attempt to set him up for the next stroke. Japanese knife fighters and fencers favor cuts over stabs. The ninja raised the tanto and slashed at Dutch's neck. The American dodged the cut and swiftly chopped the side of his hand across the opponent's wrist. The knife fell from the killer's hand.
The ninja lashed a foot-sword kick at Dutch's abdomen. The Lagoon leader doubled up with a groan as his opponent drew a manrikikusari from his gi. A chain weapon with two weighed ends, the manrikikusari is a favorite ninja assassination tool. The Japanese swung the chain in a loop at Dutch's head, obviously planning to use the weapon as a garrote to throttle the American.
Dutch raised his left arm. The limb blocked the chain, it circles in the air and wrapped itself on Dutch's arm. The ninja hooked an elbow stroke at Dutch's temple, but the black badass right hand snaked to his back, drawing his massive Hibben bowie knife. He jammed the foot-long blade into the ninja's solar plexus as the elbow slammed into the side of his head. White hot pain filled the American's skull but he buried the knife to its hilt.
The ninja went limp. Dutch slashed the Hibben sideways, disemboweling the ninja. He fell on the floors, blood and guts sticking out from a horrible wound.
"Dutch, are you all right?" Natthar called as she hurried to Dutch.
"I could use an aspirin," the Lagoon boss replied, untangling the chain from his arm. "I'm lucky he didn't just shoot me in the back. Guess he thought he could take me quietly with a knife."
"You got a nasty bruise," Lotton remarked. "Luckily the temple is surrounded by lots of solid bone. Still, better let me see to it."
"Later," Dutch replied, flicking the blood from his knife before resheating it. "We got to get out of here before they hit us again with full force."
Dutch gathered his USAS-12. Revy and Natthar dropped empty mags and reloaded their carbines. Shen looked back and saw Bok sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around him. Bullets from the terrorists struck him several times, with his hand bound on a chair, he didn't stand a chance. Shenhua offered a silent prayer to the gods.
The Lagoon team headed for the door. The ground beyond the building was littered with dead terrorists in large and small chunks. Their bodies had been torn to pieces by the grenades the commandos had lobbed outside at the unseen attackers. The scene was grisly.
"I pity our cleaners," Natthar muttered.